Open call
An open call, or model search, is an agency looking for new faces for itself. Agencies run them from time to time, often touring several cities, and anyone who wants to become a model may come. It is different from a casting, where a client or a foreign agency chooses among models who are already signed.
For a beginner the open call is the usual way in, and it asks for very little. You never pay to attend, professional pictures are not needed, and under-18s take part only with a parent's knowledge. What the agency judges is type, proportions, movement and manner, so a plain, honest presentation helps more than a styled one. Some agencies, Supermodels among them, also accept applications online between open calls.
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How an open call works
The notice states who is invited and the age range. On the day the agency looks at how a person really appears and moves, which is why make-up and filters work against the candidate. After an open call or an online application the agency reviews the material and gets in touch with those it sees potential in; suitable candidates are invited to meet.
At Supermodels, a mother agency in Lithuania, the next step is preparation and placement with agencies abroad. Applying, the open call and the meeting are all free, because the agency earns from a model's work.
What to do and what to avoid
Keep it simple: fitted clothes, clean hair, bare skin and exact numbers. Do not book a professional shoot for the application; simple daylight photos without make-up or filters are enough, and a professional book is built later with the agency.
Do not read silence as a verdict. An answer can take from a few days to a few weeks, and no answer usually means a different type was chosen this time. Many agencies watch how a person changes from one selection to the next. And walk away from any event that charges a fee: professional agencies do not charge for castings or open calls.
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Frequently asked
01What is an open call in modeling?
It is a selection in which an agency looks for new faces for itself. A casting is a client or a foreign agency choosing among models who are already signed.
02Do I have to wait for an open call?
No. At Supermodels you can apply on the agency's website at any time; the agency reviews applications and invites suitable candidates to meet.
03How old do you need to be to apply?
At Supermodels, women 14 to 22 and men 16 to 25. Under-18s apply and attend the meeting with a parent.
04Do I need professional photos?
No. Three simple daylight photos of your face, profile and full length, without make-up or filters, are enough.
05Is an open call free?
Yes. Professional agencies do not charge for castings or open calls; the agency earns from a model's work.