Auditions for Kids and Teens: How to Become an Actor as a Minor

How to start acting as a minor

Here are the steps, in the order that works best.

1. Talk to your parents or guardians

This is the first step and the most important one. Tell them why you want to act and what you’d like to do: theater, film, series or commercials. Their support encourages you and, besides, it’s essential: without the consent and participation of a responsible adult, you can’t audition for professional roles or work on a production.

2. Train with classes for your age

There are schools, workshops and acting courses designed for kids and teens. They work with games and exercises adapted to each stage, different from an adult class. Look for a serious space, where the teachers have experience with groups your age and where you feel comfortable: it’s the base for everything that comes after.

3. Prepare your materials

Even if you’re just starting out, to audition you’ll need some basic materials:

• Current, natural headshots: a front-facing shot and a full-body shot, with good light and no filters. Since kids change quickly, update them often.
• A short video: an on-camera introduction (a slate) or a brief scene that shows how you act.
• A simple resume: your training and what you’ve done, even if it’s not much, like school plays, workshops or short films.

In this guide you’ll find the details of how to prepare your audition materials: what photos to take, how to put the resume together and what to record.

4. Always apply with an adult in charge

Calls for minors appear on casting websites and on social media, and they also come through agencies. An adult handles the registration and the contact with the people casting: they fill in the information, read the conditions, answer the messages and go with you to every audition. Below we tell you where to look.

5. Build experience on small projects

Before aiming for a series or a movie, it’s best to gain experience on smaller projects: school or neighborhood plays, film students’ shorts, local commercials or digital content. Each one adds to your resume and trains you for bigger auditions. You’ll find more ideas in how to get acting experience as a beginner.

What role do parents or guardians play?

If you’re the mom, the dad or the adult in charge of a child who wants to act, your role is central. Besides accompanying them, you’re the one who authorizes, signs and looks after their interests with each production. These are your main responsibilities:

• Authorize and sign: consent for a minor to take part in a professional production is given by their parents or guardians, generally in writing, and they also sign the contracts. Read every clause calmly and, if something isn’t clear, consult a lawyer who knows the subject before signing.
• Accompany: the usual practice, and in many places a requirement, is for a responsible adult to be present at auditions, rehearsals and shoots, especially with the youngest kids.
• Watch the hours: rules usually limit the hours a minor can work depending on age. Learn the ones that apply where you live and make sure they’re respected, along with rest and school.
• Protect what they earn: in some places the law requires setting aside part of what the minor earns until they come of age (California’s Coogan Law is a well-known example). Where it isn’t mandatory, it’s still good practice.

Watch out for upfront payments. Be wary of any person, agency or production company that asks for money to add a child to a casting or a database. Legitimate talent agencies charge a percentage of the jobs they book, never in advance. Before sending photos or information, review how to spot a fake casting call.

Legal requirements for a minor to work as an actor

The rules on child performers change from country to country, and sometimes within the same country. In the US, for example, federal child labor law exempts child actors and performers, so the rules come mostly from each state. Even so, the same requirements show up in many places, including many legal systems in Latin America and Spain. Knowing them protects the minor and the family, and avoids problems with production companies:

1. Written authorization: parents or guardians sign a document authorizing the minor’s participation in that production.
2. Child work permit: in many countries, besides the parents’ signature, a permit from a public agency is needed for the minor to work on a shoot, a play or a commercial. Which agency issues it and how it’s processed varies from country to country, and sometimes from one state, province or region to another. In California, for example, the Labor Commissioner’s Office issues entertainment work permits for minors.
3. Reduced hours: the hours a minor is allowed to work are fewer than for an adult and depend on age. The younger the child, the stricter the restrictions tend to be.
4. An adult present: in many countries a responsible adult is required to accompany the minor while they work.
5. School first: artistic work has to be compatible with school. On long shoots, some productions add a teacher on set (in the US, a studio teacher) so the child doesn’t fall behind.

