How do I get my child started in modeling or acting? Five Tips to Get Your Child Started in Show Biz and Keep Your Sanity
Think you’ve got the next Shirley Temple or Raven Simone but not sure how to get started? As the New Talent Coordinator at The Helen Wells Agency, one of my primary goals is to provide as much information as I can, as honestly and directly as I can. So, whether or not you plan on attending one of our upcoming open calls, here are 5 things HWA wants parents to know about this crazy business of ours.
This is a Different Kind of After-School Activity…Sort Of.
As a parent, you spend time and money on activities for your child. You do this without expecting a huge ROI by turning out a David Beckham or Jonas Brother. Molding a young model or actor takes the same type of investment, with the same gamble on return. You’ll need a flexible schedule (jobs & auditions are almost always M-F, 9am-5pm) and a strong student (missing some school is usually necessary) and you’ll have to spend some money, namely on pictures. Think of pictures like you would cleats for soccer or a helmet in football: in order to play, you need the proper equipment. And just like any other after-school activity, it should be FUN. If your kid stops having fun, it’s time to find a new activity.
This Business is Sort of Like a Kosher Deli (No Ham, Please)
It’s wonderful that little Jimmy is constantly regaling the family with impersonations of Jim Carey. It’s great that Susie adores being in front of the camera and poses just like Naomi Campbell. But that may not work in their favor. Just because your child loves to be the center of attention and is a born performer, doesn’t mean she will be able to listen to complete strangers and follow direction. It’s not easy for a lot of adults! Animation is great. Personality is an asset. But even our youngest talent need to be able to adapt and listen.
Images courtesy of Helen Wells Agency
Show Biz Really Is…a Business.
By involving your child in a business, you are agreeing that they (and you) can and will behave in a professional manner. This means you are on time, you are prepared and you are polite. No one likes a fake, but first impressions matter, so error on the side of caution and pretend every audition is an interview. The entertainment biz moves quickly and can be very informal, but you’ll need to keep a professional mindset. You wouldn’t bring your child and 10 of their friends to a doctor’s appointment or an interview; auditions and jobs should be treated with the same respect.
It’s Okay to Embrace Your Inner “Stage Mom”- (Just Be Sure To Introduce Her To Your Inner “Simon Cowell”)
A Stage Mom (and not all Stage Mom’s are women, btw) has a blind faith and over-the-top enthusiasm about her child. These parents are convinced that their child should always get the part, regardless of ability. Some of these folks are clearly living out unfulfilled dreams of their own (Hello, Dina Lohan) and the Stage Mom is an unfortunate reality of this business. However, there are a few tricks the Stage Mom could teach us all: It takes a positive attitude, dedication and belief in your child to be willing to drive three hours for a 5 minute, commercial audition, with no guarantee of booking (think Taylor Swift’s mom…seriously, this lady is awesome! Supportive, but totally real with her kid). These traits can go a long way in any field, but it’s not enough: You need to be honest. Your inner Stage Mom needs someone to keep her in check. Enter, American Idol judge Simon Cowell.
Simon Cowell has a reputation for honesty. Brutal honesty. In fact, he was dubbed the “…meanest man in show business…” by Forbes magazine. I guess he can be kind of harsh. (But, admit it – you were thinking that guy sounded like a dying parakeet being stuffed down a garbage disposal, too). Now, we don’t think anyone needs to get nasty, but we also don’t believe in setting yourself (or your child) up for failure. If your kid can’t sing, don’t try to tell us he can. What parent let these kids go on national television to “sing”?
An ounce of honesty is worth a pound of humiliation.
Be virtuous (patient).
While watching a special on child stars one night, I heard the staggering statistic from SAG: The average child actor will audition 40 times before landing their first principle role. 40 times!!! To keep going would take a lot of perseverance. And patience. You’ll wait around to hear back about an audition (or not hear), for job details, your child’s commercial. This business is waiting in a lot of forms! And you and your child will wait. It’s tough when someone asks “Why hasn’t my child gotten any work?” You’ve gotten pictures, you take your child to auditions and…nothing. Here’s why it’s a tough question: we don’t have answer. So many factors go into these decisions, and we don’t even know half of them. We do know these things take time. You can’t control everything. All you can do is keep going to auditions, keep your pictures up to date, maintain a positive attitude…and wait. Because the right job hasn’t come along…but it will.
Want to learn more about the opportunities provided by The Helen Wells Agency? Attend an upcoming open call. Also, be sure to register for our newsletter to keep informed about current and upcoming events!
Tags: acting, child talent, getting started acting, getting started in modeling, modeling, photography
These are excellent tips! But what if you have an infant? What tips would you give for moms wanting to put their babies in commercials?
Hey Barbara! It’s a question we get asked a lot, and I wish we had better information on it for you. Our advice is usually to wait until your child gets a little older- babies change so incredibly fast and it’s so difficult for parents to keep up with pictures and such. Larger markets, like Chicago, may offer more opportunities, but then you’ll need to be willing and able to make the drive for auditions and such. Hope this helps. If you have more questions, you can always contact me: Nicole@helenwellsageny.com