How to get your child an audition with disney

Disney Channel Looking for New Talent | Hometown to Hollywood

Exciting news! Disney has just posted an open casting call on their new website!

An open call means that anyone who wants to can have a chance to audition. They are currently looking for actors who can play ages 8-16. This means that if you look like you are between the ages of 8 and 16 (even if you are a little older) they are interested.

This doesn’t happen very often! It’s essentially the only way that actors who don’t yet have an agent can get in front of Disney casting. This is how you can have a chance to be cast on a new Disney show or movie.

At this time it looks like this casting call is only available to kids in the U.S.

Here is the notice:

“Disney Channel is looking for exciting new talent RIGHT NOW with an online open casting call for GIRLS AND BOYS who can play ages 8-16. All auditions will be considered for new and upcoming original movies and series produced by Disney Channel.

There is NEVER a fee to participate in a Disney Channel audition, open casting call or talent search. This is not an offer for, nor guarantee, of employment. Disney Channel is not affiliated with any acting school or acting workshop.

Disney welcomes all talent, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, or any other characteristic.”

Here is the link for the Open Casting Call*:

https://partners.disney.com/disney-channel-casting

*It is important to know that this link is the only one Disney Channel uses to post their open casting calls.

All videos, for anyone under 18, must be submitted by a parent or guardian.

All you need to do is:

Watch short video for instructions
Download the script and taping instructions
Fill out the registration form

That’s it!!

This is a good time to remind everyone that Disney NEVER charges for auditions or casting calls. If someone wants to charge you for something, then it isn’t really a Disney project. Disney is also not affiliated with any acting schools, acting workshops, or acting teachers. Sometimes people who have worked with or for Disney will teach or coach actors, but if they are doing that for a fee, then they are doing it independently, and not for Disney.

Good luck!

If you are serious about an acting career for your child, you should increase their odds of success by reading my book, The Hollywood Parents Guide. It’s got everything I wish I’d known when my daughter Dove Cameron and I landed in Los Angeles almost ten years ago. And if you’re really ready to commit to that journey, you can save even more time and money by investing in a one-on-one consultation with me, either in Los Angeles or over a video call. A single session can save you dead ends, frustration, and give you peace of mind.

If you’re looking for inspiration for your young actor (or yourself!) check out my book, Young Hollywood Actors, where some of the most successful young artists today share their stories: how they got started, and how they keep going.

Disney Channel Auditions for Kids – Get the info

While this article has been up for sometime now, it seems that some of what I discuss below is still going strong and the companies involved have learned how to skate under the radar and cover their rears as to not get caught up in the legalities of it all.

Kids love Disney, that’s a fact. Disney Channel auditions and Disney movie auditions are a popular topic. I mean, which kid wouldn’t want to star alongside their favorite Disney Channel star? Kids love their Disney shows and many will look online for Disney auditions. But, not all is as it seems. Audition is a loose word and it is often used in a manner that is meant to confuse and sometimes victimize people whose kids get really excited at its mention.

There are many shady companies that will take advantage and talk people into spending money they should not. If you ended up on this page looking for more information to find out if that Disney Channel audition is legit, your gut instinct is most likely correct and that audition may not actually be a legit audition for Disney or the Disney Channel.

If you are reading this, you must have some concern, so read on…..

Now, this is a fairly long article and I do have a page that is shorter which covers the basic red flags of an acting scam.

A few points when dealing with kids looking for Disney auditions:

Actual Disney casting directors DO NOT charge upfront fees.
Disney does not advertise auditions on the radio or walk around malls and grocery stores looking for cute kids to put into a Disney movie.
Disney Channel is not in the business of selling classes, photos or convention services.
If you are asked for money, it is most likely a scam.
If it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is not true.

The basics:

The best way to get an audition for the Disney Channel or a Disney movie is by working hard and getting a legitimate agent. Most auditions for Disney are not open calls. They are handled through agents. Why? you may ask. The answer is simple.

There are millions of kids, most of whom have at some point dreamed of being a Disney Channel star. If every character for a Disney show was cast through an audition that was open to the public, the casting directors would be bombarded with thousands, 10’s of thousands of kids and teens all looking for their big break. Most casting directors don’t have a way to handle 1000’s of kids in one day. The cost would be enormous and it would take weeks to get through that many people. … most of which probably don’t even fit the part. For that reason, casting directors depend on agents to send them talent that fits the role, has the experience, training and the talent.

So, for most Disney, or even Nickelodeon roles, you will need an agent….. a legitimate agent.

