Filed Under: What NOT to Say to a Casting Director, Photographer or Client
Dear Photographer,
I am assuming that as I have not heard anything from you that I was not fortunate enough to make the cut for the project.
It is another staple of this industry whereby if you make efforts to be punctual, follow up, and show enthusiasm – in the end if somebody else is chosen you will more times than not receive no communication from anyone involved to give the news.
Many companies do not even have the courtesy or humanity to disclose the fact in an email thanking the participant for answering the audition call and informing of the fact that you were unsuccessful. You are left with that ‘Up in the air’ feeling, and it turns out to be another wasted morning or afternoon of preparing yourself and traveling to the location, attending the shoot or audition, and returning – in the end to not only not get the chosen spot but not be contacted again as a courtesy.
Well, it was good to meet you. I have heard from you many times that you ‘want to work with me’ but I am not expecting to hear anything further from you or the project.
I am seriously weary of the modeling industry and the many disappointments and let-downs that occur, and I am going to push ahead with my acting training and concentrate in that area.
Signed, Model
Author’s Note: I sent a response, and then she deleted her modeling profile. It takes a thick skin to make it in modeling.
** I know people will have a variety of opinions regarding this issue. I would love to hear your comments and will follow up with a subsequent post.
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21 Comments
I understand that she didn’t really need to send this to the photographer or whoever was in charge, but doesn’t she have the right to get a “thanks for coming, but we have chosen another girl” message?
Personally, I think it’s wrong not to let know the model the results of his/her audition. I don’t know, I feel it’s like sitting an exam and then not getting the marks because you’ve failed or your mark wasn’t high enough.
Maybe I’m off the mark, I’m certainly not an expert in this field. I’m just speaking (or writing in this case, haha) as a reader of the letter/email/message.
Yes, but what if the client had not yet made a decision?
Well, then I guess the model should have waited a little longer?
I thought the model was certain that another model had been chosen for that job, so she sent the message.
I thought this was an interesting post-good discussion as I ran into this problem before, too. What I do now is set up a little one-page web site to keep folks updated. When they come to interview, they get a password to the page so they can check in and get the latest updates on the schedule and crew. The first page lI set up ike this was a little work, not too much though, but the next ones after that were done in no time. Now, I simply have a little template where just the details are changed based on the particular shoot. At least, that’s my approach for what it’s worth.
“Don’t call us, we’ll call you”
yes it sucks, yes it isn’t fair, blah blah blah.
bottom line: it’s a part of the business. someone who can’t deal with that aspect of it shouldn’t be in it in the first place. it takes more than a pretty face/body to be a model. it takes a thick skin, a business savvy mind, and being in the right place in the right time.
In this case, MJ, I feel the model was extremely out of line, impatient, and arrogant. I actually agree with you that it would be nice if models got a quick response, but as CFS pointed out, the industry sucks, and it isn’t fair.
I worked as a model for over 10 years, so I know the pain and frustration of that side of the camera. It’s a tough business, but the last thing you want to do is burn any bridges. A proper response from the model would have been a polite inquiry as to the status of the job. While a lot of clients find that irritating, I don’t mind as long as the model has a good attitude. What’s most unfortunate here is that this model was the top contender for the position.
Steve, you are a very sweet man. I felt unsure about posting the model’s email on my blog, but I had faith that it would encourage a healthy debate and problem-solving session. I may look into that idea as a solution, as it is never my intention to hurt anyone’s feelings. I also never want to be on the receiving end of that kind of tirade–I get enough heat from my legal clients.
Hey Amy, Wil Wheaton, who was very popular as an actor in the late ’80s and early ’90s (Stand by me, Star Trek TNG) and struggled the following decade to make a living as said actor, has some very interesting entries in his blog about this (I know actor is not model, but in this case it is very similar) http://wilwheaton.typepad [.] com/ and wilwheaton [ . ]net; one example: http://www.wilwheaton [.] net/mt/archives/001776.php#001776 (its an good read, he is one of the most famous bloggers in the US for a reason).
I think it is possible that she is just passionate and snapped, maybe she had an bad week or something like that.
It was still stupid of her, but to be honest, I have seen worse cases of being unprofessional by a lot of people (clients, models and photographers alike), and I don’t even work in this field full time.
I know photographers/clients tend to be really unforgiving about something like that, but that is, because they do not have the time to deal with it and because they do not have to (there are a lot of other models out there who will be happy to fill the gap). Under different circumstances however, I think an e-mail like that would be received with more compassion.
Still, it is how it is and maybe she needs to grow a thicker skin. If something like that happens more often she will be out of work pretty soon (be it modelling or acting), and that will be her fault, because she did not learn from that one incident.
It’s awesome that you have taken the time to make an post about this, it shows you do care, maybe because you have been modelling yourself.
Cheers, Joris
Hi, Joris! It’s so nice to hear from you. Thanks for pointing out Wil Wheaton’s blog – I’ll have to check it out.
