Before the day
- Confirm the time, the address, who the client is and anything you have been asked to wear or bring.
- Plan the journey so you arrive ten to fifteen minutes early. Late is the one thing clients always remember.
- Sleep, drink water and do not try new skincare the night before.
- Clean hair, clean nails, and skin as clear as you can manage.
What to wear
Unless the brief says otherwise, wear simple fitted clothes that show your shape: jeans and a plain top are standard. Keep makeup light. If you are asked to bring heels, bring ones you can walk in properly. When a client gives a brief, follow it exactly.
What to bring
- Your book, or a link to it, and comp cards if your agency has given you them.
- Photo ID.
- A spare plain top, water and a charged phone.
- If you are under 18, the adult who is accompanying you.
In the room
Be polite to everyone, including the person on the door. You may be photographed, asked to walk, asked to try something on or asked a few questions. Listen to direction and do what is asked without apologising for yourself. Short, friendly answers are enough.
What the client is really assessing
- Fit with the brief. Whether you match what the job needs. This is outside your control.
- How you take direction. Whether you listen and adjust.
- How you would be to work with. A shoot day is long. People book those they would be glad to spend it with.
Casting manners
Keep your phone away while you wait. Do not photograph the room, the other models or anything about the job, and do not post about it. Many castings are confidential, and clients notice who can be trusted with that.
Self-tapes and video castings
Many first rounds are now filmed at home. Use daylight and a plain wall, hold the phone the way the brief says, and follow the instructions to the letter: usually your name, your agency, your height, and a walk towards and away from the camera. Send it in the format requested and on time.
Afterwards
Tell your booker how it went, then let it go. Most castings end in a no, usually for reasons that have nothing to do with you: the height of the other model, the colour of the product, the fit of a sample. The models who last are the ones who can walk out and forget about it.
Not with an agency yet? Castings come after that step. Send us two photos and we will tell you if we can help.
Quick answers
- How long does a casting take?
- Often only a few minutes in the room, though you may wait much longer for your turn.
- Can I bring someone with me to a casting?
- Usually they will be asked to wait outside. If you are under 18, you should be accompanied by an adult.
- What is a go-see?
- A meeting with a client or photographer that is not for a specific job. It is a chance for them to get to know you for future work.
