Does ANYBODY Know About Modeling Stuff?? Help

Dear J.,

I used to live in Los Angeles and I was a struggling actress and I too was "accepted" into some of the best schools, but they all wanted money. Many of these schools will tell you that your child is smart, beautiful and talented to get your money. The reality is all of the beautiful children get accepted.

I have two young boys myself and thought about getting them into the business, but it's very time consuming. You will have to take them to auditions, worry that they don't fall down and get bruises. Worry that they will have a runny nose during an audition or worse, be sick on a the day of a photo shoot or commercial shoot. There is also the question of what to do with the rest of your children. Who will take care of them when you are at a photo shoot or audition.

If you are worried about paying $1200 or $7400 then this may be something you want to pursue because this is just the tip of the iceberg. There will be dance lessons, acting lessons, hair appointments, clothes, dental appointments, etc. Did I mention photography? Some agencies/schools will tell you that you need to use their photographer and you have no choice to shop around.

The other thing to consider is, does this fit within our family's value system? How will your other children react to you pouring all of your attention onto your five year old daughter? How will she respond? Will she become self-centered and arrogant? It's possible.

I used to be in beauty pageants and the girls were just awful. I'm sure the moms thought that the pageants would be good for their development while also offering the possibility of money for college. But, very few actually achieve this goal.

There are a couple of really good talent agencies in Seattle that I recommend to my clients. Try going to the following:

Seattle Models Guild
1809 7th Ave # 608
Seattle, WA 98101
###-###-####
smgmodels.com

They have an open call on Wednesdays and anyone can go and it doesn't cost a thing.
Our mailing address is:

TCM Models & Talent

2200 6th Ave. Suite 530
Seattle, WA 98121
###-###-#### or
fax: ###-###-####
www.tcmmodels.com

You can submit photos online and they will contact you.

Don't give into the hype and lose your hard earned dollars.
If you find that you need modeling photos, contact me and I'll help you out.

I hope this helps,
N.

2 moms found this helpful

I'm a local filmmaker based out of Redmond, WA and you are correct in knowing that kids need training. There are a LOT of scam artists out there. If you'd like I can recommend a good "Agent" locally, she's trustworthy and can walk you through a lot of the "Crap" and help you avoid a lot of the hurdles.

I also just worked with two young women (13 and 5) in the most recent film I did, and their parents were very involved and protective. (Dad was a lawyer), The older one has done quite a bit of film, and the mother had been in the industry for a while.

In other words there's a lot of advice to be had, and if you want to e-mail me directly you are more than welcome to. My address is: ____@____.com

2 moms found this helpful

The modeling "schools" are all total rip-offs, and will get you nowhere. We did a lot of research before signing my son up with a local agent, and everything we heard about the schools was negative.

There are only 2 agencies in Portland that represent babies and children: Murphy Management and Ryan Artists. We used Murphy Management and actually booked a couple of national print ads (they don't pay well-usually about $50/gig), before they started asking us for more and more $ to produce our stat sheets, so we stoppped using them. Ryan Artists represents kids (not babies) and a friend of ours is using them for her 2 daughters. One of them just booked a Burgerville print ad.

If I were you, I'd first of all think very hard about your goals and motivations for getting your daugher into modeling. It's a horrible business that treats girls like pieces of meat and can cause all sorts of self image issues. Most girls never make it big, and parents just end up shoveling huge amounts of money into what amounts to a hobby.

We never took our son's modeling seriously. It was just something fun to do while it worked for us, but we quit as soon as it stopped being fun. This is the attitude I hope most parents would take when considering this for their kids.

2 moms found this helpful

There are a few modeling agencies in Seattle, just google them.You should not be paying for anything unless the agency tell you you need a portfolio.
If you shell out the monies for that when she is 5, imagine how much when she gets older.

Definelty look into the agencies and see what they say before putting that much money into an investment that might be bogus.
Helpful Mom!

1 mom found this helpful

First you need to research the agents in your area and maybe take her to one of them. Most agents will honestly tell you right off if she has it or she doesn't. They may need training but I have been told by other moms who have had their kids do modeling is that the first rule of thumb is that if you're asked for $$ up front run the other direction. I to went through the whole audition thing w/my daughter. It was with John Robert Powers. It was horrible. They made it sound like an actual audition for an agent only to tell me my daughter made it but it will cost me $2100. And even then there is no promise she'll get any work. They are a school that is it. They are NOT an agent. They do NOT book the kids they just teach them and a few parents who said they took them through the training said it was a joke. An actual agent will tell you what you need or don't need to do and if she needs training. If anything you should keep your ears open for free contests in your area or mall fashion shows. And get some really good pictures of her. Usually headshots, no makeup, hair pulled back or at least out of her face. Go online and type in the name of the school you went to and add scam to it....... like John Robert Powers Scam. And see what comes up. You'll be suprised.