When I met this model, I really liked her and wanted to shoot with her. It takes me time to prepare a photo shoot, and I haven’t broadcast this on my blog yet, but I’m working full-time/over-time as a lawyer. When I said I wanted to shoot her, I meant it – but I’m not going to drop everything just to accommodate her. I’m on a self-imposed hiatus so I can fully concentrate on my life as a Texas attorney. Unpaid photo tests are lower priority at the moment. I think everyone can appreciate that.
I hardly view a casting as a waste of time. Perhaps Wil Wheaton covered it, but sometimes a casting director remembers you and casts you for another/better role. Didn’t that happen to Wentworth Miller in Prison Break? My memory is a little fuzzy, but I can vouch that the same thing happened to me in my salad days. I’m not right for Project A, but I made a good impression on the casting director, so he booked me for Project B.
As a model, I guess, I always thought there was someone taller, prettier, etc. that would book a campaign over me, so even towards the end of my career, I was shocked to pieces when I’d book a campaign. Call it humility, call it experience, whatever–I would never write that kind of email to someone. I’m not to blame for the industry as a whole, and I certainly do not deserve the reprimand of being discourteous. Sorry, but I don’t coddle people that insult me. Had she worded it like, “I’m so bummed I didn’t get the job! I really wanted to work with you,” I might have been a little more quick with scheduling her for a test and given her the explanation that the client had not yet made a decision.
Here’s another component of the story. I DID write her the day after the casting, and she responded favorably. Two weeks had passed, and I had to hold another casting to show the clients more variety because of the low turn-out at the first casting. I suppose I could have contacted every model that attended the casting to let them know they were on hold. During the casting, she lamented over the Houston agencies not putting her on the roster because of her height. She’s 5′2″. That’s a whole other blog post for another day, but maybe she was fed up with “the real world” of modeling because of all the promises from photographers she met on the Internet (i.e. Model Mayhem).
This is an interesting discussion, and I’m grateful for the maturity and professionalism everyone has shown in this post. I’ve never had a model lash out at me before, but I’m starting to notice a very needy pattern with the girls in Houston. If that’s the case, maybe I have to change my New York approach.
This is really interesting while I’m not a model, I do feel like I go through similar situations. As a freelance makeup artist I constantly have to apply for jobs via email or sometimes go to a casting. So, I understand her frustration in not hearing anything but it comes with experience and like you said building a thicker skin. You have to know your value and work and to not take it personal. For example, I had applied for a job at the beginning of the year and this morning got a reply saying, ” hi
This job has still not come through, but thanks for your interest.
Beautiful work, and I will keep you in mind. xx”
That was 3-4 weeks ago I applied for this job this is to prove Amy’s point you never know if the position is filled or not. I sometime do follow up because I know that they might have more projects in which I can be used for but never would I lash out and send a quilt trip that she’s quitting modeling.
I have worked with Amy on more photo shoots then I can count and we have seen all types of unprofessional including models not showing up for the job no call nada but this really takes it. With those photo shoots also came casting the right model for our shoot. I can’t tell you how many models we said not for this but maybe we can use her for another shoot we had in mind. Some models we like them so much even if they weren’t right for a shoot we made one specifically for them. What this model did was burn some bridges.
It is quite possible that this model has simply ‘had it’, but it could also be simply a pattern of ‘bad attitude’.
Negativity is pervasive in today’s society and even considered ‘cool’. One has to simply browse through many of the pictures on flickr to see that ‘emo’ moods are the rage these days. Although aesthetically pleasing, these pictures are not the ones I would model after. An ‘emo’ picture once in a while is fine, but to have a whole stream of it is simply downright depressing.
So in the case of this model, whether she has tried to make it in the modeling business for 6 months or 6 years, it really shouldn’t impact her latent ‘attitude’. She could’ve simply internalized her situation and thought, “Oh well, that didn’t work. Time to move on and do something else. I’m young, I’m beautiful, things will come through for me.” Or simply, get up, dust yourself off, and keep moving. There is no other way to be in life. If you park yourself and have a pity party, the world will simply march right past you. Sad yes, but true. C’est la vie.
Well you know, I really get you both. Who wants to work with someone who is being a b*tch about her job. Still maybe its just me, or the two years I have been working as an bouncer that got me a thick skin, I don’t mind stuff like that too much.
On the other hand, if there is a choice between the model with the attitude and a nicer girl, I too would choose the nice one.
I think the problem was not Amy not giving her a heads up, but the experience the girl has made in the past.
Hopefully for her that whole thing was a one time mistake, that she won’t repeat.
Amy, email me if you want to see/know how I set up one of these Photo Shoot Cast and Crew web pages. I got the idea based on how we respond to scientists when they submit us their research proposals. It helps us disarm the whining that can follow when a scientist wonders whether they got their funding. Anyway, the technique works and so the Photo Shoot page does a great job of circumventing a lot of the issues that people talked about here, -Steve
….this explains why my aunt is the way she is….
