Throughout its existence, the modeling industry has depended upon its ability to manage large numbers of images. Storing, searching, and moving images between agencies and clients using conventional means was both costly and time consuming.

With the advent of digitalization, computer databases, and the Internet, technology became available that was ideally suited for the industry's needs. The company that has put it all together and revolutionized the modeling business is ModelWire.

123Jump.com recently conducted an interview with Joey Hunter, president of the company, and the visionary behind ModelWire. Hunter was formally the president of the FORD Models and a prominent figure in the modeling world for more than 30 years. He is known for helping build the careers of a dozens of supermodels including Christy Turlington, Rachel Hunter, Naomi Campbell and Elle McPherson.

As provider of software and services for the model and talent industries, ModelWire's objective is to, not only to eliminate paper portfolios and increase operating efficiencies, but also to become the industry's central hub and bring together every element of the business.

Q: What role does ModelWire currently play in the modeling industry?

A: At the core of the modeling business is the model's portfolio. Historically, the normal way of doing business was for the model to walk around with her portfolio, show it to the clients, and leave her calling card.

As the business got a little more sophisticated and a little busier, books were sent out by messengers, or overnight mail. A book that was sent in the morning didn't arrive until the afternoon, or the next day.

For popular models, they need five or ten portfolios instead of one. Each portfolio costs from $300 to $400 to reproduce. Some models started reproducing their portfolios with laser copiers, but the quality of the pictures and the impact of the portfolio were also diminished. A portfolio of twenty-five Kodak prints, or sheet colored prints, could cost as much as $800.

During my years at Ford Models, I knew there had to be a better way of doing business. While we had started to send some pictures by email in JPEG format, I decided that there had to be a way of sending portfolios through the Internet intact. Models should be able to contract a modeling agency online, upload their portfolios, store the images, and make them available as quickly as possible.

Through the ModelWire system, we are able to send a portfolio to a client in Europe in a matter of seconds. We can get ten, twenty, or a thousand portfolios to any number of clients within a matter of minutes. Also, if one client wants to see the girl in bathing suits and another one wants to see her in gowns, we can send an altered portfolio and customize it for the client in just minutes.

The booking agent, or the model manager, is able to speak to the client, and present the pictures right on his laptop or PC. The client can select the picture he wants, download a picture, or a complete portfolio in the sequence set by the broker. Every portfolio tells a story and therefore the only way to look at the model's portfolio is in a sequence from the first page to the last page. Using only email, there is no way to control how the pictures are viewed.

The model agencies know that they need such a solution. The more advanced ones are already on our system, but there are a lot of little agencies that just can't get away from the old way of doing business. The big agencies, or the 'Elite's' of this world, are on our system. We currently work with more than 60 agencies worldwide.

For security reasons, nobody wants people walking into their buildings with their portfolios. We found immediate acceptance in Brazil. When we did a demo of our system, they said 'Great! We're never going to have to let a messenger into the building with a portfolio.' And the magazines down here use us exclusively, everything is password protected.

We are a business-to-business company. Each individual agency remains independent. They let their clients into our system by issuing the password, even though in this business everybody has the same client. Each client enters each individual agency's area with a specific password from that agency.

We also have a booking system, which is basically a scheduling system for models, and an accounting system, which goes along with the booking system. By using our company, an agency can book models, schedule their days, input the billing, print out the invoices, and send out portfolios - all through a single platform. That is basically what we do.

Productivity for the entire industry is improved and everyone benefits. The agencies are able to reduce staff, lower cost, and simplify their businesses. The models have lower portfolio reproduction and mailing costs. And the clients minimize the time and effort required to find a model.

At the same time, we are expanding the services we provide to the clients. We are now offering to handle their whole job, which includes: booking the model, booking the photographer, booking hair and makeup, booking travel, and booking hotels. You name it, and it will be provided through the ModelWire system.

Q: The modeling industry has not been known for quickly embracing technology. How hard has it been to convince people to use your system?

A: Three years ago, when we started, it was a very hard sale. Slowly, but surely, we have gotten the message across. In the beginning we gave it away; we just asked people to use it. Now it is not that difficult to sell people on the idea that this is the way to go.

We have been signing up new agencies very quickly and clients love this system. In fact, the clients are more inclined to ask about the system and use it than modeling agencies. Modeling agencies are reluctant to spend $35 a month for each model, but they are willing to spend $2000 or $3000 in messenger fees a month - something I don't understand.