Expert: Taylor Sheppard - 6/28/2007

Question
Hello my son is 9 yrs old and would like to audition for children's programs commercials etc. Where is a good place to start we live in Ohio how can I find out about auditions especially in the Orlando area Disney or Nickolodean for example. What would your advice be as a good starting point.

Answer
Hi Rachel,

I will include a short list of links that might help with general Disney employment, but as far as the Disney Channel, when Disney decides they need someone for a show, they send out what they call a "breakdown" to licensed agents who comb through their rosters for the most promising actor they find, then the agents submit them to the casting person who is doing the show. They basically don't let someone come in uninvited to audition.
The good news is, if you think your child has potential, you can get him acting classes, then once he has taken classes, you can see about getting him an agent...then, if Disney IS having a casting call in your area and he's right for the role, they can send him to the audition!
It's important that he get used to the ins and outs of camera work, memorizing lines and dealing with stage fright.
You'd be surprised how many letters I get where someone just wants/thinks they can call up a phone number and be on Disney -if they can just find the phone number! It doesn't work like that, unfortunately. If it were, I'd be making Tom Cruise money! Many parents take their kids out to LA for "Pilot Season" after they have done stuff and have an agent/headshots/resume. The only "easy" leg up is if your child starts as a baby for a show...then they can grow up into the show/biz. Of course, after a number of years they get bored usually and want to be "just a kid" without schedules and have time to be a kid. That's one thing I warn parents about: wanting the dream more than their kids. I worked on a Disney film years ago as a featured extra. The kid had grown up from a 2 year old on the sitcom he started with in the 80's. When he did that movie, he was sooo disinterested in it. The director had to race him around the block in between takes because his energy wasn't there. He was burned out. That, and he was staying up playing with the other kids on the film at night because he wasn't used to having any play time! Only go as far as the kid is interested. If he/she says they aren't interested, let them go be what they want to be!

Disney
http://corporate.disney.go.com/auditions..
http://psc.disney.go.com/guestservices/9..
http://corporate.disney.go.com/careers/i..
http://www.backstage.com/bso/index.jsp..
http://www.auditionsauditions.com/disney..

Hope this helps!

Best,
Taylor