What happens if I arrive on-set for a shoot, and it is cancelled or rescheduled?

Associated reading, Why would my shoot be cancelled or rescheduled before it occurs?

Shoot cancellations or reschedules on the shoot day are very rare, but can occur. Don’t freak out 😱 about the length of this list – it’s comprehensive and based on making shoots of thousands of models over more than 20 years. Most shoots go off without a hitch! 😅

A Shoot Cancellation means, the planned shoot today will not occur, and is very unlikely to occur in the future.

A Shoot Reschedule means, the planned shoot now needs to occur on a different date. We may not be able to specify a new date yet, but our intent is still to make this shoot, if the model wants to.

On the day of a the shoot, it likely will not be possible for to inform the model if today’s situation will result in a Shoot Cancellation, or a Shoot Reschedule.

Reasons for shoots not going ahead on the shoot day include:

• Model did not provide representative images of her grooming before the shoot
  • We ask for several sets of grooming images in the weeks before a scheduled shoot is due to occur
  • If those images hide a grooming issue (for example, due to the angle the photograph was taken from, if a body part or clothing covers an issue, or the issue was hidden or reduced in shadow), the Shoot Producer is likely to reschedule the shoot.
  • Sometimes, we ask on the phone or by SMS about the status of a model’s grooming in a specific area. Lying about that (or, omitting info we need, or down-playing the issue) may mean a shoot reschedule or cancellation on the shoot day.
  • The shoot may be cancelled or rescheduled
• Model changed her appearance after last grooming images sent, before shoot day
  • Examples include, shaving off her pubic hair, getting a new tattoo, or getting a “pixie cut” hairstyle after having long hair.
  • The shoot may be cancelled or rescheduled
• Model arrives on set with a grooming issue that cannot be resolved on-set
  • That is, an issue that cannot be fixed on the shoot day (eg, by having a shower and washing hair).
  • Perhaps the grooming issue was un-noticed in the grooming images, or got worse
  • Examples include fingernails in very poor repair, or fake eyelashes (see Grooming for the full list). One time, a model removed her navel piercing and there was an open wound with pus and blood. Ouch! We had to reschedule the shoot.
  • The Shoot will likely be rescheduled.
• Model does not bring suitable ID to shoot
  • We will not make a shoot if the model does not have suitable ID (even if we have made shoots with the model before with suitable ID). Doing so places the company and the Shoot Producer at unacceptable risk.
  • If the ID indicates the model is not 18 or older on the day of the shoot, the shoot would be cancelled otherwise the Shoot will likely be rescheduled.
• Model not comfortable to sign necessary forms
  • Some paperwork must be signed before the shoot, and some after. If a model refuses to sign necessary paperwork (the same paperwork that is shared in the onboarding process), the shoot cannot proceed and so will be cancelled or rescheduled.
• STI test problem
  • Models engaging in sexual contact for a shoot with another model must be tested recently for STI’s. The STI test results must be official and clearly show the model as being negative for each STI we require testing for.
  • Problems may include incomplete results, ambiguous results (ie, could be interpreted either way), test out-of-date, unofficial.
  • The Shoot will likely be rescheduled.
• Model does not bring suitable clothing or props to the shoot
  • Before the shoot, the Shoot Producer and Shoot Booker discuss with the model what’s necessary to bring to the shoot. If the model does not bring them, it’s possible a high-quality shoot cannot be made (we only want to make high quality shoots!).
  • This is at the Shoot Producer’s discretion, but they are invited to consult with HQ for advice.
  • The Shoot will likely be rescheduled.
• If the model is late for the shoot, or decides to leave early
  • Shoot Bookers and Shoot Producers share the planned start time, expected duration, and expected finish time with models before the shoot day
  • Shoot Producers are paid based on the quality of the shoots they make. Less time to make a shoot means a lower quality shoot, so a Shoot Producer may choose to reschedule a shoot if a model must leave early.
  • The Shoot will likely be rescheduled, but may be cancelled.
• Model’s behaviour is poor on-set
  • Obvious things like violence, abuse (verbal or physical), hate-speech, theft, illicit drug use will result in immediate shoot cancellation (unlikely to be rescheduled)
  • Failure to follow reasonable directions (in line with our Models Charter) results in a warning. If poor behaviour continues, may mean shoot cancellation (unlikely to reschedule!)
  • Being consistently unenthusiastic or being over-tired may mean shoot cancellation or reschedule.
  • If the model is sad due to a death in the family or similar, the Shoot Producer may decide to reschedule the shoot.
• Model appears to be under the influence of intoxicants
  • Our policy on intoxicants on-set
  • Shoot Producer may decide to cancel or reschedule the shoot.
• Model gets her period, other model does not feel comfortable proceeding
  • During a Solo shoot, the model is consulted on how she would prefer to proceed. Our customers are curious about menstruation, and we’re fine for the shoot to proceed if the model is. An “Insertions” posing level shoot may be downgraded to “Explicit” for practical reasons. More info.
  • During a girl-girl shoot, if a model gets her period during the shoot, we pause and discuss how to proceed.
  • Using a tampon, sponge, or nothing are options, but both models must enthusiastically agree. Or, shoot will be rescheduled.
  • Shoot Cancellation Fee may be due to affected models.
• Girl-girl shoot: Models do not relate well
  • Occasionally, we find that two people due to appear in a shoot together simply do not “click” on-set, and a quality shoot cannot be made.
  • The shoot would be rescheduled, with a different pairing.
  • Shoot Cancellation Fee may be due to affected models.
• Two-model shoot: Shoot partner not available
  • If a two-model shoot is booked, and the shoot partner is not available, the shoot will be rescheduled.
  • If the other model is present and ready for the shoot, a Shoot Cancellation Fee is likely due.
• Equipment failure
  • If a key piece of equipment fails (for example, video or stills camera, lighting, audio), a quality shoot cannot be made.
  • Our Shoot Producers are experts and have spares of some items, and can usually “save” a shoot, but this is not always possible. The shoot would be rescheduled.
  • Shoot Cancellation Fee is likely due to affected models.
• Shoot Producer ill / personal emergency
  • If the Shoot Producer decides they are not able to make a good shoot due to their own illness or a personal emergency, the shoot will be rescheduled.
  • Shoot Cancellation Fee is likely due to affected models.
• Ongoing audio-recording problems
  • Recording “clean” audio (that is, a soundtrack that only has the model’s sounds on it) is essential to making a quality shoot.
  • Sounds that cannot be controlled (for example, construction or road works, aircraft noise, music festival, kids playing, etc) may mean the shoot is rescheduled.
  • Shoot Producers select shooting locations carefully, but not everything is predictable.
  • The shoot would be rescheduled.
  • Shoot Cancellation Fee is likely due to affected models.
• Location problems
  • If the booked location falls through at the last minute, and an alternative cannot be found – and shooting outside is not an option – the shoot will be rescheduled.
  • The shoot would be rescheduled.
  • Shoot Cancellation Fee is likely due to affected models.

