Things To Think About Before Signing Up With a Child Modelling Agency
Questions to ask before signing up with a child modelling agency
Previous clients
If you want your child to go through a happy modelling experience, you need to ensure you opt for the right child agency, one that won’t waste your time or money. How do you ensure if the child agency is right for you or not? Here are some things you should consider when approaching child modelling agencies:
The work that an agency has done previously will give you a lot of idea of the quality of their clients. You’ll be able to get a rough idea of what sort of market they offer, what kind of projects you can expect from them, and whether or not they are a reputable agency in the market. You can specifically ask for children related projects to get a better idea.
Agency heritage
An agency that has been around a while will have a bigger team, more contacts, and much more experience. Of course, this is what you want instead of an agency that is new in the market with little to no business to offer. The more professional your agency is, the better projects you’ll be put forward for. This is a key factor when your child’s modelling career is starting out because without work for well-known brands, your child is going to struggle to get to the next level.
Model portfolios
A number of child modelling agencies will ask you to pay for expensive portfolios, sometimes these are important to have, sometimes not. It really depends on the the work they are able to get, many times a client will ask for a headshot and then if they are interested they’ll ask you to send a few more headshots in different outfits. So you definitely need headshots but an expensive portfolio is often unnecessary for most kids modelling gigs. Importantly, it’s completely unnecessary for TV and film auditions.
Model training
A number of child modeling agencies will want your child to attend modeling school. This can be very helpful for some children to build their camera confidence, however your agency should be able to provide guidance without having to pay extra for services like these. While expert advice can definitely help, you don’t need to be forced into signing up for modeling school in order to become a part of a child agency. Some agencies will arrange workshops/seminars for an additional cost, but if these are compulsory for joining the agency we’d advise to strongly think about seeking out representation from them.
Commission rates
Most people would be shy about asking this question. However, you don’t have to be. The truth is that we all know that an agency runs on commissions. Of course, without a fair cut for the agency, the agency can’t keep their lights on and the businesses running. Firstly, if the agency confidently gives you all relevant information you can be more sure that they are professional. Secondly, you’ll ensure that the agency isn’t charging more than the usual rate. A listing fee is common practice and generally, an agency keeps 10% to 20% of the model’s earnings. While this may sound like a huge share, keep in mind that this also gives the agency the motivation to find good projects for you. If you’re child is not earning anything neither will your agency.
Keep these five points in your mind when you go out to discuss representation with any kids talent agency. The answers will help you make the right decision. Visit bubblegumcasting.com.au for child modelling agency services, we’d love to talk to talented babies, children and teens.
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