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Short notice cancellations
I'm curious to know how some of you handle or react to short notice cancellations. By short notice, I mean the shoot is schedule to start at 10AM and the model calls at 9:45AM. My first reaction, which I carefully temper, is I'm pissed as hell. I mostly shoot out of my tiny home and spend about two hours moving furniture and getting set up. After doing all that only to have the model call and say she's not coming really gets my blood boiling. It hasn't happend often to me, but even once is too many. On the other hand, I know things come up and stuff happens. I try to keep my cool and be understanding, express my dissappointment and offer encouragement for the situation that caused the model to cancel. But then I hang up the phone and want to kick the dog... probably a good thing I don't have a dog...  Anyway, just wondering how others handle situations like this. David Oct 01 06 06:21 am Link It's annoying as hell. Unfortunately, it's part of the business. I had a model flake on me again yesterday. She sent me a text message cancelling the shoot 35 minutes before it was supposed to start. She cancelled the week before because she overslept . These same people would be the first to cry foul if someone made plans with them and cancelled at the last minute. Oct 01 06 06:28 am Link David Come to Boca Raton for a shoot......I have never cancelled a shoot!!!!! Oct 01 06 06:31 am Link The best one for me was yesterday..A model that I have shot a few times before wanted me to shoot a male friend of hers. We planned the shoot a month ago. So one week before the shoot I asked her face to face is the shoot still on ? She said as far as she knows it is. I asked her to call me if it is not going to happen. Well no call and they don't show up. So I went out to eat last night and who do I run into ? She says the guy I was going to shoot could not make it because his grandmother past away. So that makes everything ok no need to call me and cancel. Sometimes you just have to take a deep breath and walk away... Mike Oct 01 06 06:54 am Link David Blewett wrote: Your profile says you joined MM in July, 2005, but you must still be new, here. Oct 01 06 06:58 am Link I am new too but as Stevens says this seems to be pretty common. I had a great track record until yesterday. No show. Three hours later I found she had sent me an email right before. That did me a lot of good. Just blowing off steam. I do have a dog but managed not to kick her. I made her model for me though. Oct 01 06 07:50 am Link Suck it up move on...it happened to me so I found somethingelse to do. Oct 01 06 07:55 am Link What really frosted me was when a no show model commented to me, "I really don't understand why photographers get so upset about things like this". These no shows left me cooling my heels outside of her apartment in my car, after a 45 minute drive across town to give her a ride to the shoot. That comment told me that no show models (or photographers) have no understanding at all of consideration of others, of common, of courtesy or of self discipline. Oct 01 06 07:58 am Link It's only happened to me once so far. Fortunately, I had another shoot scheduled for the same day so it wasn't a total loss. Still, I booked and paid a full day at my location and obviously I want to make it cost effective by getting in as many photos as I can. When a model does this, it's really inconsiderate not only to the photographer, but to other models who would have loved to come in that day. An emergency or a broken down car is a valid reason, but simply flaking is unprofessional. Having said that, I once cancelled a shoot due to a family emergency. I actually did it the night before, but the model didn't check her messages and showed up anyways. At least she didn't have to travel. Oct 01 06 08:01 am Link I currently have a rule with my models that I need to talk to them the day before the shoot or the next days shoot is canceled. I got that idea from a photog in another forum. Seems to work pretty well. I also tell the models I do not allow text messaging or emails for cancellations, (that's that young dumb generations idea of formal communication) phone calls only. I used to have the same problem of models canceling before I started setting ground rules. I think part of the problem is a lack of consideration of other peoples time. This can be somewhat controlled with a good set of stern rules laid out before the shoot. Just my opinion. Oct 01 06 08:28 am Link I think part of the problem is a lack of consideration of other peoples time. A lot of time. I don't do photo shoots often enough to warrant leasing studio space and I don't photograph out of my home, so I usually book locations for a shoot. This involves packing all of my lighting and other equipment, driving over there and unpacking. If I'm using my white muslin, it needs to be set up and steamed. If I'm providing outfits, those need to be steamed as well. Setting up lighting and even working out the composition of the shots you plan