Model castings are one of the most important parts of a fashion or beauty photography editorial or print advertising campaign.  Those of you having to have cast for a job probably understand how complicated the whole affair can be.

Casting protocol and logistics are changing all of the time and the necessity to see a model in the flesh so to speak is less important than most of you might think.

Highly evolved internet technology has changed the dynamic considerably. Access to information about the model and how she appears on screen, provides all of the decision makers a much wider gamut of information about her-him than ever before. If the pertinent information about the model is up to date, that information can be even better than a real on the spot casting. However, the responsibility falls on the model agency to provide the most up to date information on the models dimensions, hair color and cut, skin condition etc. so that the client can make an accurate assessment of the model they are casting.

Some of the questions we ask model agencies are what is her REAL shoe size, weight, height, hair color, length of hair and skin condition.  In most cases the agencies will be forthright and honest when confronted directly.  Don’t trust a comp card for the information, as it is already outdated when you get it. The model could have had a hair color change the night before your shoot for another clients needs and you will not be informed until she shows up, unless the agency is really on the case, this will rarely happen.  So you have been warned.

Real castings are often needed in the following cases.  The model has come in from another city or country and is available for a limited time only. The model is a new be and hasn’t any images at all or just a few snap shots. She has had a radical re-looking and nothing in her book represents her new look. It is a beauty capping and the skin is very important as the client wants to use minimal retouching. The client has honed down the preliminary casting to a few models and now wants to see the real deal (at their expense if the model is out of town). Once the model has been hired and need to do a pre-show fitting, as I have illustrated with a pre show Jean-Paul Gaultier model fitting.

If you are new to casting, get ready to be disappointed. In most cases, models are required to come to castings with little or no make-up and what you see in the flesh is nothing like what you saw when you scrutinized her on the web.  It is often as radical as night and day.

However, with the understanding of image usage and rendering in that chosen media, most good casting directors and photographers can see what the potential of the model is with all of the available information on the net which includes video, snap shots, tear sheets, skype conferencing calls etc. and in fact, many prefer to see how models are rendered in the format they will be exhibited in.

With new 3D technology coming to the forefront, virtual castings will become the norm and “real” castings will be done as part of the finalization process and for the fittings only.  In fact, fittings will eventually be done virtually as well, using outerwear templates to determine exact sizing and fitting parameters.

My recommendation is to compile as much info on the model as possible via the net and when convinced of your edited choice, than call in the choices for your finalization process.  This is a real time saver, unless of course you are casting for a speaking roll.  Now that is an entirely different subject. Or is it?

Tomorrow, Friday August 20, Gilt Groupe, the invitation-only online (here’s an invite)shopping phenomenon, will host an exclusive Target Designer Sale beginning at 12pm EST and lasting through the weekend.

Prior to availability in Target stores and on Target.com this fall, the virtual pop-up store will offer limited quantities of select styles from three upcoming Target limited-time-only Designer for Target collections, including Tucker for Target (women’s apparel), Mulberry for Target (handbags) and John Derian for Target (home décor). 

This sale is a new take on the “Target pop-up” shop concept for which Target has become known. Once only accessible to fashionistas in a specific location, this virtual pop-up store offers the whole country early access to the highly coveted limited-time-only collections before anyone else.  

(All items are final sale since they are in limited quantities and members are being provided early access.)

The collections will be available in Target stores and on Target.com this fall – Tucker and John Derian hit stores in September, while Mulberry will be in stores in October.

Here’s a preview of what you’ll find on Gilt Groupe’s Target sale tomorrow:

Tucker for Target:

Mulberry for Target:

John Derian for Target:

Not a member of Gilt Groupe?  Here is an invite to the invitation-only site. Take advantage of this fabulous sale!!

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LINK LOVE:DIRTY LEVY wear

If you ever dreamt of creating and selling your own perfume, here’s the perfect shot. Video game company PlayFirst has released Passport to Perfume, a game centered around a woman by the name of Sophia who creates her own fragrances and manages a boutique that sells them. I knew their were video games for just about everything, but somehow I didn’t think this would make the list. But hey, I’m not complaining!

LINKAGE: Allure