Here’s a typical breakdown of what happens at a model casting:
- Check in.
- Write your name/agency down on a card, wait your turn.
- Take a photo with your card, share a bit about your interests/hobbies to the casting director.
- A quick test shoot, usually with you modeling the product.
- You’re on your way! In and out within 10 – 15 minutes.
This is the quick overview–there are specific nuances for different types of modeling jobs. Speaking of which, don’t miss this article on the types of jobs petite models can book and how much they pay.
What to Bring to a Model Casting
Wear your model casting outfit, bring a comp card and model portfolio (either on your iPad or a physical portfolio). If you expect to try on clothes, bring a sticky bra and wear a thong.
That’s all you need! I have never been asked to show my portfolio–my agent typically sends my portfolio over when they submit me for the job, and casting will already have my portfolio up if they need to reference it. I still bring my portfolio just in case.
Sometimes casting takes my comp card, but usually they don’t need it, since they already have my information.
What to Expect at a Beauty Casting
As a petite model, I often have beauty castings—beauty jobs are a very popular type of job for petite models since height is not a factor for bookings. Beauty castings are almost always in person because many of them I need to make sure that the product applies well on the model’s face.
What to Expect at a Shade Match Beauty Casting
For shade match beauty castings, I go with prepped skin and sunscreen.
The client will ask models to come in with no makeup–it will be noted in the casting call your agent sends you. If you are wearing makeup, they will hand you a makeup wipe for a clean base. This is so that they can accurately match the foundation product to your skin.
Once they have matched your skin to the proper foundation shade for you, they will take some images of how the foundation sits on your skin. They may also shade match blush and highlighter as well. They will ask you your skin type (oily, combination, dry) and you’ll be sent on your way.
What to Expect at a General Beauty Casting
For other beauty castings, I’ve been asked to show up with little to no makeup and a typical casting outfit (plain shirt, jeans, and heels). These are held at a casting studio. I also often get asked about what I do outside of modeling, which gives me an opportunity to talk about my YouTube Channel and my Muay Thai practice.
They will finish by taking some quick headshots and midshots of me, having me move through poses as if I am on set shooting for the brand.
Beauty shots are often shot from chest up, and purely focused on the face. I make sure to give a variety of smiles, neutral expressions, and fun “personality” shots.
What to Expect at a Clothing Brand Casting
In my experience, when it comes to in-person castings for clothing brands, some brands hold castings in preparation for multiple shoots in the coming months. They meet and test the models they are interested in shooting with, and when they finalize a model, they will reach out to the model’s agent for her availability for the upcoming shoot.
Most clothing brand castings have models try on the brand’s clothes to see how it fits on the model. They’ll take a few images in the studio to see how models move in front of the camera and show off the product.
One of the most in-depth castings I’ve attended was for an essentials apparel brand where they had models come in the studio in their undergarments. The casting included a videography station where models were interviewed on-camera on their hobbies and interests outside of modeling. They also had a photographer test with each model, and asked us to show poses that would show off the apparel brand.
That particular casting was busy–there were so many models there waiting at each station, and everyone in their underwear. If you’re a commercial model in New York, you know exactly which brand casting I’m referring to–I’m convinced they see just about every commercial model signed in New York. 😂
What to Expect at a Commercial Print Campaign Casting
I don’t typically get in-person commercial print castings in the US, unless it’s for a smaller brand that holds castings in-house. Most of my commercial print castings are self-tapes with callbacks over Zoom, if there is a callback round.
However, while I was on contract in South Africa, I had a number of in-person castings for commercial campaigns. At these castings, they look for models with the ability to improv with the casting director, or other models. They give the models a scenario, and in the casting room, we are filmed as we all perform the scenario together while naturally integrating the product into the scenario.
Self-tape castings are quite similar, except that we are performing improv by ourselves in front of the camera.
What to Expect at a Fit Casting
Fit castings are a bit different than front-of-camera castings, since they are more centered around the technical construction of a garment. I talk more in-depth about fit jobs here.
It’s important to walk into fit castings knowing your measurements. When the client takes your measurements, they’ll ask you, “your hip is <X measurement>, is this typical for you?” This is because fit models must keep consistent measurements, as brands hire them at their specific size. Brands construct clothes based on the fit model’s body.
At a fit casting, you will try on the clothes, and the technical designer will take some front, side, and back images of you in the item. They might ask you for some feedback as well, which your agent should prep you for. If you book a fit client, it can be a consistent paycheck!
Key Takeaways
There are many different types of modeling jobs for petite models, and all have different casting processes. Make sure you read your casting spec to be as prepared as possible, so you have the highest chance of booking a job. Go into castings projecting confidence and kindness, and that will always add to your allure.
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