Lights, camera, action!

Getting your child into the TV and modelling world can be fun. But, like all jobs, there are rules and regulations to be followed in order to protect your child’s image and financial interests, writes Lerato Mogoatlhe

THE MEDIA INDUSTRY will be in business for as long as brands have products to sell and production companies have entertainment to churn out. And while South Africa has strict laws and regulations on child labour, as well as any form of employment, including modelling, that puts anyone under the age of 16 to work, the modelling industry is growing rapidly.

There’s a need for child models, whose images are used to sell everything from baby food to clothes and toys. There is also an increasing demand for child actors and presenters for children’s shows.

Acting and modelling is great fun for kids, as they meet new people. It boosts their confidence – and they can make money, says Natasha Brickman, owner of Kids on Camera.

Once your child gets a big break, the sky could be the limit. Kids on Camera has placed talent on TV shows such as Isibaya, Rhythm City, Binnelanders as well as the movie Invictus, starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon.

Another local agency, Kingclip, is currently managing an 11-year-old actor who plays the role of a six-year-old on a telenovela and has one child actor who has been invited to audition for a movie with Charlize Theron.

Modelling can also be lucrative if the image of your child is widely used. “We had a child in a still-photography campaign for the banking sector that ran across Africa,” explains Liesl Biehn, managing director at GAPA Model Agency in Johannesburg. “Another one flew to Malaysia, with a guardian, to shoot a body-care product, and the usage was worldwide for two years, which ended up being a big contract.”

CHOOSING AN AGENT Although it does sometimes happen that your child is discovered by a stroke of luck, the best way to get in is to actively look for a casting agent.

But don’t just go for the first best agency – look for experience and accreditation. The agency’s history, as in the number of years it’s been in the business, as well as the work done and testimonials provided will make it clear what type of company you’re dealing with, advises Natasha, who’s been in the industry for the past 19 years.

She says one of the dangers of working with an inexperienced agent or agency is that they will not be affiliated to industry bodies. “The agency needs to be affiliated to bodies such as the National Association of Model Agencies and Personal Managers’ Association, which regulate the industry.

MAKING CONTACT Once you’ve decided on an agency or agent, you’ll send through images of your child. “The pictures don’t have to be shot professionally, as they’re only used to determine if the child can make it or not,” explains Thabo Mfikwe, a talent manager at Kingclip Casting Agency with 14 years of experience in the industry.

“If we like what we see, you’ll be sent an appointment form and invited to a professional studio photo shoot. You need to submit the appointment form with a copy of your child’s birth certificate and their tax number for invoicing purposes.”

This is also when you get to pay a registration fee, which can be anything between R500 and R1 000.

“That fee is normally referred to as a ‘commitment fee’ and is used to cover costs for things like photography and styling,” Thabo says. “Be wary of any agency that tells you to pay thousands of rands. It’s usually a sign that they’re dodgy and probably make their money through high registration fees.”

He says as a parent, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions such as how the agent or agency reached the figure they’ve quoted you. A good agent, he adds, will explain how the industry works and be transparent about your child’s earnings.

From the moment he first gets an email from a parent looking for an agent for their child, Thabo’s responsibility is to that child. “I have to protect the child’s best interest from and beyond the day of their audition. In South Africa, anyone who wants to work with children younger than 16 years needs to apply for a permit,” he explains. This is regardless of how long the child will be on screen or how visible he or she is. “Or whether their image will be on a billboard, magazine or TV,” Thabo says.

PROTECTING YOUR CHILD

Whether or not you want your child to become a model or actor, says Thabo, it’s important for every parent to know how to protect their child from exploitation.

“This can also even be digitally, for instance when your child’s picture is trending on social media or is being attached to brands and products

without your authorisation or financial compensation,” he says. “In keeping with laws around child labour and child protection, no one should use a minor’s image without going through the correct channels, such as getting work permits and your consent.”

The consent also applies to images taken at school with the aim of being used commercially.

For modelling and acting, you first need to sign an artist release form for your child’s images to be used, and there are rules and important information that you need to know before this happens, he says.

“This is important today more than ever what with social media making direct contact easy through private messages,” Thabo says.

AUDITIONING

Once all the paperwork is in place, and the agents like what they see, the auditioning process can start.

It could really build your child’s confidence, Liesl says.

“We find that the audition process is an extremely positive experience for the child and can be viewed as an extra-mural activity, if nothing else,” she explains. “Most kids are, in fact, satisfied with the experience and not too concerned with the actual outcome.”

It’s very often the parents’ expectations that need to be managed, she says. As parents, we need to be realistic, and this is easier if one understands the industry dynamics, Thabo says.

“In South Africa, for example, castings are not scheduled in advance,” he says. “It’s common to get a call for auditions mere hours before an audition. This makes flexibility an important part of looking for your child’s break.

“One of the biggest challenges of working with children is that, unlike adults, children change all the time. Your child might fit a certain brief when you come in for a photo shoot and be the wrong fit a week later because they’ve grown.”

It also helps to be patient when auditions don’t go your way. “The industry works with kids the same way it does with adults,” Thabo says. “You have to be persistent and keep going to auditions, because there’s a better chance that your child will get a break when casting directors know them, which can only happen if they go to auditions.”

“However, parents need to know that this industry is tough, and going to castings can be taxing,” Natasha says.

Both parent and child must want to be auditioned.

Remember, there’s a lot of competition out there. You need to make your child aware of this and that – more than anything – they need to just be themselves. They must have fun and do the best they can, keep going and never give up.

Casting agents don’t accompany children to auditions, but a good agent will help you understand what to expect during this process and be available to support you and your child.

It’s a good idea to call on the agent if there are forms to be signed during or after the audition.

“I tell our talent that they should never sign anything at the audition,” Liesl says. “We need to read all contracts first to ensure that they represent your and your child’s best interests.

“Dodgy producers and casting directors sometimes try to make you sign release forms that allow them to keep using your child’s image without paying for it each time it is used.”

SHOOTING

Your child’s audition went well, and now it’s time for the final shoot. What should you expect?

The law requires all sets with children to have a child minder, but it will be best to go along. If the shoot is out of town or the country, your expenses should be fully paid.

“The local industry is well regulated, efficient and professional. Kids are well looked after, given sufficient breaks on set, fed and treated well,” Liesl says.

Ultimately, if you want your child to work in the media industry, you need a casting agent who will use their experience to protect your child’s interest instead of using your inexperience to exploit your child. YB