Those of you up north

[Irishdancer]

It just costs £5 more to put showreel or even monolouge which u can video yourself on Spotlight which would be seen by more cds than on agents web site, lots of agencys now do not have there children on there web site only photos from what there children have worked on or breaking news so i feel if a agents web site was that important these agents would still have all there children on there sites they only have there children on Spotlight, most work goes through Spotlight and any way a lot of castings its the agent who sends in a section of children from spotlight link who they think are sutable so much easer than from there own web site, that is why quite a few people whos agents have a web site do not put there children on there now only on Spotlight do not see any reason to be with Spotlight and put details on agents web site as well, when it costs to go to auditions then for Spotlight and photos it all adds up so if u are going to have to do a monolouge at £30 just extra money which really do not think will really help

[tykeylady]

Thanks everyone, we are in South Yorkshire. We've invested in a railcard to try to keep costs down but I think I'm going to have to start turning things down as it is just too expensive to keep this rate up. I'm really glad that others can empathise as I was starting to feel a bit down about it all

[Irishdancer]

You could ask yr agent to try and send u to a few auditions at the same time then will not have to come down a few days in a row and if its adverts then the audition fee is £18 so if u went to 2 or 3 would pay for u to come up. I feel if they are intrested in ds will see him another day or at the recall he plays a lot of golf so have told agent will pull him for job but not for audition. It also depends on how old the child is between 6 - 10 if its a boy there are lots of auditions mostly for adverts.

[wissymo]

hi tykeylady,we are originally from barnsley (south yorkshire) but living in telford at the moment but will be moving soon as we are armed forces.
we were also feeling a bit bad about all the auditions and the cost of traveling.
we started this in november and ds has just got his 1st job so all being well he will earn it all back and more soon!!

[twins jaynpen]

i agree re self tapes, useless in my opinion, casting directors want to see kids now, if you cant go then then are are plenty who can, my dd and ds agent is brill at getting them castings, sometimes i simply cringe at oh no not again, but if they dont go then they will not be seen, etc, its not easy, financially it is hell at times, but i am learning, one day both called and I almost did not go, that casting was successful for them both, amazing and nicely paid job, i use that money to part fund their trips for all auditons, I need a zip line to castings in london etc, Think the agents addind monologues and especially charging form them, hmmmmmmmmmm, not happy for me but suppose works for others. suppose my take on this is, if you want to be in it, then you have to take the bull by the horns and go and just get on with it, working and balancing this out is hell, i know as i teach, but we manage. my kids have two agents one london and one northern, bit sceptical at first re northern agent, but they get more work than their london agent, and quality castings, some good feature films, more importantly for me is that they work hellish hard to help me with info when attending, if i go through my london agent, the call is quick, little info, to be honest most times of no use, yet the northern agent gets as much as possible. It might be worth asking your agent if anyone else from area is going, i did this recently another mum took my son with hers, felt awful as mine was cast but she was okay with it, i have agreed to take hers if she wants too, just an idea, I have just registered as a chaperone, lots of things can work, sometime i wonder what I have got myself into, but now we are in it looks like we are in it for a while. hope this helps

[Smiler]

I am very much 'Up North'. In my short experience, my children have always been sent to castings in Manchester at two different agencies and Leeds. All within an hours drive. There is a lot of tv, film and commercial casting up here - with big opportunities if you are fortunate. I guess if you are looking at theatre - west end etc - then it will be london based, but other wise no problem for us. Have a chat with your agent and see what they say. Is your agent based in the North or in London?