Modelling FAQs
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How do I find an agent?
Apply online to ALBA and we can send you the details are the modelling agents who are best for you.
Can I have more than one agent?
Yes provided that they are both not in the same area or they will clash on jobs. Better to have one in say London, Birmingham and Manchester. However, if you aim to be in a profession which stipulates exclusivity you must be sure of which one agent/ manager is the best for you and do read any contract properly and know what the contract actually means before you ever sign a thing!
There was an advert in my local paper asking for film and TV extras and models of all ages to join for a fee of £25 is that acceptable?
No it is not acceptable. We say it every day Do not answer adverts in local papers or free magazines which ask for joining fees up front. Alba only recommends agencies, which do not ask for any up front fees.
I am 18 years old and going abroad with an Agency to Milan for training and to build my portfolio. Is there any advice you can give me before I go?
Before you get too excited, do check before leaving the country your contract for the "what if" factor - make sure your contract does not hold unreasonable terms for compliance such as they will sue you for all costs if you refuse to do some of the work they offer you or take up any "opportunities".
Make sure that you have a return flight ticket ( even if it is open ended ) and a mobile that will work in Europe and keep it charged to keep contact with family or loved ones so they know you are safe. Always take the contact and address details of the British Embassy in case you get into ANY difficulties.
Before you go leaping off to Milan, you must make up your mind that you will be sensible to hold onto your own passport AND return flight ticket- do NOT surrender these to anyone else as instances have been experienced of girls becoming stranded and made to work in situations they did not want to such as Glamour & pornagraphic work to get their tickets & passports back!!
If you are taken out be very careful and make sure nobody spikes your drink!!
Never leave yourself nearly broke in a foreign country- make sure you have the flight or fare to get home or to the British embassy if you need to. Sadly our comment sounds quite scary, but we have to warn you of what can happen before you go so that you keep you whits about you and remain in control.
What is needed to become a film extra?
There is a need in the industry for all types of people and characters. You will have to be available to drop everything and take the work when it is offered and be well disciplined enough to get up at very early hours to be on location by 6 am or sometimes earlier! Some acting experience can certainly be an advantage. The DTI does however permit genuine agencies to charge a modest fee to appear on their website or for model cards.
There is a model competition run by an agency ; but they are asking for entry fees/ deposits of £15?
These types of competitions should be avoided!!
Competitions run by top agencies or magazines never ask for an entry fee as they are searching for new faces and this is usually sponsored by a makeup or beauty product.
Beauty Pageants such as Miss British Isles and Miss England (click here to see our full list of recommended list) - are permitted to ask the contestants to be sponsored or to pay a small entry fee to enter as these are run in a completely different manner offering major prizes.
How do I get a portfolio to show to agencies before they take me on?
You only need to show snapshot pictures to be considered by an agency. Never pay out for photographs since you may not be successful in your attempt to join this very competitive profession. Good agencies will, if they feel you have potential, sort out where you should get pictures taken for a reasonable cost. Test shoots will generally cost from £35 per image or print and this money should be paid directly to the photographer. You are likely to be charged extra for hair & make up and this is likely to be in the region of £50. You should make sure the photographer is going to retouched the images for you.
For the TV & Film Extra's Industry you only need to show clear black and white snapshot pictures which show you as you truly are (wrinkles, warts and all) to be considered by a extra's or entertainment's agency. Good agencies will, if they feel you have potential, sort out where you should get pictures taken
What do I need to get my child into modelling?
Just send some snapshot pictures to send to an agency with details of the child a contact telephone number and a self addressed stamped envelope.
Does my child need a portfolio once taken onto the books of a child agency?
You may need a limited portfolio of say 3 to 10 photos.
Are there any Laws concerning my child in the modelling and entertainment's industry?
YES - Any agency taking your child or teen under the legal school leaving age onto their books should by Law, make sure that you are aware of the Laws concerning the Licensing of those persons under the legal school leaving age. Any genuine agent will know that work undertaken by an Agent with a person under school leaving age which is not licensed is an infringement of the 1976 Employment Business Act concerning Agencies Code of conduct and is also flouting the Law of 1963 Children & Young Persons Act, such unlicensed work is not legal.
We firmly believe as members of The National Child Employment Network Scheme that Children and young persons must be protected, not exploitedWhy did I have to pay £20 for 4 interview pictures at the agency I went to?
You appear to have ripped off never pay any money to an agency!!
