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Guidelines for Child Actors
(by Charles Todd, AC Staff)
Before you involved you child in acting, here are a
few guidelines you should first consider:
1. Does your child really want to be an actor? Make
sure the dream of being an actor is their dream and
not a dream of yours being lived vicariously through
them. If you are merely forcing them to live your
dream for you, it can do serious damage to the child.
The stress and demands of acting will take a toll if a
young actor doesn't enjoy what they do; if they are
simply doing it because you are forcing them to do it.
2. Beware of scams. There are many,
many acting scams out there. Unscrupulous people prey
on others who don't really understand the industry by
charging huge sums of money for photos and selling
unnecessary products. Learn about the industry before
you involved your child so that you (or your child)
are not victimized by scammers.
3. Find a reputable agent. A talent
agency helps actors find acting work in the area. But
sometimes talent agencies can be scammers, requiring
you to pay money upfront before they provide your
child with representation. Before signing on with an
agency or paying any money, ask the talent agency for
references so you can see if others have had a good
experience with the agency. You may be surprised what
you find out.
4. Forget the money. There is much money to be made
for child actors. But, you have to make sure that you
don't focus on the money. Your focus, as a parent,
must always be on your child. Focusing on money may
cloud your ability to see that your child is, for
example, undergoing enormous stress, which may lead to
problems down the road. Forget the money and focus on
the well-being of your child.
5. Have fun. Acting should always be
a fun experience for your child actor, overall. The
minute it stops being a fun and rewarding experience
is the minute you halt your child's acting career.
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