The Kids Casting Corner

by Sharon Bialy

Dear Sharon,

My twin girls have been in one motion picture and get a ton of calls but have not landed a job in a year. Should I drop it? They seem to enjoy the auditions and the people are always complimentary. They are young enough to not get disappointed, but do you see kids that do get disappointed at a certain age? I don't want to fall into that trap. ~Chris

Congratulations, you won the lottery! There will always be a demand for identical twins due to child labor laws that limit the hours children can work. Since they are young enough to not get disappointed, don't worry about not booking a job. Sometimes, it is the luck of the draw. Toddlers are inconsistent. So many variables can affect their performance in the room: time of day, mood, or lack of a nap. If they are getting good feedback and enjoy the process, keep going. Kids (and adults) can have long dry spells. Then, suddenly, lightening strikes (usually three times). At a certain age, kids can become disappointed if they feel rejected. The frustration is usually tied in to the reaction of the parents. If you don't place too much importance on the result, then you will have a continued positive experience. After their audition the questions should be: "Did you have fun in there?" " Where they friendly?" They should not be: "Did you do a good job?" " Did you remember your lines?" Be aware, while your twins may look identical, they probably have very different character traits. On the set, the director may start using one twin for close ups and the other one just for wider shots. It's the reality of the business. If it becomes a problem for your girls, it's not worth it. If everyone is having fun, start saving their paychecks for college and cars.

Dear Sharon,

How long do I wait for my daughter to hear about a callback? How long does it take them to tell you they got the job? Should I call the casting office to check? ~Vanessa's Mom

Unfortunately, there are no set rules regarding the time to get a response. It depends on the medium. For a weekly TV series, you will probably hear within two to three days. A TV pilot may take a couple of weeks. A studio film will probably be conducting an extensive search, so you may not hear for a couple of months. If the casting director is interested, your agent will be notified and your child may be put on "hold" for the shooting dates. This is not a job offer, just a call to keep your child available. No need to call the casting office. It's the old, "Don't call us, we'll call you. " The casting office gets hundreds of calls a day, so they will contact you. Just keep up with the good work and enjoy the ride!

Sharon Bialy is surviving raising two teenagers and working in Hollywood. She is casting two CBS series, "The Unit" and "Jericho". An award winning casting director for twenty years, credits include the films " Rudy", "Mr. Holland's Opus", and the recent "Reign O'er Me" starring Adam Sandler, "Jersey Boys" on Broadway, the upcoming revival of "The Wiz", and the world premiere of Aaron Sorkin's new play "The Farnsworth Invention" on Broadway.

Write to Sharon at TheCastingCorner@familymagazinegroup.com.