- Disney and Nickelodeon auditions take place every day in Tampa.
- You can start auditioning for TV, film and commercials in Tampa.
Why start a career in modeling? Well most people think it is an easy career to get started but if you want the truth, you don't get much out of the modeling business unless you are a very specific type. Modeling Agencies have specific height requirements and sizes that even plus size models must fit. The general guidelines for women are height 5'9" to 6', around size 6, 34B-24-34, and 14-21 years of age. For men the guidelines are height around 6' (a couple of inches over or under), size 40R. For a plus size model the height requirement is 5'8"-6'0", size 8-12, age over 18. As a rule, any modeling agency or management company that advertises that they accept "petite" models is a scam. "Petite" fashion modeling is almost non-existent except at the very lowest levels of the industry, which pay very little. When a model below 5'8" or above 6'0" tall is successful it is almost always because someone, typically a modeling agent, took a special interest in a girl and "made" her career, or because of fame in a non-modeling field. It doesn't happen through the normal route, but by having a special person with influence in the industry decide, for whatever reason, to push you to the front of the line. This one of the many reasons a career in modeling can be a difficult route.
However, if you are interested in modeling and feel you fit the size requirements you might want to try a modeling school. There are some modeling schools that will charge tens of thousands of dollars for classes, so you have evaluate a modeling school and good place to start is with any complaints about the modeling school. The best way to do this is to talk to former students or contact models in your community. When you go in to meet with a modeling school look for a knowledgeable staff, reasonable pricing, a good community reputation and some kind of agency follow-up. A knowledgeable staff could be that someone worked in Milan or Paris and is now training models. Pricing depends on what market you live in but in larger market modeling schools run about $1500 for a 12-20 week course. However this could vary. As mentioned before you can investigate the reputation of a modeling school by asking others or calling a couple of adverting agencies and inquire about their booking agents for models. Lastly, find out if the modeling school follows up with agencies that can help get clients work. The best way to see if you fit into the modeling world is to go to what is known as an open call. Modeling agencies hold open calls to screen potential new talent. If you live in a large market like LA, NYC, Chicago, or Miami you can call up agencies in your area and attend an open call and within three minutes they will tell you if you have the right look to become a model.
As you can see modeling is not right for everybody, but there is still hope for a career in the entertainment business, acting is a more versatile field that does not have such strict size requirements. You can be tall, short, thin, heavy, young, and old and still work as an actor. Acting is a great career for kids and teens, because there are lots of roles for them in many Disney and nickelodeon shows. Acting for kids is a great way to get started in the entertainment business as it is a career that does take some time to develop, but even acting for teens can be very lucrative. Most of the roles available these days are for young kids and teens.
The best way to get auditions as an actor is get a talent agent to represent you and send you on auditions. Talent agents will take on children and teens without much experience. Casting Directors will hold casting calls for potential roles and auditions actors for the roles until the role is cast. Child and teens actors are hired to play children and teens in film, television and commercials. The best time to start acting is when you are a child, most child actors start at around the age nine. This is because the entertainment industry is always looking for the next child star. Acting for kids can be a great way to get started in the entertainment business. There are always more acting roles for kids and teens than there are for adults and casting directors will bring kid actors in for auditions without having any acting credits or experience.
However, acting is a completive business and the best way to get you kid or teen into acting is with good acting classes. The only way for a child actor to become successful is to get acting training. There are many acting school for kids and teens. There are also individual acting classes for kids and teens that how to be prepared with the proper headshots, resumes and audition technique. There are also acting classes that will help kids and teens learn what truthful in the moment acting is all about. Acting for kids can be a great way to get your child started in a career that is like modeling but ultimately has more to offer.