Behind every successful child actor or model is a loving parent that goes above and beyond the call of duty in their efforts to help their child succeed. But what exactly does a parent have to do when their child breaks into the world of acting and modelling? Is it enough to find a good agency and let them handle everything for you? If only it were so simple.
While a reputable agency will certainly help you in many ways, there are still plenty of things that you, as a parent will have to handle it by yourself. In fact, there’s no point in sugarcoating it—your job might just be tougher than your child’s.
So with this in mind, we decided that it was about time someone created a comprehensive guide for parents. This guide covers all the basics of managing your child’s career along with a few pointers on helping them achieve their goals.
The majority of parents who are new to both child acting and modelling are under the impression that once they sign with an agency, they’re on Easy Street. They can sit back, relax, and let their agent handle the business side of things. Unfortunately, this is not the case at all.
However, before we get into what an agency actually does and how you work with them, let’s first tackle finding the good ones.
Finding an agency that checks all the boxes can be tough, so this is where the help of your friends and family can come in handy. Recommendations from friends combined with research can point you in the right direction as there’s no substitute for genuine first-hand experience. However, not everyone has a friend who has worked with an agency, so what should you do then?
It will also include details of any fees or commissions paid throughout the duration of the contract. Pay close attention here as you want to make sure that there are no hidden and unnecessary fees that
you must pay at a later stage.
A reputable agency will be completely upfront about their fees and let you know any costs involved at the interview stage. They will also let you know the process for cancelling the contract should either party wish to end the relationship. What you’re really looking for at this point is transparency and honesty. Once everything is clearly explained in the contract, you should have no worries. However, if anything is missing, ask the agency about it.
Remember, this is a legally binding document that concerns your child so if you’re not completely satisfied with the contract, don’t sign it.
Unless you’re representing your child yourself (we’ll get to that in the next section) you generally don’t need to worry too much about this.
Bring any clothing that the casting director may have requested along with some snacks and water. You can also bring a book or a tablet as there may be some waiting time involved.
However, try not to bring anything that may get your child over-excited before the audition. That means healthy snacks only and no sugary drinks.
Make sure that you know where the audition is being held, and that any changes to the location are confirmed with your agent.
In some cases, you may be able to claim some travel expenses. Be sure to ask your agent about this before you agree to attend the audition.
However, pay close attention to the costs involved. Acting and modelling classes don’t come cheap so you need to first decide on two things.
If the answer is ‘no’ or ‘I’m not sure’, then you might want to keep your wallet closed for now.
To answer this, think about what your child really needs. Do they need to improve their basic skills or are they in need of something a little more advanced?
It’s also worth bearing in mind that acting and modelling lessons provide more than a chance to improve skills. They give children an opportunity to work with other kids and build up their self-confidence.
Best of all, lessons are one of the simplest ways to instill a sense of professionalism in your child. When they start learning from the pros, you’ll often see a shift in a child’s attitude towards auditions and work.
They’ll want to succeed and as a result, they’ll push themselves to try that little bit harder.
We all love holidays and this is doubly true for kids, and so if you decide to take a family break, you should go right ahead. However, it’s important that you let your agent know when you plan to be away. Even if it’s at short notice and only for a couple of days, you should still keep them in the loop.
The reason you should do this is because sometimes jobs will come up at short notice and in some cases, there’s no need for an audition. Your agent needs to know who is available at all times so they can put suitable kids forward for a role.
Additionally, it’s a good idea to let your agent know of any illnesses that might result in more than a day or two off from school.
A portfolio is essential for any child hoping to enjoy success in the industry. After all, how else will a casting director or photographer see your child’s winning smile?
But don’t think for one second that those great shots you take with your smartphone are going to be good enough. A casting director wants to see how your child looks in a professionally shot photograph.
That means the right lighting, different poses and angles, and perhaps even a change of outfit or background.
So where should you get yours?
Unfortunately, professionally shot portfolios can be quite costly. We’re talking hundreds of dollars for a very basic portfolio. As with acting lessons, your agency should be able to point you in the right direction and introduce you to a local photographer. However, if you can find an agency that will include your portfolio shots in your membership fees, you can save a lot of cash. To the best of our knowledge, Bubblegum Casting (that’s us!) is one of the only child talent agencies to offer such a service.
By having your shots included in your fees, you can rest assured that you are not overpaying for one of the essentials for your child’s career.
At Bubblegum, we represent some of Australia’s brightest young stars, but even so, we’re always on the lookout for fresh new faces and talent.
If your child is aged anywhere from 3 months to 18 years of age, and you think they might have what it takes to shine in front of a camera or on stage, then we want to hear from you.
We’ll set up a quick informal chat where we’ll get a feel for your child’s suitability for working in the industry.
The lucky kids that make it onto our books benefit from in-house workshops and coaching sessions to help them brush up on their skills. They’ll also get great advice and tips from the Bubblegum team, some of whom have worked as child models and actors themselves! We’ll even arrange a portfolio shoot with our in-house photographer.
We want all the kids on our books to have their chance to shine and if that means working twice as hard to make it happen, then that’s what we’ll do!
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