Crew: What Talent Agencies Do

Though strobe lights and camera rigs are some of the most exciting elements of a shoot, talent remains an incredibly important part of the production equation. When handling a production, it is important to understand who the company wants to reach and what message they want to send. Only then can the production can cast talent that is in line with the company’s goals and overall vision.

For example, a producer at a health and lifestyle magazine was be asked to observe a focus group comprised of women who represented the target audience of a client company.  In this model, each woman in the group was handed a copy of the company’s magazine. The first question the moderator asked them was what they thought of the cover, specifically the woman on the cover. One of the women responded, “I love it – because that could be me on a good day!” What she was explaining was that she completely related to the woman on our cover and she made the connection that if she too ate healthily, exercised, and got her rest, that COULD be her on a good day. That model ended up being cast for the cover shoot, and since the magazine saw a spike in sales, they continued to cast her for future covers. 

The best resource for casting professional talent is from a talent agency. These talent agencies represent men, women, and children of all ages, ethnicities, shapes, and sizes. In the past, talent agencies were much less inclusive; however, many talent agencies have increased their roster to handle the growing demand for different talent. 

We asked Matt Nager, a photographer in Denver, Colorado, about working with talent agencies and he said, “Right off the bat, talent agencies are more expensive than working with a model who isn’t repped. There are baseline rates they charge for models as well as a 20% agency fee for all projects. This is pretty standard across the industry. Rates for social media and online are not too high, but as soon as broadcast or OOH (out of home) comes into play rates get high relatively quickly. Some agencies will work on trade, but not rarely for any models with experience.”

Living in a smaller market like Denver, I always cast a wide net and reach out to my contacts at all the talent agencies in the area. I have great working relationships with them all and it just makes sense to see everyone who is available. Because there are only a handful of talent agencies in Denver, we are somewhat limited and constricted in our choices. I always try to come to the agency with a defined demographic of the model I am looking for. This helps the agency compile a casting list quickly and helps move the process along. I also feel it’s important to be upfront from the beginning on rates, usage, and all needs. No reason to have any surprises at the end once model choices have been made.

– Matt Nager

At Wonderful Machine, we understand how daunting casting models can be, so we have done our best to make it easy for you to navigate the world of talent agencies. Our Find Crew tool can search talent agencies by location, helping to reduce the need to budget travel time and expenses. 

While some agencies are very specialized, others are more general; however, you should always be prepared to answer these questions when contacting an agency: 

• Explain your client’s usage – is it for print, web, commercial, editorial, other? 
• What is your budget? Rates typically start at $150-200/hr for editorial, often with a 2-hour minimum booking. If it’s a commercial shoot, rates will be higher depending on the usage. You can negotiate a half-day rate (4hrs) or a full-day rate (8-9hrs). The agency will usually add a 20% agency fee on top of the rate, and often take 10-20% out of the model’s payment.
• What is your target shoot date and length of the shoot?
• Will you be shooting in studio or on location?
• Is this a weather dependent shoot? What is the backup date? Be aware of the agency’s cancellation policies.
• Are you looking for one model or multiple models?
• Describe the talent you’re looking for – include age range, ethnicity, body type. If it’s for a fashion shoot, do you need them to wear a specific size wardrobe or shoes? If brand specific, ask if they are sponsored by anyone to avoid conflicts of interest.
• Explain the role they will play in your shoot – for example, will there be props they will the holding/interacting/need to be familiar with, will they be participating in a sport or hobby, do they need to interact with children or animals? 
• Will the model(s) be identified or named?
• Will there be hair & makeup stylists on set or are they expected to arrive to the shoot camera ready and be prepared to do their own touch-ups?
• Will there be a wardrobe stylist on set, or will they need to bring their own wardrobe and shoes, and if yes, what do they bring?
• If you’re looking for an influencer, prepare a range of ideal audience, engagement, and follower metrics.

After you supply the talent agency with the necessary information about the production, they will direct your request to a specific division within the agency. Some of the most common divisions within a talent agency are fashion, lifestyle/commercial, real people, actors, classic, curve, petite, parts (hands, feet, etc.), and kids/teens. 

“I often work with agencies for talent. I try to cast a wide net as there aren’t too many options in the Denver market and availability can be tough. Like any industry, creating lasting relationships with an agency will help get timely responses and overall ease with a project.” – Matt Nager

Here are some additional tips when contacting talent agencies: 

• Share some examples of talent on their site that meet the needs of your client and explain why you feel they would be a good fit.
• Clearly state shoot date options to the agent.
• Ask the agent to include the model’s location or where they are currently based. This will avoid the frustration of picking talent only to learn that it will take a long car ride or a plane ticket to get them to the set.
• Ask the agent to send their casting submission to you by email so you can review, choose your favorites, and share those portfolios with your client.
• When shooting fitness, you may want to consider contacting a sport-specific agency like Wilhelmina’s Fitness Division or Sports + Lifestyle Unlimited (SLU). On the SLU site, you will find a sports resume for each of their models and they rate their level of competence for each sport category – expert/pro, advanced, intermediate, and often include sports videos.
• If it is necessary to have complete confidence in the models’ current look (for specific hair/grooming), request a current photo with a unique twist, such as a request for the model to hold a common household item. This can guarantee that the image is current.

Lastly, consider setting up a casting session at either the agency or your studio. This may be particularly important if personality or a specific skill will significantly impact the success of your shoot. Ask questions about their skills/experience and create a casting sheet for each one you see/meet. Jot down what you learn, and don’t rely on your memory.

Talent agencies are running a business just like photographers. Certainly, credit or sharing of images for a model’s portfolio can help if the overall budget is low, but if you’re after a truly experienced model they will want to be paid.

– Matt Nager

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