INTERNATIONAL MODEL SCOUTS ON THE HUNT FOR NEW TALENT AT SPLENDOUR

“It’s like anything you have to work hard at it to get noticed,” he said.

“There’s a lot of international fying from one location to the other to do photoshoots for different clients.

“You just don’t start to get Dolce & Gabbana shows for $10,000 a day.

50,000 people.

“I’ll be at the gates scouting,” Mr Blake said.

“If I fnd one it’ll be good, if I fnd two faces over the three days that’ll be great, but there are no expectations.

“Splendour is a massive event, and all the scouts are coming here for it.

“Last time I was at Splendour there were a few maybes, but I’m hopeful I’ll be able to sign someone this time.”

Trying to fnd perspective talent in a sea of goodlooking people isn’t as easy as it sounds.

Mr Blake will spend three days constantly scanning the faces of everyone who enters the festival.

To narrow down the feld he looks for the ideal model height, females have to be about 175-185cm and males about 185-190cm.

They also need to have the typical model features - good facial structure, near perfect teeth and skin and a ft physique.

“I’ve been doing this for almost three decades now,” Mr Blake said.

“You do get an eye for it, you know what’s on trend, but for me the main thing is are they memorable, are they different, is there something that sets them apart.

“They make an impact when you see them.”

During covid a lot of models dropped out of the industry due to the inability to travel for work.

Scouting was also made diffcult when everyone was locked away or wearing face masks.

Mr Blake said he recently relocated to Byron Bay from Sydney to increase his chances of fnding new talent in the tourism hot spot.

“The transient nature and the fow of people that come through the Northern Rivers makes it a brilliant area for scouting.

“The people that come through, they’re all generally healthy, young, ft and embody that lifestyle.”

In the last three months, Mr Blake has found four young people from the Northern Rivers, who ft the model criteria, which have now been signed to modelling agencies.

His latest fnd was a 19-year-old traveller from Germany named Jonas, who was working at a café in Byron Bay.

Jonas, who has plans to study medicine and become a surgeon like his father, said he was surprised to be approached by Mr Blake.

“He asked me if I had modelled before and explained to me who he was and who he was working for, but I hadn’t heard of the modelling agency.

“It’s not something I had an interest in or had thought about before.

“I have zero expectations, I came to Byron to work so I could travel, but I’m not doing much else so I just thought I’ll try it and see what can happen,” he said.

There has already been keen interest in Jonas from a number of international modelling agencies since he was scouted.

If any festival goers happen to get a tap on the shoulder at Splendour from Mr Blake, he warns it’s unlikely they’ll shoot to fame and fortune overnight.

“You do need a thick skin, it’s all about do you ft the client’s image and will you sell their brand.

“You also have to have an exit plan - we’re big on education, we encourage all the models (who are usually found as teenagers) to fnish their studies.”

At the same time, Mr Blake said being scouted as a model can change the direction of one’s life dramatically.

And, while the Northern Rivers and Australia in general, may be home to plenty of potential models, to be noticed by a scout relies on one of those serendipitous moments in life of been seen at the right place, at the right time.

Anyone who thinks they have what it takes can contact Mr Blake on Instagram at: kirk_scout Splendour in the Grass will take place this week from July 21 - July 23 at North Byron Parklands.