Please let me know what happens b/c I just went through this w/my duaghter and I'm curious to see what happens.

L.

1 mom found this helpful

Actually I do not know, but I am interested for my granddaughter. Where do you live J. H? V. T

1 mom found this helpful

Yes, I have been through this sort of thing. I have had experience with a couple of schools. One not so good. The other was great training but expensive. I enrolled my son into a school(JRP)when he was 11. The training was good but expensive. He went to IMTA (pretty much just like IPop) when he was 13. The experience was something we won't forget but not really worth the money. He did have several callbacks from agencies but they all wanted him to move to Los Angeles. He is now 17 and he just recently signed on with a local agency, Ryan Artists. He had auditioned for them before and didn't get accepted because they wanted him to have more training and experience. (By the way, he is an actor not a model.) My 10 year old daughter was spotted by a school/agency out of Beaverton when she was 8. We paid for the classes, she signed on with the agency, and has never gotten a job. She recently had another audition (thinking it was for a Disney TV show) again told how beautiful she is but again wanted lots of money for training. It was a school out of Arizona. I checked them out on the internet and they seemed to be legit with good reviews. But my husband was hesitant because of the cost and because of how much money we have already put into our son. However, now that he has representation I'm waiting for that first paycheck then I'll push the issue again with my daughter.
If you really want to succeed, your daughter needs to be very outgoing, a ham for the camera (when someone she doesn't know is taking the pictures), not shy (at all) around strangers, and can take "no" for an answer without getting discouraged or upset. (You can get a lot of no's before you get a yes.) Most agents and casting directors make their decision in the first minute of meeting your child. And as her parent you need to be persistent and diligent in pursuing and following up on things for her. It is good you are starting young. Once they hit about 11 or 12 opportunities are fewer.
You can submit your daughter online with Ryan Artists. Do that and see what they say. She might get lucky. Or they might just tell her to get more training and try again later.
P.S. I do not feel like I wasted my money on my son's classes because it has helped him to be confident in himself and know how to present himself to people.

1 mom found this helpful

Don't waste your money J..

Take the advice of the folks who've told you that there are much less expensive ways to get into "the biz".

I think it's great that you want to support your child's interests, and I have nothing against acting/modeling being a kid's "thing" that they want to do, or even a parent who wants to share their beautiful child with the world.

I just don't want you to get taken advantage of.

Show business is a business like anything else, and the best way to get anywhere in any business is to network and form relationships that will help you get where you want to get.

If you think you don't know anybody with connections that would benefit you, you haven't asked! You'd be surprised which of your acquaintances knows the person who knows the person who owns the business that would be the perfect fit for what your daughter wants to do.

Good luck and have fun with your daughter!
D. T

1 mom found this helpful

Hello mother of a beautiful 5 year old. I am a mother of 3 and I have modeled a lot in my younger years (teen years to late 20s).My 6 year old daughter is amazingly beautiful and would probably be devoured by the world if I let her be used and exposed. I personally feel that the modeling world is not a good place for anyone, let alone our children. I am very familiar with the process (cattle calls)What is that teaching our children? It is an emotional rollercoaster to dress up and get your hopes up for being the chosen one, stand in line for however long, then wait to see if you are chosen for the ad, commercial etc.... There are a lot of rejections that frankly, I think children should not have to go through the agonizing process. We are not in control of what other people value or think is beautiful. The people looking for models may like blondes, red heads, boys, girls, tall, chunky, white, black etc.... I could see if someone approached your daughter out of the blue and asked her to model, but spending hundreds and thousands? I know that if she has the look or personality wanted by a certain company, you do not have to spend a dime. Get her into music, learning an instrument. or acting or dance. Something that is a skill that she will have as a tool for a lifetime. Looks are fickle, depending on what the viewer thinks is beautiful. Our looks are nothing we can control, but something she will have to accept and live with.... Value other things, like knowledge and virtues, rather than looks. Then she will have inner beauty and confidence to last a lifetime. This is just my opinion, do to my background in modeling. I would not share my beauty (6 year old) with the world for one minute. If your daughter is to be a super model kid, that means more gigs, you playing chauffer, taking away from the other 3 childrens mommmy or daddy time, and what for? For 2 minutes of fame. Look at children who did make it big. They missed out on school, friends, family, etc... I never dig up the calenders, magazine photos, etc... that once was. It is all in a box of memories. Family time and being a kid is the most important thing you can do for your child right now. Just my opinion.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi J.,
I am G. from Oregon and I put my granddaughter in a modeling and acting school when she was 5 and the price was nothing like what you paid and its a two year program. They go just once a week and there are seminars that you can attend and the cost is usually around $125.00 and you meet agents and they go in front of cameras to do see how they respond and how the agents like them.
My granddaughter was in an independent movie,she didn't get paid put it was very exciting for her.I felt it was all positive and I would suggest you check into it, I will give you the information I have and you can contact them and see if they have agencey's in other location and I'm sure they do because they have agents and producers come from all over, New York and Los Angeles.
Here's the info I have.

