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By: Linda Marie Ford
Photography: Kristen Karlisch
Date Posted: 12/29/2008
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Is Your Child Modeling Material?
Those eyes! Those dimples! That smile!
You have the most beautiful child in the world and everyone who sees her agrees. But, before you become enamored by thoughts of your child joining the ranks of other supermodels and actors who got their start in Big D (like Disney Channel stars Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, Debby Ryan and Madison Pettis, to name a few), you might want to do your homework.
Unfortunately, some parents check out who is servicing their cars more thoroughly than the agency that might represent their celeb-in-the-making. And, in their starry-eyed haste, they’ve been ripped off by eagerly forking over hard-earned savings for professional photos, upfront agency fees and expensive mandatory classes — never to see a modeling job.
Local agents get real about what it takes (and what it doesn’t) when it comes to snagging that elusive contract.
You Ought to Be in (Candid) Pictures
Karis Fredricks* recalls searching online to find an agency for her daughter. The Metroplex mom quickly signed a deal and wrote a check to the outlet for nearly $2,000 for professional photography, thinking the investment was “normal.” She never heard back from the agent. Finally, she submitted her daughter’s credentials to a reputable firm and learned that they didn’t expect her to fund a pricey portfolio.
Dee Ann Vernon, the head of the children’s print department at the Kim Dawson Agency, represents infants, girls up to size 12 and boys up to size 14. She says that the first step is to snail mail (not e-mail) a cover letter (include the child’s stats and your contact info) and two snapshots of your child to respected agencies.
And candid is best. “We need to see your child acting natural and see what their body style is,” says Vernon. But, she cautions to leave the cutesy gimmicks for your holiday cards (read: no sunglasses or hats; no face paint or food on their faces). Quality does matter, so use a high-grade printer (surprise! photos do not have to be professionally taken). While you are getting your backyard photo shoot together, forget trying to copy a magazine spread or over thinking the right “look.” Susie Feinstein, director of the kids/teens broadcast and print division at The Clutts Agency, has 24 years experience working in the industry. She says, "Clients used to always look for the ‘pretty kids,’ but now it’s more about the real/natural looking kids. They look for all ethnicities and ages.” And, while print jobs almost always involve a local shoot, the images “can be used nationally or worldwide," notes Feinstein.
After you have mailed the pictures, here comes the hard part. Don’t check back with the agent.
“If we are interested we will call,” Vernon says. “Sometimes we hold onto pictures for months since the kids are always moving up sizes. We are constantly looking to fill the voids, especially with babies.” Just because your child is not the right size that they need at the moment, doesn’t mean there won’t be a new opportunity to resubmit in six months.
Should you invest in modeling schools to enhance your child’s chances? Vernon says no (and you should be wary if a modeling agency requires this). “They really don’t need it,” says Vernon. “On the job training is the training they need and the photographer will coach them at the session.” However, having a capacity for being a quick study is a must — kids who don’t warm up will have a hard time getting jobs.
If the agency wants to meet you and your child, rest assured an interview will be scheduled. “We will call two families in at a time. An interview is usually
10-15 minutes and at the end of interviewing day, we get a good idea of which kids are right for us,” reveals Vernon. “We then check what sizes we need. If we would like to represent your child, we will mail a contract, usually within the week.” The agency only collects a fee (20 percent of the child’s income) when a job is secured.
Ilya Golden’s son Maliek, now 13, was chosen at age 7 by the Gap during their first nationwide model search. Afterward, she sent in a picture to The Campbell Agency and two weeks later nabbed an interview and subsequent contract. In the beginning, the Dallas mom says she took him on a series of “go-sees” where the client simply gives the child a once over before deciding if he is right for the job. As soon as Maliek booked his first job, the assignments started flowing.
Parents do need to market their prodigy, but it doesn’t have to be a major investment. Professional photos only come into play when a child is nine months and older and should not rival the cost of a Disney vacation. “We have seen parents who spend thousands on pictures that we cannot use once they sign with us,” Vernon shares. “One of the local photographers that we can recommend charges approximately $120.”
What can you expect to invest? Time.
“Maliek does miss quite a bit of school but works extra hard on his makeup work,
reports Golden. “He loves being around his friends and he plays sports, so sometimes he has to make tough decisions of going to practice and playing in a game or auditioning for a part.”
Vernon recommends parents become expert at communicating frequently with the agent. This means constant scheduling updates, as well as notification of health or physical changes (lost teeth, etc). And, of course, you have to have the ability to drop everything at a moment’s notice for that coveted job.
