FAQ (English)

Answers to the questions we are asked most often, covering casting enquiries, fees, contracts, shoot days and joining Liliana as a model or talent. Choose the tab that fits your question.

  • Casting & Bookings
  • By Talent Category
  • Joining as a Model or Talent
  • Other

Services & Coverage

Liliana is a model and talent agency based in Akasaka, Tokyo. We manage models, actors, talents, narrators, dancers, influencers and creators, and provide casting for television, film, commercials, streaming, web, magazines and events.
No. We also represent Japanese models and talents. We cast to match the image you have in mind, so please tell us what you are looking for.
Models, actors and actresses, talents, narrators and voice actors, MCs and presenters, reporters, dancers and performers, singers and musicians, influencers, athletes, translators and extras. More than 2,000 people from over 100 countries are registered with us, covering baby, kids, teen, young adult, adult, middle and senior age groups.
Television, commercials, promotional and music videos, web, magazines, fashion shows, still advertising, e-commerce and catalogues, transit advertising, exhibitions and events, film, drama and streaming productions, narration recording and extra work.
We are based in Tokyo and cover shoots and events nationwide. Our members live across Japan, not only in Tokyo, so when we can propose someone based near your location, travel and accommodation costs can be reduced. Please let us know the location and dates first. If no suitable member is based locally, we will arrange someone from Tokyo and include travel and accommodation in the quotation. Overseas shoots can also be arranged.
No. The website shows only part of our roster. Tell us your requirements and we will also propose candidates who are not listed. In addition, through our casting partner Castify, we can propose talent represented by other agencies.
Liliana Models: management of models, talents and actors
Liliana Kids: baby, kids and teen division
Liliana Pictures: photography and video production
Liliana Academy: model and talent training
Castify: a casting network spanning other agencies

Enquiries, Process & Auditions

Please use our enquiry form, call us on 03-6362-3355, or email info@lilianamodels.com. Consultations and quotations are free of charge.
The following helps us respond quickly. Anything still undecided can simply be marked as such.
1. The image you have in mind (nationality, gender, age range, atmosphere)
2. Number of people required
3. Media of use (TV commercial, web, social, catalogue, in-store, etc.)
4. Period and territory of use
5. Shoot dates and location
6. Whether exclusivity applies
7. Whether you would like to hold an audition
8. Your approximate budget
Enquiry and briefing → Proposal and quotation → Candidate proposal → Selection or audition (optional) → Confirmation and contract → Preparation → Shoot day → Invoicing and management of the usage period.
Each step is set out in detail, separating what we ask of you from what we take care of, on the How it works page.
The lead time required depends on the content and scale of the project. Auditions and larger casts need more time, while selection from profiles and photographs can be arranged at short notice. We also accept urgent requests, so please contact us with your shoot date and details.
Please contact us at any time. We maintain a structure that allows us to place talent at short notice, including cases where a previously confirmed cast member has suddenly become unavailable or the brief has changed shortly before the shoot.
We can arrange auditions at your office, at a venue of your choosing, online, or by self-tape video. Please choose whichever suits you best.
Yes, you can confirm a booking from profiles and composites alone. Where no audition is held, there is no additional commitment of the talent’s time, and the fee can sometimes be lower as a result. Please tell us if your budget is constrained.
A first option means the date is being held for you as the priority. A second option means an earlier request takes precedence, and if that booking is confirmed the person may not be available. Because we coordinate with other enquiries, we ask for a decision as early as possible.
There is no upper limit. Tell us the age, gender and other requirements and we will place as many experienced extras as you need. For projects involving several dozen people, please involve us from the planning stage so that on-site direction and waiting areas can be considered.
Yes. For high school or university roles, we can propose members who look younger but are 18 or over. Because casting minors involves restrictions on shooting hours and requires a guardian to be present, please tell us at the planning stage whether the age of the character or the actual age of the performer takes priority. If you specifically want age-accurate casting, that can also be arranged.

