What makes a successful child model?
Child modeling is similar to the world of tween, teen and adult modeling in many ways, but there are a few key differences with kids and those with certain attributes will have a much better chance of success.
• If your child is small for his or her age that's a plus because that will enable them to play younger roles in print jobs and commercials as, for example, a 5 year old that looks 4 will usually be more capable of taking direction than an actual 4 year old.
• Child models need to have a cheerful disposition and an outgoing personality and they need to be comfortable working with adults.
• Child models need to be need to be able to take direction.
• Child models need to have some acting ability, not so much in the way you might normally think of acting ability, but more like by having an active imagination.
• The child has to want to do it and to have fun doing it.
• Parents have to be supportive but not pushy or critical and at least one parent has to have a flexible enough schedule that they can take the child to castings and bookings.
• The closer you live to a a major market the better. New York City, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Miami, Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, Orlando, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, etc.
• Child modeling pays approximately $100 to $125 per hour minimum as opposed to $200 to $250 per hour and up more for teen, tween and adult models and talent.
• Child models are not expected to have an elaborate portfolio because they grow and change so quickly. All you will need is a few current professional pictures and comp cards, both printed card versions and digital versions - and don't let anyone tell you that you need one and not the other as that would be a career killing mistake.
• Your child's photographs need to look fresh, young and natural NOT a pageant or Barbie Doll look in order for you and your kids to be taken seriously.
• Kids photos should NOT be in a glamour, school portrait or high fashion style and they should NOT look like they have been overly retouched - which means that the vast majority of the so called professional photographers in the world will not have the ability to create them. You need to work with a photographer that specializes in child models with credentials and a long track record as your chances of getting anything usable from someone without them are near zero.
• After you get with a few agencies, keep them updated with new photos every few months. If your child's height and/or clothing size changes you should notify all of the agencies that you are working with as it would be a big waste of time for you, the casting directors and the agencies for the child to show up to interviews, castings or auditions if they do not look the same in person as they do on their comp cards and/or if they do not meet the height and/or clothing size requirements for what is being cast.
• Children should always have a parent or guardian accompany them to castings and bookings, of course, but smart parents will keep a low profile and let the child talk and answer questions, etc. as much as possible. And parents should never attempt to give the child direction while on the set unless specifically asked to do so by the director and/or the photographer.
• There's a huge industry that preys on the parents of 'wannabe' child models and actors by providing acting lessons, runway lessons, workshops, access to talent and modeling conventions and dozens of other things that will do you and your children no good whatsoever.
Nothing the vast majority of them have to say and nothing they have to sell should be taken seriously or counted on to advance your child's modeling and/or acting career. A much more likely scenario is that all your child will come away with are bad habits that will be very hard to break. So seek and accept advice ONLY from someone that will give you straight answers to your questions instead of just telling you what you want to hear.
• Similarly, your child's chances of getting paid work 'off the internet' are near zero as no internet agency, no modeling school, no training center, no pay to play web site exposure to casting directors and no modeling convention is going to accomplish that either.
See proof positive that Photos by Moda Bambini Kids Photography on your comp cards and in your portfolio will make a world of difference in the quantity and quality of your bookings HERE
Child modeling is similar to the world of tween, teen and adult modeling in many ways, but there are a few key differences with kids and those with certain attributes will have a much better chance of success.
• If your child is small for his or her age that's a plus because that will enable them to play younger roles in print jobs and commercials as, for example, a 5 year old that looks 4 will usually be more capable of taking direction than an actual 4 year old.
• Child models need to have a cheerful disposition and an outgoing personality and they need to be comfortable working with adults.
• Child models need to be need to be able to take direction.
• Child models need to have some acting ability, not so much in the way you might normally think of acting ability, but more like by having an active imagination.
• The child has to want to do it and to have fun doing it.
• Parents have to be supportive but not pushy or critical and at least one parent has to have a flexible enough schedule that they can take the child to castings and bookings.
• The closer you live to a a major market the better. New York City, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Miami, Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, Orlando, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, etc.
• Child modeling pays approximately $100 to $125 per hour minimum as opposed to $200 to $250 per hour and up more for teen, tween and adult models and talent.
• Child models are not expected to have an elaborate portfolio because they grow and change so quickly. All you will need is a few current professional pictures and comp cards, both printed card versions and digital versions - and don't let anyone tell you that you need one and not the other as that would be a career killing mistake.
• Your child's photographs need to look fresh, young and natural NOT a pageant or Barbie Doll look in order for you and your kids to be taken seriously.
• Kids photos should NOT be in a glamour, school portrait or high fashion style and they should NOT look like they have been overly retouched - which means that the vast majority of the so called professional photographers in the world will not have the ability to create them. You need to work with a photographer that specializes in child models with credentials and a long track record as your chances of getting anything usable from someone without them are near zero.
• After you get with a few agencies, keep them updated with new photos every few months. If your child's height and/or clothing size changes you should notify all of the agencies that you are working with as it would be a big waste of time for you, the casting directors and the agencies for the child to show up to interviews, castings or auditions if they do not look the same in person as they do on their comp cards and/or if they do not meet the height and/or clothing size requirements for what is being cast.
• Children should always have a parent or guardian accompany them to castings and bookings, of course, but smart parents will keep a low profile and let the child talk and answer questions, etc. as much as possible. And parents should never attempt to give the child direction while on the set unless specifically asked to do so by the director and/or the photographer.
• There's a huge industry that preys on the parents of 'wannabe' child models and actors by providing acting lessons, runway lessons, workshops, access to talent and modeling conventions and dozens of other things that will do you and your children no good whatsoever.
Nothing the vast majority of them have to say and nothing they have to sell should be taken seriously or counted on to advance your child's modeling and/or acting career. A much more likely scenario is that all your child will come away with are bad habits that will be very hard to break. So seek and accept advice ONLY from someone that will give you straight answers to your questions instead of just telling you what you want to hear.
• Similarly, your child's chances of getting paid work 'off the internet' are near zero as no internet agency, no modeling school, no training center, no pay to play web site exposure to casting directors and no modeling convention is going to accomplish that either.
See proof positive that Photos by Moda Bambini Kids Photography on your comp cards and in your portfolio will make a world of difference in the quantity and quality of your bookings HERE
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