When working as a child model, some work may be for film, television, or commercials which could require a speaking role. When auditioning for these types of jobs, your child will need to perform what is called a slate. A slate is a five second introduction where you say your name, age, height, talent agency, and the role you are auditioning for. This is where the child model has the chance to demonstrate some of their personality, but the video should still be succinct and show that your child can focus on the task at hand. It can be a little strange talking about yourself, but it’s always best to stick to the script and keep it simple. The perfect slate should be quick but memorable so that your child demonstrates their own personality instead of trying to seem overeager. Here are our main tips for mastering the perfect slate.
Your child model will need to impress the casting agent within a five second time frame before they even begin to read from the actual script. When your child is confident it allows the casting director to trust that the lines your child is about to say have been prepared and practiced correctly. For any type of audition confidence changes the way someone perceives you. Imagine the opening introductions to an interview – if you fumble around with your name and other personal information, how will you react to actual questions? Make sure your child is prepared with what they are going to say so they are not worried about slipping up.
We suggest writing a script for your child to use so they can simply memorize their slate, as if it were lines in a movie. Write down all the pieces and practice over and over; the more times they can do it without mistakes the better. This will help them not have to think about what they are saying, since they have said it hundreds of times. The only variation there will need to be is depending on the job. If they are looking to book a horror film, then it would make sense to read the slate in a more somber or serious tone. It is also important to have your child avoid waving their hands and making silly faces so that casting directors are able to tell that your child will behave like a professional on set. These are things that your agent will always be able to help with when recommending jobs.
Casting directors can be extremely tough when it comes to what they expect from an audition and the slate before it. You’ll need to make sure that your child model fulfills the slate correctly every single time. It needs to be a full body shot with hands resting at their sides; they need to clearly and confidently state their name, age, height, agency representation, and the role they will be reading for; and be sure to add in any other requirements set by the casting agent. It is important to never miss any of these pieces, especially when filming at home, so your child’s tape is not thrown out instantly. As long as you keep to the guidelines, and deliver a good performance, the casting director will always be impressed.
At Bensimon Models and Talent we specialize in helping our child models prepare correctly for all their auditions. That begins with mastering the slate, and then moving on to working on how to practice reading lines. Give us a call and give your child the chance of a lifetime.
