Melanie: Posted on Wednesday, May 24, 2017 7:26 PM
Hi Guys!!!
I have put links up to some of the Model Agencies for children that I see repetitively come up on the call sheets of the jobs I wrangle.
I would also advise looking at these agencies on Google, FB and Instagram to see which one you feel most comfortable with before you email or phone...
...AND PLEASE don't throw money away by paying for expensive photo shoots just to start.. it is not necessary, a simple image of your child full length and also a head shot is all the agency needs to see. Refrain from hats, ribbons and busy backgrounds, Ive laid out a few basic ideas to help you in my blog posts on Help and Top Tips :)
GOOD LUCK !! xx Mel New York. ( in no particular order)
Take 3 Talent tel:(646) 289-3915
Stellar Talent Agency 917 426 7421 http://stellar-nyc.com/
Funny Face: 212 686-4343
Expecting Models 212 473 5152.
Submissions:
Generation 212 727 7219
Abrams 646 486 4600
New York Models 212 539 1700
http://www.newyorkmodels.com/
Terry B Talent
Zuri Model and Talent 646 462 3422
Miami
Green Agency 305-532-9225
World of Kids 305-672-5437
Karen Greer 954 347 2486
Cathy & Co 305 905 1708
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Melanie: Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2017 10:28 AM
Soooo CONGRTULATIONS!! Your child has been booked on a shoot! Thats an amazing thing and I'm really happy for you!
Here is a quick list of things to bring and what to do to help you on babies big day!
1. Arrive on time, take into allowance that parking isn't always easy to find so leave time for that
2. Do not bring other siblings if at all possible (twins are the exception). You need to be there for your child. It isn't suggested that you bring more than one helper. Studio holding rooms can be tight
3. Clean hair is vital
4. Some clients don't like earrings, although most will photoshop..but there are some who do not so if your baby has pieced ears, take them out at home so your baby does not get upset in the studio OR ask the producer/person who is signing you in if they should be removed as soon as you arrive
5. Clean and clipped nails on hands and feet help make your babies experience easier and make you look professional.. there is usually a hair and make up person on set and they will have to do it if not.
6. If there are any temporary tattoos..and I KNOW there are some awesome ones out there.., they will unfortunately have to be cleaned off unless your child is shooting winter clothes with long sleeves.. better to do it at home if it is a sensitive thing ok?
7. Don't worry about scratches on face/ knees and shins..make up will cover it!
8. Take a changing pad and extra diapers (plain as possible incase the clothes are see though so patterns do not show) as fresh diapers are needed for the photoshoot.. peepee diapers make clothes a bit baggy!! :)
9. Snacks and drinks for your child, they might not be available.. NOT skittles!! or a food that might possible stain tongues or hands or give them a big sugar high.
10.Bringing your child in with hacking coughs, fevers, pink eye, colds or even chicken pox ( yes, that really happened) is going to contaminate all the other babies and not put you in the best of light. Notify your agency asap and they will deal with it ....A BIG THANK YOU for that one!!!!
If you are shooting on location,
1. Sunblock (put on half an hour before you arrive so skin is not greasy) and umbrella incase you have to be outside
2. Towels or blankets
3. Bug spray if you need it
4. If your baby is small, a stroller for them to sit incase there isn't a place.. TRU/BRU does nice lightweight cheap ones for location.
5. Sweaters/coats and socks for windy locations
6. Food and drinks just incase
7. A small bag of toys or i pad to keep them happy in between shots
8. Hand warmers if you are in a cold location- they can be slipped into clothes :)
9. Extra batteries, location shoots might not have electricity for you to charge your cell or I Pads
10. Basic first aid kit, epi pens and ALWAYS be aware where your child is..locations are not set up for safety like studios are..
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Posted on Tuesday, April 25, 2017 8:02 PM
DID YOU KNOW that One out of five children, aged 10-17 report that they have received a sexual solicitation or approach via the internet and 54% said they frequently have conversations with strangers online.
