Hello and welcome to the Young Actors website. My name is Mary C. and I am the owner/operator of Young Actors, a website dedicated to helping children become successful performers.
Being new to the web, I wanted to make sure this site has something for everyone…so, if you are either a parent or a young actor, there should be some helpful information for you here!
If you are a parent, please take a few moments to read the articles on this site, especially How To Become A Successful Child Actor. This article will give you some valuable insight into what it takes to become a successful child actor and hopefully help you decide whether or not your child is ready for this very demanding industry.
Where to Start
Being a child actor is an extremely rewarding, but very challenging career! We will first start out by talking about what it takes to be a successfull child actor and then move on to the different aspects of becoming one.
The main thing that you will need to succeed in this industry is a lot of talent, lots of hard work and a good manager. If you are lacking in any of these three aspects, it will be much more difficult for you to become a successful child actor.
Before you can even begin auditioning for acting jobs, you will need to have your head shots and resume together and in the hands of casting directors and producers. You can’t get any acting jobs without them! So if your parents don’t have one yet, make sure they get yours done as soon as possible! It’s not that expensive either.
Head shot sessions with a professional photographer usually run anywhere from $50 – $200 depending on how many pictures they take, how many copies they give you, etc.
Head shots usually cost anywhere from $15 – $85 each after the session is over (usually less if you buy in bulk).
If you want to become a successful child actor, it’s important to start young. At least two years old is a good age to begin, but some children may not be ready until they’re five or six.
It’s also important to get as much experience as possible in front of the camera, so start taking acting classes or enrolling in talent agencies before you turn seven. It’s still possible to get into show business when you’re older than that, but it will be harder.
To increase your chances of success, consider these tips:
Consider moving. Some places are more popular than others for child actors. New York and Los Angeles are the most popular cities for child actors. If you live in one of these places, that’s great! But if you don’t, think about moving. Make sure your family is on board before you make any big plans.
If you’re not moving soon, consider visiting these cities for auditions and interviews. You can schedule interviews with producers and talent agencies while you’re there and see what kind of opportunities are available to you in those cities. While you’re interviewing, ask the people there if they have any advice for becoming a successful child actor.[1]
Take acting classes or enroll in talent
I have been thinking about the different types of articles that I want to post on this blog. One type of article is the “how to” article. This is the first one. I will tell you how to become a successful child actor.
Simple:
You must be talented and lucky.
If you are not lucky or talented, you can always try to be famous instead.
Famous actors get more auditions then talented actors with no credits because they are famous and not necessarily because they are good actors, but because they are famous. But if you do not look like a model or have a super cool talent, then it might be hard for you to be famous unless you have a lot of money for publicists and/or your parents know important people in Hollywood who can help make you famous (i.e., Paris Hilton).
So you want to be the next Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber or Selena Gomez? Or maybe you just want to be a child actor. Well, here’s what you need to know:
1. How to get started.
2. How to get an agent.
3. How to act.
4. How to audition and how to book jobs once you get them.
5. How to prepare for set when you are working as an actor.
6. Where else young actors can work besides television and film sets (commercials, theater, voice-overs, print work).
7. The importance of education and your future plans in this industry because we all know that the show must go on!
There are a few things that every parent should know before they start their child in the acting world. Most parents are under the impression that it’s an easy thing to just get into the biz and make it big, but the truth is…it’s not. Not at all. There are a lot of actors out there, and unless you really have what it takes, you can easily be lost in the shuffle. So here are some tips on how to start your child off right in the acting industry.
First of all, lets talk about how important it is to have “the look.” If your child does not have “the look” then it is going to be very difficult for them to succeed. You see…most of the auditions that we do are for commercials because most commercials want REAL people. Real people who are just like everyone else. What they don’t want is a cute little kid with dimples or freckles or a gap between their teeth (unless they’re looking for a Gap commercial). They want kids who look like they could represent anyone’s child. So if your child doesn’t have this look then you’re already at a disadvantage.
The second thing you should know is how important it is to find an agent who will believe in
“I think the best advice I can give is to focus on your craft. If you’re a singer, then sing. If you’re an actor, then act. Just keep practising and people will start to notice you.”
“Don’t be afraid to make mistakes when trying new things and always remember to be yourself.”
“I would say that if you want to be an actor or a singer then go for it but don’t let it consume your whole life. You should enjoy being a kid so don’t feel like you have to grow up too quickly.”
