How to Write a Casting Call That Gets the Right Applicants

What a casting call is for

A casting call has one job: to get the right people to apply, and the wrong people to skip it. Everything in it should serve that. It is not a brand statement and it is not a place for hype. The best calls read like a clear brief written by someone who respects the reader's time.

A good call also protects the people who apply. Many are new, and some are young. A clear, honest call tells them what is being asked of them and what they will get, and that is the most effective way to attract professionals and put off anyone with bad intentions.

Start with the brief

Before you write a word, write down the answers to these questions. If you cannot answer one, the call is not ready.

• What is the job? A campaign, a lookbook, a show, a catalogue day, a film role.
• Who is it for? The client or the type of client, if you can say.
• Where and when? City, location, and the shoot or event dates, including any callback or fitting.
• What do you need? Look, age range, height or measurements only where the job needs them, skills, languages.
• What does it pay? Rate, usage and terms.
• How do people apply? What to send, and by when.

If the details are not yet confirmed, say so, and say when they will be. Honesty about what is not decided is better than a promise you may have to change.

Write a title that works

The title decides whether the right person clicks. Make it specific enough that someone can tell, in a second, whether it applies to them.

A weak title says Models wanted. A good one says what, where and for whom: a studio day for a knitwear lookbook, in a named city, with a date range. Include the type of work and the city. Leave out superlatives and capital letters.

Describe the role honestly

Say what the job is, and what you are looking for, in plain language. Describe the look only as far as the work needs it. If the job needs a particular height or size because the clothes are a sample size, say so, and say why. If it does not, leave it out, because needless limits shrink your pool without improving it.

Be straightforward about anything unusual. If the shoot involves swimwear, nudity, stunts, long hours, cold water or travel, say so in the call. Talent can agree or decline with full information. Surprises on set are how trust breaks.

If the work involves anyone under 18, say so, and say how consent from a parent or guardian will be handled. On FYND, talent are 18 or older, so a call posted there is for adults.

Say what it pays and what the usage is

Pay is the most common thing a casting call leaves out, and the thing applicants most want to know. State the rate, whether it is per hour, per half day or per day, and when and how people will be paid.

Be clear about usage, which means where and for how long the images will be used. A shoot for a website lookbook is different from a national campaign, and the price should reflect it. If a job is unpaid, say so plainly, and say what the person gets in return, such as images for their book. Some people are happy to take test work, but they should choose it knowingly.

Do not invent numbers, and do not hide the rate behind a phrase like competitive. If you cannot give the exact fee, give a range.

Tell applicants what to send

Make it easy to apply by saying exactly what you need. Ask for as little as possible: a link to a comp card or a few photos, their measurements if the job needs them, their location and availability, and a contact route.

Be careful not to ask for more than you need. Do not request private photos, identification or home addresses in an application. If you need to confirm identity or age, do it later, with the people you shortlist, and through a safe channel.

On FYND, talent apply with their comp card in one step, so you see their photos, measurements and a note in one place, and you can reply in the platform without seeing their email address.

Set a deadline and explain what happens next

A deadline helps you and the applicant. It gives you a point at which to review, and it tells them when to expect an answer. Say when applications close, when you will reply, and what the next step is, such as a video call, a casting day or a booking.

Keep the promise. If you say you will reply by a date, reply by then, even if the answer is a polite no.

Protect the people who apply

A casting call is a promise about how you will treat people. A few commitments are worth stating and keeping.

• No fees. Do not charge to apply, to be considered or to be booked. Legitimate casting is paid for by the client, not by the talent. See modeling scams and red flags for what to avoid.
• No pressure. Do not rush people or ask for decisions on the spot.
• Clear contracts. Give people the terms in writing, with enough time to read them.
• Safe meetings. Hold casting days in professional places, and welcome people who bring a friend.
• Respect for privacy. Store what people send you carefully, and delete it when you no longer need it.

These commitments also make your call stand out. Professionals notice them.

Screen applications fairly

Decide how you will choose before applications arrive. A short list of criteria, applied to everyone, keeps the process fair and quick: does the person match the brief, are they available, and does their work or look suit the job?

Review applications in one place so that nothing is lost. Shortlist the strongest, and reply to each applicant. A brief, polite message to those you decline costs little and builds a reputation that makes the next call easier to fill.

A template to start from

Adapt this to your job. Keep it short.

> Title: Studio day for a knitwear lookbook, Manchester, mid-month > > We are casting two models for a one-day studio shoot for a small knitwear label. The shoot is in Manchester and takes about seven hours, including a lunch break. We are looking for people who can work comfortably in front of a camera and who fit the label's sample sizes, which are small and medium. No experience is needed. > > Pay is a day rate, paid within thirty days of the shoot. The images will be used on the label's website and social channels for twelve months. > > To apply, send a link to your comp card or two clear photos, your height and measurements, your city and your availability. Applications close at the end of the week, and we will reply to everyone. > > There is no fee to apply, and we will never ask you for payment.

Replace the details with your own, and remove anything you cannot stand behind.

Posting your casting call on FYND

On FYND, agencies can post casting calls and talent can apply with their comp card in one step. You review the applications in one place, and you can shortlist, message or decline each applicant. The free agency plan includes one open casting call at a time, and Agency Pro has no limit on casting calls, roster entries or scouting reports. You can read more on the agencies page and see the plans on the pricing page.

Talent on FYND can also keep an up-to-date card that you can view before you reply, so you see how someone presents themselves. If you want to see an example, open a finished Studio comp card.