Many parents are just not sure about modelling for their child. And for good reason too. There are a lot of horror stories out there. And there is never a reason to rush anywhere, or into anything. Especially for your beautiful child's sake.
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With this VIP's Tips and Tricks Guide, get a sneak peak into the operator's back-office and find out what you can truly expect. Written person-ably, with direct references from industry insider's and the website itself. You can see exactly what people just like you are doing.
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For those that wonder if it is safe, you must remember that you are ALWAYS in charge and too never take that lightly. You can always saver the moment your child is one of the cutest on the planet at the value of your loving memories and everyday experiences.
1. Where Do You Find Legitimate Child Modeling?
● Finding Legit Modeling Agencies
● Modeling & Acting - Where to Start
● CuteKid - Photo - Tips
The VIP Tips & Tricks
● Acting - Audition - Tips
● Sending Videos to an Agency
● Getting Noticed by an Agency
Get The Rundown First.
2. Go Here To Enter.
Do your research!!
Find out if your state requires modeling agencies to have a license, and if they do, ask to see it.
Also, go on the Better Business Bureau website to see if there are any complaints, as well as the
Bureau of Consumer Protection.
Finally, if they are trying to charge you an upfront fee, that should be the biggest warning sign.
Has anyone ever had a bad experience with a company? Or a question about a company that
claims to be legitimate, but something just doesn’t seem right?
How do you know if a
modeling agency is legit?
3. Go Here To Enter.
A lot of the questions I receive are very much like this one – where do you begin?
Well, it depends on a variety of things: your child’s age, where you live, etc. but the best place to
start is your local area – besides TheCuteKid website, of course!
To procure agency/manager representation, you really have to live in the area (or about an hour
away) in which you would be going on appointments with your child, or be willing to move
immediately to where you send their pictures.
The talent agencies normally do not represent children under the age of 4 – there is no getting
around that, it is a standard industry rule. I had to wait like everyone else – don’t you think I was
DYING to get my twins representation before the age of 4 for acting? Absolutely! But I too had to
wait, even though I live in the NYC area and have a ton of resources because of the location.
So if your child is younger than 4, you should focus on the modeling end of things for now - and
whatever open calls you see from TheCuteKid website. Google “model agency your town” and
How do I get my kid in
the modeling/acting industry?
4. Go Here To Enter.
start researching! Call the agencies you find, and ask questions – is there a fee to join, do they
have a children’s division, where can you send your pictures?
The modeling and acting industries are hard WORK – and once you get representation, it’s even
more work going on all of the auditions, callbacks and the preparation it takes. The “overnight
success” phrase is a myth, spun by the media to make celebrities seem all that more intriguing.
If your child is older than 4 and you want to get them into acting, then you should start having them
participate in school plays, acting camp, workshops for kids and that type of thing. Acting takes
more of an investment at first than modeling does – you can get away with sending in casual
snapshots to a modeling agency (even after joining the agency you can use use non-professional
pictures depending on their age), but after a child is past a certain age for acting you will be looking
into getting a professional headshot, resume, etc.
How do I get my kid in
the modeling/acting industry?
5. Free Canvas Portrait. Go Here To Enter.
● Make sure pictures are in-focus and close-up to the face on the head shots – this is the most
important rule!!
● No distracting patterns on clothing
● No hats, sunglasses or anything else that covers the face or head
● PERSONALITY, PERSONALITY, PERSONALITY!!!
Send two close-up headshots and one full length shot (AGENCIES PREFER NON-PROFESSIONAL
PICTURES) with:
1.) The child’s name
2.) Contact info
3.) Date of birth
4.) Clothing size
5.) Height in inches
6.) A cover letter saying where you live and the parent/guardian contact information.
If it’s an email, write everything (sizes, etc. ) in the main part of the email together with the parent’s contact
information also.
