About Us
Scallywags is a Child Model Agency based in Hoxton, London.
We have been representing babies, children and teenagers for modelling work in advertising, photographic, fashion and television commercials since 1984.
Our clients are advertising agencies, photographers, editorial magazines, fashion and production companies.
Whilst the majority of modeling work is in London you will also find jobs around other UK cities.
Staying Ahead of the Trend
In the world of child modelling and more broadly the whole fashion industry it’s a key factor to keep ahead of the norm. When the internet started taking form in the 1990′s Scallywags wasted no time in purchasing our domain, scallywags.co.uk. We became the first child model agency to create a website for child modelling in 1994. Scallywags were able to email clear, high resolution (as high as dial up modems would allow) colour images. This was a real game changer.
In 2004 colour printing became more affordable, with the onset of digital cameras and commercial laser printing. So, we launched the agency model book in colour for the first time. All previous editions since 1984 had been in black and white.
It wasn’t long before our clients started requesting more up to date photos of the children from us as opposed to 6 month old folio shots. Being an agency that listens to our clients we recreated our website to enable the parents of our child models to upload their own images. As more families have access to digital cameras in the form of mobile phones and internet access at home and on the go, the request became a reality. Clients now have job submissions from us with photos of the children taken on that very day.
To this day we continue to improve the technology we offer to help the child models and our clients.
At the Heart of our Agency
Our team of bookers are always sourcing new clients, collaborating with them and assisting them on bookings.
The agency fully manage our models, from sending them on auditions, confirming shoot details to invoicing clients and paying the models.
Scallywags plural of scal·a·wag (Noun)
A person who behaves badly but in an amusingly mischievous rather than harmful way.
Is An Agent Really Necessary?
Once you have decided to enter this industry the next step is to decide whether to go it alone or find an agent. The decision depends both on the ambitions of your child and the type of work they will be trying to get.
Modelling
Modelling jobs for children are almost exclusively to be found through agents. Advertising agencies and photographers are too busy to advertise and hold open castings for every single job. They will either look first at the agency web site or they will go straight to an agent with a description of the type of children they need.
From that description, the agencies will look through their models and draw up a list of children who fit the requirements. The client will then liaise with the agency to arrange times and locations for castings. It would be virtually impossible to find modelling work without having an agent.
Acting
Stage schools, local drama groups and youth theatres might provide useful contacts in the business. It is possible that an unknown child will spot an advertisement in The Stage, and will go along to an open audition and land a major role, but agents are invariably the first to find out about such auditions and will ensure that their clients get to meet the producer or director.
Agents will also be the first stop for production companies who are hiring people for extra work in films and television. An agent will be told the number of children that the production company are looking for. If the agent is trusted and has a good relationship with the production company the children will be sent along to work on the day without an audition being required.
Agents have the necessary contacts and provide you with security. Having an agent is the mark of your professional attitude.
Finding the right agency
‘I know my child’s got talent but who can I trust?’
This is an all to familiar question that comes up and it’s not so easy, an agency with a prominent presence online is a great start. It means that they will be found easily by companies who are looking to employ child models or actors!
Here’s some simple checks to make yourself.
Word Of Mouth.
There is nothing better than personal experience. If you know any other mothers whose children are models, then their recommendation of an agency will be something you can trust. Contacting catalogues or magazines and asking them which agencies they use, that way you can be sure if an agency is in the habit of getting children work.
Trust Your Own First Impressions.
When looking at an agencies website or advertising campaign does it look right?
When emailing does your reply come from a business email or a Gmail/Yahoo/Hotmail account is there an official email signature, is the advice given well formulated or does it appear to be written off the cuff?
How Long Has The Agency Been In Business?
A well established agency which has been around for a long time will have had time to build up a good reputation and client list.
Find Out What Jobs The Agency Is Involved In.
There are different methods of doing this, contact an agent and ask them about the current jobs or see a job listing online.
The majority of our work can be viewed on our Jobs page, our Facebook page and Pinterest.
Once you have an active membership our bookers will send your child’s profile to clients whenever they match a job brief. To better assist us please use high quality photos and studio shots where available. You’ll be invited to Tagmin, the database we use for representation so please make sure this is kept up to date.
Measurements are also quite important, especially as the industry has a very fast turnaround. If our bookers can get your childs profile over to a client first without waiting on new measurements it will greatly increase our chances of securing a booking.
Because our bookers make numerous suggestions each day, we can only contact you when your child is booked or if we require more information.
Our first port of call will be to contact you by phone. We recommend you store your mobile number with us. We will usually start sending out emails with details as outgoing calls are being made. If we don’t get through to you we will leave a message and continue to try and reach you.
