Casting calls and open calls, US
Modeling casting calls and model auditions
Real casting calls are free, short and posted by the people doing the hiring. Go to the ones that fit you. Between calls, let the castings come to you: one reviewed profile with your photos, city, height, dates and rate, searchable by brands and photographers who email you directly. No commission.
Adults only. A person reads every profile before it goes public.
Call sheet
Catalog casting, women 25 to 45, all sizes
Wednesday 10:30 to noon. Bring digitals. No fee.
The short answer
Where modeling casting calls actually come from
A modeling casting call is a free session, in person or online, where a client or an agency looks at models who fit a brief. There are three kinds: agency open calls (to get signed), client castings (to get a specific job) and listings on casting sites. Big agencies now mostly take online submissions, and most commercial jobs are cast directly by the brand or its photographer, close to the shoot date.
So the models who book are the ones a client can find quickly. A MaxGirls profile puts your photos, categories, city, height, availability and day rate on one page clients search, and they write to you directly, with no agent and no commission.
Modeling calls, three kinds
An open call, a casting, or a listing
People search "modeling casting calls" for three different things. Each one is run by someone else, gets you something different, and has its own way of going wrong.
To get signed
Agency open call
- Run by
- A modeling agency
- Leads to
- Representation, then jobs
- How often
- A set day, by appointment, or online only
- Cost to you
- Nothing. Commission later
To get one job
Client casting
- Run by
- A brand, photographer or casting director
- Leads to
- A booking, often within days
- How often
- Whenever a shoot is planned
- Cost to you
- Nothing. The client pays you
To find either of the above
Casting site listing
- Run by
- A listing website
- Leads to
- An application, sometimes a casting
- How often
- Daily, mixed quality
- Cost to you
- Often a monthly membership
Listing sites can be worth it for some models. Before paying, read our reviews of what a Backstage subscription costs and whether Casting Networks is legit (it charges $29.99 a month for its top plan).
Modeling agencies open calls
How four US agencies take new faces now
If an agency wants to see more, it takes digitals itself, for free. Know what they look like with our model digitals examples.
| Agency | Open call? | What its own site says |
|---|---|---|
| Wilhelmina New York, Miami, Los Angeles | Online first | The quickest way in is sending images through its "Become a model" form. A Sports and Fitness division is offered in the US. |
| Next Management New York, Los Angeles | Online "Get scouted" | Will never ask for any payment and never requests nude or underwear photos. |
| Elite Models New York, Los Angeles, Miami | No | Does not hold in-office open calls. Email or online form only, 18 or older or with written parental consent. |
| The Rock Agency Chicago | Yes, as an event | An open call during Chicago Fashion Week (women 5 ft 7 in and up, men 5 ft 11 in and up), otherwise by appointment. Digitals at the office are always free. |
Read on each agency's own site in October 2026. Notice what is missing: a weekly walk-in hour. Fashion boards also screen on height before anything else. If you are under those heights, older, curvy or plus size, your work is mostly commercial, and commercial clients cast directly. Our guide to legit modeling agencies for beginners shows how to check any agency before you go.
Model auditions, the kit
What to bring and wear to a casting
A casting runs on minutes. The client is checking three things: do you match the brief, do you look like your photos, and are you easy to work with. Everything you bring should answer those quickly.
Wear fitted, plain clothes in one solid color (black jeans and a tank work for most calls), little makeup, hair off the face. Fashion calls want heels for women; commercial calls often want what a real customer would wear. If the brief names a garment, bring it.
No cards yet? Build one with our model comp card maker.
- Comp cards 5 to 10 printed, or one link
- Digitals Current, on your phone
- Measurements Height, sizes, shoe
- Photo ID Proof you are an adult
- Shoes from the brief Heels, sneakers, flats
- Your dates Shoot days you can do
Leave at home: a checkbook. Nothing at a real casting costs money.
Open casting calls, the catch
When a casting call ends in a payment
"Real modeling agencies won't ask you to pay for a test shoot, for your photographs, or to secure your spot for a modeling job."
The same page warns that ads for the next star are often a way to sell expensive classes. The pattern is always the same: a free call, a quick "you were selected", then a price.
A fee to audition
Registration, an audition fee or a deposit to "hold your spot". A client casting never charges.
Is Explore Talent legit?A virtual open call with a payment link
A group video call, then a registration form with a setup fee and a monthly charge.
Is Nine9 legit?"You passed" plus a course
A free tryout that ends with a tuition quote and a payment plan.
Is John Casablancas legit?A convention package
A showcase in front of "agents" sold for thousands, travel extra.
Is IMTA legit?Casting calls for modeling near me
Four steps to being cast without a waiting room
Most local shoots never post a public call at all. A boutique needs a lookbook model for Saturday, a photographer needs a mature model for a clinic campaign, a coffee brand needs real people in Denver. They search, they email, they book. This is how you are on that list.
- Shoot clean digitals Front, side, close-up, full length, natural light, no filter. The same frames you would show at an open call.
- Pick your categories Commercial, print, fit, lifestyle, plus size and more. Choose what you really get booked for, not everything.
- Set dates and a rate Availability and a day-rate range answer the two questions every casting asks before anything else.
- Publish and share A person reviews the profile, then it is searchable. Send the link with every agency submission too.
Working without an agent? Read freelance modeling and model day rates and usage rights.
Modeling casting calls by city
New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami
New York
The most agencies and the most fashion castings, mostly by online submission first. Commercial and e-commerce studios cast all week.
Los Angeles
Commercial, lifestyle and fitness dominate. Many calls blend modeling and acting, so read whether a brief wants a performance.
Chicago
Catalog, e-commerce and corporate print. The Rock Agency holds an open call during Chicago Fashion Week.
Atlanta
Film and TV production brings background and commercial castings. Check that the call names the production.
Miami
Swim, resort and catalog seasons, plus agency offices for Wilhelmina and Elite. Agencies take submissions online.
Outside these five cities there are fewer public calls and more direct bookings, which is exactly where a searchable profile matters most. Older models can start with mature modeling, and shorter models with petite modeling.
How do modeling casting calls work?
What happens at an open call for modeling?
How to find modeling casting calls?
Do modeling agencies still have open calls?
Do you have to pay for a modeling casting call?
What should I bring to a modeling casting call?
What is the difference between a casting call and an audition?
Are online modeling casting calls legit?
Get started
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