(no subject)

[arethinn]

http://blog.vampirethemasquerade.com/post/2011/04/15/V20-Model-Search.aspx:

For V20 we are setting upa professional photo-shoot for all of the 13 clans. [...] However, we do have certain artistic and physical constraints that we must work within to create the desired effect that we wish to achieve. With all that being said we are looking to cast females in the roles of the following Clans:

Malkavian, Setite, Toreador, Tremere

Details: We are looking for four women that are a size 6 or under and available to be in the Atlanta area April 26th and 27th.

Wow. That really annoys me. I'm having a hard time understanding what there could be about the concept of WoD vampires that means only thin-to-tiny women could qualify to be good depictions, so I can only conclude that their "desired effect" is smack in the middle of the usual beauty standards. Anyone want to bet they didn't put similar blanket restrictions on the size of the male models?

Comments

[digitalsidhe]

Well, obviously, the Toreadors wouldn't want any heavy women. I mean, just look at the Old Masters: Their art all involves scrawny, stick-figure-like women, right?

Oh, wait... (and I didn't even have to restrict it to Rubens!).

And no, I'm not taking your bet re: male models.

[arethinn]

I know, right?

And never mind heavy, even. When I used to be a size 8 I weighed somewhere around 130-135 lbs. I mean, what the crap?

[feyandstrange]

Sample size clothing is generally made in a size eight, and they ask for models a size smaller to make sure the models will fit - it's easier to pin things smaller than work around too-small. So I'd bet they've got samples donated that won't fit someone smaller.

ALso, note that this is only the casting for four of the clans, and they aren't even asking for males - it's possible that they did only use males with 28" waists and that some of the other models are larger.

I totally agree about sizeism shit, but from reading the announcement it looks like they tried to say "Look, this isn't a judgment call or even an aesthetic decision, we just need size 6 chicks to fit these corsets." So I'm not gonna get upset over not much.

[arethinn]

Sample size clothing is generally made in a size eight, and they ask for models a size smaller to make sure the models will fit - it's easier to pin things smaller than work around too-small. So I'd bet they've got samples donated that won't fit someone smaller.

Hmmm, maybe. But if their "artistic and physical constraints" are "we already have the costumes, and you'll have to be able to fit them", why not just say so in plain language?

ALso, note that this is only the casting for four of the clans

Right, because apparently they have already cast the other nine. I'm curious what sexes they are and what the requirements were.

and they aren't even asking for males

My guess is they divvied up the clans and had enough men already on staff or in easy reach, and females were a little harder to come by.

it's possible that they did only use males with 28" waists and that some of the other models are larger.

It's possible. I hope they did lay a restriction on the men that equates to "we only want size 6 women", or that the case is "we have several larger women and now we need several smaller ones". Still, the way it's worded, I have a hard time not getting pretty pissed off. If it's a costume thing, maybe they should have waited until after they had the people that had the perfect "I think we've found our Gigi Malkie" faces, eh?

[digitalsidhe]

If that were the case, I'd think they'd specify heights and possibly more-exact measurements, like: "Must be 5'5"-5'8", bust 33-35", waist less than 26", hips less than 34", inseam at least 30"." Just saying "size 6 or smaller" is incredibly vague, and could easily get them someone too short for their pre-existing clothing.

[silussa.livejournal.com]

Somehow, I don't see a Brujah being in the size range of "6 or under".

[arcanetrivia]

LOL. I assume for the Brujah they got a muscly-looking man, although it'd be pretty cool if they deviated from the stereotype. I was thinking more along the lines of "men must have waists less than 28-30 inches" or some such thing. enotsola offers that they were probably operating within the "vampires are all skinny and pale" kind of thing, which may be true; I hope they did put similar "artistic restrictions" on the sizes of the males -- at least it's equal-gender-opportunity size-ism in that case -- but somehow I doubt it.

[silussa.livejournal.com]

Actually, in a game some years ago, the Brujah was a female. We never considered the idea of her being "skinny".

Admittedly, it would not be inappropriate if they cast everyone that way...but I'd bet they don't.

[arethinn]

oops, that was me.