Mother Agency Contracts in Hong Kong
While a one-time contract might seem like the simplest option when starting your modeling career in Hong Kong, it's Mother Agency contracts that truly launch new faces. These local agencies become your first guides in the industry. They'll help you build a portfolio, understand the business, and navigate the initial steps of your modeling journey. These contracts can be complex, but for many aspiring models, they're a crucial stepping stone. Located close to where you live, Mother Agencies in Hong Kong will provide you with local experience before showcasing your potential to bigger markets. This could include cities like Los Angeles, Miami, or even further afield to fashion capitals like Milan, Paris, and Tokyo.
When a mother agency directly secures a modeling job for their talent, they earn a commission between 10% and 20%. In addition to this direct booking commission, mother agencies also receive a finder's fee if they place their models with other agencies in Hong Kong that then book jobs for them.
In the modeling industry, it's common for agencies to take a 20% cut from a model's earnings for each job. This fee is then divided equally between the model's main agency (mother agency) and the agency that secured the specific booking. This translates to a 10% commission for your mother agency for representing you overall, and an additional 10% for the agent who directly booked the job.
However, it's crucial to carefully review your contract regarding these deductions. The percentage your mother agency takes might be on top of any fees charged by the individual booking agent (which is typically 20%). In this scenario, your total pay cut could be as high as 30% to 40% per job.
The key difference between these commissions is that standard commission rates are usually added to the model's base pay for the booking. Mother agency commissions, on the other hand, are subtracted directly from the model's final paycheck.
In Hong Kong, understanding the length of your mother agency contract is crucial before signing. Mother agency contracts can vary significantly, with some lasting just a year or two, while others bind you for your entire modeling career.
There's another option: collaborate with separate agencies in each city. This lets them handle the negotiations, potentially saving you the hassle of managing those details yourself.