Photos again por favor

My agent emailed me again, not entirely sure if it was directed toward several people, or just us, but she wants more pictures nonetheless. I've been lackadaisical with photo updates. Summer weather really only permits for the naked look- not the kind of professional attire one would show off in a headshot. So a week after I get the email, I decided to get off my butt and haul the boys to our little photo location and snap a few photos before they pooped out.


All I need now is a few more good shots with a couple different outfits and we'll have our update complete. I must stop this habit of procrastinating, every week I should have a good handful of shots for the agency to flip through. The system that's set up is really quite great. They love Shutterfly and ask that we just share the photo album so they can pick and choose what they like. They have a feature where you can share your photos on a website, so I'm trying that out to see if it's convenient for both parties. I LOVE the internet. Makes life quite SPLEDID when working with an agency two hours away.


So, no jobs yet. I HOPE the lull of summer picks up and calls come through... As of now, the boys are being marketed as identical twins but I highly doubt we can keep that up for long. I predict we'll be having separate headshots for each of them soon. Fine by me. :-)


From all of us, thanks for checking in.

The Hunt, The Wait

Watch out! It is very easy to be taken advantage of when looking for representation. There are companies that will charge a one time 3 or 5 year fee to refer you to agents. While it all sounds very believable, it took one call to a SAG franchised agent to tell me they are operating illegally. That information alone took two meetings with companies off my agenda. It also doesn't hurt to check out www.ripoffreport.com.

Things you need to get started: photos or headshots, an agent, a work permit and a coogan trust account. Once you get representation from an agent, they'll make sure you have what you need.

Work Permit- This application form is filled out by the parent, the doctor and then mailed or walked into the local Division of Labor office in your neighborhood. After about 15 minutes in my local office, I had permits in hand.

I'm a new parent, I take photos. A lot of photos. I'm also a salesperson- always have been. I had tons of photos, but I wanted to make a GOOD impression for agents. So, I called up a local photographer I knew. She took amazing photos and I plan on working with her in the future for updates. It's recommended that photos be updated every 3-6 months. Unless, of course, you want your one year old looking a little premature.

The hunt for representation began. I started going down the list, targeting agencies that specialize in representing youth. I called and asked if I can submit photos by email and usually was able to get a positive response (hey, it saves on wasted resources if they choose not to represent your child). I preferred sending photos to the people who picked up the phone and sounded nice. Not everyone is exactly pleasant, especially in entertainment. They can be preoccupied or stressed about some project- I got a few "just mail it in" remarks... i didn't.

By the end of the week I had a handful of agencies that expressed interest. It took the work of one agent to shine to make decision. She was motivated to sign me up and continued communication with me throughout the weekend- while every one else was 'out til monday'.

Now its the sit and wait game. I make sure I turn on call forwarding- should I get a call for a job when I'm away from the house. I check and supply my diaper bag and make sure that the file folder with their permit information is ready to go. No telling when a job might happen, but we're ready when it does.