to take is very time consuming and the person who spontaneously decides to not show up probably doesn't even consider that. Oct 01 06 08:35 am Link I haven't had a last minute cancellation like that 15 min before a shoot but i have had a few no shows. That was irritating as hell. The only thing that bothers me about cacellations is when you ask to reschedule and they never get back to you. Oct 01 06 09:26 am Link My sliding scale of what I want to happen. Best -- model shows up, is ready, is enthusiastic, we have a great time. Excellent -- model shows up, is energetic, we have a good sitting. Very good -- model shows up less than 15 minutes late Good -- model calls or e-mails & cancels 48 hours or more in advance Acceptable -- model calls & cancels before I tear apart my house to set up. Disappointing -- model calls & cancels after I'm set up / before the scheduled start. Very Disappointing -- model calls & cancels some time after the scheduled start. Unacceptable -- model doesn't call & doesn't show up. (I've never had a no-show). So, at least she called. It could have been worse. Also note: a truthful excuse is appreciated. A lie will probably indicate that the model would not be invited back. Oct 01 06 10:06 am Link How about the ones that don 't even call to cancel but let you call them to find out what happened and then they something like"oh,I didn't call because I knew you would call me!" And those photographers who have been lucky to have only one or two no shows,Your time is coming! Oct 01 06 07:19 pm Link That Look Photo wrote: Grandmothers have the worst timing in the world. Oct 01 06 07:22 pm Link 90 % of my cancelations have been very short notice, they have been emergencies that I was needed by my family because well they were unplanned emergencies it happens, Or my travel plans have been so screwed that I was not able to travel so I had to cancle the whole trip, but those hinged on others not canceling on me .... Oct 01 06 07:23 pm Link Studio rental, MUA, props - It would be expensive for me to receive a short notice cancellation. I wouldn't reschedule. Oct 01 06 07:26 pm Link Geez! When I schedule a shoot, I try and make sure that I make it to that shoot. I've had to cancel a couple of time on what I consider short notice. But, that was at least the day before, not 15 or 20 min before! That's just rude. Oct 01 06 07:31 pm Link digital Artform wrote: So are plane tickets across the country. If I bring you a hospital admission record and a ticket stub do I get a point?? Oct 01 06 07:33 pm Link It's annoying as hell. Unfortunately, it's part of the business. Uh, no... it's not part of the "business". In the real world models are represented by agencies, and photographers shoot in real studios, not their living rooms. When testing is set up by a studio and through the agency the model has a 99% chance of showing. This is internet playland where occasionally competent photographers and halfway serious unestablished models looking for good photos to connect with an agency can hook up and create some stunning work, but that's the exception, not the rule. The rule is a bunch of goofball wannabes who flake on each other. Sorry for the brutal honesty, but I'm getting sick to death of these, "Another model/photographer flaked on me" threads. Oct 01 06 07:35 pm Link On Friday I was supposed to film a MM model.....this was after 38 email exchanges. My instinct was that she wouldn't show. I was correct. and hour before the shoot, she left her last email with the blah blah blah- I went to the pub, had a GUINESS on tap, and didn't look back. Ended up shooting 4 girls this past weekend- her loss. who cares really. It's just one chick in many. These threads are lame.....if you can't effortlessly shrug it off and move on, well...you're an amatuer. Just me 2 cents. Oct 01 06 07:35 pm Link i have had to cancel shoots in the past, given my family medical concerns currently, but i can still give at least a months notice, whether its 3 hours or 15 minutes its extremely rude and unthoughtful to bail at the last minute, unless its an emergency. Oct 01 06 07:38 pm Link funeral? Oct 01 06 07:39 pm Link I charge a cancellation fee for any models that cancel with less than 24 hrs notice. No negotiation and no exceptions. I may not always get the fee (since they tend NOT to reschedule after i inform them that they have a fee to pay for flaking) but my flake rate has decreased dramatically since I imposed it. Oct 01 06 07:41 pm Link take deposits Oct 01 06 07:43 pm Link Electra T wrote: Well someone decide to flake and not show up to the funeral for a few more years. Oct 01 06 07:45 pm Link stan wigmore photograph wrote: Statistically, it's bound to happen but I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Oct 01 06 07:45 pm Link my reaction to the last-minute cancellations i had this weekend in chicago was to start a thread on how photographers deter this problem. got some good info. on that thread. there's not much to be done. best to take a deep breath and walk away. life's too short. Oct 01 06 07:46 pm Link Not a