Very few clients are resistant to the new technology. Almost nobody objects to viewing the models on a screen rather in a book. We currently have 4000 models on the system, which is about 25% of the active industry in the US.

Q: What are some of the benefits for the agencies, other than the cost?

A: Everything can be printed on demand, or emailed directly to the models. My hope is that, eventually, every model will carry a wireless device to enable her to receive her emails and bookings directly. I can envision the day when models carry around a paper-thin laptop with their portfolio. When they walk into an agency, they cannot only get their e-mails and see next appointment calendar, but can also present their portfolio just by hitting a button. It would be a digital portfolio that would hook into our database or the database of their modeling agency.

If a model has two different appointments in one day or ten different appointments in one day, and changes in the book are necessary, the changes can be done automatically by the agent or the model manager in the office. This is the future. Why carry a static portfolio when a dynamic portfolio is available on a little computer?

Q: Generally, do you find the technology awareness in Europe and South America similar to the awareness in the US?

A: In South America it is not there, although it is coming. But, Europe is more receptive to new technology than the United States. When we first started selling, we got more interest from Europe than from the US. Our biggest client Elite, which is based in Paris, was more interested in our service for its Paris office than for the New York office, which is ten times larger. But the Paris office, which is also the headquarters, really loved the system. Of course, we installed it in New York first, but I found that the European team was technology-astute than the American team.

The same thing was true back to 1977, when I was at Ford. We developed our booking system on a computer. The Germans had a booking system on computer before we did. I knew our system was more advanced, but they had it earlier. So, the Europeans seem to embrace technology more quickly than the Americans.

Q: If all the agencies embrace digital images and all available models are on a single platform, then clients would have a central place to go making their search and selection much more efficient. The platform becomes the marketplace, is that right?

A: That is exactly what we are trying to do. We want to become the place for anybody in the fashion business, the modeling business, and the talent business. We want to be able to offer a complete package of components, from selection to booking, enabling a client to go off to St. Bart's on a shoot.

We have agents who represent photographers and we have agents who represent hair and makeup. So you can conceivably book a model, book a hairdresser, or book a stylist, all through ModelWire. We are currently talking to American Express Travel about being able to book an airline ticket, and we want to talk to the hotel chains. It becomes a complete production tool for everybody in the business.

Agencies want to be able to represent actors, singers, dancers, models, and sport figures. This is what I like to call one-stop shopping. We want to be able to provide all these services and all the different components needed to produce a TV commercial, a print ad, a movie, or a video. We want to have them come to ModelWire and be able to do everything after logging in once. By the time they log out, they should have all the components necessary for whatever they are doing.

ModelWire becomes the Yahoo! of the industry where you go and look and search for things. People come to ModelWire because it is industry-oriented and contains everything pertaining to the industry. We feel we can walk into an agency and provide it everything they need to represent a model.

Q: If the agencies already have some kind of booking or accounting software, how do you move their existing data into your system?

We've got two systems. We have developed a link for Quick Books, which is an accounting system commonly use for small companies, and a link for AccPac, which is a little more sophisticated accounting system used for big companies.

We are confident that we can also hook into other accounting systems including legacy systems. We just installed our system in big agency in New York who that uses its own customized system. This will be a test for us to see if we can link to other systems.

Q: From your experience in the modeling industry, do you think the similar need exists in the acting industry?

A: The acting business is behind - they are always behind. They still do things the old-fashioned way. But eventually they will get on the technology bandwagon. We have approached different agencies and have made some progress at convincing them that this is the way to do business.

You know that actors do not have many pictures; they only have headshots and a resume. So, we have developed a program, our talent package, which shows models headshot plus their extensive resume. We have been trying to push this program to the big theatrical agencies. It is just a matter of time until they embrace the technology of sending digital pictures and audio recordings.

The new thing is voice. I believe we are working with a company right now to integrate their technology for voice and video into our technology. So, clients will be able not only to look at the pictures of models, but also to hear them speak, watch them move, all through ModelWire. When will it happen completely? Your guess is as good as mine.

Q: How many professional actors are out there in the country?

A: App.100,000