Skip to main content

How to "Book Out" with Your Agent

I've talked about the concept of "booking out" before when it comes to working with a modeling agency but because this is such an important part of keeping on your agent's good side, I felt it was worth following up with a post to help navigate how to do this action properly.

To refresh your memory: "booking out" simply means letting your agent know when there are days you are not available for either castings or gigs.

Nothing is worse than having an agent submit a model, only to find out after the fact that the model wasn't even available to attend the casting or gig in the first place. This is why booking out plays a vital part in communicating with your agent.

While no two agencies operate exactly the same, there are a few common ways to handle booking out. Usually, models newly signed are given this information as part of their "Welcome Packet." When in doubt, ask your agent what their preference is. 

EMAIL

At the bare minimum, some agencies are fine with models shooting an email with the dates/times they will be booked out. Of course, receiving tons of emails in regards to this will not only get overwhelming for an agent, it can easily lead to a full inbox so while this is certainly an effective way of booking out, it isn't always practical.

WEBSITE PLATFORM

I use the term "website platform" broadly because agencies in all markets have their preferred systems for models booking out. To avoid the email clutter situation, a common method is for agencies to direct their models to use a specific website platform, casting site, special calendar software, etc. 

Using technology in this way not only keeps an agency's inbox less slammed, it is convenient and allows models to book out in real-time. Additionally, each time a change is made to a model's schedule/calendar, the agent receives an alert. This gives them the chance to submit models to projects using the most up to date information.

Some online calendars/platforms will let you make notes as to what time frames you'll be unavailable, while others may only give you the option to select "unavailable" for the whole day or "available." 

If you're dealing with an online calendar/platform that only lets you choose either or, you'll need to think carefully about which option to select. Do you know you'll be gone for a half day or longer? Then book out for that entire day. 

Will you only be unavailable for about an hour or two? Then instead of booking out, shoot your agent a brief email to let them know the specific time frame you'll be busy on that particular date. Even if there ends up not being anything for them to submit you to, they'll be appreciative of the heads up.

HOW FAR IN ADVANCE SHOULD YOU BOOK OUT?

As soon as you know there are dates that you'll be busy, book out! Castings and gigs come up on short notice but some shoot dates are planned out in advance so it's better to err on the side of caution and book out on dates you know you won't be able to work. The good news is that if anything changes and you're suddenly free, go back and update your online calendar/send an email with the most current information.

It's extremely important to make it a habit to book out when it comes to planning your schedule in the weeks and even months ahead. This means syncing things up with your school schedule, if you're a student, work schedule, as well as vacation times. Emergencies tend to happen unexpectedly so if you find yourself unable to access your online calendar or other method of booking out, send an email to your agent when you're able and let them know what dates you need to book out.

I'm sure there may be other miscellaneous methods for booking out but I wanted to mention these two for now. I didn't bother listing phone/text because no agent wants to have everyone on their roster calling and texting with dates they're booked out. They'd go insane so please do yourself and your agent a favor and do not call/text with your list of booked out dates!

DON'T OVERTHINK IT

While I'm stressing the importance of learning to book out properly, I don't want this to turn into something you lose sleep over. No one is asking you to account for every hour of every day. Booking out only applies to dates you know in advance that you'll be busy and unable to take on modeling work.

It's not just a requirement for keeping the working relationship smooth, it's also a professional courtesy that will be greatly appreciated by any agent. 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Modeling and Weight

One of the first things I hear potential models ask is what the weight requirement for modeling is. Sometimes that is the main issue they worry about when it comes to pursuing modeling. Let me tell you right now that weight should NOT be one of those concerns. Obviously, the height requirement reigns supreme when measuring up to the modeling standards sought out by agencies. If you meet the height requirements--whether it's for fashion and runway or commercial/print--that is the first step towards starting on the path to modeling. How much you weigh shouldn't be your biggest fear. It is rare that anyone can look at someone and say, "Oh, my gosh, he/she looks like they are 5 pounds over our weight requirement!" It just isn't realistic. If you look at many modeling agency websites, they clearly list the age and height requirements--rarely, if at all do they list any weight restrictions. The general rule of thumb when it comes to weight is that for models who
6 comments
Read more

Modeling & Pay Rates: How Much Should You Charge?

(This post is more targeted towards freelance models and not those with agency representation, although it may apply to those that have an agent but continue to find their own work.) A part of being a successful model is making money from the jobs that you book. However, being a freelance model comes with many challenges--figuring out what you should charge is one of them. I will say upfront that there are no established black and white rules when it comes to pay rates. Each modeling job is different, each client is different and budgets vary. Ultimately the factors that should influence what you charge should be the amount of experience you have, the strength of the images in your portfolio and the client's budget/needs. Not every client is going to pay what you want to charge. There may be times when you will be skipped over for charging too much or taken advantage of for charging too little. It's going to happen so be prepared for it and do not take it personally. It
37 comments
Read more

What Are Male Models Supposed to Look Like?

The modeling world is filled with women. That's never been a secret and sadly, that often means male models fall by the wayside. There are successful male models in all categories across the industry but the fact that the modeling business revolves around women can make it challenging for newbies to figure out how to pursue their goals of male modeling. It is important to know that because there are different types of modeling categories out there, that means there are also different types of male models. They aren't all supposed to look alike and what ends up being in demand does change every year. Let's break down the common attributes that come with male modeling in various popular categories, shall we? THE MALE FASHION/RUNWAY/EDITORIAL MODEL These are the typical types of models most of us tend to think of when it comes to men in modeling. What is important to know and understand if you're an aspiring male model is that agencies have all different looks
4 comments
Read more