Encouraging Young Talent

Emma's "new talent" course is having a photoshoot coming up next month.  As a registered member of this agency she pretty much has to go and get her headshots done if we want to try to recoup any of the money that we paid for her to take this course.  The hope is when she is finished with the course she will be "promoted" for commercials, magazine work, even actual acting jobs or fashion shoots which will pay her (us!) some money and she will have a blast doing it.  The kicker is that this photoshoot with a top fashion photographer is $500 once you get the photos for your portfolio, which you need to show potential recruiters.

She is so excited by the prospect of having a special photographer take her picture. Almost as excited as she is to have a stylist help her put together outfits and hair styles.  I am overwhelmed by the whole thing.  It's all very interesting and Emma has already learned more etiquette that I would have taught her at home, as well as how to walk on a runway and design her own runway routine.  She's made new friends and is seeming a little more outgoing these days, but I'm worried she's going to expect too much out of this.

We have already discussed the outshell of money needed to continue marketing Emma at the agency.  There are fees for all sorts of things, including the online "job boards" that the agency uses to find jobs to match the talent.  We are going to give this a year and then decide if it's worth continuing.  If she is having fun and making enough money to cover the fees than we will continue for sure, but if she's not easily marketed then we may cut our losses.  My other concern (of which I have quite a few!) is that she'll be easily marketed and she'll have so many offers we won't know what to choose!  It's unfortunate that most of the jobs will be in Toronto, which is 2 hours (more if it's downtown) from home, and Patrick (my husband) and I both work full-time.  Luckily I have a fantastic boss and workplace that allows flexibility for my hours, but if I don't work I don't get paid!

I never imagined, when Emma was a tiny baby who only nursed or cried non-stop, that my life would get easier, but also infinitely more complicated, as she got older - and so quickly too!

Toodles!