OFFICIAL Eorzea's Next Top Model Discussion Thread

[EorzeasNTM]

RONGI MAIL!!!

As the Youtube models are submitting their final submissions for their 8 rounds, I've been thinking, and I want to bring this up with you guys.

LadyVal brought it up during Cycle 2, a Photoshoot mentor. How does everyone else feel about it?

I wanted to try it out for Cycle Youtube, and the process has been as such.
1) The model submits one photo per round.
2) I critique each shot. Sometimes, the photo submitted are absolutely awesome. And I tell them to not change a thing! Other times, I have told them to uncenter themselves, change their outfit or background, or rework the lighting. The only thing I think I have tried not to do is tell them to rework the entire concept they have for the shot, just tell them what I think they should do to make their concept come together as a good screen shot.
3) The model then submits up to 3 photos, and of those 3 (+ the original photo they submitted) I tell them which I liked the best.
4) On November 30th, the Model will be submitting their final selections to submit to the judges.

Honestly, I have absolutely LOVED the experience. And I've seen 4 of the models final submissions so far and they really took my critiques to heart and submitted some great photos.

I would absolutely love to bring this Mentor System to Cycle 4, if our community (we need a name! ENTMers?) wants it.

Unfortunately it does open up the "The mentor purposefully told me something bad so I would get eliminated!" can of worms. The only way around this that I can see is making the Mentors Critiques public, possibly here on the forum, but without showing the Model's photo (because it ruins the surprise and allows other models to copy ideas!). If anyone else has any suggestions for how we can eliminate this problem from creeping up, please let me know!

I trust myself, and I hope all of you trust me as well, and the YT models are more than welcome to post their critiques I have sent to them here so you can all see that I put my heart into each critique to help the models succeed. The only problem is, I am planning on entering myself into Cycle 4, either the boys or girls contest, so we will need a new Mentor to step up...One that pinky promises not to give bad critiques to help their friend/favorite model win the competition.

The floor is open for discussion! ^^

Also, after discussing it with the other Judges of this Cycle, we are considering introducing a Judge's Save in Cycle 4. This would involve a majority vote from all 9 judges to pass (5/4). This is also up for discussion, so please share your thoughts.

My proposal for the Judging Save is that for the model to qualify for the ability to be saved, they must have a position in the Top 3 in at LEAST 3 rounds, which means the first Judging Save cannot start being used until Round 4. Example: Model A comes in Second in Round 2, Third in Round 3, Fourth in Round 4, First in Round 5, and is Eliminated in Round 6. Because she was in Second, Third, and First in Rounds 2, 3, and 5, she qualifies for the Judge's Save, and the Judges can vote to save her. If 5 or more of the judges agree, the Model will be saved from Elimination. And of course, this can only happen once per cycle, and it must happen before the Final 3.

[AmalahRose]

I've noticed a couple of people commenting how washed out my character looks. It was actually intentional, the Sylph's faces are fairly featureless so in the interests of blending in I tried to emulate the same. Hasn't worked out, but sometimes you have to try taking a risk. :P

Anyway, here are the shots that didn't make it.

This first one was my very favourite, and the one I was going to submit before reading in the email that there had to be an NPC in the shot. *sniffs*



This next one I kind of liked, but I wasn't quite sure why I was looking so angry at the Sylph. I suppose it could have pranked me, but the Sylph looks genuinely mystified about my behaviour.



And here is one for the outtakes.

Lowena Fae: BRAAAAAAAINS!
Sylph: WTF is that one doing?

[EorzeasNTM]

I did not even notice you were wearing make up in the shot you submitted for Judging! haha.

This picture is beautiful though! Please find a way to use it somewhere, somehow! Signature or something maybe?

[AmalahRose]

I did not even notice you were wearing make up in the shot you submitted for Judging! haha.

This picture is beautiful though! Please find a way to use it somewhere, somehow! Signature or something maybe?

