Modelling for Babies

[Donna247]

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

all agencies charge, they just word WHY they charge and WHAT they charge for differently. All you can do is be sensible. Be prepared to lose the money and then that way, you haven't lost anthing. people who say they can't afford an admin fee worry me a little as there is no guarantee at all that you will get work, there are thousands of kids being put forward. you also have to go to castings and travel. sometimes they will pay your travel costs, but PLEASE please don't rely on any money coming in . do it for fun. after all, surely no-one would get stressed . it's your baby that's important, not earning money from him? we all have heard bad stories, but i have also heard many good. so many people hear nothing because the casting agency didn't choose their child. the agency can't call everytime they put someone forward so you won't know if or when they are put forward, so you will only hear from them if your baby gets chosen. that bit is not up to the agency.so for all those who haven't heard a thing for years, sorry... your baby just didn't get chosen for whatever reason, there are so many to choose from. i don't know... i have spoken to so many people..my friend's little girl has done the angelina ballerina and has just been asked to do it again. she also has a casting for clarks. she is with bizzykids. i am applying there. we have been accepted at models direct and julietadams, but i myself am very wary and haven't taken the plunge yet.................x lets share good stories and help each other. any good news i hear i will pass on... would also love some news back.

Yeah, we have the same thougths towards any fee's we paid. We see it as getting the money and setting fire to it and we in no way expect to be earning lots of money and if my little one earnt some then it would be going straight in his account.

Im not trying to put you off but I have heard some really bad stories about models direct x we got accepted by them but after reading some reviews on them was really put off.

We are now with rascals in london and have only just sent contract back but feel very happy and they were really enthusiastic about our son x

Like you said lets share stories and hopefully help each other x

stay away from models direct, they scam you

how? what experience did you have?

When we first thought about little one modelling it was after a family photo session. We didnt really know much about it and looked up in yellow pages and found this company models direct. We thought well we'll send pictures off and see what happens. We then got this letter back saying he had been accepted by the " panel " and for a three year contract it would be £116. They didnt even wanna meet our son....this made alarm bells ring. The photo studio then got in touch and had recommended a few agencies. He was too young for some, or they wanted us 2 write back in a couple of months because that age group was full but rascals had room for him and after meeting us and him they offered us a place.

Before we decided to sign anything we did some iternet research. We found lots of different forums and on there LOADS of people said they were accepted by models direct and paid the fee and heard not a peep for three years. They were also on watch dog because of the fee's and no work etc found. When I told the lady that we didnt wanna join she rang and emailed me loads promising work etc ( thing is they can't promise work as its who the client wants and the agency as such doesn't have a say in it ) I think to me it sounds like they just take your money and do nothing for you as an agent.

Now I may be wrong and some people out there may have found work but Im yet to hear of anyone.

Hope this help's xx let us know what u decide xx have you tried elisabeth smith, or norrie carr, or rascals? I know there some pretty good names? x

they wanted ds didnt want to meet him though, so told them been in touch in couple of days when thought it through, they kept ringing all the time .then they said got lots of cliants looking for the look of ds. silly me paid over phone, then only time i heard from them again was for more money, ds went with another agency got loads of work.

a lot of people are telling stories just like you are but always say"with another agency now", but never want to say the name, which i don't understand? why are people so very happy to share bad news but when it comes to good they keep it to themselves. so who is this agency? i won't b able to join as i live too remote but it may help others x

My son is with rascals in london. I agree that we should share good stories. x Rascals accepted us and we live about 2 hours from london. not sure how far away you are. x maybe you could try applying and see what they say?

Sorry to crash thread but do you know where i could get some info about rascals? I have been interested in putting Ds into modelling for a while now!

TIA

ds with dk model management of sheffield.

and kidz mancherster.

Yeah there website is rascals.co.uk however if you want to submit a photo its [email protected] IF they are interested they then invite you to there office in essex to meet you and your child. There if they are then happy they offer you a contract and also information sheet explains everything from fee's to attending castings etc.

Let us know how it goes x

i've been reading through some of the postings and i now fill gutted my daughter has just been excepted on models direct and yes i have paid (just two days ago)wish i'd found this sight sooner. is there any body out there who has a good word to say about models direct or have i been done? can any body tell me the name of an agency that they know gets regular assignments and is truely on your side.

How did you pay, if it was by cheque can you not stop the cheque?
Umm.. well like I said in another post my son is with rascals we were offered to take part in a TV documentary but we were away. We've only been with them about a week but they seemed very professional when we met them and seemed really keen to work on behalf of our son.
I also know a lady who's daughter and son were with them and they had loads of different jobs and also quite a lot of castings.
Hope this helps x
Yeah we were lucky we found this site as we read about models direct and realised not to go with them. Sorry u were not so fortunate. x

i am still undecided about models direct...spoke 2 someone AT A VERY REPUTABLE COMPANY and i was told that they ARE a real agency, and that the client list they show on the website has to be real, or it would be illegal. what i would like 2 know is how many of the clients r in the UK? the money u pay is 4 3 years and they would have refund policy. i am sure if you called them it would not b 2 late, to at least get some money back. you can opt for a 1 yr contract but u pay more 2 update ur photos so it "makes financial sense" to pay 4 the 3 yr contract and have free updates? you would surely b entitled to money back. read thro the terms and conditions. u would have signed one copy and kept the other. i know it sounds wierd but i want to know if anyone has ever been TURNED DOWN by models direct? if we know that people were being turned dowwn, it mayhelp us to have confidence if we were accepted (if that makes sense) at least that way, we would know they don't accept EVERYONE for the money. i had a row with one of their representatives today but hope to speak to a helpful lady tomorrow. the one i spoke to today did not care if we accepted or not..." you chose 2 call us" were her words...in fact, seh was very unhelpful. I started asking questions which she would not answer... i will try again tomorrow... i am also going to look into their "client list" i am on a mission!!! if we don't join i would still like 2 know how good or not good these guys are. maybe hardly anyone gets work with them because they have so many babies on their books?? will let u know anything i find out..!! over & out...

