It’s a Child's Play to be a Kid Actor, So Inspire Them

Then and in 2015; Darsheel Safari  in 'Taare Zameen Par' 

It's really easy to become a child actor or actress. You just have to be in the right place at the right time. So Mom & Dad, here's what you have to read and act upon to make your kid a star!

Why do I say it's easy? A few reasons:

• Kids are naturally talented. Kids have a wonderful capacity for imagination. (Much better than adults.) And a good imagination leads to great acting talent.

• Kids also have less inhibitions. They behave on instinct rather than logic. This is another key component of acting talent.

• I have yet to meet the child who didn't possess these two traits in spades.

• There's less competition. That's right, I said it. Less competition. Why? Because kids grow up. Fast.

• For example: When little Child actor Darsheel Safary in 'Taare Zameen Par' bagged coveted role, he was only 8 years old. As the years passed, his physique and voice changed and now casting directors don't prefer him for the similar roles. I've seen it happen a hundred times

.

• The industry needs them. Do you have any idea how many professional roles are available for kids? Everything from live reality shows to theater, prime time television to TV serials, short films to feature films, commercial ads on TV and much more. 

Compared to us poor and deprived grown ups, kids have got it made!

Source

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

Parents! Here’re 19 Top Observations on Kid Actors

Let it be a Fun! Acting Coach with Kids 

Lessons for Parents of Kid Actors

1. When moms and dads put their kids in acting class, good luck. Because you're just filling them with stuff they don't need yet. What they need is a fun loving, a highly sensitive and a dreaming, acting coach whose training will be storytelling. Why? Because acting deals with very delicate emotions. It is not putting up a mask. Each time a kid actor acts the child does not hide; he exposes himself.

2. More than in any other performing arts the lack of respect for acting with kids seems to spring from the fact that every parent considers themselves a valid critic.

3. Parents must remember that acting by your kids is nothing more or less than playing. The idea is to humanize life.

4. Respect the desires, likes and passion of your kids to be an actor. Take control of the time you have with your kids as one day they will be all grown up and have their own friends and things to do.

5. Cherish every moment you have with them seeing them to act different lives enjoying now as you might not see them as they get older. It becomes their schedule not yours!

6. Never neglect or discourage your child if the kid wants to be an actor. If our Indian way of life fails the child, it fails us all

7. Do you know why kids are better actors? Children seldom misquote. In fact, in their normal day to day life, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn't have said. Thus they don't need any memorizing technique for a script of a play or a film

8. While we try to teach our children all about life, Our kid actors  by creating a new life, teach us what life is all about

9. The only way we can make us immortal is by our kids becoming a celebrity child star in Bollywood-

10. It is easier to build strong kid actors than to repair broken men

11. Do you know why kids could be good actors? Because children are contemptuous, haughty, irritable, envious, sneaky, selfish, lazy, flighty, timid, liars and hypocrites, quick to laugh and cry and extreme in expressing joy and sorrow

12. Warning! Let the children to be actors if they wish so. Don't try to make children grow up to be like you, or they may do so and be miserable!

13. Don't underestimate the hidden acting talent in your kid actor! I continue to believe that if children are given the necessary tools to succeed, they will succeed beyond their wildest dreams!

14. I know I cannot be an angel. But I try to be a good acting teacher who can help aspiring kid actors develop their acting craft physically, emotionally, socially, in the hope of becoming a better human being.

15. For a child actor, it's a matter of listening, reacting, and being able to put yourself in a new place without being scared.

16. Simple tip to be a good kid actor; There are certain expectations that are put on you as a child actor, but mainly it's just turn up and say your lines with a lot of energy and a cute smile.

17. Little by little a kid actor walks far

18. As an acting coach, I find that kid actors are great reminders of the simplicity of acting. As you get older, you can sometimes complicate things a little more. You can become too aware of what schools or books said. 'Okay, this is the scene emotionally. This is where we need to be. We've got the climax coming up', etc. etc. You start analyzing too much, lose originality and creativity.

19. Bollywood is undependable and unstable; your career can end pretty fast. If the acting jobs dry up, you have to have something to fall back on. In fact, that would be my advice to kids interested in acting - make sure you study hard and get a good education too.

