A comp card is a single card, usually five by seven inches, with your best headshot on the front and three or four varied photos on the back, plus your measurements and agency contact. Casting directors flip through hundreds. Yours has about three seconds to stop the thumb.
Keep it simple and current. One strong headshot, one full body, one smiling commercial shot, one editorial look. No collages, no tiny images, no outdated photos. Your stats must be accurate: height, bust or chest, waist, hips, shoe, hair, and eyes. Lying about measurements burns you at the fitting.
Print Quality Matters
Cheap printing makes expensive photos look cheap. Use a professional printer, thick cardstock, and accurate color. Most agencies handle comp cards for signed models, but freelancers should keep fifty on hand for castings and go-sees. Reprint whenever your look changes or you land stronger images.
Digital comp cards are now standard too. Keep a high-resolution PDF ready to email and a clean version on your phone. Same rules apply: current photos, accurate stats, easy to read. Whether paper or pixel, the comp card is still how this industry passes your name around.
Your comp card photo selection should match the market you are chasing. Commercial clients want warmth and approachability. Editorial clients want edge and range. If you work both markets, consider two versions of the card rather than one compromised middle. Update the card the moment you land a stronger image. An outdated comp card does not just undersell you; it tells the casting director you are not paying attention. In a stack of five hundred, attention to detail is a differentiator.
About the Author – Ruben Burgos: Ruben Burgos brings over 25 years of music expertise and more than 15 years of model guidance to the table. He is the indie major pinnacle to retaining credits for musicians and helping them navigate this wicked industry without the fuckery.