Where to start??

[dc83]

Hi all...looking for some help. My 9 year old son is desperate to get into acting but I have no idea where to start, or who is reputable.

We are based in Lancashire, can anyone recommend any workshops/agencies?

Also, any tips or advice would be appreciated

thanks

[frisbee]

Welcome have you tried your local theatre/s Amatuer Dramatic societies are often looking for children, some theatre websites have a page for this. Can only talk generally as obviously don't know where in Lancashire you are. (Not sure if you're in a town or Village, thinking village players here). It's obviously best to join an acting club/group stagecoach etc. again someone at your local theatres may be able to suggest some. Recommend Starnow as a place to start, as there are many people starting out on the site filmmakers and actors alike just beware of pitfalls. (see viewtopic.php?p=194071 also watch for those that can pay and don't.)Experience is not always necessary for Starnow jobs, confidence is usually all your child needs.
Checkout free websites such as Talentcircle.org and Mandy.com.Once you have a little experience if littleun' is still keen it's then worth looking for an agent there is a topic on here for this. Once you start reading postings on here you'll soon pick it up. (Have also PM'd you).
Oh! and the dreaded child licences you'll need to read up on those..if you google "Lancashire chilren in entertaiment licence" you'll find plenty of reading material, basically you need a licence 1. If the child is paid 2. If the performance is being paid to be seen 3. If the child has done 3 performance in the last 6 months. That's about it for now.
Good luck with it all.
D
xx

[mathsmum]

what acting etc classes is he doing?

is he with any local theatre school? - that's an obviuos place to start

[Flosmom]

My little actor (Flo) loves her Saturday mornings at Theatre Train. There may be one near you - go to http://www.theatretrain.co.uk/where.asp to find out. Stage Coach s very similar, and there are others too.

With the summer holidays coming up, there are loads of summer schools to choose from. Flo enjoyed West End Stage - London based, residential, theatre - and there are probably youth theatre courses going on at your local theatres, so it's worth googling them and searching on the 'education' or 'get involved' tabs. But you'll need to move fast...they often get booked up very quickly.

If he is interested in film, Flo and her little sister Pandy also had a great time at the Act2Cam film camp last Easter and are begging me to let them go to the one in York in August. OK, so you're Lancastrian - maybe their film camp in Staffordshire will be better for you than passing over the Pennines You can find details at http://www.act2cam.com/courses/film-camps/index.html

We're heading into panto season. If you think he (and you) can take the pace, there'll probably be open auditions for kids to be part of a panto near you before too long. Again, it's worth googling your local panto-oriented theatres and maybe giving them a call to find out more. Health check here...open auditions are bear pits. There will be hundreds of kids for very few places. Being a boy, your DC has an advantage because the ratios favour boys, but if he doesn't fit the bill, he'll get a curt 'no' (if you hear anything at all) so don't head down this road unless he and you can deal with the massive probability of rejection.

Hope this helps

Deb x

[dc83]

Thanks everyone. We are going to check out a local theatre group next week, to see how he likes it there. Also just found out the dance academy he attends are putting on a two week drama course over the holidays which will be fun for him.

Rejection shouldn't be a problem for him as he competes on his ponies, faces rejection all the time bless

I am really not sure which way he will want to go, film or theatre, so will let him test the water until he finds what he prefers, right now he just likes to entertain

[Flosmom]

Rejection shouldn't be a problem for him as he competes on his ponies, faces rejection all the time bless

I smiled when I read this Ponies really are unforgiving creatures, aren't they?....lovely as they are!

Flo's sister Pandora has taken to pony riding. She isn't competing yet, but did a little gymkhana day at her riding school back in the half term hols, in dreadful weather against girls who had been riding much, much longer than she has. She came home with rosettes but was seriously under-impressed with herself that they weren't for top three places. That competitive streak is firmly established....and if she can survive the gymkhana arena, she'll eat rejection from casting directors for breakfast!. although not getting rejected would be nice too!

Good luck to your DS - don't forget to let us know how he gets on.

Deb x

[frisbee]

Hi dc83, we also have own pony/horse(on the border of being 14.3 haven't done measure recently, still growing) lovely boy would show as is gorgeous, looks like Warhorse. Anyway given all that up, DS tried showing but didn't like it and I can't be bothered with all the extra work and expense, so happy hackers now.
Rubbish weather for that though recently. Anyway have digressed again, sorry folks, just lovin' hoorses!

Good luck with acting career and can also add horsemanship to cv, that's a plus there we are back on track now!

xx

[Flosmom]

Maybe we should start a horsey thread...? Then you coukd give me advice on how to cope with the 'mommy, when can I have a pony of my very own?' question. That's my 'where to start??' right now

Deb x

[frisbee]

Keep wearing her down girls she'll give in eventually!!!!
SSSH! Tell her they don't cost much, dead easy to look after, they're not at all time consuming and tying (teehee!).

Going to voluntarily stand in the naughty corner now!

[sapphire]

Maybe we should start a horsey thread...? Then you coukd give me advice on how to cope with the 'mommy, when can I have a pony of my very own?' question. That's my 'where to start??' right now

Deb x

My answer to that one is always when you have your own house and can afford to look after it by yourself

[Flosmom]

Maybe we should start a horsey thread...? Then you coukd give me advice on how to cope with the 'mommy, when can I have a pony of my very own?' question. That's my 'where to start??' right now

Deb x

My answer to that one is always when you have your own house and can afford to look after it by yourself

Yes, that's been my reply to every question about every possible pet...they can have rabbits, guinea pugs, dogs cats, rabbits - anything they want - as soon as they have their own house to keep them in.

Sometimes, I am an evil mommy

Deb x

[mathsmum]

Yes, that's been my reply to every question about every possible pet...they can have rabbits, guinea pugs, dogs cats, rabbits - anything they want - as soon as they have their own house to keep them in.

i always told them they had to go to the library and research what was involved first

they never got that far