It’s your child’s first job! You’ve most likely been auditioning and auditioning, gone through the callback process, experienced rejection, and the most frustrating aspect – when you hear nothing at all.
It’s a time of excitement, of celebration. And then….the nerves set in. If you’re like me, you have zero experience with the entertainment industry. The only idea you have of what a set might be like, is ironically from the movies.
As with most things that involve having a child, for the most part there is no instruction manual that comes with this experience. The closest you will get is possibly an email from your agency with some basic do’s and dont’s. There is the SAG handbook on laws for minors in the industry, but I didn’t receive one of those for the first year of his acting.
Other than wanting to be on time, I knew nothing about what to expect or how to prepare. Zip. And I will tell you this: other than the basics, it is a very different experience for commercials vs. television vs. film. So many ways to mess up! 😉
Jack’s very first job at seven years old was a commercial for Minute Maid. The commercial process is fast; you audition and find out within a day or two if there is a callback and/or if you booked it. Filming is usually the very next week for two or three days. Usually the first call you get after booking is from the wardrobe department; they want specifics on your child’s sizes. They appreciate specifics like “my child wears a size 5 in Crewcuts jeans.”
The first thing we did was go to a wardrobe fitting. They asked me to bring any pajamas or comfy clothes we might already have. We went to a very cool building in Santa Monica. The production company was holding fitting for several projects at one time. I could see the people who had done this before: they had brought carry-on suitcases and had everything ready to go. We made it through a few awkward moments as newbies, but all-in-all it went fine.
Quickly the filming day arrived. The commercial was being filmed in Pasadena. A lot of commercials are filmed out there. Our manager reminded us to leave early and allot extra time for travel. It’s a good reminder, but honestly I was so anxious at the thought of being late that it wasn’t a problem. We had to be there super early, so LA traffic wasn’t as much of a problem at that time.
Being that this was Jack’s first job, and knowing he was an active seven-year-old boy, I was more than a little nervous about how he would handle the experience. Filming involves long days, much of it holding still or repeating something over and over again in a slightly different way. As a veteran mom, I knew there was soooooo much that could go wrong. My nightmare was his being fired at the end of the day and our agency kicking us out. So now you know I can run in front of the train with the best of them.
My other questions were things I was too embarrassed to ask: Do I bring snacks? They feed him, right? Will they feed me? Where do we go to the bathroom? Where do I sit or stand? Will people be friendly? How should I dress him for the job? WHERE WAS MY INSTRUCTION MANUAL?
We arrived to the location on time and were directed where to park. Filming was in a cute little neighborhood. Being from the East Coast, I appreciate places in California like Pasadena because I get to see trees. It might sound silly, but I miss green when I’m on the west coast.
We were directed where to put our things – a fold up table at the end of the driveway behind the house. Rigging, tents, and equipment were everywhere. I had to watch where we were walking so we didn’t trip on the many cords winding everywhere across the grounds. There was a little outbuilding in the back where the homeowners had a small office. Here was where production and wardrobe/hair/make-up were set up. We were directed to a small bathroom so Jack could change into his wardrobe (we had had a fitting a few days before). Then, we were asked to sit at the table and wait. We met the teacher for this job, a man who told us and the other child actor all about the different film sets he’s been on. While sitting I observed all the business around us. It was like a beehive or ant hill; everyone knew their job and was moving quickly to get it done. I also noticed the table under the tent with food on it. I didn’t know yet it was called “craft services” aka crafty. I honestly laugh at so many things my innocent little self had to figure out. I remember watching crew go up to grab coffee or a snack and wondering if we were allowed to eat the food. Or maybe Jack was allowed to and not me? What are the rules here? Seriously, so funny now.
