Nothing sells substance like an adorable baby, and every one of those cherubic faces in magazine, ads, catalogs, TV C or was hired....typically through a kids modeling agency. We know,
people stop you all the time and tell you that your infant
or toddler is just "so adorable" that they should
be the next 'Darsheel Safary'
Before
you start sending out the headshots, here are some things
to keep in mind about baby modeling:
Baby Models: "Animated Props!"
Baby models are known as "animated props" in this industry, as they are not real model.... they just sit and look charming. Casting directors look for babies with even dispositions and long concentration spans. Even superior are children who imitate facial expressions and gestures. This makes it simple for the "baby wrangler" to imprison an expression.
It
All Starts with a Snapshot
Most agencies want home snapshots to review your baby for
modelling work. Baby's change so fast that it doesn't make
sense to pay hundreds for headshots. Casting directors may
even be suspicious of baby headshots! Don't work with anyone
who wants to charge you up-front for headshots. All legitimate
agencies are free.
Manage Your Expectations
Baby models typically earn $100 - $300( INR 5000 to 15,000)
a day... and there are lots of unpaid hours for every hour
in front of the camera. Television commercials can be more
lucrative, but there are fewer of them and the big payouts
only come for ads that play for years.
A
Kid is a Kid
Even "ordinary" kids can get baby modeling work.
Catalogs and magazines often want a "kid next door"
look. And even supermodel-beautiful baby models are still
just kids. Make sure you let them be a kid and have fun and
learn while they're modeling.
First and primary, note this is a big business and you are accepting this because you are allowing for sending your daughter or son to WORK in this Industry.
There
are some important things that you need to understand about
children and the modeling business:
Infants and toddlers are very random and of course doesn’t take track well, so advertisers will sign up some children for the same part, frequently paying them as petite as 3000- 5000 for a job. The advertiser will shoot
the job with each of the children. Whichever child does the
best - those images will be used and that child will receive
pay based upon standard market rates.
In
smaller markets, i.e. - ANY place outside of Mumbai or India,
the best agencies will generally not deal with infants and
toddlers simply because there is little work for them. As
a result - more often than not - the child that appears in
an ad or commercial is related to the client, one of the talent
or production people involved in the shoot.
So how do you get your child into the business?
Infants,
toddlers, and young children change in appearance much too
quickly and the legitimate agencies understand that. Under
the age of 4 - these agencies will only require a few snapshots
of your child.
· Take
a close-up shot of your child. (Head and shoulders - Don't
get so close that the image is blurry)
· Take
a full length shot of your child
· Take
one character shot of your child - something that shows the
child's personality - feel free to use props with this shot.
· Find
a place that is bright and evenly lit - DON'T use a flash
· Don't send 50 photos to the agencies - just 6- 8.
· If
an agency accepts your child - be prepared to update these
images every 6 months or so.
Children aged 4 through age 13 will generally only need headshots. These images should be professionally done. Still at these ages, you need to modernize your kid’s portfolio every year to a year since children will change dramatically from year-to-year.
A
composite is only helpful if a child has very different and
distinctive looks and should not be considered until an agency
has proven themselves to you by getting your child work.
Mail
these photos - along with a short (3 -5 sentence) letter of
introduction to the agencies in your area. Do NOT call them
and try to tell them how adorable your child is and do NOT
email them.
The moral to the story:
Every
good parent is willing to do "whatever it takes"
and spend "whatever it costs: Just remember - this is
your child, in the case of infants and toddlers - THEY are
not making the decision to work - YOU are putting them to
work.
This industry is overflowing with adults - your kids should be good by way of adults, if they want to achieve something.
Those children that you see on TV commercials they are not just attractive children but also, some of them had some training.
Be
realistic about your ability to follow through. If you live
in New Delhi or other cities and submit photos of your child
to an agency in Mumbai - they expect you to be available to
work in Mumbai. They are not going to pay to fly you there, they will call you on a Friday and be expecting you there on Saturday, and the dealing does not rotate around you and your kid. So
the next time someone is waiting in line behind you at the grocery store and tells you how incredibly adorable your child is... remember that is what they are supposed to say!
For more details contact us, 
Glamourhunt Communications
Email Id: Talents: info@glamourhunt.com
Casting Enquiries: call@glamourhunt.com |