Hollywood Mom Blog

Service Review: Ready, Go…Set! Audition Coaching, Transportation & On-Set Chaperones

Posted on 25. Mar, 2010 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.

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I drive a lot. And by a lot, I mean all the freaking time. At the risk of sounding like a mathematical word problem, my daughter’s school is located about 15 miles away to the west. So with 2 round trips per day to and from school, I drive a minimum of at least 60 miles every day. But it’s always much more driving than that with auditions, acting class, privates, cheer, golf, parties, sleepovers, the dog park, etc. which all seem to take place about 15 miles to the east. My alter ego is that of a yellow cab driver. I always tell people, and it’s true, that I wouldn’t be able to take the journey of the Hollywood Mom if I had more than one child because of the demands it entails. Several parents I know have kids who would love to be in the business but aren’t simply because of the constant driving it requires and the craziness it is to juggle the schedules of multiple children.

A few weeks ago as I was schlepping (*happily*) to yet another audition, I thought, wouldn’t it be great if I could clone myself? One of me could be going to this audition with Jo and the other one of me could be doing everything else it takes to keep our household and businesses together. That’s when I learned about Ready…Go…Set! a unique service which provides the ultimate in audition preparation, coaching, transportation to and from and chaperoning of young actors on set. That’s right Hollywood Moms, you no longer have an excuse not to get it all done.

Ready…Go…Set! (RGS) is the brainchild of acting coaches Katie Von Till, Joanna Brooks, and Lisa N. Lennox, who collectively have national commercials, TV programs, broadcast news, films, video games, Broadway tours and regional theatre productions to their credit. The coaches each have degrees in Theatre with extensive training in acting, improv and directing. Some of their client’s recent bookings include “The Wizards of Waverly Place,” and the series finale of “ER.” Clients have been called back to producer/director sessions for TV shows and movies including: FRED (the motion picture), “Eastwick,” “Oldyweds,” “Roommates,” “The United States of Tara,” “Good Luck Charlie,” “Mackenzie Blue,” “The Good Wife,” “Make It or Break It,” “Parenthood,” and more.

Some of the services RGS provides:

RGS can pick up your child from school or home and drive him/her to an audition.
Busy schedule preventing you from getting your child to appointments? RGS can coach your child at their place or yours or via SKYPE.
RGS will coach your child on his/her audition material so that he/she has a strong “take” and approach to the scene and to the character.
RGS will prepare your child so he/she knows what to do upon entering the room and meeting the producers and casting directors. As working actors, as well as coaches, they understand the process and know how important it is to feel comfortable throughout the audition.
RGS’ goal is to assist your child with the choices he/she makes about the audition material so that he/she feels confident about his/her talent, comfortable in the audition and hopefully books the job!
When your child has booked the job, RGS can serve as temporary guardians for the day, as on-set chaperones, when you can’t get off work to be with him/her as the law requires. The coaches stay as long as your child is needed on set and then drive your child home at the end of the work day.

So how much will this god send of a service set you back? One hour of coaching runs $65/hour with $50 for each additional hour. All other service time including driving is $25.00 per hour, with a $5 discount after 3 hours. Please inquire for weekly or monthly discounted rates for on-going coaching. Extra fees may apply for overnight shoots and driving distances exceeding 20 miles.

From Left: Lisa, Joanna and Katie

As RGS is not a partnership, each coach is hired on an individual basis. Find individual contact information and complimentary parent endorsements & testimonials on www.ReadyGoSet.net

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Debby Ryan Explains Casting Process for “The Suite Life on Deck”

Posted on 23. Feb, 2010 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.

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Hey New York Moms! Have your child actor meet top agents & casting directors!

Posted on 29. Nov, 2009 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.

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Meet 5 top youth commercial agents and 5 top commercial casting directors all in one night! Parents who want to get their kids into commercials, young adults…this event is for you!

Date/Time: Wednesday, December 9th 2009 from 7:00 PM- 830 PM

Location: Pearl Studios, 500 8th Avenue (between 35th and 36th Street), 4th Floor, NYC 10018

Cost: $199

Industry Members attending the event:

Agents representing actors between the ages of 5-22:

Vanessa Gracia from CESD
John Shea from Frontier Booking
Bonnie Shumofsky from Abrams Artists
Christin Whitelaw from About Face
Pamela Roth from Don Buchwald & Associates

The Commercial Casting Directors:

Lisa Rubenstein from Liz Lewis Casting
Caroline Sinclair from Caroline Sinclair Casting
Lori Malkin from Paladino Casting
Elizabeth Gans from Stark Naked Productions
David Bellantoni from Beth Melsky Casting

Format: Actors will meet and audition for 5 commercial casting directors and 5 commercials agents. The industry will be split up into two rooms and each actor will audition in both rooms. Upon registration we will email you a link that contains a ton of great commercial copy to choose from and download or you may use your own. You may do the same copy in each room or do a different piece of copy in each room.

The agents and casting directors in each room will look over your head shot/resume and each panel will answer any quick questions you may have. Each casting director will fill out a comment sheet about you and we will give them to you when you are done with both rooms. One of our experienced staff members will be available to answer any questions you may have and for some quick coaching.

