Spot The Difference!

Ever wondered how TV and movie directors ensure their child stars settle in to film on cue? Well the truth is, there usually isn’t one baby playing the role. Our twins Griffyn and Nedrick know the industry tactics first-hand. The identical dynamic duo has just wrapped up filming the third and latest season of Channel Nine’s House Husbands.

House Husbands is a warm, fuzzy and amusing take on the everyday lives of four modern families, focusing on the one thing they all have in common, men! House Husbands has had two successful seasons with the third soon to be aired on our televisions.

Why do they need two babies for one character? Simply because children are unpredictable, their temperament can change depending on time of day etc. It is also by law in Victoria that a child under 3 years of age can only work for 4 hours a day, meaning the director can achieve more in the short time limit.

The bubbly, loud and happy boys have made us proud at Bettina for their recent work with House Husbands.  Mum Kristy shared with us that the boys love to play with their cars and trains and often had challenging times on the set, but also had many rewarding moments too. Who wouldn't have a shy moment when you’re in the spotlight?

A huge thank you to the boys’ parents for making it all possible, our fingers are crossed for further opportunities for them both.

Keep your eye out for the new season and see if you can spot the difference!

Left: Nedrick

Right: Griffyn

5 Common Industry Myths

Have questions about the child modelling industry? Here are 5 common industry myths exposed!

1. Only blonde haired and blue eyed children get work: This is untrue. Most clients value confidence, diversity and character faces above all else. Interaction with the camera and the client is key, after all, they want to see a child who shines on screen and in print!

2. Babies don't get work: At first glance, it's hard to imagine what babies might actually DO for modelling work, but if you turn on a TV or open a catalogue you will see beautiful bubs scattered everywhere! They are often used on TV series for shows like Offspring and House Husbands and for brands like Huggies, Bonds, Target, Myer, David Jones and lots more. 

3. Children must have acting or modelling experience to get work: False, clients rarely expect children under 12 to have experience. Of course, it helps to have a brief introduction to modelling or acting if possible as this may set you apart in the casting or audition. For demanding acting roles, some clients approach acting schools to book talent.

4. Clients choose the same children repeatedly: This may be true for a handful of talent but this will only last for a few weeks or months if a child is doing a particularly great job! Remember, children change clothing size, grow or lose teeth so clients are constantly on the hunt for new talent to fill the varied and diverse roles they receive. 

5. Children are expected to wear make-up: It's a common misconception that all jobs will be very glamorous and require lots of hair and make up. This is very far from the truth - clients want children to look like children, natural and fresh faced. It is all about having fun. If the child is having fun in the shoot, this will show in the final product. Older teens can wear a dab of lip gloss and a touch of foundation if the client agrees or has special requirements. 

Of course, the best thing to do is contact the agency whenever in doubt about any aspect of the industry or what is expected of you! 

Flashback Friday!

For this Flashback Friday, we present two of our longtime favourite Bettina brothers - John and Luke! 

John and Luke have been with us since 2010 and over their 4 years with us have cast and worked for a long list of iconic brands including: Myer, Daily Telegraph, McDonalds, Kmart, Studio Bambini, Nutrigrain, Qantas, Cadbury, Bonds, Jeep, Speedo, Glen20, P&O Cruises, Just Jeans, Ksubi, Target, OPSM, GIO Insurance, Aldi, Best and Less and Toyota.

So congratulations boys, to your persistence and wonderful work over the past 4 years - here's to many more successful castings ahead!

John 2010 - current 

Luke 2010 - current 

The Boring (but important) Stuff

Earlier in the year we did a post defining many industry terms that are frequently used as a resource for parents - you can revisit it here >> Glossary of Terms

Now it's time for the financial terms - we have a few to keep it short and sweet - that define commonly used terms after your child has a job and is awaiting payment.

Tax-free threshold - The tax-free threshold has recently changed to $18,200. This means that children do not need to pay tax unless they earn over $18,200 per year (wouldn't that be great!). 

Hourly rate -  An hourly rate is an agreed amount where you will be paid per hour for the work that you do. 

