Get 50% off Actor's Parent Academy! Coupon code: UCANSAVE50
Below are direct links to wardrobe items that are ideal for auditioning, child actors. Remember, logos and tight/bold prints can distract from your child. Keep it simple so all the focus is on your kid! *Please note that our course, Actor's Parent Academy, dives into picking the correct color for your so they "pop" on camera each time in auditions and in headshots.
Skater Dress- Short Sleeve
Skater Dress- Long Sleeve
New as of 2024, the California Proficiency Program (formally known as the California High School Proficiency Exam- CHSPE) is for actors 16 years old or older that have completed one year of 10th grade, or are about to finish 10th grade at the end of the semester in which the next exam is administered. Actors that pass this academic exam can work as an adult on set, no longer having to do school, or be accompanied by a parent. However, they are still a minor in the eyes of the law and can not sig
Click HERE to find out more information on the California Proficiency Program.
This is the website you need to log on to begin the test-taking process. Make sure you look at YOUR STATE'S REQUIREMENTS on THIS PAGE because they are all different.
State child performer laws require a trust account for working child performers, with 15% of the child’s gross earnings deposited into the trust account to be held for them until they reach the age of majority. A Coogan Trust Account complies with all state child performer laws/requirements throughout the United States. *Please note that not all productions require a Coogan account, but if they do, you must provide them with the account or your child is no longer eligible to work the job.
Here is a direct link to setting up a Coogan account for your child.
Below is a list of essentials for creating your own self taping studio at home. *Please note that our course, Actor's Parent Academy, teaches a step-by-step process on how to set up your home studio, as well as edit, and submit your audition footage.
iPhone- Any iPhone with recording capabilities
Samsung Phone- Any Samsung phone with recording capabilities
Cannon DSLR- Any option with recording capabilities
Nikon DSLR- Any option with recording capabilities
Sony Vlogging/Content Creator Camera- Any option with recording capabilities
*Most tripods are interchangeable. Please check product description to ensure your camera is compatible. Several options are listed below.
*This is an optional upgrade. You can use the audio from your cell phone or camera if you choose. Please note that there are many different microphone choices based on your camera selection and preference. Our course, Actor's Parent Academy, goes more in depth regarding microphone selection.
Unlocked when Actor's Parent Academy is purchased
Unlocked when Actor's Parent Academy is purchased
Unlocked when Actor's Parent Academy is purchased
NEVER, EVER, EVER pay an agent or manager to represent your child. Agents and managers get paid when your child books a job and they receive commission. If someone asks you to pay money up front for representation, THIS IS A SCAM...DON'T DO IT!
You may be asked to sign up for acting websites such as Actors Access, Casting Networks, and 800 Casting since this is how a lot of casting directors view auditions, this is completely legit. Paying $1000 to use their headshot photographer and take their acting courses is not.
Make sure your child wants to be a part of the acting industry more than you do! The entertainment industry is filled with disappointment, rejection, comparison and competition. It's all worth it if your child (and you!) has the right mind set, passion, and drive to play the game. But if they don't, have them do something else...ANYTHING else. And make sure you check in with them often to see if they are still enjoying the journey. If not, it's fine to take a break. The great thing about acting is there will ALWAYS be another audition.
Headshots do not need to be expensive, especially when dealing with children who are consistently changing from month to month. You should be updating your child's headshot about every 6 months to show differences in teeth, face shape, hair, developmental growth. etc. Theatrical headshots normally don't have a smile, while commercial headshots do. And with technology advancing, many parents are now using their iPhones to take their kids headshots!
No, you do NOT need to live in LA or NY to become a working actor. Self tape auditions are now the norm, especially after COVID, and can be submitted from anywhere in the world. The only caveat is that you need learn how to sufficiently self tape your child, or find a taping service in your area. Check out YouTube, there are a ton of free videos that can help you get tech-savy fast!
VET EACH AND EVERY PROJECT, AND EACH AND EVERY PERSON INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT that your child may be a part of! Whether your child is represented by an agent, or you are self submitting your child for work, it is YOUR responsibility to vet the project and those involved in the production. If you find anything unsavory about anyone attached to the project, DECLINE to be a part of it. Your child's safety and well being should always come first.
Many industry websites like Actors Access, 800 Casting, Casting Networks, and Backstage have opportunities for actors to self submit without representation from an agent. Parents can create a profile for their child and submit for projects they would like. There is a nominal cost associated with each website. And to reiterate, make sure you vet these projects!!
Enroll your child in some low-cost acting classes, or online classes (YouTube even has some free ones!) to make sure they really like ACTING and not just the idea of acting. Training is important. You wouldn't expect your child to know how to play a baseball, do gymnastics, or play a musical instrument without the proper training or coaching, acting is no different.
NEVER LEAVE YOUR CHILD UNATTENDED WITH ANYONE IN THIS INDUSTRY! That's not to say that everyone in the entertainment industry is bad, quite the contrary. There are AMAZING creatives that want to create incredible projects with your child, so make their job easier and keep your child safe by following the SAG-AFTRA policy of always being within sight and sound of your child.
Don't compare your child to any other child! If you have taken our UCAN Thrive Course, you should be a pro in this area already! If not, enroll right now!! Each and every actor is on their own journey, with their own road paved just for them. Comparison is the thief of joy. Teach your child to celebrate their own accomplishments and stay their own course. You and your acting child will be much happier for it!
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