The Digital Investigations Unit of the New Jersey State Police Department has offered a list of apps and websites frequented by online predators that parents need to be aware of. I know girls in this industry who have been approached by predators grooming them online on some of the apps below.. THIS CAN happen to your child!
Ghost Apps, places where kids can hide photos, videos, and messages from parents:
While there has been debate about whether or not parents should have access to their children’s online activities, ( I think they should!!!) there is no debating the online presence of fake accounts to gain access to photos of your child and sometimes aggressive pedophiles and predators, especially in the childrens modeling world. If you come across this type of person, report and block. DO not interact with them, it can be very upsetting...just BLOCK..
I would also suggest that you let members of Model Mum Strong know. MMS is a Facebook page which you can join if you are in the industry which lets other mum and dads know of predators that are following their accounts. I think spreading the knowledge is very helpful.
I just found a great site called familoop that is offering 10 days free monitoring For 3 devices in your possession that you can take advantage of. https://www.familoop.com/
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Posted on Tuesday, April 25, 2017 8:00 PM
For parents, hashtags can provide valuable insight into your teen’s world.
Some popular hashtags are light and fun expressions like #yolo (you only live once). Others can be alarming and allude to troubling teen behavior like sex, bullying or depression. These hashtags are often used as a way for teens to share dangerous behaviors and keep their actions hidden from adults. Here are the top 10 hashtags you should know as a parent:
- #netflixandchill – inviting someone over for sex
- #yag – you are gay, often used for bullying
- #gokillyourself – often used for bullying
- #lmirl – let’s meet in real life
- #cuts – cutting or self-harming
- #selfharmmm – self-harming like cutting or burning
- #sue – suicide
- #thinspiration – may be used to talk about eating disorders
- #livingdangerously – can sometimes describe unsafe behavior
- #420 – marijuana, which can also be represented by the maple leaf emoji, any of the green leaf or tree emojis, the pineapple (a reference to stoner flick Pineapple Express), and the green check mark, as in "Yes, I have or can get some.
- #deb for "depression"
- #ana for "anorexic"
- #mia for "bulimia"
- #ednos for "eating disorder not otherwise specified"
- #thinsp for "thinspo" or "thinspiration"
- #borderline for "borderline personality disorder"
- #svv for "selbstverletzendes verhalten" or self-harming behavior
- #secretsociety123 for a community of people who engage in NSSH,
- or non-suicidal self harm
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Posted on Tuesday, April 25, 2017 7:22 PM
I regularly look for deals and have found a ten day free subscription to Familoop, a software that offers A LOT of parental control ! Follow the link and have a look ..
PICTURE REVIEW Does your teen like exchanging pictures with online friends? With Familoop Safeguard you can review all the photos and pics stored on your teen’s iPhone, iPad, Android smartphone or tablet before they get sent to someone or distributed across social media and prevent harm done with sexting.
ADVANCED CONTACTS REVIEW Does your teen have suspicious online friends? Familoop Safeguard thoroughly analyzes profiles, calls, messages, friends, tweets, shares, likes and other social activities on your home desktop PC, teen's Android phone or tablet. You are notified about signs of online predators, cyberbullies and contacts with bad language or suspected in online sexual abuse. When notified you can either dismiss it or drill down to check all the actual conversations with a specific person.
TEXT MESSAGES MONITORING Do you worry about shift of texting into sexting? Once you install Familoop Safeguard on your teen’s Android device, SMS text message monitoring is enabled right away. Know what your teen is texting about and with whom, get alerted in case red flag words of sexting, online sexual abuse, cyberbullying, profanity and more are detected in texting of your teens or in messages they receive. Text messages monitoring for iOS devices is coming soon.
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Mel Sawyer: Posted on Tuesday, January 03, 2017 2:08 PM
YOU can do it!! Getting new shots for your young child without the cost
Your toddler is a ball of energy and ever growing fun.. Spending lots of your hard earned cash to get a photo that may only reflect their size and look for maybe even a couple of months does not make sense!! I promise you can use photos taken by yourselves to submit your child to an agency or update their look!..teeth appear and disappear, hair lengths change..