Shoot Cancellation Fee

In some circumstances, we may offer a payment to models who have been inconvenienced by arriving ready for a shoot, only to find the shoot is not occuring. This happens:

If

a shoot is cancelled or rescheduled on the day the model arrives on-set for the shoot, for reasons the model has no control over (for example, equipment failure, Shoot Producer illness, shoot location issue, shoot partner unavailable, period comes, “act of God” – storm, earthquake, or similar);

and;

the model arrived for the shoot in good faith , completely ready for the shoot (that is, the shoot could go ahead if not for the identified problem);

then

a Shoot Cancellation Fee of €100 may be offered, at the discretion of the Production Coordinator.

(Note, Shoot Producers cannot indicate if a Shoot Cancellation Fee is due on the day – this decision is always made by the Production Coordinator in the following days).

For example:

Emma and Angela arrive on set for a girl-girl shoot. They get ready, and are about to start shooting, when Shoot Producer realises their camera is faulty and cannot be fixed today. The Shoot Producer decides to reschedule the shoot.

Emma and Angela are likely both due a Shoot Cancellation Fee.

Another example;

Mary and Jane arrive on-set for a girl-girl shoot. During the grooming check, the Shoot Producer finds Jane is good-to-go, but Mary has a brand new tattoo on her left butt cheek! Seems she’s a Megadeath fan. Oh dear.

The Shoot Producer calls with AW HQ to discuss the issue. Mary did not tell us about the new tattoo when she was asked, and as girl-girl shoots always feature both models butts extensively, there’s no way to hide the tattoo during the shoot.

The Shoot Producer decides to cancel the shoot.

Mary (with the new tattoo) would not get a Shoot Cancellation fee (she was not honest when we asked before the shoot about new tattoos), but as Jane was ready to shoot, Jane is likely due a Shoot Cancellation Fee.

If a Shoot Cancellation Fee is found to be due, the company will also pay for expenses it has incurred for the affected model (for example, hotels, flights), and STI tests, should they be relevant, will still be reimbursed.

If a Shoot Cancellation Fee is not found to be due (usually because the shoot did not occur due the model being ill-prepared, changing-without-telling, or behaving poorly), we believe it’s respectful for the model to reimburse the company for 50% of the costs the company has incurred (ie, flights, hotels).

Process for cancelled shoots

If the shoot was Cancelled, the model will not be contacted about this shoot again, and may not be offered more shoots in the future. The model may contact the Model Liaison for more information.

Process for rescheduling shoots

When a shoot is Cancelled or Rescheduled by the Shoot Producer on the shoot day, the Shoot Producer lets us know the details of the situation, and we may seek information from affected models as well.

Once we have all the information, it’s passed to the Production Coordinator who decides if Shoot Cancellation Fees are due, and they organise such payments.

If the shoot is slated to be Rescheduled, the Model Liaison team or Shoot Producer will be in contact with the model(s) to organise a new date for the shoot. This will depend on Shoot Producer and model availability, but is also affected by other factors – it may simply be tomorrow, or may be weeks or months in the future.

Our policy is that if the reasons for a shoot cancellation or reschedule is personal in nature (for example, an STI test result shows a positive result for an infection), that information will be kept confidential from other models, and only staff, Contractors and Shoot Producers who need to know are informed.

See our Privacy Policy for more details on how and when we share models personal information.