Answering a Reader Question #847

AspiringTalent Wrote:

 Hello my 6 year old has an appointment with BMG Modeling Agency and I was wondering if you had any tips on questions I should be asking them. Also what is your opinion of BMG Modeling Agency? They haven't asked for money which is a good sign. Please help

Hey AspiringTalent,

BMG is one of the agencies that is known for being legitimate and reputable. They've been around for a long time and I've even attended an open call for their LA office (they weren't interested, lol). If your son got signed to them, it would be a good decision.

As far as questions, those should revolve around the contract and possible fees/expenses you can expect to incur, as well as asking what (if any) fees/expenses they would cover for you.

A few key questions to ask should include:

1) How long is the contract term for? 1 year? 2 years? 3 years? Longer?

2) Is it Exclusive or Non-Exclusive?

3) How much is the commission?

4) What is the "Exit Clause"? In other words, if you wanted out before the term is up, what are the guidelines/steps you need to follow and how long do you need to stay in the contract before you can get out of it early?

5) Are you allowed to find your own photographers to put together your son's professional portfolio or do you have to choose from the list of photographers they provide you with?

I would also recommend checking out the link below to a blog post I wrote about fees when it comes to arranging test shoots for building a portfolio. It should give you some further insight about how agencies handle this part of the process:

http://amodelsdiary.blogspot.com/2008/07/deal-with-agencies-test-shoots-for.html

Best of luck to you and your son!

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