Modelling for Babies

[Donna247]

does anyone know any models adacey for babys modeling?
or any websites for it?

[Rhiannon]

Donna247, I know there's one in Buckhurst Hill, Essex can't remember the name, sorry. They charge about £100 to be in their catalogue.

Apparently the best models are the older children that look young. Castings apparently can often last hours, waiting in line to see if you are 'suitable'. Most are in London. Child modelling work is not well paid unless they get a TV advert (then you get a fee each time the ad. is shown).

[Hmonty]

Try Scallywags. They have a website: www.scallywags.com. Both my boys are registered with them and the youngest has done some work (nothing for my eldest yet but he's not as 'pretty'....more of a personality). You originally send in photos and they filter a large proportion of applicants out using these. You then have to go to the office for an interview where they assess the childs character as well as looks. Obviously the idea is that the child is friendly and outgoing in a strange environment but not too boisterous...also, I imagine, they use the opportunity to check out how well the parent(s) handle the child. They then inform you by post of whether you child has been accepted. You have to pay an upfront fee. This doesn't guarantee any work. You also can provide the photo's they use. We just gave them decent snap snots....I was expecting to be ripped off for photos but that didn't happen. Then you wait for the phone to ring and cross your fingers.

Most of the work is in London and you are given very short notice - Normally you are called only an evening or two before.

We do it purely for a laugh and, I have to admit, to gloat a little in the reflected glory....Definitely not a quick route to fame and fortune unless you're very, very lucky.

[Joe1]

Hmonty, how are things going?? I think I will have a look at that site, ds is a real poser in front of a camera.

[Hmonty]

Hi Joe,
No 3 is simmering nicely now that I'm over the morning sickness and pregnancy lethargy. Thank goodness I've got some energy back. My bottom was starting to go sofa shaped! Still haven't tracked down one of those boob tubes....Any news your end? don't forget....mumsnet want gto be the first to know when there is!

On the modelling front I have to admit we went into it purely for vanity and 'one upmanship'! Sad and shallow but true! Obviously my boys are gorgeous but it was when a woman I don't like started talking about getting her (IMO ugly!) baby modelling that I thought about it for my boys. She got turned down whereas we got accepted! I gloated big time....!!!

[Jessi]

Elizabeth Smith is the best agency, but in my experience it was a horrible business. When your child gets booked for a job, they never think to ask you what time your baby has their daytime nap, so invariably the jobs we did get were right during either nap or lunch time. Also studios are really hot, they could be modelling winter clothing in boiling conditions. When you clearly know your baby has absolutely had enough and they try to insist on just one more roll of film, you end up asking yourself what an earth you're doing there, its clearly not for the money. My child did a few jobs, we 've got a nice little collection to show him when he's older and a few hundred quid but we both hated it so stopped! I guess it would be more fun if the job is for advertising toys, as at least they have something that interests them, but clothing ads were'nt much fun.

[Joe1]

Hmonty, we are going to have to make those boob tubes. Will let you know of any news in within the next I would expect. Glad all is going ok.

[Tlb]

We we signed up to Truly Scrumptious in North London. They were reasonably good. WE did a job for Asda magazine (clothes). I think we paid £30 retainer and provided monthly photos.

Basically it was done for a bit of fun and because I was extremely proud (of course!!) of my beautiful new baby. We didn't really make any money (c£300 over 6 months) which has gone into dd's savings account.

It is a hell of an eye opener. Lots of pushy mums and 'starry' kids Lots of networking and the magazines had their favourites (it was almost a waste turning up for castings as they had usually made their decisions)I eventually went back to work three days a week so couldn't really fit in all the castings (usually thursday/friday) and then the shoots on monday. More modelling came our way which I had to turn down in the end which the agency got fed up with but overall they were very nice and had some big clients.