As a small person (5 ft 3 ins) I have been turned down many times by model agencies. Why do some model agencies stipulate a minimum height for adult males and females?
This industry is so very competitive that a number of top agencies do insist that their models must be of a minimum height to ensure that the ladies are of a similar height.
Are you saying that at 5 ft 3 ins I cannot become a model?
In this industry there is a greater demand for tall persons. There are some agencies, which will take on a few "petite" female models. However, the demand is not huge and a regular income from this type of modelling is scarce. So most agents specify models should be a minimum height in order to ensure that the agency can get their models, a better chance of regular work. You should also look at our Real people/Extras section.
I have been asked to pay £450 up front towards my own web site page by an agency, is that normal?
No you should avoid whoever asked you for that payment.
What is a portfolio?
It is your own book of pictures taken of you, which get built up over a period of time. The book of photographs and tear sheets build up as you gain assignments.
What is a tear sheet?
This is a picture torn out of publications such as catalogues, magazines, leaflets, showing adverts you have appeared in, or examples of magazine front covers.
Once I go to an agency for an interview what will happen?
This will be a little bit like a job interview but less formal. Remember to shake the hand of the person who is interviewing you and smile looking at the interviewer in the eyes. You can ask questions such as the commission rate charged by the agency. Any paperwork handed to you should not be signed at that stage, you must take it away, make sure that you read and understand it before you commit yourself to signing any forms or any contract. Genuine agencies will not try to get you to sign forms until you have taken them away first to read them before signing. NB. Parents of young persons under the legal school leaving age, your agency must by Law inform you of the Law concerning licenses. Any work undertaken when the young person is not licensed is not legal and therefore the agency can face prosecution under the 1976 Employment Business Act.
I paid a fee up front to sign a contract with an agency by post, I am not happy with this agency can I get my money back?
You should never pay a fee to join a modelling agency and you are unlikely to get your money back. Email the details to ALBA.
What is a Model Index Card?
This can also be called a Z card or composition (Comp) Card, These are A5 size cards, which have any number of pictures printed upon the card of you. It is like a large business card and upon it is printed your name, agency details and your statistics.
What is involved at a casting or audition?
All the agencies are informed of the times of the auditions or castings for that day. They will have been told what the assignment is going to be. When you telephone into your agency your booker will give you the details of the auditions and castings that you are expected to attend. More often than not the casting/ audition will be held between certain times such as from 10 am to 1pm or 12 noon to 3pm you will probably have to wait in a queue amongst the hundreds of other models who have turned up in the hope of successfully obtaining that assignment. There may be hundreds attending for just one job!
You will be asked to show your portfolio to the person or number of people at the casting/ audition, you may be asked to walk and turn or pose in front of a camera for test shots. You must leave your Model / Comp Card at these things so that the people deciding can remember who they have seen. You will not be told at the casting if you are successful or not. You just have to carry on to the next one and hope for the best. Your agency will be notified if you get the job or if you are optioned.
What is being optioned?
This means that the client likes your look but has to decide for sure, so the client asks the agency that you remain available for the assignment just in case. Now this is where a good agency/booker comes in, because if more than one client wants to option you for the same day, your booker will try to ensure you get both jobs by ensuring the dates or times are juggled to fit you if they can be, otherwise the booker will try to secure you at least one of the assignments by letting the client know another client is interested in booking you
What is a booker?
This is the person at the agency who is allocated to look after you and that person (male or female) will do their best to get you as many assignments as they can plus the best fee that they can. So when you telephone or call into the agency you will speak with your booker about anything regarding work, pictures, and especially if you want to book yourself out for a day off, note that you must do this in advance. There is nothing worse than a booker trying to contact a model who has not told the agency that he/ she will not be available for a few days or has gone away on holiday. You will not be in anyone's good books when you get back if you have left a booker and the agency looking a fool to a client!
Who decides which model or film extra gets the assignment?
That is usually the client, or someone called the casting director who attends auditions for the client, or in the case of go sees it would be perhaps the assistant fashion editor or fashion editor at a magazine or newspaper. It is never the decision of the agency. In the case of film extra agencies the agent is usually entrusted by the client to decide which extras will be suitable for the assignment.
How competitive is this industry?
