Does anyone here have their young children modeling?

[one_cat]

Last week a modeling company called and want to meet with us about having our children do modelling. As you can imagine as a parent I've got really mixed feelings about that. On the one hand I think our kids are really cute and would make good models but on the other I've heard the horror stories of young kids being mistreated when doing this kind of work. Has anyone else here got experience in this business - the gotchas to watch for?

We have a preliminary meeting with the company next week so any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Cindy B]

My son did it... and it was an interesting experience.

Be very very cautious when you have your meeting. Some place look good, but can be very shady.. they have all types of hidden costs.

Headshots can be expensive as well.

Then you will be going out and doing things... My son went to NYC (a two hour trip each way), three times in one week at a very short notice. Things like can you be in NYC tomorrow? Never mind that I had to get a sitter for my daughter, take off work, etc...

It was fun.. but wouldn't want to do it again.

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

not modelling, acting. my younger dd used to act professionally. she took acting classes, and when agents saw her, the owner of the acting school signed her up as an acting client and tried to find her some work.


I was solicited to have my older dd do modelling when she was a baby. it was actually a rip-off. they charged a fee for taking pictures, a fee for training, a fee for...you get the idea. legit agencies will send you to a photographer, but will get paid out of your child's earnings.


acting, modelling and the like are difficult for a child. some kids take to it, but you have to be disciplined, you have to be willing to give up other activities whileyou're working and you have to have to be tough enough to handle the rejection when you're not the one chosen for the job.

 

[dcgrumpy]

Word of warning, if they ask for any money for pictures it's a scam. Like BR said real model agencies don't ask for money because they get a percentage of your earnings. I would be very leary of a company that called you out of the blue. I know of a lot of fake model agencies that do that.

 

[luvflorida]

My daughters have both done a lot of acting. My oldest, (19), is a college sophomore and she is majoring in Musical Theatre. She has loved to sing since she was two years old, and by the time she she was twelve she was auditioning and getting roles in community theatre. This summer she is working at a local amusement park, performing with a group of eight young adults. They sing and dance in a musical revue-type show, performing four shows a day. She is loving every minute of it.

My youngest daughter started performing in summerstock and community theatre at the age of eight. She has performed in numerous musicals and has had quite a few leading roles. When she was ten, she took a six week modeling course that was offered locally and she took a course called, On Camera, where she learned the basics of auditioning for TV and film work. Through the On Camera class, she was introduced to a local talent agency. She has been listed with this talent agency for a few years now. Whenever anything comes up that fits her age, we are notified and then it is up to us whether or not we want her to audition.

The only thing we do is periodically update her photos that are on file with the agency. THERE IS NO MONEY INVOLVED!!! We do not pay anything to be listed with the agency. If she gets a job, the agency takes ten percent of anything she earns, then she gets a check for the remainder. So far, she has appeared in two local TV commercials, and in several print ads. The pay is very good and she has a savings account started.

I guess the most important thing is to be very careful and know what you are getting into. You should not have to pay any money upfront. The biggest expense we had was getting headshots taken, and with kids, this can get expensive because they are growing and changing quickly. But headshots are not a requirement. The talent agency we are listed with prefers regular photos taken with any type of camera. They only specify that the pictures be clear, one close-up and one full body shot.

Sorry this is so long, but I just wanted to emphasize that you need to be careful and that you should not have to pay money BEFORE your child lands a job.