Words you should know...
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agency
The agency is the crucial point of you professional model life. It is your contact person, organizer and career planner. We as an agency are responsible to push our models, to introduce them to our customers and to get them as many jobs as possible. The agency is also dealing with payment issues, sets fees and takes care of eventual buyouts.
booker
The booker is your contact person at the agency and the connection of models to customers and vice versa. The booker of an agency will always try to get into touch personally with the model and will aim for a proper communication.
buyout
The buyout is the value of a model that will be arranged between the customer and the agency if your pictures/shot will be used for a long term. The used media will be arranged beforehand and a fair compensation will be set. Should the customer wish to maintain the rights after the set period of time, he has to inform the agency so that a new buyout contract can be arranged. To have an eye on all these media VELMA worked out a buyout list, which can be used as a guideline.
casting
Casting is a day when several models are applying for a job and have to introduce themselves to the customer (photographers, commercial agencies, fashion magazines). For a lot of casting certain looks are preferred and asked. The aim of the agency is to make a selection in advance for the customer. It is important to look neat and to bring your book as well as your sedcard, so that the customer knows which agency you belong to.
catwalk
In the model scene, catwalk is an impression for runway (see below)
celebrities
Famous people in the model business, such as Heidi Klum, Franziska Knuppe, Gisele Bündchen, Eva Padberg, or back in the days Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Cindy Crawford.
classic woman
Models, aged over 30 years.
close up
A close up is, a photo taken of the face to get a good impression of the model's face.
commission
see agency commission
composite
Another expression for sedcard, which is mostly used in English speaking countries.
contest
Competitions for girls and boys, who want to become a model.
cover
Model job for the cover of a magazine. Very good as a reference for a model book, very good for the model's image but not paid very well.
cuttings
All pictures and publications of the model, filed by the agency.
direct booking
Direct booking means, the customer booked the model without a casting or fitting. The customer just had a look at the sedcard or book and booked the model according to the provided information. The more convincing the book is the higher is the possibility to be booked directly.
editorial
Editorial jobs (editorial shoots for magazines) are mostly not well paid, but they increase the market value of the model dramatically. Typical editorials are fashion shoots in fashion magazines as Vogue or Elle, etc.
fitting
Fittings before fashion shows or shootings are necessary, because the fit of the outfits needs to be checked. Fittings are unpaid most of the time.
gosee
GoSees are appointments for a model to get introduced to the customer, even though it is not applying for a job. The customer can see if the model would fit in upcoming projects. The customer might also make some Polaroid’s for his/her archive and could also use them for future direct booking.
semi nude/nude
We will ask you in the interview if you would like to do semi nude or nude and we will discuss this in detail. For us as an agency it is very important to be professional and reliable and to talk to you about issues like this. If semi nude pictures will be taken, an additional 50% will be added to your fee and for nude pictures even 100%.
fee
The fee is according to the experience of a model. New faces will not gain as much money as models who are longer in the industry. The fee is also depending on the book and its pictures, as well as the presentation of the model to the customer. Most of the time the customers will have a certain budget to spend. In this case it is the job of the agency to propose appropriate models.
clothing size
The common clothing size of models is between 34 and 38. If the clothing size changes, you have to tell your agency about it. Discipline is the basis for modeling and so we recommend our models to stay healthy so that there will not be too many fluctuations on the clothing size.
model file
The model file includes all models of the agency. In this file the agency keeps all details neccessary to build a profile for a model. Nowadays clients can find the model profiles on the agency's website. On www.model-pool.de our clients can order a password to see all listed models of the file.
catalog jobs
Short description for classical model jobs with a usage for OTTO, Quelle or other clients.
runway
Runway is the stage on which models present the latest collections. Most of the time runways are built directly into the audience.
location
Expression for the place of the photo-shooting or film-shooting
look book
Composed like a little catalog with some extracts of client's assortment
measurements
Measurements are very important information about the model on the sedcard. Even small changes have to be reported to the agency, so that there will not be any bad surprises on a set or at a job or for the customer.
new faces
The new faces are the new models at the agency and modeling industry.
plus size
Models with a clothing size bigger than 40.
portfolio
Another expression for book.
prints
Printed versions of photoshoots
runway
Another meaning for catwalk
scouts
Model scouts are searching for new faces anytime and anywhere. They try to get in touch with possible models, often in accordance with an agency. Some scouts also visit foreign agencies to look for new models. So no way too far to look out for good models.
sedcard
The sedcard is the model´s business card and most important for their work. On the sedcard will be all measurements, a selection of the best shots of a model and the contact address of the agency.
set
The place where the shooting takes place, e.g. factory, forest, beach or street. See location
shooting
The shooting is the day when the pictures will be taken/the day of the project.
showroom
A showroom is a location where new collections of designers will be shown by models. It is not with a catwalk show and also not open to the public, but only for salespersons and shop owners.
stills
Photoshoots, in which items are being photographed (still life)
test
Test shots are necessary for new faces, because they will be the first steps into the modeling industry. Without professional pictures it will be difficult to get paid work for a model. Therefore test shoots are unavoidable at the beginning. Reliable agencies will keep these test shoots free for their models, so that the model can gain first experience. Should a test shoot be paid, it can be arranged that this fee will be settled with the first job of the model, if the agency sees any potential in the model. These free test shoots are free for the model, makeup artist, stylist and photographer and so everybody profits from the outcome of the shoot and will use the pictures for their book/portfolio.
VELMA
VELMA is a German registered association of model agencies that represents the interest of all models as well as their agencies (more information: www.velma-models.de).
agency commission
All agencies receive a commission set by the German law which will be charged from the amount that the model receives from a job. The commission consists of the agency fee and a service fee. The nationwide commission fee in Germany is 25%. If you would need the money of a job in advance, but the customer has not paid yet, an additional 5% will be charged, so that the commission will be 30% as a result of pre-financing.
book
The book is a collection of the best publications and pictures of your modeling career so far, as well as results of your test shoots. It will be shown to customers at castings/GoSees, to present yourself. The customer will have the opportunity to see your work and to see how versatile you are.