Mill if you go with models direct after all you have read here then you must be insane. Desparate must be another word for it.

What everyone who wants their kids to be models are doing is trying to live through their kids. They feel by having 'model' children that this proves something to people.

I csan say this because my kids are models and I go through a stupid agonising dilemma every year that I agree to keep doing it. BTW I turn down 80 - 90% of jobs.

There are good agencies, most of which have been mentioned here. MD is not one of them, yes it may do the odd job once for someone, BUT it has THOUSANDS of people on it's books, I have never ever heard of anyone getting a job through them. Ask a potential agency how many kids they have. I loo at my childrens model book and they only have one or two in each age who have a similar look. My girls are blonde, blue eyed kids with straight hair, they have one or two others, someone with curly hair, one brown eyed,etc etc

This would give you indication of the agency.

My agency said they got 20 - 50 photos A WEEK and they might tae on one child a MONTH.

Crunchie which agency is your child with? My son is with rascals.
I never even considered my son for modelling he was referred to some agencies after a family shoot other wise it was something I would not have even thought about.

I do agree with your comments about going with models direct.... it seems silly after SO SO many bad stories. There are other good agencies to try and like you said if there are thousands of babies on their books then theres probably not much chance of work etc. I've never heard of anyone who's had work from them.

Mill, really try some other agencies I would think you will end up regretting it if you do go with them.

tinkerbellshelle, you said that your child is with rascals, do you highly recommend them? i have just had an email from them saying that they would like my daughter to come for an assesment,do i have to pay a lot of money if she is excepted and have you or do you know of anyone who has received assignments from them

Can anyone add a link to what was said on watchdog as I cant find it anywhere.

Also does anyone know of any agencies in the Midlands. I dont mind travelling about, but prefer not to have to travel into London regularly???

Both my boys get accepted at models direct, but I haven't done anything about it, I was unsure, but reading on here, makes me really think

perfumelady, its £155 thats for the online model portfolio. I was unsure about paying a fee however after reading I discovered that all ages charge and on the alba website it said that this is ok if its a acceptable charge for the model book. We have only been with them a short time so with regards to work etc obviously we're still waiting ( only signed contract about 1 week ago ) however a lady I know her daughter and son had lots of work through them and there only reason for leaving the agency is her children were more interested in the acting part and decided to pursue that instead.

Hope that helps x

thanks for all the advice. I am not going with MD. I had such a big row with them as they would not answer my questions intelligently. I have been offered places with 3 other agencies so will maybe look at those..I was a little upset at being called desparate by whovever said it, I was simly saying I was undecided as to what to do. All the bad press about them caused concern but I also realise that most mums have too high expectations...and may feel conned when in fact there are just too many kids on MD s books. i just wasn't sure...and I take offence by you saying I am living through my child. I have never wanted to or have any interest in being a model. Please don't judge or assume why I am interested in this, especially as you yourself say, you put yourself and your kids through the ordeal every year. I am not one of those mums who thinks her kids are really amazingly beautiful, i just think, it could, maybe...be a bit of fun for them.If it turms out to be hot and boring, i won't take her again.let's face it, most adverts don't have beautiful kids in them anyway!! Thanks for eveyone's help... I will accept the other 3 offers and c how things go.Any money had will go in a wee bank account for her anyway(and as we all know... it won't be thousands!) thanks x

p.s. i have been carrying out a lot of research (hence some of the messages I have put on here...and the calls and interviews that have taken place with agencies) over the past few months and myself and a business colleague have been considering starting a new agency, so if it get's off the ground I will put a thread on here. We have spoken to several casting agencies but we want to make sure we would be taken very seriously as a new agency by a high percentage of casting agencies and potentiel clients before advertising for kids.will keep you all posted... until then I will keep learning about the existing agencies by being on their books!!! x x
hope some of my messages make more sense now. good luck

Hi Mill,
Why don't you sign up with 1 agency and see how your girl gets on? That way you won't pay out 3 lots of money with no guarentee of any return. I am sure that I am telling you the same as most people on here, it is often very long and boring. I was on a shoot on thursday with my baby son and we sat in a caravan for 4 hours for him to be used for 5 mins. Also, with babies they often book more than one, so your little darling may not even get in front of the camera! BUT all said and done it is lovely to see your little one in print! But my advice would be ...Sign up with an agency....then forget about it!! That way if you get a casting or a job its fun!.......not expected!!! Anyway Loads of luck x

I agree just try going with one agency. Which agencies have u been offered contracts with as some people may be able to give advice on which one's are best etc. x

mill,
did you say earlier that you lived in Scotland??? If you do how are you going to get to auditions?? Or is there scottish agencies?