How to Prepare for On-Camera Auditions for Child Actors

Raising a child actor is never easy. You may end up flying coast to coast for different auditions, or you could be spending endless hours practicing for one. It is always inspiring to see how far parents are willing to go just to support their children’s dreams. But how do you manage to juggle all these responsibilities while ensuring that you or your child don’t get too overworked?

If you are looking for a solution to this problem, then you’ve come to right place. Every parent, agent, manager, or even the casting director wants to make sure that your child is happy, so the tips below will tackle on everything you need in making that happen. Read more about the best ways to prepare for on-camera auditions for child actors below.

5 Tips for Preparing for On-Camera Auditions for Child Actors

1. Read the script

As soon as you receive the script, go over all the lines (yes, even ones that are not for the part they’re auditioning for) with your kid. This will not only give you a huge advantage in on-camera auditions for child actors, but it will also give you an idea about what’s going on in every scene. Whether it is a callback or the first audition, there’s a big chance that the casting directors will ask your child about his or her thoughts on the script, character, and the scene’s context.

2. Memorize!

During the actual audition, most kids make the unconscious mistake of staring down at the script if they’re not well-versed with it. Worse, they could make up their lines and end up mumbling nonsense along the way. In cases where you can get hold of the script ahead of time, you should be there to help your child memorize their lines.  You don’t need to make it seem like you’re there to teach them a lesson as if you’re their teacher, instead, switch it up and make it a fun experience for your child. Read through the lines and ask them what they feel about it so they can truly live in the moment and emanate the right emotions needed.

Here are four tips for memorizing lines with young performers:

• Highlight the character’s lines. This helps your child quickly locate the correct lines if they ever glance down during the actual audition.
• Say the lines over and over again. Read through the lines over and over again and aloud. It is easier to memorize the lines first without placing any intonations in the voice. You can gradually experiment with incorporating the right emotions as they go on.
• Break lines into smaller pieces. Refrain from memorizing the script all at once. Try breaking into small sections and repeating each line until they’re ingrained in the child’s mind.
• Study the lines before heading to sleep. According to a scientific study, studying lines right before bed has a big impact on recall. To further ensure that the lines are memorized, review them with the child the next morning.

3. Trust the child’s acting coach

It might be tempting to do things on your own, but more often not, a good coach can bring out the best in your child. They often have exercises that will teach your child how to act naturally in front of a camera. They give them tips on how to properly deliver lines while finding ways to interact with the other actors in the scene.

4.  Manage the schedules for auditions

So you have two auditions today, including a self-tape and one scheduled headshot photo session in the afternoon. Now that’s a handful of tasks! Put yourself in the child’s shoes and internalize just how stressful that is. It is better to go to a single audition with your child fully alert and prepared than participate in seven more unready, these will just go awfully wrong. So no matter how tempting it is to grab as many opportunities as you can and have your kid show up to numerous on-camera auditions for child actors, be practical and always have your child’s best interest at heart.

5. Be realistic

With a hundred other kids vying for the same part, there is no reason for you to put any pressure on the child. On-camera auditions for child actors, or just auditions in general, should be fun! The more you tell your child how “important” or “big” an audition is, the more nervous you make them. Keep them relaxed and you’ll be surprised with how natural their performance will come through. Whether or not they get the part, you should congratulate them for trying.