Let’s say that you’re sure your child has a lot of potential of making it on a big stage someday, and you’re either an L.A. resident or planning to move there just to increase his/her opportunities for a bright career. The choice of city is undisputed – barring maybe New York, the city of angels is bristling with chances of getting in the spotlight.
But then what? Do you just take your child to the closest talent agency for an audition or should you plan ahead? This is the point when talking about areas with loads of opportunities – they will also be full of recruiters who promise you stardom but can’t efficiently land an extra role in low-tier commercials. This is where this list will come in handy – in the following we are going to present you some of the most successful and professional talent agencies Los Angeles has to offer for children.
Settling on a single one isn’t a must, and it’s really recommended take your kid there in person to see if he likes it, and also to convince yourself whether he’ll be on good hands or not. But now, without further ado:
The Abrams Artist Agency
The Abrams Artist Agency (or AAA) is one of the more successful stories when it comes to talent recruitment, resting on a tradition spanning back to 1977. It activates both on the West and East Coasts with offices in Los Angeles and New York, and is much appreciated especially when it comes to its Youth Division. It acts out in three main branches: commercial, voice-over and literary, the first two being accessible to the Youth Division.
Commercial encompasses, as its name says, television commercials, assuring a supply talent for said projects. Children and even babies are sought after for appearances in a vast array of projects, which aren’t only restricted to TV commercials; talented kids might also find themselves cast in children’s television series, for example.
The voice-over division will see fluent children have their voices appear in commercials for well-known brands such as McDonalds or Go Tarts, and might even have the opportunity of getting contracted for animation voice-overs.
Paloma Model and Talent
Going towards a family owned business, Paloma Model and Talent is owned by sisters Paloma Jackson and Alyssa Brenna, two of the most experienced talent recruiters for children in the business. Jackson has been a child and baby agent since 2004, running divisions for mainstream recruiting agencies until she settled on an agency of her own – and while it might be quite a newcomer on the market, it benefits from the name that Jackson has made with casting directors over the years. Recently, it began to be considered truly one of the best talent agencies Los Angeles can offer.
PM & T also has a somewhat unique focus on environmentalism; and this goes beyond the fact that the color of its site is green. Besides renouncing all paperwork from its end of the business, the agency also offers discounts on its fees and commissions for clients who run ecologically-minded businesses.
Submission to this child agency are open for three categories: babies (ages 0-3), kids (ages 4-12) and teens (ages 13-18). The process is done entirely on the agency’s site and consists of uploading a number of pictures of your kid and entering some details. The agency will then answer back regarding possible inclusion into its talent and openings that he/she might be suited for.
Coast to Coast Talent Group
Coast to Coast Talent Group is a widely respected talent agency in Hollywood and throughout the entertainment industry as well, having almost three decades worth of experience in the field. It goes beyond the usual commercial and voice-over focus and is basically a full blown casting agency, securing its talent roles in Hollywood movies and television series. It does also keeps commercial and voice-over divisions, so it has a full gamma of opportunities which it can present to its talent.
The great aspect is the fact that its Youth Division is also landing movie and television roles on a regular basis; on its website it also states that three of its actors have been nominated for best supporting actor at the Academy Awards, though it doesn’t specify who or when.
The Osbrink Agency
The Osbrink Agency has become a staple in child talent recruiting since the late 90s, and seeks openings in television, film, voice-overs, print and commercials for its talent. It’s really one of the best talent agencies Los Angeles can offer to kids. The emphasis here is again on TV and Film, where there are two special age-related divisions: Young Theatrical for children and Young Adult Theatrical for teens.
Of course, it has a well-developed commercial division, and its youth talent has been awarded roles in high-profile commercials for brands such as Beados, the Transformers movies or even the well-known Smokey forest-fire prevention campaigns. One things mostly specific to Osbrink is the fact that they run a publicity division which will also start creating an image for your kids, making them more likely to land jobs and also become known to a broader range of casting directors.
It also works with big names from the fashion and advertisement industries, so your child or even baby can also kick-start their modeling career through the agency. Osbrink has been so successful with its youth modeling division that it also decided to start a similar adult division based on demand alone; your kid will probably not have a lack of choice in this sense.
These are just a part of the better known child recruiters in Los Angeles, and, as you can see, the landscape itself is quite vast; talent agencies are coming from different backgrounds, using different methods and appealing to different needs. This is what makes something which would seem as a trivial task quite daunting; and while there isn’t any damage done if your child doesn’t start his or her career from an early age, it’s certainly a bonus and something that will pay off in the future, by making him more accustomed to the time spent on the stage. That’s exactly why choosing a right kids talent agency to find him some work early one can positively influence his or her future career.