MAJOR MARKETS: If you live in or near New York, California, Illinois, Texas, Georgia or Florida it makes it easier to go on castings as there are more child modeling agencies in these states and there is much more work - especially in major markets such as New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, Miami, Miami Beach and Orlando.

KIDS UNDER AGE THREE: Young children grow and change very quickly so if your child is under the age of three DO NOT have a lot of expensive pictures made for modeling or casting purposes and DO NOT let a so-called agency tell you that you must have them. (All you need for kids under age three are a few good, clear shots that show the child as they would normally look.)

KIDS AGE THREE AND OVER: If your child is age three or older consider having better photos taken to show to agents, casting directors, etc. - especially if you intend to work in the more lucrative markets such as New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, Miami Beach, Orlando, etc.

ALL AGES: Agents at kids modeling agencies as well as Casting Directors want to see kids looking like kids. DO NOT put any makeup on them, DO NOT dress your child in frilly pageant style dresses, DO NOT put cutesie bows in their hair, etc.

DO NOT have anything to do with ANY agency that requests money in advance for ANYTHING. Modeling schools, classes or training are completely unnecessary at any age and you should NEVER pay an agency for any type of marketing, training, classes, signing fees, photography services, comp cards, etc.

A legitimate agency makes money ONLY from booking a job and taking a commission, usually 10-20% of the gross. (For example, if your child does a job for $300 and your agent takes a 20% commission - the agent would be entitled to $60 commision and you would receive $240.)

ALL bookings should go through a state licensed booking agency and NEVER FORGET that it is ILLEGAL for a booking agency to "split fees" with phtographers and/or charge you money for anything other than booking a job and taking a commission in at least four states.

Click HERE to see the Florida State Law that makes it illegal for Florida booking agencies to split fees with photographers or charge money for classes, training, photography services, comp cards, etc. (California, New York, Florida and Texas all have similar laws.)

DO NOT respond to newspaper or radio advertising placed by so-called agencies as real agencies have no need to advertise.

DO NOT sign up for "exposure" or "representation" or "training" or anything else that is being promoted at a table or a kiosk at a mall as you will very quickly find yourself thousands of dollars poorer.

DO NOT fall for false promises or misleading claims used to sell you worthless "portfolios," runway lessons, training, classes, etc.

DO NOT pay an agency for photography services of any kind, pay the photographer.

DO NOT pay an agency for comp cards, etc. pay the printer.

The reason it is so hard to get a real agent to see you or talk to you is because a very high percentage of the people they come in contact with do not follow through. Imagine spending 6 hours of each 8 hour work day talking to people that don't follow through and you will understand why real agents don't have time to chit chat. (Most larger agencies have in-house scouts to find and screen talent for them while most smaller agencies rely on a more informal network of photographers and scouts to find new talent.)

PLEASE NOTE: Although they may be few and far between, there are legitimate model scouts and many of them also work as photographers, make-up artists etc. which is perfectly ethical and perfectly legal in all 50 states as there is no inherent conflict of interests. In fact, working with a legit model scout that is also a photographer can be extremely beneficial to a new model just starting out.

Just be sure not to confuse what a scout does with what an agent does. What's the difference? Scouts do not get involved in negotiating fees for bookings and, therefore, do not need to be licensed. (There is no such thing as a "model scout license".)

ALSO: Keep in mind that 99% of the photographers you may encounter on your own or find in the phone book, etc. DO NOT know how to photograph kids properly.

Great photos are door openers - so be sure to get solid advice from someone that really knows what they are doing before having any pictures taken.

Kids in Commercials is a "how to" kids modeling site for parents looking to get their kids into child modeling and acting. Kids in Commercials is not a booking agency and does not act as an agent for child models or talent. All images, information, slogans, names and marks on this site including Kids In Commercials and kidsincommercials.com are considered intellectual properties under Federal Law and are protected under International as well as Federal Trademark and Copyright laws world wide. All images and all child modeling information on this site is © Kids In Commercials 2005/2006/2007/2008 unless otherwise indicated. All rights reserved. Any copying, reproduction, distribution or transmission by any means without the prior written permission of Kids In Commercials is strictly prohibited and any improper or unauthorized usage will subject the offender to civil and/or criminal prosecution.