Our experience with local first-time models doing solos is that the flake factor is pretty high, probably 50% or better.

I've heard a lot of different approaches for reducing flakiness; Karl at b-e-d-f-e-l-l-o-w does an interview first, makes it very clear, and then schedules... and his flake rate is lower because of it.

When we used to shoot a lot of solos, we'd talk to the guys on the phone and then usually schedule a time to talk (usually at a Starbucks or something), after which we'd go right to the shoot location. That helped the models calm their nerves, figure out that we weren't creeps, that sort of thing.

Two-ways and multiperson shoots are always a mess with local guys. For whatever reason, until they've worked with you a couple times (and often even then), reliability just doesn't seem to be in the genes for most of these guys.