COACHING WITH KRISITN

MEET TAMARA PULLEY

BY KRISTIN BAUER-GROS I PHOTOS BY DAN DOYLE

OWNER OF UPSTATE’S LARGEST COMMERCIAL TALENT AGENCY

The 20 year legacy of AMS Models continues as the TMT Agency

I’m so thrilled to interview Tamara Pulley. I first got to know Tamara over 20 years ago when she was the Booking Director at my first agent’s office “AMS Models & Talent” back when I was a young teen girl. It has been incredible to witness Tamara grow as an entrepreneur and businesswoman.

At the helm of Tamara’s Models & Talent, the largest commercial talent agency in upstate NY Tamara operates and continues the legacy of arguably the largest and longest running successful commercial talent agency in upstate NY. Thank you Tamara for all you do for both the clients, talent, casting and the talent field in upstate NY and beyond!

1.) Tamara, share your story, how you first got started as a talent agent, and what a talent agency does exactly?

I always wanted to be a model since I was a teenager. I got myself into any pageants and fashion shows and photoshoots. I took 2 years of fashion design school. Fashion was my passion all of my life! Now I’m lucky to be living my dream.

I became the youngest sales manager at a retail store at age 19, a store called Merry Go Round. Bonus points if you remember Merry Go Round Stores, the hottest fashion stores in New York State! I moved from the small town of Watertown into Syracuse as a manager to spread my wings from small town life.

A few years later, I met Ann Marie Stonecypher while working as manager of Victoria Secrets Bath and Body Store at Shoppingtown Mall. Ann Marie used to coordinate the fashion shows at Shoppingtown Mall. At the time I was pregnant, and she asked me to model. I was so excited. That’s was when I got my first pictures together to begin modeling professionally.

Later, Ann Marie asked me to work in the office of her talent agency. At the time I was so bowled over and wanted to learn from her and soak up all her knowledge, business savvy and charisma and started working part time for AMS Models & Talent. Funny enough, I initially offered

to work for FREE being so excited at the offer. HAHA! I first started working in her office at AMS Models in 2001 as a part time employee, while still working full time as a manager at a store at Shoppingtown and starting to do modeling jobs.

The AMS Models offices moved 3 times and I moved with Ann Marie and AMS Models & Talent each time, through thick and thin. I experienced life with Ann Marie for 18 years and learned everything from her. From how to work as a wardrobe stylist and make-up artist to the business side of running a talent agency including negotiating pay and working conditions for models and actors, helping clients find the right talent for their commercials, catalogs, industrials, films, print campaigns and more.

As an agent, in the simplest definition: I secure and coordinate booking talent for clients seeking actors, models, and promotional staff. Our clients include: casinos, hospitals, restaurants, banks, malls, clothing retailers, from big corporations to small family owned businesses for work in commercials, fashion shows, live events, promotions, film productions, voice overs, infomercials and more.

We’ve also continued our time honored tradition, started by Ann Marie of donating time for non-profits and charity events through our group “Model Citizens”.

I dedicated myself to AMS Models for 18 years and through Ann Marie’s illness and many moves I continued running the agency until she passed away in 2018. I am very grateful to have had 300 loyal talent and 150 long time clients continue with me on my new journey of Tamara’s Models & Talent Agency.

2.) What do you say to people who scoff

that there is no acting and modeling work in central and western NY?

Our phones are always ringing with new requests for talent. There is work for seasoned actors and also up and coming models and talent.

Nobody is working full time at a local level but for those that have a flexible schedule there are many opportunities here in upstate NY. In November and December of 2021, we booked over 100 actors and models in just those 2 months and celebrated our best year ever! The bulk of our work is in Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, and Buffalo but also all of the

“We’ve also continued our time honored tradition, started by Ann Marie of donating time for non-profits and charity events through our group “Model Citizens”.”

other nooks and crannies in upstate NY. We are now expanding to NYC and PA and other regions as well.

3.) What are you getting the most demand for these days?

The most popular actor requests are women and men ages 30-50 with significant requests for diverse looks, ethnicities and backgrounds. More and more requests are for talent with serious acting skills and experience. We are always seeking talented actors who are ready to work professionally and able to create self taped auditions.

4.)What changes or trends have you noticed over the last few years within the industry?

More and more requests for diversity overall. Diversity in size, shape, ethnicity, diverse abilities, age, background, languages spoken, unique skills. Diversity. Diversity. Diversity.

5.)How would you like to see the industry evolve or change in the future?

Businesses will sometimes try to avoid paying fair industry standard rates or avoid agencies altogether to save on paying talent fair industry standard rates. This brings overall industry rates down. Sometimes they will get people off the street or find aspiring talent and take advantage of them because they don’t know how much they should be compensated for the use of their image and skills. Talent should have agency representation in order to have an advocate on their side to negotiate fair pay and working conditions. From my perspective all quality talent should have quality representation.

This doesn’t mean your agent is in the driver seat of your career. You are in the driver seat of your career. Each talent is responsible for learning their craft. It is up to the talent to develop themselves as quality talent and provide their agent/s with the best materials possible to represent them.

6.) What things do all of your top booking talent have in common? Do they all take certain steps or actions?

The people who get booked most are the ones that take it seriously, learn their craft, build their skills, develop marketable materials and take the time and energy to continually work to improve. Also,

gratitude goes a long way. Any reputable agency takes care of many talent and there is often just one agent or a small team to help their clients and all of their talent so the actors and models that are appreciative and go out of their way to make my job easier never go unnoticed. Agents are like elephants we always remember.

7.) Who is your role model? Who do you look up to?

My long time role model, may she rest in peace, is Ann Marie Stonecypher. She is my mentor, best friend, boss and I still want to make her and everyone around me proud to see me carry the torch. Although she has passed away, she is my everything and is still represents the essence of our agency, as our great founder and leader.

She built the first successful modeling agency based in Syracuse NY serving central New York in the 1990’s when nobody believed she could do it. Everyone told her there would be no market for it, no interest and no businesses would hire local talent. She started in her basement office with $300 and a dream and created the longest running and most successful talent empire in all of central and western NY.

8.) If someone wants to submit to your agency for consideration, what steps should they take?

Visit TMTBookings.com or Google our agency name “Tamara’s Models and Talent” and navigate through to the “application page”. We receive hundreds of submissions monthly. Please allow 4-6 weeks for consideration. If you have not heard from us within that timeframe do follow-up with an email to check in on the status of your application.

8.) What keeps you going after all these years?

Being a single parent of 3 and grandmother to 1 is a huge motivator! As a young mother working full time as a store manager, I was motivated to be a provider for my family and also be my best self, someone my children will look up and be proud to say “that is my mom”! Today, I’m living my longtime dream to have my own successful talent agency while also acting and modeling myself!

Follow Tamara’s Models & Talent on social media: Facebook: Tamara’s Models and Talent Agency Instagram @TMTBooking Alternate Instagram @TMTBookings Website www.TMTBookings.com

COACHING WITH KRISTIN