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Oct 9, 2008 6:56 pm US/Eastern
Kids Line Up In NYC For The Gap Model Auditions
Reporting
Cindy Hsu
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Children are flashing their best smiles at the Gap on Fifth Avenue in Midtown, as the store searches the country for the freshest young faces to represent their clothing lines. The store's casting call is open to kids 10 and under, and parents say it's something new and fun for their kids.
"Life is short so you know what? It's great for them to experience different things," mother Andreana Plenca said.
While the children are adorable, the competition is incredible. The Gap is expecting about a million kids to enter the contest, and only four children will make the final cut.
Modeling agencies also hold casting calls, but you can always send home snapshots directly to the agencies. So how do you get a great picture?
"I would say take your camera out go in the back yard and play with them, and ask them to jump for you and ask them what they did at school and ask them what they did silly at school and just really interact with the child. The worst thing you can do is say 'Sit down and smile' because for the kid, that's not fun for them," said Kevin Hammett from Classic Kids Photography.
Sharon Elcock is the photo editor at Parents Magazine, and says the cutest kids don't always get the job. "You can have a really good-looking kid with a horrible personality who is really not into it."
Elcock says that's the child she won't hire again. She'd rather go for a model who might not be as cute but their personality jumps off the page.
As far as big bucks for these little models, "It's not going to be a whole ton of money, unless your kid is lucky enough to book an advertising campaign or perhaps even a movie," she said.
According to Elcock, most child models make about $100 to $150 per job, and then the modeling agency takes 20 percent.
The winners of the Gap casting call won't make any money, but they'll appear in ads and get a year of free clothing.
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