Baby Modeling Questions
Paula
it yet.
We all now that all our babies are so absolutely darling that their
picture should be on the cover of Parents magazine (and even the ugly
babies are unique or unusual enough to attract photographic
attention), but the question is, what does it really take to put your
baby in modeling/commercial work and is it really worth it?
From my standpoint, I just think of modeling as a fun way to make some
extra money for my son's education (my ds is 11 months). I recognize
that something like this is quite time consuming for both parent and
child, so it would probably end at around age 3 or 4 (when my ds has
my son in hockey all the time - we're Canadian, so that tends to be a
way of life for boy).
I am just curious what it takes to be successful. My ds is very
outgoing and personable (he lets anyone hold him - and I mean anyone -
and smiles for every person he sees) and this is the only reason I am
even considering this.
But, I also know this is a very competitive world and sitting around
in stuffy rooms all day waiting for my son to audition could be quite
irritating, boring and frustrating for both me and my ds.
There is a web site called Baby-Models.com where someone who's kid
appeared on the cover of Parents magazine is SELLING her advice for
the bargain price of $47. USD ("be the envy of all your friends and
family" she says. Correct me if I am wrong, but aren't we all already
the envy of our friends and family for having such beautiful and
wonderful children??? I think this is the wrong message to be sending
about putting your kids in modeling). Yeah, I know, the world is all
about making money, so all the power to her for marketing her e-book
well, but of course, I'd like to try to get some advice for free.
Anyone know what talent agencies look for in the masses of babies they
see? Is it all luck (right place/right time?). Is 11 months really
too young to subject your kid to the world of modeling and
commercials? Is it really worth it to do something like this just to
establish a college fund and some lasting memories on film or
newsprint?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Paula
Sara
> Is 11 months really
> too young to subject your kid to the world of modeling and
> commercials? Is it really worth it to do something like this just to
> establish a college fund and some lasting memories on film or
> newsprint?
Don't do it!
Imagine him in the photo studio with people telling him "Smile! Look
happy!" Do you want your baby to learn how to smile on command? To
fake being happy? To pretend to really like some product so other
people will buy it?
Take photos yourself. Find some way to establish a college fund that
doesn't involve child labor.
I was thinking about this just the other day, after first seeing the
dead-eyed Olson Twins on a magazine cover, then seeing a toddler with
a sad, fake smile in a Gap ad, then reading Susan Linn's "Consuming
Kids." Keep your kids as far away from the consumer culture as you
can, I say.
--
Sara, getting on her flame-resistant suit
Cathy Kearns
"Paula" <po...@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:3da73f8d.04061...@posting.google.com...
> I am CONSIDERING entering my ds in baby modeling, but not sure about
> it yet.
>
> We all now that all our babies are so absolutely darling that their
> picture should be on the cover of Parents magazine (and even the ugly
> babies are unique or unusual enough to attract photographic
> attention), but the question is, what does it really take to put your
> baby in modeling/commercial work and is it really worth it?
What it really takes is a pliable personality (both mom and baby)
that is willing to be on call, show up to the right place with 24
hours or less notice, and sit and wait until they are ready for you,
which may be hours. At that point the baby has to be in a good
enough mood to smile and not act fussy, and the parent needs
to be in a good enough mood to let the photographer or director
take over, and not try and give helpful advice on how to get
your baby to smile. (Just because you know him best doesn't
mean they want to hear from you.) You will need a thick skin,
because just because you think he is adorable and good natured
doesn't mean everyone in the modeling industry will, and
unfortunately, they often don't feel the need to be kind when
rejecting someone.
It helps if you live in areas where photo shoots are prevalent,
LA and New York work. I'm not sure what the equivalent
cities in Canada would be. I live in the San Francisco area,
and child models from here are often asked to jump a flight
to LA for an audition.
Even if you make it through auditions and shooting or
filming, it is possible the pictures or scene will get cut.
After having the whole extended family gather around
the television to watch Malcolm in the Middle, we found
my nephew's scene, which took a week to film, landed
on the cuttting room floor.
My daughters dance, and they have a few fellow dancers
that have worked sporadically as models. My extended
family lives in LA, and nieces and nephews from both
my and my husband's side of the family have worked in
print and film as extras. The money isn't that good.
One of my former jobs included picking actors and
providing technical support for our companies commercials.
Watching the filming of commercials is like watching paint
dry. I would say it's really not worth it. Especially if you have
an adorable, wonderful son.
Bruce Bridgman and Jeanne Yang
"Cathy Kearns" <cathy_...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:At%yc.84556$Mx2....@newssvr25.news.prodigy.com...
This pretty much mirrors my mother's foray into modeling as an older Asian
woman. She's retired so she had lots of free time. She told me that the
agency often called the day before the shoot. If she was lucky, they would
call a week before. Then, the models would sit around for hours (literally)
but not necessarily be paid for that time. Don't get me wrong, she had fun
doing the modeling (and it's a kick for family to see her face unexpectedly)
but she wasn't doing it for the money (there isn't any) or to see her face
everywhere. When the waiting became too tiring, she stopped.
Jeanne
Plissken
> it yet.
> Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
I had asked this question of someone at mkp and this was her reply...
Al Bell
>From my standpoint, I just think of modeling as a fun way to make some
>extra money for my son's education (my ds is 11 months). I recognize
...
>I am just curious what it takes to be successful. My ds is very
>outgoing and personable (he lets anyone hold him - and I mean anyone -
>and smiles for every person he sees) and this is the only reason I am
>even considering this.
- I think that a lot of 11 month olds are very outgoing because that
happens to be the stage that they're in. My daughter (20 months) is
outgoing now, but she was a lot friendlier at 11 months.
- My impression is that child modeling and acting tend to be pretty
terrible, and the only way to get your child into it while protecting your
child's interests is to already be part of that scene yourself. If, for
example, you already hang out with filmmakers, maybe you could lend them
your baby. But you shouldn't let any filmmaker off the street use your
baby.
- Along the same lines, my understanding is that, in a lot of cases, the
cost of developing a portfolio and marketing your baby to agencies is
really high. If you were already a model yourself, you'd probably know the
best, most cost-efficient way to do all that. But, if you're so far
outside that you have to buy a book about modeling to learn about how
modeling works, you're too far outside to get good, cheap headshots or
know where to send them.
5555
you have a five year old that has completed a commercial and a national
ad? I know nothing. We have different agencies calling us but on the job
they rave about how good he is and ask if he has an "agent."
Wouldn't the ones sending us be our agent for that particular shoot? We
have had offers to sign exclusives...but what does that mean?