26 August 2010
Collette Von Tora: Alt Model Interview
Collette Von Tora is a professional agency represented model and actress based in the North West of England. She has an androgynous look and prides herself on her versatility and range, including pin-up, horror, alternative, gothic and fetish. She says "I have a wicked sense of humor and a bizarre, sometimes wrong headed imagination. I love the quirky and surreal and adore the alternative community."
She was the winner of Bizarre Magazine's Ultra Vixen Competition in issue 164 and was a runner up in their Zombie Women of Satan Zombie Beauty Pageant. She is also filming for her horror movie acting debut in the independent movie 'Slasher House'. How and when did you first get involved in modelling? I first got involved in modeling back in 2001. Like most girls in their 20s I wanted to give it a try, it looked like fun. I got a student friend of mine, who was studying photography at the time, to take some photos and we had fun getting creative. After that I tried to get on board with some mainstream agencies and got my fingers burned by some agencies charging their 'registration fees', and for a while I became a little disheartened. Then in 2007 I figured that I would give it another go and got caught out again by some 'Scouting' company who got me a shoot booked in London and then charged me a lot of money for the privilege. After that I decided to look into freelance work and after a couple of years of discovering who I really was and what worked for me you find Collette Von Tora. And I am very happy with what I have achieved so far. I have discovered truly expressive work and enjoyable work and have managed to work with some of the most creative and talented people I could ever have hoped to work with. How does your modelling work and acting work help each other? From my experience, I find that in terms of achieving the right facial expression and physicality for a photo shoot, acting experience works really well. I can get into the character and mind set of what I am portraying in the photo, it also helps with self confidence when meeting new photographers and getting out in front of a camera. There is also the question of self control, fits of giggles can always occur during photo shoots and being able to act helps a model to snap out of giggles and back into character if you will. The same applies to modeling affecting my performance in acting. Since I have been modeling, my self confidence in front of a camera and in front of an audience has soared and I feel like I can achieve much more. I am more experienced in knowing what looks good in terms of angles and facial expression too which is important for both film and stage work. I think more actors should combine modeling with their trade as it really helps. What has been one of your favourite shoots? One of my favourite photo shoots has to have been the Japanese Horror shoot I did with Black Orchard photography. It was an idea that I suggested, after wanting to tackle the theme for ages, and from the start I had the best feeling about it. Andrew from Black Orchard Photography went and got hold of a television which he was going to gut, so that I could crawl out of it. My friend Ellorae De la Dean was also on board to help me with the shoot as she was going to be one of the hapless victims. We are both massive fans of Japanese horror and she was well up for the project. We did the shoot on location in a wooded area and it was so much fun. I got to be one of the victims and the scary Sadako figure, which I have always wanted to do. I got to crawl out of a TV and do the broken walk that Sadako does along with looking generally very scary. Ellorae and Andrew were both freaked out when I was in full Sadako mode which was hilarious. Best shoot so far. And the end results are amazing. There is even one shot where I appear twice, once as a victim with Ellorae and I am in the background as Sadako. It was the first shoot where I really got to stretch myself and did not have to worry about looking good. Why are you attracted to alternative modelling in particular? There is more freedom with alternative modeling. There is a real opportunity for self expression that you do not really get with mainstream modeling. Mainstream modeling is what it is, and you are put under pressures to look a certain way, and companies using you can be very unforgiving in how they treat you. I also find that the alternative community is much more supportive and less judgmental than it is with the mainstream scene. It does not matter what size you are, how old you are, how you look. You are free to be yourself and it has helped me in realizing who I am. I get a real kick out of alternative modeling. How has your androgynous look assisted and hampered your career? In terms of alternative modeling my androgynous look has assisted massively as there is scope for playing with gender, which is always fun and helps in creating thought provoking images. It has hampered my mainstream modeling career as many agencies do not feel that I have a look that people will understand. Not that it bothers me as I model because I really enjoy the creative process. There is a risk with having an androgynous look that I will be pigeon-holed in being the androgynous model. That is why my portfolio is varied enough to show people that I can achieve many looks, and not just sexually confusing ones. Tell us about the filming for 'Slasher House'. It was an epic experience. I was part of a very small, hardworking, production team in a disused Prison on the Isle of Man for three weeks. The Prison made an awesome film set that held so many wonderful secrets which assisted in the production no end, and was more than we ever could have hoped for, disturbingly so at times. |
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It was also the most spooky experience I think the majority of us had ever had. There were certain areas of the Prison which gave off a very definite uncomfortable vibe the whole time that we were there and various members of the crew and actors became freaked out. The attic space being one of the places, as it was reported to us that that was the area where hangings had taken place. I have always been very skeptical about the existence of the supernatural, but after spending time in the Prison, even I have started to question things. It was a very intensive shoot, but everyone on set put in so much effort the whole time that we were there it made it all worth while.
