Infant/Child Modelling

iMax

Hi All...

New to this board. I'm dad to a (if I say so myself) very cute little nine month old girl. So cute infact that we (her mom & I) were thinking of putting her forward for some modelling/acting work (& any money earned going toward her college fund)... She is very intelligent, fast learning & loves cameras (she even plays to them)...

Thing is... we don't know the first thing about it... Has anyone any advice ?

MyBaby

I have a 10month old baby boy.

Have him signed up to movieextras.ie, costs 59 euro a year. He got his 1st audition within 2 months of being joined up and last week just filmed an ident for RTE 1 coming out in October this year. He has made back over double what we paid for the years cost.

Also going to join him up to Assets modelling this week. They do baby/child modelling as well as adults such as the catalogues etc.

Hope this helps

jayo99

ridiculous!

Why didnt you try arrange a deal with RTE while you were filimg the commercial so that you could run ads asking for the public to text in and vote for ur child in the Sunday World competitionn ?

Some people !

Nevyn

Jayo99 please take time to read the charter for this forum.

Doesnt the bulk of the childs 'earnings' have to go into an account for them for when they reach 18 ?

oulu

Photoshoot for Extras - Sat July 29th @ Westbury Hotel,This might help,

run_Forrest_run

Who benefits from this,the child? hardly, and I don't buy the suggestion that the money earned will help towards college funds etc..I have a 5 month old daughter...cute as hell but I wouldn't start dragging her to tv auditions..c'mon folks, it's not Texas we live in!

jayo99

my point exactly !

Yet when I voice my opinion I get told to read the forum rules?

Nevyn

you are allowed to voice your opinion but it is how you do it that can get you into trouble with the charter.

Oryx

Am smiling cos I reckon every parent thinks their kid is the cutest thing to ever wear nappies. I know I do. Sorry Ive no advice OP other than to say good luck, hope its a good experience for you and babs.

sharonlarkin

I would never put my child into any type of magazine. I have 2 very cute kids and was stopped in town one day by 2 women from some type of child agency. They asked would I be interested in putting my little girl into a clothes magazine. No chance whatsoever. When it comes to perverts and pedos, what do you think they start off by looking at. Kids modelling clothes. I think anyone that does that is mad. And do the kids even like doing it.

simu

sharonlarkin wrote:

Kids modelling clothes. I think anyone that does that is mad. And do the kids even like doing it.

Do you prevent people from taking photos of kids too? I mean, who knows where that could lead... :rolleyes:

I don't see the harm in it as long as the kid is happy doing it and it isn't the parents trying to boost their own egos or realised their own failed childhood dreams or such.

sharonlarkin

The only people that take photos of my kids are relatives, no one else.

iMax

Well so far We've been given three business cards (an agency & 2 photographers, Thanks for the info mybaby, will look into movie extras. couple of extreme reactions above, but everyone's entitled to an opinion. As stated earlier, any money earned will go towards her college/first car/house deposit (She already has a little nestegg). Regarding boosting egos, not really, just want to help her on her way, failed childhood dreams... again not really, I'm an ugly sod - God knows what her mother saw in me !!!

GretchenWieners

TO iMax: The movieextras.ie page is supposed to be really good, tehy deal with some American production compaines too. It's a bit of fun and a nice way to earn money if anything, and it's something the child can look at and think wow in a few years! I know I would've anyway and I'm only 18!

TempestSabre

Don't see the harm in it myself. As long as its done properly and well managed. Security is obviously an issue.

darkflower

iMax wrote:

Hi All...

New to this board. I'm dad to a (if I say so myself) very cute little nine month old girl. So cute infact that we (her mom & I) were thinking of putting her forward for some modelling/acting work (& any money earned going toward her college fund)... She is very intelligent, fast learning & loves cameras (she even plays to them)...

Thing is... we don't know the first thing about it... Has anyone any advice ?

you must be very proud of her! but wasn't it too ealry for her to work? gudluck though:D

MyBaby

No problem iMax

My baby has done one ad, the audtion took all of 5 minutes, and the day on filming last about 4 hours with actually filming taking on 15/20mins.

Regarding the payment, it all goes straight into my baby's bank account same as all the money he has got as presents for christening, xmas etc. The money will be there for him when he gets older.

