We got a letter from one of our clients the other day….I thought I would pass along their experience.  Some parents feel with all the online things they can get jobs for their children themselves. Not only is this naive, it’s also dangerous. It turns out they were called for an audition, they had sent a pic somewhere, and it was at night downtown Los Angeles. There were intoxicated people trying to get close to the filming, and a big fight about their rights to shoot in this particular alley…Yikes, it gets worse! While standing in the alley the mother of the child got some kind of liquid poured on her head from an open window in the apartment house above the alley…I guess the neighbors were upset with the filming…AND they went thru this all for , drum roll,…… 100 dollars!

Agents generally can get you more money for something, if you have to do these sorts of jobs. An agent takes 10-20% of the job depending what it is, and they are not going to waste their time and energies for 20 dollars…it’s just not worth it for them. The lesson here is…YES, you do need to be represented by an agent!

www.babymodelsca.org

P.S. We place you with established Talent Agents!

There are a myriad of reasons that most agents really are adverse to working with young children. There is a book of child labor laws a mile thick, children s hours are very limited on a production set. Their limited hours directly affect their income, and that indirectly affects the Talent Agents income. Another important reason also is because young children change all the time, their pictures constantly need to be updated, this takes time and staff.

If a Talent Agent represents an adult in comparison, they do not  time restrictions because of their age. Why then would an agent choose to work with a child, and not an adult? It is definitely a niche. There are agents also that specialize in Hispanic talent, Asian talent, etc.

Another reason…. an agent would not be dancing at the thought of having to educate a new parent to the entertainment industry…… New parents have a ton of questions, and require a lot of hand holding. This all takes time and energy, and takes an agent away from what they should be doing…booking jobs, and earning a commission ( 10-20%).

New parents also come into the Talent Agency with unreal expectations. They have been told at every mall that their baby/child should model or be on T.V. Then the parent doesn’t get a sitcom their first month with the agency, and they are disappointed. They complain to the agent they are not going out enough. Unrealistic expectations are the parents worse enemy.

There is a lot to consider from the agents point of view!

We supply a VERY Valuable service to Talent Agents!

www.babymodelsca.org

For parents who do NOT want to spend any money trying to get their child into modeling…If your child is 4 yrs. and above and books a union commercial….

Here is just one example of money you may have to fork out…

The current initiation for Screen Actors Guild fees are $ 2,277.00

If you have No earnings in a year, you only pay the base amount of…$116.00 2 payments of $58.00, that is after you pay the initial amount to join.

Once a member you will pay on earnings of

$1.00 to $200,00…….1.85% on your SAG earnings

$200,000      and above a different % applies

You will also be responsible for parking, pictures, any commercial workshops that your agent suggests, possibly zed cards, and the charges for the casting sites that your agency uses.

Soooo, if you have no idea what it takes, or don’t want to spend a penny doing this, it’s probably not for you right now. We’ve all heard that you “shouldn’t pay anybody anything, if they like your child”…yadda yadda yadda…what parents then misconstrue is they don’t think they have to pay for anything at all! Not!    

Ask any child actor’s parents……

How to get your child an Entertainment Work Permit

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Before a child can start acting they must first have an Entertainment Work Permit. The original “Work Permit” must be carried at all times while working.

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1. Step 1

   First you must obtain a form for the work permit. Each state has a different criteria you must follow but most allow you to download the form from the internet. Go to the Labor Board website for your state. Make sure the ending of the URL is a .gov to assure that you are in a legitimate state website. Search for entertainment work permit. A regular work permit for a child is different than an entertainment work permit.

2. Step 2

   Download and fill out the form. This will include taking the form to a doctor if your child is a baby, or to your child’s teacher. For the very first permit most states will require a copy of your child’s birth certificate.

3. Step 3

   Talk with your child’s teacher and explain to them what the entertainment work permit is. Find out if they will be able to sign it or if the principal will need to sign it. If it is the principal, then walk the form to the office and ask to schedule an appointment with the principal. More than likely the principal will not know what an entertainment work permit is and will need you to tell them about it.

4. Step 4

   Your child must be doing well in school. Their grades and attendance must be good. If they are having any trouble in any subject or have missed a lot of school, the principal or teacher may opt to not sign the permit or will sign it declaring that your child is not satisfactorily attending or progressing in school.

5. Step 5

   To expedite the process follow the guidelines on the form and make sure the form is complete. Do not go the Labor Board if it says to mail it in. This will not speed up the process and will only agitate the employees that you did not follow the rules.

6. Step 6

   Mail in the form and keep a copy for yourself. Do not forget to include a self-address STAMPED envelope, so that it can be mailed back to you. The form can take anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks to get depending on your state.

7. Step 7

   When you get the permit in the mail, make two copies. Keep the original and copy with you and one copy at home. The studio teacher will need to see the work permit and sign the back before your child can work.

8. Good Luck!…………………………

www.babymodelsca.org

 www.babymodelsca.org

For agency placement, baby modeling!