Working With Babies! Did You Know?
In addition to all the children and adult projects I cast, I do a lot of baby castings too. After a callback session with a client recently, I was telling him all my secrets that I’ve learned about babies and production that he wasn’t aware of. Below is only a couple of them. But they are important ones!
I won’t go into the Child Labor Law details, I’m sure every Producer knows about those. Instead, this is a short post to share how to successfully work with a baby on set. Here are some tips:
1. DETERGENT/FABRIC SOFTENER: If there is an adult actor working with the baby in the shot, for example, a “mom,” ask the real mom or dad of the baby what detergent and fabric softener they use. Why? Babies will feel comfortable in the arms of the actor mom or dad whose clothes smell like the real mom or dad clothes. The baby will “recognize” the scent and be more relaxed.
2. WHAT TIME IS YOUR BABY’S NAP TIME?: Whenever I’m doing a baby casting, I always ask the parent or nanny on camera, “What time is the baby’s nap time?” You will be surprised the range of times I’ve heard. “Oh, 12pm-3pm” or “11am-2pm.” There are various time frames depending upon the age of the baby. Why do I ask this? As a producer or director, you need to know when that baby is going to start getting cranky. Knowing the times of naps and times of when a baby is most alert is crucial to your planning your shoot.
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