What is Step-by-Step Guide for Indian Kid Actors

Parents with their aspiring kid actors

Parents: How to Make Your Child an Actor?

So you have a budding young star in the family who would love to become an actor. Fantastic!

This step-by-step guide will lead you through the process of helping your son or daughter break into one of the world’s most exciting, yet competitive, industries – the children’s film acting industry.

Although parents must take the lead in jump-starting their children’s film acting career, we’ve directed this article also toward the young actor (in the age group of 10-15) so that the child must also have a clear grasp of the amount of work that lies ahead.

Steps

1. Get trained – find an acting coach or a school

• Although you may have a natural acting talent, it’s imperative that you get professional training now and throughout your acting career. There’s always room for education and improvement.
• You  don’t want to walk into your first audition as a newbie punk who doesn’t understand how to take direction.
• So get involved in drama at school and begin diligently studying and practicing acting. Look for local acting schools, acting coaches and acting workshops that you can afford.
• Decide on what your focus will be (television, commercials, movies, etc.) and identify your strengths and talents. That way you’ll be able to clearly outline your goals in your resume, which is an important piece.

2. Get great portfolio (head shots) – a professional first impression is important

Every actor needs professional headshots. Because headshots are the first thing coordinators and casting directors see, it is the most important marketing tool you’ll have. Do not compromise quality for saving a few bucks on headshots; have them taken by a professional photographer.

3. Find an artist coordinator

• Now that you have acting training and education, it’s time to look for an acting coordinator/ agent or talent agency. (But beware of frauds)
• Child Artist Coordinators are very important for every professional child actor: they help guide you through your career, have access to long lists of roles, find great auditions for you and negotiate your contract. (We provide help to select if you have joined our private personal coaching)

4.  To find acting roles – get involved in everything 

• Although it often seems difficult to get experience without having experience, every actor must begin somewhere.  So begin taking even the smallest roles that you can find.
• Look for parts in your school play and in local theatre. Keep a track of auditions through joining audition sites like Bollywood Hunts (free) or other paid sites
• In the beginning of a young actor’s career, the main goal is to get absolutely as much experience as possible. You want to improve your craft and start building a resume that will eventually impress talent coordinators and casting directors

5. Create an impressive resume –a child actor needs it

Once you’ve performed to have a few roles, it’s time to write your resume. This should be something that you dedicate a considerable amount of time to; it needs to look as professional and sophisticated as possible.
On your resume you will want to include the following information:

• Your name and contact info
• Your height, weight, eye color and hair color 
• All of your acting experience, if any (even small ones on your school stage)
• Your training and education
• Your portfolio attached to your resume
• Links of your website, social sites or any other

6. Continually study and practice– never stop learning

• Although at this stage of the game you’re hopefully getting roles and continuing to build your resume, as with anything in life, if you strive to become a successful expert in your field, you must never stop learning. Never.
• Those who get too comfortable at a certain level of proficiency often fall out of the film acting industry; it’s a fast paced environment that’s always changing. So you must keep up. You must continually stay current on industry news, techniques and opportunities by reading the leading magazines, websites and newspapers.
• Intently watch, listen and practice: when you watch a film, don’t merely watch for entertainment’s sake; watch with sound off and watch acting; this is your profession now and you need to analyze everything. Take a mental (and physical) notes on techniques that work, and those that don’t.
• Each day, practice memorizing new and complicated lines. Recite them in front of a mirror, your mobile video camera, and review the footage for ways to improve – then re-shoot again and again. You will want to keep practicing in this way throughout your entire career.
• Above all, involve yourself with the performing arts: watch every child movie (preferably Hollywood child movies), local plays in the NCPA Nariman Point (Mumbai) or at Prthvi Theater Juhu Mumbai and improve that you can. 

Your hard work and dedication will surely pay off with an extremely rewarding life as a professional actor. So best of luck! Go out there a make your big dream of acting for the silver screen into a wonderful reality.

Parents, do you need help for your kid to be an actor? Contact us. 9920991661