IMD- www.imdmodeling.com
My granddaughter has moved so she is not longer with the agency and I was taking her out anyway because she was one of those children that let it go to her head and I was not about to let that happen. She was called on a couple of auditions but I passed because I knew she would get them and with her additude I decided against it.
I hope this information helps you,I am in Oregon but I'm pretty sure they can hook you up with an agency where ever your at.

Good Luck

1 mom found this helpful

What community are you in? I know that there are groups that charge way to much and do way to little.
As long as she is having fun, that is the most important thing. We belong to a yahoo group called Performers Call Board. They allow people to list different casting calls.
My son and daughter are both actors and models. My son has done community theater, short films, and high school theater since he was in 6th grade.

I would be carefull who you get involved with. Do a google search for them, and call your better business services.

If all you are doing is training, then yes paying is a good idea. But if you have to pay for a modeling oppertunities then I would walk away.

I hope this helps......
B.

1 mom found this helpful

Most of these "schools" will help a little, but they sell their programs on commission and will say whatever needs to be said to get you to pay. The programs aren't useless, but they are not worth the huge amounts of money.

A better approach might be to get your daughter an agent (Actors in Action is good) and have her do some things to see if she really likes it. There is always extra work out there for movies and commercials. She can also take a modeling or acting class through the Children's theaters in Portland our through Portland PArks and Rec for a fraction of what the modeling schools charge.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi J.,

We did the same thing for our son when he was about 7 years old, but in the acting side of modeling. We too paid $1200 for "training" and head shots, etc, but when we weren't happy with the type of acting that was happening and skipped his "lesson" one week and went back the next, the company had closed its doors and gone out of business- he still had about 6 weeks worth of lessons that we had paid for. He got to do one audition and a terrible audition tape.

I say be very, very careful in what you are doing and DON'T pay any more money until they can send your daughter to some reputable photo shoots, such as catalogue work for Sears, JC Penny, etc.

Good Luck!
C.

1 mom found this helpful

I also believe that you shouldn't have to pay to have your child model. Here is a website that you can go onto to get your child out there. We were going to do this to start our childs college fund, but just haven't gotten around to getting her picture on the website yet. It's www.ryanartists.com Good luck!

~M.

1 mom found this helpful

careful what you wish for. You say this is her interest, but it is out up to we parents to guide our girls to not grow up too fast in this consumer driven society. read the book "living simply with your children" as I just did, and look for ways to be happy that is not shallow. Best wishes!

1 mom found this helpful

No legit modeling agency will charge a fee up front. They will do free headshots (photos), and take your child as a client for free. The fee for the agents work will come when the child books a job. They take a percentage out of what the job earns. Everyone does need training, but no one needs to pay huge amounts of money. Local children's theatre classes are a great place where your child can begin to build confidence and skills. Make sure to check their references. The clases shouldn't cost more than a couple of hundred dollars, at most! Of course your child is the best and the brightest!!! Don't let sleazy "agents" prey on your pride. Why waste good money going to clases and conventions, when that money could be used for something really important, like college!!! If your child is meant to be a star, nothing will stop them. Good for you for asking questions. Don't be fooled into thinking that spending more money means more opportunities!

1 mom found this helpful

My daughter is beautiful and talented too, but I believe if someone truly wants your kid, they will pay (versus asking you to pay for their "services"). The majority of the "modeling agencies" or "talent scouts" are actually trying to sell the dream to the kids that they will be the "one in a million" next Disney star, etc...and then require classes and training as you describe above (that you pay for to invest in your child's "future"). Many of these casting calls get the kids so excited, and of course most parents want to support their kids, give them a shot at things they are interested in and generally believe they can do anything...and these agencies/scouts often play upon that and it becomes a situation where after it starts, if you don't keep going it is the parent saying no to the child. My advice is to let your daughter develop herself through other community based activities such as drama, dance, and volunteering to help others. A well-rounded, talented child is a great thing, and hopefully that way she'll get to have a real childhood too, something many childhood stars miss out on. My daughter was a model as a baby and while I think she could have kept doing work, I didn't want it to take over our lives and we stopped. Now at 13, she has the attitude that if someone really wants to hire her, she'll be offered money for a job - not simply try to sell her parents on spending a bunch of money to take classes. Good luck with it and hope it is helpful. I say put the money in a college fund for her!