If you want to do it yourself..GO AHEAD>> cell phones today have amazing cameras and it can be fun!
OUTDOORS SHOTS The most beautiful light for shots in my opinion is backlight..where the sun is shining behind your child OR that lovely evening light that happens just before dusk. Use both to your advantage and grab a few photos of your child in the garden or park
 GET TO THEIR LEVEL!Get down to your childs level to take photographs.. it draws you in and gives more chances to catch those grins! Tops of head shots loose the grin and shape of your childs face :)
HOP SKIP JUMP!! If your child likes to play football or jump hoop or simply run.. even a cell phone camera can catch these moments and make them look awesome.. REMEMBER the light.. where is it coming from/.. blue eyes will have squints in them if your facing the sun! If your child likes to blow and chase bubbles. or walk with friends.that can be fun too!!
READY FOR YOUR CLOSE UP? Close up shots are lovely, If your'e dealing with a todddler I'd suggest leaning up against a table or windowsill or sitting to keep them from moving around too much on you.
LIGHT< CAMERA>>ACTION! Light is your friend..daylight especially for these close up shots.. its soft and flat and has great color for skin tones. Find a window and sit with your back to it so that your child has a good flat light hitting their face, you can bring it up in post editing even on a cell phone if it looks dark or too light
TOP HAT & TAILS! Nope, its really not necessary to dress your child to the nines with distracting clothes. Pick clean lines, not too many textures and don't worry! the client or agency will be looking at faces! Clear lensed GLASSES are a lot of fun to play with for shots.. TIP: in shoots we tend to remove the lenses to stop any weird reflections
KIDS ARE THAT>>THEYRE KIDS.. Please dont dress your girl up to look older than she is if you are considering photos for fashion, editorial or runway shots. Whilst pagaent photos have a lot more detail..less is more in the kids fashion industry!
STOP >> DONT RETOUCH!! pleeaseeee!! It kills me when I see the shots are retouched..I mean, really.. kills me.. please don't do it.. skin, freckles, its all real! If you warm or cool the tone of your child's skin up its giving a incorrect message of who they are to a prospective client..and the agency will not be happy receiving a message about it!! Be proud.. your Kids are AMMAAZIINNGG!!
love Mel xx
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Mel Sawyer: Posted on Friday, December 30, 2016 6:57 PM
So you want to send photos to an agency for submission.. below I've listed a few easy ways to take an effective and great looking photo that will have your baby stand out from the crowd!
GET ON DOWN! Get down to babies level!! In order for an agency to really see what your baby looks like getting down to babies level will give them the best view of THOSE cheeks!!
KEEP IT SIMPLE! Keep the photo simple, posing your baby is not necessary.being natural and being..well a baby is the best!
NO FRILLS Distracting clothing, hats, hair accessories or ribbons will take away from your babies look, keep it simple and fun!..
CRAZY HAIR..DON'T CARE!! Babies are all different, big hair, curly hair mullet hair NO hair.. its all good.. don't hide what your baby looks like, show it off or you'll be wasting yours and the agencies time if they cant see what your baby really looks like, Ive been on sets for almost 20 years and Ive seen all types of babies booked.. so be PROUD!! show it off!!
LIGHT IS NICE! The best light to take a photo of your baby is in front of a window in daylight. flashes from your camera or cell phone will startle your child so you'll only get a few smiles before they start telling you STOP!!, use what comes naturally, its soft and gives a great color, try to have the light center so its flat on babies face and doesn't cast shadows
Cant sit up .. NO PROBLEM! There are lots of ways to take a great photo of your baby if they cant sit up, lying on a bed, the floor, lying on their backs, being held on the arm or hip of a cropped adult, leaning against pillows or propped up in between legs like the first photo in this seg.
CLOSE UP/ BODY SHOT Supply the agency with a close up head shot, a full length body shot and if you have a fave of a HUGE grin or cheeky look add that too!
 TWINS, MULTIPLES, SIBLINGSAgencies are always interested in multiple babies so don't be shy if you have more than one baby!
IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT SMILES..
..tell me thats NOT THE CUTEST THING!!!!!
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