All auditions for children under the age of 18 are between the hours of 3:00 and 7:00 PM. It is illegal for children to miss school to audition. Homework must be brought to the set when they book a job and there is one tutor per three children on the set. The homework is one with a tutor and taken back to the child’s classroom.

They do not pull out of school at the drop of a hat to audition. Typically, agents will give you a days’ notice that an audition has been booked for your child. You are in control of their careers. Of course, the agents would prefer that you never miss an audition because their income is derived solely from the commission on the work booked.

However, there are appropriate ways to let your agent know that you are not available. It’s called, “Booking Out”. You simply notify your agent in advance that you will not be available on certain dates. Then, when you become available to audition again, you simply call your agent and book back in.

All children under the age of 18 are required to get an entertainment work permit allowing them to work in the entertainment industry.

This permit must be signed off by the principal at the child’s school and sent to the Department of Labor. It comes back with a seal and is good for six months.

If the child’s grades are dropping or the child is working below their potential, the principal can refuse to sign the permit.

In the specific case of a Coogan Account, a parent or legal guardian (the trustor) agrees to give a bank or other financial institution (the trustee) the right to hold 15% of the gross earnings made by their child actor (the beneficiary) until the child actor reaches the age of eighteen.

A Coogan account can be opened with any bank in any state. To open a Coogan Account, you typically need your child's Social Security number, birth certificate, and proof of your identity. There may also be a fee and deposit required when you open an account.

It truly is a roll of the dice. Some times of the year are busier than others. January has always been considered “pilot season” and used to be a very busy time for actors that act in television, such as episodic TV and movies of the week, but the industry is constantly in a state of flux.

Pilots are filmed throughout the year. Sometimes it’s busy for adults, sometimes for the “tween” market. More reality shows are airing now – so it tends to be a little slower on the episodic side. So to answer this question – there is no answer.

If you have a child that has an agent and is considered a “hot” talent – you could expect to go out twice a week (more or less). The average child gets an audition about once a month.

Agents earn commission on the work you do. They are not paid upfront fees; they do not sell you photos or workshops or pay for any of your tools, i.e., headshots, zed cards, or training.

There are three types of agents: Print, Commercial & Theatrical

Print: Macy’s Nordstrom, Broadway, Disney, Mattel. Print agents receive a 20% commission from your work. You get paid one time for your print campaign. There is no residual income from print. If you get paid $500 for your Disney advertisement, your agent will receive a 20% commission or $100.

Commercials: Television commercials are very lucrative. If you are three seconds recognizable on the screen, you are considered principal.

Commercial can pay from $600 to tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the campaign, the client (Sears, Target, McDonald’s, etc.). Agents get a 10% commission on the entire campaign.

If you or your child were to earn $20,000 on a commercial, the agent would receive a 10% commission.

Theatrical: Episodic television, movies of the week, feature film. Agents receive a 10% commission on your work in any of these venues.

It’s ludicrous to think that anyone rolls out of bed and is an expert at anything – especially acting. With modeling, you are either photogenic or you’re not.

Some average individuals take phenomenal photos and some astoundingly beautiful people come across flat in photos.

Runway does require the know-how and walking down that catwalk takes practice in walking as well as confidence. It’s not easy to sashay down a stage in expensive clothing and high-heeled shoes. – with confidence grace and poise.

So if you are 5’8 tall as a female or 6’0 as a male and high-fashion is your calling – then it would be very wise for you to get some training in modeling. NEVER PURCHASE A PORTFOLIO.

Only high-fashioned models need portfolios and only after you have secured agency representation by a legitimate agency (not a management company). There are many photo-mill companies out there that lead people to believe that they will get you to work.

Attempting to procure work constitutes being either an agency or management company. Both need to be registered by the state of California.