How to Get Into a Movie Audition for Kids
By Chron Contributor Updated July 30, 2020
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Getting your child into movies requires dedication, commitment and financial investment. If you want your child cast in a movie, go through the casting director, the person responsible for casting all roles in a movie. To increase your child's chances of being cast, educate yourself on what casting directors are looking for. By arming yourself with this information and taking the necessary steps to meet the casting director's expectations, you are pushing your child one step closer to realizing his dreams of being a kid actor.
Get Some Training
If you approach a movie casting director, one of the first things she will inquire about is your child's training background. Whether your child has a natural gift for acting or not, he needs training to further develop and perfect his craft. Enroll your child in acting classes, covering topics such as scene study, improvisation, camera etiquette and audition techniques. For the best results, seek out acting coaches who specialize in teaching and developing child talent.
Get Some Headshots
If your child is serious about acting, she needs professional headshots. Not all photographers are capable of taking headshots for children. When paying for headshots, ask to see the photographer's portfolio of child headshots. The headshots should appear unenhanced and capture the natural beauty and personality of the child.
If you know of other child actors who are booking acting roles, ask the child's parents for a photographer referral. A headshot is an actor's calling card. It opens the door to go further in the audition process. If a child is getting roles, it is obvious that the photographer took a great headshot.
Get Some Experience
Movie casting directors want to know whether your child is accustomed to set etiquette. For instance, if your child is cast as an "extra," or a non-speaking background role, in a Disney movie with his favorite Disney star, he can't speak to or distract the star. Your child needs to know how to be quiet on set and follow the director and producer instructions.
Much of the necessary set etiquette is only learned by being on set. To help your child gain this experience, submit his resume and headshot to casting calls for "extras." There are plenty of free online resources you can use to find extras casting calls.
Build a Resume
As your child completes training classes and gains set experience, compile a resume for her. The resume should detail a list of all the acting classes she has taken, and should include the dates of the training and the names of the instructors. Add the child's experience to the resume, including the name of the production, the production company and the role your child played. If she was cast as an "extra," simply indicate "extra" or "background."
Submit to Casting Calls
Locate movie audition casting calls through online resources, such as Project Casting, Fame Street, BackStage and Actor's Access. Submit your child's headshot and acting resume for these calls. If the casting director is impressed with her look, training and experience, he will invite your child to audition for the movie role.
Some auditions are done in person. Others are done via video submission. In most cases, for speaking roles auditions, your child must perform a one to two minute monologue or character "sides." The casting director will let your know which is needed, a monologue or sides. Sides are sets of lines your child needs to know for the casting call. If sides are required, the casting director will send them to you.
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1 How to Manage a Kid's Modeling Career
2 What Do Talent Agents Ask at an Interview With a Kid?
3 Steps on How to Send a Resume to an Acting Agency
4 How to Get Your Foot in the Door to Acting