Thursday 30 January 2014

Modelling Paperwork

If you think modelling is all bikinis and champagne – think again. Modelling is a job, and like any job, it comes with its fair share of paperwork. In fact, as models are usually self-employed (this doesn’t necessarily mean freelance – models signed with agencies are also self-employed, simply because the agency doesn’t directly employ them and pay them a wage.) They have more paperwork than a normal 9 to 5 office job.
Here are some of the forms that a model will use on a regular basis:

Model Release Buyout

This document is signed by the model and a witness and states that the model gives the photographer, client or client representative the right to use the photos. It will detail how the images are allowed to be used, including as a whole or in part, with transformations and fictitious names, and for promotion, art, trade, advertising etc. It will state that the model relinquishes the right to examine the images before they are used for promotional purposes or to object if they  don’t like the final result. The release must state that the model is above the age of consent and able to sign for themselves. If they are not, then a guardian must sign on their behalf.

Self-Promotion Copyright licence


If you do Time for Print work, you need to make sure you get it in writing that you are allowed to use the photos for your own purposes. Without this signed piece of paper, the photographer could force you to stop using them for your portfolio or for sending to modelling. This ‘copyright licence’ can be narrow, meaning you are only allowed to use the images for restricted uses, or it can be broad, giving you more rights. However, the wording must be negotiated with the photographer, so their preferences will have to be balanced with yours.

Agency Application Letters


In many cases you can apply to an agency online, by filling in a form and attaching your pictures. However, sometimes you may need to apply by post, or even via direct email. An agency application letter should include your reason for writing (that you’d like to be represented by their agency), your comp card if you have one, your physical statistics, age and education. You can also describe any experience you have and you should tell them if you already have a non-exclusive contract with any other agencies. If possible it should be addressed to the relevant person in the agency, rather than just ‘Dear Sir / Madam’. Application letters should be formal and businesslike, not chatty or filled with rows of exclamation marks or overly emotional statements about how much it would mean to you to be signed to that modelling agency.

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Wednesday 29 January 2014

Modelling Glossary

A

Accessories

Fashion items that are worn to complement clothing such as jewellery, hats, belts, handbags and scarves.

Actor

A person who plays a character in theatre film or television projects for the purpose of entertainment.

Advance

An amount of money paid to a model by their agent on behalf of a company that wants to book them for a job. This money is usually paid in advance in order to secure the model's services - especially if they are in great demand.

Advertising Agency

A company that creates advertising campaigns for clients to promote a product or service to consumers. They typically approach modelling agencies to select models for print and television commercial campaigns.

Aesthetician

A trained skin specialist who works to enhance the skin by using facial treatments cosmetic make-up
services exfoliation treatments body wraps and waxing. Some aestheticians work with dermatologists to offer other services such as laser hair removal microdermabrasion laser skin resurfacing and many types of chemical peels.

Age Range

The ages that a model can portray; this is typically 5-7 years over or under the model's actual age.

Agency (Modelling)

A company that represents models actors and talent of any kind. A modelling agency is responsible for representing and promoting its roster of models and booking jobs for them. Modelling agencies usually handle contracts payments and the whole business side of the model's life.

Agency Book

The book agencies distribute to all of their clients to promote their models. The book contains the comp card for each model represented by the agency. Models are often required to pay a fee to have their comp card printed in the book.

B

Backdrop

Whatever the model stands in front of during a photo shoot. In a studio this is usually seamless paper or a faux location scene.

Beauty Shot

A close-up shot of part or all of the face (lips eyes etc.). This kind of photo is usually used in a cosmetics print ad or in a magazine editorial about skin care products make-up products that kind of thing.

Bio

The condensed story of a model's life - basically a resume with particular jobs highlighted.

Black and White Photo (B&W)

A photograph that is taken specifically to produce black white and grey images. Black and white photos are often suggested for head shots.

Blow Up

Also known as an Enlargement. A photograph that has been enlarged from a negative or slide.

Bonus

Typically an amount of additional money paid to a model after a job is completed. Bonuses can be given when a shoot is long or when a client wants to use the shots more often than the original contract. The agency will take their agreed percentage for any bonuses paid. Bonuses are not always given in cash; for example if designers can't pay the models' full day rates for a runway show they may give clothes as a bonus.

Book (verb)

To secure a job.

Book (noun)

A collection of tear sheets or photographs demonstrating a model's abilities in front of the camera. See Portfolio.

Booker

The person at a modelling agency who schedules appointments books jobs and sets assignments for models.

Booking

A specific modelling job or paid assignment.

Booking Conditions

The different factors that may exist in a booking for which the model will be paid more. An agency establishes booking conditions that outline fee specifications for overtime or weekend work weather permitting bookings cancellations or bonuses for a variety of other conditions.

