EXCLUSIVE: Interview with HB Models owner Dionte Gilmer

From his first casting gig for Detroit’s Hair Magazine’s Mogul Billy Cason’s Hair shows, BET.com, then to casting director of Lil Wayne’s Lollipop Music Video along with countless other videos, film, TV, and events Dionte Gilmer took HB Models Management and Marketing company to huge heights in the entertainment industry. With his up front approach and aggressive networking strategy made Dionte one of the most well known industry professionals in the business. We have watched him as he silently moved up the food chain in the entertainment industry and wanted to have a sit down to do his first ever interview, here we go!

HB Models Owner - Dionte Gilmer

RZM: Hello Dionte, how are you?

DG: I’m fine, how are you guys?

RZM: Good!

RZM: Now we know you are from Detroit, MI because your rep it everywhere you go.

DG: Yes I do, I love being from the D, it made me into what I am today.. not sure if that’s a good or bad thing, lol,

HB Model Kiki Montgomery - Pittsburgh, PA

RZM: What high school did you attend in Detroit?

DG: I attend Big Red, Redford High School and graduated in 89′.. so I’m old, lol

RZM: You don’t look your age at all, like in your late 20′s WOW!

DG: Thanks, I’m doing what I can to stay healthy

RZM: When you where in high school, what did you wan to be?

DG: I always wanted to go into the military, so that’s what I did after I graduated.. I joined the United States Air Force.

RZM: How was it?

DG: It was cool, glad I went. It taught me alot and made me into a stronger and better person

RZM: What did you do in the Air Force?

DG: Electronic Avionics system technician for F-16 and A-10 aircraft

RZM: After the military is that when you started your modeling company

DG: Right after the Air Force I worked as an electronic technician for a couple of companies till I ended up at Alpine Electronics as an Electronic Engineer some time after that I create my company.

RZM: How did you get started?

DG: I got involved with a photographer on a couple of my projects and watching him taught me alot about the industry

RZM: May we ask who that is?

DG: Oh yeah, my homie Treagen Colston of KISS Magazine. We are still cool and bounce ideas off each other, also Davide another great photographer in the D that taught me alot about shooting and high fashion artistic value. Both of those guys helped HB Models get to where it is today.

HB Model - MM iCandy - Boston MA.

RZM: There is alot of beef in your industry between photographers have you experience any beef with anyone?

DG: LOL, LOL, man why ask that? Hell yeah, most of these dudes. They will tell these girls anything they want to hear to get what they want from them. I tell people whats real and most don’t like me for it and they complain to a photog or a promoter then them bitch niggas jump on their bandwagon. I had dudes blast me on the net, play on my phone, and talk shit on twitter… being gangsta on the net is suppose to scare me I guess, lol

RZM: What do you mean?

DG: Dudes using the internet to stick their chest out trying to impress the models or other females, if you have issues with me see a nigga in person. I’m from the D, 7 Mile all day… we are real, if you have beef you deal with it face to face and hopefully squash it but if not then… I hope they have medical insurance. The worst thing you can do to a real dude is to play bitch games, real dudes are hustlin, grindin, trying to make something happen.. we don’t have time for the BS… BS messes up the paperchase.

RZM: What about the Models – you have beef with them?

DG: Naw, even when they do me wrong… I figure that I’m established enough in this industry to where things are going to come back around real fast and I will see them again, at that time LOL, wow! them flakes can kick rocks. If a model has an issue with me its 99.9% that her problem is I didn’t tell her what she wanted or expected to hear. Rejection is the biggest part of this business and if you can’t handle that then oh well, on to the next one. But usually after they’ve learn the business they will see the constructive criticism and we will talk and squash it.

RZM: What model inspires you?

DG: its a few but of the top, Tyra of course, Grace Jones, Dorothea Church, Chanel Iman, Beverly Johnson and a few others. I also like Tomika Skanes, seems to care about what she does and how she presents herself and she makes an effort to help aspiring models avoid the pitfalls in this business

RZM: How is it working for models?

