The X-Factor Reference Fashion Manual

ART DIRECTOR -
artist who creates layout for ads, illustrates model's poses.

BACKDROP -
background used in a photographer's studio.

BLOCKING -
the actual physical movements by actors in any scene.

BLOW-UP -
enlargement photo from a negative or slide.

BOOK -
see PORTFOLIO; BOOK (verb) - to secure a job.

BOOKER -
person at agency who sets appointments for models.

BOOKING -
specific job assignment.

BOOK OUT -
when you tell your agency that you are unavailable to work for certain day(s), for example, a vacation or another job.

BREAKDOWN SERVICE -
a professional listing available only to agencies that lists movies, film, TV, and stage projects with what types of actors are being cast.

BUYER -
retail store employee who purchases clothing from the manufacturer; models show the line of clothing to store buyers.

BUYOUT -
advance payment for future use of a print ad or a commercial for a specific period of time

CALL -
appointment.

CALL-BACK -
second interview after go-see/audition which means they are narrowing down the selection and they are considering you.

CALL TIME -
actual time you are due on set.

CASTING -
choosing models/actors for a specific job.

CASTING DIRECTOR -
selects suitable models to represent the comp or storyboard.

CANCELLATION -
24 hour notice before booking is to begin or money is due agency and talent.

CATALOG MODELING -
posing for mail order items for major retailers.

CATTLE CALL -
several agencies send many models of the same general type to a casting session.

CLIENT -
company who hires the ad agency, pays the model's fee.

COLD READING -
a script that you are reading for the first time in front of the client, without time to memorize the lines.

COLLECTION -
group of coordinated clothes being shown by a designer.

COMMENTARY -
script used to describe clothes for a fashion show.

COMMERCIAL -
promotional advertisement on TV, radio or other media.

COMMISSION - a percentage of model's fee required as payment to agency.

COMPOSITE CARD, COMP CARD, CARD -
card with 3-5 photos of model and their height, eye and hair color and size information to promote and distribute to prospective clients.

CONTACT SHEET -
proofs of black and white film used to determine best shots.

COPY -
written words to be spoken on a commercial.

CREATIVE DIRECTOR -
ad agency employee who determines the model type.

DEMONSTRATOR -
model who shows use of product at a trade show or store.

DESIGNER -
creator of the fashion collections.

DRESSER -
helps models dress backstage for fashion shows.

EXTRA -
acting job where the actor has no speaking lines, but stands in the background and adds to the atmosphere of a scene.

FASHION COORDINATOR -
puts fashion show outfits together in retail stores.

FASHION TRENDS -
gradual changes in fashion styles.

FIT MODELING -
modeling the original sample garment to test for sizing ? Clients chose a model whose measurements match the sample size exactly.

FITTING -
trying on clothes to determine fit and style, usually before a fashion show.

FLIPPER -
false teeth used for young children to temporarily fill in for lost teeth.

FORMAL FASHION SHOW, RUNWAY SHOW -
invited audience, stage, music; models walk down runway to show designer clothing.

FREELANCE -
modeling for clients without agency representation.

FULL-LENGTH SHOT -
head to toe photograph.

GO&SEE -
job interview, model meets a client and shows portfolio.

HAIR STYLIST -
works on hair changes.

HEADSHOT -
photo of head and shoulders.

HEADSHEET -
agency sheet, poster, or book of models they represent that goes to prospective clients.

HIGH FASHION -
extreme, chic, sophisticated model type.

HOLD -
when the agency puts you "on hold" for a job, it means the client is seriously considering you and wants you to keep the time available for them first.

ILLUSTRATION MODEL -
poses for artists.

INDUSTRIAL -
non-broadcast production, often educational or sales films & tapes.

INFORMAL FASHION SHOW -
in stores or restaurants, walk around, no runway.

JUNIOR MODEL -
youthful type.

LINES -
script, words.

LINE-UP -
position of model and garment in a fashion show.

LOCATION -
assignment site outside the studio.

LOUPE -
small magnifying glass to see slides and contact sheet images eight times larger.

MAKEUP ARTIST -
applies and changes makeup for photo sessions.

MARKET, JOB MARKET -
any location where there is a lot of work.

MARKET WEEK -
4-6 times per year when seasonal collections are shown to buyers.

