My daughter just recently did this and made it through to the final round and won a year's contract, we are currently waiting for our packet. I got to say people really don't know the industry. When I asked if we could use our own pictures I was told yes we could, and from my own experience with modeling I know there are certain expenses that go along with modeling or acting. One of those expenses is photos. We only got the one look for our daughter and for 15 shots for $150 that is a bargain. You get the copy right to them and can have what ever you need printed off. We got our pictures about a week after her photo shoot. Business cards are the next thing we will be having printed up for our daughter, because she is going to need them. She has picked her favorite picture and we are starting out having 10 8x10s printed up, so she has her photos ready to go.
Once our contract is in, we get partnered with a booking agent. Who will contact us weekly with a list of potential jobs. With this information, you have to do some work, like sending your head shots and body shots to the casting agent. You have to go on auditions, and get yourself there. There are costs when you act or model, but the jobs pay covers the costs and some of the jobs provide transportation, and lodging. I think most of the complaints I am seeing on this board are people who are mad their children didn't make it through, or they fully didn't understand what it takes to help your kid succeed. There are cost when you are self employed, but the great thing about those costs are they become tax deductions.
