As a mother, it took some time researching to figure out how the business works. It seems there is very little time for industry players to educate parents, which makes sense as most of their time is spent on producing/production. So at our AYA’s first parent workshop, we did just that. In Pasadena, We welcomed new parents in the industry or those just inquiring, and we reviewed the Actor’s Lifecycle with them. Now this lifecycle, I created based on my research and through learn-by-the-seat-of-your-pants experiences. I searched for the Actors Lifecycle and found none at the time we developed this model. The figure above depicts some of the major steps the actor has to go through.
Step 1: Decide whether there is a true interest in an acting career for film and TV.
Step 2: Trying it out. Many people are fascinated with actors but once they try it, they realize it is about hard work, dedication, concentration, and nonstop practicing and training. The glitz of stardom increases for some during this process, and for others, it dulls.
It’s no different about the excitement of playing the piano. Some stop right away and some continue forever.
Step 3: Training. Now if acting is for you, then training is a must. It is like playing a sport, soccer or baseball. You play once a week, but you practice twice a week. While you are active in acting, you must be practicing and training. You can’t show up to a soccer game week after week and expect to be great without practicing. Some parents (including me) thought that if they put their kids in some classes, they would learn technique and then they are ready for a career. Oh, we learn quickly. It is important to note that the it is essential that beginners train enough to feel confident (and that their teachers feel confident) that it is the right time to get in front of others in the industry. It may be harmful to get a new child actor in front of an agent before they are really ready. It may just turn them off when they could have been amazing with more support and training. If you see the purple line in the figure, you will notice that training never ends.
Two things to remember about acting schools for film and TV: If they approach you with the pretense that your child is cute enough to audition for a commercial or a Disney show and to show up to an audition, ask yourself, will Disney casting agents go out and about finding people on the street at random? If this happens to you, ask them whether they are a school looking for potential students or are they offering an audition for an actual job? What happens a lot is that parents with lively, cute kids are stopped at the mall and asked if their child is interested in acting. Then they say something like they are auditioning for Disney or for a specific commercial. Then you show up with 700 others to find out that they are a school trying to get you to pay for training. You just spent 2-3 hours in a line to be seen. You will most likely be willing to pay. Now I ask you to ask yourself if that is okay with you? Is that okay in general? If it is, great, if it’s not, look for an acting school that is straight with their advertising. They sell acting classes and you buy them. I am not saying those schools are not legit – many are. Many are famous. My son went to several. The point is that parents get reeled in to pay for courses they aren’t ready for or financially can’t afford just because they were “hand-picked” at the mall and made believe that their child is special and has a chance greater than the next to land a job that doesn’t even exist. Now, our academy also goes out to the community to promote classes but in no way makes parents believe that their child will be auditioning for a job opportunity, as they audition for class level.
Step 4: Once an acting teacher says it is time to get in front of an agent, then there a few things a parent must do: get head shot. Shop around. Getting referrals from others who have used the photographer is better than getting referrals from those who are just promoting a photographer. Look at samples of their work. If you know what agents you are going to audition with, look at headshots of their clients. The resume gets attached to the back of the headshot, or simply both become online products. At this point, the resumé will resume the actors’ training and all their special talents as well as extracurricular activities that may set them apart from others. A third thing a parent must obtain is a work permit for their child actor. A child must be in good standing academically to qualify. The last thing I want to let you know about is parents must open a Coogan Account. As stated by SAG/AFTRA, California law affirms that earnings by minors in the entertainment industry are the property of the minor, not their parents. Since a minor cannot legally control their own money, California Law governs their earnings and creates a fiduciary relationship between the parent and the child. This change in California law also requires that 15% of all minors’ earnings must be set-aside in a blocked trust account commonly known as a Coogan Account. Keep an eye out for our parent workshops, as we will be having workshops that just focus on headshot/resume development, obtaining a permit, and more on opening a Coogan Account.
Step 5: Getting an agent. This seems like it would be easy, but it isn’t. Really this is where connections in the industry come to play. Actors, acting schools, directors, casting directors have easier access to agents. Sure, there are lists you can buy of agents, and you can send out the headshot and resume, but it is like a cold call. If you are training, your school, your teachers, your colleagues have better access and can introduce you to agents. Once you are ready you can request them to help you get an audition. Schools have more contacts than acting coaches for the mere fact that they have more actors/acting teachers who have different agents representing them and a connections via former students. If your child is ready, then the school and teachers may be more apt to put in a good word. Don’t request the favor until your child is truly ready (according to someone other than them and yourself). Two things about getting an agent: 1) DON’T pay to get one (they only get paid, if your child books a job they sent the child out to); and 2) DON’T believe a school that promises they will get one (an agent) for you. Schools will do their best to try to give their students opportunities to get into the industry, because they benefit when one of their students is picked up by an agent, and in turn, go to auditions and later books jobs. Once you get an agent you will need to sign up to the online casting sites they use. If you sign up for background work, it will help only for experience but not for your agent and not for actual acting jobs. You also do not put background work on the acting resume.
Step 6: Going out to auditions. Casting agents work with agents directly. Breakdowns of what auditions are available are sent daily. Agents work hard to get you in front of the casting agents so once you get a notification that you have landed an audition, it is because your agent has been working hard (for free) to get you there. Now its time for the child actor to show their stuff and do their best at the audition. Rules about auditions: always go, never go late, and be lovely from the moment you are in the parking lot. Parents, YOU TOO. You are auditioning too without knowing it. If they feel you are a match, then Step 7. If not, back to step 6.
Step 7: Callbacks. If the casting agent (who works for the Director) thinks your child is a good match, then they will pick their top matches and have them do the audition again. It’s important that whatever the child did the first time, what they wore, and how they acted, that they do it again at the call back. They liked what they saw the first time. If the actor changes it up, then casting director may not see what they were looking for. This is key. It is not that they liked your child; it is that your child was a good match. Liking how child and his style of acting does not guarantee a match.. The more the casting directors see your child come to auditions, the more they will be apt to invite you back for the right fit via your agent.
Step 8: Book a job! Your child gets their first paying gig. Congrats. Make sure you put it on their resume. Once completed, go to step 6.
Hope this helps.
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