Sunday, September 30, 2007

Background Acting For Children

Parents who have children who are interested in becoming background actors can take some steps to make this happen. The first thing to remember as a parent, however, is that as much fun as you think it might be to see your child in movies or on television, you have to make sure that it is something that your child really wants. Although background acting can be fun and exciting for children, it does take some work, and can wreak havoc with school and sports schedules. If you and your child have agreed that you?d like to give it a try, however, then the first thing that you might want to do is find a manager. The manager will require that you start off with head shots of your child. These can be taken by a professional but aren't required for background work. Children under 16 will also need a work permit which can be obtained for free. Once they've completed their first job, a Coogan's bank account is also necessary.

There are several reputable websites with which you can sign, usually for a minimal fee, to be able see what production companies need, and to be able to submit your child for background work when you think he or she may fit the role. A search on the Internet should bring up some results of these types of websites, or your child?s manager should also be able to tell you about some of the best ones. One mother of a successful child background actor uses a few different websites to keep an eye on possible work for her son. You need to remember, however, that if you get a background job for your child directly through a production company that advertises online and he or she has a manager, the manager should still get a percentage of what the child is paid.

Child background actors, depending on when and how long they work on an acting job, will receive tutoring on set to keep them up on their schoolwork. If you home school your child, the tutoring will still be necessary in order to keep within the law, so it is a good idea to check with your state to find out what is required. Most background actors are non-union and earn $126 a day or more.

The most important thing is for you to make sure that your child is having fun doing background acting. Keep an open line of communication with your child to make sure that he or she is enjoying the work. More than likely, he or she will find it an exciting and rewarding experience! You can read about my son's current background jobs in my blog at EntourageWorld to get an idea of what it's like to work in this industry.

Debbi is a work at home Mom to four. She's busy taking her youngest son to acting jobs while running her own online business, http://www.KeywordCafe.com

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