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The Self Made Model
Interview conducted By: Raven Ekundayo
Pictures in-part By: Edith Williams
Will C. and I first met on the set of an ETM photo shoot a couple of years ago. Since that time we’ve become pretty good friends but there are still things even I don’t know about the brother. For the 4th annual fashion issue his company, Will C. Productions, provided us with models for our “Military” shoot. During the shoot I took time out to converse with Will about how he started modeling and how he’s gone about building his empire over time. For all of you aspiring models out there, take notes.
Raven – So, let’s start from the beginning. Where were you born?
Will – I was born in North Carolina. I was raised on The Eastern Shore of Maryland. Easton, Maryland. I moved to PG County when I was about 13 and I was there until about 3 years ago when I moved here to Baltimore.
Raven – Ok, so what was the eXperience like growing up on the Eastern Shore?
Will – Country. (Laughs)
Raven – (Laughs) Oh.
Will – Very country. I’m talking bare foot, I was running on rocks. I used to play outside with no shoes on. I would go to the grocery store with no shoes on. Everybody knew everybody and we walked everywhere because everything was right there. I mean, of course, me being a little boy, I rode my bike everywhere, and I was a badass. (Laughs) There was nothing really to do there but eat, sleep, and f*ck.
Raven – (Laughs) Wow.
Will – I’m serious. That’s all the youngins was doin’ because there wasn’t much else to do.
Raven – Now, for the years I’ve known you, you’ve always appeared to be an eXtrovert. Have you always been this way? Did you come out of your shell once you moved to PG or were you always like this?
Will – I always tried to be the center of attention. It wasn’t until PG that I really found out who I really was.
Raven – Before you moved there did you have any inclination to do anything in the arts?
Will –Never. I didn’t know what was going to come of it. I didn’t even know in high school. I did one fashion show and one or two talent shows and that was about it.
Raven – It was something to do more so then a passion.
Will – Right. I knew I was a creative writer and I used to write sexual horror stories. I would have my teachers and classmates read them and write comments in the back of them and they motivated me because they loved all the stories. A lot of the movies were based off of movies I’d seen. I would just twist a lot of the story around so it didn’t seem like it came from that movie. That brings me to now when I do [fashion] shows. I refuse to see other people’s shows. I’m not big on reading and things because I don’t want to take other people’s ideas.
“You know the smell of oil and sweat mixed? That’s kind of what it smells like.” ~ Will C
Raven – How did you go about getting into more modeling after you moved to PG?
Will – Actually, it wasn’t until I graduated high school and I went to PG Community College. One of the students was the President of the Black Students Union; she came up to me and told me that I should be a model. I told her that I never really thought about it. She said they were having a fashion show and she wanted me to be a part of it so I said, “Okay.” I had friends who did runway, so I would mimic what they would do. So, at the very first rehearsal for the fashion show, they had a coordinator who was teaching everyone how to walk. She looked a hot mess; this was based off of what I’d previously seen in clubs. So, I’m whispering what I thought to the girl standing next to me and the coordinator heard me. She said, “If you think you can do better, then come out here and show it.” I said, “Well, fine. I will.” Mind you I have no clue what the hell I was doing. I got out there and the rest is history. After that, I went to a girl that I knew had a strong walk on her and asked if she could teach me how to walk like a female [minus the heels] and from that point on I was able to train females. A male walk is easy. That just comes with swag. A female isn’t that easy. It takes more to train them in walking.
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Raven – That’s a great transition into my next question. Will C. Productions isn’t an infant company. It’s not something that started yesterday. How long did it take for you to start it after you learned to walk and did your first fashion show?
Will – I started it right then and there.
Raven – (Laughs) Wow, man.
Will – I made THAT show Will C. Productions. Nobody was running it and eventually the president put me down as coordinator of it. That was the worst show I’ve ever done, but I think that happens with most people’s first shows. So, after that, every year the people were loving it and would always ask if we planned to do another show. I went back to my high school and put on shows as fund raisers. After awhile, I started making money off of it. I was doing shows in high schools for year, but in 2003 I started doing my own independent shows. My first independent show introduced people to who I am, which is a very sexual being. The shows were very grown and sexy while the previous shows were geared more towards the kids.
Raven – Gotchu.
Will – I started the “Sex in The City” series in 2003. I didn’t gain much of a profit from the first show, but when I did “Sex in The City 2” it was standing room.
Raven – That had to feel good.
Will – It was amazing. I promise you, I opened the doors at 6:30 pm. The show was to start at 7:15 pm or something like that. I looked out into the audience at 7:00 pm and it was packed. I was like, “Wow.” I was totally amazed at the buzz from the first show. They went out and talked about it so much that it brought more people for the second show. These types of shows became my niche; sex became my niche because, let’s face it… sex sells, especially in the fashion industry.
Raven – Now, this is something I realize I’ve never asked you personally either. How did your family reply to your decision to pursue fashion?
