The Fashion Stylist's Job — Receiving a Job Offer
Brief Timeline of a Job
Receiving a Job Offer
As a fashion stylist you are likely to receive a job offer from a picture editor, production company, director, photographer or agent. Whoever books you becomes your client for the duration of the job.
The client will call you to check your availability (pencil you in) for the dates of the shoot and they will ask for an estimate of your fees or day rate. It is important to understand the difference between fees, budgets and expenses.
A fee is your payment for the job you do.
A budget is what is given to you by the client for the clothes before you start to prepare for the job.
Expenses are your personal costs from the job, which should be paid by the client afterwards.
In another post we will look in detail at estimating and negotiating your fees (with a list of pay scales for freelance stylists), working out a budget and confirming the job. Plus how to create a Project Rate, rather than a day-rate...
However, here we will run through the various information you will need in order to give an appropriate response to a job offer. The first thing you need to do is listen to the person who is approaching you. The second thing you must do is to ask as many leading questions as you can, in order to assess the job being offered. The questions below will give you an idea of what you should be thinking about in order to work out how you are going to execute the job.
x Who is the shoot for? What type of shoot is it? Where will the shoot be placed?
Is it an editorial shoot, advertising campaign, music promo or television commercial?
x What is the brief?
What will you be asked to do?
x How many models are involved/shots required?
This will help you gauge the amount of prep and the number of looks needed. You may be available on the shoot date but if the brief involves a large number of models and shots, can you prep in the time given?
x What kind of look are they going for?
A high-end look, such as Stella McCartney, or more of a high-street look?
x What is the budget for styling fees?
Some clients might tell you exactly what the whole budget is and expect you to work within it, including the clothing budget. Others may ask you how many prep days you will need and what you expect to be paid. Some won’t even have a budget.
x Does the client have a set budget for wardrobe, or will you need to compile a costing for this?
Once you are given the brief you may then need to estimate the amount required to fulfil it. You will have to do this in your own time, unpaid.
x When will the shoot be published/album or single released?
You need to work out which season’s clothes will be needed.
x Are there any extras?
You may be responsible for background extras. On some productions one stylist is brought in for the main band or campaign while another is in charge of background extras. On a small set you will mostly be expected to do everything.
x Who is the photographer?
This could help you determine how much to charge.
x Will there be a commissioning letter?
If there is no budget, are they expecting you to borrow the clothes? In order to borrow from PRs you will need a commissioning letter from the client. It is very hard to borrow high-end designer or high-street brands from PRs for advertising – some do lend, but there may be a hire fee. If low budget, you will need the model, talent or extras to bring a few extra items of their own clothing.
x Do they need a mood board?
The client may have tear sheets or a storyboard for you already, but often you are required to put together a mood board of your own ideas. This is more common for magazines, advertising or music clients. You’ll be expected to produce this in your own time.
x Will they expect you to source the props?
Hopefully the client has a budget to hire a prop stylist; if not, it will be down to you. You always need to ask if the props need sourcing – the client might just expect you to do it.
x How many days prep have been allocated?
Once you understand the scale of the job, you can estimate the amount of prep time. Some clients state how many days prep they will pay for, others will ask you how many you think you will need. Can you do the prep in the allocated time?
x Will expenses be covered?
Includes couriers plus travel expenses for prep, possible pre-production meeting (PPM)/fittings and returns.
x Will they pay for an assistant (fees and expenses)?
While it is great to have some help, it may be that there is only a budget for an assistant on the shoot day, not for prep.