1)    Take Lots of Pictures:  While this sounds obvious, if you want to see your cute babies soft visage in a magazine or a television commercial, you will first need to establish that they can look just as good in those formats as they do in real life.  Besides, don’t you want to hold onto these precious memories forever?

2)    Take BETTER Pictures:  Of course, it is not enough to simply snap random photos of your children in every single situation.  You will also need to stage some photos as though they were actual photo shoots to get more professional shots.  You can either have this done professionally at a studio (like Sears or one that is privately owned) or you can try to do this yourself.  You can find more information on this online with very little trouble.

3)    Edit your Pictures:  There are many ways that you can touch up or alter the photos you have in order to make them look better.  The key is to think about presentation.  How professional would you like your photos to look?  You could use a template or perform simple touchups using installed software or interactive online software.

4)    Share your Pictures:  Now, randomly posting your pictures online isn’t necessarily going to get them noticed, but what it will do is establish a fan base, which is the most important aspect of internet marketing.  By doing this it will show an agent, director, or photographer that your babies modeling attracts a crowd.

5)    Submit your Pictures:  Look in the newspaper and online for contests and submission requests.  This is often the easiest way to start modeling for babies.  Be sure to authenticate whatever you find because although there are legitimate agencies online, there are also scammers.  This is true for everything.  A scam will typically charge you a fee for their service up front or will have you sign over the rights to pictures that they plan to use for marketing purposes but will not pay you for appropriately.

There are a lot of ways in which you can find the right agent for your child and also determine whether the agent truly cares for your child’s success both professionally and personally.

One way in which you can find an agent is to simply call around. You can simply call up advertising agencies and associations in your area to find out whether they have any agents that they would recommend or whether an agent is any good.

You can also look through various child modeling books. These books normally have some agent contact details listed at the back of the books or something. They can give you some useful email addresses, phone numbers and websites. You can also obtain some very useful child modeling tips through these books in the process too.

Another way in which you can find a good agent for your child is by simply asking people  you know about casting calls. If you have been sending your child to acting classes and the like, you may want to ask the parents of the kids who learn with your child for their opinions and their experiences. This is probably one of the best ways in which you can find a great agent because you are getting advice from real people who have little if anything to gain by recommending an agent to you. Some people also use the same agent so it is not uncommon for you to pick the same agent that a friend is using.

You can also use the above tips to look for a modeling agency too. Modeling agencies will also try and find you some casting calls and auditions that are right for your child. You should never pay anything to the modeling agency upfront though. The top modeling agencies only charge once a gig has been found for your child. You should also be wary of agencies that advertise that you do not have to pay anything. Usually these are just scams because everyone has to make a living and that agency also has employees to pay and everything. Don’t believe everything you read because there are a lot of unscrupulous people around.

If you follow these tips you can save yourself from a potentially precarious situation. Better to be safe than sorry right?

You should also look around the company website and look for anything that maybe amiss before you send your baby pictures. If they have a free trial period, you should obviously check this out but you should be careful with this and not provide any unnecessary information. You should also read the claims on the website. If they seem to be out of this world and too good to be true, then they usually are. You could also do an online search and check on various websites. This is important because people may write things to prop up their own website. Forums can be a good source of unbiased information also, because people who are on forums are usually real people who may have dealt with the company in question.

You should also make sure that your child star has the necessary skills to succeed by getting them to some acting classes. Your child will gain invaluable skills in the process and through the acting classes, word may get out of your child in the process. You may also be able to form connections with people at the acting school and the acting classes and this may stand you in good stead in the future. You can ask other parents at the acting classes where they are finding their acting classes and what experiences they had with different agencies.

You can also look for an agency and they can book casting calls and auditions for your child. If you know that your child has something special then this could be the route you have to take. It also applies that you do your homework when it comes to the agencies as well because there are some fake agencies. You can also use your network connections from acting classes to discern which agencies are legit and can be trusted.

When you are at a casting call with your baby or child you should make sure that it is well fed and that it had a good night’s sleep the previous night. It can be quite frustrating having a crying baby while waiting in very long lines. It will also endear the child to the directors if he or she is well behaved and not crying. You could also have your baby napping while waiting in the casting call lines. When you wake your baby up he or she will be well rested and be ready to tackle the audition head on.

There you have it. Some tips to help your child to get that role that you know is meant for them.

PREPARE

1.     RESEARCH:  It doesn’t matter who you are or what the part is, do your research.  Learn as much as you can about not just the part for which you are auditioning, but also who is working on the project.  What has the director done before?  Who is the casting director?  What is the storyline?

2.     PICK MONOLOGUES/SONGS APPROPRIATELY:  If you are asked to prepare a monologue or a song, your first instinct might be to pick something that is flashy.  However, what you should do is find something that is age-appropriate and well within your comfort zone.  Monologues should suit your personality and your abilities and your song should be in your range.  One mistake can cost you the part so you are better off playing it a little safe.

3.     STUDY SIDES/SCENE:  Similarly, if the director sends you a side or scene to study before the audition you need to learn it.  First of all, memorize it!  Secondly, read the rest of the story and learn how this scene fits into the bigger picture.

