So you think you've got this kids modeling thing all figured out? Parents that think they know everything there is to know about child modeling will probably zone out and stop reading this article at the end of the first paragraph. And a few that do read this entire page might actually know a few ways to maximize their kid's bookings but the huge majority - as in 95% of them do not.
What is on this page is not just for beginners - it is for everyone - and here are the most important things you need to know:
Any top agent or casting director will tell you that 95% of the photos that get submitted to them make them cringe, the amount of time they waste pleading with parents to update and/or upgrade their kid's photos drives them crazy and models with strong up-to-date photos will typically book five to ten times more jobs - and much higher paying jobs - than those without.
• So NEVER take photos of your kids for modeling or acting purposes yourself and don't let a ‘photographer friend’ do them either
Sure, it sounds tempting but don’t think for a minute that you will be saving money that way as you will very likely end up losing as much as several hundred dollars per month in gasoline to go on castings with - plus lost time and lost bookings.
• DO NOT go the $100 headshot or $150 ‘mini-shoot’ route
These dollar amounts were picked at random, but hopefully they will get the point across - which is to avoid do-it-yourself photos and bargain basement photographers. Again, going that route might be tempting but the results will not be good enough and you will end up regretting it.
Will following these rules actually result an increase in the quality and quantity of your bookings?
Sure exceptions might exist. Maybe your photographer friend is Annie Leibowitz and maybe she will take photographs for you as a favor. Or maybe your next door next door neighbor takes amazing $100 headshots - but this very seldom happens as in almost never.
Anyone can buy a cheap camera then put up a web site and claim to be a 'professional' photographer but most - as in 99% of them - have no idea what real agents and real casting directors want to see. And even if they were to be given detailed instructions they don’t have the equipment, experience and expertise to produce compelling photographs that are capable of triggering agency interest, castings, request castings and direct bookings.
Which means that the huge majority of parents that are trying to get their kids started in modeling and/or television and film will end up wasting their time and money. At the rate of $100 to $150 a pop it all adds up, the resulting amateur photos will invariably end up doing more harm than good. Meanwhile, time will keep slipping away which is never a good thing, especially with kids, so stop doing it.
Then there are the parents that needlessly spend money on ‘managers’ or career coaches. Or they are overpaying for classes at 'the best acting school' or the 'hottest commercial audition workshop' in town - yet mom and dad never get around having great headshots done which makes no sense whatsoever. Why? Because this is a first impression business and your headshot or comp card is always the first thing an agent or a casting director sees. Most of the time they are going to make up their mind whether they are going to take you seriously or not at first glance and it won’t matter one bit what kind of coaching, training or experience your kids have because if your headshot or comp card doesn't immediately grab their attention, they will never see your kids' resume and they will never see them in person because you will not be called in.
So make no mistake: Promo materials (headshots, portfolio photos, comp cards, etc.) are of the utmost importance and your career as an actor or a model will rise or fall based on your photographs.
Outdated and/or amateur looking photos won't cut it so upgrade and update your materials as often as possible - and don’t count on agents and casting directors to remind you as they get tired of nagging actors and models to update and upgrade and many of them won’t take the time do it.
Agents will, however, take time to keep track of your casting to booking ratio and the minute your casting to booking ratio falls below a certain level they will drop you. So be proactive as how you present yourself is the most important and least expensive things you can do in order to maximize your bookings and it is the only thing you have complete control of.
Nothing is more important than having up-to-date professional looking promo materials. So make sure you have great photos from a trusted source in order to stand out from the crowd and maximize your bookings.
Some parents that you have met on a casting told you that you don’t need great photographs and comp cards - and you believed them? Wishful thinking and bad advice have killed more modeling, commercial and film careers than all other factors combined. Why would other parents - your competition - want your kids to have better promotional materials than their kids have? What if they have no idea what they are talking about or what if they are deliberately trying to sabotage you? And why does every successful working actor and model in the world of all ages without exception have great promo materials?
