Kids Agent/Manager for Budding Child Actor? Advice?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She didn't ask about an agent in her OP.

It's in the headline!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She didn't ask about an agent in her OP.

+1. I didn't see her asking about managers or agents. Just next steps. People need to lay off. There are always some nasty dcum who wants to assume the worst! And if she did ask about an agent, so what?! It seems to be a logical next step. Esp for a child who is interested in camera acting as opposed to theater.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She didn't ask about an agent in her OP.

It's in the headline!

Yeah, the subject of this thread is: "Kids Agent/Manager for Budding Child Actor? Advice?"

[Anonymous]

OP is an @ss. She clearly asked for an agent and then when info was provided to be helpful, she slaps the person who tried to help her. OP, are you a jerk IRL or do you just play on on DCUM?

[Anonymous]

Op get used to this nastiness if your kid gets more into show biz. These nasty dcums are nothing compared to stage moms and dads!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She didn't ask about an agent in her OP.

+1. I didn't see her asking about managers or agents. Just next steps. People need to lay off. There are always some nasty dcum who wants to assume the worst! And if she did ask about an agent, so what?! It seems to be a logical next step. Esp for a child who is interested in camera acting as opposed to theater.

It's the header, she is just backtracking now. Other people suggested agents BECAUSE SHE ASKED. It isn't really the logical next step at all. Her child participated in a film project for a friend aka another 10 year old. For all we know it's a school project. That's like saying, "I took my kid ice skating for the first time and she loved it! How can I get her an Olympic coach?"

I'm assuming OP just didn't know where to start but I'm surprised how many people are already advising her on splitting her time between NYC and DC.

[Anonymous]

I'm a drama teacher. Don't put your kid in the industry at 10. That's unkind. Let him do it recreationally - at a community theater or summer camp, just like you'd do for an interest in soccer or horseback riding. Acting is the strange industry where they hire children because they need them for some of the stories they tell. But that doesn't mean that getting paid work at a young age is good for your child. Agents exist to monetize your child's talent. 10 year olds are easily lured by ideas of fame. Keep him focused on the art form. Keep it age-appropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This all seems really overboard for a kid who has had one role. Try some summer camps and local theater and see if a) he continues to like it and b) he has legitimate talent

I agree. It epitomizes everything that is wrong with DC -- "My kid enjoyed doing something once! That must mean he's excellent at it! How can we monetize it?"

Your kid liked doing an activity. So figure out a way for him to do the activity again. That's all.

Seriously, so not what OP was going for. Get over yourself. She never said she wanted to monetize anything. But thanks for your typically cynical and nasty comment- much more of a typical jealous/threatened DC parent. Geesh!

Actually, her title and original post asked about how to hook her kid up with an agent, which is what you do if you want your kid to have a career or at least make money from acting.

If she had titled and approached her original post as geared towards classes, she wouod not have received so many eye roll ish responses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She didn't ask about an agent in her OP.

+1. I didn't see her asking about managers or agents. Just next steps. People need to lay off. There are always some nasty dcum who wants to assume the worst! And if she did ask about an agent, so what?! It seems to be a logical next step. Esp for a child who is interested in camera acting as opposed to theater.

Did you read the title of this post? She came in asking for an agent/mamager.

The person who linked an agency actually answered her original post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She didn't ask about an agent in her OP.

+1. I didn't see her asking about managers or agents. Just next steps. People need to lay off. There are always some nasty dcum who wants to assume the worst! And if she did ask about an agent, so what?! It seems to be a logical next step. Esp for a child who is interested in camera acting as opposed to theater.

An agent is NOT the logical second step for a kid with only one minor foray into acting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a drama teacher. Don't put your kid in the industry at 10. That's unkind. Let him do it recreationally - at a community theater or summer camp, just like you'd do for an interest in soccer or horseback riding. Acting is the strange industry where they hire children because they need them for some of the stories they tell. But that doesn't mean that getting paid work at a young age is good for your child. Agents exist to monetize your child's talent. 10 year olds are easily lured by ideas of fame. Keep him focused on the art form. Keep it age-appropriate.

Yes!

My kid has learned so much from working with some NOVA theater companies. The growth and professionalism he has shown each time he works on a show is really impressive, and has put him above his school theater friends in terms of preparation, confidence and maturity of how he approaches his roles.

The local theater scene is a wonderful place for a kid to develop talents in acting.

He has a few friends that have gone on to major local theaters and even Broadway, but those kids are uniquely talented in a way that stands out to everyone.

Classes, youth theater and local auditions are the way to go OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about starting with a summer acting camp? Imagination Stage in Bethesda comes to mind but sure there are others too.

