MTV gives 'Laguna' treatment to Miami models

MIAMI -- MTV reality shows can always be counted on to deliver all of the debauchery usually associated with bikinis, tropical weather, young libido and pounding club music.

The channel's newsries "8th & Ocean," however, is setting out to show the not-so-beautiful world of modeling in South Beach: the ferocious competition, harsh criticism and long hours, along with the not-so-model behavior of the beautiful people.

The show premieres at 10:30 p.m. ET Tuesday (March 7) and eagerly follows the auditions, successes, failures, hookups and heartbreaks of 10 young wannabe models.

"It'll be good to show that we're not all party animals, not all on drugs, that we really do work," says Talesha, 24, one of the show's outspoken models, who juggles music and modeling.

"But we do have fun," adds Adrian, 19..

In the pilot episode, wide-eyed beauty Britt, 19, moves to South Beach and discovers she's not in Kansas City anymore as she's tempted by the forbidden fruits of Miami nightlife. Tension builds between identical twin sisters Sabrina and Kelly, 21, as they compete for the same jobs. They all live in agency-owned apartments -- the six girls in one and four guys in another, "Real World" style -- and must work to earn their keep.

Veteran South Florida agency Irene Marie Model Management represents the models, and they turn to the stately president, Irene Marie, for sometimes-tough advice. Much of the show's action takes place in the "control room," which could compete with any war room in the Pentagon. There, bookers work to find the best jobs for the models. The booker relationship is an aspect of modeling life that is absent from shows like "America's Next Top Model."

"My sister was a model, and I know that in some of the smaller markets there is a different dynamic that goes on," creator and executive producer Liz Gateley says. "People are struggling to break into the modeling industry. The world of modeling shows is very glamorous, and I wanted to show that struggling point of view."

Gateley is also behind MTV's "Laguna Beach," and. "8th & Ocean" has a similar "is it real or is it fake?" feel, like eavesdropping on life stories, with no one speaking directly to the camera.

The producers originally thought to set the show in New York, but discovered that many models there were working high-profile jobs and unwilling to open up. In Miami, the seasonal market has more opportunities for small-town models to break in.

"There was a unique hang atmosphere there; when we were there, models would just stop by to say hi," Gateley says. "It was clear that the models had distinct personalities, and the models cast all knew each other, except for Britt. It was a reality that was already going on."

Marie already had ideas of who would be good for the show, and Gateley said the cast exceeded her expectations.

"We were looking for a variety -- up-and-comers, veterans, diversity, getting the Latin flavor of Miami, and male and female. The male modeling world is something we haven't seen before," Gateley says.

And so the cast had to learn to deal with ever-present cameras invading the agency, the apartments, the photo shoots and the nightclubs. Some of the casts' favorites include Mansion and Snatch.

"But it depends on what night of the week it is," says Vinci, 24. The ridiculously good-looking male models said they spent a lot more time going out than the girls.

Once the cast let their guards down, life under the cameras could be stressful. The world, and especially their parents, would eventually see everything.

"I expected to be in perfect control the whole time," Britt says. "I'm from a very conservative town, and I had anxiety at the end of it. I called MTV a lot."