Will – (Smiles) My mama, oh, my goodness! That woman was at every single show, front row, cheering me on: “That’s my baby!” They were very supportive: my mother, my sister, my brother… everyone was supportive.
Raven – From day one?
Will – From day one. There was never a negative thing said. My mother has always been proud of me and my accomplishments.
Raven – This is going to be interesting as I’ve never asked anyone in the world of fashion these 3 questions. What does fashion taste like to you?
Will – Chocolate covered strawberries.
Raven – I love when people give quick answers to that.
Will – The reason why I say that is because some strawberries are so sweet. You have white chocolate, you have white models. You have dark chocolate, you have dark models. Then you have some strawberries that are bittersweet. The chocolate can make the strawberry taste better because, sometimes, the industry can be so bitter and so grimy and the seeds from the strawberry get stuck in your teeth.
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Raven – Great description man. What does fashion feel like to you?
Will – It feels amazing. Fashion is eXciting. I use those two words because of the different trends that… (Pauses)… fashion can change a person. You know what I’m saying? When you’re down and out, you can throw on something that just makes you feel good about life. It can make you feel sexy.
Raven – Okay. And last of the 3: What does fashion smell like?
Will – (Laughs) Now, that one got me.
Raven – (Laughs)
Will – (Long pause) You know the smell of oil and sweat mixed? That’s kind of what it smells like. A hint of that. You get the adrenaline running and you don’t really get a smell when a model walks the runway, unlike a stripper where, when they walk past you, smell them. (Pauses)… That’s a crazy answer! (Laughs).
“I started to cry when I looked at those pictures one night when I popped the disc in while music was playing. I wanted to be able to do that for someone else.” ~ Will C. on what made him become a photographer
Raven – (Laughing) But, it fits your personality, so it’s cool. So, let’s talk photography for a second. I know not everyone knows that about you. What made you venture into that area of the arts?
Will – (makes a face and then laughs) Dammit!
Raven – Hey, this is eXcapethematriX, my brother. You can be as honest as you want to be. I wish the readers could have seen your face just now. (Laughs)
Will – Well, in 2004 I started my own “Top Model” competition based off of Tyra’s “America’s Next Top Model”. I wanted to come up with challenges and photo shoots. All of the photo shoots I did myself. I would creatively come up with the concepts and take the pictures myself. Eventually, I purchased a digital camera and the pictures came out a lot better. I did this every year for “Top Model” with this digital camera and the pictures came out great. It wasn’t until I met [Head ETM Photographer] Quill and he did the photo shoot of me that it really came out. It brought out something in me that just (Pauses) words can’t eXpress how I felt as a human being after that shoot. I started to cry when I looked at those pictures one night when I popped the disc in while music was playing. I wanted to be able to do that for someone else. That is what made me decide to really get serious about photography. I went out and got a real camera and started doing pictures. I want to take photography to another level and I want to learn more about it and more about my camera, but right now I’m just “doing”. There’s room for growth.
Raven – Well, I’ll give you credit my brother. To be fairly new to the photography game, you have a very good eye. You take very nice pictures man.
Will – Thank you.
Raven – I really appreciate that you can openly admit that you have room for growth as not everyone can do that. Now, let’s end this on your “Top Model” competition. How did this come about? You’ve been doing it for some time now.
Will – It started in 2004. Tyra [Banks] inspired me to do it on a local level. I wanted to have a Top Model for my production company. I wanted a model who could represent me, be a spokesmodel if I can’t be at certain events, and things like that. It started off with just the female “Top Model”, but then I decided to do a male “Top Model” as well, which has never been done before, unless you include that “Man Hunt” show on Bravo. What I did was I created challenges like Tyra. Now, of course it’s not just like Tyra because she has the money to do more. I think my challenges are a tad bit harder and the models go through a more rigorous competition because it’s not like Tyra’s. I don’t have a house to put everyone in, so they have to work around their work schedules in order to meet and do these challenges. But, having it this way helps me to weed out the people who really want it and those who don’t. The competition was created to build a well-rounded model. We cover everything from modeling to acting to dancing to networking. Our competition runs the gamete and we challenge them to get down to that one person that we think is it. We’re getting ready to go into the seventh cycle and it runs from 3 to 4 months normally in the fall. I just added “Junior Top Model” as well, which will run 3 to 4 weeks. They’re getting a small piece of the pie, but it’s something to move them along. That one isn’t geared towards “kids”, but it could be someone who is just about to go off to college and enter the real world of modeling being their passion.
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Raven – How old do you have to be for the regular “Top Model”?
Will – It doesn’t really have an age limit to it; however, we usually get those who are graduates of high school, which is why I created the “Junior Top Model” for those who may only be in high school or middle school.
Raven – Man, I have SO many more questions that I can ask, but we actually have to stop here. I want to thank you for this, my brother. I hope the Misfits and all of your admirers will be able to take something from this.
Will – Thank you, too.
