Auditions and open calls
Modeling agencies will require new faces on a regular basis. The number of models in an agency depends on the demand brought in by its agents and changes throughout the year. To this end, modeling agencies advertise in local phone directories in order to remain visible.
Each new model-screening process is different from one agency to the next:
- A dry call is where models mail unsolicited comp cards to an agency. While this may work with smaller agencies, larger agencies are constantly inundated with these cards and frequently discard unsolicited comp cards.
- The most popular process is the open call, where an agency will advertise that on a certain day, they will allow anyone to show up for an interview. Depending on the popularity of the agency within the industry and the advertising done by its agents, anywhere from several dozen to hundreds of candidates could attend an open call. It is not uncommon to have a line extending for several city blocks.
- Another option is the walk-in, where a model calls for an appointment at an agency and receives an interview on that particular date and time. The model then has an opportunity to quickly review with the agent past experience and show his or her portfolio.