Fees, Quotations & Payment

It varies with the content of the work, the hours involved, the media of use and the individual performer. We aim to be fair and flexible in every case, so please get in touch for a quotation.
It is determined by a combination of the media of use, the period and territory of use, the hours booked, whether exclusivity applies, whether an audition is held, and the individual performer.
We do not publish a fixed price list. Conditions differ from project to project, so we prepare an individual quotation after discussing your requirements. There is no charge for consultation or quotation.
The performance fee covers the performer’s time on the shoot day. The image usage fee covers the right to use the resulting material in your media. Even for the same shoot, the usage fee rises as the scope and period of use increase.
Normally included: performance fee and image usage fee, casting and management fee
Quoted separately: travel and accommodation for regional or overseas shoots, on-site interpreters, hair and make-up and styling, location and shoot venue arrangements, overtime beyond the booked hours, rehearsals, fittings and standby days, and additional media, periods or territories of use
Yes. Where a day is reserved outside the shoot day itself, such as a weather standby day, a travel day, a rehearsal or a fitting, a separate fee applies. A day held as a weather standby is charged at 50% of the fee whether or not it is used, because the performer’s schedule is blocked either way. If a shoot is cancelled while the performer is on standby at home, 50% applies; if it is cancelled after they have arrived on location, 100% applies. Please confirm whether a standby day will be used no later than one week before the shoot.
All figures are exclusive of tax; consumption tax is charged separately on the total, including performance fees, usage fees and handling charges. Full package projects require 50% in advance on confirmation, with the balance payable before final delivery. Where payment is made to us as a corporation, withholding tax does not apply. Charges for use outside the contract, and any penalty, are treated separately from the normal payment cycle and fall due promptly on receipt of the invoice.
Yes. Liliana is registered as a qualified invoice issuer (registration number: T6011001146214). We issue qualified invoices, so input tax credit can be claimed.
Payment is by bank transfer in Japanese yen. Transfer fees are payable by the client. For a first booking with us, we ask for 50% on confirmation, with the balance invoiced after the shoot. Clients based outside Japan are asked to settle in full in advance, regardless of how many projects we have worked on together; remittance charges and lifting fees are payable by the client.
Your account manager sends the invoice after the shoot is completed. We send invoices electronically, and paper invoices are available on request. Our qualified invoice registration number is stated on the invoice.
We do not reduce prices in a way that lowers the quality of our work or our standard of management. We can, however, propose adjustments to the scope of use, the hours booked, the number of people or the selection method to suit your budget.

Contracts, Image Rights & Scope of Use

For ongoing business we conclude a master agreement, and an individual agreement for each project. The individual agreement sets out the content and period of use, the media, the performance and image usage fees, payment terms, territory and exclusivity.
Yes. Media, period and territory must all be confirmed before the shoot. If material is found to have been used outside the agreed scope, additional fees or penalties apply.
Please contact us at least one month before the contract expires. Provided there is no conflict with the performer’s availability or exclusivity, an extension is generally possible. The image usage fee for the extension differs by performer, so we quote each case individually. Continuing to publish without permission is subject to a penalty, calculated on a basis of twice the regular usage fee. Continuing to publish without agreement is subject to a penalty.
An additional image usage fee applies. Please submit the details at least one month before the contract expires.
Exclusivity guarantees that the performer will not appear in advertising for competing companies during the contract period; where it applies, the fee increases. Please define the industries and territory (Japan only or worldwide) in writing in advance. Buyouts, meaning use with no limit on the period, media or purpose, are not something we accept. Agreeing to one would mean giving up our ability to manage the performer’s image properly, which ends up working against you as well. Please set a period of use that matches the real life of the product or campaign.
Standard retouching is fine, but substantial alteration without agreement is not permitted. Because of exclusivity and other casting considerations, we may also ask for social media posts or online archives published during the contract period to be removed.
Please do not contact or negotiate with models and talents directly without our agreement. All communication should go through the account manager. If you wish to submit or publish photographs from our website externally, please obtain our permission in advance.
We cannot accept work where the safety of the performer cannot be assured, content that is pornographic or obscene, content that breaches public order or the law, or enquiries from organisations or individuals connected to anti-social forces. We also decline projects where the content of the appearance is unclear, appearances presented as fact when they are staged, content that infringes intellectual property, and content that damages the reputation of a performer or of Liliana.
Yes. We can sign either your own NDA or ours. For projects involving unreleased products or campaigns, please let us know in advance.
Performers are also prohibited from posting images of the set or unreleased content on social media. If you would like them to post, we arrange it once your permission has been given.
Copyright in the material itself belongs, in principle, to the photographer or producer who created it. What we provide is the right to use the performer’s image within the agreed scope. These are two separate things, so if you commission the shoot and production from another company, please confirm the handling of copyright with them. If you commission everything from planning to delivery from us through our full package, we cover both copyright and image usage together.