My dd is going to be in a chapter of a new book (as unfortunately so am I!!) called Small Talk being published by Hamlyn next year which describes babies and toddlers behaviour and progression through the ages. Which was great fun to do as a favour to a friend and lovely to keep for when she is older. Which is how I advise going into the modelling side of things - unless of course you are the mother of that beautiful child on the one to one ad/Junior magazine!!

[kimsy]

Hello i really need some advice. I have a 9 month old son and i wanted to get him into baby modelling. I have sent he's pics to 4 agencies and 2 of them have come back and excepted him! One of them being models direct ( which i have read about them on watchdog) and the other one being little acorns i don't know what to do as they want money up front! Does anyone know of any decent trust worthy agencies? I see a couple of you have mentioned Elizabeth Smith? never heard of it! any tips and help???

[leander]

there was something on This Morning today about model agencies,basically if they ask for a lot of money up front steer clear of them,also if they want you to pay for an expensive porfolio dont do it apparently snapshots are all they need to see.hth

[willow2]

Kimsy - are you based in or around London? Nearly all the big agencies are based in London as that is where most of the work is. Contact the Association of Model Agencies and they will send you a list of approved agencies. Elizabeth Smith has been going for ages and is very well respected in the business by the way.

[kimsy]

hi willow2 thanks for your reply yeah i am based in surrey so right next to london. do you have the number of the association of model agencies? Does elizabeth smith have a web address or anything i can look at do you know? Ithink i need to shop around before i go taking anything on....I realised last night this sort of thing is not as easy as we all think!
Talk soon take care

[Lisa1]

I have my ds1 at elizabeth Smith. they do have a wbsite. i tihk they are reputable but you still have to pay out some money. My ds has only done one decent job. you are supposed to send photos to them frequently aand you have to pay to go into their model book. To do a lot of work I think you have to be a professional model mum They get stroppy if you turn down work- I turned down an audition for my baby's hand - I was expected to travel half way across london to look at his hand! I do though have a very cute pciture of ds1 to pass on to his bestman for his wedding day. I think the way to do it is for a bit of a laugh.

[kimsy]

Hi Lisa1 i have found there website and I have now sent my sons pics of to them. Do you know do they charge a registration charge? or any other charge? I don't mind paying for things like the model's book but I don't want to pay all these rediculous charges that some of these people keep asking for!
I was only doing this for a laugh and for something for my son to look back on when he is older to be proud off!
Are you still on there books and still modelling with them?
speak soon kim

[ThomCat]

All I can add is that I know someone in the business, and she said she'd never put her son or daughter through it. Another friend was also used as a model when she was a kid and she hates the fact that her parents did that to her. Personally I don't feel strongly either way, just letting you know about the 2 people's comments I know have been 'involved' with child modelling. Hope I don't cause offence.

[lou33]

I keep being told to put dd1 up for modelling, she's 11 now, but I think I'll wait for her to be discovered .

[kimsy]

I believe its ok for babys though to do a little work they wont get much work in a year and it will give a little cash in there accounts for the future. I think I would be proud if when i was older my parents showed me that i modelled for a catalogue or something!
Whatever happens i will always be a proud mother!!

[Crunchie]

Thomcat, I understand where you are coming from, but I have quite ideas for my kids about their 'work'. The older one seems to work most (she's 4) and it certainly goes through stages. However I don't do castings, unless we are already in London for a job. I turn down loads of stuff if we can't actually do it easily, and only take jobs when it suits us. Now I know that may not always be possible, but I did discuss this with the agency who took us on before we started. We have got to a stage where there are 3 or 4 clients who know and request Poppy every month or so, so it keeps us busy enough. If any of you shop in ASDA she is in virtually every magazine!! (in July anyway) We also do Toys R Us every month or so so it ends up quite nice. But I feel that is becasue we are with a good caring agency, some are much much more pushy and have their favourites. MOT juniors know us now (after 2 yrs) and know what we can and can't do. I didn't pay to join the agency, but we did pay to be in te book, since we don't do castings it's the least we can do, and all he work comes as a result (actually we paid for it out of her earnings - so we didn't feel a thing!)

