Tell me how best to become involved in open casting calls

[nkjzmom]

My almost 12 year old daughter is extremely interested in singing and acting. She has been involved with both for many years. She is now taking a weekend acting class and in a few weeks will have the opportunity to meet some local agents as well as a group from Atlanta.

For anyone who has experience, can you tell me the good, bad, and ugly of having an agent? I'm also curious about how to persue open auditions ourselves. She just had a photoshoot done. We are very pleased with the results and the photographer has also asked to feature some of DD's photos on her website.

TIA!!!

 

[IDoDis]

I don't know the biz, but a lot of films and TV shows are filmed out here. People get info online about casting calls. I googled your state and here are a few links that came up:

You have to register on this board before you can view it (link to register is very small near the top of the page)
http://excoboard.com/THESOUTHERNCASTINGCALL

http://www.open-casting-calls.info/2009/07/casting-call-for-feature-film-lifted-to.html

http://www.actorspages.org/index.php

 

[agnes!]

Be careful...there are a lot of scams out there.

A couple of thoughts...
Never pay to be listed by an agent.
Do not pay $$$ for pictures, especially for a photographer that is being pushed by an agent.
Contact the closest AFTRA and/or SAG office - see if they have some 'New to the Biz' seminars they are putting on for non-union talent (yes, some of the locals do this).
Never sign any contract in a rush...there's always time for a lawyer or a trusted business-savvy friend to look it over first.
If your instinct is telling you something is too good to be true, trust your instinct. It's probably right.
Google the name of any agency/agent that you contact or that contacts you...put the word 'scam' in the search engine too, you might be unpleasantly surprised by what comes up.
The Open Casting Calls that feature casting directors from The Disney Channel and the radio ads start out "Does your child like Hannah Montana, Suite Life,(etc.)..." yeah, don't do that either, it's a scam/ploy to separate you from your money.
It's a hard business for a kid, it's hard enough for an adult to be rejected.

agnes!

 

[golfgal]

Personally I would keep her local until she is an adult. I would NOT want to subject my teenager to the "movie" world. Just take a look at the issues most child actors have, do you want your child to end up like that?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Do you have local places that children perform? For example one place we have local is "The Muny" which is an outdoor theater. Every spring they do auditions for "Muny Kids".

I would start local with stage stuff and go from there.

http://www.muny.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=63&Itemid=43

 

[agnes!]

Do you have local places that children perform? For example one place we have local is "The Muny" which is an outdoor theater. Every spring they do auditions for "Muny Kids".

I would start local with stage stuff and go from there.

http://www.muny.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=63&Itemid=43

I agree, the best thing is for the kids who are interested in the 'business of show' is for them to get involved in some aspect of it. Community theatres are usually fairly-inexpensive, low-key (not always, there are stage parents and divas everywhere, but *still...it's not like as stressful as signing a huge money-up-front scam contract with some 'modeling' agency) ways to dip their toes in the water. They're great venues to learn and to see if one *really* likes acting or just likes the spotlight/"being famous" part. Any local theatres - community, children's theatre groups, local colleges that are doing plays that require child-actors - are a great way to learn.

One of our local community theatres has a bunch of plaques from over the years in its building - Best Actor, Best Play, etc. - and one of the Best Actress names is Marcia Gay Harden.

agnes!

 

[nkjzmom]

Thanks for the advice! She has been involved with our local theater for the past few years. We are looking into local agents now to broaden our horizons a bit.

She found out that one of her favorite book series is being made into movies and so we googled casting calls for it. That's why I was asking the question. We have no desire to move or become involved in the Hollywood scene. I just want to understand the process better. The book series is the Hunger Games and she would love to audition for Prim. She is nearly 12, blonde haired, blue eyed...just what they seem to be looking for. I'm sure they need a "seasoned" actress but DD could pull off Prim's character pretty well. At least she'd like to go through the process if she could.