CuteKid -Photo -Tips
Follow these rules exactly for posting pictures on the CuteKid
website or sending to agencies:
When an agent or manager is going through
hundreds of pictures of children, the ones that will
stand out are the ones that are following these rules.
***** GOOD LUCK!!! *****
6. Go Here To Enter.
My twin girls had an TV audition the other day for Chuck E. Cheese, which my husband dutifully
took them to in NYC.
Afterwards, I asked him, “What did they do? How did the girls do?” And all he could do was just
look at me and say, “I don’t know.” Why doesn’t he know? Because apparently the girls have
reached the age – almost 6 years old – where the casting director takes the kids into a room by
themselves (or with other children) and gives them directions on what to do.
If you aren’t crazy about giving your kids acting lessons, then how do you know how to prepare
them? Well, there is one cardinal rule for preparing kids for an audition or to go and see an agency.
MAKE SURE THEY TAKE DIRECTION WELL. Sound simple? It can be, if the child is a
disciplined one, or if they are not in a bad or tired mood that day. Let them know that they are
going to be taken into a room, and they should listen to what they are told to do, and do it with a
smile.
Acting - Audition -Tips
TV Auditions –What Do They Want?
7. Go Here To Enter.
The more you prepare your young child to go and see people, the more they will be ready when
some stranger takes their hand and says “Come with me” and starts giving them instructions to do
all sorts of things.
Also, you can practice with your child “faces” – happy, sad, angry, laughing, crying, etc. “faces”
where the child will emulate each one, so when they are asked out of the blue to make a sad face,
they can conjure one up without looking at the casting director like they have two heads.
Not all of this works all the time because they’re KIDS, but it will help you steer them in the right
direction.
Do YOU have a CuteKid™?
Acting - Audition -Tips
TV Auditions –What Do They Want?
8. Go Here To Enter.
You always want to make a great first impression, and with video it’s a little more difficult than just
taking a photo.
First of all, make sure you have the same mentality as when you are taking pictures – film your
child several times and delete the ones you don’t think are good. If a child is not experienced in
doing video, then the first few times are going to be “warm-ups” until you get something that is
worth sending in. And just because a child is a good performer, has had experience on stage and
is outgoing, it doesn’t mean they are going to be good on video, being in front of a video camera is
a whole different ballgame. And most likely if an agency is requesting video, it is for talent
representation, as opposed to only just printwork.
Step 1 – the “slate”
Practice with your youngster first, so they have an idea of what’s expected. At the beginning of
every video, an actor says their name, age and where they are from, it’s called the “slate.” This
needs to be said while looking directly into the camera, and with a warm, friendly confidence.
Easy? Good, then you have step one down. Except that you need to keep the video camera
running for the next step.
An Agency Requested a Video of
Your Child? That’s a good sign, but what to do now?
9. Do you have a CuteKid™?
Step 2 – Asking questions to your child to show his/her personality.
Again, not so easy. One word answers are not the answer here…in other words, try and ask a
question where your child cannot answer in just one word. For example, ask “Tell us about
Grandma’s house…” instead of “Where were you this weekend?” which will give a more colorful
answer, as opposed to only just the answer of the 2nd question, which will most likely be
“Grandma’s House” or “at home.” Nothing too radical, as the person requesting the video just
wants to see more of what the child looks like, and if he/she has a natural aptitude for the camera.
Just make sure you child acts like his/her self, but with an appropriate amount of energy, which I’m
sure won’t be a problem when filming a child. Just make sure they do not have too much energy,
you don’t want people to think he/she is hyper.
The video should be at least 30 seconds, and no more than 2 minutes. Usually agents know within
the first 15 – 20 seconds if they are interested in representing a child or not. Yes, that fast. Plus, if
you send one that’s too big of a file, it may not get opened.
Good luck! And if you get representation from following this process, I would love to know so we
can write a Success Story about it: CuteKidResume@thecutekid.com
An Agency Requested a Video of
Your Child? That’s a good sign, but what to do now?