Fixed rate - A fixed rate is a set amount agreed upon for a booking (unlike the hourly rate). 

Loadings - Loadings are paid in addition to the hourly or fixed rate. Loadings are usually unpredictable and we will only hear of these extra payments after the campaign or advertisement has launched, sometimes weeks after, sometimes months. This payment amount varies pending on where the images are displayed or where the ad is circulated. Generally, loadings come into play when the shots are used across different forms of media such as online, billboards or posters which wasn't the original intention for the campaign. 

Commission - Commission is the amount of money deducted from paid jobs. This amount varies according to the type of job you did, how much you got paid, and how long you worked for. For example, jobs on a small scale like extra's work, will only get 10-15% deducted for commission. However large jobs that earn the big bucks, such as TV commercials may be higher at 20% commission. Whenever you do a job, you will be sent the gross total amount of payment for the job (amount before commission deducted) along with the amount that has been taken out, so you can see the full figure. 

We encourage members to ask questions about aspects of the industry they feel unsure about so we are all on the same page, so remember you can give us a call or email on 1300 888 611 or info@bettina.com.au

Tom Morgan goes to Hollywood!

Do you remember Tom Morgan's explosive dream-come-true last year? 

Just a few weeks ago, at the tender age of 16, Tom set off to Hollywood to take part in a week long intensive course under the guidance of industry professionals in Los Angeles. 

We spoke with Tom in September last year (you can read the interview here), after finding out that he had won an all expenses paid trip to take part in the Hollywood Immersive course courtesy of Bettina Management, Kids in Showbiz and Hollywood Immersive. 

In the interview, Tom shared his indescribable excitement at being offered the chance of a lifetime, and now with the trip complete, we asked him to share stories on his recent adventure and path for the future. 

Tom with Cindy Brady from the Brady Bunch (Susan Olsen)

First up, welcome home! Can you describe your experience in 3 words?

Humbling, Life-changing, Career-defining.

What was your highlight of the course?

There were tonnes of highlights, but my favourite part would probably have to be meeting Cindy Brady from The Brady Bunch (pictured on the right) and learning what she had to say about acting and the acting industry. I also enjoyed filming my showreel on set at a park in Beverly Hills and also the ‘showcase’ on the last day where we performed in front of a few industry professionals.

What were the major things you took away from the course? That I needed to speak louder and clearer and stand still when I am performing. At the end of the course I found that I am now a much more confident person and speak louder in general conversations with people. This course does not just improve your acting skills it also improves your speaking skills and public speaking skills, which is also an important part of acting, especially if you want to win an Oscar.

What did you think of Hollywood? I loved Hollywood, it would have to be the best place I have been to hands down. I am absolutely in love with Hollywood, it is surprisingly a lot more different than Melbourne and Australia and I would love to go to Hollywood again just for a holiday, so that I could see the landmarks like the Hollywood sign, Walk of Fame, Paramount Studios, Sunset Boulevard, etc.

Can you give us a brief idea of what a typical day was like? A typical day would consist of waking up at about seven o’clock to do exercise then having a quick shower, getting dressed and going to an acting studio to do acting classes from about ten till five. We were taught by Andrew Schaifer who has appeared in movies such as The Wedding Singer and Deuce Bigalow and is also a very, very funny bloke.

Looking to the future, what do you see ahead? In the future I am looking to keep on going with my acting classes and audition for jobs and acting roles frequently in the hope that I will land a role in a movie or T.V. series.

What was your biggest inspiration on the journey? The SAG’s (Screen Actors Guild Awards) were on at the same time that I was in Hollywood and watching them and their acceptance speeches inspired me a lot. An acceptance speech that really inspired me was the acceptance speech of Bryan Cranston. It reminded me never to give up and made me realise that the good times will come: 

‘I’ve had so many crappy jobs in my life, I gotta tell ya, I loaded trucks downtown, the only thing that got me through was imagining, dreaming that one day I could actually make a living as an actor that’s what got me through’. 

It really does sound like the journey of a lifetime. We are so proud of Tom and know that with his determination and talent, he will succeed in fulfilling his dreams. Watch this space! 

