12/22/2016
I have been asked by a lot of people how they can get their child into the acting/modeling world, and every time I get asked this question I cringe a little bit and I'm going to tell you why...(SUGAR COATING ENDS HERE - DISCLAIMER)
1st, for those of you who are wondering how to get your kids into acting/modeling, you must FIRST be willing to accept your new position as a MOMAGER. If you have no clue what that is...if you've ever seen a mom who looks like she's going on her 3rd day of no sleep, she's wearing 2 different shoes, her shirt's on backwards, she's spilled coffee in her lap, her pants are inside out, she has gum in her hair, her mascara is running, she never has time to talk and she doesn't even know what day it is...THAT IS A MOMAGER :) :) :) Welcome to your new life :D :D :D
2nd, Once you've accepted your role as a Momager or Dadager, the first thing you must come to grips with is that you'll be a glorified Administrative assistant.
Your job duties will be as follows...
1 - Master the RBF (important for negotiations)
2 - Being a Campaign Manager (GO TEAM!)
3 - Being a one person production team (ACTION!)
4 - Being a camera man/lighting person
5 - Being a stylist and hair dresser
6 - Learning how to use social media
7 - Handing your soul over to your child. THEY OWN YOU
8 - Realizing it is NEVER about you and ALWAYS about the child
9 - Being able to take 10 minute power naps any and everywhere
10 - Accepting the things you cannot change, like the fact that you are now an Uber driver with no pay :D...There will be no breaks :D....Lunches may vary :D....There is no pay :D....Sleep is overrated :D :D And there is NO PAY...not for you anyway ;)
3rd, for your child to work in the entertainment industry(if they are under the age of 18) you need what is called an "Entertainment Work Permit." This permit basically allows your child to work in the industry. Its free to get, but you'll lose your EVER LOVING MIND trying to get it :D.
4th, you'll need a COOGAN trust account :O. What's that??? A Coogan Trust account is a savings account for your kids that CANNOT be touched until they are 18. Money can be added, but never withdrawn. 15% of everything they earn must go into this account, but if you want to be an OVERACHIEVER :D you can do more. Wells Fargo is really good at this FYI :D
Now if I haven't scared you off and you're still here, lets continue. It gets worse before it gets better :D :D
LET THE MADNESS BEGIN....
5th, now that you know your job duties, you must understand that if your child wants to act/model, its not something you can do only on Sundays or because its cute. While there is fun to be had, being in this industry isn't like going to Disneyland for a week during the summer, or on weekends, having a blast, and then coming back next year. Not if you plan on making a career out of it.
6th, if you're reading this and you're one of those people who like to judge industry moms or you think we're bad moms for allowing our children to be in the industry, please go have several seats, and reserve your judgment for Christ during Armageddon, because your opinion is irrelevant here. You have NO IDEA what this process
requires of a parent physically, mentally, financially, and time wise.
7th, before you can begin the process your child will need an entertainment work permit. You can get this from the department of Labor or https://permits.dir.ca.gov/ewp/ if you live in California (if not in CA, google for your state :) There will either be a school form for kids in school or a doctors form for kids who are babies or toddlers not quite at school age yet. The school form must be signed by the school and the doctor form must be signed by your doctor. You can then submit online (takes longer) or if they have a job they need their permit for right away you can take it down to your local office and get it that day. The permit is FREE :D but expect to give up a lot of blood sweat and tears to get this done.
8th, the first bubble I'd like to burst is for the parents who don't want to drive past their BLOCK to take their kids to castings, etc, and want your children to be successful...GOOD LUCK WITH THAT. The truth of the matter is, unless you live in LA, SF, NY, TX, or in a city where the industry life runs abundant...you will more than likely be driving well OVER AN HOUR to get to a casting call, all so you and your child can sit and wait in a line, fill out paper work, spend 5 minutes taking a photo/video with the CD (Casting Director) and then quickly receive the 2 finger salute as they shove you out the door :D.
9th, after all the hustle and bustle to get to said casting, there will be no promises of a call or email, you just have to sit, hope your child killed it, and wait...or do what I like to do, and move on to the next opportunity.
10th, your child will need photos EVERY 6 MONTHS. WHY???? Well, because kids change so much. They lose teeth, they take scissors to their hair, they grow into their facial features, they gain/lose weight and their hair color/texture changes.
11th, being a Momager or dedicated slave to a child actor/model means being dedicated to being on time, creating a resume for them of all their work, keeping their photos up to date, keeping track of their audition dates, submitting to and meeting with modeling agencies to determine who will be a good fit, and learning the ins/outs/current trends of the business. It means driving all over the planet on 2 seconds of sleep. It means putting your children in acting classes, singing lessons, ballet lessons, gym classes etc. so they aren't just cute little statues and actually have some form of a skill that makes them valuable. It means shelling out money for pictures, wardrobe, hair, gas, food, hotels, lessons/classes and therapy sessions :D :D :D
So if you still think you're ready for the madness that comes with being a Momager, I will gladly answer your questions... :) :)
For online applications, download watermarked forms from within your account. Only watermarked documents will be accepted for certification with online applications.
Model and Talent Agency located in the Sacramento Area
