Roadblocked!

We learned something disheartening.  Most studios are looking for people over the age of 18 to play younger.  Very few studios will take on people under the age of 18 to play teens because there is an extra expense involved with tutoring and there are limits on the number of hours a person under 18 can spend working.  

Apparently, they want to work you as much as possible.

Other than Disney or Nickelodeon, which routinely hire teens to play teens, one must be 18 or what they refer to as "Legal 18."  Being "Legal 18" means that you must  take the California high school equivalency test and pass it in order to work the same hours as an adult.

How is it though that other kids we know are working in the biz while still in high school?

We were told by a friend in "The Biz" that being here in July was a strange choice.  Apparently, not much is happening in the world of auditioning at the moment.  Hoping that this wasn't entirely the case, we stopped by the Agent's office to say hey.

  

We met everyone in the office only once back in March so I felt certain that they wouldn't really remember much about Alina. With all of the kids that must be stopping by to say hello, and with all of the faces that must cross their desks daily, it seemed likely to me that they would need a reminder of who Alina is or at least what she looks like.  

I was completely wrong.  Not only did they know all about her, but they remembered details about her resume that I would not have expected them to recall.  We have heard stories of agents who are not such nice characters, however we somehow lucked into a group of fun, supportive and warm people.  They explained to me that unlike huge agencies with thousands of actors in their stable, this group prides itself on knowing their actors personally.  

I don't think I could ask for much more than that!  Well actually, a few auditions would be good.

Nevertheless, her first audition came in today for tomorrow.  They requested that we not say a word about who or what it is for, so I won't.  

Maybe things are starting to move.  To fill the gaps in time, Alina has signed up for an intensive auditioning class.  She's there now.  I'm sitting by a fountain with 4 hours to kill.  At least it is sunny and warm!