From a homemaker to an accidental SNS ad model

Sure, I work as an advertising model. You know those ads that appear between Instagram or TikTok videos? I appear in those. Sometimes I shoot at home by myself, or I go to a rental space with clients for shoots. It's like that.

I often do beauty-related shoots, like skincare products. There's a mirror above the sink, and I stand in front of it. I place my phone on a tripod and shoot scenes in front of the mirror, like 'My skin became glossy' or something. I often shoot before-and-after scenes too, so for the 'before' state, I wear pajamas and look a bit messy, and I take a selfie. Then I show how I use the product and the 'after' state where I look clean. Usually, I get a brief and shoot the video according to it, then deliver it.

Not usually. Once they're out, I can't see how they're doing, and I often have to find them myself. But if I'm close with the client, they sometimes send me the finished product.

When I started, I had no intention of acting. Most of the content didn't have audio, just 10 to 15-second clips of me doing certain things or styling my hair. One day during a shoot at a rental space, they suddenly asked me to do a skit. I'd never done anything like that before, but I thought, 'It's okay, let's try it,' and it turned out to be quite fun.

When I first started, I'd just shoot according to the script I received, submit it, get praised, and that was it. But recently, that's not enough for me. Now, I want to position myself as a model, performer, and marketer. My marketing knowledge is still limited, but I plan to study more.

Honestly, I have no idea why I'm doing this job. I was a stay-at-home mom and thought about getting a job. I looked for general office jobs on job sites and came across SNS advertising models. I applied but wasn't hired. Curious about what SNS advertising models were, I researched and found out that there were many opportunities on platforms like Crowdworks. I registered immediately and started applying to all model-related jobs. Gradually, I got more opportunities.

It was surprisingly easy for a housewife with no skills to start. For me, being an advertising model, especially after being a stay-at-home mom, was a fresh experience. Earning income from home was something I hadn't imagined.

I have shoots that need to be done outdoors during the day, shoots that can be done at home, and jobs that can be done anytime. First, I decide the order of shoots. I prioritize shoots that need to be done during the day or those that require a cameraman or helpers. Efficiency is crucial. For skincare shoots, I shoot all makeup-on scenes first, then all makeup-off scenes to avoid confusion.

SNS ad videos are usually 60 seconds or shorter. Even so, there's a scriptwriter, a shooter, and me, and many others involved. To shoot just a 10-second clip, we discuss lighting, camera position, and angles. Even if I think something looks good, we might reshoot because 'this might be better.' It's surprising how much time goes into just a few seconds.

When I receive a shoot brief, there's usually a reference video attached, featuring another model. My goal is to have my own ads used as reference videos. I've achieved this a few times early on.

Yes, there were times when clients didn't purchase the work I completed. Instead of making revisions and final delivery, they just said they wouldn't buy it. I don't want to waste effort on such clients. I'd rather meet new people and work happily with them.

Recently, someone I've been working with for a long time suggested I should quit jobs with dialogue and focus on those without. It was a shock.

Recently, I was happy when I was praised for my ad-lib during a shoot where they wanted both a script and ad-libs. They said my ad-lib conversation sounded natural, which I often get praised for. But recently, I was especially happy when someone praised my ad-lib for having a marketing perspective, showing benefits without being told to. This made me think I'm getting closer to my goal of having a marketer's perspective.

It's usually per hour, per video, per narration, or per photo. Shoots with dialogue usually pay the most. But the best-paying jobs might be efficient self-shoots.

Before coming here, someone I met in a web meeting said we should all work towards everyone's happiness. The company I mainly work with shares this view. I believe in working happily together rather than exploiting those who do the work.

Work isn't everything. Everything is connected. I don't separate work and private life. I just live life happily.

As time goes on, I believe more things I want to do will emerge. All these desires likely stem from my current job.

I believe in finding enjoyable work with enjoyable people. I want everyone, including those who see the ads and use the products or services, to be happy. Aim for a place where everyone can be happy.