The auditions are between 4-6pm for school age children and earlier in the day for babies and pre-schoolers. Jobs will mostly be during the day so time out of school is necessary. It is a professional working industry and our clients shoot times reflect that.
Most of these bookings come in with very short notice, usually next day. Being available to attend will obviously increase your child’s chances of success with us.
We would love it if you can make every audition but we realise that parents have work and other commitments. It’s helpful to inform us of holiday dates or other general unavailability. If you can’t make it after you have confirmed please be sure to let us know. This will allow us to replace your child with another and give someone else the opportunity.
We need to get school permission for shoots. Most schools are aware of how the industry is. Unless you land a permanent role in a TV show it will just be the odd day here and there. For permanent roles and touring, private education is always provided. Our bookers will help you through the simple license application process when the occasion arises.
We would love to guarantee all of our little Scallywags work! Our bookers get a great sense of achievement when our kids get booked and are filled with pride whenever they see them on TV or in magazines. However, it’s up to the casting directors, clients and photographers on who is seen and ultimately booked. Taking note of all of the the above will give your child a very high chance of securing work.
First you’ll need to apply, it’s super easy. Just register using your email address and start filling out your childs profile. You will need to have some photos ready to upload for us to assess. Once your child’s profile is complete you click a button to apply. This can be done at any time during the year and your child will be put in a queue for assessment.
Once we receive your online application it will be reviewed by the members of our team. Response time can vary but it shouldn’t be longer than a week. You might hear from us sooner if we are working on a job that your child matches.
We receive an enormous amount of applications and can’t take everyone on, we would not be able to offer that many children a good enough chance of securing auditions and bookings. Our clients also expect to only receive prime candidates from us. For these reasons we can only accept a certain percentage for each age group. If you don’t get in first time please give it a few months before trying again as our circumstances may have changed.
Once you receive an offer of representation from us you will need to become a member.
By becoming a member you will have your child’s profile made active so it can be viewed by our clients.
It’s helpful but not essential to live near London. The majority of the work was always in London and a lot still is. Since rent prices for studios have slowly risen more clients have gone for out of town studios. There are other notable media hubs in Manchester and Birmingham.
We take on new borns to teenage models.
The assessment is completed on the photographs submitted at registration. Any further assessments are completed by the client at the time of audition. Our members will be considered for photographic, commercial and live film work.
We are a sole agency. There are some exceptions so please check if you are unsure.
Terms & Privacy
Acceptance of terms and conditions
The following are the terms on which we offer you access to our site and services. The scallywags.co.uk site and services are owned and operated by Scallywags Limited (registered in the UK under company number 04568691), trading as Scallywags Ltd. By using the scallywags.co.uk website you agree to be bound by these Terms of Use, whether or not you register as a member of scallywags.co.uk. If you wish to become a Member and make use of scallywags.co.uk (the “Service”), please read these Terms of Use. If you object to anything in this Agreement or the scallywags.co.uk Privacy Policy, do not use the Website or the Service.
Changes to the terms and conditions
These terms and conditions may be changed by us from time to time. Changes will be effective immediately upon posting of the updated terms and conditions on this web site. You are responsible for ensuring you are familiar with the latest terms and conditions. Continuing to use the site represents your agreement to be bound by the terms and conditions as amended.
These terms and conditions (as amended from time to time) shall together with any other document specifically referred to herein form the entire agreement between us.
We recommend that you keep a copy of these terms and conditions for you own reference.
Our service
You acknowledge that any internet user visiting scallywags.co.uk may view your profile, including photos and showreels but not contact details. Your profile may also be accessible from search engines such as Google.
scallywags.co.uk services as described above are limited to providing clients with information about applicants seeking work in the entertainment business. This service is the only work finding service provided by scallywags.co.uk and scallywags.co.uk is not connected to the clients save in respect of these terms and conditions.
Breach
Without limiting any other rights and remedies available to scallywags.co.uk, we may limit your activities on the web site, remove your profile and files, issue a warning to you, suspend or terminate your membership, or refuse to provide our services to you if you breach these terms and conditions or where scallywags.co.uk considers it appropriate.
Membership restrictions
You may not use our services if:
You have previously been banned from using our services or are associated with someone who is banned from using our services.
You are directly or indirectly involved in the operation of a company that competes with our services.
Responsibility for minors
Minors who access this site are required to be supervised by a parent or guardian. Minors are not permitted to upload images of an adult nature.
Subscriptions
General. The fees payable in respect of the Service shall be those fees as set out on the website from time to time. We reserve the right to vary the fees in accordance with these terms and conditions.
scallywags.co.uk bills you through an online merchant (PayPal) for use of the Service. You agree to pay scallywags.co.uk all charges at the prices then in effect for any use of the Service by you or other persons (including your agents) using your account and you authorize scallywags.co.uk to charge your chosen payment provider (your “Payment Method”) for the Service. Scallywags.co.uk reserves the right to correct any errors or mistakes that it makes even if it has already requested or received payment.
