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Anima Creative Management, the brainchild of dynamic duo Mark Luburic and Gunita Stobe, stands at the forefront of fostering talent in the global fashion and entertainment industry.
In an exclusive interview, the founders delve into their journey, sharing insights into their initial foray into India, scouting models in the ever-evolving fashion landscape, and their unique approach to talent management.
Both of you are not from India and don’t live in India. How did you think of India as your work base ? How did it all come together ?
We had both been modeling for quite a number of years already in the main fashion markets, and we felt we wanted to travel to different countries and cultures and just to explore the world while we were still modeling. Gunita had a friend who had travelled to India for work the season past, and she had introduced us to an agency in India. We got our visas, and headed to Mumbai. That was in 2006. We had no idea how vibrant and active the industry was in India, and since there were only a few foreign models in the country at the time, we were kept very busy with work. We spent a few seasons coming back and forth during the next couple of years, and finally decided to open up an agency of our own. We had noticed that there were hardly any Indian models working internationally, so our long term ambition was to create a bridge and pathway from India to the International fashion scene for local models.
What is your process of scouting for models in an ever evolving fashion landscape ?
We do open live scouting calls from time to time, where we usually advertise over social media, this way we get to see the applicant in person, which helps a lot, as well as street scouting, whether it be at college campuses, at shopping malls or just walking on the street and approaching someone directly. These are the traditional ways. In the last 10 years or so, social media has become a great place to scout also, however it’s not so easy, since social media is full of manipulated images, and you can never tell how the person looks in the flesh. So we do scout on social media, however we always request to meet the applicant in person at the agency, where we take our own pictures, videos and also get to know their personalities, which is hugely important for success in the industry.
Tell us about judging an international beauty pageant in NY ? Were there Indian models? How did Indian models fare at the pageant?
We normally don’t get involved with beauty pageants, since it’s a very different space to fashion modelling. However, when the good people at Miss NTD approached us, and told us a bit more about their pageants values and mission, we felt it was an important and exciting event to be part of. It was the first year of the pageant, and its aim was to promote Chinese culture and showcase the elegance and graceful beauty of Chinese women who embrace traditional values. The winner would be crowned with the unique Phoenix Crown, which symbolises the five inner virtues of Morality, Righteousness, Propriety, Benevolence and Faithfulness. We felt these values transcend cultures, and in these confusing modern times, standing behind and promoting traditional values was important. Although the pageant was only open to Chinese (and Chinese background) contestants in its first year, we believe in the next editions, it will be open to all women from around the world to participate. India naturally has a long and celebrated culture and history, and we have no doubt it will be represented and will thrive in editions to come.
An obvious next destination should have been Bollywood. Many modelling agencies are representing actors. How do you see that market ? Any immediate future plans of stepping into Bollywood, given that many successful actors have started as models ?
We don’t necessarily see ourselves as a modeling agency, we are a Management company at heart. We not only represent models, but photographers, Make up artists, Hair Stylists and now we have models who are stepping into Film. It’s a natural evolution for us as we progress as a company, and we look at all options on how to maximise our talents potential, whether that be in Acting or in other fields such as content creation, brand endorsements etc.
Your models are successfully placed in the international modelling circuit ? Do you see some of your models facing the camera in India ? If so, who from your roster will you root for?
Nearly every one of our models start out in India, and this is where they learn their trade. It’s not like we find a new face and send him/her overseas right away. They need on the job experience, they need to learn how to approach the business as a professional, develop their skills and the only way to do that is to work consistently in India, until we feel they are ready to make the jump across. Our partners abroad have placed a lot of trust in us, so that we only send them models when they are ready both mentally and professionally to be able to handle the realities of the job. Of course, once a model makes it abroad, they always come back home for some months, so they are continuously working both abroad and locally.
We don’t have anyone we are rooting for, we root for all of them. We only sign models that we believe have a shot at making a career out of modeling, so it’s our duty to give everything we can to all of them, to see how far we can push their careers along.
What according to you are the key differences in managing an actor and managing a model ?
Film schedules and model schedules operate on vastly different timelines. While model schedules typically span 1 or 2 days, film schedules extend over months. Managing and coordinating these prolonged film schedules involves navigating contracts with production companies. The complexities further escalate with events, necessitating pre-event preparations such as assembling a team for hair, makeup, and styling.
Managing an actress requires a more intricate and involved approach compared to handling a model. The multitude of factors involved, including pre-event arrangements and the negotiation intricacies for product endorsements, contribute to the depth of the management process.
While curating a specific image is crucial for both actors and models, there are notable distinctions. Models, especially on a local scale, have a broader range of project options that may not significantly impact their international careers, given the predominantly India-centric reach of many projects.
However, once a model attains a high global standing, a more measured and selective approach becomes imperative. Decisions regarding which brands or magazines to collaborate with require careful consideration and a strategic stance.
