Travel costs a discussion

Models' travel expenses have to be recouped somehow, so it's just a business decision about whether models spread them over all their clients by increasing all their rates by say £10 an hour - or whether hourly rates exclude travel and it's added on top.  The latter method seems to be used in this industry as it's fairer (so if I ask a model to fly from Edinburgh to London to shoot with me it seems fair that I pay the travel expenses).  That's also the standard way of doing it in most other industries, as most other professionals add disbursements (including travel expenses, hotel costs and subsistence) to invoices.  I'm bemused that it seems to be so controversial in this industry.

Hello Alyssa. I promise you I didn't misunderstand you at all - though I may not have spelled out my original point as well as I should have done.

Models should indeed retain the right to charge a reasonable amount for travel where needed. However, in this post we are talking about an amount which is perceived to be neither fair nor affordable - and that's what I was trying to get at.

The cancellation fee aspect has been done to death elsewhere, and I do indeed understand the concept of loss of earnings. For most of my working life I have freelanced. With that comes the possibility  that the client will back out at any point - and I have always shouldered that risk.

So, help me understand. Why is it different for a model? If I must indemnify a him/her - how is it fair that he/she does not in turn indemnify me? I understand you when you say you cannot afford to - but, sadly, either can I. Hence my comments about ever decreasing circles.

I agree with you - it's a difficult one....

The Butterfly Collector "Why is it different for a model? If I must indemnify a him/her - how is it fair that he/she does not in turn indemnify me?"

Personal standpoint I feel much of this stems from how the two groups view each other. Not the most groundbreaking insight but it's the only way I can explain some of what goes on.*

*I'm also not putting too much else of how I feel about the matter on here.