CHILD ACTING TIPS

Helpful Advice for Parents

• Memorizing Lines - Before starting with helping your child(ren) memorize lines, read through the script together and make sure s/he understands what all the lines mean, what the story is all about, what the character wants/needs/thinks/feels, and the process of memorizing the lines will suddenly become a lot easier. Try letting your child write out the lines on a slip of paper or record the lines to a CD and play them in the background while driving or doing activities at home.

• Speaking - Encourage your child to speak clearly and pronounce each syllable in a word. Don’t worry about his speech being perfect — no one wants him or expects him to sound like Peter Jennings. Improvement in speech goes a long long way in auditions. Diction is important.

• Getting into Character - Since kids are naturally creative and imaginative, this isn’t hard for them; what is hard is staying in character. If your child’s character is from another era or a different part of the country, rent films or take out books related to that character’s settings. The more your child learns about the character, the better s/he will be at becoming that character.

• Auditions - Auditions must be held at reasonable lengths of time and hours. Casting is preferred to take place quickly. Always arrive 10 to 15 minutes early and make sure you’ve read the breakdowns and scripts that has been provided.

• Resume - Children love learning new things, and the more skills you can add to your child’s resume, the better. If a director is looking for a child who can sing or dance, and your child can, they’ve already beat out about 90% of other their fellow auditioners.