Arriving To The Filming Set Prepared As Previously Instructed
Following the good news of the kid actor being cast for the respective role, parents will receive instructions on what is further required once the project’s status moves to in-production.
Amongst those instructions will surely be the arrival at the filming set with all the required legal documents for the kid actor. Typically, the list of these documents can include the child’s passport or birth certificate, work permit for minors, depending on the specific state, social security card, and more, depending on the location where the production takes place. Failure to bring all the required documents upon arrival at the filming set will mean the child is not permitted to work there, and at the very least, significantly delay the start of the production, if not terminate the agreement of their participation altogether.
Also, the same things that were relevant previously at the auditions remain expected during the production as well. Parents have to ensure their child thoroughly prepares their script scenes and lines at home to arrive well-prepared to perform in front of the camera on the filming set. Abiding by the schedule of the filming production, including arrival on time every day of the shoot, is paramount, as there can always be unexpected changes and delays, but most and foremost, punctuality will show a professional attitude towards their job and everyone else involved within it.
Respecting The Chain Of Command During The Production Process
Once the kid actor and their parents arrive at the filming set, it is important to always treat production staff members with respect and carefully follow their instructions, as they are the people who are directly in charge of making sure the whole process runs smoothly.
In the majority of cases, the first staff member that the child actor and their parents will meet is one of the production assistants. Production assistants typically will guide the cast members and their parents through the filming set, including their dressing room, as well as provide the remaining formal paperwork required and any information regarding the process in between filming.
The person who will primarily guide and communicate with the child and their parents about all things concerning the acting requirements typically will be the second assistant director. They will serve as the middleman between the kid actor and the director of the production, providing the child and their parents with the instructions regarding their performance. The second assistant director will also be the person keeping track of children by law-allowed working hours, as well as, if necessary, schedule their educational classes with the on-set school teacher.
Once parents of the kid actor have met the production assistant and second assistant director, they should always communicate their respective concerns or questions to one of these two production staff members. Unnecessary communication attempts by parents to overstep them to instead approach the filming director, or other production staff members, can be deemed at the very least unprofessional and result in causing unnecessary confusion during an already busy process.
Making Sure The Kid Actor Does Not Get Restless And Misbehave
While continuing to avoid the aforementioned attempts to bring their inquiries to unrelated production staff members, there are more unwritten rules, and sometimes even written rules, that any kid actor and their parents should try their best to abide by at all times.
Despite being literally children, and their parents being on the set only as the trustees of the young performer who is the only one from them employed in the production, the film set remains a professional environment for every person there, and it is expected that everyone will conduct themselves politely and professionally. Parents should try to encourage their child to carefully listen to the production staff members, be open to feedback from them, and always communicate with them in a polite way, while also always doing so themselves as well. When it comes to the production time, parents absolutely must refrain from giving their own directions to their child while remaining on the set.
As exciting as being on a production set can be, especially if it is their first time, parents need to ensure that their child does not wander outside of their designated area for any reason, especially not on their own, unless specifically told it is allowed, it is not advisable even when accompanied by their parents. Typically, kid actors and their parents are expected to remain in dressing rooms until it is time for the child to appear in front of the camera. The reason for it is quite simple - filming sets are very busy and restricted environments, which can be disrupted by the slightest deviation, including additional people suddenly appearing behind the scenes. While having downtime from filming, it is the kid actor’s parents' responsibility to ensure they have some kind of entertainment to avoid the child becoming restless from boredom caused by waiting.
Ultimately, being pleasant and easy to work with while on the production set goes both ways, as it not only helps to establish an overall productive environment within the respective project but can also benefit the kid actor and their parents by fostering positive professional relationships within the entertainment industry. It can spread the word about the kid’s talents and ultimately lead to future acting opportunities.
