Rising Stars Talent (310) 394-6360 Representing Kids, Teens, Adults and Amateur Athletes Owner, David Matis We are currently accepting submissions. Please mail photo and resume to: 1322 2nd St, Ste 25, Santa Monica, CA 90401 You may also email photos to davidmatis@risingstars.net
Home		"The Rising Stars Guide for Show Biz Kids and Their Parents" Chapter 1: The term "Entertainment Business" covers a lot of ground. It is more than the Hollywood sign and the famous "Lights, Camera, Action." It is the circus, the stage, and the stand-up comedian. It is the street juggler and musician performing for change, and some would say it probably includes most of professional wrestling. Entertainment can be hilarious, intriguing, spontaneous, and deceitful -- often in the same moment. It may be controversial or dull and sometimes, for those who work within its large boundaries, even a little crazy. It means different things to different people. Many actors do not consider doing commercials as a legitimate form of their profession; others see little difference between playing one role in a commercial, and a similar one in a feature film. Some people purposely work in only one specific field. Others are open to all options. This book will not join in that argument. For simplicity's sake, all forms of work available for children in this field, including commercials, movies, television programs, print modeling, voice-overs, educational films, industrial films, and plays will fall under the headings of Show Business, Entertainment Business, The Business, or The Industry. They are, in a sense, all related. Each has a purpose to project ideas, concepts, attitudes, emotions, stories, and information to an audience -- with the desire for those things to be understood. Commercials certainly have been known to entertain, inform, and move an audience just as a feature film might. To do this, producers, writers, directors, actors, production crews, and assisting personnel are all needed. The methods and final results of the commercial may indeed be different from those of a feature film, but they hold enough in common. This book will focus primarily on commercials; getting an agent, doing auditions, shooting the job, etc. But that does not mean the other areas are excluded or should not be considered. It is simply a place to begin -- a common ground. The basic information here can be applied across the board. Specific details and differences will be noted as needed. A rule of thumb is for young actors to begin their careers in commercials, gain confidence and ability, and gradually move into auditioning for theatrical roles -- small parts, a few lines here and there. The kids talented enough to read for the starring role in a motion picture or new television series have usually been around for a while. Everyone pays his dues. Generally speaking, there are many more opportunities in commercials, especially for the beginners. The number of new commercials filmed each year far exceeds the number of new motion pictures and television shows. Another bonus is that you are not as limited by where you live. Commercials are produced in many cities all across the United States, so that means those of you not living in Los Angeles or New York still have the opportunity to pursue this. Of course, motion pictures are also filmed all across the country, and filmmakers frequently hire actors in the immediate areas of where they are working. Throughout the book, references will be made as to which rules and regulations and other points are important to check in your local area, and how to do so. For instance, the number of hours a minor may work and what time of day that minor may begin work will vary from state to state. Also provided in the book is a list of the regional union offices for the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA). These offices will be able to provide you with current listings of union-affiliated talent agencies in your area. If any of the phone numbers or addresses have chanced since the publication of this book, you should contact the union headquarters in Los Angeles or New York for current information. The work referred to in this book pertains primarily to union jobs - SAG and AFTRA. The majority of all commercials seen on TV, especially major spots playing to a national audience, are filmed under union contract. The majority of all roles cast in television programs and motion pictures are union. Nonunion jobs are, in most cases, lower-budget productions. They do not have to adhere to the strict union rules regarding working and auditioning or any particular pay scale or overtime hours, and are not under any obligation to provide certain amenities - such as a catered lunch on location. They do, however, have to abide by all state rules and regulations governing the employment of minors. ####

Rising Stars Talent
1322 2nd Street, Suite #25
Santa Monica, CA 90401