4.     FILM YOUR REHEARSALS:  Sometimes people have bad habits and nervous tics that you can’t see unless you watch yourself.  Also, having the camera on you can give you a sense of what the audition will feel like.

AT THE CASTING CALL OR AUDITIONS

5.     RELAX:  It sounds simple, but most people overlook this.  Movie auditions for kids should be fun!

6.     FOCUS:  Remember what brought you there and outline your goals in your mind.

7.     ISOLATE:  Do not talk to too many other people at the audition.  It will break your focus and could undermine your hard work because you might start to second guess your performance against those of the others

8.     SLATE:  Introduce yourself confidently.  Speak clearly, letting them know who you are and why you are here (to get the part).

AFTER THE AUDITION

9.     NEVER APOLOGIZE—OWN IT!:  Even if you make a mistake, you can still get the part if a casting director likes you.  Show them that you are a professional by sloughing off any mistakes.

10.  LEAVE CALMLY, MATURELY, GRACIOUSLY:  Look everyone in the eye and thank them for the opportunity.  Leave confidently.  You can stick around if you want to (if your child movie auditions) well, the casting directors might be happy to see that you are still around and strike up a conversation.

gap casting call 2010

Gap is looking for cute kids all across the United States. If you have kids 10 years or younger in age, here is your big chance to turn your little ones into stars who will be recognized all over the globe! Enter the Gap Casting Call 2010 contest, where Gap judges will select the next Gap kids and Baby Gap winners who will be the next faces of the baby clothing giant.

Gap Casting Call 2010 Contest Overview

To enter your kids into the Gap casting call 2010, you must be the legal guardian or parents of kids who are 10 years or younger. Gap casting call 2010 is open only for the legal residents of United States and District of Columbia. Upon submission of the photographs, the winners will be selected by the judges and by public votes on the website administered by Gap and Disney.

How to enter Gap Casting Call 2010

For participating in Gap casting call 2010, you will need to be a registered member of Disney family website. The photographs will be submitted online on the website administered by Gap and Disney. The Gap casting call 2010 requires the members to upload the photographs which should be less than 3 months older during the time of submission. Contestants are allowed to submit up to a maximum of 5 different photographs of different children or the same child.

Gap Casting Call 2010 Winners

Gap casting call winners will be selected by a panel of judges and through public votes. Each person can submit only 1 vote per address per day, to maintain the integrity of the submissions. The winners will represent Gap kids and Baby Gap officially during their marketing campaigns. The winning kids will get a lot of exciting goodies from Disney, Gap gift cards, participating in Gap marketing photo shoots and many more prizes.

So if you have a cute little kid at your home, it’s time to show them to the whole world! Enter them in the Gap casting call 2010 contest and don’t miss this golden chance. Who knows your little one could be a big star tomorrow.

The CuteKid™ strives to bring our members the latest information on casting calls nationwide. We are not affiliated with the Gap 2010 Casting Call.

If you are ready to take your baby to an audition use the following tips as a guide for success:

1) Do not fall victim to scams. With so many eager parents wanting to get their baby into modeling, predators are capitalizing on their dreams of stardom. If an agency asks you to pay up front–don’t. A legitimate agency will not ask for money up front. The way they get paid in the baby modeling business is to take a commission once the job is completed.

2) Make sure that you and your baby are comfortable being apart. You’re not going to be holding your child during the whole audition and if your baby shows separation anxiety, a lot of casting directors won’t even take the time to continue the audition. Your baby needs to feel comfortable around other people. You can practice this by leaving him for short intervals with a friend, family member, or at childcare. That way he’ll have some experience being separated from you and he won’t freak out if he’s not glued by your side.

3) At the audition you need to be able to stand back, set your mommy duties aside for a little while, and let the directors and assistants do their jobs. They are experienced and know exactly what they’re doing. They’re also used to working with babies. This is one of the most important baby modeling audition tips, so remember – only step in if asked to do so. Otherwise, bite your tongue.

4) Be prepared to wait a long time. These baby modeling auditions can take a really long time. Since we all know how fussy babies can get, don’t leave home without snacks, toys, and anything else that will help your baby to feel comfortable and will entertain him while you wait.

The last year’s Gap casting call winners Jaci Rae, Caleb, Jovana and Kallen have already become well known across the globe. Your little one could be the next Gap Casting Call star!

About Gap Casting Call 2009

There will be one winner in each GapKid & BabyGap category. The Gap casting call winners will receive fabulous prizes like Professional Gap Photo shoot, $1,000 Gap GiftCard redeemable for a babyGap or GapKids wardrobe, a VIP vacation to New York or Las Vegas.

Children aged 0-4 are eligible for the babyGap categories and children 5-10 are eligible for the GapKids categories.

Even If you don’t have a cute kid, you can still participate in the Gap casting call 2009 by voting for your favorite kid.

How Are Gap Casting Call Winners Chosen?

In November, a panel of judges will select the Gap Casting Call’s 20 finalists (five baby boys, five baby girls, five boys and five girls) from the entries submitted September 22, 2009 through October 22, 2009. In December, the public will vote to decide the four contest winners from among the 20 finalists (one from each category).