[ThomCat]

Yeah absolutley, like I said personally I don't think it's a bad thing. In fact I'd love lottie to be used in a mag and I'd like it beacuse a) it would make me proud, b) it might be good fun and c) i don't think I've ever seen a special needs child in a brochure etc before. I don't think I've ever seen a child that's in a wheelchair, for example, modelling - playing with the toy or wearing the clothes they want to sell you. I may be wrong but personally I've never seen it. So if I was asked I'd go for it but my 2 friends wouldn't do it with their kids.

[Rhubarb]

I feel uneasy about this too. Thomcat is right, kids with special needs never win 'cutie' competitions or land modelling contracts. Are we asking our children to be too perfect do you think? What about all those whose noses are just that bit too big? Or their eyes too narrow or their mouths too big? Are we not guilty of focusing purely on looks and neglecting what's inside?

Don't mean to cause a debate or any offence, just airing my thoughts out loud.

[lou33]

Ds2 would earn a fortune for Scope if they used him in their ads .

[Crunchie]

I know what you mean, yet I continue. In some ways you are right to say we are focussing on outward appearances only, and not looking at the inside. However my daughter enjoys her 'work' and at 4 yrs old is only vain in the way a child can be. She believes (because I tell her) that she is the most beautiful girl in the world. But she also knows she is the cleverest, kindest, funniest girl too. Actually she knows that both her and her sister are fab. To us parents all children are beautiful and I know full well that there are much more beautiful children out there and my dd is only a model becuase of timing and my previous job which gave me an in (so to speak).

Also we get work because we are not precious as parents, and never hassle the agency, turn up on time and do the job. Hence we get more work.

The only time I felt bad was when a child turned up to a shoot who was just too big for the clothes, I felt awful to look at a kid and see her as too fat! However she couldn't work that day because the clothes just didn't fit, since they were ASDA's which come up big it was not the fault of the clothes. I couldn't believe it and I felt so bad for her. This would happen in adult modelling too and she still got paid.

I don't think we are asking our kids to be too beautiful, but yes we are surrounded by images of so called 'perfect' kids. I think it is a fault of society in general but people (adults and children) with any kind of special needs or disability are marginalised by the media. This is wrong, but if we as women vote against 'fat' models in our mags, what hope is there.
Larger models are not used in womens mags as surveys have said the vast majority don't want to see them. They want to see thin models as inspiration. This is mad, but true.

[kimsy]

well i know for sure with babies modelling its nothing to do with looks you get all sorts of looks modelling for shops catalogues etc.....its the character and personality! Clients don't just ask for good looking babies they ask for all kinds! Looks like this might turn into a debate...lol
I do agree with Thomcat though and I don't think that side of things is fair at all....there should be something for all kinds of babies,kids etc Children with disabilities are just as amazing and gorgeous as others.

[SoupDragon]

Out of interest, do you think many parents of special needs children try to get their child into modelling or enter them into Cutie Competitions? Given that special needs children form a smallish percentage of all children and also the percentage of children in modelling or competitions is also small, I'd bet the number of special needs children in either is very very small, if any at all.

I'm not saying that they would get picked if they were "in it" but you can't pick what isn't there. However, as Crunchie says, you don't get adult models who are anything less than perfect either and I guess perfection is what sells things .

[lou33]

Soups, as you know I have ds2 with cp, but I wouldn't put any of my kids in a competition for the simple fact I know they are much more beautiful than any other child likely to enter, and would be outraged if they didn't win . Also it's unfair to anyone else, as they would feel inadequate against my lot.

On a more serious note, I think SN kids don't get entered because the parents are afraid of a negative reaction.

[willow2]

Chrunchie - what agency are you with? They sound fantastic. DS was with Little Boats - but when it shut was automatically moved to another agency and have to say that I'm really not keen on the people who run it.