whole lot you can do......usually those who do that aren't around long....or they start a portfolio and say "Oh I wanna be a model", yada yada.....then they never actually follow up.....which is one reason why I don;t do TFP's for fresh faces, I don't give a flying fuck how good they look....they have to be known by someone in my network, or pay a deposit for me to shoot them......If I do a TFP, I know their work ethic and reputation and have seen them progress from the time they came on the scene.....that isn't totally foolproof all the time but it sure helps. So yea, it's majorly inconsiderate and rude, it pisses me off too......but part of our business is recognizing drama before it happens and working to avoid traps. Oct 01 06 07:50 pm Link Most models could care less if they have inconvienced or caused you a financial loss or stood you up after you've driven to pick them up. So what do you do? Well stop waiting. No call two hours before the day of the shoot no shoot. Don't rent studio space or hire a MUA unless you get a deposit and for heavens sake why are you driving to pick a perfect stranger up. If a model is too meet you somewhere maybe its a first meeting and not a shoot. Wait 15 minutes after the time and leave. Models like women at single bars have a nose for desperation and desperation stinks. A model contacted me and I called her to set up a shoot. She told me to call her back later. I told her, no you call me back when you're ready to shoot. Stop being goofs! Don't be mean or curt but stand up for yourself and establish standards, models do. Notice its us with the continued crying over no shows. Models have us by the short hairs but only because we allow them too. Oct 01 06 07:50 pm Link One of the best ways to help deter flakes is to have contact with models, talk to them about the shoot a few times. Talk on the phone. Send a confermation email or phone call. I have a few photographers who send me a confermation email a day or two prior to every shoot and I answer, A lot of the truly flakey wannabee models will not bother with real communtcation., And yes sometimes emergencies happen, I as a photographer have been working through a seive method... I set up a date in the park I'll shoot any warm body who lets me know they want to show up. if the do awsome if they don't awsome I have another body coming in an hour or so. of the ones who do show up If they show potenteil and I want to work with them again I'll ask them if they want to do a Studio shoot then I shoot one or two models in one afternoon. By the time I get to one on one I have a pretty good mental list of who I would wish to hire when client has a request... Oct 01 06 07:53 pm Link it happens and it's wrong but if she calls thats better than being two hours late or a no show. What do you think of models who agree to wear something and then you get to the location they change their mind. Oct 01 06 08:03 pm Link Iona Lynn wrote: Well so far it's hypothetical. I'd like to think I wouldn't reschedule, but I think a genuine flake wouldn't care to reschedule, anyway. Oct 01 06 08:04 pm Link For first time models, I always meet with them or at least call a couple of days before the shoot to plan and let her know exactly what to expect. A follow up call the day before the shoot is also placed where I make sure we are still on. I don't always meet with models who I've shot with before since I know they will show up. Oct 01 06 08:08 pm Link I recently had a *positive* cancelation experience. A photographer called me the evening before a scheduled shoot to tell me that he had to cancel due to family issues. He said that he would send me a check for about 1/2 of what he would have paid me if the shoot had gone through. I didn't beleive him - I've gotten used to people canceling on me without consideration for the time, energy and money that a good model puts into preparing for a shoot and I thought that this guy was just another... A week later I actually got a check and a very sweet note from the photographer apologizing for the inconvenience! I was so shocked! I just wanted to give props to Darren Youngman (MM#132657) for being a true professional! Oct 01 06 11:02 pm Link Black Ricco wrote: Point taken. And you're right, I'm not shooting agency models in a real studio with stylists and make up artists and directors and what not. I shoot mostly for fun and enjoyment and for the sake of creating, though I do on occassion shoot portrait work. With only a few exceptions, every model I've worked with have has come from this "internet playland". Oct 02 06 03:27 am Link Sarah Ellis wrote: I do hope you schedule another shoot with him... Oct 02 06 03:32 am Link David Blewett wrote: This happens SO often that I now find it hard to set up the studio or pack the car till the model actually shows up at my door. It has really put a crimp in my creativity. Oct 02 06 03:36 am Link David Blewett wrote: Some great input and suggestion in this thread. But I think most did not understand the original question. So let me ask a different way. Oct 02 06 03:40 am Link |
