kids modelling agencies

[tali122]

kids modelling appears to pay exceptionally well (tax free ?)- who are the best /reputeable kids modelling agencies as i see a lot of ads for ("all shapes /sizes wanted /no experience /best rates paid/guaranteed work etc etc etc) also are their any disadvantages for kids modelling?

[lady_p_gold]

Well I would be very wary of them .... especially ones that say those sort of things. No doubt they will want you to pay for a 'portfolio' or something. Sorry to be cynical.

[noxlumos]

No disadvantages for kids modelling if they ever actually get to model. As Lady-p-gold says there are a lot of scams out there the most usual one being to say how pefect your child is ( they say this to everyone) and that they'll just need to register and have their photos taken ( about �100-�250) and then they'll put you on their books and the work will flood in. They can be rather aggressive in persuing you if you don't sign up too so I hear.They'll stick your kids photos on their website and then you'll never hear from them again.

The best way to get into modelling is to check out reputable agencies used by catalogues, magazines etc and simply send them a headshot of your child with a very brief description and your area.If they are interested they'll get in touch and will register you free of charge. You should never have to pay to join a reputable agent.

[Fish the Mod]

My son is not a model but a child actor, not to name drop but he has been in waking the dead, Holby city, Eastenders, the Bill and so on mainly as an extra, to give you some idea what he looks like, he the new Paddy in the new Footballers Wife ( he appears with Kathy Beale from Eastenders as his mother for 30 seconds). I am often asked by parents what is the secret. Unlike me, my son is good looking but it really is not the looks, but ask yourseft, will your child sit on a film / tv set for hours with nothing to do and then perform as requested right away? His agent will tell parents that if your child is over weight or wear braces its unlikely to get work. I took my son to ballet lessons ( much to the laugher of family and friends) and his teacher suggested that I pay the �110. to be entered in their books, there is no G/tee of work. I took the risk and have been lucky I had a return of my money, just about. The bad points, short notice to get to sets, my son wont go without my Wife or me with him which has meant turning down work for him or taking holidays for a 10 seconds on TV ( if used at all).

Money is not that great, films he may pick up �100 but eastenders is �16.00 per day. I put all the money back in acting lessons ( he is 5 and been acting since 3) and it really is a big bonus if you live in London.

To answer your question, the good agencies dont advertise that much, the best ones normally teach as well and my son is connected to Bodens in North London.

But as I said earlier, a pretty face means nothing, my son will not smile for a still camara but put him in a TV studio he is fine

Good luck

[Buenchico]

I've recently been moaned at about my lengthy posts but that won't stop me posting another one! (Anyway, Tali, you should be used to my ramblings by now!).

There are two types of model agency.

The first type (and by far the most prolific) advertise for models to use their services. They then follow the pattern of behaviour outlined by Noxlumos. i.e. they tell you that you (or your child) will make a fortune from modelling but, of course, you'll just have to invest a few hundred pounds on a portfolio first. (Unsurprisingly, all you'll end up doing is paying hundreds of pounds for the same type of studio shots that you could have had done elsewhere for far less).

The second type of agency never advertises for models. Why not? Simply because they get hundreds of people contacting them every month anyway. Instead of telling everyone that they (or their child) is suited to modelling, they politely reject 95% of approaches. The 5% who get through the initial selection procedure will either be invited to submit their own portfolio (i.e. the agency doesn't make any money from it) or, more likely, will be asked to attend the agency's offices so that a few test shots can be taken (free of charge). This type of agency never asks for money 'up front'; they're happy to make their money as commission from finding work for the model. (Incidentally, the big advertising agencies only ever work with this type of agency. They will have nothing to do with the agencies referred to in the previous paragraph).

[Buenchico]

(2nd Part):

This (excellent) article is about baby modelling but everything written here also applies to child modelling in general:
http://www.babyworld.co.uk/information/newparents/baby_m odelling.asp
(The links at the bottom of the page are all to the second type of agency).

You ask if the earnings are tax free. The answer is both 'Yes' and 'No'. Everyone in this country has to pay tax on their income but, also, everyone has a tax-free earnings allowance. This means that the first �5000 (approx) which a person earns in any tax year is free of tax. This is why paperboys/girls and most students don't pay tax on their earnings. It's unlikely that a child model would earn anywhere near �5000 a year so they won't pay tax but, theoretically, they would have to pay tax if their earnings went above �5000p.a. (There are some 1-year-old babies who pay tax because their mult-millionaire parents have bought a large number of shares in their name).

You ask if there are any disadvantages? Well, I suppose that some kids will be on the receiving end of some rather cruel jokes at school but most youngsters who get into modelling love it. (My cousin certainly did).

Chris

[buildersmate]

So the summary of all this info, Tali, is that if seems too good to be true, it is.

I can only add this this scam has been going on for years. I remember my sister as a teen attending such a presentation with my mother. She's 50 this year (my sister, not my mother).

[gammaray]

Has any one watched "The Real Hustle" on BBC3? Last week they showed a scam involving a so called talent agency. They told everyone that attended an audition that they had great potential but to show their commitment to becoming a "Star" they had to fork over �500 for a demo CD. There was no CD and frankly it didn't appear to make any difference what you sounded like you were given the same flanel.

Simply put, NEVER hand over money on the promise of great things to come. A reputable agency that knows how to place the models on it's books will know that they can get work (and therefore recover any initial costs) for the model so won't charge anything up front. Those asking for fees or "contributions" to show commitment clearly only have one agenda - to part you from your money. It's tempting to be taken in but frankly it's not worth it in the end.