MODEL BAG -
a large tote in which you carry all your makeup and working essentials. MODEL RELEASE -
contract in which the model gives permission to use the photo as the client specifies.

MODEL AGENCY -
represents model for employment and receives a percentage of the bookings.

MONOLOGUE -
a scene performed by one person for a client, that reflects a particular mood and demonstrates your acting talent.

MOOD -
the feeling a model projects to suit the specific assignment.

OPEN CALL -
casting when the client sees all models suitable for the type requested.

PORTFOLIO -
main promotional tool for models - select photos in a vinyl or leather casebook which show the model at his/her photogenic best and samples of their work (tearsheets).

PRINCIPAL -
main performer in the foreground.

PRINT -
a photograph printed in newspaper or magazine form.

PRINTWORK -
photography taken for catalog and mail order, books, brochures, ads for magazines or newspapers, magazine covers, commercial photography for household products, business products and services, glamour products.

PRODUCER -
person responsible for the day-to-day decision-making on a production

PROMOTION -
publicity to advance a product, service or person.

PROOF -
intermediate stage of photo development from which you can chose best pictures.

PUBLIC RELATIONS -
creating an image of a product or service in the eyes of the public, mainly through newspaper articles.

RATES -
fees charged by the model.

RESIDUALS -
additional money paid when a piece runs in repeat, rates dictated by the unions.

ROUNDS -
calling on prospective clients for photography and television.

RUNWAY -
a narrow raised platform on which the model shows the clothing.

SAMPLE -
piece of clothing from a line, one-of-a-kind.

SCALE WAGE -
minimum wage set by the unions.

SCOUT -
person looking for prospective models.

SET -
arrangement of props and furniture in a TV or photo studio.

SHOOT -
photo session.

SHOWROOM WORK -
manufacturer's showcase of a clothing line to buyers using live models ? when the seasonal clothing designs are being shown.

SIGN-IN SHEET -
on cattle calls, lists the order in which each model arrived to audition.

SLATE -
to state your name on camera before your commercial audition.

SPEC SHOT -
photographer's idea of a comp which he/she hopes to sell to the client.

SPOKESPERSON -
person/model chosen to explain the features of a product/service.

STAGE PARENT -
an adult who pushes and watches too closely over a child performer, gets in the way of the shoot.

STATS -
statistical information of a model, including measurements, size, height, etc.

STORYBOARD -
artwork that shows each scene of a commercial.

STROBE -
light unit used by a photographer.

STYLIST -
coordinates the fashions and accessories, checks fit of clothing, visual scene.

TEARSHEET -
copy of a print ad that the model keeps in the portfolio as proof of work.

TELEPROMPTER -
TV-like screen that displays the cue card words.

TESTIMONIAL -
celebrity declaration to the value of a product/service; improvisational endorsement of a product or service that the actor has officially tested, used and approved.

TEST SHOTS, TEST PHOTOGRAPHY -
photos used to build a beginning portfolio

3/4 SHOTS -
photo from head to mid thigh.

TRADES, TRADE PAPERS -
trade publications such as Variety, Backstage, NY Casting, Actor's Resource Network, Ross Reports, Drama-Logue, Billboard, Hollywood Reporter.

TRADE SHOWS -
industry promotional display of products/services usually in a hotel or convention center TRANSPARENCIES ? the slide forms of a photograph.

TRUNK SHOW -
informal modeling of one specific designer line, usually in a store or small boutique.

USAGE -
additional fees for higher exposure, like a billboard or national use.

VOICEOVER -
background voices for radio or video recorded separately in a recording studio and dubbed onto visual.

VOUCHER -
three-piece form with a model release on which client acknowledges hours worked by the model, agency copy used to bill and get paid.

WEATHER PERMIT -
a location job that is dependent on fair weather, may be canceled the day before or that morning.

A lot of job postings for actors will include terms that you might not understand.  Here is a first basic stab at trying to define some of the more common ones. 

DV (Digital Video)
Digital video denotes that the production is not being shot on film or larger production grade video (3/4" or 1" VTR). Digital video advances have become quite good and many independent projects use this media to create their productions within a small budget. Digital video is captured within a special "DV" camera and then sent to edit within the computer. Depending upon the grade of the equipment, these days, the end results may range from decent DVD quality TV presentations, to even much larger presentation quality. DV seems to be the wave of the future for the student and no-budget filmmaker.