Refunds
Refunds will only be issued relating to technical errors on the website such as, duplicate payments being made in error or excessive downtime of the site. Refunds will only be issued on Tuesdays if applicable.
Cancelling your membership
You have the right to cancel your membership with scallywags.co.uk at any time by giving us written notice. We have a cancellation term of 30 days notice period. Any payment taken out during the notice period will not be refunded, however if it is taken out past the 30 days notice period we will refund you. You need to send an email to accounts@scallywags.co.uk stating you wish to unsubscribe with your child’s full name and registered email with our website and PayPal.
If you wish to cancel your yearly membership you can do so through a written request. We are unable to issue any refunds after 30 days of you being an active member.
Intellectual Property
Materials contained on this website are protected under copyright and other laws of the UK and under international conventions and similar laws abroad. You are not permitted to use or reproduce or allow anyone to use or reproduce the name and logo of scallywags.co.uk for any reason without our express written permission
Viruses
Although we take reasonable steps to prevent the introduction of viruses or other destructive materials to our website or on-line service, we do not guarantee that the service or materials that may be available from our website do not contain such destructive features. We shall not be liable for any damages or liability attributable to such features. If you use any materials available through this website, you do so solely at your own risk.
Site Access
Access to our site may be interrupted, restricted or delayed from time to time. We will not be liable for damages or costs in these circumstances.
Prohibitions
You are responsible for ensuring that no material you post, or which is posted through a machine on which you access scallywags.co.uk, nor any activity or communication you make in connection with any scallywags.co.uk service, will be capable of
Infringing the intellectual property, right to privacy, or other rights of any person or entity,
Breaching any applicable law, whether criminal or otherwise, or
Appearing to be offensive, threatening, harassing, obscene, pornographic, fetish, false, unreliable or misleading, or,
Being considered spam or unwanted advertising of products or services.
Applicable Law and Jurisdiction
The scallywags.co.uk website is operated and controlled from the UK. These terms and conditions and any agreements with scallywags.co.uk arising from our website are governed by UK law. Any dispute arising in relation to these terms and conditions and any agreement arising from our website will be heard in the UK and resolved in accordance with UK law.
scallywags.co.uk On-Line Restriction – Further Terms and Conditions
As part of our website you can register on line and sign up to apply for the various roles advertised. When you register to use the service, there are further terms and conditions that are set out below.
Inaccurate Information
All information provided to us must be complete and accurate information. If your information changes you will be responsible for providing us with the updated information. We shall not be held liable for any loss, damage or consequences as a result of inaccurate or incomplete information we receive from you.
Password and Sign in Security
You are responsible for any use of our on-line service with your password and protecting your password from unauthorised use. You are also responsible for the security of any computer where you choose to remain signed in to scallywags.co.uk.
Member contact
You agree that when you make your profile public or include your photo in the talent directory that scallywags.co.uk will publish your information and photos, and allow Scallywags Agency to contact you. You also agree that you will not use the contact system to send junk mail, spam, offensive messages, or for any purposes other than those directly related to auditions or casting calls. scallywags.co.uk will be the sole judge of any breach of the conditions of use. Any breach of these conditions can result in your membership being terminated and a permanent ban from the site. No refund will be given if you have breached the conditions of use.
Privacy of your information
scallywags.co.uk collects personal information about you through your use of the services and the web site, including your registration details; and information relating to your use of the web site and the content you access.
You agree that scallywags.co.uk may use this personal for internal research purposes, to verify your identity, for promoting and marketing other scallywags.co.uk products and services to you, and for any other use that you authorise.
scallywags.co.uk may disclose your personal information, including your name and contact details, to the relevant authorities, parties and/or the applicable intellectual property right holders (or their representatives) as we see fit.
You can access and correct your personal information at any time.
Third Party Services
scallywags.co.uk may contain links to other websites (“Third Party Services”) and may post your information on other websites (including, but not limited to, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube). If you choose to use a Third Party Service they may use and share your data in accordance with their privacy policy and your privacy settings on that service. You should always review the policies of Third Party Services and websites to make sure you are comfortable with the ways in which they use information you share with them.
Spam and your email address
Your email address is used to identify your membership, and to sign in to the site.
After registering with scallywags.co.uk you will receive emails, containing casting calls and auditions matching your profile. You may also receive our email newsletters, account updates and information about scallywags.co.uk features.
You can easily unsubscribe from any of our emails, either by using the ‘unsubscribe’ link provided in the email.