Legit agents do NOT charge talent, they pay them. An agent gets a percentage of the talent’s pay… once they have booked the role. So, a talent agent makes zero if the talent they have never gets a role. For that reason, agents are very selective in who the represent and usually talent must first prove that they are capable of doing the job. That is where the working hard part comes in. Most agents expect that talent comes to them with a resume. Getting things for your resume, for a kid, may not be as hard as you think. They will be looking for some experience and maybe some training. They need to know you can handle the pressure and do the job. So where can someone get experience?

All over. It could be the Christmas show at your church, school plays, community theaters, commercials for local businesses, student films and more. Now, you would not be getting paid for any of those but you will be learning and gaining valuable experience that you can list on a resume. Training is also helpful. Most community colleges and schools offer low cost classes. Those classes will also help you learn the ropes and maybe even make some great contacts. Since I am talking about classes…. beware of the scammers there as well. Fake agents know that we all know that agents should not be paid up front, therefore they go the route of… I will work with you… only if you pay $XXXX for these classes. The classes they offer are sub-par and may even hurt your resume as every talent agent knows who those people are. Before taking classes do your research. Make sure the person teaching is respected in their field. Classes usually cost a few hundred bucks per class, not thousands.

Once you get all that, then an agent may take a chance on you. You may be naturally talented, but it doesn’t matter, you still need the training and experience. Talent is just one of the things you need, the others are commitment and passion for the art. Doing free gigs to build a resume goes a long way to proving that you ARE committed.

Now, many families, kids and teens believe there is some magical shortcut. Many have been led to believe that if they pay someone some money it will fast track them to Disney fame. People have come to believe that because there are countless FAKE agencies that are trying to convince them of that. These fakes approach people in malls, invite them to auditions which are nothing more than sales pitches and convince them that for 1000’s of dollars they will make their kid a star…. really? If it was just that easy, every other kid in America would be on Disney Channel. See How to Spot a Modeling / Acting Scam for more on what to watch out for. Always remember that this is a job, an acting job, but a job none the less, which means THEY pay you for your work…. You do not pay them! In California it is not legal for an agent to ask talent for money to get the job so anyone doing that is not a REAL agent. If you are unsure if one is legit, ask for the license and check with the Union SAG / AFTRA to see if they are franchised.

Always remember that an agents job is getting THEIR talent booked which means they spend all day talking to production companies and casting directors about the talent they represent. Legit agents do not troll the malls and walmarts looking for “new faces”. Why would they? There are more kids than roles. Anyone approaching you anywhere about getting your kid into Disney Channel is not on the level.

OK, so until you get an agent…. how else can you try out for Disney? Once a year, the Disney Channel and Disney XD hold an open casting call. They have done this for over a decade and most have been at certain locations. This year, the Disney open auditions where actually held online and kids in every state could tryout without leaving their homes. The Disney open auditions are usually held in early summer and announce between May and July. See this years for more info on what to expect… Disney Channel & Disney XD Online Open Casting Call.

Also, every now and then Disney does a talent search to fill a role in an upcoming movie or commercial. Those happen a few times a year and no one can tell you when it will happen next. You just have to keep your eyes open. Such events DO NOT advertise. They will not appear on the radio. Those are listed through the casting directors.

Be sure to also read this page about those Disney auditions that you hear on the radio.

Hope all that helps and break a leg!

for Magic: 15 Secrets of Disney Park Characters

Article

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As children, we hugged them, took pictures with them, collected autographs. But what is it like to be an adult who makes his living pretending to be Mickey Mouse or Cinderella or Winnie the Pooh? To find out, we spoke to several current and former employees of Disneyland and Disneyland about the reality of life inside the costume.

1. They have their own jargon.

Disney divides its performance characters into two main categories: fur characters and face characters. To become a fur character, one must wear a giant furry costume and communicate only through gestures or "animations". Characters with faces, also called doppelgangers, include mermaids, fairies, and other people or characters that look like people.

One important note: According to the staff, no performer actually "plays" Disney characters. To keep that Disney magic alive, the performers don't usually admit to impersonating Aladdin or Jasmine - instead, they're just "friends" with them.

2. You have to be that tall to wear a costume…

From shift to shift, multiple performers must be able to use the same costume and look the same in it, so casting agents rate novice performers by height before even accepting attention to their acting skills. "The audition process is pretty rigorous," says Luanne Algoso, who worked as a fur character at Disneyland for about a year starting in 2008. “The first haircut is done within the first 15 minutes, taking into account your height. If you don't fit the height of any of the characters they hire for, you get cut immediately."