Based on experience and research by Acting Coach Kiran Pande

7 Best Ways to Train Your Kids for Camera Auditions

Role ke liye, audition mai kuch bhi Karega!
(Will do anything for auditions!)

Dear moms and dads,
This is my affectionate and advisory letter to you.
Once you have decided to make your child an actor, I know how hard you work on the kid. You work hard going over the scenes or lines your child has to play, read the scripts for them, take them out of school, rearrange their schedules, and race around from audition to audition, not to mention taking them to their acting coach, dance lessons, school play rehearsal, sports, and everything else they have going on.

You are really a super parent, and you would do anything to make your kid happy.

There isn’t enough time in the day to do everything. You are just running around. But at what point is it too much? What is the best way to organize you and prepare your kid when they have so much going on? How do you juggle everything and still make sure they are doing a good job for those two minutes they are in the audition room? And most importantly, are they still having fun?
At the end of the day, everyone just wants your kid to get the role. You, your kid’s coordinator  and the casting director are working hard. They are giving your kid a time slot and want the actor to come in and do the job. Nothing else matters—the excuses, the amount of homework they have, the apologies, the drama.

Important Point

The number one thing that all casting directors want in on-camera auditions is for kids to act natural, to bring their their personality to the audition, to be fully prepared, and to have fun. Kids can be wonderful actors, and display extreme emotions at the drop of a hat. They may have learned some bad habits, which can get in the way of giving an excellent audition.

Here are the best ways to prepare your kids for their next on-camera audition:

1. Memorizing lines

I know you get the script the night before, and sometimes you get more than one audition for the next day with lots and lots of lines. It’s a crazy business, and everything happens very last minute. Most kids aren’t prepared enough when they walk into an audition room, and end up looking down at the script the whole time. Or even worse, instead of listening to the other co actor in the scene, they are just thinking of their next line. It shows in their eyes.
A. The single best thing you can do as a parent is help them memorize their lines. Make it fun.
B. Talk about what the lines mean, and why they would be saying it.
C. Have them try it tons of different ways.

2. Read the whole script

It’s that important. It should be part of their homework. Many of the parents don’t do this. But it will give you a huge advantage in auditions. Find the time to at least go through the script  so you understand what is happening in the story..

3. Playing the “Character”;  Don’t bother much about copying

Sometimes a script may narrate a character’s description a “naughty, wondering, happy go lucky 9-year-old”; don’t worry about forcing your kid to act that way in the scene. It will be there or it won’t. A character’s description is just a guideline, and often times they change. With everyone reading the same lines, it’s your kid’s personality that should stand out. The wonderful, original, authentic spirit and soul of your child as an actor. That is why they are cast. Of course you want to suggest the character, but the second you try too hard it becomes a red flag and looks forced in the audition.

4. Don’t worry about the clothing

This isn’t a fancy dress competition. Of course, it’s important to dress like the character, but don’t bother much about to be precise in a particular costume. If you worry too much about the color of the shirt, and whether or not the hair should be parted in the middle or off to the side, you are going in the wrong direction. Nobody ever lost a part because their shirt was blue instead of red. It’s about the personality of the person, and how they come across on camera. Too much costume can make it seem like they are overcompensating for their acting skills.

5. Leave the coaching to the professionals

 Let us be honest here. I know you want them to do well, but sometimes your coaching may get in the way. Avoid line readings, planned gestures and facial expressions, and trying to “give them what they are looking for.”
A. Remember, many times this makes a casting director’s job so much harder as they try to find the real person underneath all the unnatural “acting” stuff.
B. A good coach will help them free up the lines and make it spontaneous, while also finding the right emotion and tone of the script and how to give the character a strong inner life. Forced preparations of their lines may create a very stiff and overly rehearsed performance and a casting director can spot that a mile away.

6. Be firm in saying “no.”  

If your child has started getting too many auditions or if there is too much  running around, I’m sure you don’t want your child to burn out which may affect a kid’s health or his/ her other important activities related to school or sports, just say “No” to  the kid’s coordinator

7.  What is on-camera auditions good manners?

Just be natural and listen. That’s all any casting director wants. Most kids who come from their school stage end up projecting too much, exaggerating their facial expressions, and not paying attention to the closeness and stillness of an on-camera environment. They should walk into the room with confidence (naturally), learn to speak (slate) their name into the camera (naturally), take a breath, and then just go into the scene (naturally). The more rested they are and the more focus they have, the less restless they are. The last thing you want is for your kid to show up to an audition yawning, moving around in the chair, and completely distracted.
On-camera auditions are about concentration, stillness, and listening. They should sit up in the chair (or stand), look at the eyes on that person who is speaking the lines of your co actor as a cue to you. Never look into the camera (unless it’s your introduction, a slate), and avoid the eyes wandering around too much.