Before your child starts paid work, find out what the law requires in your country or region: ask the production how it handles permits and confirm it with official sources. In the US, start with your state’s labor agency; SAG-AFTRA, the actors’ union, also has information for young performers on its website. Our guide for parents in the United States goes through permits, trust accounts and agents for kids step by step.

How to find auditions for kids and teens

One of the most common questions from families is where to find real casting calls for kids and teens. These are the paths that work best.

1. Casting websites and platforms

There are sites where production companies and casting directors post calls, and some have sections for kids and teens. In general, an adult creates the minor’s profile with photos, videos and contact information, so that whoever is putting the cast together can find them. In this guide we review the casting websites for actors: which ones work and how to use them. In the US, well-known places where casting notices are posted include Backstage, Actors Access and Casting Networks; as always, an adult should check each listing before applying.

You can also check the open castings we publish, including our page of castings for kids. In each call, read which ages they’re looking for and apply only to those that match yours.

2. Child and youth talent agencies

Talent agencies that represent kids and teens know the production companies and casting directors who look for those profiles, and they can get you closer to bigger auditions, even castings that aren’t published. Before signing anything, verify that the agency is legitimate: a verifiable track record, references from other families and no upfront charges.

3. Social media

Many production companies, agencies and casting directors post open calls on Instagram and Facebook, so following those accounts lets you find out in time. A profile with photos and videos of the child’s work can also open opportunities. There is one condition: an adult should manage or supervise it, and it shouldn’t show details like the school or the neighborhood.

4. Local theater and workshops

Taking part in your city’s theater, workshops and cultural events puts you in touch with people who work in the business. Many first opportunities come from connections made on small or community projects.

5. Your own content online

Recording short scenes, monologues or sketches and posting them on YouTube or Instagram is another way to show what you can do and gain visibility. If you’re a minor, have an adult review what gets posted and who writes to you in the comments and messages.

The most important thing to get started

Being a minor isn’t a limitation: starting young gives you more time to train and gain experience. To take advantage of it, you need three things: clear information, your family’s support and patience to move forward step by step.

In two videos from our channel (in Spanish), we explain how to get castings as a minor and the first steps to becoming an actor.

Frequently asked questions

Can a minor be a professional actor?

Yes. Kids and teens work in film, television, theater and commercials. To do it they need the authorization and the company of their parents or guardians, who also sign the contracts. In many countries a child work permit is also required, and there are hour limits depending on age.

How do I find auditions for minors?

With an adult in charge, check casting websites and the social media of production companies and agencies, get in touch with talent agencies that work with kids and teens, and join workshops and plays in your area. Having current headshots, a short video and a simple resume lets you apply quickly when a call comes up.

From what age can you go to an audition?

Some productions look for anyone from babies to teenagers, so there is no single minimum age for all castings. What changes with age is the level of care: the younger the actor, the stricter the hours, supervision and permits tend to be.

What role do parents play in the career of a minor who acts?

An essential one. Parents or guardians give written authorization, read and sign contracts, go with the child to auditions, rehearsals and shoots, make sure hours and school are respected, and look after what the child earns. Without their participation, a minor can’t work as an actor.

Are there auditions for teenagers?

Yes. Youth series, movies, commercials and digital content look for teenage actors. Each call states the age range of the character, so check that detail before applying. There are also talent agencies that specialize in kids and young people.

How do I know if an agency for minors is legitimate?

A legitimate agency never charges to add a minor to its database or to send them to castings: it takes a percentage when it books a job. Check its track record, ask other families for references and confirm that it’s a registered business. If they ask you for money upfront, be wary.

Is it worth studying acting as a minor?

Yes. Besides technique, acting classes work on confidence, expressing emotions and communication. There are workshops and schools designed for kids and teens, with methods adapted to each age. Starting young gives you time to train without rushing and to arrive at your first auditions with more tools.