Very competitive indeed so do not believe that if you are one of the few taken on by an agency you will find instant success, fame and fortune. The outlay to get to and from castings, auditions, go sees can mount up and you still may not have got one assignment so some finances behind you or an evening job are a must at the start. You may even find that the rejection and competitiveness of this industry is not for you ... So do not forfeit education and exams for the sake of this very short-term career.
I wanted to do some modelling but my real aim is towards the entertainment industry, where do I go for advice?
Well a lot of the advice for modelling is relevant in the entertainment industry – also contact BECTU.
I want to do Glamour modelling are their any height restrictions?
No - make sure that you take on board all the information on this site it is relevant to the Glamour industry also. Do not try to go it alone in this side of the modelling industry, get a good agency there are a lot of rogues out there. So be safe!
When do I get paid?
Only once you have completed assignments and then it can take some time for the client to pay the agency usually 60/90 days. In most cases agencies do adhere to the Law, which states that the agency must pay the worker within 10 days of receipt of payment from the client, provided the worker has not agreed to other payment terms in writing. We have heard from parents of children who signed a contract with an agent, which allowed that agency to hold onto workers money for 6 months, none of the parents had read the contract properly before signing!
What is a release form?
This is a legally binding document which states particular and specific terms which when signed by the worker can permit the holder to use information or photographic pictures, video or film footage provided by the worker in a shoot or assignment or even a Television interview. Do not ever sign one without reading it first and understanding how this release of your pictures will affect you or even your child! We have heard of terrible cases where parents singed a model release form, not knowing what they are signing at a photo shoot; then the photographer used the pictures with the signed permission by way of the release form upon undesirable sites abroad. So do please make sure that you read what you are asked to sign be it for yourself or for a child!!
I joined an agency one month ago and I have not had any work, is that normal?
Yes it is because this is not an ordinary 9 to 5 job, it is also highly competitive, and it can take some time before work comes in. There are no promises that because an agency takes you on that you will succeed, which is why there should not be any up front joining fees to pay to agencies in order to be represented by them. This ensures that agencies will only take on those that they believe the agency can find work for.
My agency wants me to go "on loan" to another agency abroad, what does that mean?
Your agency has been asked by another agency for you to go and work with them and it will be agreed between these agencies that they share the commission gained from finding you assignments through the agency you are loaned to. It can be a great opportunity to travel abroad and see other countries.
How do I class myself for the Inland Revenue Tax purposes?
You are classed as self employed so for that reason you will need to ensure that you are aware of the tax laws for self certification. A good agency will help you with this and you can help yourself by looking at the Internet site www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk or by calling your local Inland Revenue Office.
How do I get into drama school?
First you have to apply, details of schools can be obtained from The Conference of Drama Schools - The Executive Secretary, CDS Ltd
P O Box 34252, London NW5 1XJ, or The National Council for Drama Training, Tavistock Place, London WC1H 9SS. Make sure that you supply a self addressed and stamped envelope with your letter of enquiry!I have been doing dancing and singing since I was small but my real aim is towards the Modelling industry, where do I go for advice?
Well a lot of the advice for modelling is relevant in the entertainment industry do check out the rest of our Alba Model Information web site.
I am always beng told I am not tall enough, or that my figure is not for the Catwalk so is the only route open for me now Galmour modelling?
Many people who do not meet the height restrictions of top fashion often think about the Glamour industry. This can be for magazines such as FHM and GQ or those such as The Sun page 3 or publications which require nudity in various forms up to total nudity such as Playboy. You could also consider commercial, promotions or extra work.
Nudity - If you are faced with nudity in the modelling profession expected or not, YOU, are the only person who can decide whether you will do this and what stage you will go to and what publications you are happy to appear in. Many opportunities in modelling, can sometimes involve various levels of nudity and that can include designer catwalk and fashion along with advertisements for showers, or beauty products. However Cindy Crawford was adamant that at the age of 18 when she went for a her first top magazine photo shoot, she was put on the spot at the shoot and had not been forewarned that she was expected to pose nude. She regretted that she felt out of control and that she could not say "NO" - so her warning to young hopefuls is to be aware that you have the right to say " I really do not want to do that". There is nothing wrong with asking for a compromise or even just saying that you do not want to go ahead, you are the person in control as it is you that will be seen!
If you go the glamour route, you must also accept that you may well be recognised from a work situation or publication by your friends, close relatives and the general public, which may not be acceptable to you or even affect your family. So ultimately the decision is yours and yours alone, you should never go nude under pressure, either from loved ones or work colleagues.