My primary role on set was documentary photographer, but I also carried out duties of runner, caterer and general production assistant, which included assistance in making props, set building, assistant camera work and looking after the rest of the crew and actors. I really feel that the team managed to pull off something very special. I am set to appear in the film during some of the flashback scenes, which I am scheduled to work on in Lancashire over the next month or so. Seriously though, once this film gets released next year, people will truly love it and when they see what work went in, they will truly love it more.
You don't have the traditional look that the mainstream media portrays as 'beautiful'. Do you think that mainstream culture needs to become more open-minded?
Absolutely, if you look around you there are more and more beautiful people with tattoos and piercings, who are maybe guys who like making themselves look more feminine or girls that like making themselves look more androgynous, who are experimenting with a more creative appearance. Beauty comes in many shapes and sizes and not the traditional blond hair, skinny, toned and tanned way. I have come to finally appreciate me for myself and have never been so comfortable in my appearance and it is wonderful to more and more people doing the same.
I feel it unfair that the mainstream culture is still putting pressure on girls to look a certain way with all of the glossy magazines that are available. Obsessed with trendy celebrity diets and the latest fashions. It is not a healthy or helpful thing to do and lots of us have fallen prey to it. I really feel that the culture could really turn around as there seems to be a very strong movement of an alternative scene that is shouting about the fact that it is wonderful to be different and I am so happy and proud to be a part of it.
What do you think alternative modelling offers to models that more commercial modelling does not?
No pressures to conform to a certain look. No pressure to lose weight, or your identity. There is a huge community of lovely supportive people that make up the alternative modeling scene, that you just do not get with the more commercial scene. Alternative modeling gives anyone a chance to give modeling a try without instantly judging them. It boosts confidence as opposed to demolishing it. It encourages creativity as opposed to suppressing it. There are so many good things about alternative modeling.
What are the plans for the future?
I cannot give away too much at this stage as there are some potential big projects in the pipeline. I can mention that there will be more film work coming up for me, both short and feature length films. There will, of course, be more photo shoots coming up along with a lot more product endorsement and the shoots are going to become a lot more challenging. I have made it into the final of Bizarre Magazine's Ultra Vixens and so will be hoping to win the final at the end of the year. And apart from that the Collette Von Tora machine will be continuing its work for as long as it can!
My primary role on set was documentary photographer, but I also carried out duties of runner, caterer and general production assistant, which included assistance in making props, set building, assistant camera work and looking after the rest of the crew and actors. I really feel that the team managed to pull off something very special. I am set to appear in the film during some of the flashback scenes, which I am scheduled to work on in Lancashire over the next month or so. Seriously though, once this film gets released next year, people will truly love it and when they see what work went in, they will truly love it more.
You don't have the traditional look that the mainstream media portrays as 'beautiful'. Do you think that mainstream culture needs to become more open-minded?
Absolutely, if you look around you there are more and more beautiful people with tattoos and piercings, who are maybe guys who like making themselves look more feminine or girls that like making themselves look more androgynous, who are experimenting with a more creative appearance. Beauty comes in many shapes and sizes and not the traditional blond hair, skinny, toned and tanned way. I have come to finally appreciate me for myself and have never been so comfortable in my appearance and it is wonderful to more and more people doing the same.
I feel it unfair that the mainstream culture is still putting pressure on girls to look a certain way with all of the glossy magazines that are available. Obsessed with trendy celebrity diets and the latest fashions. It is not a healthy or helpful thing to do and lots of us have fallen prey to it. I really feel that the culture could really turn around as there seems to be a very strong movement of an alternative scene that is shouting about the fact that it is wonderful to be different and I am so happy and proud to be a part of it.
What do you think alternative modelling offers to models that more commercial modelling does not?
No pressures to conform to a certain look. No pressure to lose weight, or your identity. There is a huge community of lovely supportive people that make up the alternative modeling scene, that you just do not get with the more commercial scene. Alternative modeling gives anyone a chance to give modeling a try without instantly judging them. It boosts confidence as opposed to demolishing it. It encourages creativity as opposed to suppressing it. There are so many good things about alternative modeling.
What are the plans for the future?
I cannot give away too much at this stage as there are some potential big projects in the pipeline. I can mention that there will be more film work coming up for me, both short and feature length films. There will, of course, be more photo shoots coming up along with a lot more product endorsement and the shoots are going to become a lot more challenging. I have made it into the final of Bizarre Magazine's Ultra Vixens and so will be hoping to win the final at the end of the year. And apart from that the Collette Von Tora machine will be continuing its work for as long as it can!
Article written by...
Keller is EGL Magazine's editor. She has a degree in Creative Writing and is a published horror and fantasy writer. She loves punk and rockabilly, roller derby, and creepy foreign horror movies.
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