Q: There are a lot of different people working in modeling, and I have a hard time sorting them out. I know what a talent agent is, and what a casting director is, but what is a booking agent?
A: Most big modeling agencies have their own booking departments, but it can be confusing as to what a booking agent actually does. One of the primary jobs the booking agent has is to keep track of who is hiring models and what types of models are needed for new jobs. They make cold calls to businesses and basically do everything they can to dig up modeling jobs for their agency. This often involves networking and advertising, setting up business lunches, and making the rounds to studios and ad agencies. Booking departments also handle billing, collections, and complaints. Most booking agents also have direct client management responsibilities, which include scheduling for the agency's models, providing directions to shoots or calls, and making sure the models show up and perform according to expectations. In addition to these functions, booking agents maintain comp cards, send them out, and remind models when updated cards or more copies of current cards are needed.
As you can see, the Booking Agent is a catch-all position that performs many of the essential functions of a modeling agency. The regular agent handles the acquisition of new models and personal relations, and the booking agent makes sure those models get work.
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