I will try, at the very least I'll use it as a desktop wallpaper sometime. Thanks Rongi. ^^

Edit: OMG there were NPCs in my favourite shot. That would have counted right? RIGHT!?

[Adeline]

RONGI MAIL!!!

As the Youtube models are submitting their final submissions for their 8 rounds, I've been thinking, and I want to bring this up with you guys.

LadyVal brought it up during Cycle 2, a Photoshoot mentor. How does everyone else feel about it?

I wanted to try it out for Cycle Youtube, and the process has been as such.
1) The model submits one photo per round.
2) I critique each shot. Sometimes, the photo submitted are absolutely awesome. And I tell them to not change a thing! Other times, I have told them to uncenter themselves, change their outfit or background, or rework the lighting. The only thing I think I have tried not to do is tell them to rework the entire concept they have for the shot, just tell them what I think they should do to make their concept come together as a good screen shot.
3) The model then submits up to 3 photos, and of those 3 (+ the original photo they submitted) I tell them which I liked the best.
4) On November 30th, the Model will be submitting their final selections to submit to the judges.

Honestly, I have absolutely LOVED the experience. And I've seen 4 of the models final submissions so far and they really took my critiques to heart and submitted some great photos.

I would absolutely love to bring this Mentor System to Cycle 4, if our community (we need a name! ENTMers?) wants it.

Unfortunately it does open up the "The mentor purposefully told me something bad so I would get eliminated!" can of worms. The only way around this that I can see is making the Mentors Critiques public, possibly here on the forum, but without showing the Model's photo (because it ruins the surprise and allows other models to copy ideas!). If anyone else has any suggestions for how we can eliminate this problem from creeping up, please let me know!

I trust myself, and I hope all of you trust me as well, and the YT models are more than welcome to post their critiques I have sent to them here so you can all see that I put my heart into each critique to help the models succeed. The only problem is, I am planning on entering myself into Cycle 4, either the boys or girls contest, so we will need a new Mentor to step up...One that pinky promises not to give bad critiques to help their friend/favorite model win the competition.

The floor is open for discussion! ^^

After Cycle 3 ends for me, I am very much interested in participating more with ENTM, whether it be public vote + critiques or judging (or both!), so I'd be very much for this sort of concept! I think it would greatly help new models get a feel for what we've learned, and understand what the public and judges are looking for in shots

[Wings]

Another tough round! Here's the shot I had in the folder until half an hour before deadline:

I died so many times during this shoot. But I got some amusing outtakes too - I don't think everyone realizes what kind of people the Sahagin truly are. They seem pretty cuddly at first:

But then... "Whoa, buddy! Give me some space here!"

"Ow!!! Claws! CLAWS!"

"Eyes up here - and watch where you're grabbing."

"I said watch it."

They's terribly grabby, regardless of size:

"Uhh... Where are you going?"

I have a few more outtakes in this folder, if anyone wants to browse them. If I come across any more from this round, I'll add them in there. Come to think of it, I had such a fun time with these outtakes, I'd like to invite others to write captions for them too if you're in the mood. Either one of these, or the ones in the folder XD

[Adeline]

Here are my outtakes/potential shots I wanted to use :

My initial concept...but I found to be...very boring -_-;

I then decided to get a little risky and learn the ways of the Sahagin (IE getting as Piratey/Fishy/Levi tempered as possible and blowing 2 mil on the Ares Chest piece -_- xD)

Attempting to block an attack:

This image actually imspired my submission, but I felt it was too dark and I wasn't really targeting anything or focusing my attention:

I uh...attempted to get...really close to one of the enemies <_<; star crossed Green Lovers anyone?:

This shot I actually wanted to submit REALLY bad, for I loved it, but idk half my face is a bit covered so :3:

More muffled frustration with the 'enemy':

Trying to figure out some angles between my 'bruhs':

"Stop fightin' ya bloody heathens!"

