The Making of A Child Star

Is there a magical formula for someone to succeed as a child actor today? Definitely! The child needs to ooze with natural talent, able to follow direction really well and has to be outgoing and fearless. Does your child naturally have these abilities already? You’re half way there then! Some parents can see something in their kids from a really young age that tells them their child is destined for show business.

Caution:

It’s important to be honest with yourself about your child’s talent. Even if you find your child to be oozing with personality and charm, there’s a chance that others may not feel exactly the same way. There’s also a chance that your child might not have his or her heart quite as set on show business as you do. It’s important that you don’t force your child into the industry against their will. A child wants to please their parent so try to look at the situation objectively and determine whether it’s your wish for your child to persist in the business or if it’s your child’s wish. Some parents have unwilling toddlers or school aged children who go along withfor their parents but hate every minute of it.

Show business can be cold and difficult at times and can be filled with a lot of pressure. If a person has this as their dream to pursue, they may feel it’s worthwhile but if it’s just their parents pressuring them to endure that intense pressure, it can be damaging on a permanent level.

Living Vicariously Through Your Child

If you’ve assessed your child’s talent, how can you be sure that this is the path that the child wants to travel?  How can you tell if he or she is just trying to please you? Ask them.   Give them an opportunity to get out and be careful you don’t pose it as a loaded question that will show your disappointment if they answer anything other than with enthusiastic adoration for the love of the craft of acting. Be sure you’re not simply living vicariously through your child.

Next steps:

Ok, so they want it and you think they’re talented enough to take the plunge. How can you tell if they’re really of the right personality for this type of a career? Here are some observations that can help:

Choose (a) or (b) for each of these personality traits or reactions to help you ascertain your child’s ability to cope with the life of a child actor.
 
1. a) Extroverted
    b) Introverted

2. a) Focused and attentive
    b) Distracted

3. a) When asked a question s/he doesn’t know s/he tries to answer
    b) Shrugs or blushes when he or she doesn’t know the answer

4. a) Loves to sing and dance
    b) Thinks singing and dancing is lame or has to be coaxed into it

5. a) Does impressions and improvisation without coaxing
    b) Will try impressions and improv only with encouragement and coaching from you

If you answered mostly A’s, you probably have a child who wants to act and who might even be quite talented in several areas. You might have a real performer on your hands!

If you’ve answered mostly B’s, maybe it’s time to sit down and have a talk with your child to give them a chance to tell you how they really feel about acting.

How your child reacts to new people and new situations is important. Child actors are seldom shy and are really quite extroverted. Most of them act like little hams that love the camera and love to show off. It can be concerning if your child is like this because you don’t want them to talk to strangers but want them to feel at ease in your presence with directors and agents.  It’s important that your child is given some street sense with respect to dealing with adults and knowing about the boundaries with strangers. Constantly remind them of the importance of caution with strangers while encouraging them to be open in your presence when working on set.

Stage Fright?

Children and infants may need to go to a stranger and if your child has separation anxiety, this can be complicated for you. If your baby goes easily to other adults and is smiling and cooing, they could be great in baby modeling. If your baby doesn’t want to be off your hip, this can present a challenge.  A casting director will look for babies and children who can quickly adapt to the changing environment. If your child is someone who’s not afraid of the stage, they could do well in acting.