Newbie with no idea where to start!
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Zoey Rolls
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- Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2016 3:12 pm
Newbie with no idea where to start!
Hi everyone, I am new to the site and new to all of this really. I'm looking for information on where to look to find out about open auditions and castings. My DD is 14. She has a star now profile and we know the screen terrier site. Are there others I should be looking at? Is fame street any good? She has sent head shots to loads of castings on there but not heard a thing from any of them. Any advice is much appreciated. We are located in Devon but obvs willing to travel. Thanks xxx
Re: Newbie with no idea where to start!
Hi
Unfortunately at 14 your DD may find it very difficult to get any paid work. The reason being that a 16 year old can play down to 14 and does not need a license. Does your daughter have much previous experience? From our experience if you have little or no previous experience by the age of 13 you are unlikely to be considered until you are out of license. We know a few people of around your daughters age who do get work but they are well known to directors and have top agents as they have a considerable CV of TV, film and West end theatre.We have been in your situation and my DD has just come out of license at the end of June. We are hopeful that things will improve for her now. If I were you I would concentrate on training. Have you thought about what your DD intends to do at 16? What training does she do at the moment? has she just finished year 9 or 10? I ask this because a lot of the specialist training schools have auditions at the start of year 11 for full time study at 16.
Best wishes
Lynne
Unfortunately at 14 your DD may find it very difficult to get any paid work. The reason being that a 16 year old can play down to 14 and does not need a license. Does your daughter have much previous experience? From our experience if you have little or no previous experience by the age of 13 you are unlikely to be considered until you are out of license. We know a few people of around your daughters age who do get work but they are well known to directors and have top agents as they have a considerable CV of TV, film and West end theatre.We have been in your situation and my DD has just come out of license at the end of June. We are hopeful that things will improve for her now. If I were you I would concentrate on training. Have you thought about what your DD intends to do at 16? What training does she do at the moment? has she just finished year 9 or 10? I ask this because a lot of the specialist training schools have auditions at the start of year 11 for full time study at 16.
Best wishes
Lynne
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missmoneypenny
- BAFTA Award
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Re: Newbie with no idea where to start!
Some fair and accurate points made by Lynne, but getting some experience from short films and low paid jobs can be valuable, especially if your dd is hoping to take it all further post 16. KCCP is pretty good for this, have you set her up on there? You get a free month I believe. Good luck!
Re: Newbie with no idea where to start!
Steer clear of Fame Street. The information on it is almost certainly just copied from other sites and probably appears without the casters knowing about it. Very definitely a waste of money and not taken seriously by any mainstream casters. I've also heard of people finding it very difficult to cancel their subscriptions.
Open auditions are actually very unusual in the profession - that's why you struggle to find any information about them !
The best way to get auditions is to get decent agency representation, though that is easier said than done. There's loads of information on NAPM about looking for agency rep - so well worth browsing through posts
There isn't much professional work around for mid teens.
Have a think about what kind of work you are hoping for. How many performers like your daughter have you seen on stage or (British ) screen? Then consider how many performers like your daughter might like those few jobs you can think of...
Most work is cast in London (some in Manchester - occasionally in other cities) and getting to auditions would probably mean missing school - would your daughter's school be supportive?
Commercial auditions are usually very short notice. Other auditions for 14 year olds are few and far between.
It's worth thinking about concentrating on amateur and youth theatre opportunities - that's often easier and provides many more opportunities than professional work
Especially for those living outside London.
If she's interested in professional work as an adult, there is no need to have professional experience as a child, though all experience is useful.
Open auditions are actually very unusual in the profession - that's why you struggle to find any information about them !
The best way to get auditions is to get decent agency representation, though that is easier said than done. There's loads of information on NAPM about looking for agency rep - so well worth browsing through posts
There isn't much professional work around for mid teens.
Have a think about what kind of work you are hoping for. How many performers like your daughter have you seen on stage or (British ) screen? Then consider how many performers like your daughter might like those few jobs you can think of...
Most work is cast in London (some in Manchester - occasionally in other cities) and getting to auditions would probably mean missing school - would your daughter's school be supportive?
Commercial auditions are usually very short notice. Other auditions for 14 year olds are few and far between.
It's worth thinking about concentrating on amateur and youth theatre opportunities - that's often easier and provides many more opportunities than professional work
Especially for those living outside London.
If she's interested in professional work as an adult, there is no need to have professional experience as a child, though all experience is useful.