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Tips & Tricks from Industry Insiders

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Denise Simon

September 19, 2019

Audition Tips

College theater majors: To BFA or not to BFA, that is the question

Denise Simon

September 19, 2019

Audition Tips

College theater majors: To BFA or not to BFA, that is the question

High school sophomores and juniors start your engines. It is time to begin considering colleges for next year's college application process. With many of you planning to visit schools during spring break, I thought it would be both helpful and fun to guide you towards the right performing arts degree with a little self-assessment quiz. Scoring is below. In the coming months, Denise will explore questions about college admissions in a series of free upcoming teleseminars with theater professionals from several well regarded programs throughout the country.

Expert advice by Denise Simon

Featured

Advice

Why Demo Reels Are Essential

Advice

Advice, Podcast

What is a Demo Reel and How to Make Yours Stand Out with Reel Arc

Advice, Podcast

The internet has provided an ease of accessibility that has made the entertainment industry harder than ever to navigate. There is more opportunity to fall prey to a casting scam and bad teachers. However, in this episode, Denise’s advice and tips will give you the tools to spot red flags in the industry. Don’t let a bad advertisement and ill-intended “industry professional” get in the way of your child’s road to success.

Advice, Podcast

Audition Mistakes Young Actors Can Avoid

Advice, Podcast

Surprising Life Lessons from Acting: Why Young Actors become Successful Adults

Advice, Podcast

College Theatre Audition Insight with University of Michigan’s Mark Madama

Advice, Podcast

How to be the Best Reader for Your Child

Advice, Podcast

How to Find the Best Training for Your Child Actor

Advice, Podcast

How to Audition for Nickelodeon or Disney with Krisha Bullock

Advice, Podcast

How to Get Cast in a Broadway Show with Merri Sugarman of Tara Rubin Casting

Advice, Podcast

Look out for Casting Scams

Advice, Podcast

Advice, Podcast, Representation, Working Actors

Meet and Get to Know Top Agent David Doan

Advice, Podcast, Representation, Working Actors

Join Denise Simon and CESD talent agent David Doan in this week’s episode to get the inside tips about actor representation. During this interview, David answers many commonly asked questions as well as gives some unexpected advice about the role of agents and what you and your child can do to elevate your career to the next level! Don’t miss this unique opportunity to hear a top agent’s thoughts on the industry and what talent can do to make the most of their relationship.

Advice, Podcast, Representation, Working Actors

Advice, Podcast, Representation

How to Get and Keep an Agent or a Manager

Advice, Podcast, Representation

One of the trickiest and most important elements of the business is finding representation. There are so many options so it can be difficult to know where to begin! It is crucial to choose the right people to be a part of your child’s team! On this week’s episode, Denise Simon answers many commonly asked questions about what the difference is between an agent and a manager and what you can do to cultivate the best working relationship.

Advice, Podcast, Representation

Advice, Podcast

So Your Child Wants to be a Star? Now what.

Advice, Podcast

Has your child ever dreamed of being on Disney, Nickelodeon, or Broadway? Are they performing skits for you in your living room? With so many roles for young actors, now might be the right time to get them into show business! Denise Simon, former celebrity talent manager, and expert youth acting coach will answer all of your questions about what it takes to get your child started and thrive in the business of show business.

Advice, Podcast

Advice, Mindset

Start Your New Year Off Right

Advice, Mindset

We have lived through trying times these past few years. Between the times of isolation, fewer auditions, and trainings on Zoom instead of with people, it’s been challenging. Thankfully, things are starting to return to a sense of normal. As you begin thinking about 2022, here are some ideas to start your new year off right:

Advice, Mindset

Audition Tips, Advice

Parents of Child Actors: Why You Can Benefit From Taking Acting Classes

Audition Tips, Advice

One of the most common questions I get asked by parents of young actors is how they can best support their children at auditions. Whether it’s running lines, serving as a reader, or helping with a self-tape, if parents don’t know a thing or two about technique, they may actually be doing more harm than good. I recently worked with a top L.A.-based casting director and when asked how to remedy these issues, her advice was simple: “Take an acting class.” Here are five reasons why that advice is sound:

Audition Tips, Advice

Audition Tips

5 Tips for Preparing Child Actors for Post-Pandemic Auditions

Audition Tips

Many of my students are curious about theater opening up again and changes to the industry. More specifically, the audition process. With Broadway, television, and film resuming production, the question of auditioning in our new reality is increasingly becoming a hot topic among actors.

Audition Tips

Working Actors, Technique, Advice

The Differences Between Notes From an Acting Coach and A Director

Working Actors, Technique, Advice

Imagine yourself in an audition. You may be reviewing a monologue or reciting lines from a scene as you nervously wait to be called in. While preparing, you remind yourself of the notes that you were given by your acting coach. Once in the audition room, you slate and perform your monologue or scene. What happens next is the wild card. The panel of casting, film, and/or TV directors might smile and say, “Thank you, next!” Or they may give you direction and adjustments. In order to take the direction given, you need to have the foundational skills to act and the ability to understand the language and concepts. A casting director or director expects the actor to be trained and ready for the role they’re auditioning for. To succeed in your audition, you need to understand the differences between working with coaches and directors, and the notes you’ll receive from both.

Working Actors, Technique, Advice

Representation, Working Actors

What Makes a Good Youth Talent Representative

Representation, Working Actors

I’ve worked in the youth acting industry for over 30 years as an acting teacher, career consultant, and former talent manager. I know and collaborate with many youth agents and managers, and can shed some light on what makes a good agent or manager for your child. Let’s first start with the differences between the two, the roles they play, and why some are better than others.

