Model Glossary

Comprehensive glossary of modeling industry terms and definitions. Learn the essential vocabulary used in fashion and commercial modeling with FAZE models Berlin.

Advance: Advance - an agreed amount of money or goods (flight ticket/apartment and so on) provided to the model ahead of his/her job that is then deducted from the model's earnings.
Agency: Agency - see Model Agency or Casting Agency.
Book: Book - see Portfolio.
Booker: Booker - a booker is someone who works in a model agency and keeps track of which clients hire which models.
Bookout: Bookout - Notification to your agent that you're not available for a casting or job, for either professional or personal reasons. You are not available at this time, the clients cannot book you during that time, you've 'booked out'.
Buyouts: Buyouts - This is the payment for the use of model pictures. Often this is negotiated on top of the dayrate and sometimes it's included. The type of use must be set (poster, advertisements, internet, TV etc.), as well as the run-time and the countries.
CallBackRecall: Call Back / Recall - after the first casting a callback or recall is held to narrow down the selection process. It is not unusual to get a callback before getting a job or being turned down.
Calltime: Calltime - The time at which a model must be at the location and ready to work.
Casting: Casting - Castings are notices of modelling jobs which are made to models, casting agencies, or on modelling websites. They show details of the types of models required for an upcoming production.
Casting Agency: Casting Agency - Casting agencies are agencies specialised in finding talented people for different fields like modeling, singing, acting, dancing and others.
Casting Detail Sheet: Casting Detail Sheet - Information sheet for the model, which contains all important information about a casting: calltime, direction, client etc.
Catwalk Runway: Catwalk/Runway - Catwalk or runway describes a narrow, usually elevated platform that runs into an auditorium, used by models to demonstrate clothing and accessories during a fashion show.
Close Up: Close Up - In film, television or photography a close-up tightly frames a person or an object.
Composite Card: Composite Card - Also referred to as a comp card, sedcard, (zedcard) or model business card. A composite card is a piece of card which is printed with at least two photos of you in various poses.
Contest: Contest - A contest in this case mostly refers to a model contest. This is an event in which models engage in competition against each other.
Copyright: Copyright - Copyright is the set of exclusive rights granted to the author or creator of an original work.
Cover Shooting: Cover Shooting - A photo shooting for a cover of a magazine.
Cuttings: Cuttings - Documented releases of a model in magazines, catalogs or other medias.
Editorial: Editorial - Photographs made to illustrate a story or idea within the context of a magazine.
Expenses: Expenses - the fees an agency or a client would cover or advance. Such as: travel fee, website fee, printing fee etc.
Fitting: Fitting - The session that takes place before the photo shoot where the clothes to be modelled are fit onto the model.
GoSee: Go&See - A model's appointment to see a potential client.
Guarantee: Guarantee - a guaranteed amount of money a model would receive regardless of amount of jobs done during an on-stay trip. Only applicable in some markets in Asia.
Hair Stylist: Hair Stylist - A hairstylist is someone who cuts and styles hair.
Head Sheet: Head Sheet - A poster displaying head shots and information about models represented by a modeling agency.
Lingerie: Lingerie - Lingerie refers to more fashionable/upscale undergarments.
Location: Location - Any place where a shoot (photography or film) takes place.
Make-Up Artist: Make-Up Artist - A makeup artist (MUA) is an artist whose medium is the human body.
Model Agency: Model Agency - A model agency is a company that represents fashion models.
Model Release: Model Release - A legal document provided by the client/photographer and signed by the model or agent.
Mother Agency: Mother Agency (MA) - an agency that acts as a model's manager developing his/her international career
New Faces: New Faces - New Faces or newcomers are models with no to little experience in the particular market.
Plus Size: Plus Size - Plus-size model is a term applied to a person who is engaged primarily in modeling plus-size clothing.
Polaroid: Polaroid - Polaroids/polas/snaps/digitals are a special type of photos that are used in modeling business.
Prints: Prints - Prints are printed negatives, the real photos.
Sedcard: Sedcard - See Composite Card.
Senior Model: Senior model - A senior model is a professional model in his 40s/50s/60s.
Set: Set - This is where the action of shoot takes place usually within a professional studio or within a location.
Shooting: Shooting - Shooting in general means the implementation of photo or film shoots.
Stock Photos: Stock Photos - Stock photography is the supply of photographs licensed for specific uses.
Stylist: Stylist - The stylist is in charge of the outfit of the model.
Tearsheet: Tearsheet - sometimes written 'Tear sheet' is a term used by Advertising agencies to denote a page cut or torn from a publication.
Test Shooting/TFP: Test Shooting/TFP/Portoflio Shoot/Profile Shoot - An agreement between the model and photographer to whereby they work for each other on a mutually beneficial basis.
Usage: Usage - Models get paid for each different medium in which their photograph is used.