1 mom found this helpful

I would say, avoid the convention. It's not worth the money. I myself went to one once and there are so many kids trying to to compete, that they don't get SEEN, which is the idea. When I was doing some modeling when I was younger, I went through and agency called ABC Kids. They were really good, and they don't charge you a penny unless it's in commission from a job they book you on - the usual 10%. The first thing they told me when I went was that I shouldn't have to pay to work. That if I was going to get jobs, the jobs would pay me. They didn't want me to be in classes or anything like that, they held free "practice sessions" where they tought runway and commercials and stuff. All you had to do was show up. They are the agency that started out Katie Holmes, among others. I really liked them. At the time I was 20 or 21 so I was doing the teen stuff but they really concentrated on the little kids and the kids got work. They are located in Kirkland. I liked how honest they were with me also about what I actually needed to spend. I had to get pictures taken at my own expense, but it was a few hundred dollars. I think like $250 or something, but I'm sure the price has gone up since that was about 8 or 9 years ago. Plus, I only got black and white acting photos and not the full modeling cards done with all the outfit changes and color pics.

I would say, let your daughter explore things while she's having fun, but don't go broke and definity don't push her, which it sounds like you're not. If she's going to "make it", she will and if not, have fun while you're at it. Just don't turn into a stage mom.

ABC Kids does take their kids to a convention it's called AMTC but it is a lot less expensive. I went mostly because it was in Florida and I could go to Disney World while I was there, not to mention get away from my parents(as opposed to New York - I bet that is the one you heard of.) It cost under $2000 if I remember correctly. I had a lot of fun but would not do it again with my own kids because there is just too much competition and it's not worth it. If they are going to get "discovered" it will happen with or without the convention.

Good luck!! Check out ABC Kids!

1 mom found this helpful

You shouldn't pay for a school to teach your daughter how to model. A reputable "scout" will not charge you and a school is only to help teach her how to do simple things, like pose. Sometimes, the schoool may be in touch with an agent or two and can send out headshots of qualified kids. It's an incredibly difficult thing to get into.

I know this is going to sound weird, but have you thought about putting your daughter into pageants? She is able to model, can still get pictures taken, and can win money for school aka scholarships/bonds! Don't get me wrong, pageants are expensive as well, but it can also be a bonding experience for mother/daughter's to do?!. Just my 2 cents!! HTH and Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

I was a child model. The first thing you should know is that you need to find a good agency. After the initial training, you should not have to put anymore money into anything because most of those things are scams. THe agency I worked with is Thompson Models, I don't know if they're still around, but I was able to have a lot of fun, and it didn't cost my parents hardly anything. Most agencies will pay to have a full portfolio done because they want to find jobs for your child. Every job you get, they get a percentage. I hope this helps. If you have further questions, feel free to send me a message.
Good Luck! :o)
B.

1 mom found this helpful

I think your doing a great job of helping your daughter get involved in the things she likes. My daughter likes to swim and I don't even know how. Sometimes its hard to support her in something I am so foreign to so I think your doing great.
I started modeling when I was three and did it for a few years. I got into it by joining a jazz dance class and we would dance and then do a modeling portion. I think in you might be able to find something like that or maybe you can find someone who does modeling that could teach her personally. I know the former Mrs. Washington from Enumclaw and she has taught modeling for 10 years. I think there are more people like her that could teach your daughter individually and maybe cheaper. I'm not sure though, I'm just trying to help because stuff like that can get really expensive. Also, just remember if your daughter does it for awhile and decides she doesnt really love it it won't be a waste of money. She can learn a lot of valuable things from it. I did and I'm really glad my mom supported me while I was into it.

1 mom found this helpful

I dealt with this with my stepdaughter. For years, she would go to "auditions" in the mall, stop at booths at the fair, etc. to these "schools". We were concerned because she would always need $2,000 here, $4,000 there to pay for this training. We later watched a show on Dateline or 48 Hours, etc. with interviews with models and agents. They said that if she had real talent, she could put together her own portfolio - professional pictures or personally done - and mail them to agencies - if they saw the potential, they would contact her and it wouldn't cost her anything.

