Modeling & Acting 101 - A Model/Actor's Diary

A big part of a model's life is attending castings and go-sees. For both freelance models and agency represented models, getting in front of clients is the best way to showcase the personality that goes with the photos they've seen and hopefully lead to a booking. However, there is an additional way of snagging work and that's through what's known as a "direct booking." This term is commonplace in the acting world but does apply to modeling projects, too. Direct bookings basically mean a client has seen your work (i.e. portfolio, comp/zed card, published work) and wants to hire you without the need for a casting or go-see. In case you're wondering if such an arrangement is too good to be true, I can assure you it isn't but there are some very important precautions to consider whenever you get a direct booking offer from a potential client. AGENCY REPRESENTED MODELS Agency websites host photo galleries of their models to make it easy for pot...

(Shout out to one of my readers, Tom, for inspiring me to write this blog post based on his questions about agency boards!) Visiting modeling agency websites is a great way to get familiar with how these companies present themselves, the divisions they specialize in and view photos of the models currently on roster, not to mention learning how to submit yourself for representation. One thing you might have noticed on these same websites-- namely fashion agency sites --are terms like Main , New Faces ,  Development , Images ,  Direct , etc. What does this mean and does it apply to you? MODELING AGENCY BOARDS Similar to the concept of Pinterest, the use of boards by agencies is a way they organize and classify which models belong where, according to experience and where they are at in their modeling career. It also serves as a convenient way to communicate to clients visiting the site as to which models they may be interested in, based on project needs. When a m...

When it comes to business, the devil is in the details. This especially applies when it comes to communication. While text and DMs are a popular way to reach out and network, email continues to be a widely and heavily used method. Regardless of your age and whether you have modeling experience or not, it is critical to pay attention to how you're presenting yourself when it comes to email correspondence. The cool thing about technology is that it's always changing and adding features that allow people to personalize and customize the websites, platforms and devices they use frequently. Email signatures have always been around but these days, there are more ways than ever to make your signature stand out. Plan on pursuing the modeling industry? Then that means you'll need to start tailoring yourself to be a professional on all fronts. If that means creating a new email account that's just for agency submissions, communicating with photographers, submitting to...

(This post was inspired by an anonymous reader's question. Anonymous wrote: Hi there. Can i ask what is the difference between casting and checking of availability?) The modeling industry is full of its own lingo. However, clients and agencies often throw out these terms without giving any thought as to whether or not the model they're addressing even knows what it means. Sometimes it's easy to just "assume" that models--regardless of experience level--know such things. Out of the model jargon out there, one term you may or may not have run into yet is what's commonly referred to as the "Check Avail." This is short for "checking of availability. Traditionally used in the acting world, it's slowly made its way into regular conversation in the modeling industry. By definition, it's a basic request for information as to what your schedule looks like for a specific time frame. It is important to understand what check avail means be...

Oftentimes the things agencies tell models doesn't always make sense, especially if the model is a newbie to the industry. However, there are common phrases, which I like to call "agency speak," that pop up fairly often. I've listed them below, along with what their meaning translates to. I'll update this info over time as I come across more phrases but feel free to comment on this blog post with any "agency speak" that isn't already on here that you want to know the translation to. (I don't claim to know exactly what all agencies mean but my translations below are based on my own years of experience, as well as what other represented models have told me): Agency Speak: "Thank you for coming in." What It Means: "We're not interested." Agency Speak: "We'll get back to you in a few days." What It Means: "There is some interest but I've got to consult with other people before telling you wh...

There are some terms that you'll need to know if you want to be in the modeling world. Here are some of the most important: 1) TFP: Stands for "time for prints/photos", also called TFCDs "time for CD of images". This process involves a photographer taking your pictures and instead of paying him/her, you get a copy of all your images from the shoot and the photographer gets to use those photos to expand/update their portfolio. TF arrangements are free for both parties and may or may not require a model release form. Most models get a CD of all the images or their choice of their favorite shots, which are retouched by the photographer. TF arrangements are not black and white and the terms can be flexible as agreed upon by the model and photographer. If you see TF*, that means you can negotiate what you want out of the shoot, whether it is prints or a CD of photos. 2) Model Release Form: This is a document, usually one page, that lists the conditions agreed ...