However, once hired, performers have the chance to play multiple characters in the same height range. Algoso wore the giant heads of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald and Daisy Duck, Lilo and Stitch and Miko, the raccoon from Pocahontas . An anonymous performer currently at Walt Disney World told us she's played "too many [fur characters] to count," including Chip and Dale, Winnie the Pooh, and six of Snow White's seven dwarfs.

Chad Sparks, via Flickr // CC BY 2.0

3.… And it's "slender" to show the belly.

Character faces are also selected by height. Tall performers are required for male roles: Tarzan, Gaston from Beauty and the Beast , and Kristoff from Frozen audition ads request actors between 6 feet and 6 feet 3 inches tall. On the other hand, princesses tend to take medium to medium distance - Elsa and Anna from Frozen, Rapunzel and Jasmine are listed as being between 5'3" and 5'7". Characters that are meant to be children like Wendy from Peter Pan and Alice from Alice in Wonderland are more petite and casting for Tinker Bell requires actresses to be between 4'11" and 5'2". The villains, however, are taller and more bossy: Maleficent can be 5'9" to 6', while Cinderella's stepmother and the Evil Queen from Pure white are expected to be 5'8" to 5'10".

Some parts of the image matter more than others. Hair color and eye color are not very important, at least for women, since all female characters (and some of the male characters) wear wigs, and colored contact lenses can easily turn blue eyes brown. But a pretty face and a slim figure are non-negotiable—any female character featured on the Disney audition site, from princesses to villains, requires a "slender physique." Jasmine, thanks to her bare-waisted costume, also requires a "tucked-in midsection". In terms of men, the ideal Kristoff has an "athletic physique" while Gaston boasts a "strong, athletic physique" and Tarzan needs a "strong, athletic, muscular and very toned physique".

4. Auditions are intense.

The Disney College Recruiter advises applicants to "plan to spend one to six hours auditioning." In fur character auditions, casting agents get their first haircut purely based on height. This is followed by a series of "animation" exercises that involve silent improvisation based on imaginary scenarios. "I was asked to portray Eeyore, Winnie the Pooh and even portray a pregnant cheerleader," says Algoso. Casting officials make a series of cuts throughout the improvisation rounds, then the remaining performers don costumes and perform more improvisations. After the final round of cuts, selected performers receive job offers.

However, before potential "face characters" can even get down to the difficult stuff, they are asked to line up. In the words of Kristen Sotakun, who landed the role of Pocahontas, "If you show up for the look-alike auditions, you're literally standing in line, [and] they're looking at you." During auditions, casting calls evaluate the performers individually, asking everyone to smile. After this process, called “type on,” hiring managers release anyone who doesn’t fit the image they want. The former Snow White said, “They look at about 50 people at once and go through rows of 10 to decide who gets cut just to look. This is the biggest cut of the day.” Despite about 700 people showing up for her audition, she recalled, "After you finished 'type,' there were only about 150 left. "

Character auditions can last up to two days and include up to a thousand applicants. In addition to "type", the multi-step audition process includes a movement part in which listeners learn a combination of dance steps, as well as an "animation" segment. Performers who pass this stage go to a hair and makeup session where they try on wigs, do their makeup, and don the costume of the character they are being considered for. While dressed to impress, each budding person is given a briefing on how her character should sound, and then does a brief cold reading imitating that voice and dialect. After being photographed in costume, the auditioners wait for the casting agents to make a decision.

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5. Everyone starts as a fur character.

Lauren Javier, via Flickr // CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Even The Little Mermaid has to pay her dues playing Winnie the Pooh. Actors hired as faces are first trained to impersonate fully clothed characters and then spend several weeks welcoming children in giant fur-lined costumes. After this probationary period, the face characters are trained for their human roles.

6. The artists do their own make-up…

All character performers are paid for one hour of dressing and preparation. During the training, the performers with the roles of faces learn to create a special image of the character with the help of makeup. Disney provides make-up products to ensure a consistent look from performer to performer. After the make-up of the faces of the characters, they put on wigs and costumes and make the final adjustments.

7.… And even learn how to write like their characters.

Bonguri, via Flickr // CC BY-ND 2.0

During the training, performers watch films of their characters in order to learn how to move and talk like them. They also learn their autographs. Each character has a signature that the performers must replicate so that autograph-gathering park goers see consistency year after year, no matter who is currently playing Belle or Goofy.