1 mom found this helpful

J.:
I don't know exactly how things work in general but I do have a friend that has a little girl doing an ad campaign for a major designer ( and a Hollywood movie). My friends daughter was accepted to a modeling agency & the only thing she had to pay for out of pocket were photos. She had a composite card done as well as some professionally done photos. It was through the agency where she got the ad campaign. She did not go through any formal training. I personally don't think you have to go to a school to "learn" how to be a model. You either have it or you don't. It's a tough business ( even for the tots).
Do your homework!!!
Good luck to your little girl.

1 mom found this helpful

I have worked as a graphic designer in advertising for over 30 years, so I do know some about the modeling business having hired numerous models for photo shoots. I am sure your child is adorable and probably very photogenic, but it's been my experience that those expensive classes and, especially the convention, are really a rip-off. Pretty much anyone with the money gets "accepted" -- really how many ugly 5-yr-olds do you know? Plus, beauty isn't everything, sometimes agencies need a particular "look" for a shoot, so funny-looking, quirky kids can also get work.
If you are truly interested, I'd suggest having your child do some drama classes with Seattle Children's theater (to learn to do great facial expressions and act--what good models actually do). They're fun, affordable and less time-intensive. Find a good photographer and get some head shots. Check out reputable modeling agencies (not ones that offer classes). Then, you just need to start pounding the pavement to agencies and photographers. Many of the photographers I work with use "regular" people for shots since many clients don't have big budgets for talent. Payment is often in photos or very nominal.
Be aware, that pursuing this is truly a huge commitment for the parents as an adults always has to be on hand for shoots, etc. You'll need to act as the child's manager.
Kids do manage to break into the business...but rarely through one of the pricey class-based firms.
Hope this helps.

1 mom found this helpful

My daughter does the modeling and you don't have to pay that much. We got sucked in to the school thing when my daughter was the same age and almost did the IPOP thing but just could not do the money and things went down hill there at that point. They almost got bent out of shaoe that we could not do that. We have her now with a local agent and there are a couple around and she takes a class once a month for $65 dollars and she has gotten more out of that than she ever did the school.
If you want more info email me.

1 mom found this helpful

My brother wanted to get into modelling when he was younger. My parents paid a bunch of money for him to get into this class and program. He ended up being the good looking guy (he was a teen) who tried to spray cologne on you in department stores. That's pretty much where all their models were placed. A year later, I tried out for a similar thing, but there were no fees. The end result was the same, but it didn't cost my family a dime. I've thought about looking into it for my kid and there are a bunch of sites that say you should never have to pay a bunch of money to get into it. I understand if you're paying for classes, but if you're just paying for representation, it's not supposed to work that way. Try looking up local agents and sending some pictures. See what they say. Good luck.

1 mom found this helpful

My brother had used Kid-Biz, an agency out of Seattle when he was younger and landed some acting jobs through them. I know that they represent models too. You do have to pay for a photo shoot and headshot cards, but you only pay the agent when you get paid for a job. I would be very wary of any agent or group who asks for any money without providing a real service, such as photos. I think that modeling is a neat way for kids to put away money for school while having fun. When it stops being fun or starts getting in the way of more important aspects of life, take a step back and listen to what your child really wants. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

My friends daughter was about 12 when she started modeling and she started lil shows here and there. Now at the age of 17 or 18 she is actually goes out of state to do much larger jobs. However, this lady has money to just throw around if it was her childs hobby. Maybe you can find a business to sponsor her for any cost. I think the school (training) is a good idea but I wouldn't let her get an agent quite yet. Let her play around with it for a lil bit and see how far she wants to take it. She is very young and she may get bored with it after only weeks. Agents tend to be pushy and I wouldn't want my 5 year olds future to be held by an agent. They normally are quick to make you sign contracts. I can't tell you if this stuff is real, it all sounds good but be cafeful there are somethings out there that are scams. If something seems fishy about it at all go with your instinct and don't do it. My advice is let her have fun with it and you as well and No Agents. Don't go broke trying to make her happy because you have many other family members to take care of too. Hope I helped.

1 mom found this helpful

Dear J., I have some experience with this, my daughter got interested in it for a while. It is a tough call, the big questions are really more about her, there is a lot of rejection, and to be perfectly frank, mean Moms! We live in a fairly small town, but they have opportunities available here in town. We found that putting out all that money was a waste because she got no exposure, and had to deal with the rejection as well. If I were you, I'd look into what you have near your home, you may be surprised, and keep in mind that at 5, she may be wearing rubber boots next week, and wanting to be a fireperson!!! LOL

1 mom found this helpful

I understand what you're saying. It does get a bad rap so you have to be careful, but it's all about staying in CONTROL and keeping BOUNDARIES. Hmm....just like anything, right?
Our daughter is involved in MTG which is located in NE Portland ###-###-####. They offer a variety of options and I believe our out of pocket expense $200 - $300. Our daughter was in The Fred Meyer add and they paid us money. I've seen projects that pay something around $850.00 plus. You receive emails for various projects and can choose which to act on. I think it's a good place to start and at least you can get paid while she does something she enjoys! I hope this helps.

