Kids Agent/Manager for Budding Child Actor? Advice?

[Anonymous]

DS is 10 and has the acting bug after working on a film project for a friend. I have no idea how to get him started in this. Can anyone recommend next steps? So many scams out there.

[Anonymous]

Start with community theater and acting camps.

Mount Vernon Childrens Theater in Alexandria has an exceptional program.

Don't jump right into an agent. You will likely be wasting your money.

[Anonymous]

Also remember that if your goal is film, ten is not really a good age unless your child is spectacularly talented or has a really unique and desireable/trendy look.

Ten is right on the cusp of pre-puberty, when kids can go from cute to awkward overnight.

[Anonymous]

You're very much in the wrong city if this is a serious thing. You need to move to LA.

[Anonymous]

DOn't get an agent.
You don't want your kid in that world.
Maybe he can hep your friend on other projects even doing behind the scenes work.
He can do community theater or maybe a film themed summer camp for a few weeks.
Revisit this when he is 15.

[Anonymous]

There is a big difference between theater and camera work. A lot of on camera casting directors do not like theater kids. Theater kids are taught to overact. Casting directors want natural. Find a local on camera class in this area or even perhaps a summer camp in NYC? Stage door manor in NY is fantastic if he is truly talented and can get accepted

Otherwise an agent is the way to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You're very much in the wrong city if this is a serious thing. You need to move to LA.

Or NYC. But think long and hard. It's a very brutal industry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're very much in the wrong city if this is a serious thing. You need to move to LA.

Or NYC. But think long and hard. It's a very brutal industry.

A friend of ours daughter who is around the same age got a part in a tv series which is currently running. She started out as a child model doing print and commercials. They live in NYC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a big difference between theater and camera work. A lot of on camera casting directors do not like theater kids. Theater kids are taught to overact. Casting directors want natural. Find a local on camera class in this area or even perhaps a summer camp in NYC? Stage door manor in NY is fantastic if he is truly talented and can get accepted

Otherwise an agent is the way to go.

Can't let this go. Not over-act, but rather project to the back of the theater.

There are plenty of talented actors who can do both stage and film work.

[Anonymous]

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

[Anonymous]

Don't bother with an agent at this point. Especially if you are not in Los Angeles or NYC.

Treat it as a confidence builder and a way to build public speaking skills.

[Anonymous]

OP,

It's great your kid has discovered acting. Start him in a class. There's really no earthly reason to look for an agent.

[Anonymous]

Don't be one of those parents. My mom was a child actress who was semi-well known and she has so many issues because of it. She does not speak to her mother. I would never let my kid act professionally. Like PPs suggested, do local community theater.

[Anonymous]

NP here. Op, ignore the naysayers. I have a child actor who is 10 and has worked since age 6. She loves it, and it's been a terrific experience for her. She started out with theater classes locally (like drama kids programs at imagination stage) and an instructor put us in touch with a local manager who got her some easy jobs and later on commercials. She has also had a few small movie/tv roles. Again, she loves it. As long as she wants to keep doing it I will support her. We now split time between NYC and DC/Baltimore and focus more on NYC during school vacations. It is a lot
Of work and very time consuming, and the kid really has to want it. It's a lot of time sitting around and doing the same takes over and over again. I have seen too many situations where stage parents are dragging their kids and forcing them to do it and the kids are bored and act out. That's not good.

Also the money isn't great. Don't do it for that. The only things that pay well are national commercials and big budget films and most of those roles go to kids in NYC or LA.

So to start for your son, I recommend first working on some student films to see if he continues to like it. If he does, and starts getting some video reel footage to show what he can do on camera, then set up a page for him on backstage.com or actorsaccess.com. You need a couple of good head shots of him. Good photos from the chest up, nothing in background. Do a search for child head shots. It's very important to have good photos. Casting directors always post jobs (breakdowns) on those sites and the headshot is what catches their eye

Once you get set up on actorsaccess or backstage then you send your profile to agents and managers.

Again, all this ONLY if your kid truly wants to do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a big difference between theater and camera work. A lot of on camera casting directors do not like theater kids. Theater kids are taught to overact. Casting directors want natural. Find a local on camera class in this area or even perhaps a summer camp in NYC? Stage door manor in NY is fantastic if he is truly talented and can get accepted

Otherwise an agent is the way to go.

Can't let this go. Not over-act, but rather project to the back of the theater.

There are plenty of talented actors who can do both stage and film work.

This is the PP with the child actor. And the first post is true. We have found that a lot of casting directors can easily tell a theater kid from a camera kid. They call it being "over coached." Theater kids tend to do better with comedic film work by not necessarily dramatic work. Yes there are plenty of adult actors who can switch successfully between theater/camera but it's a lot harder for kids. You don't see many working child actors doing both. They tend to gravitate toward or the other - Broadway v film. A lot depends on whether the child can sing/dance. It is a very true thing. A lot of commercial/camera CDs don't want theater kids.