It is debatable whether we should put children in the entertainment industry. Many say that because that the entertainment industry is shaped for older audience, they argue that it is the same thing with “prostituting” children in a legal manner. If parents and children, themselves, insist that they should participate in the entertainment industry as soon as possible, there are various things that they need to do. Children should be properly protected and there are ways for parents to do that. Realistically, children could achieve many things in the entertainment industry although they haven’t reached the age of 18. Here are some of the practical advices:
Learn the Entertainment Business inside and out
From a financial perspective, this is an important thing to do. In this case, parents should know who gets what and why. Parents should also know how much would be made and is there risk that they will actually lose something. Children may experience a lifetime impact if they need to file bankruptcy at such a young age.
Improve Marketing performance
It is also a good idea for parent to put together dazzling press kit. When people see a good marketing package for specific singers, they will be much more interested. In this case, we should make sure that the demo is properly produced. Producers and investors would be interested to work with our children, so it is important to include phone numbers of our children. In this case, our children should have an impressive demo. We should be aware that there are scams that guarantee people to obtain stardom for aspiring children. These scams could prey on parents who are eager to put their children in the entertainment industry.
Establish small track Records of Sales
Before putting children in the entertainment industry, it is a good idea to have an existing sales track record. This should let the producers and investors know that we have a bargaining power. Before negotiating our products, we should let others know that our children have a specific product value.
Treat all Finances as Loan
When a label agrees to finance our child, we should consider it as a financial loan, instead of a gift. It means that we need to pay back the money. The recording industry is still a business and not based on charity. We shouldn’t be too eager to accept all offers. Some financial obligations can be too difficult to handle for new, young singers in the industry. If we fall into this kind of trap, it is possible that we would lose everything.
Tell Children to “put on a show”
Although children could have amazing and excellent skills, it doesn’t mean that they are ready for the entertainment industry. They should know how to perform and sustain themselves in front of the crowds.
Consistently improve skills
Children may have excellent skills, but there should be more than enough room for improvement. As an example, child singers may already excel in singing, but they should also get dance and acting lessons, so they would be able to perform well on stage.