Bookout

When you tell your agent you're not available for a job for either professional or personal reasons and the agent cannot book you during that time you've \"\"booked out\"\" for that time.

Buffer

The memory in a camera that stores digital photographs before they are written to the memory card.

Burning            

The process of selectively darkening part of a photo with an image editing program.

Buyer

A retail store employee who is responsible for buying clothing from the manufacturer. Buyers typically attend fashion shows and visit designer's showrooms looking for clothing their customers will like. If they visit the designer's showroom then the clothes will usually be shown by models.

Buy-Out

An arrangement in which a client issues a model a flat fee or one-time payment for use of their work for a specific period of time rather than pay residuals. This fee should be quite substantial.

C

Clean-Clean

A specification on a call-sheet that means clean hair and clean face. You should show up for the photo shoot with no make-up on and freshly washed hair. The opposite of this is \"\"hair and make-up ready\"\" which is pretty self-explanatory.

Composite Card          

Also referred to as a comp card zed card or model business card. A comp card is a piece of card stock printed with at least two photos of you in various poses settings outfits and looks (the widest variety possible). It includes your name your contact information usually your agency's info and all your stats. Comp cards come in lots of different formats depending on the city agency and the type of model or actor you are. Agencies will usually issue comp cards for you after they sign you.

Configurations

The number of models posed in a photograph. Some standard fashion configurations are singles doubles triples and groups.

Contact Sheet

Also called Proofs. A photographer's term for a sheet of film printed with small versions of all the photos taken during the photo shoot. From the contact sheet the photographer and the client will choose which shots they want to print and enlarge.

Cove Studio

Also called a Cyc Studio. This is a photography studio that has no corners - instead it's sort of rounded everywhere with built-in backdrops. In photographs corners and edges (like where the wall meets the floor) tend to look ugly. A cove studio eliminates this effect. Seamless paper gives the same effect in a regular studio.

Cyc Studio

Pronounced \"\"syk\"\" cyc is short for \"\"cyclone\"\" studio. See Cove Studio.

D

Daylight Studio

A photographic studio that is lit with natural light usually by way of windows and skylights.

Dresser             

The person who makes sure that clothes fit the model properly and pins them if necessary.

F

Fashion Fit Modelling

A male or female model that fashion designers and garment manufacturers use to size and measure clothes for production. Fit models have the perfect proportions for a given clothing size. They are used by designers to piece together new creations see how they move and develop their patterns. The key for a fit model is to never gain or lose an inch. Fit models can be hired by manufacturers in permanent salary positions. Often clothing manufacturers do not hire separate fit models for each size. Instead they measure the clothes on a standard size (size 8-10 for women; size 40 regular for men) model and then use computer programs to magnify those dimensions for each different size.

Favoured Nations

Contractual term for a photo shoot in which each model is getting paid the same day rate. The highest paid model on the shoot usually gets paid less than his or her usual rate. This helps eliminate accusations of unfair work practices and general griping by lower-paid models that are working just as hard as the highly-paid model. Models don't look as good in photographs when they feel they're being cheated to pay the star.

Fitting

The session that takes place before the photoshoot where the clothes to be modelled are fit onto the model. Based on the model's particulars the clothes are usually altered to fit. When you go to a fitting be prepared to stand around partially clothed all day long in front of several people. These people will usually be stylists, seamstresses and designers.

Freelance Model

A model listed with multiple agencies (as opposed to one particular agency) or a self-promoting model who works without an agent. Most commercial print models are freelance and work as independent contractors.

G

Garment District

The area in a city that houses a majority of fashion designers and manufacturers such as Bond Street Savile Row Soho and Great Portland Street in London; and New York's Seventh Avenue.
Go-see A model's appointment to see a potential client.

H

Halftime

Models are paid halftime for all travel time.

Head Sheet

A poster displaying head shots and information about models represented by a modeling agency. Models may have to pay to appear on an agency's headsheet.
L

Location

Any place other than in a studio where a shoot (photography or film) takes place. When you are on location it means you are outside the controlled environment of the studio or soundstage and should prepare accordingly.

M

Model Release

A legal document provided by the client/photographer and signed by the model or agent. It gives permission to the photographer to use photographs taken at a particular sitting. If photographs are used without a release or in a way different from what is stated in the release then the model can sue for breach of contract.

Modelling Agency

An establishment that does business on behalf of the model such as booking jobs and collecting payment for the model for percentage fee (typically 15-20%). An agency can be an individual person or a company.

Mood

The conveying of an emotion to enhance an image and suit the specific assignment - models need to be able to act.

Mother Agency

The agency that discovers develops and launches a new model. Mother agencies that operate in small markets may pass that model on to a larger agency in a major market once they have been launched. If this case the mother agency gets a percentage of that model's gross future earnings usually for 1-5 years after they go to the larger agency.