Imagination Stage is great (lots of high-quality training). Also, OP, there are many other school-year classes and summer camps: Encore Stage in Arlington, Shakespeare Theatre in DC (also has camps in VA), lots of other theatres and rec centers have drama classes.

I would go the route of having him do some classes that have stage productions as the end goal. See if he just .has a little acting bug from having fun on the film or if he's really interested enough to commit to training as an actor when it's much more of a time commitment. Even if he is more interested in film or TV acting, he needs to see if he has the discipline and is willing to put in the work involved, and some theatre will show him, and you, that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She didn't ask about an agent in her OP.

+1. I didn't see her asking about managers or agents. Just next steps. People need to lay off. There are always some nasty dcum who wants to assume the worst! And if she did ask about an agent, so what?! It seems to be a logical next step. Esp for a child who is interested in camera acting as opposed to theater.

It's the header, she is just backtracking now. Other people suggested agents BECAUSE SHE ASKED. It isn't really the logical next step at all. Her child participated in a film project for a friend aka another 10 year old. For all we know it's a school project. That's like saying, "I took my kid ice skating for the first time and she loved it! How can I get her an Olympic coach?"

I'm assuming OP just didn't know where to start but I'm surprised how many people are already advising her on splitting her time between NYC and DC.

OP here, and again the presumptions here are so false. He didn't work on a film project for another 10-yr-old/school project. It was a friend of mine, and it was very professionally done and is going to be submitted to a film festival/competition. He did a great job and he loved it, had to memorize several lines and deliver them with other actors who were adults, that's all. I am not trying to monetize anything. I asked about the agent/manager because that is what my friend suggested, and it did seem kind of extreme to me for a kid who is just learning about something and enjoyed it. He also enjoys soccer, and math, and piano. He is 10 for goodness sake!

I wanted to thank those of you who provided helpful responses regarding classes and other opportunities for him to pursue this interest. Of course, there are always those individuals who feel the need to write put-downs, false presumptions, and whatnot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a drama teacher. Don't put your kid in the industry at 10. That's unkind. Let him do it recreationally - at a community theater or summer camp, just like you'd do for an interest in soccer or horseback riding. Acting is the strange industry where they hire children because they need them for some of the stories they tell. But that doesn't mean that getting paid work at a young age is good for your child. Agents exist to monetize your child's talent. 10 year olds are easily lured by ideas of fame. Keep him focused on the art form. Keep it age-appropriate.

Can you explain in more detail why it is unkind if the child really enjoys doing it? Why is it bad for the child? I can understand why it would be bad for a parent to force their child to do commercials or whatever if they hate it, but what about the PPs who have child actors who clearly seem to really enjoy that type of thing. As a drama teacher (I assume theater?), why do think it is such a bad thing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a drama teacher. Don't put your kid in the industry at 10. That's unkind. Let him do it recreationally - at a community theater or summer camp, just like you'd do for an interest in soccer or horseback riding. Acting is the strange industry where they hire children because they need them for some of the stories they tell. But that doesn't mean that getting paid work at a young age is good for your child. Agents exist to monetize your child's talent. 10 year olds are easily lured by ideas of fame. Keep him focused on the art form. Keep it age-appropriate.

Can you explain in more detail why it is unkind if the child really enjoys doing it? Why is it bad for the child? I can understand why it would be bad for a parent to force their child to do commercials or whatever if they hate it, but what about the PPs who have child actors who clearly seem to really enjoy that type of thing. As a drama teacher (I assume theater?), why do think it is such a bad thing?

In professional acting acting and modeling, there is a lot of rejection for very superficial things that have zero to do with talent.

Something as natural as hitting a growth spurt, losing a tooth or getting braces, getting a sunburn or pimple, pre-pubescent tummy pudge, or having your voice change are all seen as very negative things for professional child actors. Their achievement and self worth is tied up not in their talent, professionalism or hard work, but ratyer a LOT of things out of their control that are not negatives at all except to those running things.

You don't find this same pressure at the regional or local level. If the kid is professional and talented, the natural part of being a kid is just something they roll with. This is also a big difference between print and film/TV vs stage work. There are flaws that are emphasized and captured on camera that are not an issue in live performances.

I always think of young actors like the little boy who played young Skywalker, who was so excited to play this role of a lifetime in all the Star Wars promotionals, but who was universally slammed for his work once the movie came out. He has said on numerous occassions that the role of little Anikin ruined his life, and that the criticisms he endured were too much for him to process for his age. That movie cost him childhood friends, his budding acting career, and years of happiness.

Disney stars, McCauley Caulkin. The Coreys and their repeated molestation being passed around hollywood execs.

If your kid wants to act, think long and hard before pursuing the hollywood/film route. It might be a wonderful experience but if history shows us anything, it usually isn't for the kids.