Once the audition is done, move on. Don't worry or tell anything negative post-audition.
There are always more auditions around the corner.

Good luck!
Based on source

7 Brilliant Tips to Build Your Kid's Acting Career

Child actor, Naman Jain in 'Bombay Talkies'

1. Decide

Have you made sure that your child or children want to go down this road?  It is paved with hard work, rejection and very little financial benefit for most.  Often the hours are long and kid actors' families need to be committed.  There may be situations where you may have to drop everything at a moment's notice and rush with your child to an audition 20-30 kilometers away from home.

2. Confirm Credentials

Make sure to check for casting calls that are legitimate. Make inquiries. Search internet for their credentials. Secondly, always accompany your children. (Same for when they get work and are in sets as this is the law).

3. Don't Pay   

Again.... Never pay for an audition or on a promise to get your kid’s entry into films or TV.  There are many fraudsters in Mumbai and other towns in India. This should be a mantra for all parents of actors.  The temptation is great as people will promise you the sky if you pay, however, don't.

4. Make your kid practice a lot

Have your child read a lot... Aloud.  Let them be comfortable with simple one minute monologue. (You can contact us in writing and practicing a monologue specially designed for your child).  Good reading and memorization skills are key.

5. How to prepare for an audition

When you get a call to audition, remember that it is a competition.  Usually only a few people (or maybe one) "wins".  The others go home and get to practice and start again.  Sometimes, you will audition and not hear anything for weeks, then "the" call comes in that your child got the role. Be prepared. Truly anything can happen.  Here is my smart advise-When you go to an audition pack a bag and be prepared to stay.  Have extra headshots and resumes, a change of clothing and anything important, especially if you are traveling a distance for this audition.  Sometimes, auditioners want to see the child again later the same day for a "call back".  This is in essence the second part of an audition process where they have shortlisted your child.  

6. How to behave on set

• When your kid wins a role, be a good parent on the set and have your child demonstrate excellent patience and congeniality.  
• Parents who do not follow directions on the set and those who are only trying to get roles for their children to meet celebrities are often not asked back. 
• Chances are first roles will be those of an "extra" and you will find that a good behavior from your kid and you as a parent can be of benefit. 
• Let me cite an incident which happened in front of me. One time, my granddaughter was on the set for a major television show.  We were told not to bring any cameras.  One father did bring and then was after some of the "stars" for photos with his son. They were sent off the set.  Later that same day, the director noted that my granddaughter was very friendly and had a real interest in filmmaking.  He invited her to watch the acting from behind the cameras when she was done with her scene.   

7. Develop friendships

Make a support system with other parents you meet at auditions and on the set. Many a times, the hours are long. The cast is usually just a few so at any time, you may meet wonderful parents and if you are nice to them, they will be your friends and you establish an excellent kid’s acting information communication channel which can help to both beyond imagination. It doesn’t matter if often the "kids" are up for the same roles, but it will be nice to start building relationship with wishing other parents and their children the best of luck and champion everyone's success.  If you go into the business with this attitude and your child actor has the same.

How to Select an Acting Coach or School for Your Kid

Aspiring Kid Actors!

What to be Considered

• Your child will need a basic acting technique. How much technique depends on their age. While a younger child will do great with simple role playing and theatre /cinema  games, an older child (9 and up) can be introduced to basic acting techniques like short term objectives or asking the questions "Who What Where and When" when reading or practicing a scene.
• A good kid acting coach also helps children explore what makes them unique rather than teach them line readings and some other "tricks". This is especially important if you think your child is going into acting for the long run. You don't want them to pick up bad habits like just memorizing lines and blurting them out, mimicking or being too theatrical with exaggerated gestures that will take years to break down the road. A good kid acting coach helps children build the confidence in them to be “themselves” instead of trying to guess what casting directors want. 

