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Sacrificing for Your Star

the parents’ role in child stardom

by Shauna Smith Duty

Are you considering sinking your teeth into a piece of the Hollywood pie? If your child is cut out for showbiz, you may be well on your way. Before gorging yourself on success, though, seriously consider this: Are you ready to be the parent of a child actor?

JJ Minnick, co-owner of Go Talent, a management company in Los Angeles, has seen parents who don’t fully understand the supporting role they must play in their child’s career. Her website addresses this issue with a quiz. These are some of the questions you can find at www.gobabiesmanagement.com:

“Do you have the flexibility to be able to pack up the kids and cheerfully go to an audition at a moment’s notice?

Do you have the ability to rearrange your schedule and still be punctual for auditions?

Would you consider yourself a patient person, easy-going, and relaxed with your child?”

Your Personality
In other words, are you laid back, even when you have to cancel your plans to take your child to an audition? Maybe you or your child had a rough night. What if you had important lunch plans? For some parents, this can cause major stress! Parents of child actors have to be willing to drop everything and run to an audition. The entertainment industry is full of professional entertainers willing to make the sacrifice daily. When an adult actor receives a call for an audition, he makes the choice to prioritize the audition above all else, because he’s passionate about success.

Your Time
It’s a little harder for a parent. You have your own life, possibly a thriving career. If you’re serious about your child’s success, you may have to sacrifice all of this. In a sense, your world will revolve (even more so) around your child. You’ll also have to commit to punctuality, learning about the entertainment industry, financing acting classes and publicity, and teaching your child how to handle rejection gracefully. Some parents even move to LA or New York during peak casting seasons. Can you handle this? Do you want to?

Your Money
Expenses can be a major issue for some families. The cost of getting a baby started in showbiz is relatively minimal. However, children over four years old require more of an investment. According to JJ, professional headshots that can cost $40-500, plus the cost of developing. Printing photos and resumes in color can cost $60-300. Then you have to factor in acting classes at $20-60 per class and private coaching at $25-75 per hour – not to mention gas, time, clothing, postage, etc. Now, remember that career you may have to sacrifice? If this overhead still seems reasonable and within your family’s budget, great! If not, you may want to rethink your plans.

Your Commitment
Self-education on the part of the parent is vital to a child’s success in the entertainment industry. “Parents have an educational problem,” JJ says. She believes parents need to know what they’re getting into, so they can make informed decisions and commitments. From financial and legal issues, to learning how casting calls work and whether an agent or manager is a good choice for you, there are volumes of information to be learned before you can consider yourself well-prepared to take on your child’s shot at stardom.

Your Children’s Best Interests
You have to make sure your child’s priorities are kept in line. “College is important,” JJ says, “because it makes a better actor.” Education at the primary and secondary levels is also imperative to a child’s development. Balancing school, or homeschool, with auditions can be difficult. Kids have to learn how to multitask by doing homework in the car or in line. Tutors can help, and if your child has trouble with a particular subject, you may need to consider professional help to get them through. JJ recommends that parents stick by the no pass, no play rule. While it may seem harsh, a child should not think that a career is more important than an education. Think of all the flash-in-the-pan superstars. A solid education will not only build a well-rounded and intelligent child, but children who attend college have a career as a safety net if and when their acting career fizzles out.

If you have multiple children, how do they feel about you spending so much time and effort on their sibling’s career? Is your spouse on board? These are important issues you should address as a family. Making an independent decision could have a negative impact on your household. Starting your child in a career is going to change schedules, priorities, and your focus. Is everyone prepared and in agreement?

So, while your child may be star material, the real question is do you have what it takes to support him? Can you sacrifice your time, your career, and your finances for his shot at showbiz? If you don’t have the right personality for being a showbiz parent, or, after serious consideration, you think your family may be better off as it is now, maybe showbiz isn’t the best choice. Local theatre, beauty pageants, or even sports may be an extra curricular activity better suited to your family. Remember, if you’re committed to starting your child in the entertainment industry, the family you live with should agree that it’s a good choice, because family will always be more important than any career.

4 Comments

jessy1292	Sun, Aug 01, 2010 6:43am My daughter is a beautiful baby. I would like to enter her in a modeling contest. I was told many times that my daughter should be doing modeling. Money is not a problem to me. I know that my daughter would enjoy this. If u want to see more pictures of my daughter please e-mail me at jessy1292@yahoo.com Thank You!
rozei169	Sun, Jun 13, 2010 9:50am this it for i loves kyler, i am not been funny but everybodys child is beutiful and perfect in there own ways so dont go round callling other peoples children ugly there is just no need for that you say your son is handsome thats only because you think is not everybody else my daughter is beutiful and good looking but she is only 3 months old you wait until they are older and when they have acctuall got there own identity they are beutiful because they are babies LIKE I SAID YOU HAVE NO RIGHT IN SAYING WHAT YOU SAID !!! oh if you would like to see picture of my little girl just email me on roseanneferraro@live.co.uk thanx
yashy2007	Sat, Feb 28, 2009 7:22am my dougther really love to model..and i always looking a chance like this one to express myself and for my doaughther..my email is iy_ayala@yahoo.com if want pictures of her
iloveskyler	Tue, Jul 03, 2007 1:20pm my son is so hansome.money might not be a probles hes got the cutes smile and i would love to send you a pic i would atualy pay just to get his picks out there today! some people think there babys are cute when they are not this isnt the case! email me at PerfectAngel13@yahoo.com and i will send you pictures and you tell me if you thing hes cute! thanks nikki and skyler

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