Two days ago, my friend Julie contacted me, asking if my daughter and I were available and interested in being extras in a commercial shoot the next day. Julie and her son were the leads for the scene, which was a birthday party at a park. I was excited to do it, because not only was it paid, but it was a chance to hang out. Our other friend Abbey was doing the scene with her son too, as well as my friend Stefany and her son. I met Julie and Abbey over two years ago, when we were all very pregnant and part of a performance art piece, Six Twelve One By One, produced and directed by artists Emily Mast and Hana van der Kolk. I like to say their children are my daughter’s first friends in utero.
Out of all the rare days for it to rain in Los Angeles, it rained on the day we were shooting! They moved the shoot indoors. The “holding area” was temporarily at the park and then at our cars and outside the building on the sidewalk. Thankfully, my daughter knew the other kids and they entertained each other for the 3.5 hours we had to wait. There is nothing glamorous about shoots, but when you hang out with your friends and kids (and escape meltdowns), it’s a fun thing to do every now and then.
We were lucky to “know someone,” because it’s not easy to book jobs.
If you are interested in trying or pursuing commercials or modeling for your child, here are some things you should know:
-
Minors need a work permit in the state of California.
Click here for more information and details on the CA.gov website.
-
Open a Coogan Account (a.k.a. “Blocked Trust Account” or “Trust Account”)
There are only a few banks that do it. Ours is with Wells Fargo. Click here to learn more about Coogan Accounts and which states require it.
-
Apply to an agency
It helps to have representation at an agency, but it doesn’t guarantee work. There are plenty of children represented at agencies in Los Angeles, but only a handful book work. The majority of print work for children is booked and shot in New York.
-
Be prepared to drive far and wait awhile. This goes for auditions and jobs booked.
Definitely a good time to get that hybrid vehicle you’ve had your eye on!
-
Multiples are preferred – If you have identical twins, or better yet, identical triplets, your chances of booking a gig are greater.
My friend’s friend’s twins regularly get booked for work. They played the baby in a few episodes of “Breaking Bad”!
-
Just because your child doesn’t get represented by an agency doesn’t mean he/she is not cute.
Your child IS cute…no matter what anyone thinks 🙂
-
Agencies (and productions) usually look for all or some of the following:
- A child that is generic looking and can blend in with other children in their age range
- A child that looks very distinguishable for their ethnicity
- A mild-mannered child that either takes direction easily or is not overly active (i.e. will run away)
-
Toddler age (2’s and 3’s) are the least likely to get booked.
Because of their temperament, this is a difficult age to use. This statement is from a friend of mine who has three children who have worked in “the business” since they were young.
Well, I hope we made the cut for the commercial, and I’ll post it once it’s online!
