Child Photo Magazine Issue 01, Fall 2016 | Page 68

what are all the steps that happen?
And why do some kids get the audition and others don’t? How does that
whole process work?

got to click, click, click and then pick
up and call any of your notes in. Then
they only call in 25 kids. If you have a
reel attached to your profile, then you
go to the top of the pile. If you don’t
We get what’s called a breakdown. A have a reel, you go to the bottom.
breakdown has exactly what that particular project is casting, down to each They do that themselves? They will
character. So, if we have something look at a reel quicker than they would
that fits a particular kid or a group of just a headshot?
kids, that’s what we submit to. Sometimes, they’re really broad. Sometimes, They will look at a reel. Those all go
they’ll just say an eight year old girl to the top. And if your headshot’s not
with a spunky personality. Or some- good or if you are not close up on your
times they’re more specific, they’ll say headshot – some people will put a picblonde hair, blue eyes. Or sometimes ture of them as a full body shot, I don’t
they’re matching them to a parent and want to even submit them. It makes
then they’re more specific with like them look bad, it makes me look bad.
shape of face and they have to resemble So then they won’t get called out.
somebody. Or sometimes they’re even
a younger version of another character. Then, if they’ve already got the parAll those things go into play. Then the ents picked or say it’s famous actors
agents simply submit, write little notes, and they know what they look like,
and let it go. If it’s a big role, a really big when you do the submission, maybe
role, then it’s appropriate for us to get the spunkiest kid or the kid you think
on the phone and even call ad try to would get it might not get it based
pitch a client. But for your average kid upon they’re going to pick a kid that
that’s not going out for those big roles, looks more like the parents.
we’re not pitching them, we’re just submitting them. Then, a casting director Exactly, they’ll pick someone that looks
is going to get about 2,000 submissions like the parents. Or sometimes it’s toper job. So you have to submit right tally random. Sometimes they’ll say
away. So, like Nickelodeon for example, any ethnicity and you’ll go in there and
a couple of the Nickelodeon shows – as there’s nobody that looks alike. Which
soon as those breakdowns come out, it’s casting is basically looking for somenot even worth writing a note, because thing – they don’t even know what
by the time you write the note you’re they’re looking for, but they’ll know
going to be down to 800. So you’ve just when they see it. Then at that point, it’s
68 | Child Photo Magazine