8. It is forbidden to talk (or sing).

Mickey, Minnie and the like cannot speak, only gesticulate. But while the face characters are talking to the guests, they are still not supposed to sing. Another set of performers sing for the on-site show, but these musical performers are considered a separate category of staff and are often represented by the Actors Association.

9. They must be able to think on their feet.

The characters face a variety of challenges, from curious children demanding answers to tough questions, to caustic guests trying to get the performer to break character. Sotakun notes that playing a historical character is especially difficult. Some kids are confused by talking to "Pocahontas" when their teachers taught them that the real Pocahontas is dead. During one meeting with a Native American princess last year, a young British boy approached her and announced, "My class visited your grave last year!"

10. Costumes can seriously damage the bodies of artists.

The torment of one former mech character included being punched, choked, partially dislocated in the shoulder, and receiving three finger bruises. This performer eventually went to shoulder physical therapy and needed knee surgery due to the weight of her costume. Character costumes made from fur can weigh up to 47 pounds and were blamed for 282 injuries in 2005, the latest year for which comprehensive data is available. That year, character performers in the four parks that make up Walt Disney World reported 773 injuries; At 49reports that the heavy heads of the suits were the cause of the injuries. Algoso can relate: She once had to go on sick leave after a guest picked her up and shook her while she was playing Minnie Mouse, injuring her from the weight of her cartoon head.

Although she says that overly enthusiastic guests sometimes hug "too much or too aggressively", Algoso believes that most of them do it unintentionally. The anonymous fur character agrees that while some kids find it fun to punch them in the torso, the most painful moments happen because the guests "sometimes forget that what they're doing can hurt us", such as when the parent slaps her hard on the back and knocks the wind out of her. Of the 773 injuries reported in 2005, 107 cited pushing, pulling and other aggressive behavior by guests (both adults and children) as the cause of their injuries.

11. Hot.

An anonymous Walt Disney World fur character says the worst part of the job is "always feeling hot, hot, hot!" (Artists at Disneyland in Southern California struggle with similarly uncomfortable temperatures.) Disney warns listeners about this aspect of the job, noting in casting calls that "all performers" are "exposed to hot, humid weather." (Contrary to popular belief, fur suits do not come with fans.)

For this reason, there are strict rules about how long character sets can last. Indoors, fur characters perform for 30 to 45 minutes and then get a 30 to 45 minute break. Outside installed length depends on heat index, employee contracts and OSHA regulations. If temperatures are below 94°F, performers spend about 30 minutes outside followed by 30 minutes indoors relaxing. If the temperature reaches 95°F or higher, the characters work in shorter bursts, about 20 minutes—and the hotter it gets, the less time the characters can spend greeting guests. According to their union contract, performers of Walt Disney World characters must spend at least as much time on vacation as they do performing, and more if they work outside.

Because they don't work in giant fluffy costumes, Sims with faces can spend a little more time doing meet and greets, but even in cool weather, they don't spend more than 60 minutes outside at a time. Most street sets last around 45 minutes.

To avoid long breaks without a favorite character - and to ensure there are enough Mickeys and Els in the parks - usually several performers play the same roles during a given shift.

12. You can look behind the scenes, but you probably don't want to.

Lauren Javier, via Flickr // CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Former Walt Disney World mech character joked about the behind-the-scenes setup in his Reddit AMA: “Have you ever seen the back of a mall? It looks like it is." In Orlando, the Magic Kingdom has a network of service tunnels called "utildors" rather than just "corridors" under the park, used for glamorous activities such as garbage delivery and transportation. There are no such tunnels in Disneyland.

Competitor-only areas include dressing rooms, hallways, cafeteria and TV lounges. Again, these areas are pretty boring for custom accounts. If you're still desperate to see where Mickey's heads are kept, Walt Disney World offers a five-hour behind-the-scenes tour called Keys to the Kingdom. The former fur character warns: “This tour is for children aged 16 and over because there is a high chance of seeing characters partially dressed. I wore Piglet's legs and feet and had to tell the Blue Fairy where to go when [the guests] saw me, I was even almost fully dressed (I held Minnie's head by the chin) when the guests stopped to look at me.' She calls the tour "Killing Magic". You have been warned.

