IMTA

After 17 years and 36 conventions, IMTA remains one of the recognized industry leaders when it comes to the personal development of models and show business talent. Attendees routinely refer to their IMTA experience as “the event of a lifetime.” As part of the convention, IMTA hosts the industry’s leading scouting professionals, whose business it is to scrutinize the new faces and recognize that illusive special spark of the next rising star. An impressive — and constantly growing — list of discoveries at IMTA conventions makes it virtually impossible to open a magazine, turn on the television, or watch a motion picture without seeing a face discovered at an IMTA convention.
What exactly is IMTA? As an association of modeling and talent training centers throughout the U.S.A. and Canada, and with members spread around the globe in such places as Ireland, Finland, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, IMTA provides a first-class setting for its members to showcase their contestants. Twice a year IMTA invites a select list of agents, managers, and casting directors to New York and Los Angeles for the opportunity to look at and evaluate — and potentially sign — aspiring talent and models selected by the centers as ready for the next big step.
At an IMTA convention, the pros who are responsible for launching and managing careers in “the business” comprise a who’s who among agents, managers, and casting directors in the fashion and talent industries around the world — one more indication of the esteem that IMTA is held by these industry decision-makers, who can be seen networking, interviewing, and judging… all with an eye on finding the next Ashton Kutcher or Eva Longoria.

At an IMTA convention, the pros responsible for launching careers in “the business” are a who’s who among agents, managers, and casting directors in the fashion and talent industries.

When not competing, participants attend numerous workshops and educational seminars taught by industry insiders and professionals. During an “Overview” event, each aspiring model, actor, singer, and dancer has the opportunity to be seen by the managers, agents, and casting directors in attendance, all hoping to spot a previously undiscovered treasure matching the age, height, and gender being sought by the clientele they represent. Once a week’s worth of hard work on-stage and on the runways has been analyzed, IMTA presents plaques and scholarships at an extravagant gala awards finale.
But make no mistake about it: Getting into IMTA to pursue that dream is no piece of cake. For starters, the aspiring students at a training center need runway and modeling coaching, acting classes, image consulting, photographs, and front-of-camera experience, among other things, to get them ready to compete in a major market. To help smooth the way, regional training centers working in association with the IMTA convention headquarters can help by putting together a package of services and training for the student and parents wishing to attend one of the IMTA conventions, which are held twice a year — once each in Los Angeles and New York City. Packages vary from school to school, and they normally include all the necessary pre-convention training and preparation, and they also include the airfare, hotel, and convention registration fees.

INVALUABLE EXPOSURE: Whether appearing individually before agents in the “Overview” segments (opposite), as a group such as this AIM-Images Model Agency (above-top), or on-stage to accept industry accolades (above), IMTA convention attendees grow in confidence while exposing their talents to some of the industry’s most-respected decision-makers.