Hmm. It seems to me that she has made her decision to go onto other ventures, but thought she’d share some information with someone in the hope to make the world a better place. Business is business and once we’ve decided we concentrate on moving forward, for sure I’ve done the same thing in the past, but I’m not particularly happy about it and feel that I should’ve made an effort to contact those who didn’t make the cut. I can understand her frustration in this, and if you listen very hard you might find there is a learning curve in there somewhere- Kharma? what goes around comes around? who knows. But it’s worth making a little effort, it’s not like we get 100 of them in for the final test. Still, she probably should’ve gone for a wee walk instead of sitting in front of the computer.
much love
mh
I must be super-jaded because I find her email completely inexcusable. I don’t accept the karma rule in this particular case because the client had not yet made a decision. If, however, the client had already made a decision and I failed to contact her, I could see an argument there, albeit a very small one. She should have had enough common sense to reach out and ask if the client finalized their casting, not launch into a full-fledged reprimand.
To expand on Diana’s comment, I went on 1,000 castings as a model in NY where I was completely wrong for a certain job. In some cases, I made a good impression on the casting director and booked a separate job more suited to my look, interest and pay scale.
This industry is small, man–especially in Houston. The model here did a dumb thing by burning a bridge.
Very interesting discussion here, folks. I appreciate your candor.
Hey Amy!
I thought it might be interesting for someone who has modeled for you to post a response. That model was completely out of line, period. You as a photographer are not responsible for an industry norm. Models go to many castings and generally only hear back if they’re booked. That’s just how it is. I think she had a right to enquire about the status of the job if she wants to (although that’s a bit weird. I mean you learn quickly as a model that if they want you they let you know it!) Personally, I hate getting notes back that I wasn’t booked, and luckily that’s really rare to get one of those. It’s especially insulting and hurtful if it’s a form rejection. I go to so many castings that if someone doesn’t want me, I forget about them until I hear yay or a hurtful nay. Sometimes the rejections come with the sweetener that “you’re not right for this project, but they’d like to keep you in mind for something else”, which serves a purpose and keeps a line of communication open. Otherwise I’d rather not relive the rejection with a note. I think this model sounds like she wanted to unload a lot of negative feelings and a bad mood and a sense of her own failure on you. She didn’t want to take responsibility for how bad modeling made her feel and either learn to grow a thicker skin or cope in some other way. Lashing out at others/ guilt-tripping people is not a healthy way to cope. Besides… I act as well, and it’s the same exact thing in acting. You generally only hear back from the people who want you. This isn’t kindergarten… It’s a professional work environment!
I hope that was helpful. You shouldn’t let this emotional person make you feel bad! Like my cabbie said last night, when a crazy man grabbed my arm as I was getting into a cab and started shouting that I shouldn’t get in the cab because my cabbie was talking on a cellphone, “You can’t pay attention to these crazy people. Or you’ll go crazy yourself.” I hope that just made you miss New York City
So glad to hear you’re so happy and doing great in Houston. You look radiant and I enjoyed your blog!
Best,
Isabella
Oh, Isabella…thank you for taking the time to write from a real model’s perspective. I’m from the same camp–I’d rather not have someone waste my time with a rejection letter, especially if it’s one of those false “we’ll keep you in mind for another project” types. Sometimes the casting directors DO remember you, though, and therefore it’s not a waste of time.
Here, the client had not yet made up their minds. That’s pretty typical in this business, right? Modeling and acting are peculiar industries, but I am model-friendly. That girl had a lot of potential, but she needs to keep her ego in check.
Another model from that same casting checked in with me, and I appreciated her tone, and look! It wasn’t a waste of her time, after all:
Hi Amy!
I hope you’re doing well and surviving in this funky weather. I’m dying to hear the results of the casting and would love to hear if either of the clients ever made a decision. Let me know if there’s anything I can do or provide to help with their decision or for any other opportunities.
Thank you again for being generous with your time and for your advice during the casting. And (name of other model at casting), who I met at your event put me in touch with the people at (store) and I’ve done some work with them.
Have a great day and keep in touch!
-Model
(P.S. This girl is in the #1 spot for my next test.)
okay, so the first part of this comment is completely off-point but…
the first thing that struck me about the letter is that it’s very well written. as is the “good example” above. i’m always surprised and delighted when a model (or any young person for that matter) can string a few sentences together in an expressive and concise manner. so good on her!
that said, a lesson she needs to learn is that retaliatory letters feel great to write but do no good whatsoever to actually send. ever. they’re off-putting, will not cause the reader to change their behavior (right or wrong) and you never know what bridges you’re burning. best to write them, let them sit in your draft folder overnight then delete them in the morning. even if one feels profoundly wronged and want nothing more to do with the person, there’s neve any upside in making them feel badly – about themselves or you.
too bad. her loss. professionalism and maturity come with experience. it’s an unfortunate paradox that, for many models with real potential, wisdom and wrinkles are inversely proportional.
Matt, thank you. Very eloquent comment.
I, too, was struck by her professionalism IN PERSON and by her writing style. It shows that she’s at least school-smart, but she’s lacking model smarts (almost an oxymoron, eh?). Now that she’s given up her dreams to be a model, perhaps she can focus on going back to school and working in an environment full of courteous behavior and humanity. If that’s the case, forget law school, med school, or B school…
lol. well, i guess as a former model, you’re entitled to make “model smarts” jokes.
as for me, i’m not touching that one with a 10 foot light stand!
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