Kilmer Photography wrote:
I'm professional, have a studio, and love to shoot...I'm puzzled.

You're not offering enough incentive.  How big a paycheck are you offering?

Kilmer Photography wrote:
What does it take to get models to show up?

An agency?  

Dave Krueger wrote:
I still say the best way to guaranty they show up is to kidnap a member of their family until after the shoot.  Just make sure it's someone they want back.  Don't take a boyfriend or husband.

This is so very true.  A photographer kidnapped me once to get my girlfriend to show up for a shoot.  I ended up staying so long, we started to see each other as roommates.  Sad, so very sad...

Dave Krueger wrote:
I still say the best way to guaranty they show up is to kidnap a member of their family until after the shoot.  Just make sure it's someone they want back.  Don't take a boyfriend or husband.

usually the pet dog, or cat works best. [lol]

Select Models wrote:
3.  I demand a cell phone number that they can be reached at (and EVERYONE has a cell phone these days).

So you won't shoot a model who doesn't own a cell phone...?

Jay Bowman wrote:
This is so very true.  A photographer kidnapped me once to get my girlfriend to show up for a shoot.  I ended up staying so long, we started to see each other as roommates.  Sad, so very sad...

Well at least you've learned photography while in captivity. Must have all worked out for you.

sibyl wrote:
offer money and they will come..

Nah, I had three out of six models No Show for a paid shoot last weekend.  Money has nothing to do with it.  Professionalism does.

Select Models wrote:
1.  I e-mail them an invitation to attend.
2.  I promise them a specific amount of cash plus images.
3.  I demand a cell phone number that they can be reached at (and EVERYONE has a cell phone these days).
4.  I contact them via phone one week before, and one day before, to confirm their attendance.
5.  I call them on the morning (10 or 11am) of the photoshoot to double confirm their directions and to make sure they have no transportation problems.

I'm getting over 90% attendance rate from all models who are booked.  I think the key is 'multible contacts' combined with meeting the model prior to the shoot...

Ouch.

Imagine what office or factory job management would be like if they had to do that much work to get 90% of their staff to come to work every day.

I've been pretty lucky; the two no-shows I had were both for the same--paid--shoot, and both had confirmed within 12 hours of the start time. Neither answered their phoneS--I had 2 numbers for each one.

The 3rd model had shown up, and worked much harder to compensate. By the end of the day, we'd managed to get all the images, and she ended up being the only model in the whole 'new products' part of the catalog. (And a very relieved client booked her for a lot of other jobs!)

_Kimberly wrote:

So you won't shoot a model who doesn't own a cell phone...?

Nope... I mean come on... I know kids in junior high school that have cell phones.  It's a 'business necessity' in Southern California... especially in this industry.

Jay Dezelic wrote:
Oh Look! Another model bashing thread!

Actually Jay, I didn't see this as a model bashing thread at all.  If I had, I would have said something and not posted.  I saw this as a guy, posting in a non-offensive way expressing frustration.  Frustration and bashing are different things.

There is a factual reality.  Reliability is an issue.  Ask Iona Lynn.  She is a model and she also helps me out.  She did the booking for last weekend and had her eyes open.

So, while I understand your reaction, this time I don't see a bash on the part of the OP.  The other fact is that it is an issue that we all have to deal with.  I wish their was an answer.

For me it is a great frustration.  I don't do TFP.  Even though I pay all my models, I still have trouble getting them to show up.

That having been said, the problem isn't exclusive to models.  I also rent two studios.  Photographers often no show for rentals as well.  The worst thing is when a photographer no shows at the studio and the model is waiting.  That happens.

Oh well.

Dave Krueger wrote:
I still say the best way to guaranty they show up is to kidnap a member of their family until after the shoot.  Just make sure it's someone they want back.  Don't take a boyfriend or husband.

Great, 10 minutes spent cleaning up sprayed coffee from keyboard, and screen...How come I never thought of that?

Dave Krueger wrote:

You're not offering enough incentive.  How big a paycheck are you offering?

In the late '80's and early '90s, we still had no-shows for 4-6 hour shoots (mostly outdoors on location, we provided travel and food) for $200 flat fee. That wasn't bad money back then -- or even today, for that matter.

Still had lot's of no-shows. 

$125 4-hour in-studio shoots, loads of no shows.  Again, we provided a "pleasant" atmosphere, and one studio had full facilities from kitchen to bedroom -- and we had some models crash for the evenings.  No charge. 

What does it take?  I think it has more to do with the phases of the moon, the configuration of the stars, and meteorologic and atmospheric events than anything else.

Scott
aka Bodyartist

Select Models wrote:
1.  I e-mail them an invitation to attend.
2.  I promise them a specific amount of cash plus images.
3.  I demand a cell phone number that they can be reached at (and EVERYONE has a cell phone these days).
4.  I contact them via phone one week before, and one day before, to confirm their attendance.
5.  I call them on the morning (10 or 11am) of the photoshoot to double confirm their directions and to make sure they have no transportation problems.

I'm getting over 90% attendance rate from all models who are booked.  I think the key is 'multible contacts' combined with meeting the model prior to the shoot...

I'm on TFCD basis right now. but I would like to emphasize #3-5. Keeping in touch is your best bet if you are having bad luck with models not showing. I do this with my photographers because in doing modeling for only 5 months now, I have had 2 photographers completely forget about me, and so I learned (and also learned from my 8-5 job as a sales person) that the best bet is FOLLOW UP, Follow up, follow up.

Kilmer Photography wrote:
What does it take to get models to show up?

The possibility of fame and fortune?

_Kimberly wrote:

So you won't shoot a model who doesn't own a cell phone...?

I never thought of that... but today, that would be a requirement   

Do you know how many times models get lost going to the most well known locations?  Then they get flustered, and just go home.  If they would only _CALL_ we'd tell them to just lift their hand and knock, we'll open the door.  Ok, it wasn't that bad, but we did have one model freak out about not being able to find us, and she did have a cell phone, and I was standing on the porch looking at her in the parking lot..... oh well.   She had a toy pooch of some sort in her over-sized bag (and this was in 1993 or abouts) and he seemed to be the brains of the operation -- at least he saw me.

I didn't really want her for her brains.

The cincher???  She had alphabet blocks in her bag, and pulled them out to play with between sets.    The song lyrics "The lights are on, but no one's home" kept playing in my mind.   

True... and that's not the "oddest" of my experiences with models, cell phones (or lack there of) and showing up in the right place, at the right time, on the right day.

Scott
aka Bodyartist