Child Modelling JULY 06

[sha11]

Hi

We joined NC when she was almost 1 - I found the people at the assessment really nice, sometimes they can sound a little offhand on the phone but then they are under tight deadlines so I don't think it's deliberate - when we go for photoshoots and I see the NC staff they are really nice. We have had peaks and troughs - when she first joined, she had 3 castings of which she got 2 jobs within a week! Then it goes about 6 months hearing nothing.

Jobs she has done in the 2 years she has been there:
Next Directory (her first job, photos were never used)
Prima Baby (her second job, photos never used, beginning to get paranoid!)
Mini Boden (just the baby page, not the location shoot unfortunately!)
Abbey National (baby in pushchair in advert)
Boots Mother and Baby Magazine (front cover of final issue)
Mother and Baby Magazine (one photo shoot, they've used about 6 pictures from it so far)
Dorling Kindersley (2 of the Miriam Stoppard picture books)

She also got down to the final 3 to be toddler-in-pushchair in a Jude Law film and I could cry that we didn't get it - at the first audition she was perfect, but the final casting had even more waiting around than I had bargained for, so she almost fell asleep when they put her in the pushchair so naturally she didn't get the job!

Sometimes I don't think I'm pushy enough to get more work (one book I read says you should speak to your agent regularly, but I think of it more as fun, and I don't want to be so annoying they don't want to use her - what does anyone else think?)

Oh yeah, I forgot that BOTH my children have been accepted with BizzyKids. So its Bizzy or Rascals or wait or none. What do I do?? Experienced Mums help me please!

Oh yeah, I forgot that BOTH my children have been accepted with BizzyKids. So its Bizzy or Rascals or wait or none. What do I do?? Experienced Mums help me please!

Sorry I didn't mean to do it twice. Just stressed!

housemum thats great, you must be pleased in what she has achieved. Yes i would agree not to be pushy yet i think it maybe worth giving them a call every now and then to see how business is etc at that time. My son was with Scallywags and literally just had one job in a year. I didn't call and ask why no more work etc as didn't wantto appear pushy etc. I regret that now. As a agent they were very quick with updating info on the website and answering emails etc yet i wondered if the lack of work was due to the large variety of kids on their books or it could be purely his look as its a bit different to the norm.

After getting off the tube at the Angel for his assesment we walked to the studios (big mistake!) we went the road way instead of the track way and he was moaning about being tired etc before we got there. When we got in with the assesment the lady said sit down and relax and he did literally he put his feet up! I could have died! Think it was from all that walking. We got them to ring us a taxi after the assesment which was a lot easier. I don't know how he managed to pull it off and get offered a place. He wasn't as good as he normally is! So nothing really negative to say on Norrie carr then ? you seem to have made a good decision for your child. Its hard to know what to do for the best

housemum - I don't think that being pushy will make any difference. They are a business that are out to make money from your child so will do whatever it takes to get your child castings/jobs.
Princessmel - I don't know what to suggest. At the jobs my daughter has been to we have met children from B&B, Urban Angels, Kids London and one from Elizabeth Smith.

Thanks, I have nothing bad to say about Norrie Carr, and I just hope it's the right decision. You always see a clutch of kids from other agencies, and that always gets me thinking - should I have gne with them, is this right? But when we went into it I said I'd like her to be in a magazine and I'd love her to be in a book - she's done those, so I can at now just take whatever comes. I just can't help thinking now, what about the acting side - for her age she does speak a lot and can take direction (when she's in the mood) - does anyone out there know anything about acting & agencies?

princessmel= unless you go for both the assesments (pay teh minimal assesment fee think its normally around 25 pounds) and go with your gut instinct.

did you try all the other agencies. there was loads which said no to my little ones yet my choice with the accepted ones was childsplay, rascals, norrie carr, truly scrumptious, alphabet kids, sandra reynolds and another norwich one (cant remember exactly)

Are Rascals and Bizzy Kids sole rep? could you do both or are the fees too high?