8mm, 16mm, 35mm, 65-70mm
These are actual film formats and denote the actual size of the negative film, in millimeters. Very little is done in 8mm (or Super8), although there is a company in L.A. that still promotes the use of the 8mm format with complete production facilities and equipment available for rent. 16mm is often used for documentary work, as the cameras are more portable. Major feature film projects are shot in 35mm or larger. Shooting in film can cost a lot of money; years back when I was doing production budgeting for independent features, $100,000 could easily be budgeted just for the cost of raw film alone to do a 120 minute feature length production. Those costs likely have risen since then as well. Additionally, the contact print of the film then needs to be duplicated, which adds to the cost as well. Most projects you will find that are non-union in nature these days are likely not being shot in anything above 16mm. 16mm is also the preferred medium of most film schools and classes.

Extra
Extra actors are those people in the background during scenes or crowd scenes. In L.A., companies make a business out of supplying extras for television and movies. Many people "register" with extra casting agencies (sometimes for a small fee, which is common practice) and are on waiting lists to be called for projects. Some people actually work nearly every day through their extra casting companies (you can sign up with as many as you wish). On major productions, extras are paid. There are even union extras! Payment ranges from $35 a day, up to just over $100 a day, depending upon the production. Many of the extra casting jobs you will find listed on the Internet are for local low budget are going to be non-paid.

Industrial
An industrial is generally a video made by a company for training or marketing purposes. These are generally never union productions, but almost always do pay.

Deferred [Payment]
Filmmakers working on a limited budget with hopes of selling their project once it is completed, or who have distribution channels but cannot earn any compensation themselves until the product is in the hands of the distributor, will often offer acting work as "deferred payment." This means that you will be paid later, after the project is sold or distribution monies are received.

Union / Non-Union
Major films are union. All the actors you see in movies at the theater, and most of those on TV, are members of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), and/or AFTRA (for some television and radio). Joining the union is not easy, as you usually have to appear in a union role before you can join the union, but you cannot appear in a union film unless you are already in the union. Catch-22? Not always. The union allows producers to perform a "Taft Hartley" to bring a non-union person into a union production. Once in the union production, the actor has a certain amount of time to join the union and pay their union dues. Advantages beyond simply more professional work opportunities provided by being in the union, are benefits such as medical and pension plans (SAG). Union work also mandates such things as minimum wages for actors, etc. To be "Taft Hartley," the producer must prove to the union that they first attempted to fill the role with someone in the union, and were unable. Another way this occurs is if a non-union person (let's say someone who is there as an extra) is suddenly given a speaking line during a last minute change by the director, or if they occupy a primary focus of attention for a certain period of time on the screen (I'm not sure what the actual parameters are any more, but you get the general idea).

Principle / Lead
The Principle player is someone who appears in the production with a starring or co-starring role.

Bit
A bit is a small part, usually a walk-on role. An example would be a scene where the stars are in a restaurant and the waitress comes up to take their order.

Stand-In
These are actors that are hired to "stand in" for the stars during scene preparation or rehearsals. They are generally cast because they have the same general look (height, weight, etc.) as the star, and are often used while the star is in makeup, or off enjoying their cozy dressing room, while the director is blocking out a scene, or the lighting director or grips are setting up the technical end of a shot or scene. Stand-ins do not appear in the actual footage itself.

Promotional Model
I threw this one in here even though it doesn't relate to the other topics. Promotional models are those who help promote a product or a service. A good example are car shows where a model stands beside the new car design as it rotates on a display... or someone who hands out samples or helps otherwise display or interact with product or service offerings for a client.

Copy Provided
This means that if you participate, you receive a copy of the final product. Usually this is a videotape dupe of the final production.

Credit
Your name will be listed in the credits of the production.

Meals Provided
On a large-scale production (feature film, or location television), " Craft Services " is generally set up. This is an area (trailer, tent or tables) where food, including various drinks and snacks, are available for cast and crew. Many smaller productions, even those that do not pay, will provide at least drinks and small snacks for the cast and crew. Often this will lead to the need for using the "Honey Wagon" (bathroom)! Shows shot on a studio lot generally do not have Craft Services, as there is usually a cafeteria or commissary on the lot for that purpose.