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Quick Tip #34

Category: Castings
For: Male & Female Models

When it comes to attending castings for a modeling gig, if it is at all possible, do not volunteer to go first. Trust me on this one. Below are reasons why:

1) Being nervous is natural but if you volunteer to go first, that nervousness will double and could negatively impact your performance.

2) Most times you'll be able to watch other models audition, which allows you to "cheat" and already know what the client is going to ask you to do.

3) Waiting until a few other models go first gives you time to practice or at least have an idea of how you will do your casting/audition.

Case & point: I went to a casting recently for a designer and another model got there around the same time as me but she had brought her son with her. The designer asked which of us wanted to go first and I almost volunteered but decided to let the other girl go since she had her kid with her. As it turns out, I was invited by the casting director to peek in on her casting so that I could get an idea of what they'd be asking me to do. We had to put on a pair of their jeans and mimic a specific pose, while being given super tedious instructions on how to pose our lower body (only the waist down was being photographed, not our face or anything). The model was having a very hard time following what was being asked of her. However, I had a perfect idea of what to do and once I got into the jeans myself and assumed my pose, they got the shot they needed after only taking 4 photos. Had I gone first, I would have been awkward like the model before me, which would have undoubtedly affected the quality of my casting.

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