Down Days at Model Jobs

In the world of modeling jobs, careful planning and organization are crucial. An important aspect of larger productions are the so-called “down days” – break days that lie between different phases of a production. These days serve as buffer times and are of great importance for the smooth running and success of a project. Here you can find out why down days are so valuable and how they are typically integrated into the travel planning of a model agency.

You will typically find Down Days in the callsheet that you receive for jobs.

Why are there Down Days?

Down days are strategically planned breaks between important stages of a production, such as arrival on location, fitting, the actual production and the return journey. During these days, models receive part of their daily fee and this can prove extremely lucrative for them. Especially for international productions, which may take place in different countries or even on different continents, down days are of great importance.

An example of travel planning

To better understand the concept of Down Days, let’s take a look at a typical itinerary for a modeling agency:

• Arrival (19.07.): The models arrive on location on the evening of July 19
• Fitting (20.07.): The fitting of the clothing takes place the next day
• Down Day (21.07.): No special activity is planned on this day
• Production (22.07. – 23.07.): The actual filming takes place on these two days
• Down Day (24.07.): Another break day that can be used for any adjustments or additions
• Return journey (25.07.): On the morning of July 25, the models start their journey home

The importance of these break days becomes particularly clear when unexpected changes or delays occur during production. For example, the styling team could make adjustments on Down Day (21.07.) if it is only noticed on Fitting Day that some items of clothing or accessories do not fit perfectly. Down Day (24.07.) also offers the opportunity to carry out additional filming if not all planned scenes could be completed on the two previous production days.

The careful integration of down days into production planning is therefore crucial to ensure the quality and success of model jobs at the highest level.