Strawberry milkshake has had quite a bit of work from Bizzy kids. Her little girl does great photos (i saw her at a cs photo session)

You could even try a tv casting agency aswell. They don't charge apart from if you do the photoshoot. You need to check with the agent if you can have a seperate tv casting aagent though. I signed my son up with CS Management yet there is another one called AJ Management aswell amoungst lots of others. I am hoping my ds will get some work from CS soon.

PrincessMel, you seem to be very pro norrie carr?

sorry just thought that was the thing to say when someone says something good about an agency on here and wanted to fit in with the crowd

Thanks mrratty, I know I feel quite down about it all. Everyone says that those are the best agencies but if they say "no" then what do you do?
Some people say Bk are great then others say that they are never at jobs.
I just feel sad that no one will give dd a chance. She really is lovely. I'd be so proud to see her in mags or books etc.
Housemum, you're doing really well and I'd be as pushy as you like!

morning mimi . i wasnt insinuating you were mysonsonsmummy, i was referring to toby72 that appeared

all agencies offer different things for diffenret kids so everyone will always have different opinons to share.

Rupert Bear, I haven't mentioned Norrie carr at all. Check your info. You were very rude last night and i don't want you starting on me. I'm just trying to get advice.

Housemum- my ds is with www.csmanagementuk.com carole is lovely. Too early days for me to comment on work etc as he has only been with them a month. carole worked for years for www.ajmanagement.co.uk you would have to be careful though as I am sure Norrie carr said they wanted sole rep for tv aswell as modelling. Hense me not saying yes to them as i wanted to give carole at cs as go as me and my hubbie both really took to her. Her office is in a lovely big house and she gets business from contacts over the years etc. I hope in the future my ds will get lots of work from her yet who knows. I paid £50 photoshoot fee to get him put on their website and to be used for Spotlight. I chose to go on Spotlight at £80 a year and apparently they only deal with certain agents and they are one of the largest website for people to search for actors etc. So thought i would give that a try too. I am just waiting for my ds to go live on both websites. hense my email to strawb earlier as cs should be tommorow (touch wood they had a few probs on the website revamp)

Thanks - I have looked at the contractn before and it does say sole agency, though does not mention tv work - if I decide to go ahead, and CS or someone wants to take her on I will talk to NC then and see what they say. Most of their work does seem to be in photos and commercials/promo videos - although we did have that film casting.

princessmel- i know how it feels loads of people want my ds yet not my dd , his is a different sort of look yet hers is more common. Didyou try Bubblegum, they said no to my little ones yet my friend has had a lot of work with them and in future they will have a website so should be better still , think their fees are quite low aswell.

Hi Julie, Yes I have tried lots of agencies. I don't think we could really afford to do both and it may be tricky dealing with 2 different places. I may go with Bk as its a one of fee till they are 17 and its not sole rep so if I get a yes from anyone else I'm free to see them too.

Hi Julie, Yes I have tried lots of agencies. I don't think we could really afford to do both and it may be tricky dealing with 2 different places. I may go with Bk as its a one of fee till they are 17 and its not sole rep so if I get a yes from anyone else I'm free to see them too.

housemum that was one of the reasons i didn't say yes straight away to them as wanted to give Cs a chance. They told me their work was mainly TV work though rather than photograhic.

oops! I always press it twice. im too impatient.

Hi Julie, No I haven't tried bubblegum yet but i will. That must be hard for you with a yes for one and a no for the other. Are they too young to realise or do they mind?

princessmel- i didn't know that fee was till they are 17, thats quite good then as normally its every year, So if they aren't sole rep you could do a tv agency aswell. Obvioulsy its your choice you could come up trumps and get lots of work, which will be superb, you could give it a year and decide to change in a year if you haven't had much work. Thats what i am doing because of the lack of work with Scallywags. Plus any initial photoshoots give the kids more experience etc so it can only be positive (in a round about way) does that make sence?

Julie4Travel - thanks for the tips - I shall get some info from CS and AJ. Best go and get DD from preschool - will pop in again later

sorry princessmel i meant housemum
x

housemum, i was being sarcastic by the way only i mentioned something positive about an agency last night and mimi1uk got all funny with me and questiuned me and i think accused me of being the agency. It wasnt actually directed to you I was just being sarcastic