1 mom found this helpful

It sounds really expensive and you may be being taken advantage of. I would say to spend as much money on this hobby as you would any other hobby a child would want to partake in. Such as Girl Scouts, sports, photography etc. There are probably ways to coach your child yourself without spending so much money.

1 mom found this helpful

I would email Diane Burns at Diane Burns Talent & Modeling Agency. Her email address is ____@____.com did an excellent job of explaining to me why all that other expensive stuff can be a total ripoff. She has never asked for one dollar from me and she sends me audition information all the time. She only gets paid if your child gets a part. If you privately send me your email address, I can send you the email she sent to me back when I was contemplating the same thing. It was very informative.

Take care...

L.

PS: I'm a 38 year old SAHM to 5 and 8 year old girls and happily married for almost 11 years.

1 mom found this helpful

Hey there! I used to model in NYC with the Ford Agency. Please understand this: You should NEVER have to pay for anything EXCEPT test photos. What you need to do is research for local agencies....NOT "schools." DO NOT pay for conventions, schools, or auditions. Think about it...how would all these starving actors/models survive if they had to pay for auditions and conventions. You will know you are on the right path if the agency says, "ok here is a list of photographers she should "test" with." Only use photographers that the agency recommends. The agency themselves should not charge you for a thing at this point. If your daughter were to get signed there would possibly be some nominal fees from the agency for a composite card/book. Classes are a scam! BEWARE! It does not take money to model!

1 mom found this helpful

It is primarily a great big rip off. These classes and courses are a huge money maker . . . for the industry NOT for the child. These folks capitalize on the dreams of many mothers and their children . . . and they charge a ridiculous amount of money. If your child has "it," she has it . . . and if she needs some training - her future agents/employers will arrange for this.

Do some research on how working child models and actors got "discovered." You will be very hard pressed to find a single one who made it through the route you are describing. Many cases are genuine on-the-street or in-the-mall discoveries by a talent agent. Others approach the agents and/or modeling agencies directly and obtain representation and contracts through this avenue.

Send your child's picture to modeling agencies that utilize child models. Perhaps you should contact a handful of agents who handle children - and see if any of them are willing to represent your child. THIS is the best way to determine whether or not your child actually has "it" or whether or not you will just be pouring in good money after bad.

1 mom found this helpful

My best advice to you is don't pay a thing. If they really want your daughter as part of their agency and they think she has what it takes they will foot the bill. I would look around and see what other agencies tell you. You cann also have pictures done do a portfolio and promote her yourself.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi J.,

As a young girl I too was interested in modeling. I was always stopped in the streets and told I should be a model and admired older girls that did mall fashion shows and events. My mom was very supportive and took me to a school, I'm sure similar to what you are doing, but NOTHING ever came of it. I agree with other responses, these schools are ultimately a business and want to make money off parents with little knowledge about the industry. I would get your money back or at least plan to not spend any more money on training in the future. Your best bet is to get a local agent, interview many, and if your daughter has "it" the work and subsequent training will follow, at their expense. You never hear of famous models or actors going to these schools to get their start in the industry!

In the end, my mom's support in me trying to make it as a model gave me confidence that still resides with me today. Again, I never made it big but did get to work some local jobs and meet other girls with the same goals. BTW, do be cautious of other stage moms and their daughters, I remember a lot of sabotaging and back-stabbing at such a young age, and although my mom did a great job of sheltering me from it, I knew what was going on. It's not that pretty of an industry behind the scenes for so many reasons, but if my daughter shows interest in it, I know that based on my experiences and my confidence in my ability to raise her, I would let her go for it as you are! Hope my experience provides insight for you. Good luck!

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Going to the schools and taking the classes will give her a "leg up" because she will know what people are looking for in the auditions. She will learn how to stand, how to pose, how to walk, how to talk, etc. I can tell you from experience that the 1200 you spent on the school will not be a waste whether she gets a job or not. She will gain great confidence from it and will learn how to carry herself well. If you want the jobs though, you have to get her out there and audition. An agent will generally just do that research for you. With kids, and especially at this stage of the game, that is just getting ahead of yourself. The people that are looking for kids to model are looking for KIDS... not miniature models. So, take her to as many auditions as you can and encourage her to be herself. The more jobs she has, the more serious each subsequent one will take her. You will most likely need to have a professional photo shoot done and get her a portfolio made up. Aside from the portfolio pictures and the few school classes, beware of anyone asking you to pay for anything! There are so many people out there trying to take advantage of moms that are eager and new to the bizz.

