Today I had the pleasure of interviewing Marcus Black, a model from Dublin. Not only does he have a badass name, but he has the look to back it up! We had a chat about how he got into modelling and what he has been up to lately.
How did you decide to be a model? Who or what inspired you?
To be honest, my sister Amy always told me to do it! She actually went to London with me for my first test shoot. I think it was near Victoria Street. That was four years ago. She kind of made me do it. It was something I kinda wanted to do in a way, but I wasn't really pushed. I followed a few guys on Instagram who I would have chatted to who were starting off modelling, and they all would have given me the extra push to go over.
Are you signed with an agency?
I signed to a couple of agencies over a few years; I haven't really had that one. In Ireland, I didn't really have any luck with agencies. I signed with Not Another Agency commercial, but it's not their mainboard or new faces page, but I didn't really get much work off them.
I decided to work with casting companies in the UK. And one of them was Fusion management. They're based in London. Then there's another one called Talent Status UK, which basically just represents models within Europe. You can apply personally to jobs, and then they'll get back to you, so I've gotten a bit of luck off them.
Most recently, I signed with an agency in Paris, their new agency called New Face management. It's a difficult one because when I signed with them, it was just before lockdown. Nothing really came from it. I think over the next I will build more relationship with them, build up my portfolio probably and get some good work because many of their models are sign up with big agencies in Europe and different places in the UK well.
What was your first job? How did it feel?
My first job was for a small vintage brand called Poor Boy. They have an online store, and they have two big stores in Hull in the UK, but their website is where they make their money. They sell a lot of their clothes on Asos Marketplace. Getting that job was kind of a big deal because I was the banner of the Asos marketplace when it came out.
It meant a lot to me and to see myself on a banner of a page was quite cool, and it was a great feeling because you get recognised by a lot of people that you don't know in the UK who are models. It's great for your friends and family, like when they come to see your work or see something they wouldn't have thought you could do. Even proving people wrong who said that you were stupid to do it in the first place. That kind of feeling is great.
What is your dream modelling job?
My dream modelling job would be something sporty for like any major sportswear brand. For me, I got the opportunity to actually pass the casting and to do a video shoot for Gatorade, which I thought was gonna be really cool that was in Germany, but I wasn't able to go because of lockdown last year. If I got a job like that, it would mean a lot to me just because obviously a big basketball background and I love sports.
What do you enjoy most about modelling?
It's probably about the people that you meet along the way. Even with social media over the years, seeing that grow. It's mainly from support from people I've started to talk to maybe four or five years ago. Some of the models are huge, like Jamal Reeves; he has 40k followers and has done everything like he's worked with top agencies, top brands, you see him on JD, Asos and all this kind of stuff. It's one of those things of the network you build with these people and photographers even. You know, it is just that whole people aspect of things that make it that bit enjoyable because you're always competing for, but you get inspired by a lot of people at the same time.
Favourite Shot of Yourself?
That's a tough one. I think I might have maybe five or six different kinds of shots I like.
All of them are from different shoots. I think if I was to pick a favourite shot of me, it would be one of the shots of my first ever shoot. I had my hair braided for the first time for that shoot, and I got really good feedback from it or a recent shoot I did for a guy called Aaron McGahren. He basically designed a really high-end fashion piece for a competition called middle moulder. It's a competition that happens in Florence every year, a really high competition. he did really well and got through loads of interviews. I got to model wearing his clothes and never worn high-end fashion clothes before. And was really, really cool and kind of put me out of my comfort zone a bit. I think that's why I liked them so much; they're like GQ magazine type of shots.
It was an absolute pleasure chatting to Marcus, and I honestly could not wish him more life!
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