"Momager"

Everyone's heard of the Kardashians... right? Then you know who Kris Jenner is, and you have heard the term "Momager". If you have been living without TV, magazines and social networking, Kris is the mother to the famous Kardashian sisters. She also happens to be their manager and has coined the term "Momager" for herself. I am not neccessarily comparing myself with her and her family, but I do understand and relate to "managing" my family.

My girls are in the very begining stages of their professional acting/modeling/music careers. They have been performing their entire lives, but in different way. Haley played Baby Jesus in front of 10,000 people when she was just two months old. It must have been a taste of what was going to come, because at the age of seven both her and Coco began performing on stage in musical theater. They went on to perform in 3 shows a year for the next ten years, approximately 30 shows! They were always on stage, rehearsing for a show or getting ready for an audition...and they loved it!

For many years both girls would ask me to get them into film and TV. My answer was always the same, "I don't have connections in the biz, and I'm not sure you both are ready for the brutal world of show business." Community theater wasn't lacking in "stage parents", but still it seemed mild compared to the rejection they would face in Hollywood. After many years of begging and comments like, "Mom, you're not letting us fulfill our dreams!" or "Mooom, I'm getting too ooold!" My husband and I have decided to help the girls follow their dreams. They are older, more mature and we have given them a good foundation at home to handle different situations they may find themselves in. I decided that I would rather be by their side helping them, supporting them, and filtering what gets to them before they leave my nest.

I have had many mom's ask, "How do I get my kids an agent?" or "How do I get my kids in the business?" My answer is not simple or easy. It is hard work, this is a business and it takes a lot of time, research and money. I am going to share with you what we have done. This may not be the way everyone has done it and I am sure there are many ways to pursue a career in the entertainment business.

The first thing you need to do is decide what aspect of the business you want to pursue: acting, modeling, etc. Then you need a good headshot. The type of headshot you have is based on the type of work you want to pursue: theater, TV, film, fashion modeling, etc. Let the photographer know what aspect of the business you are pursuing and look at their book of work. If you have friends in the business, ask for referrals. If you don't know anyone, look at the agency websites, some of them will have the names of photographers they recommend. The photographer that you use will then send you to a photo lab for retouching and print outs. Don't make too many prints, the agent you eventually sign with may want different photos taken.

I also do a lot of research on line, it is so easy to find information on the internet. A few of the sites I read regularly are www.bizparents.org and www.childreninfilm.com. These sites will give you information on child labor laws, agents etc. My friend Roy Turner has a site www.thebusinessofacting.net I love Roy and his wife Marie's perspective on parenting/managing a child actor, check out his site.

The third thing you need to do, after you have a headshot, and you're doing your research about the business, is to send out your child's photo to agents. The web sites I listed will have lists of agents, again do your research on them. Look at the agency's web site for specific instructions on submissions. Send a photo with a cover letter, you can find samples of cover letters online. Then, wait for a call, expect it to take a while because they are busy people. If you don't hear back it may be because they already represent someone who looks like your child or they aren't taking new clients. Try again in a few months and try other agency's. Also, while you're waiting your child can be learning new skills. They can try out for the school play or take an acting workshop, dance classes, voice lessons. There are so many opportunities to grow and I always tell my girls, "Be ready when your time comes" ...that means being prepared!

I hope this gives you a bit of insight and information.

In the next bog I will share a few of the organizational basics that help me manage my family.


Mama Almighty ;)