To wish there were more toddlers in films?

[slightlyeggstained]

Watching Five Children and It, and the smallest boy is amazingly cute. I do realise there are practical difficulties with this, but still...

(Though it is very unsettling when the older children take him down to the beach, and then the next few shots have him nowhere in sight as if they've just let him wander off to do his own thing completely unwatched... )

They must be a pita to work with though! Your own are bad enough. Got to say don't find them cute as a species. Post 5 they are ok.

I think EatShitDerek has it. There are some fairly hardcore laws about children working (I think pretty much all babies in films are one of eight).

I see them quite a bit in movies. They are easy to spot, they are the uncomfortably silent and emotion less figurants.

Apparently it's bc they cost much less to hire as silent actors than talking ones. I used to think that the toddlers were SN and the movie was raising awareness.

Most are children of the main actors as easier to take on set and settle ( and co operate).

Most under 5s can't reliable be understood though so only have small speaking lines if possible

The Lamb (nickname of toddler character in the film) was played by identical twins, so think you've nailed it EatShitDerek. He ambles around in the background for the most part amusing himself, or is carried by one of the other characters.

Obviously they are a bit young to have lines or follow directions - there is just one key scene where he has to fiddle with a door and open it. Have to wonder how many takes/chocolate buttons that required

Just think it seems more natural to have actual small children rather than strangely silent convenient bundles of cloth. Agree must be "interesting" working with them though!