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I've heard that when getting into modeling, you should not be spending extreme amounts of money. Perhaps because you live in Alaska, it's more expensive.

Hopefully you will get some modeling jobs to pay for the school and the trip. See if you can do some bake sales or something to help finance it. Call all of your friends, bake a ton of stuff and scatter throughout Anchorage (or wherever you live) and have a display of your daughter with professional photos (not snapshots), buzz cards, etc and "showcase" her at all of the sites.

I've worked with a couple of models before. Most of those kids aren't very nice. Make sure while she's training that she keeps her sweetness and is friendly and kind to everyone. Some call it assertiveness, I call it just plain mean. If you need help with photographs, you can contact me through this forum.

Good luck.

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In my opinion you should start looking for auditions on your own. Training can help but it is not necessary. If she does need some coaching the staff who hires her will help. So save your money and give it a shot. If she gets some jobs on her own and she likes it then you can make an investment. Good luck.

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Everything I have ever heard of (and a friend of mine experienced) is that those things are usually a rip off. It is really hard to get into something that actually is lucrative and pays you, unless you know someone. I would look for some ratings/comments (maybe online) regarding the company your daughter is modeling with, and see what people that have tried it have to say about it. Maybe there is something on the BBB's website (Better Business Bureau). Good luck!

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You should never have to pay to get your child to model. If they are intersted in your child enough they will pay for her pics nd things. It is one thing to sign her up for some classes but it would be much cheaper (and better exposure) to sign her up at your local childrens theatre. They generally start kids out behind the scenes to give them an idea of how it works then as they show more interest they let them audition for parts. Another neat organization is Sunshine Generation (you can look them up online). It is a weekly class for about 35.00 a month where they practice singing, dancing and acting and then put on a show every 3 months at local venues. As for actual modeling check with your local modeling agencies, but unless you live in a large sity (ie: Seattle, L A, New York) your not really going to be able to find much print work, mainly just local runway (store) shows. Remember though even at a modeling agency you should not have to shell out any money, if they really think they can book your kid, then they will make there money that way. The only reason you would have to pay for pics is if they are not sure they can sell your kid, that way they are covering themselves, which means it is very unlikely your kid will be picked. If you have any other questions feel free to email me.

My daughter is 11 and has been involved with modeling for about 4 years. It can be a great way to help them with their poise and self confidence. I would only expect it to be part time and when it becomes stressful, or it is no longer fun, it should be stopped. There are a number of agencies out there. All are going to run between $600-$2000 to get started and you may not get a financial return on your investment. The question you'll need to ask yourself is do you want to invest that amount so she can have a good time.

J.,

My daughter (who is 23 yrs old now) did some modeling at the age of 10 until she was almost 13. She stopped cause it was my dream not hers. We were living in San Francisco at the time. How she first got into the business, we were approached by a photographer (who took pictures for an agency) at a pagent my daughter was in. We were given a business card for the agency and she told us to call the next day. I thought I would call and ask a couple of questions. I met with the agency the next day and was told that the only thing my daughter needed was to purchase a couple of head shots (I could use the same photographer that gave us the card). My daughter met with the photographer days later for a couple of hours to do a photo shoot. She picked out the best 3 photos and all this cost me was $300.00. I never had to pay the agency a dime. My daughter made a lot of money working for this agency. I was told by this agency that if any agency asked for money up front, walk away.
If you want to spend the money for courses, it is up to you. But if you are serious in getting your child into modeling, go online to find an agency not a modeling school. You should not have to pay for anything but photos to get her started. Good luck!!!

I did some modeling and commercials as a child as did my mom and sister. Certainly there is going to be some expense, pics, time and money to get to auditions, and so forth. However, don't be conned into these schemes that get you to pay for something you really didn't need. What you need first is an agent, and a reputable one. Most agents, good ones anyway, don't charge you. They make their commission from you working and they should be giving you the tools to be productive. As far as where to look, start with the phone book and do lots of calling. You're interviewing them every bit as much as they're interviewing you. Compare, ask about who they've represented, and be cautious. In that biz, there's a lot of hype to get you to spend a lot of money.

