Acting Auditions: Different Ways to Prepare Your Child for an Audition
Professional acting can be a fun and exciting endeavour for anyone who wants to give it a try.
Participation in the arts can be so rewarding and seeing oneself on-screen is simply incredible. Many children and teens express a desire to enter into the realm of acting and many mothers and fathers dive right in in full support. There are so many wonderful reasons for your child to get involved in the world of acting.
However, before your son or daughter ends up on television or in the movies, he or she will have to audition time and time again. Acting auditions can be stressful and tedious, and rejection can be challenging even for those with the highest self-esteem. Chances are, you will accompany your child to hundreds of auditions before he or she is considered for even a small role.
In order to persevere in this field, you will need patience, resistance, and dedication. Acting auditions will get easier as time goes on and you both will learn so much along the way. When it comes to auditioning, you need to know what to expect and you need to be prepared; with both of these things in mind, you will have a much easier time with these events right from the very beginning.
Check out the following audition tips that were compiled with kids’ auditions in mind. Although many of these tips may still apply to adult auditions, too, kids can benefit from some extra special treatment and finesse. Read on to learn how to prepare your child or teen for an audition and to keep it as fun as it should be from beginning to end.
Be Prepared
Like the Scouts Australia motto says, always be prepared. This is some of the best advice that exists for every situation, and it applies to acting auditions, too.
Some casting notices are full of specifics; others are far more vague. When you first receive the casting call notice, read it beginning to end, and then read it again. Is there something in particular that the casting director seeks? Should your child have a performance of some kind prepared? Is there a certain type of look that is required?
Knowing all of these things before you walk in the door of the audition will help your child put his or her best foot forward, and that can make all the difference.
Professionalism Matters
It’s crucial that both you and your son or daughter approach auditions with the utmost level of professionalism. It may seem difficult to imagine the word “professional” being used to describe your child, but fortunately, professionalism can be taught.
As the parent, it’s your responsibility to make sure that you both arrive on time and that your child looks his or her best. However, your child or teen can learn to sit up straight, speak in turn, be polite, and be respectful to all the people you encounter during the auditioning process. These factors are just good practice, but they can also help your son or daughter to land the part of your dreams.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Practice makes perfect in all things and this is especially true when it comes to acting. There are so many acting courses available out there and if your son or daughter wants to become a serious actor, then he or she should take classes and trainings on an ongoing basis. Most of these are in person, but you can also find kids’ acting classes online.
The more you do something, the better you become at it. This applies to acting, too. Furthermore, many acting teachers have years of experience with the craft and with auditioning. Your son or daughter’s acting teacher will likely have many suggestions and much guidance to help you navigate through the process.
Use Tricks to Learn Lines
One of the most important things you should do to help prepare your child for an acting audition is to make sure that he or she knows the required lines. Even small children are expected to know their lines when auditioning, but this can be one of the most challenging pieces of the process.
There are many strategies you can apply to help your son or daughter learn lines. Some of these work better than others; the best tricks vary by person. Try a number of different tricks to see which ones help your child the most.
Also, as you surely know, acting is about more than simply saying one’s lines. You should also practice things like pacing, expressions, emotion, and posture to really wow the casting director when the time comes.
Know the Product
If the audition is for a commercial, you can help your son or daughter to succeed by ensuring that he or she knows about the product that will be advertised. At some point, the casting director will ask your child if he or she likes the product or if it is used in your home. For best results, his or her response should be enthusiastic and at least a few sentences in length.
Even the best actors may encounter some difficulty pretending to like a product that they dislike or know nothing about. Make sure your child or teen is ready to talk about the product and if he or she likes it a lot, even better.
Put Your Child’s Best Foot Forward
Teach your child how to make a great impression even before the time comes to read his or her lines. Technically, an audition begins the moment you step foot in the door, so make sure your son or daughter knows that.
Smiling helps, and so does being outgoing. Encourage your child to be friendly to everyone you encounter and work with at the audition. The casting director will likely ask your son or daughter some questions to get to know him or her before the audition begins. It can be difficult to get a young child to offer long, multi-sentence responses to questions, but doing so will help to demonstrate his or her personality in a much stronger manner than simple yes or no responses.
To help your child put his or her best foot forward in an audition, you can practice responses to questions in the car on the way to the audition or even long before at home. Remind your son or daughter to make eye contact when speaking and to use complete sentences when responding. Also, encourage him or her to ask questions to keep a conversation going; this will help to show interest in the other party and is a sign of maturity as well.
In short, help your son or daughter to put his or her personality in the spotlight. A memorable personality will help your child to land the acting roles of his or her dreams.
Expect Rejection – and Be Ready for It
Although no one wants to ever be rejected, when you dive into the field of acting, you will experience a lot of it. It’s best to prepare your child for this so it does not do damage to his or her self-esteem. Remind your child not to take rejection personally. Have a plan for when rejection happens to soften the blow; a small reward for his or her effort can make a big difference.
Have Fun
The most important thing of all, though, is that you have fun. Acting auditions can be very high pressure, but it’s crucial that you and your child both have a good time while auditioning. Acting is a great hobby and can turn into a wonderful, life-long career, but if you child expresses that or she is no longer enjoying it, it’s time to call it quits.
Some children continue acting long beyond the point of enjoyment because they want to please their parents. Don’t let that happen to you; make sure your son or daughter knows that it’s ok to express feelings and to pursue different interests.
Good Luck on Your Child’s Acting Auditions
Preparation is the key to success in all things. Many people believe that their son or daughter can land a part or role in a show, commercial, play, musical, or film on looks or ability alone, but there is so much more to acting auditions than that. With the proper attitude, planning, skills, practice, and guidance, most actors still face steep competition.
However, when you take the time to focus on each part of the overall picture, you and your child can find success in time. Good luck on your child’s acting auditions and stick with it! Perseverance and dedication will lead you to success. Stick with it, and always put your best foot forward.
If you are interested in learning more about acting auditions and agency representation in Australia, please check out the rest of the Bubblegum Casting website. Please call us with any questions you may have; we can’t wait to meet you and your son or daughter.