My attempt at being sexy~ hue...almost turned this one in too @_@

"Come at me bruh..."

"OH? You came at me? Well take this...!"

[Tinsley]

a Photoshoot mentor. How does everyone else feel about it?

I like the idea of having a mentor the models can go to for advice and/or a objective opinion. I know it's easy for the models to get too close to the shots and having someone give an honest opinion or advice would be helpful.

Ultimately i think the final submission should be made by the model and the mentor should only be a sounding board to avoid any hard feelings or placing blame.

Also, after discussing it with the other Judges of this Cycle, we are considering introducing a Judge's Save in Cycle 4. This would involve a majority vote from all 9 judges to pass (5/4). This is also up for discussion, so please share your thoughts.

I'm on the fence about this honestly only because it might give a sense of favoritism, intended or not. I also feel each round should be judged on it's own to avoid any leftover bias. The only round i'd judge the past entries on would be the final to view the whole portfolio.

Question: if the model at the bottom was saved, would the next to last be sent home? Or would there be a double elim the next round? Everything has to balance out somehow.

[KaiKatzchen]

Sakuraya: Lovely background, you look too peaceful and I think that's your weakness.. no expression? Good job on the location though!

lol well I'm actually glad you say it looks peaceful, considering I was getting beaten up and my ass handed to me. had to have people in the background killing mobs to keep them off me, while my friend tried to take shots in the middle of the mob sitting there an beating on me. XD

It was like Ok go kill that *being beaten on* ok take the shot in the middle *being beaten on* Hold on gotta cure myself *being beaten on* Ok go for the shot again *being beaten on* lol It was NOT an easy shot to take, took us 3 hours. Not to mention people running into the shot because they were working on books, so they would kill the mob we were using for the shot. Or standing in the shot because they were waiting for them to re-pop and trying to get them before we grabbed it lol. XD

So the fact that it came out peaceful makes me very happy! I was going for what an Ambassador is, a diplomat sent to a foreign country (in in this case the Corrupted sylphs) and I am holding out my hand in peace, to show them I mean no ill will and wish to work with them to gain trust. :3

[Sandoria]

Ooooh this got posted and I missed it! For some reason I didn't think this would be up till tomorrow. Thanks Tyriont for getting all these arranged and posted for us so quick like. You're the bestest!

OMG Xev! Were you reading my mind?! XD

Great minds think alike! <3 Though I love the hat you found for your ensemble; I don't even know what hat that is but I need it for fashion.

1) Xev - This was particularly difficult to judge, since you weren’t just being compared to everyone else - but you were being compared to three other Sylph-clan ladies! It was so incredibly hard choosing between the four of you, but your shocked expression and creative use of that crown won you the day for me! I’d really like to know what book you’re reading… Please tell me it has something to do with a romance between a strapping young cabbage, off to rescue a lovely eggplant!*
*(Yes, euphemisms. Terrible ones. I don’t care, I want to read your book.)

Thank you and everyone else for your fun, insightful commentaries. Love reading all the comments each week. Also, this is an incredible idea! Cheesy romance novels are sort of my specialty. It would be titled something epic like The Courtesan and the Cabbage or Lettuce Love. The story of a particularly tender head of greens and the gourds that wooed her/him. If I had time on photoshop today, I'd so make that happen. It might still happen!

Darling shot concepts and costumes this round. My first concept was this one because it seemed bookish and ambassadory but I scrapped it after I reread the shot instructions about 'fitting in.'


Still getting the hang of night time images. The sun minion helps and can do wonderful things but finding the right balance with it can be tough. I also have so much appreciation for all of you that got out and took shots with the hostile beastmen and still made it look like you were having a spot of civilized chat. My first idea took me out to where Sakurya's shot was taken cause that sparkly sylph wonderland in the backdrop is simply divine. I died more than once and never got one of those evil sylphs to look like they were interacting with me. Smashing my face in with their mighty big tree friends probably wouldn't have had the same effect this round.