Youth Acting: How To Get Started The Right Way

So you want to get your child started as a little actor or actress in the entertainment industry, but you're not sure where to start? No worries - we've got you covered.

First things first, in any hobby or extracurricular activity, it's best to get an early start if you want to become great at it. So the sooner you get your little one started, the better their chances for success are.

Second, decide what their 'niche' is going to be. Do they want to perform in live stage plays and musicals? Do they want to wow Broadway? Maybe they even want a leading role in a television show or feature film. Whatever their goal is, write it down, and embed it.

Third, get some sort of training. Whether it's paid professional training from a one on one coach, or if your child participates in an after school drama or theater club offered by their school or a local organization like the YMCA. Whatever training and experience they can get, take it. Some schools even begin offering a drama class as early as grade 5. Take advantage of opportunities like that.

Fourth, put together a resume. It doesn't matter if your child has little or even no experience at all, what matters is that they have a resume in hand that they can hand to casting directors that tells them a little bit about themselves, what their goals are, what their strengths are, and why they should be chosen to audition for certain parts.

Fifth, search for auditions and open casting calls that match your child's profile. Many times a casting director will post these auditions and write very specific requests for what they are looking for. Make a large list of auditions and casting calls that match your child as closely as possible. Now, you don't have to go overboard and skip a listing just because your child's height may be a little off, or maybe your child doesn't have the exact color hair that the director is looking for, but as long as your child is an 80% match to the description, it's worth writing down.

Lastly, help your child write up a very professional audition request and attach it to your audition application. It shouldn't sound like the parent wrote it, you should have a sit down with your child and ask them why they want the part, and simply help them get it written down and formatted correctly. One you have done this, send off your audition application and wait for a response for the director. If you do not hear anything within 3-5 business days, a follow-up email or phone call could help.

Final thoughts. Little ones tend to have sensitive feelings, and the last thing you want is to see disappointment on your child's face. Prepare them for the competitive world of acting and let them know that it's completely normal for them to not get an audition request every time they apply, and also they may not even get a role that they audition for. That's not to say you should prepare them to fail at everything they try, but simply remind them that they will eventually get their time to shine and sometimes the director is just looking for something else.