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Raising A Superstar Brandy Arjay Raeven - managing child celebrities

Black Enterprise, Dec, 1999 by Shawn E. Rhea

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Your child, however, is not the only one who will have to make personal sacrifices. Launching your child's career will demand a lot of your time. "Parents spend a lot of time driving around to auditions," says Kel Mitchell, 21. At 15, he became the star of Nickelodeon's All That and The Kenan & Kel Show--after his parents spent many years shuttling him all over Chicago for amateur and semiprofessional auditions.

Once you've assessed your child's ability, interest and your own level of commitment, start slowly. "I will tell parents, `I don't think your kid needs to be in my [acting] class right now. He needs to get out and do some auditions, get his feet wet,'" says Reece. Not only are nonprofessional activities such as school plays, after-school arts programs and church choirs great training grounds for children, they provide networks where parents can find out about professional opportunities.

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At one of her daughter's amateur gigs, Norwood got advice that helped her secure an agent for Brandy. "One parent told me after [Brandy's performance on] the American Teachers Awards, `You should call agents and ask them if they saw her on the broadcast,'" explains Norwood, who followed the woman's suggestion. Subsequently, she sent out videotapes to the agents she contacted. One of those tapes landed at Brandy's current agency, Creative Artists Agency.

Participation in amateur activities can also bring your child to the attention of local talent scouts. Multi-platinum singer Monica was introduced to Atlanta-based producer Dallas Austin after singing at a talent show, and Mitchell was discovered by Chicago-based Aria Model & Talent Management while performing in a Chicago community theater production. You can also scour trade publications such as Variety, Hollywood Reporter and Backstage for casting calls, but note that most of the listings in these resources are for productions based in major entertainment centers like New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago.

GETTING IN THE GAME

Undoubtedly, your child's toughest challenge will be making the transition from amateur to professional entertainer. The changeover will be less dependent on your child's talent than on your ability to surround him with the right support system.

First, you'll need to learn the entertainment industry's power hierarchy. Familiarize yourself with who is responsible for setting up auditions for film, TV and commercial parts, and who casts those roles. If your child wants a record deal, you'll need to identify who can get his music to record-label executives, and which of them can offer and execute deals.

"The music industry [hierarchy] is completely different from [that of] film and television," explains Matt Lichtenberg, a partner in Goldman, Lichtenberg, Wasserman and Grossman--the Los Angeles-based business management firm that handles Brandy's financial concerns. Lichtenberg says that a singer-musician's first concern should be securing an experienced manager although, typically, a model-actor will first find an agent.

Raising A Superstar Brandy Arjay Raeven - managing child celebrities

Black Enterprise, Dec, 1999 by Shawn E. Rhea

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