First off, the encouraging news is that baby and child is just as popular as it’s ever been. That’s not idle speculation: our clients continually ask for confident and engaging youngsters to help them with their campaigns, and the wealth of reviews we receive from parents speaks volumes.
We encourage parents to apply on behalf of their son or daughter if they think they’ll be perfect matches in the world of commercial modelling – that’s the best way to get any model noticed by famous brands around the country.
But how can parents, guardians or older relatives prepare children and toddlers for their debut modelling gig? Read on…
Whilst commercial modelling is often a great deal of fun, it’s still a paid assignment that must be treated as a professional job. Therefore, all children and babies must be in the right state of mind ahead of their modelling jobs.
Don’t heap unnecessary pressure onto your little talent. It can be harder to relax a child than an adult. Try to keep them occupied before a modelling gig, so they’ll be their own natural playful and inquisitive selves and be a joy to work with our brands and professional photographers.
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When you’ve registered your child with us, encourage them to be comfortable around people who are not usually present regularly – it’s usually called “separation”, and it will gradually introduce children to being confident around other people, and build up familiarity around others.
A cute face and the ability to follow simple directions can play to a child’s / parent’s advantage, but practice varied facial expressions at home. Start with the basics – beaming smiles, eye-widening surprise and mouth-drooping sadness. Congratulate them if they manage to change their expressions at a moment’s notice; it’ll pay off when you accept their first job.
Keep your child healthy, surround them with friends, make sure they are always hydrated, and that they have regular sleeping patterns.
On the day of modelling, children should wear comfortable clothes and parents should bring books, toys or devices that will keep them alert and interested when there are breaks in the day.
As always, preparation is vital. Putting in the hard yards in the lead-up to their first modelling gig often pays great dividends!
