Kids & Modeling
Kirsten Dunst for Kids InFashion
"How do I get my kid into modeling?" This is one of the questions I am most often asked. I have gotten emails from hopeful parents from as far away as Brazil! Getting them into it is not all that tough, if you live in or near a major metropolitan city. However being worth your time and effort (as well as the child's) is another story. Fame and riches are a long shot at best, while disappointment and rejection are almost certain.
Print modeling jobs for kids are not as frequent as one might think and they typically get paid less than adults. Above is just a sampling of over 200 children that showed up for one of my castings. We booked just four kids for the actual gig. It is a lot of running around, waiting and sacrifice. I have had parents drive hours from as far as Alabama and the Caorlinas for a single audition. So it is important that your child(not you) really have the desire and the right personality to handle the pressure.
Max Pomeranc for Us Magazine
I have shot many young actors as well as models and found that the most common character trait was maturity beyond their years. With so much money riding on a production, this is an important quality. If your child would rather be doing something else, then let them. I also found kids that are too practiced, too posy, a big turnoff, I like when kids are themselves, natural. Max Pomeranc starred in the movie Searching for Bobby Fisher about a chess prodigy. He was discovered at a chess club by the director, who thought it would be easier to teach a kid to act than to play chess convincingly.
Annalucia with Ford/MiamiIf you are still determined then looking for a good, reputable modeling agency is the first step. My good friend, Betty Sze is the Managing Editor & Men's Editorial Director for the popular site and valuable industry resource, models.com. Located in NYC, she has worked for both Company Management and Marilyn Agency managing such names as actress Jaime King and top models Amy Wesson, Helena Christensen and Frankie Rayder. I asked her to answer a few questions for Pie on this topic.
It can be a great experience for kids and a chance to put a little money toward their college fund. It is not something you want to quit your job and pursue with them full time. For those still interested, I put together a few of my own tips and bits of advice below.
- When attending a casting or a booked job, do not bring the entire family, no siblings, Aunts, Uncles or Grandparents. One adult to accompany the child is all there should ever be.
- Do bring a quiet activity for the child, waiting is part of the process but boredom can make them lethargic.
- Go easy on the sugar, or nix it completely if your child is prone to getting hyper.
- Be careful with online listings and giving out too much information. Let your agency do the promoting.
- Teach your child to trust their instincts, if they are not comfortable, tell them it is okay to say something.
- Pretty is nice but character and personality go a lot further. All types as you can see from the montage above can get work. Though if they are shy and introverted, this is not the thing for them.
- Ultimately this should be fun, if it isn't then it may be time to stop.
All photos & content © Lara Rossignol
Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at 4:00AM
Reader Comments (5)
Interesting post Lara. People have told me I should get my kid into modeling. She takes great pictures but it's not something that she has mentioned that she'd like to do. I can't see pushing her to do something that she's not comfortable with plus, it would be a big commitment on my part to have to constantly travel to the city for whatever it is she'd have to do.
My neighbor had her infant daughter in a couple of Master Card print ads...big effort on her part to travel to NJ for the shoot while she had another toddler to take care of. She also had a part in a L&O episode...after a long day of waiting, they substituted a baby doll for the sleeping infant. She was paid but wasted an entire day sitting in a not so nice neighborhood where they were shooting. After that, she decided it was too little money for all the time and effort...maybe if she was an only child she said.
Great information Lara! I love your blog and look forward to it everyday!
Lovely Post. Your pictures would make any child want to model, gorgeousss shots & wonderful tips!
When i was a kid i modeled a bit & honestly, a GREAT way to save up for the future. Moneywise-socialwise-jobwise. I found myself going crazy at times back in the day, always wanting to just follow through with my plans when random castings/gosees would pop up & i was forced to forget about attending the beach parties or field trips. But it was well worth it, though not an average young life style with kids at school, but with beautiful girls & boys whom had a different thought process than those on the play grounds... very educational...
So yes, a great something to do as a kid, but my advice would be make sure not to get lost in the overbearing mothers whom fight for their children's beauty with gossip & talk about another child. Trust me, it gets scary, what those gorgeous moms can do.
Great info! But WOW- your photos are breathtaking! So full of soul- amazing!
Such a great post, it answered so many of my questions. I love your blog.