Note: Each actor will get about 3 minutes in each room. It is advised that you choose a commercial that is about 30 seconds in length.

Registration

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

The Green Room does not offer refunds however if you cancel a class or an event 7 days prior to the first session of the class or the event itself, you can receive a credit which may be applied to a future class or event. If there are extenuating circumstances which arise after the cancellation period, we will offer a credit on a case by case basis.

Industry substitutions

If circumstances arise and an industry member is unable to attend the event, they will either be replaced by an associate from their office or another agent or casting director from a different office

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Living La Vida Lohan: Momager Sterotypes

Posted on 11. Apr, 2009 by Hollywood Mom.

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Update: Before this blog posted yet another public fight was reported, this time between Lindsay and mother Dina at sushi hot spot Nobu, Beverly Hills. As usual, paparazzi were there to document every lurid moment.

The Hollywood Mom Blog intentionally refrains from reposting most reports of poorly behaved child stars and their dysfunctional parents – aka momagers and popagers. However, if we didn’t address the most recent madness involving momager Dina Lohan as reported here, here and here – then this blog wouldn’t be completely relevant for the parents of today’s child actors.

But instead of bashing Dina Lohan for what appears to be her latest misstep as both mother and momager, HMB is choosing to examine the ”bigger” picture – the pitfalls of being a famous momager or popager, not by their own merits, but rather famous for being “the mother of” or “the father of” a child star.

Like the iconic evil stepmother from childrens’ literature, the Hollywood Mom is ingrained in our shared subconscious. The typical Hollywood Momager portrait is that of a pushy, overbearing, task master out to improve her social life and social standing through the hard work of her child(ren) and at any cost; exactly the myth we try to dispel here at Hollywood Mom Blog. The stereotype can be perpetuated by father’s too, well-illustrated by the awful press David Archuletta’s popager received during last seasons’ “American Idol.”

But there are numerous parents of child stars who prove the cliche’ false on a daily basis. The patriarchs of the Jonas brood have managed to help their children excel while remaining completely under the radar. The same parenting props should be given to the momagers and popagers of former child stars Natalie Portman, Reese Witherspoon, Kristen Davis and many others. Chances are, you don’t even know these parents’ names and occupations, much less what they look like.

So which path did Dina Lohan take that led her to become possibly the most reviled and ridiculed momager in child actor history? And how can you as the parent of a child actor avoid traveling this same treacherous road?

Many of Dina Lohan’s circumstances, both within her control and not, uniquely qualify her to become a target. First and foremost, she is the mother of a well-known child star. Having a child who works in the business is different that a child who’s a “star” in the business. Odds are, even if your child is working frequently, unless he or she becomes a “star” you’ll never be in the unique position to become “hated.” Count that as a blessing.

It breaks down something like this: Lindsay’s stardom gave Dina the platform to speak her mind and garner tabloid attention. That platform quickly transformed into a circus side-show as nasty accusations were hurled to and fro between Dina and her then husband Michael; followed by rumors of verbal abuse, drug use and alcoholism. Lohan family arrests and jail time, both Lindsay and her father Michael, were fodder for the blood-thirsty tabloids. Media attention was continually negative. Lindsay’s flailing career was spiraling downward as the result of multiple romantic liaisons, drunken crotch-shots, co-stars speaking out on her poor work ethic, kidnapping charges and resultant DUI conviction – the list goes on and on and on and on.

What landed Dina the momager in the hot seat was her choice to become even more public during this chaotic time by launching a reality show that documented her “momager” lifestyle, starring herself and Lindsay’s less famous siblings. Either intentionally or not, she appeared to have placed herself in a position of authority on the subject of parenting; the extremely dangerous territory of “the role model.” Dina’s casual statements that she was “the white Oprah“ for her children and their friends appalled the tabloid press and news that her 15 year old daughter auditioned for a well-known porn director added fuel to the all ready raging media fire. What was left of Dina’s credibility as a caring mother was completely shot, the public had had enough with the Lohan clan and the ridicule reached a frenzy.

The moral of the story for the average momager is lay low; work behind the scenes; support your child in making good decisions about both life and career and remember above all else, this is your child’s experience and time in the spotlight, not yours.

As the parent of a child actor you’re burdened with this negative perception from the onset. It’s the choices you’ll make along the journey that will determine how the story ends. For the time being, the Lohan story is looking more like “Greek Tragedy” than “Happily-Ever-After,” but as we’ve repeatedly witnessed, the story isn’t over until it’s over. At the heart of it, Lindsay is a gifted actress with natural charm and I do believe Dina loves her kids. The Lohans could surprise us all yet.

*Drawing courtesy of Gallery of the Absurd, a portrait of Kooky Hollywood Mom Dina Lohan…

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The Disney Audition Tape that Changed the World.

Posted on 08. Feb, 2009 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.

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It’s fascinating to watch this old footage of Miley Cyrus we discovered online the other day. Especially to see how radically she’s changed over such a relatively short period of time. Disney is truely a star-making machine. Miley was absolutely adorable, fresh and tom-boyish at this age; we completely understand why they hired her. Do you?