Showcase vs Employment Agency

What are the facts about ‘showcase’ model agencies?

A showcase modelling agency is very different to modelling employment agency. By law it is illegal for them to try to find modelling work. Only a model employment agency can legally put a model or talent forward for modelling work.

Be aware that many showcase agencies and businesses will make false promises to ‘represent’ you as a model. They are, of course, well aware that they cannot legally find you work, but their sales puff will make you think that by featuring on their website thousands of clients will view your portfolio and book you for work.

In reality, professional businesses wanting to employ models and talent for bookings will choose to use a modelling employment agency - they avoid showcases. Businesses do not want to call models and agree availability, they would rather have a professional agency do it all for them.

Showcase sites list jobs they have found where people are looking to book models and talent. There are three important issues to be aware of here:

1. Be very wary. Many of the jobs listed are from individual photographers, often wanting ‘glamour’ photographs (topless or nude).Thousands of people get caught in situations like this and end up feeling pushed into posing for pictures in a way they had never intended.

2. The ‘clients’ adding jobs stating that they are looking for models and talent have not been vetted or checked for authenticity and legitimacy. It is down to the model/talent searching through these posts to decide if it is a bonafide trustworthy client with honourable intentions.

3. If you are looking for paid modelling work, many of the jobs listed on showcase sites will be of no interest to you. The majority listed are looking for models and talent to work for free. Photographers call it ‘time for print’ or 'trade for print' (TFP). This means that the person gives up their time to pose for pictures in exchange for copies of the results.


What makes Talent Management and Models Direct different from showcase agencies?

Talent Management and Models Direct are modelling employment agencies, regulated by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). The BIS protects consumers by regularly checking that all talent and modelling agencies meet the legal requirements.

We’ve been operating since 1990 and employ a full-time team, connecting talented people to business everyday and we’ve helped thousands of talented people find paid modelling work in TV and film, catalogues, fashion, promotions and advertising.