On the Day, Changes & Cancellation

As a rule we work to eight hours per day, including breaks. If you need to extend beyond the booked hours, an overtime fee applies.
Please discuss this with us in advance. Work before 6:00 or after 21:00 carries a surcharge. Where a shoot runs from late at night into the early morning, we ask the client to arrange accommodation or taxi transport at their own cost, and to make sure performers are not travelling home alone.
Yes. Any commitment outside the shoot day itself, such as a rehearsal, fitting, weather standby day or travel day, is charged separately according to what is involved.
Yes. We can arrange hair and make-up, stylists and photographers (charged separately), and we can also help source a location or shoot venue. Our full package covers everything from planning to delivery. Costumes and props are normally prepared by the client.
A manager attends depending on the nature and scale of the project. We particularly recommend attendance where minors are appearing, where a large cast is involved, where the schedule is complex, or for a first booking with us.
We ask for three things.
1. Some performers have sensitive hair or skin, so please tell us in advance if you plan to use colour spray, strong heat styling or long outdoor shoots.
2. Please avoid the word “gaijin” in scripts and on set; it is received as a discriminatory term.
3. We cannot accept direction that involves darkening a performer’s skin tone, as this is received as a racist depiction regardless of intent.
If the booking runs over a mealtime we ask you to provide a meal. We also ask for a changing space to be made available as far as is practical.
Please take care to ensure the safety of performers. We ask clients to hold insurance against accidents. Any loss not covered by that insurance is borne by the client.
Where the issue relates to the content or the running of the shoot, we will discuss the situation and agree how to proceed. However, a reshoot requiring the performer to attend again is a new booking and is charged separately. If you are unsure on the day, please speak to the manager on site: extending the shoot to capture additional cuts is usually less costly than a reshoot on another day.
Yes. Once a performer has been confirmed, cancellation fees apply, because we decline other bookings for that date from the moment you confirm.
• Cancellation on the day before or the day of the shoot: 100% of the fee
• Cancellation before that: 50% of the fee
Cancellation is counted from the moment your notice reaches us during business hours (weekdays 10:00–19:00). Notice sent outside those hours, or at a weekend or public holiday, is treated as received on the next business day.
If illness or another unavoidable circumstance makes an appearance impossible, we will inform you immediately and work towards a solution, including proposing a replacement. In cases of force majeure such as natural disasters, we agree the approach together.

International & Korean Models

We confirm the type and validity of each person’s residence status and right to work before casting them, and where permission to engage in activity outside their status is required, we manage that alongside the individual. Supporting documents can be provided for certain projects.
We take responsibility for this. At the proposal stage we confirm the type and validity of the residence status and, where relevant, whether permission to engage in activity outside that status is held, so you do not need to verify this separately. For performers whose stay is time-limited, we also confirm that they can appear throughout the shoot period.
We can dispatch an on-site interpreter (charged separately), arrange for the manager to attend, and share the schedule and script in advance. Whether an interpreter is needed depends on the content of the shoot, so tell us the working language and how the day will run and we will propose the right level of support.
Yes. We represent a large number of Korean models and have experience with K-Beauty and K-Fashion projects. Please see our Korean model list.
Yes. Many of our members hold residence status allowing a long stay in Japan, and we handle regular shoots running over a year or more. Some performers have a limited period of stay, so please involve us at the planning stage for long-term bookings and we will propose suitable candidates.
We brief our members on the rules of Japanese shoots, timekeeping and confidentiality. Many have long experience working in Japan, so you can book with confidence even if this is your first time working with international performers.
Yes. For domestic e-commerce and catalogue work, clients often need models who can wear Japanese sizing, and we select candidates accordingly. Tell us the sizes you plan to use and we will narrow the proposal to those who fit.
Both are possible. Most of our members are based in Japan, so we can move quickly. Inviting someone from overseas requires travel, visa and accommodation arrangements, which means a longer lead time and additional cost. Please involve us from the planning stage.
We act as the inviting organisation ourselves. Our legal counsel is registered with the Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau as an authorised filing agent, and handles everything from the certificate of eligibility application to the supporting documents, so you do not need to find an inviting organisation of your own. The type of visa and the preparation required depend on the content of the work, the length of stay and the performer’s nationality. Travel, accommodation and visa application costs are included in the quotation for each project. The lead time also varies considerably, so please consult us early in the planning stage.

