Before I start my International Model dream, I had 3 years modeling experience in Taiwan already, I find that since I start to work, modeling was the most interesting job I had!! Every since show season comes, I will quit the office job and go to the shows. Since I can wear good looking cloth, work with all the beautiful models; receive jealous look from audiences, why go to boring 9 to 5 job? And why go international? Because I was the top model in Taiwan already, how can I upgrade? Where?
HK was the first one, but how do I start there? Whom to contact? Where should I live? For how long to stay? When is the best time? How much money should I prepare? A lot of uncertainty came into my mind by then.
After carefully gather information and raise NT$ 50,000-, I flew to HK to stay in YMCA, visit a couple model agents. These agents arrange me to visit clients. Unfortunately, I got no fashion show job during the 5 weeks because the show season finished, and I have to leave HK because I run out of all my money. But, one job got confirmed at three month later and I have to go back there, that job had changed my life! The Hong Kong Trade Development Board had one week fashion show in Munich Germany, and they will bring 10 models (2male and 8 female) there to promote Hong Kong Fashion. So I got the chance to represent Hong Kong team!
For that 5 weeks stay in Hong Kong, I find something needed to improve if I want to success in Hong Kong market. They are English and muscle training. English is the main language spoke every where in the world, even if I don’t go out, I still need it to communicate well with models, with chorographer, with designer, with hair stylist and make up artist. As for my muscle size, I can not compete with most Hong Kong male model. No need to mention there were lots of Caucasian model work in Hong Kong and their muscles were big.
How do I improve English? I used to learn English in language institute; the one put you into a class room and study from the text book, like you will find in every corner on the street. But after two sessions of study, I realize that English suppose to combine with daily life, so I decide to leave the classroom and start learning out side. (We had study in the classroom since we were from junior high and how’s the result? We still can not talk! And how many vocabulary we still remember now? The words we will remember are the daily life needs!) I force myself to go out with my foreign friend every other day in different location and talk in many different topics. (Well, because he was a good looking male model, so that many people think we were gay, haha!!)
As for body building, I intense my muscle training program in the gym, during the 3 month, I normally train for 3 hours each time and was very tired. Even the next day, I had had no energy at all. That was due to not enough nutrition supplements and over training. But the result was quite OK; I got bigger!!
3 month later, I went to Munich with Hong Kong team and impress them on my stage performance. And after the trip, I got invited to Hong Kong Fashion Week every year.
Hong Kong Fashion Week was the biggest show in Asia beside Japan. Best choreographer, high fashion designer, all the best models from Asia region, (China models from Shanghai and Beijing joined a bit latter) deluxe stage, glamorous lighting and best music. But the best of all was to compete with those professional models; it will make you want to do even better each time. And who were the audience? All the big buyers from the world! That’s the best show a professional model should go. If you are good enough, you will enjoy the instant reward from all the camera light flashing on you!!
My, professional stage skill, high fashion sense, plus my deep feeling to music had driven my performance. I spent more time to practice than any other model. All the persisting effort had never waste. The show organizer and choreographer liked me very much. They know they can count on Jackson for a big show. They know I can easily over the foreign model to get the camera flash. And I always know that I am the best on the stage. That’s why I got most of the show contract in Hong Kong Fashion Week every year.
I was in Hong Kong Fashion Week for 5 years and it was the best modeling time in my life. Even leave the show stage for 10 years, all that good memories still keep me smile in dreams.
Mimi Young, the organizer fro Hong Kong Trade Development Board had words about me ‘Jackson, best working attitude, love the help people.’ Yes, I do enjoy helping people and I know what a professional level is!
11 years ago, I was an actor, had 7 movie experience and most of them were HK productions. I was very proud that not many Taiwanese can go to HK for filming but I made it.
Behind the glory, people did not know that my income only came from movie job, no movie shooting means there will be no income. And the unsteady income really bothers me a lot. A man at the age of 33, still have to live with parents and no contribution to them. It is a shame to me.
That was the longest time I had ever wait, 6 month without movie shooting and I finally made up my mind to find an office job for a steady income. And I swore that ‘I will never go back to movie industry again no matter what!’
One day, a phone call from Hong Kong to my office. ‘Are you Jackson? Can you speak English?’ ‘Of course I can speak English, I love English! What can I do for you?’ That was Miss. Tong calling from Golden Harvest Hong Kong. We chat in English for about 20 minutes. She got to know me a bit, realize that even if I never educated overseas, but still can speak English well. So she invited me to go to Hong Kong for the casting in Jackie Chen’s movie ‘The First Strike’. They were looking for an actor who can speak fluent English to play the second main role in the film; it is a role of undercover CIA agent with American education background. They search in HK, did not find the suitable actor, and in the end find my picture from a model agency ‘Cat Walk’. I told her that I had make up my mind not to back to movie industry and have a very good job now. (In fact, the company planed to promote me very soon).
The next day, I made a phone call to my ex Hong Kong agent Fong Pin to tell him the story. ‘Are you crazy? Do you know how many good actor and actress eager to do movie with Jackie Chen? The God of Fortune never took care of them but come to you now, and you turn it down?! What’s wrong with your brain?’ Well, that was a serious punch to me; I have to change my mind again?
At the weekend, I flew to Hong Kong. Next weekend, I flew to Melbourne, Australia. After 4 hours drive, I arrived Falls Creek, a remote ski resort and a very handsome gentle came to me ‘Welcome to Jackie Chen’s movie, I am the director Stanley Tong’