By Samantha Bradley
As a mom who has a strong background in the media industry, I jumped at the opportunity to take my son to an open casting call for a modeling gig. It was being held by a well-known casting agency, and they were casting babies and young kids for a big box store advertisement. It was our first time taking our son to a modeling casting call, and we definitely learned a lot! If you are interested in taking your child to a casting call, keep in mind the following four tips.
You do not need to buy your child a new outfit
Yes, our son did look spiffy in his new outfit. However, he still would have looked absolutely adorable in an outfit he has worn before. It is not like the casting agency can tell if your child is wearing a repeat outfit, so save yourself the money and go with a favorite from the closet.
Pack multiple changes of clothes
If you know your child is a messy baby (like ours!), pack multiple outfits. This way you will be prepared when he spills his formula and food all over himself.
It is not the end of the world if your kid does not get the role
My husband and I both wanted our son to get the gig, but we went into it knowing that it would be OK if he was not chosen. Understand that if your child is not casted for a particular role, that does not mean that there is anything wrong with him or that he will not get casted in the future. The agency may have just been looking for a different look or style, which is important to keep in mind.
Invest some money in professional headshots
Since that first casting call, my husband and I have brought our son to some other local casting calls for fun gigs. Agencies often request professional headshots, so if you are planning to go to multiple casting calls, investing money into some upscale headshots is not a bad idea.
Overall, we had a very positive experience taking our son to his first modeling casting call. If getting your child involved with acting or modeling is something you are interested in, just remember to have fun with your little one!