Kids & Babies

From newborn. Our kids and teen division is handled by Liliana Kids.
In line with the law and industry guidance, children under 15 finish by 8pm and work no more than eight hours a day, and those under 18 finish by 10pm. A guardian must accompany and consent to any appearance by a minor.
Very young children can be affected by their mood or health on the day. For children of three and under we recommend double casting, where two children are booked in advance. Please also discuss breaks and the waiting environment with us beforehand.
We schedule around school and nursery commitments. For weekday daytime shoots we confirm the available hours in advance and propose accordingly.
Tell us the image, age and height you need and the manager will propose candidates with current photographs and measurements. Selection from documents alone, in-person auditions and online or video auditions are all possible.
Images of minors require particular care, and as with adults we do not accept use without a limit on period or media. Children’s appearance changes as they grow, so please share your plans in advance if long-term use is intended.

Actors & Actresses

No, only part of our roster. Tell us the requirements of the role and we will propose further candidates who are not listed. We can also discuss inviting actors from overseas.
At the proposal stage we confirm the type and validity of each performer’s residence status, and we manage the schedule for the whole shoot period, so you can book with confidence.

Narrators & Voice Actors

Yes. Sample audio is available on each narrator’s profile page, and we can also send a shortlist of samples matched to your project.
English (American, British, Australian and others), Korean, Chinese, French and Spanish among other languages. You can specify English accent, voice quality, apparent age and Japanese spoken with a particular accent.
Yes. We arrange the narrator, book the recording studio, attend on the day and deliver the audio files as a single service.
Yes. Please tell us your delivery format and audio requirements. Depending on the length and content of the script, next-day delivery is sometimes possible.
Many of our narrators can work in Japanese. If you are concerned about running the session, tell us in advance and a manager will attend to support the recording.
Yes. We cover textbooks, e-learning and other educational content, including long-form projects and phased delivery.
Yes. We cast with an emphasis on acting ability, and some of our narrators can perform several roles in a single project.
Yes. Our narrators are bound by confidentiality arrangements and we take care with sensitive scripts. A non-disclosure agreement can be signed where required.

Dancers & Performers

Yes. We propose candidates with video material showing their skills, so you can decide without holding an audition.
We can propose dancers who both choreograph and perform, which keeps the direction intact while reducing the overall budget.
It depends on the length of the track, the structure and the difficulty of the choreography. If you share the choreography video in advance, dancers can learn it before the day. Where a rehearsal day is required, we quote for that commitment separately.
Please send reference videos or materials close to the image you have in mind and we will propose suitable dancers. We are happy to discuss the approach even before the direction is finalised.
Yes. Alongside choreographers and dancers we can propose models, musicians and MCs, so the casting for an event or shoot can be handled entirely by us.

Singers & Musicians

From solo singers to small bands, proposed to suit the genre and budget. We have experience with weddings, corporate events, store anniversaries and large festivals.
There is no fixed rule. Two thirty-minute sets is a common structure, but we propose and quote the timing and number of sets that suit your programme and budget.
Yes. Depending on the song, rights clearance or difficulty may mean a request cannot be met, so please share your song list early.
It varies with the line-up, playing time, staging and media of use. Tell us the outline of the event and your budget and we will give you an idea of the cost.

Influencers, MCs & Others

Yes. Alongside follower numbers we can provide audience data such as gender split and country breakdown, and narrow the proposal to match your target.
Yes. The quotation depends on the number of posts, the platforms, how long posts remain live and whether the content will be reused in advertising. If you plan to use the content as advertising material, separate permission and a usage fee are required.
Creators from Europe, the Americas, Korea and Southeast Asia among others. Most are based in Japan, so they can take part in shoots and events flexibly. If you cannot find the nationality you need, please ask.
Yes. Fashion, cosmetics, food and drink, lifestyle, e-commerce and app promotion are all common.
Yes. We arrange bilingual MCs, presenters and reporters. Please tell us the content of the event, the date and the working language.
Yes. We represent athletes, members with skills in dance, music and sport, and members who can work as interpreters or translators. Tell us the expertise you need.

UGC Video Production

Yes. We produce vertical UGC video featuring our models and talents. There are three ways to work with us.
UGC Casting: you or your agency handle the shoot, and we cover selection, negotiation and contracting
UGC Production: everything from planning and casting to filming, editing and delivery
UGC Subscription: a set number of videos delivered each month for creative testing in performance advertising
See our UGC page for details.
Booking an influencer is about the reach of their own following. UGC is about producing footage of a real person speaking, to be used as advertising creative and distributed from your own ad account. The key difference is that casting is based on fit with the product and audience rather than follower count.
Not by automated matching from a list. A member of our team selects people to suit the product and target audience and handles the negotiation. Tell us your requirements for nationality or background, age range and languages, and we will send a shortlist of profiles for your approval.
Vertical 9:16 as standard, with resizing to 1:1 and 16:9 also available. We produce with TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, Meta ads, LINE ads, X, e-commerce product pages and in-store signage in mind.
Yes. We deliver with the performance contract, image rights, scope of secondary use, media and period of use set out in writing. Additional production based on results, and extensions to the scope or period of use, can also be arranged.

