Blackwood Partners Management Corporation and Central City, in conjunction with The Surrey-North Delta Leader, are proud to be hosting the third annual model search “Be the Face of Central City” grand finale event on Saturday, Oct. 6 .
The winners of the Central City Model Search – who will move on to be the faces and ambassadors of Central City in 2013 – will be announced.
This contest started on June 22, and 50 semi-finalists were selected from over 400 applications for a photo shoot and an interview with a panel of judges.
The selected finalists' photos are showcased on Central City’s Facebook page for public voting until Oct. 5. The finalist with the most online Facebook votes will be recognized and awarded with $200 in Central City gift certificates at the grand finale, but this does not determine the winners of the model search.
One grand prize winner and two lucky runner-ups will be selected by a panel of judges. The grand prize winner will win a $1,000 cash prize and appear in Central City’s advertising campaigns in 2013. Two runner-ups will each receive a $500 cash prize and also have the opportunity to be the faces of Central City.
“This annual competition is a wonderful way to provide opportunities to both men and women of all sizes and background to get involved in the diverse community of Surrey, as well as representing their local Shopping Centre," said Vivian Li, marketing manager for Central City. "We are all very happy and excited for the upcoming year as it will allow the winners of the model search to be on SkyTrain ads, newspapers, billboards, and be a part of many more exciting seasonal campaigns.”
The 2012 Central City Model Search drew hundreds of registrants both men and women of all sizes and different walks of life from all over the Lower Mainland. One of the finalists – 18-year-old Hannah Lebar – will be flying from Fort St. John to make it for the grand finale on Saturday.
Fifty-one-year-old actress Nancy von Euw, who played a role in a production at the Vancouver Fringe Festival, also made it as a finalist.
“I read and reread the ‘fine print’ and there was no upper age restriction and so I said, 'why not?', von Euw said. "I couldn’t come up with a good answer to that question and so decided to throw my hat in the ring. And then I received the call that I had been shortlisted from over 400 entries.”
During the grand finale event, CollaboCall Productions – Break-dance & Hip Hop Entertainment will be performing a 35-minute show in between all the model search excitement, featuring local singers and dancers from various dance groups, studios and high schools. The audience will enjoy a variety of dance styles such as hip hop, locking, jazz, breaking dancing and bhangra. The finalists will be putting on a glamorous fashion show and strut their stuff on the runway wearing the latest fashion from Central City retailers.
The judging panel will consist of Paul Chen, Cofounder of MAP group design and head photographer of Dpiction Creatives; Tom Gusway, a model dcout for New York and Tokyo; Alan Champion, marketing and advertising consultant at The Leader; and Vivian Li, marketing manager of Central City/Blackwood Partners Management Corporation.