Industry Lingo

Booked - This means talent have been confirmed for a job with one of our clients. Congratulations!

Brief - A brief is a notice the casting department receives from a client. The brief is an outline of roles the client are looking to cast. This is how we know who to put forward, e.g. 4 year old girls or 10 year old boys of Asian descent. 

Call-sheet - A call-sheet will be sent to talent the day before a job, usually for film and TV. It is generally sent late in the afternoon and it will have all the details about where talent need to be, what time and what scenes need to be shot on the day. 

Call-time - A call-time is what is found on the call-sheet. It will have talent name, role, agent and what time talent will be required. 

Cancellation - Unfortunately the client, for a variety of reasons, is no longer is able or willing to proceed with the scheduled booking or shoot. 

Casting call - This means talent have been confirmed to attend a casting (meet and greet) with one of our clients to check suitability for a role they have in mind. 

Chat to camera - Usually popular in an audition for TV or film work, the client will ask talent to speak directly to the camera either saying a few lines or an introduction. This gives the client a good idea about confidence and speaking ability on film. 

Checking availability - Checking availability means that a client is interested in a child, but has not confirmed them for a job. In order to start organising the schedule, they often check to see if potential talent are available on the shoot dates.

Client -  A person or organisation using the services of Bettina Management to book talent, e.g. Target.

Fitting - A fitting is a paid job where a client requests a model to try on various outfits who meets specific sizing requirements. 

Show reel - Advanced artists usually have a show reel to 'showcase' their previous TV commercials and work they have featured in. They collate all the work together to put into one short video so a client can quickly see them acting in different scenarios. 

Member - A member is a person who is signed with Bettina Management for representation. 

On hold - On hold for a shoot or booking means that a child has been shortlisted for the role, and must be available - if required - for the shoot dates. 

Self-test - A self-test is an audition filmed from home. This must be sent to us so we can pass onto the client. All relevant details would be supplied. 

Wardrobe call - A wardrobe call is generally for film and TV. This is when you are called in to try on outfits and costumes before shooting or filming. You are paid for a wardrobe call. 

Weather check - If you are booked for a job, a client may let us know that the shoot is booked *weather permitting*. This means that the shoot will be outdoors, and they will need to check closer to the date to ensure the weather is suitable. If it isn't - the shoot will be rescheduled. 

Different Types of Castings

In an effort to make the casting department and types of castings more transparent, here are some examples and definitions of different types of castings that your child could be asked to attend by a client. 

General Casting: 
A general casting is often the most common. This is a casting where the client selects the children they would like to meet specifically by name. The scheduled times are booked prior and talent usually have about 5 minutes with the client. During this time, the client will take a quick snapshot of the child, follow by polite greetings (age depending). 

Open Casting:  
1. Many of you may have seen our Facebook open casting calls. These call outs to our audience search for children in our online networks who are outside of our age brackets. For instance, from time to time, we receive requests for newborns or unique requests such as grandmothers who can juggle. When we can't fill the brief ourselves, we put it out to our Bettina community to try and assist our client as best as possible, while giving others an exciting opportunity. You can learn more about Facebook open casting calls here. 

2. There is also another type of open casting calls which are sometimes open to the public. There is usually an 'open window' of time in which talent can attend and meet with the client, however there is often long waiting time because the clients likely have not selected children by name so they can get very busy. On these occasions, we do try to weigh up the realistic benefit of you attending, although we ultimately leave the final decision up to you. 

Audition: 
An audition is more of a complex casting that requires preparation before you attend. This means that the castings generally last longer, because talent will either have to learn a few lines or chat to camera so the director or client can gauge how the talent interacts and appears on camera, and possibly with other members of the cast. Although sometimes, we don't receive anything - and this is most likely because the client will want your child to improvise when they arrive. In the case of us receiving audition prep, we will ensure you have all of the relevant scripts prior to your audition so you have ample time to practice!

Self-test audition: 
A self-test audition is when talent film their audition from home and send it to us. This form of auditioning is growing with popularity as it saves time and resources. You can get some tips from this post here.