Eligibility & Registration

Models, talents, actors and actresses, MCs, narrators, dancers and influencers, and anyone else who wants to work in entertainment.
We welcome applicants of any age, nationality or gender, and no experience is required. Applicants who are not Japanese nationals must hold a residence status that permits work in Japan.
Those holding student, dependent or similar residence status can work once they obtain permission to engage in activity outside their status from the Immigration Services Agency. At registration we check the terms of that permission and ask for a copy of the certificate, and we can guide you through the application if you have not yet applied.
Student status is generally capped at 28 hours per week, so we manage booking schedules to stay within that limit.
Those with permanent residence, spouse of a Japanese national, long-term resident or similar status that carries no work restriction do not need this permission.
Yes. As well as domestic work, there is plenty of demand for Japanese members in advertising aimed at the Japanese market by international brands.
No. There is no audition fee, selection fee or registration fee of any kind.
Yes, no experience is required and beginners are welcome.
Communication in either Japanese or English is sufficient.
There is no age limit; we welcome applicants from babies and children to senior members. Minors need a guardian’s consent. If you pass the first stage after applying online, please submit the guardian’s signed consent together with the additional materials for the second stage.
If you are working alongside another job, please apply with your employer’s permission. Depending on your residence status, permission to engage in activity outside that status may also be required.

How to Apply & Selection

Please complete the application form. We contact applicants after reviewing the documents. See the audition page for details. We are unable to accept visits to the office without an appointment.
1. First stage, document review: completed within one month, and we contact successful applicants only
2. Second stage, additional materials such as specified photographs and video
3. Third stage, interview and camera test; minors must be accompanied by a guardian
4. Final review
If you have not heard from us within two months of applying, your application was not successful at the first stage.
Please supply two photographs taken within the last three months, one of your face and one full length.
• Face: no make-up or natural make-up. Purikura and app-edited images are not accepted
• Full length: clothing that shows your silhouette. Avoid oversized or very long garments
• Please avoid out-of-focus images and group photographs
We review applications and contact only those who pass. We do not respond to enquiries about the status or outcome of a selection, and we cannot accept demo tapes brought to the office.
Yes. Auditions and shoots are mostly held in Tokyo and the surrounding area, and travel and accommodation for those are normally at your own expense. Some bookings are decided from documents alone.
Please get in touch. What we can offer depends on whether you hold a residence status that permits work in Japan.

After You Register

Not every registered member appears on the site. We decide which members to feature and which photographs to use.
Registration is not a guarantee of work. We contact you when a project matches your profile and the conditions. Keeping your profile photographs up to date increases the chances of being proposed.
Tokyo and the surrounding region are the main locations, but there is also work on location elsewhere in Japan and overseas.
How travel costs are handled depends on the project and the location. Your manager will explain this individually when you are proposed for a booking, so please ask if anything is unclear.
Yes, always contact us first. If you are shortlisted for a project or already booked, a change in appearance affects the booking. Please wait until your manager has confirmed.
If you are shortlisted, please stay available until you hear the result; if you are booked, until the shoot is finished. Where travel is unavoidable, always tell us. We may discuss the dates with you to avoid a delayed return affecting a shoot.
Please contact us by email. Your registration will be cancelled, but any advertising or production you appear in continues until the contract period ends. Because an extension may arise, we will confirm a way of reaching you after cancellation.

Thinking of applying?

No restrictions on age, nationality or experience. Start with the application form. Details are on the audition page.

APPLICATION FORM

Recruitment, Privacy & Contact

We are recruiting full-time talent managers and bookers. Please see our recruitment page.
We use it only as required for selection and for our work, and for no other purpose. Please see our privacy policy.
When we scout in person, we always give our company name and the name of the person scouting. If you are unsure, please check with us on 03-6362-3355 or at info@lilianamodels.com. We never ask anyone to pay us money.
Please email info@lilianamodels.com.
Please use our enquiry form or call 03-6362-3355. We are happy to take enquiries by phone during business hours.

Casting inquiries and consultation

Contact us for casting requests, availability, and quotes.

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