This day & age, you no longer have to be in-person to be able to attend a casting call. Most agencies offer a digital submission options on their Get-Scouted pages, and more and more clients are going to digital casting calls for both runway and print to book models that can’t attend an in-person casting.
While you may not be attending casting calls in-person, the same general rules apply when it comes to what to wear and what the agents or clients are looking for. See below for some guidelines to follow when doing an online submission for an agency or a casting call.
Photo Submissions
When submitting photos to an agency, simple is always best. They are going to want something current, and nothing professional. A few quick snaps on your phone done by a friend or family member are all they really need and want.
Although the photos that the want are extremely basic, there are some important instructions to follow:
Wear little to no makeup.
Hair should not be covering the face and should be natural or very lightly styled.
Wear form fitting clothing or a swimsuit; a black tank top with black or dark skinny jeans is best.
Well-fitting jeans and a snug dark colored tee is a great wardrobe choice for the guys.
Ladies should wear heels..
No distracting or statement jewelry.
Nails should be natural or painted a natural color.
The best photos are in natural light against a plain background. A blank wall in front of a window or outside in front of a garage door work great.
Absolutely no editing or filters should be added to the photos.
Follow the guidelines on what type and how many photos are wanted. Most agencies will ask for at least one head shot and one full body shot.
If you are casting digitally for a client booking, your agent will generally use your comp card and/or your digital portfolio link. Occasionally they may ask for photos of you in a specific look or setting that they will provide instruction for, or they may want some current digitals taken immediately, in which case you would follow the above guidelines.
Runway Casting
What’s great about doing digital runway castings, is that if you mess up or trip, you can re-do your walk a few times until you get it right. You also don’t have to be in front of a panel of agents or bookers and get to do your walk from the comfort of your own home, which makes it so much less stressful!
When it comes to what to wear for your video, following the above guidelines for photo submissions is best. Think of that as your “model uniform” and always use that as your go-to! Oftentimes, you'll also be asked to submit photos along with your runway video, so you can do it all at the same time.
Below I’ve laid out some guidelines to follow to help you get your best runway video:
You can be inside or outside, just make sure you have good lighting. Natural light is best, and try to avoid any hard shadows.
Just as mentioned above, you don't need any special equipment to get your video. A phone video with the help of a friend, family member, or tripod will do!
Ladies - wear heels you are comfortable walking in, but avoid wedges or any heels that will make your walk appear clunky.
Find somewhere to walk with minimal distractions so you are the main focus.
Make sure you have plenty of space to really showcase your walk. If you don’t have a large well-lit space in your home, a flat driveway or sidewalk that is a great option.
Have your starting and stopping point marked so that you start and stop in the same place for each walk.
Walk towards the camera and back at least two times, and give at least two good poses for the camera when you reach the end of your 'runway'.
As with any casting, having confidence in yourself is key. The one big drawback of not being able to do a casting in person is not being able to fully showcase your personality, so you have to work twice as hard to get that to show in your digital castings. Use the tips above and let your personality shine, and you will be sure to rock your digital casting!
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