Child Actors & Performers: When to Seek an Agent

Breaking into acting or singing is a dream come true for many child actors and child performers. With the support of parents, many children, including adolescents and young adults, pledge forward into a lifestyle they are often unfamiliar with.

As a parent of a child entertainment performer, when seeking options to promote your child's talents, there are important career decisions and considerations to be made from when or if to hire an agent, what competitions should be considered and when, or if, beauty pageants or modeling opportunities are appropriate.

While agents are important to the promotion and career options of a child entertainment performer, many parents find work and opportunities for their talented children without the use of an agent. Unfortunately, this number is relatively small. Because agents have developed a keen eye and reputation for scouting talent, and are usually well respected among the production and entertainment companies, parents should consider the use of an agent carefully. In other words, using other options, such as responding to competitions and contests through advertisements in newspaper and on television, may leave the child lost in the shuffle, missing a great opportunity.

In contrast to agent staffing, many parents consider the use of competitions and contests as an opportunity to expose the talents of their talented children. Even for children who are not necessarily model or beauty pageant material, the entry into these types of competitions can often lead to the discovery of the child's other talents, i.e. singing or acting. Pageants and modeling opportunities may also provide your talented child with an opportunity to secure an agent or obtain performing arts scholarships to further advance their career in the performing arts and entertainment fields.