As a side note, modeling can be a lot of fun, but it can be very stressful especially on the self-esteen. At 32, I still deal with body image issues (like most women) that I think came from being judged on my appearance. I was never quite right. My teeth weren't straight enough, my thighs were too big (at 16), etc. At 5'9" and 125 lbs, I was told I needed to lose weight. I remember my last modeling gig I had to walk past a panel of people from big agencies holding my pictures up. We walked in a line holding our pics and letting them decide if we were good enough to be represented by them. At that same event, a mother stopped me to tell I was the most wholesome one there. What should have been a compliment made me cringe knowing that wholesome wasn't going to cut it. At that point, I was done. I haven't modeled since, and though I'm an attractive woman and have a greater sense of who I am, I still worry about looks. On the other hand, I learned to handle stressful situations and take responsibility for a lot of things. It many ways it made me very confident and in other ways less so.

If you and your daughter decide to pursue modeling, be sure to check your sources and always plan to be with her. Don't let people talk you into letting her do things on her own. As her mother, you are entitled to be anywhere she is, and if anyone tries to suggest differently, run in the opposite direction. As a stage mom, you will have to be assertive, polite, but assertive so neither of you are taken advantage of, and believe me many will try.
Good luck!
K. N

This is definately not hate mail... just advice and caution. I am a mom of the children age 11, 15 and 18. I modeled when I was younger, went to "school" etc. BEWARE! I know that it is exciting to be "accepted", but schools don't usually turn anyone down. They are there to make money. The best thing to do is find a good photographer, get a "head shot" and "body shot" to start a portfolio. Then seek out an agent or vice versa. Just beware of conventions etc that cost you money!! You should only invest in a portfolio, which itself can cost a fortune. If anyone out there knows of a legit agent, that is where I would turn - BUT... an agent will want a "resume" and head and body shots and not all agents will accept everyone. That is when you should feel great, is when an agent takes you : ) I hope that helps!

hey i have a neibor friend thats a modeing thing but she says if she says shes fat or ugly there no reason to spend that type of money on something like that becase u can see it in any type of pictures these day i well see ABOUT GETTING SOME MORE INFO FOR U IF U WANNA u can add me ____@____.com do u have yahoo messager ? if so add me ok

I'd go with your gut. apparently very few of the people that are interested in modeling actually become models. and the industry is also very hard on a child's self image. People who really want you do actually pay money to have you in pictures..... otherwise It seems like they use interested people to subsidize shows and whatnot.

I have 2 girls that modelled from 3-9 years old until they lost interest when soccer took over. All the schools will tell you the same thing--that your child is pretty, smart, etc. etc. It's part of their sales pitch. I've seen many hopefuls spend thousands of dollars and got nothing in return. At that age you don't need to have your child go to school. Instead, go to a legitimate kids agency. If you're in the Seattle area, the most recognizable and has been around for years is Kid Biz, ABC model & Emerald City Model. They were the most reputable when my girls modelled. Their kids got the jobs. Don't go to the schools. But your child can't get a job without an agent. Our agent told us that they would teach the child what they need to know since they are always changing because of growth. Plus their experience, training & resume grows from the work they do. All we bought were the zed cards which had their picture/composite (address, phone number, bday, sizes, etc) which were given to the clients at the time of the audition. My girls did years of local modelling in stores & malls, catalog & newspaper print work, a couple of movies, on stage productions, and tv commercials. They got paid from their agent minus the agent fees which was between 10% to 15% depending on the job.

Hi. One of my good friends has a 7yo daughter (Gabrielle) attending John Robert Powers (aka JRP) which I'm guessing is the company you speak of. JRP is a very reputable school and has turned out many talented kids. My friend, her husband and Gabby attended IPOP last summer and Gabby got several call backs from agencies in LA. They traveled to LA to meet with the agencies and a management company, signed agreements and are now (since the writers strike is over) planning to temporarily move there to "see where it goes". My friend is very happy with the course of events up to now and does not foresee any negative aspects. It is, however expensive but will hopefully pay off in the end. As far as "pushing" your child into it, my best advice is to go with it unless and until your child expresses displeasure or resistance.

I don't have any actual experience (just to clarify!!) but I saw a talk show on tv about kids and modeling and acting. The one piece of advice that I remember is that you never have to pay to get your kids an acting job. I'm not sure if the same is true for modeling, though.
I wish you the best of luck!!

WOW! You have received so many responses!
I just wanted to put in my two bits. I am a local photographer and have worked with a few families around the area getting their kids into modeling. I am more than happy to meet with you, maybe you would be interested in getting some comp cards made? You can then submit those to various agencies who represent children, who don't charge.
If you would like to know more, feel free to contact me.
____@____.com
www.devinedesigns.net
~C.~