1. Speech and Elocution

Developing the skill of clear and expressive speech, especially of distinct pronunciation and articulation.

• Actors, of all ages, need to be heard. At the least, they need to be able to speak clearly and audibly. If they are interested in stage acting, they need to be loud enough to be heard in a theater. For acting in front of a camera, their breathing should be normal while speaking lines and the words should be clear as far as possible. A good child acting coach should address any speech problems a kid has. 
• There's no need to take formal speech and voice classes, but a class that teaches a basic vocal and body warm-up will get them started on the right foot. Older child actors also need to be able to read well. Often, actors are given "copy" to speak at auditions (also known as a cold reading). A young actor will not be able to concentrate on the acting if they are struggling to read. A good children's coach / acting class will give older kids plenty of opportunities to do cold readings.

2. Memorization and Improvisation

Reading-age children who want to be an actor are expected to learn lines, so they should pick an acting class or a coach that includes scene study or monologues where they can practice memorization. That being said, casting directors don't expect kids to be perfect, so being able to use improvisation (Creating a scene and speaking without a written script)  is very helpful for children. Improvisation makes them unique in the eyes of casting directors, while giving them the confidence to make it up if they forget a line. Improvisation is even more useful with younger kids who don't learn lines at all and are basically just expected to be themselves.

3. Confidence

Although all the skills mentioned above are useful, the most important thing children can gain from a good acting coach is the confidence to be themselves. If they know what to expect when they walk into an audition because they've done it all before in class, they will be much more confident. If you want to pick a kid acting class, then be sure to select one that prepares them for auditions, lets them perform in front of others and gives them practice time in front of the camera. For example, they should learn things like how to find their mark on the floor while walking and write their name on a slate during on-camera auditions. 

If in doubt about acting schools, go for an acting coach who trains your kid on one on one basis

4. The Teacher should be a kid

Pick an acting coach or a school that lets kids be kids. This doesn't mean that a child acting class should be all play, but fun should definitely be incorporated in teaching... Or not only will your child not enjoy the class, they will start to think they have to behave like an adult when they audition, which is exactly what casting directors don't want to see. Directors and producers look for kids who can act, not kids who act like adults. Children have a natural ability to play believing it to be true and to really get invested in their imaginary games (something many adults lose when they grow up), so acting can be very natural and fun to them. The goal is to find a kid acting teacher that will teach them how to stay natural when they play in front of an audience (or camera) and not coach them a specific way to say a line or make a face, so look for acting coach / schools for kids that teach things like theater games, storytelling, role playing and mime.

5 Great Tips and 6 Precautions for Parents of Kid Actors

Pihu Sharma (Amrita Mukherjee) of TV Serial "Bade Achhe Lagte Hain" fame is now a mini celebrity

1. How to Build the Confidence of your Child Actor

To build confidence, let your child actor know all the good things they are doing and encourage them. Do not overload them with lots of activities at the same time. It is possible that a child may possess diverse talents like acting, dancing, singing, games etc. But, if you find that the kid has talent and is interesting in being an actor more than anything else, then encourage the child to be an actor. Let the kid focus on one particular talent.
Of course, true confidence is built through accomplishment - not words. And to achieve success, you as a parent can contribute a lot. Help your child actor Improve their acting abilities by accompanying them to acting classes and going to child acting auditions.

2. Be Supportive 

Your child will be turned down at most acting and modeling auditions so it is also important for you and your child to learn to deal with rejection. Never tell them that they should have gotten a role if they had done this or not done that. Your child will always look up to you, so set a good example. Always stay calm and objective. Find out a few small moments when they performed well and appreciate it wholeheartedly.

3. Let who can help your kid do their jobs 

Try not to interfere with acting coaches and casting directors or directors in a shoot. You can watch during the child acting auditions, but don’t interfere by adding comments and suggestion while training is in session.

4. Give your Kid Variety of Opportunities

Children should have different opportunities. Try not to focus on one “specialty” for example to work only in Bollywood films or TV serials or Fashion shows or print. Let the kid try for different types of genre, It could be a real fun for him/her.