Most importantly (and parents usually don’t want to hear this): Be ready to let your agent know if your child is simply not interested in the business anymore. There won’t be hurt feelings at the agency, and it is better to stop auditioning instead of sending an uninterested child to see clients.
From Posing to Performing
Like many children, including Maliek, who has appeared in the movie Mad Money and the upcoming Hurricane Season, modeling is the first step toward acting.
Erin Kaszynski, the children’s broadcast agent at the Kim Dawson Agency, cautions parents to ask themselves a few questions before fixing their gaze on Hollywood. “The first is to decide who wants this more,” implores Kaszynski. “Whose dream is this? The child’s or the parent’s? You can tell when the parent wants it more than kid.”
She also cautions families to remember that this is a very difficult business. There is no guarantee of work — but there is considerable time, energy, schedule upheaval and driving involved.
“In a sense, we also interview the parents,” says Kaszynski. “We let them know all the issues involved. It is difficult when both parents work; you have to have a flexible schedule. Can your family financially afford to pursue this? There are certainly sacrifices involved. Kids have to be serious about it, but, ultimately, kids need to be kids.”
If you’re still undeterred, the best places to start when you want to launch your child into the business are the Society for Theatrical Artists' Guidance and Enhancement (S.T.A.G.E.) and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), says Kaszynski. S.T.A.G.E. is a 25-year-old nonprofit organization that promotes the theatrical, broadcast and film industries, as well as offers classes to members. S.T.A.G.E. also hosts Noon Prev
iew, a local actors’ showcase attended monthly by casting directors, talent agents, producers and directors.
SAG is the nation's largest labor union representing working actors. With 20 branches nationwide (including Dallas-Fort Worth), SAG represents nearly 120,000 actors in film, television, industrials, commercials, video games, music videos and other new media. Experts in the business suggest that you align with an agency that is franchised by SAG, so you can be assured the rules will be followed regarding union contracts, payment and the number of hours your child can legally work.
Unlike modeling, you will want to consider investing in acting classes for your budding Dakota Fanning. You can get lists of instructors from both S.T.A.G.E. and SAG. After a few sessions, the acting coach will be able to let you know if your child is ready to start submitting to agents. Also, many casting agents will give workshops — a great way to boost your child’s profile.
Another way to get children seen is to involve them in theater. They will need to be able to read well, learn possibly unfamiliar words in the script and then be able to interpret them.
Like modeling, finding an agent is the same: send a good photo and cover letter — then wait.
And, when the waiting pays off? Barbara Blanchette, the co-director of the Children’s Division at The Campbell Agency, has a few words of advice for moms and dads of kid actors. “I always tell parents that if you think your kid is the greatest kid in the world, you are a great parent. But if someone else's child, doing just as well as yours, makes you jealous instead of happy for them; you are the cursed ‘stage’ parent.”
Some kids are able to straddle both the modeling and acting worlds. But, whether they can sail smoothly between print jobs and on-camera work really depends on the child. Feinstein, who works closely with her assistant LaTosha Ridgway in evaluating prospects, says, "Some kids are right for broadcast, some for print and others work in both. For print they must be the right size, the right look for the specific job and have a great personality. For broadcast they need to be a good reader, be able to memorize lines and have personality plus."
After cutting their teeth here in Dallas, how do you know when it is time to make the leap to LA or New York City? Feinstein advises, "If your child has done well in Dallas and has built up a resume, he may be ready. I only encourage my top talent to make such a move. Both markets are highly competitive, and parents should not get their hopes up. It may take a long while, if ever, to catch the ‘big break.’ Parents should definitely understand this does not happen very often."
Even if your child does not hit the superstar stratus, she can learn a lot from the industry. “The goal of all parents is for their children to grow up to be fine, upstanding, individuals of character,” offers Mike Tomas, founder of the boutique Tomas Agency in Carrollton. “Every single experience in this business can be used as a teaching tool. Kids will deal with rejection, the unavoidable ups and downs, bad classes and the business of running their career. They need to be solid enough to maintain good self esteem.”
He adds, “Some parents are at fault because they think this industry is easy. There are no shortcuts to success.”
Feinstein echoes this philosophy. "This business is a bit different than, let's say, a child's participation in sports. It is a job that teaches them how to talk to adults and how to take rejection — skills that will serve them well when they are adults."
(Name with asterisk changed at the request of the individual.)
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