The teacher told us to go up and get a snack (thank you!) and soon a man came to check in with us. He introduced himself with his name and told us he was the 2nd Assistant Director. I learned later that this is always the person in charge of the child actors. They do the coordinating with the teacher and parent and make sure everyone knows where they are supposed to be when. Thankfully, he was an easy-going, helpful guy. On single-camera jobs like commercial they are on a big time crunch. Everything is scheduled to the minute (hoping that things don’t go wrong). He made sure Jack was ready to go (wardrobe-hair-make-up) and had him see the sound person to be wired for his microphone. As a parent, you are always to be with your child unless they are in the schoolroom with the teacher. The 2AD and PAs (production assistants) should always ask that you are present when your child gets wired for safety reasons, since the wire for the mic and box usually goes through your clothes from top to bottom. Sometimes I’ve had the sound person ask me to do that part to keep everything on the up and up. The 2AD let us know Jack would be on set in ten mins. I said “got it,” and felt my stomach lurch. Ugh, here comes the moment when I would find out in a room full of strangers how my son would handle being on set.
I am often in awe at how precise sets are. How everyone works together, how the process happens. I am fascinated watching filming in general. Here was one of my first moments; the 2AD escorting Jack to set, having people say hi to Jack, hearing him speak in his mic “Jack on his way to set. 30 seconds.” Once on set I took in the wonder of it. A tiny house filled to the brim with cameras, monitors, huge lights, stands, chairs, people, and the ever-present masses of cords to not trip on. Plastic sheets hung over some areas of the house. The director and adult actor introduced themselves to Jack and me and gave a run-down of what was going to happen. When they were ready to begin I felt like the first day of school when you walk in a new classroom as one of the last students and the room is almost totally full and you feel that panic of….where do I find a seat while avoiding looking worried and uncool. You did have those moments, right? It wasn’t just me?
You know who wasn’t the least bit worried or panicked? Jack. I was envious of his chill demeanor, but also grateful that the first worry could be crossed off the list: Jack freaking out when we walk on the set and saying, “I don’t want to do this, I want to go home.”
What followed next was hours of work. Filming over and over with varying differences. Then flipping cameras and monitors and lights and chairs to do it again at a different angle (this is called single-cam). I found a spot to sit by the hair and make-up team, and occasionally we chatted. Once I sat by one of the executives of the company that was producing the commercial and we had a great conversation about different sets he has been on. A few times in between takes toward the end of the day I noticed Jack getting antsy and distracted. This was when the seven-year-old was coming into play. It’s a long day, even for adults. Later, I would learn to take it in stride and techniques to use. But as this was the first job, it was all new to learn. When they would set up for the next shot, we walked down the hallway and stretched, I had him do some jumping jacks, laughed and talked. That seemed to help him to be able to be still and focus. And everyone on the set was great with him. They were kind, patient, and helpful. We shot the commercial for two days, and I learned A LOT during that time. It helped for both of us to get some experience under out belts.
Here are some funny moments for me as well as other things I learned:
- I knew that the house was “booked” for the shoot. Basically, houses can have agents and the production books it. My understanding is the family is put in a hotel, their furniture moved out for the rooms they use and then the house is cleaned and it put back in. But I didn’t know about the furniture part. So I was sitting in the living room off to the side thinking, “man, I just love the owner’s taste.” At some point in the long filming process I picked up a knick knack in front of me, only to notice a bar code at the bottom and “Universal Studios” written underneath it. I then found out from someone sitting near me that the owner’s belongings are removed and replaced with studio set decorations. Duh, I remember thinking!
- I learned national commercials usually have some of the best food catered for lunch. It was so good. The production also rented the house next door, where they set up tables and chairs and the caterers to feed everyone. When it was time to eat, we got in line behind everyone. At this point, one of the PAs came over to bring us to the front of the line. I felt bad, but learned that actors and definitely child actors are usually brought to the front. This is because they only get 30 mins of the lunch hour to eat. The other 30 mins is spent in school with the teacher.
All in all, it was such a great experience. Having people text me months later that they just saw Jack on TV, and then seeing the commercial for myself was so much fun. And surreal. It’s a crazy experience to be doing the dishes and then hear your kid’s voice on the TV behind you when you know they’re at school!
Ready to see the finished product?!
Listen to that tiny Baby Jack voice!
So what do you think? We’re pretty proud of him. Is it anything like what you thought it would be? What’s your experience? Anything else you would like to know?
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