Hey, Hollywood, My Child's A Star!

On any corner, in any town, at any time, chances are great you might hear this chant! And chances are, the child does have potential for stardom. The keyword - "Potential." How the potential is "acted" on makes all the difference. And the trick regarding Hollywood is "How do you get there from here?" As in my first post, locating talent searches in your area is critical. Because talent searches may be infrequent, seek agency representation for your child or for yourself. If several agents are accessible, visit as many as possible before signing. Like all other relationships, this one should be a good "fit." An agent should be franchised and demonstrate a positive history. A legitimate agent will never ask for a "signing fee," never require that you hire a particular photographer, never take any money from you for any reason, prior to an actual job. When your child works a paid acting job, ten percent(10%) of the pay is owed to the agent and may be deducted from the check before you receive it. If agents "pass" on representing you or your child, they may invite you to return at a later time. Perhaps they currently represent several red-haired, freckle-faced, five-year-old boys, like your son. At this point, continue to stay abreast of any open auditions, talent searches, etc. Additionally, research acting classes in your area. Determine that training is directed to film acting, rather than stage. Ascertain that separate training is provided for acting in commercials, acting for television, and acting for feature film. Whether you seek instruction for yourself or your child, visit a class before enrolling. Acting class is just like any other commodity; you must do your homework before paying for a block of 20 classes! I'll further address these issues in my next post.