5. Get Top Children Acting Agency/ Coordinator

Finding and registering with a top children's artist agency/ coordinator can help you make the right connections in the industry. An agency can get information about auditions for roles, either directly from casting directors and producers or from the insiders. If you and your child actor are ready to make the commitment to go for auditions as recommended by an agency, this is definitely the way to go.

How to Protect Your Child in the Entertainment Industry

In addition to predators, fraudsters and crazy fans, the entertainment industry is a very cutthroat and complicated business.  Parents of kid actors often worry their safety.  Whether your child is in small-town school or community  plays or inn movies and television shows, following these tips will help protect them.

1.  Don’t give your phone number

Especially,  if you have your kid’s profile on Facebook or on other social media.

2. Check your child actor's postal mail carefully 
A kid actor may get mails. You must be careful when allowing your child to read the letters that come in. Check the envelopes and addresses carefully. You should read the letters first to make sure they are appropriate.

3. Protect your child actors' photographs. 
Ask the photographer if you can bring your digital card (Pen Drive) when getting their headshots and portfolio pictures. If the photographer still shoots on film, ask to keep the negative.  Protecting the raw images of your child actor will help keep their likeness from being used inappropriately online.

4. Audit their acting classes. 
Some acting classes for children will allow parents to sit in on a class, most not. Check this. Good acting coaches usually allow. Check whether they are expert in training or coaching aspiring kid actors. Training kids for acting is totally a different ball game. Teaching kids to be an actor require a great amount of patience and the learning should be like playing games with lots of fun.

5. Do the Research
Read books on child actors, auditioning, acting technique, and biographies of former and current child stars. Visit acting schools and kids acting coaches.  Learning everything you can about the entertainment industry will not only help keep your child safe but can be beneficial to his/her career.

6. Register your child’s name as a web site domain name. 
Create a website for you child actor. As soon as your child gets few opportunities, register your child’s name as a “dot com” immediately so somebody cannot steal it out from under you. Plenty of cheap domain name registration services are available in India and internationally, so it will be a cheap investment in your child’s safety.
Most of these items involve common sense, but you will be surprised how easily they are forgotten when your child has a chance at stardom. Be an intelligent parent and remember your number one priority is the welfare of your child, not just getting an entry into the entertainment industry!
Based on source

12 Audition Steps for Kid Actors to Grab a Role

Audition of a child actor

What are the Steps of the Audition Process?

The different steps of the audition process are: 

1. You get a call from your coordinator/ Casting director or directly from a production house/ Assistant director if you had applied through a casting website  with an appointment time and a location to go to the interview.
2. You'll get yourself ready. You'll dress the way they've asked you to dress. And then you'll go to the audition. That will be the first audition.
3. You'll sign in on a sheet of paper.
4. You may be given your lines (called "sides") to read and if possible to memorize. The child has to dream and create the character in his/her mind to play in front of a camera.
5. You'll maybe get your Polaroid picture taken.
6. You'll give them your headshot or select pictures from your portfolio.
7. You'll go on to face the camera. You'll do your initial interview based on what is told to you.
8. And then you'll go away.
9. There may or may not a second step.
10. Call Back: If material that you've already recorded in your first audition is liked enough by the director and the advertisers to have you come to a call-back. Then what you do, is you go back to the same place typically. You wear the same thing typically. It's important to wear the same thing to a call-back that you wore to a first call. And then you'll meet the director or the advertisers, and they'll make sure you can do what you did the first time, or see if you have other ways to play your lines and character.
11. If you are not selected, your coordinator may inform you in a few days and if not, then you have to contact the person to know the status. If you are selected to do the role, you will be informed by the coordinator or directly by the concerned person from the project
12. If you are selected then later, you'll be told what day you're going to shoot, and then you'll be contacted by production. And production will give you your location and your call time and probably schedule a wardrobe fitting with you prior to the actual shoot.

How Should a Child Actor Behave During an Audition?

A child actor should act professionally during an audition. It is the job of the parent to tell the child, the child that wants to do this, that this is a business. This is not going to the park. This is not an Ice Cream Parlor or burger and chips at McDonald's. You're going to a serious interview. Yes, it's supposed to be fun. Yes, you want to have a good time, but don't climb around on that furniture. You don't run around through in their professional office space. You don't bring loud toys. You don't distract the other kids. It's common sense, like going to the library or going to the doctor's office. It's a place of business.