P

Photographer Release

A contract signed by the photographer giving permission to the model to use the photographs taken during a particular sitting.

Portfolio

Also called a Book or Model's Book. A notebook containing a collection of a model's best photographs (usually size 8\"\"x10\"\") and tear sheets demonstrating their abilities in front of the camera. Models can usually purchase good portfolios stamped with their agency's name and logo directly from the agency but plain black portfolios work fine too.

Prints For Time

An agreement between the model and photographer to whereby they work for each other on a mutually beneficial basis and no money changes hands. The photographer provides a selection of prints from the shoot in recognition of the model's time commitment.

R

Resume             

Sheet listing a model's education experience and vital statistics. The resume is usually attached to an 8X10 or a composite.

T

Tear Sheet

The actual page torn from the magazine a model appeared in. Models put their tear sheets in their portfolios. Tearsheets are even better than photos because it shows the kind of work the model has already done.

Test Shoot

When a model and photographer work together on a new idea or on their portfolios. No fees other than sharing film-and-developing expenses are involved. Model and Photographer Releases should be signed before the session.

U

Usages               

Models get paid for each different medium in which their photograph is used. These different mediums or usages may include: consumer magazines, trade magazines, product packaging, print ads, bus ads, subway ads, billboards, magazine covers, direct mail, magazine editorials, posters, catalogues, brochures, point-of-purchase (point-of-sale or p-o-p), annual reports, book covers, kiosk duratrans (those big portable billboards that are towed around behind trucks), newspapers, etc. The model receives an additional fee for each usage the client buys. Usages also vary according to time and region. The longer the ad runs and the more markets in which it appears all drive up the model's fee. The largest usage is the unlimited time usage worldwide buyout. That means the client can plaster the photograph across every city in the world in every possible usage until the end of time.

Z

Zed Card


See Composite Card.

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Thursday 23 January 2014

Castings or Go Sees - a Neon models Guide


Ideally, the client will contact the modelling agency with their requirements, the agency will select the best model for the job, and that’s that. Unfortunately, it’s rarely as simple as that. There can be many stages involved in selecting a model for a job, and a model has to be responsive and prepared at each stage to avoid missing out.

The Go See or Casting

This is the first stage of potentially getting a modelling job. It’s critical to respond to the casting call as quickly as possible, because jobs are sometimes cast within hours, and the client may simply select the first model to respond.

Before you respond, you probably want to find out if you even want the job – this may seem like a no brainer, but its worth double checking when and where the shoot is, how much it pays and what the requirements are. You may discover it clashes with another job, or that the pay is simply too low to make it worthwhile.

However, if you decide you do want to attend the casting and try to win the job you’ll need to find out how you should be dressed, who you need to talk to, and how best to approach it. Keep in mind that your agent may to have time to have a long discussion with you about it, but they should be keen to give you the best information to give you a good chance of getting the job.

You should check and adjust your portfolio to match the job, making sure there are examples of the kind of thing they want – i.e. sporty of businesslike or sexy.

Being shortlisted

Remember that far more models go to castings than are needed for actual shoots, so don’t be disheartened if they say ‘don’t call us, we’ll call you’ and you never hear from them again. That’s the nature of the business.

However, hopefully sometimes you will be shortlisted, or put on ‘hold’ or ‘option’. This is good news, as it means the client liked you, but it doesn’t mean that the job is secured.

At this point there are three things that may happen. They may still decide against you, they may ask you for a callback, or they may book you.

If you are on hold, it means that you should keep that time of the shoot available for the client, until they decide either way if they’d like to use you or not. If they haven’t decided and you get a call from a different client offering a job or casting, then your agent should contact the first client to ask them to make a decision and either release the ‘hold’ or confirm the booking.

If the client decides they want to book you, it’s time to celebrate! Once you accept, you are both obligated to the job and cancellation fees will apply if it doesn’t go ahead.

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Friday 3 January 2014

Neon Models Review – How to be a model



When you take your first baby steps into the world of modelling, you will find a bewildering array of conflicting advice and so many companies out there who claim to want to help you become a model.

If you want to navigate safely through it you will probably be looking up reviews of modelling agencies and reading articles about modelling, to find out how you need to take care of your body, how to stay safe and what people will expect from you as a professional model.


Neon Models reviews can help you, by reviewing the modelling agencies and offering services to help aspiring models get their foot in the door and start building up a professional portfolio, which is a must have for any model – as it is what is used by clients to decide on which models they are going to use for their fashion and marketing campaigns.

Be careful if you want to break into modelling, and keep an eye out for fake modelling agencies, who promise that they will be able to get you work, but insist that you have to pay them a fee up front. Also, never apply for modelling jobs that you find in online listings or in the back of magazines, especially if they ask you to go to a home address or a hotel room – these are very dangerous!