Apart from the 4 grand prizes, 20 finalist prizes will be awarded (5 from each category). For more details on Gap casting call prizes, read contest rules on the official gap casting call website.

So if you have kids aged between 0-10 get moving as the registrations for gap casting call close on October 22, 2009. Submit you child’s photo to Gap casting call now! Registration is simple and fun! For more details on Gap Casting Call click here.

Gap Casting Call and TheCuteKid

Did you know? All 4 Gap Casting Call Winners last year were ALSO CuteKids? Yep, that’s right, Caleb, Jaci Rae, Jovana and Kellen were all members of TheCuteKid.com too! Some of them even heard about this very same casting call because they were members!

What is Gap Casting Call about?

Gap casting call is all about finding the next stars. If you think your kids could be one of them, make sure you enter your cute kids into the Gap casting call contest. Gap casting call contest is a nationwide search to find the next faces of BabyGap and GapKids. Who knows your cute little one might get lucky and become the next face for Gap.

Gap Casting Call Prizes:

Winners of the Gap casting call contest will receive exciting prizes like $1,000 Gap GiftCard redeemable for a GapKids or babyGap wardrobe, their photo in Gap stores nationwide, Professional Gap photo shoot, IP vacation to see Disney’s The Lion King in New York or Las Vegas.

Gap Casting Call Rules:

• The Gap casting call is intended only for residents of the US.
• The Gap casting call is only for children of age 10 years or younger.
• The photographs entered for participation in the Gap casting call contest should be recent photographs (photos taken within the last three (3) months prior to the date of Entry).
• You can submit up to 5 entries for the Gap casting call contest.

How to Enter Gap Casting Call Contest?

Participation in the Gap casting call contest is easy and fun! Just register online and submit your little one’s photographs. Get more Info about Gap Casting Call on This Link.

Entries for the Gap casting call will be accepted from September 22 – October 22, 2009. Once the entry period closes, judges will shortlist 20 finalists (five baby boys, five baby girls, five boys, and five girls). Those finalists will star in a professional Gap photo shoot the week of November 16, 2009. On December 7, 2009, the finalists will be announced on the official Gap Casting Call website.

Even if you don’t have a little one you can go ahead and vote for your favorite contestant!

So what are you waiting for? Enter your little angel into the Gap Casting Call for a chance to win a shot at stardom, a Disney vacation, gift cards and much more! Who knows your cute kid could be the next Gap star!

Today’s world is competitive and as a result many parents apply
academic pressure. They want to see their child succeed in school, get a
good job, and be successful. Researchers at John Hopkins University did a
study to see how parents’ beliefs about achievement and success affected their
children and the level of pressure their children felt. Researchers found that
children of parents who emphasized external standards of performance such as getting
high test scores, high grades, and winning awards felt the most pressure. Those students
whose parents focused more on internal standards, “predominantly their child’s
understanding of material and improvement in performance,” felt the least amount of pressure.
Although many of these students still met high academic standards. When parents balance
external and internal standards as well as provide academic support and guidance their child
is less likely to feel pressure. But will still realize the importance of academic achievement.

I often tell my son that it is more important that he enjoy reading than be the
top reader in his class or have read the most books. But if he enjoys reading then he is
more likely to be successful because he will read more often. As a result he was one of the
best readers in his class.

Many children feel pressure from parents to be beautiful or thin. Parents who place
excessive emphasis on looks are teaching their child that it is a person’s outside that
counts. Looks are important and as a parent you should make sure that your child is well
groomed and has clothes that they feel comfortable in. But looks are not everything. What
is inside a person is more important. If you focus on your own looks or comment on a person’s
physical appearance rather than personality attributes you are teaching your child to focus on
the physical as well.

While teaching sixth grade I had a couple of girls who felt that they were not thin
enough (although I thought they were both thin and beautiful). So they stopped eating lunch
at school. They were feeling pressure from parents to be physically beautiful. As a result of
the built-up childhood stress, they began cutting themselves. As a parent it is important
that we do not echo the voice of the world and teach our children that it is what is inside
that really counts.

Child actors often feel pressure from their parents, especially during auditions. It is
important to remember that you want acting to be a positive experience. If every time your
child attends an audition they feel apprehensive and scared they will disappoint you it will
show. He will not be able to really act. All you can ask is that your child do his best. He
either will have or won’t have exactly what the casting director is looking for. Sometimes
your child might have an off day. We all do. Don’t dwell on it. Remember he is just a child.

Child actors don’t have to look perfect. Casting directors want to see real children.
If you are calm your child will be calm as well. Allow your child to be herself as often as
possible. If she’s not the type to wear a frilly dress don’t put her in one. She will not be
comfortable and as a result will not shine on stage.

As parents we need to make sure that we are not putting undue pressure that leads to
childhood stress on our children. We can support and guide them without applying
unrealistic expectations.

Do you want to make your child a model or actor? Participate in
the fastest growing baby photo contest and get unique industry exposure.