Representation, Working Actors

Advice

How Teen Actors Can Pay for College

Advice

College is a big investment! With today’s tuition ranging anywhere from $25,000–$75,000 per year students often have to scramble to figure out how to pay. There’s no guarantee that the career you choose will pay for all of your expenses, so it’s important to consider your future before leaping too quickly into student loans. Here are five ways teen actors can lighten the burden of college tuition.

Advice

Technique, Script Analysis

5 Ways Young Actors Can Improve Their Diction

Technique, Script Analysis

Having clear and proper speech is essential. It’s how we communicate and share our ideas, and, more importantly, it lets us express emotion. For an actor, the voice and the body are tools that work together to tell a story. If one can’t be properly understood, how can a young actor do their job and get an audience engaged? Many of my younger students have trouble understanding and controlling their voices. Here are five ways young actors can improve their diction.

Technique, Script Analysis

Advice, Mindset

7 Lessons Young Actors Can Learn From Amanda Gorman

Advice, Mindset

At 22 years old, Amanda Gorman is the youngest poet ever to speak at a presidential inauguration. Last week, people across the United States and the world were captivated when Gorman read her moving poem titled “The Hill We Climb.” Less than a week later, she’s a sensation. As I listened to her stirring recitation and watched her interviews on television, I couldn’t help but think how much young actors can learn from this young woman.

Advice, Mindset

How To Tell Your Parents You Want To Be an Actor

Advice, Mindset

How do you tell your parents that you want to be an actor? You may be worried you’re disappointing them because you aren’t going to take over the family business or become the doctor they want you to be. But have some faith. When you’re following a path you’re passionate about, your parents will do anything they can to support you. That said, there are still a few things you can do to alleviate their stress at knowing you want to start an acting career. Here are some tips if you’re wondering how to convince your parents to let you be an actor.

Advice, Mindset

8 Great Books for Child Actors, Parents & Teachers

Advice, Mindset

The holidays are fast approaching and with canceled vacations, many of my students have been looking for something to keep them sharp over the break. Why not settle down with a good book? Actors can learn a lot just by reading the works of veterans in the field. Here are eight ideas for the child actor, parent, or teacher to get cozy with over the holidays.

Advice, Mindset

Advice, Working Actors

6 Benefits of Online Training for Child Actors

Advice, Working Actors

The world we’re living in right now is full of uncertainty, but it’s important that we try our best to maintain business as usual. Many schools have moved classes online, but for students in the arts that can be challenging. As an acting coach, I’ve been teaching on Facetime and Skype for years for students who are on the road or who don’t have access to teachers because they’re in smaller markets. In an attempt to continue regular training for my students, I’m now teaching group classes on the platform Zoom. Here are the benefits I’ve found my students experience through online learning.

Advice, Working Actors

Advice, Working Actors, Technique

7 Tips for Child Actors Who Want To Create Their Own Content

Advice, Working Actors, Technique

With productions shut down and theaters only now starting to open up, many of my students have been asking how they can stay sharp in their acting. The great thing about living in the digital age is that students don’t need to wait for opportunities to come knocking at their door. YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok are all great platforms for young actors to create their own content, garner some attention, and have fun doing it. Here are some pro tips for students who want to start creating their own content.

Advice, Working Actors, Technique

Advice, Mindset, Audition Tips, Working Actors

What You Should Consider as Work Resumes for Child Actors

Advice, Mindset, Audition Tips, Working Actors

After months of COVID-related audition and production shutdowns, the acting world is beginning to reopen. I’m fielding many questions from my students’ parents regarding safety precautions, auditions, schooling, and on set protocols. Here’s some information that you should consider so that you can make wise choices as you think about your child actor returning to work.

Advice, Mindset, Audition Tips, Working Actors

Audition Tips, Advice, Mindset

6 Dramatic Monologues for Teens

Audition Tips, Advice, Mindset

Who isn’t in search of an exciting, job-booking dramatic monologue? As an acting coach for kids, teens, and young adults, I understand the struggle, having spent hours searching for engaging material to use as teaching tools. Throughout my ongoing searches, I’ve explored the classics and great writers of the past, but I’ve also found many contemporary playwrights producing current, trendy material.

Audition Tips, Advice, Mindset

Advice, Technique, Working Actors

How to Know When a Child Actor Needs a New Reel

Advice, Technique, Working Actors

Kids grow and change quickly. New heights, haircuts, styles, and skills appear daily as they mature. In the entertainment industry, your image, age, and type all play a part in determining what jobs you’ll be right for. Just as you need to update your headshot regularly to stay current, the same needs to be done with a demo reel. Here are the signs your child actor needs a new reel.

Advice, Technique, Working Actors

Advice, Mindset, Technique

5 Shakespeare Monologues for Kids

Advice, Mindset, Technique

One of the most troubling areas of study for young actors is Shakespeare. They feel challenged by the language, vivid characters, and scenes that are often foreign to them. Young actors are typically still growing vocally, physically, and emotionally. Working on Shakespeare helps connect all these different moving pieces so that they can work with confidence. It’s a great way for them to expand their craft, and when given the right material, they can actually have a lot of fun with it.

Advice, Mindset, Technique

6 Shakespeare Monologues for Teens

Advice, Mindset, Technique

Every young actor dreams of the chance to deconstruct and explore Shakespeare. High stakes, vivid language, rhythm, and poetry all come together to create a perfect storm of lyricism in his work. This is the kind of material that will really push a young actor to dig deep with his nuanced characters, and it’s pretty popular in the high school scene. That said, it can often be difficult for teens to find material that they can connect to and understand.

Advice, Mindset, Technique