In any industry you’ll find technical terms and jargon. The world of modelling agencies is no different. As a successful model it’s good to have grasp on the lingo so that when you arrive at a modelling job you’ll impress the client.
We’ve had fun in the Models Direct office testing each other on these.
How many do you know?
ADVERTISING – you see it everywhere, packaging, national press, magazines, billboards, point of sale, displays, hoardings, posters, it’s a growing industry.
AGENT – Models Direct.
ASSIGNMENT – paid work, it could be fashion, promotion, film, TV, photographic etc.
BEAUTY WORK – cosmetic, hair, makeup, etc.
BOARD – National Selection Panel at Models Direct.
BOOK – another word for a portfolio, showing pictures of you working as a model.
BOOKER – your Model Coordinator, who handles everything to do with your modelling with us.
BOOKING – a client has booked you!
BOOKING OUT – whenever a model is on holiday or unavailable.
BUY-OUT – when a client pays extra to use a photograph in certain media and/or in particular territories.
CALL BACK – a second casting, also know as a recall
CAMPAIGN – a programme of effort on behalf of a client by an advertising agency using models.
CASTING – where clients audition models before selecting who they want
CATALOGUE – mail order to fashion stores, large catalogues employ models for every edition. Men, Women and Children.
CATWALK – the walkway, usually raised, on which models show the latest fashions.
CIRCULATION CHART – a printed version of the picture we send electronically to client.
CLIENT – the photographer, advertising agent or film producer who agrees with Models Direct a model and our fee.
COMMERCIALS – advertising work to appear on television or the big screen.
COMMERCIAL OR PROMOTIONAL WORK – advertising, catalogue or other work selling a product. Commercial style work is usually photographed in a less creative way than editorial style photography.
CONTACT SHEETS – a photographic sheet of small prints that are easier to choose from than negatives.
COURSES – teaching catwalk, posing, photographic technique, confidence, makeup and hair.
DAY RATE – the fee we charge for a full days work.
EDITORIAL – refers to the covers, fashion and beauty pages of magazines and newspapers. Highly prestigious yet poorly paid, once a model has appeared in a cover of say Vogue, Marie Claire, Elle, Cosmopolitan or Company, it can lead to major advertising campaigns.
FAMILY MODELLING – a modelling job where a real family is required.
FITTINGS AND SIZINGS – Clothing manufacturers need models to check the size and fit before production. Fashion work, especially with children sometimes requires a fitting before the assignment to save time and any problems with sizes.
GO-SEES – informal appointment for a model to show their portfolio.
HEAD SHOT – a close up photograph of a models face or head and shoulders.
IMAGE – a photograph. Our quarterly modelling magazine
INFORMAL MODELLING – Usually done in a showroom or exhibition also called ‘couture style’.
LOCATION – an assignment that takes place anywhere outside a studio.
MODELS DIRECT – National Modelling Agency for Men, Women and Children.
MODEL RELEASE – a form that has to be signed by the model after a photographic assignment, sometimes called a voucher.
MOTHER AGENT – the agency a model first joins.
OPTION – provisional booking placing a model on standby.
PARTS MODELLING – work for hands, legs, feet and other body parts.
PHOTO SESSION – a photographic shoot.
POINT OF SALE – photographs that are used on display in a shop, such as posters and showcards, to help promote the clothes or product.
PORTFOLIO – a models collection of photographs showing the widest variety of looks.
PRINTS – individual photographs.
PROMOTIONS – helping to promote or sell a product, it could be at an exhibition, a high street, or a big sporting event such as the Grand Prix, nationally or internationally, normally handing out items such as leaflets, balloons, champagne or using personality to socialise etc.
RUNWAY – modern catwalk.
SCOUT – finding talent on behalf of an agency.
SHOOT – a photographic session.
SHOWROOM – fashion companies and designers present their collections using house models and clothes are custom made.
SHOWROOM SEASON – the buying season which can be anything from two to eight weeks and takes place twice a year.
SHOWS – the international designers twice yearly Collections. Shopping malls, department and chain stores. Special events, conventions, fashion trade exhibitions and live magazine shows.
SNAPSHOTS – family photographs and informal pictures.
STATISTICS – a models body measurements, height, eye and hair colour, we send with pictures to clients.
TEARSHEET – a published page from a magazine or newspaper.
TESTS – an unpaid photoshoot. The purpose is for the model to get photographs for their book. Photographer, makeup artists, fashion and hair stylists also need to test.
TRANSPARENCY – a colour negative from a shoot where colour film was used.
TRIP – an assignment abroad.
VIDEO – models are often used to produce corporate, demonstration, promotional and in-house sales videos.
www.modelsdirect.com – where the modelling world meets.
