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How
to Get Your Child into TV Commercials
Interview
Questions
As
parents, many of us have a philosophy of not encouraging
our children to talk to strangers. As sad as it is,
in today’s world we have good reason to do that. But
at the same time, in this business an outgoing, friendly
personality is essential for a child actor.
So
it’s important to prepare your child for this interview
without you, and let him know that it is safe for him
to go in to speak with the agent by himself — as long
as you have checked out the agency yourself and know
it to be legit. (You wait in the waiting room.)
Here’s
where moms have to cut those apron strings, because
those agents really do want to get a sense of your child
without you. They need to see how the child interacts
with other adults.
- Can
he follow directions?
- Does
he really wantto be in the business?
A
good interviewer will ask open-ended questions designed
to encourage the child to talk. Even so, a yes or no question
still slips in there from time to time. The interviewer’s
intent is to get your child to talk. If it’s hard to get
information voluntarily from your child, then the interviewer
may form a negative impression. Remember, the agent is
looking for a child that converses easily with adults.
So
help your child prepare for the interview by teaching
him/her how to give the interviewer more information
than they ask for. Practice with your child by asking
the kind of questions he is likely to encounter in the
interview. Here are some samples:
- What’s
your favorite thing to do? Favorite sport? Why?
- What
do you like about school? What’s your favorite subject?
- What's
your favorite TV show? Favorite movie? Favorite book?
Why?
- What
would you rather be doing right now?
- Tell
me a little about yourself.
Finally,
teach the child to come up with questions of her own.
This helps establish a two-way conversation, and can make
a good impression on an agent.
Here
are some other ways for your child to make a good impression
in an interview with an agent ...
This article is
an excerpt from the fabjob.com How to Become a Child
Actor. Visit www.fabjob.com
for information.
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