The ad we done, everyone was real nice, made sure I was with him at all times, no else ever went near him. They told me what they wanted him to do for the ad, and i got him to do it, no one else did anything. Then i got to see the film and see what they recorded etc.

Every one has their own opinion and do what they want.

coolwater

Do Assets definately take on child models???
I have a 6 mth old who already loves the camera. am looking round for a suitable agency but have not been able to find 1.
What is the steps for applying??

iMax

Wow this is old. Yes they do, you sign them up for €60 & they take photos, you also agree to them representing your little star (forever possibly), however, we only got one photocall out of them & didn't find them that helpful at all

coolwater

Do you mind me asking who you went through for your baby with success.
Am finding it hard to find any agencies that will represent young children..
Just signed her up to movie extras but dont know how successful that would be since you have no direct contact with the agency?
Any advice would be appreciated:)

iMax

It was assets child agency, it's in the basement of assets on leeson street. We didn't really persue it to be honest, got sidetracked in the whole process & forgot about it.

ROCKMAN

sharonlarkin wrote:

The only people that take photos of my kids are relatives, no one else.

OK this is slightly off track.
I run two youth clubs, affiliated to a national Organisation .
This year our parent permission forms have an extra question, goes something like "Do you give permission for your son/daughter photo to be taken at activity or Event and permission for photos to be use advertisement, local papers leafets,etc etc "
At first i thought it was daft , but now realised its just another good idea to protect our members.
PS not sure if its a new law or new organsation policy

metrovelvet

What do the unions do to protect the children and how does the modelling fit in with Irish child labour laws?

It's one thing if you are cultivating a talent in your child and another if you are turning him/her into a performing seal.

vandiekaap

Lets put this all into prospective, there is nothing wrong with showing off your kids, but I do feel that you as a parent, should not be dragging your baby/todler around to photo shoots or to make commercials. Come on guys that is pushing it. So what if your kid is cute, laughs uncontrollable or makes the funniest of faces. Cherish it yourself. I've a son of 11months and yes, everyone says he is goodlooking,cute and so clever. But hey, he's just a baby-no different from any other baby. Not exactly going to take him in for modelling or commercials now cos what will he learn from it. Spending 4 hours at a shoot. He could be rather laughing, learning to walk etc at home or with freind and family.I know there has to be some babies available for comercials etc. Bet I wil try my luck in some baby competions though. That would be me sending in my own pics of him, not shot at a photo shoot!

Anyways.... bet my kid is the best looking of them all!!!!! See we are all proud parents hey?

lostinnappies

I have nothing against it myself, it depends solely on the parent. "stagemoms/dads" can do more harm then good, if you are going to do this make sure your little ones have the final say. If they dont want to do it then dont. If its not working out and they more often dont want to do it .. then perhaps you should rethink. If your little one loves the camera and the attention ..... go nuts, but keep them grounded.

smelltheglove

I know this is an old thread but since it has been brought back to live, I recently came across an argument over this and it was brought to the humanities section by the person who had a problem with it.

My say is this, it completely and utterly depends on the child, some kids love it, some kids hate it, let them decide. Some are born to do it, its in their blood and if their love is so strong then help them get there while they are young show business is hard to crack, if not do not push them.

beth-lou

I don't think it's a good idea to push your kids into child modelling at all. Considering the issues modelling brings to young adults, throwing your children into that enviornment is dangerous. And who is it for anyway? For your kids? They couldn't care less are not aware of it unless you make them so. Is it for you so you can tell everyone how amazing they are, or is it about the money?

A friend of mine used to go for auditions as a child, she was beautiful, still is, but she told me it was a horrible experience. The sense of rejection a child feels when they are not chosen is actually quite devastating for them and they are too young to understand that there is nothing actually wrong with them. She hated it and that was enough for me.

My daughter is beautiful, absolutely stunning. She has been since the day she born. Everywhere we go people comment on her, why isn't she in ads, she should be a model, she will be a model when she grows up blah, blah, blah.... We have been asked to be in two movies, 3 ads and I've been asked to join her up to an agency. I refuse. At this stage we could probably have a lot of money in the bank, but at what cost to her and her personal and emotional development? Personally I think it's better not to screw with your childs self esteem, unless they have an over whelming talent, although look a Drew Barrymore and all the other child actors the problems they all had in their teenage years. I'd be vary wary of pushing your kid into showbusiness.
A baby is too young to know any better, but once they become self aware, I think you are playing a dangerous game.