Some things don’t go quite according to plan. That’s life. The trick is knowing how to overcome those little obstacles.
Our experienced and approachable team deals with every kind of model booking, liaising with clients and models to make sure every aspect of the booking runs like clockwork. However, there are moments in our busy schedule when we must compete against the clock and secure a model at the drop of the hat. It’s something that doesn’t happen often, but it’s part of the nature of the booking process. Fortunately, we have the knowledge and skills to overcome these challenges.
A last-minute booking is when we look for a model at short notice. We may be given just a few hours (the pressure!) or one or two days to find our clients the perfect model. Obviously, we supply most of our models to clients within a more casual timeframe, but occasionally we’re presented with an urgent request.
How do last-minute bookings occur?
We don’t have accurate data, but we guess that there are probably three main reasons for a last-minute booking:
- Changes to a client’s work schedule
- An unexpected deadline
- A model’s / client’s illness or change in circumstances
All our clients are professionals, and they appreciate that organisation on our part and at their end helps the assignment from start to finish. It’s why we give tips to all models about preparation and what they need to become a successful model. We place thousands of wonderful talent in exciting jobs in all parts of the UK and abroad, so it’s unsurprising that a handful of bookings suffer from a slight glitch here and there.
Most assignments are planned well in advance. There are many components that contribute to a memorable shoot or film, some or all as follows:
- Weeks of organised themed content
- Photographers / filmmakers
- Coordinators
- Designers and make-up artists
- Lighting
- …and top-notch models, as supplied by us
If any one of these is disrupted near the assignment date, we may well put out an urgent request for a last-minute booking.
Models who’ve registered with us with us need to know that we never judge anyone who refuses a job – particularly last-minute bookings. We understand that most of our models lead busy lives and therefore accepting a job on short notice with simply not feasible.
All we ask is that, should a model who has accepted a job cannot do so due to a change of circumstance, they inform immediately so we can look quickly for a substitute model. This will help the whole process, and we’ll continue looking for modelling work for them.
Our clients know that one of our many talents is finding models at the last minute. It’s why they’ve rated us as the best modelling employment agency in the UK, and we don’t want to let them down.
It’s a three-way system: clients, models and Models Direct. 99% of the time it’s a perfectly oiled machine, but there’s always the potential to fulfil a last-minute booking. At the very least, it keeps us on our toes!
