“Made It Models” - Michelle Cascio Photography and Model Casting

Michelle Cascio Photography and Model Casting has great talent coming out of its workshops. I met them at Cascio’s June workshop and was impressed with the age range (from 10 to 30 years old) and the experience levels (from beginners to those who’ve worked for a couple of years in movies and still ads). I was invited to attend her July workshop so I could write the article entitled “Looking Your Best” in issue #29 on April 13, 2008 and was wowed even more.

Michelle came prepared with handouts “What to Do for Your Booking” and “Things You Will Need in Your Model Bag”. Learning how to work this industry, hearing their stories, and taking their pictures was a blast. These models were so enthusiastic, upbeat and excited that it left everyone encouraged to move forward.

Heather started acting when she was eight years old in American Girl plays. She fell in love with the feeling of performing on stage in front of a live audience. As she got older she did comedy/drama type theatre. She also played violin and was a part of a chamber orchestra that performed all over Wisconsin.

At 17 she became interested in modeling. One day she received a call from Cover Girl in New York who invited her to come for a modeling audition.

About a year ago, Heather was introduced to Michelle Cascio by a model that she knew who had worked with Cascio. About a month after a photo shoot things started taking off when she signed with a leading talent agency in Milwaukee. She has been cast in “Something for Stevie” and “Dust”, being released in February 2009. She has been a spokes model for corporate video commercials and in commercials for McDonalds and Walgreen’s.

Heather is currently working with Culvers and a Milwaukee radio station. Her ultimate goal is to move out to L.A. and work as a full-time actress in television and film.

Ian is one of the up-and-coming new models. He has only been with Cascio for a few months but was already in an independent film called “The Vision”. His next project is going to be a part in a hospital commercial.

Alyssa has been with Cascio for a year and a half. She has three photo shoots with “Upstream Girl” under her belt. She is signed with three different modeling agencies and attended a nationwide convention where she was the runner up in three different categories and received eight call-backs.

I asked Alyssa’s mom, Eva, how she saw this experience from a mom’s perspective, “One thing we hear about in this industry are the bad things: how young models get taken advantage of and used inappropriately or asked to do more than they can handle. Michelle emphasizes to the mom’s “protect your model, don’t let people talk him/her into doing anything unethical or immoral.””

“Michelle Cascio is well grounded, ethical and moral,” Eva continued. “We all need to appreciate Michelle for what she’s doing for the models. She has helped models in the lost years, meaning they are too big for children’s spots or too small for adult spots. Alyssa has benefited from working with her. I know how valuable Michelle’s services have been and how giving of her time and talent she is. Her Myspace page has been very instrumental in searching out and sharing information on opportunities. And I love that the workshops are FREE!”

Some modeling agencies charge high fees for the models to attend classes. Moms like that Michelle’s workshops are free because with the classes they pay for they have to wait in the lobby and don’t get to hear the advice that is given to help launch the models. The parents are more than welcome, and even encouraged, to come with the model to Cascio’s workshops.

Parents are also allowed to ask questions. The kids don’t want to admit to their parents that they have to take care of their skin or stop drinking soda and the older models don’t want to expose that they have to stop smoking. This helps make them accountable for bad habits and put them on the track of good habits.

“Moms love that I tell the models they have to be well mannered because this is about money and work,” says Cascio. “I am also very clear about the fact that they are getting paid to enhance their client’s product. There are no temper tantrums allowed. Work with a smile. Also, these workshops are the only place where models from different agencies can come together and network with other like-minded people.”

Since starting this company in Kenosha a year and a half ago, Michelle’s models have been on the front page of the newspaper, featured in magazines, on television shows, in commercials and movies, in catalogs, on websites, and accepted to some of the best agencies around.

“I am so proud of the quality of work they are getting,” beams Michelle. “They are clean, family friendly, conservative jobs. I’m so pleased with the response from agents, especially when they tell me how well prepared my models are when they get on location.”

Michelle’s husband, Tim Cascio, is a large factor in this. He is a partner of a marketing company in Kenosha called GS Marketing Group. The models love it because they can work on projects with his company to start building up their portfolio. Tim’s company won seven awards from Graphic Design Magazine, competing with thousands of entries from across this country including agencies from New York City and L.A.

“I don’t know of any other photographers who put on free model workshops, are married to a partner of an award winning marketing agency, and who guide a new person from the very beginning all the way to after they have been signed,” Cascio concluded.

For a list of current modeling spots needing to be filled, how to get signed up, success stories and other information on Michelle and what she does, please visit Ms. Cascio’s website at www.hiyamichelle.com and her Myspace page at www.myspace.com/hiyamichelle. Call her at 262-997-0823 or email her at michelle@hiyamichelle.com.

Article written by Kate Fallucca - May Your Life Be Filled with Beauty