What do I do? Help! There’s no training or ”how to” guide about how to coach you or your child through this new adventure. Today I am talking about what you can do to support your child’s dream in acting right now. I will discuss what some of your initial steps should be and give you a course of action to make them the most successful version of themselves.
WHAT DO I DO NOW?
So your child wants to be on tv, broadway, movies, fantastic! You are probably here because you care deeply about making sure your child is given every opportunity possible to make their dreams a reality. And guess what? I am here to help you logistically figure out how to make that happen. So let’s talk about the signs that your child wants to pursue this on a more serious level?
There are tell-tale signs like when your child starts asking to take an acting class, to audition for school plays, are they making movies with their friends, are they potentially more interested in being involved in these things than hanging out with their friends or other hobbies or events. I believe It’s genetic. I believe It’s in their DNA. They do it because they have to.
Don’t discourage your child when they express an interest in acting. Because this is how they are going to communicate and exist with the world. I know this first hand because it is how I communicate with the world.
Look, I get when this happens it might seem daunting, especially if the resources that are available to you are a bit more limited. But l’m going to reassure you right now, especially in today’s world, you can pursue a career in acting from anywhere.
BENEFITS OF SHOW BUSINESS
A lot of parents can get scared about this idea of their child being in show business because it is a business and that might seem scary to expose your child to that. Another daunting element of your child expressing interest in the arts is all of the unknown or the fear that your child might not get their “big break” they might get discouraged. There are so many benefits for your child to gain from pursuing a career in show business
I have worked with so many young actors and a few have moved on to celebrity status, some have moved out of the business, and many others have moved to other areas within the business. But what they all have in common is that they are all VERY SUCCESSFUL adults.
A reason to support your child: it builds self esteem and confidence, they learn how to deal with rejection from an early age, they learn how to listen better, it improves their reading skills, they learn how to think on their feet, they learn how to take risks, and they’re gaining independence.
PROFESSIONAL ASSESSMENT
So you’ve determined that your child wants to pursue this to a more professional degree. So let’s talk about the tools you need to jumpstart your child’s career. It can be incredibly helpful to seek out an industry evaluation or assessment. These assessments are going to give a better understanding of how your child fits in the industry as a whole.
Do they have the skill & ability to be competitive in the industry? Are they taking classes and studying the craft? Are they marketable in the industry? As in do they have the right look for what’s being produced in today’s industry. How competitive are they in a saturated market ? How do they stack up against talent that is already established in the industry? And are they marketable right now. Places you might get an assessment are from a vetted industry pro like talent manager, acting coach/consultant, or even a casting director.
DIGITAL PROFILES
Get your child out there! Set up Digital profiles on various acting websites including Casting Networks and Actor’s Access and Backstage. If you’re not familiar with this, these are websites that are online databases that casting directors use to cast their shows. They are audition breakdowns, which are essentially lists of auditions and the various characters that are needed for the project, and you are able to submit your child for and hopefully have them book these roles. These online profiles will make sure you have a competitive edge even prior to landing representation.
HEADSHOTS
Headshots. Headshots. Headshots. It’s your child’s calling card. If they are young, you can easily take a nice photo on their iphone, but eventually, you will need to find someone to take a professional photo of your child. Those images should capture your child’s personality and give a clear example of what roles they would be perfect in!
RESUME
Put together a resume. And this is different than a business resume. An acting resume should fit on one page with three columns, very easy to read. If you’re not sure how to do this and you are interested in a template for that, you can find one in my book, Parenting in the Spotlight: How to Raise a Child Star without Screwing Them Up available on Amazon and if you’re in the NY area The Drama Bookshop which is a place you should visit whenever you’re in town..
At first your child may not have a lot to add to their resume, if anything, on their resume, but it should list the basics about their training and appearance as well as any roles or experience they have had up to that point. Don’t worry if they don’t have anything to list on their resume yet, that will come with time!
REEL
Once your child starts putting together auditions or they’ve been cast in a few projects, you should start to think about putting together a professional reel for them. A reel or a sizzle clip is a series of clips that shows what your child is capable of doing. Think of a reel as a trailer of your child’s career! Look as they have more experience and you’re ready to sink in a little bit more money, they can get a beautiful professional reel and we’ll talk about that later on as well.
REPRESENTATION
Eventually, it will be important for your child to seek out representation with an agent or manager. You can start to find work for them without one, but to advance their career and book more important roles, larger roles, they really must have representation.
TRAINING
Most importantly, you must get your child in a class where they can begin their training. A lot of times agents and managers will attend showcases or final performances of these classes even because they’re looking for kids who are in training and working the right way. But before signing your child they want to know that they are well trained and that they’re committed to the process. Training never stops. It’s really really key!
BE READY!
Again I can’t stress enough READINESS. Before you take the leap make sure your child has the skills and confidence ready to move forward. I tell my students all the time , only confident actors get hired. Confidence comes with experience, time and maturity. TRUST THE PROCESS. Once you have done the things I’ve talked about, know that the right things will come at the right time. Try not to micromanage your child or their career. I know it’s hard as a mom, but stay on top of it and be the best advocate you can be for your child.
Pursuing the performing arts is a wonderful and amazing thing that builds character and strength and whatever they choose to do later on they will be really good at because you supported them now!
Your child chose this because they have no other choice. Nothing satisfies them more than getting up on stage or being in front of a camera. Support them!! Don’t stand in the way of your child's self empowerment, success, happiness, AND becoming the best they can be! This is the beginning of an exciting and thrilling journey for your child and you and I am happy to go on it with you!
