No one knows more about what it takes to succeed as a child actor than Carole Tarlington.
Over the course of her three decades in show biz, she's been an agent, a casting director, and an educator, and launched the careers of some of Canada's biggest names (it doesn't get much bigger than Ryan Reynolds).
"I've worked with thousands of kids and thousands of parents and I'm always shocked at how little they know about the industry," said Tarlington in a recent interview down the road from her Burnaby Heights studio.
Hence her book, I Wanna Be An Actor, into which she's poured a plethora of practical wisdom for child and teen actors and their parents.
In her book (as in real life), Tarlington doesn't mince words as she breaks down the ins and outs of a sometimes cutthroat industry. "I've had adult actors who've said, 'I know you wrote it for kids, but I learned something from it,'" she said. "This book is about how the business actually works."
One thing that young actors need to know going into the business: it'll be next to impossible to succeed without their parents' support. "Teenagers have asked me, 'my parents don't want me to do this, can I do this without them?' And I have to tell them, 'no, because they have to sign legal contracts and kids can't do it themselves,'" said Tarlington. "They need a parent who'll drive them everywhere."
On June 18, Tarlington will be the guest speaker at Women in Film & Television's monthly breakfast gathering at the Grind & Gallery Coffee Bar (4124 Main). Tickets for non-members are $10 at the door. I Wanna Be an Actor is available for purchase at TarlingtonTraining.com. Win a copy of the book here.