The Bay's Mobb Life and Dionte

DG: awww man.. wow! its crazy, too crazy at times. Ladies pretending they want to be in this business and wasting my time is the worst but at times you get that one that is passionate and serious and you really want to be instrumental in her success.

RZM: What do you cast models for?

DG: I cast models for almost everything that is mainstream, I’m really not into the urban market because the opportunity for a model to achieve the ultimate success is low.

RZM: Why?

DG: Cause the urban market is saturated with models showcasing their skin instead of products, also there are so many girls using the title of modeling to get their trick on, so the urban market has been cheapen in a sense. Urban clients realize that they don’t have to pay models regular rates because a few of these ladies will sleep with anyone (celebs) to be apart of a project for free. Man, I don’t get the way some of these ladies think. They give up the booty to be in a video or magazine and they still don’t get to where they say they want to be.

RZM: How did you get to do the casting for Lil Wayne’s lollipop video?

DG: I was brought on that by Dustin Blackburn of Ink Castings and Stephanie Scire of Merge @ Crossroads Productions from Los Angeles. This happened after I just moved to Las Vegas from Detroit.

RZM: How was it?

DG: The ladies and myself had so much fun on the set. Gil Green the director and the production crew was great. Kicking it with everyone was so gangsta, lol. When the video and song became a smash hit.. i was so happy to be apart of the process.

DG: Every since then I’ve been working even harder to cast or help in casting film, tv, video, and other gigs.

RZM: Was moving from Detroit a good thing for you?

DG: for business yes, but I miss the realness of the D. But at least I don’t have to stay strapped 24/7 here

RZM: Does knowing alot of celebrities help you with your business?

DG: At times, it all depends on that person. Most celebs that I’m cool with are grinders they don’t let their celeb status slow them down, so we speak the same language when it comes to work ethics and that helps on everyone’s projects.

RZM: What are you plans for now to the future?

Dionte in the ring with a former marketing client Boxer Johnothan Banks

DG: well, im in the process of up-scaling our talent base to become more of an asset to our current and future clients, this business is forever changing so you have to stay on your game with the industry. I am also focusing more on casting for film, TV, and commercials.

RZM: There is a rumor that you are working with your high school alumni Comedian Carlos “Spanky” Hayes from MTV’s Wild n Out and also Lola Damone from the Fubu GoodLife album, is the rumor true?

DG: who told, you that? LOL.. well there have been some collabrations going on but its too early to speak on it. I’m always looking for new ways for a legit hustle in the industry.. have love what I do for others.

RZM: Is there anyone that you would like to thank?

DG: oh yeah.. my mother, my best friend Javan “Sugar” Hill from Sugar Hill Boxing in Detroit, Emanual Steward for giving my first break as a promoter, Big Proof, Doc, Carol Dorsey of Madd Money Entertainment Group for giving my first break in music promoting with B.G., Chie Davis – Apple Bottoms, James Hill – BET, Nick Loftis – Greedy Geniu$, My wifey for keeping me sane, my beautiful daughter Shauna for keeping focused and strong, man who else? Treagen Colston, David Anderson, Frieda – Lamont – Theodore Harris, my sisters and everyone else that was and is instrumental in HB Models success. I would like to especially thank all the models, talent, DJ’s and promoters, you can’t do anything with out these people. Oh! I have to include MM iCandy, Kiki Montgomery, Alissa Rae Ross, Kami 2 hot, Candice Jai, Jovahna Marie, Chyanne Jacobs, Jana Stewart, Kimmi Kennedy and a few others that allowed me to work for them.

RZM: Thank you for allowing us to interview you.

DG: Thank you for asking, I don’t see why people would be interested in me personally but.. the interview was fun.

you can learn more about HB Models Management and Marketing on there website www.HBModelsManagement.com or on ProductionHUB.com