How does child modelling in Ireland affect the kids?

One of the biggest fashion retailers in the US, who count Michelle Obama amongst their customers, has just hired an Irish child for their latest ad campaign. How big is child modelling in this country and what’s involved for the kid, asks Caroline Delaney

Mon, 23 Nov, 2015 - 00:00

When the kids ask for just a few ‘small things’ — like a pony, a bike, an iPad and a dozen x-box games — for Christmas; or when they smear Nutella on the couch, you might be tempted to decide they have to earn their keep. Or maybe you’re still in that smitten new parent phase where you genuinely believe a talent scout is going to swoop down as you shuffle to the shop and simply insist your angelic baby is the face of their next big campaign. So perhaps you’ve considered signing your little angel up to a modelling agency

How bad can it be? They frolic around in party clothes, take a break every so often for some schooling from an on-set tutor and you quit your job to be their manager and enjoy weekly mother-and-six-year-old daughter spa treatments.

Nope, it’s not quite like that.

In fact it’s nothing at all like that points out Alex Fraser, managing director of Fraser Models and Actors which recently linked young Irish model, Alex Gunn up with US fashion giant, J.Crew for a spectacular shoot in Kerry.

“What’s actually wanted is a natural-looking child with a nice, natural personality. We are quite strict in not encouraging ‘pushy parents’ and the children don’t wear loads of makeup or do party pieces,” he explains.

The American company, which has stores in Manhattan, San Francisco and California, decided the wilds of Kerry would be the perfect backdrop for their December catalogue. In a silver-lining kind of way our miserable summer gave them just the kind of wintry weather they needed. So 7-year-old Alex, from Balgriffin, near Portmarnock, with his lovely red hair was picked to team up with a flock of American teen and adult models for a shoot at the Gap of Dunloe and Ballinskelligs bay.

Alex, who was actually signed up for modelling by his granddad, David Heather, who thought he might have ‘something’, says his favourite part of the two-day shoot was having lunch on a double-decker bus which was transformed into a restaurant. He also enjoyed a horse and cart ride up some hills and pretending to pull pints at a pub in Ballinskelligs Bay.

Doting grandparents or parents who think their kids have that special ‘something’ too don’t have to enter a world of pricey portfolios and gruelling photo sessions, says Fraser.

“People interested in this can start by sending us a few photos — even camera phone ones will do. We would then bring a child in for a photo assessment. Even if you have hundreds of photos of your child it can turn out this isn’t for every child or not for every parent. We just have a quick check to see how the child copes with the bright lights and distractions. The main thing is we want kids to be kids,” he says.

“No pressure is put on the child — if it’s not going to work, then it’s not going to work.”

Anyone who has seen documentaries on American child beauty pageants might have a notion that it’s intensive coaching and cajoling the child into fixing a grimace-smile onto their face for hours on end.

“It’s a totally different game here — it’s nothing like in America where it’s a big business. Here the main thing is it’s important that the child’s personality is retained,” says Fraser, who notes that there are rules in this country on things like missing school and working long hours. Children can only work for a maximum of four hours at a time so often this is fitted in after school or in school holidays.

One way of helping a fashion shoot or movie filming move along is to use twins. Identical twins are great, says Fraser, as when one gets a little tired the other can step in.

In fact there are twins filming in Victorian detective drama, Ripper Street, at the moment he points out. They are Kye and Kahl Murphy, aged six, from Delgany.

Calling it work is a bit of a misnomer too says Fraser, whose models have featured in high-profile campaigns for retailers like Dunnes Stores, Smyths, Heatons and Lifestyle Sports. “It does take a bit of a team effort as we meet the parents and they are on-set at all times but really it’s more like a hobby for the child.”

Notions of spoilt kids who won’t get out of bed for less than €10,000 are off track too. “The money varies quite a bit but generally it’s much smaller than in America. Mostly it goes into a bank account for the child,” says Fraser who, when pressed, says it’s probably enough for a holiday or a nice present for the child.

“The stakes aren’t that high here so families don’t give up their careers to live off a child’s earnings — but it can be a stepping stone to a bigger career alright, whether in modelling or acting as you can have some crossover too.”

Safety is a big issue for reputable model agencies says Fraser: “All children are well-chaperoned and we have permission from school and parents. We only work with well-established companies so someone can’t just call up and book a model.”

And kids aren’t dropped from the agency’s books once they lose a tooth or grow up a bit: “It’s normal that children lose their baby teeth and that’s part of a natural look so that’s certainly not an issue. And many, many older children need braces on their teeth and that is reflected in our models as many have braces.”

So if you think your child has got what it takes you can check out Fraser’s company at www.frasermodelsandactors.ie — and give us an exclusive interview when they hit the big time.