MODELLING COMP CARD / Z CARD / SED CARD

If you want to be a professional model then you need to learn the tools of the trade, and Z Cards are one of the most important elements. Only a modelling portfolio is of more importance when it comes to a model’s self-promotion.

So what are Z Cards? Well, essentially they are a model’s business card.

The difference between a normal business card and Z Card is that Z Cards contain a selection of images from the model’s portfolio. They will normally be printed on good quality card stock and will be larger than a traditional business card in order to have enough space for the images.

The photos will be a selection that shows the diversity and experience of the model as much as possible without it being too cluttered. There should be at least one full length and one head shot, as well as one natural image and another high impact one with heavy stylisation.

The other main element of the Z Card is the model’s statistics. For women this will be height, weight, age, bust, waist and hips and contact details – or contact details of the agency if they’re signed to a particular modelling agency. For men Z cards are used all the way through the process of hiring a model. An agent may send a selection of Z Cards of the models that s/he is representing to a client, based on the requirements of the job. The client can then peruse the cards and call in the ones they like the look of for a casting. After the casting the Z Cards come in handy again, for the client to keep track of who they’ve seen and sort them into favourites and possible.

Z Cards are of a much more manageable and practical size than a full portfolio, and in any case, a model will not be able to have multiple copies of their portfolio to leave with clients.