Childhood should be fun! And the entire process of becoming a child actor should be too. That’s a cardinal rule we believe in. Now that Rule No. 1 has been firmly established, let’s have a look at the wheres, the hows, and wherefore-art-thous of helping your child accomplish their dreams of becoming a kid actor.

There are few steps that you need to follow to make sure that your child has the best chance of getting an acting job in theatre, television, or a movie:

1.       Get headshots.

2.       Make a demo reel.

3.       Have a professional resume.

4.       Audition.

Before you get started on the list above, the first step to launching a career in acting is learning about the craft. The biggest way you can show that you support your child’s ambition is to enroll them in acting classes.

Why every aspiring kid actor must take acting lessons:

All kids are naturally talented at acting. A big reason for this is that they have fewer inhibitions than we adults do. However, all talent needs to be honed – there are no shortcuts to success.  Acting classes can help your child learn the skills they need to have a rewarding career in acting. Acting classes can help your child:

·         Learn to emote.

·         Learn to understand a script, memorize lines, and deliver them.

·         Learn to improvise.

·         Become comfortable in front of the camera.

·         Understand what happens behind the scenes of a theatrical or film production and the roles of the different people involved.

Naturally, as a parent you want to do your best to support your child’s hopes and dreams and help them achieve them. However, it’s completely natural to be unsure if your child’s declaration that they want to be an actor is a passing fancy or something they are truly serious about. That is why you take them to ballet lessons, soccer practice, or even buy them that trumpet. After all, it is their time to experiment and try new things. Enrolling your child in acting classes is a great way to help them figure out if a career in acting is really for them.

Kid Actors have a good time at Creative Vein Performing Arts

Apart from learning how to be an actor, acting classes can help your child build life skills even if they decide to choose another path in life. Acting and improv classes can help your child learn to solve problems, communicate effectively, foster meaningful relationships, build confidence, and articulate their thoughts clearly. If you have a shy or reserved child, acting classes are one of the best ways to help them break out of their shells.

At Creative Veins, we make sure that our studio is a welcoming environment meant to make students feel at ease as soon as they walk in the door. The great thing about our acting classes is that they feel more like “fun” than “work,” so most children come out of their shell very quickly.

It’s important to make sure your child is fully ready to handle the pressures of auditioning at a casting call before you put them out there so that they don’t get discouraged. We have found that it typically takes between 4 to 6 sessions to get there. Our highly trained, professional acting coaches will be able to give you feedback as your child progresses.

Headshots:

Having recent professional headshots of your child is an important part of the entire process. It is the first impression the casting director has of your child. Get a good photographer to take multiple headshots of your child expressing different emotions. This will help the casting team appreciate the range of your child’s acting skills. You can also pick and choose different pictures that emulate a role that you know a production company is looking for.

Demo Reels:

While demo reels are not essential for child actors, they can help your child stand out from among the crowd. These tapes are typically short clips, a total of two minutes, of your child’s work. They help a casting director see your child at work.

Kid Actor having fun in an acting class at Creative Veins Performing Arts

Naturally, while starting out, your child may not have any professional work to include. However, we make sure that all our students participate in taped mock audition performances at the end of their sessions and receive a copy to use. You can keep adding to this as your child’s acting career grows.

Build a Resume:

As with the demo reels, your child may not have any professional work to show right off the bat. However, a resume is a great place to talk about your child’s strengths and what makes them unique. For example, if your child plays a musical instrument or is great at skateboarding are all things you want to include in the resume.

Participating in amateur dramatics like school plays or community theatre can help you add acting credits to your child’s resume.

Preparing for the Audition:

At Creative Veins, we make sure that all our students are audition ready by ensuring they know:

·         How to work with others in an ensemble

·         How to read, dissect, and memorize a script

·         How to develop characters & bring a story to life

·         How to create an audition slate

·         How to film an on-camera TV commercial, scene, or monologue

·         How to audition and proper auditioning etiquette

Once you (and your child) have put in the legwork necessary to be able to audition, it’s time to start looking for those casting calls. A talent agent should be able to help you with those. A word of caution though, no legitimate bookings agent will ask you for money upfront, they typically work on a commission basis so that they get paid only when your child does. So do your research before settling for one.

At Creative Veins, we make sure that the learning doesn’t stop after your sessions. We offer MANY opportunities for students to continuously grow and work on their craft outside of classes including workshops, student projects/productions, taping services and audition help/prep, private lessons, guest speakers, professional development lectures, industry guest speakers, monthly workshops with professional actors, coaches, agents, and casting directors (many from the Atlanta market), and studio productions including short films, live shows, and other media projects.

Additionally, we are able leverage our reputation to help our students succeed in the Southeast Region including North Florida, Orlando, Atlanta, and more. Learn about our kids acting classes and how to sign up here or get in touch with us and we’ll be happy to answer any questions.