Castings have always been the moment a brief stops being theoretical and someone has to decide whether a face actually works for a job. That process now runs on two tracks: the traditional in-person call and the self-tape or video submission. Neither format is simply better. Each has genuine tradeoffs that affect models, agencies, and clients differently, and understanding them helps you prepare for both.
How online castings work
An online casting typically means a model submits photos, a video walk, or a self-tape clip in response to a brief distributed by an agency or casting director. The client reviews submissions asynchronously and either flags candidates for a callback or makes a direct booking. Some platforms handle this through structured portals; others run through email chains or agency databases.
The format became standard during the early 2020s and never fully receded. For international bookings in particular, it is now the default first filter.
Advantages for models
- Geographic reach. You can submit for a Paris commercial from Milan or a New York editorial from Seoul. Before digital submissions, a model in a secondary market had almost no access to major market briefs without relocating.
- Reduced cost and time. No travel, no afternoon spent in a studio waiting room. That matters when castings pay nothing and eat half a working day.
- Controlled presentation. You choose lighting, background, and timing. A model who photographs better under natural light is not disadvantaged by a fluorescent casting room.
Disadvantages for models
- No room to course-correct. In person, you can read the room and adjust your energy. A flat self-tape just gets archived.
- Equipment gap. A grainy phone video from a small apartment competes against submissions filmed by another model's photographer contact. Production quality in the first ten seconds matters more than most models expect.
- Easier to be skipped. A casting director reviewing 400 video submissions clicks through faster than they walk a room. You have roughly eight seconds of real attention.
How in-person castings work
In-person castings range from open calls where anyone can queue to closed appointments arranged through agencies. You walk in, meet the creative team or client, take polaroids or digitals, sometimes walk, sometimes speak. The vibe of the room tells you something. The client sees how you move, how you carry yourself between takes, and how you handle being looked at by strangers, which is ultimately the job.
Advantages for models
- Presence is visible. Charisma, ease of movement, and the way a model interacts with a room are genuinely hard to convey on a self-tape. Some models photograph adequately but command a physical space. In-person castings reward that.
- Real relationship building. Meeting a casting director or client face to face, even briefly, creates recognition that affects future bookings. Bookers and clients have long memories for both good and bad impressions.
- Immediate feedback. Body language in the room can tell you whether you're in contention. That information is useful even when it's discouraging.
Disadvantages for models
- Cost and time. Travel, transport, the cumulative cost of attending three castings across a city. In markets like New York, London, or Paris, this adds up fast. Models who are self-financed feel it hardest.
- Unpredictable wait times. Open calls especially can mean two hours of standing around before a 90-second look-over.
- Geography excludes. If you're not in the casting city, you don't go. There is no workaround.
The client and agency perspective
For a client shooting a high-budget campaign, in-person castings are still typically preferred for the final shortlist. The decision involves real money, and video submissions can hide things: posture, movement quality, how someone fills a garment at full length. Clients who have been burned by a gap between a model's digitals and their in-person presence tend to insist on callbacks regardless of submission quality.
Agencies have adapted their internal processes significantly. Many now pre-screen applicants through online submissions before sending anyone to a physical casting, saving their models' time and protecting their relationship with the client by only sending people who are genuinely in range for the brief. If you're working with a reputable agency, whether you browse modeling agencies on this platform or come through a direct referral, they're managing that filter for you.
For e-commerce clients and most commercial work, online castings have become the near-universal standard. The volume of bookings is too high for in-person calls to be practical at that scale.
Mixed formats: the callback model
The most common real-world pattern is a hybrid. Online submissions serve as a first filter; a shortlist attends in person. This structure exists because both sides of the argument are valid. Digital review is efficient and geographically inclusive. In-person review is accurate. Running them in sequence captures both advantages.
For models, this means the stakes at each stage are different. A self-tape submission is partly a volume game — your job is to be visible and technically competent enough to make a shortlist. The in-person callback is where personality, presence, and professionalism close the deal.
Practical preparation
For online castings
- Use a plain, uncluttered background. The casting director is looking at you, not your apartment.
- Film a front-facing walk and a profile walk in every submission video unless instructed otherwise. Clients almost always want to see both angles.
- Keep self-tapes under two minutes unless the brief specifies longer.
- Match the format requirements exactly. If they ask for JPGs at specific dimensions, provide JPGs at those dimensions. Submissions that require extra handling get deprioritized.
For in-person castings
- Arrive in agency-agreed basics (fitted solids, heels if specified) unless instructed differently. Clients need to see the model, not the outfit.
- Bring your physical portfolio and a digital backup. Some studios still use prints, and arriving without materials is a bad first impression.
- Read the brief before you arrive. Casting directors notice when a model has clearly read nothing about the project, and it reflects on the agency that sent you.
- Be on time. Studios run tight schedules, and a model who disrupts the flow gets remembered for it.
Which format suits your career stage
New models building their books often get real value from online castings precisely because the barrier to submission is lower. You can submit for open castings without a full agency relationship, and the feedback — even implicit feedback from not advancing — is useful. But the bookings that build a serious career, particularly in editorial and high fashion, still tend to involve in-person selection at some point.
Established models working internationally rely on digital submissions as a practical necessity. They're already known quantities to the agencies and clients who matter; the self-tape triggers a callback rather than making a cold introduction.
If you're developing your model profile and building toward representation, the goal is to be genuinely ready for both formats. That means clean, well-produced digital assets and the confidence to walk into a room and hold it. You'll need both eventually, and the models who struggle are usually stronger in one format and haven't worked on the other.
There are also curated lists of top agencies by market worth reviewing if you're trying to understand where in-person vs remote casting norms differ by region and tier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do casting directors actually watch full self-tape submissions?
Often not in full. Casting directors managing high-volume calls typically make an initial judgment in the first 10 to 15 seconds — enough to assess whether the model is in range for the brief. If the opening is strong, they watch more. Keep your walk and intro tight and lead with your best angle.
Is in-person casting still relevant in fashion?
Yes, particularly for editorial, runway, and campaign work. Major agencies including IMG, Elite, and Next still run in-person calls for significant bookings, and most major clients want at least one physical callback before confirming talent for a shoot. Online submissions have changed the first filter, not the final decision.
Can I attend castings without an agency?
Some open calls accept direct submissions, and many clients post casting calls that don't require agency representation. For ongoing commercial and editorial work, however, agency representation significantly increases both the volume and quality of casting access. Agencies have established client relationships that individual models don't, and being sent by a booker carries real weight in the room.
What should I include in an online casting submission if no format is specified?
A clean headshot, a three-quarter shot, and a front and profile video walk are a reasonable baseline. Include your current stats (height, bust or chest, waist, hips) and agency contact if applicable. If the brief mentions a specific look or product, include a frame that nods toward that context without over-styling. Keep total file size manageable and label everything clearly with your name.