And yes, as you may have guessed, there are several other things you can do in order to maximize your bookings and most of them can be done at little or no cost. Click on CONTACT at above right for a FREE CONSULTATION
What is on this page is not just for beginners - it is for everyone - and here are the most important things you need to know:
Any top agent or casting director will tell you that 95% of the photos that get submitted to them make them cringe, the amount of time they waste pleading with parents to update and/or upgrade their kid's photos drives them crazy and models with strong up-to-date photos will typically book five to ten times more jobs - and much higher paying jobs - than those without.
• So NEVER take photos of your kids for modeling or acting purposes yourself and don't let a ‘photographer friend’ do them either
Sure, it sounds tempting but don’t think for a minute that you will be saving money that way as you will very likely end up losing as much as several hundred dollars per month in gasoline to go on castings with - plus lost time and lost bookings.
• DO NOT go the $100 headshot or $150 ‘mini-shoot’ route
These dollar amounts were picked at random, but hopefully they will get the point across - which is to avoid do-it-yourself photos and bargain basement photographers. Again, going that route might be tempting but the results will not be good enough and you will end up regretting it.
Will following these rules actually result an increase in the quality and quantity of your bookings?
Sure exceptions might exist. Maybe your photographer friend is Annie Leibowitz and maybe she will take photographs for you as a favor. Or maybe your next door next door neighbor takes amazing $100 headshots - but this very seldom happens as in almost never.
Anyone can buy a cheap camera then put up a web site and claim to be a 'professional' photographer but most - as in 99% of them - have no idea what real agents and real casting directors want to see. And even if they were to be given detailed instructions they don’t have the equipment, experience and expertise to produce compelling photographs that are capable of triggering agency interest, castings, request castings and direct bookings.
Which means that the huge majority of parents that are trying to get their kids started in modeling and/or television and film will end up wasting their time and money. At the rate of $100 to $150 a pop it all adds up, the resulting amateur photos will invariably end up doing more harm than good. Meanwhile, time will keep slipping away which is never a good thing, especially with kids, so stop doing it.
Then there are the parents that needlessly spend money on ‘managers’ or career coaches. Or they are overpaying for classes at 'the best acting school' or the 'hottest commercial audition workshop' in town - yet mom and dad never get around having great headshots done which makes no sense whatsoever. Why? Because this is a first impression business and your headshot or comp card is always the first thing an agent or a casting director sees. Most of the time they are going to make up their mind whether they are going to take you seriously or not at first glance and it won’t matter one bit what kind of coaching, training or experience your kids have because if your headshot or comp card doesn't immediately grab their attention, they will never see your kids' resume and they will never see them in person because you will not be called in.
So make no mistake: Promo materials (headshots, portfolio photos, comp cards, etc.) are of the utmost importance and your career as an actor or a model will rise or fall based on your photographs.
Outdated and/or amateur looking photos won't cut it so upgrade and update your materials as often as possible - and don’t count on agents and casting directors to remind you as they get tired of nagging actors and models to update and upgrade and many of them won’t take the time do it.
Agents will, however, take time to keep track of your casting to booking ratio and the minute your casting to booking ratio falls below a certain level they will drop you. So be proactive as how you present yourself is the most important and least expensive things you can do in order to maximize your bookings and it is the only thing you have complete control of.
Nothing is more important than having up-to-date professional looking promo materials. So make sure you have great photos from a trusted source in order to stand out from the crowd and maximize your bookings.
Some parents that you have met on a casting told you that you don’t need great photographs and comp cards - and you believed them? Wishful thinking and bad advice have killed more modeling, commercial and film careers than all other factors combined. Why would other parents - your competition - want your kids to have better promotional materials than their kids have? What if they have no idea what they are talking about or what if they are deliberately trying to sabotage you? And why does every successful working actor and model in the world of all ages without exception have great promo materials?
And yes, as you may have guessed, there are several other things you can do in order to maximize your bookings and most of them can be done at little or no cost. Click on CONTACT at above right for a FREE CONSULTATION