13. Artists must repair at least once a year.

Character handlers review the faces of the performers about every six months to "make sure your silhouette hasn't changed." During these "reimaginings", managers check the body shape, skin, and general appearance of the performers to ensure they still fit into the costumes and still match the look of their characters. The union contract governing the hiring of Walt Disney World character performers specifically mentions that character performers must attend at least one audition each year to ensure they are still fit for their roles.

14. Face characters create more than fur characters.

In 2014, Walt Disney World fur characters made between $10.10 and $14.66 an hour, depending on how long they worked at the job. The face characters, however, receive $3.25 more an hour, a "face allowance" that appears to compensate for constantly having to come up with answers to strange guest questions.

Through negotiations between Disney and the performers union in 2014, all Walt Disney World characters received a 35-50 cent raise in May 2015 and will receive another raise in July 2016. Disneyland characters' salaries are comparable to their Orlando salaries. analogues.

15. The stress, the rules and the heat are worth it.

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Lauren Javier, via Flickr // CC BY-NC-ND 2. 0

Everyone we talked to agreed that making kids smile is the best part of the job. The former Alice noted that kids who truly believe they are dating these characters "make [this job] special". The anonymous current fur character admits she has her bad days, but "sometimes just one cute kid is enough" to make things right.

Current and former performers of the characters also frequently cite experiences with Make-A-Wish participants and other sick or disabled children as one of their most meaningful interactions. Algoso recalled one event for a child with cancer organized by Make-A-Wish. She arranged a special meeting with Princess Minnie Mouse and remarked, "I'm just glad I had a head on my face because at the end of that shift I was crying a lot of tears."

Another ex-fur character mused, "I too once had a little boy in a wheelchair who approached me, stopped, looked at me and said, 'Mickey and Mom and Dad asked me what I wanted before I went. to Jesus and I said I want to meet you! She expresses what many character performers feel: “When I asked why I was sweating, my eyes were burning due to a drop of sweat on my contact, I thought of such children. "

How do I write a Disney animated letter? – Celebrity.fm

You can mail your mail to:

Disneyland Resort, Guest Relations.
Attn: Character fan mail.
PO Box 3232.
Anaheim, CA 92803-3232.
Walt Disney World Communications.
PO Box 10040.
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830.

Then how do I contact the Disney corporate office? Corporate Human Resources

For employee questions regarding retirement, pensions, or W-2, please write to us here or call us. 321-939-7000 .

What are Disney animators called? Disney The nine old men of were the primary animators for Walt Disney Productions, some of whom later went on to direct some of Disney's most famous cartoons, from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) to The Rescuers (1977). Walt Disney himself.

in the same way, where can I send a fan letter to Disney? There are two official addresses for sending your letter:

The Walt Disney Company. Attention: Fan mail department. 500 South Buena Vista Street. Burbank, CA 91521.
Walt Disney World Communications. PO Box 10040. Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-0040.
Tips for sending letters:

Contents

Can Disney animators work from home?

In the animation industry, especially animation giants such as Disney and Universal Studios, there is an animation studio where animators work 9 to 5 booth jobs where they do their job. … Can animators work from home? Yes, they can . In fact, working from home for animators is not a new phenomenon.

How many offices does Disney have? The Walt Disney Company, headquartered in Burbank, California, has 11 offices offices in 8 countries around the world.

How can I join Disney? You can subscribe to Disney Plus directly through the Disney Plus website. To start streaming, you just need to create an account by entering your email address and payment method.

Are the 9 old people alive? Ollie Johnston The last of the Nine Old Men who animated Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fantasia, Bambi and other Walt Disney classics has died. ... Perhaps the two most successful of the nine were Johnston and his close friend Frank Thomas, who died in 2004 aged 92 years old

Where do most Disney animators study?

There are many art school programs, albeit not affiliated with Disney, that provide the fundamental art training required for Disney animators. The undergraduate program at New York School of Visual Arts offers degrees in animation, animation, and more.

What is Mickey Mouse's address? How to write a letter to Mickey Mouse: mailing address - Walt Disney Company, attention: fan Post Office, 500 South Buena Vista Street, Burbank CA 91521 .

What do you call Disney characters in 2021?

Parents, just call 1-877-7-MICKEY for one of five special messages for your little ones from Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck or Goofy. The toll-free hotline will only be available for a limited time, so be sure to call before the end of the month, Thursday, April 30 at midnight PT.

Can you write to the Disney princesses? Your princess YOU CAN write her a letter to your favorite Walt Disney World characters and then get an autographed card back in the mail! … It usually takes several weeks to receive a postcard. Also, be sure to include your return address in your email.

How do I get a job at Disney Animation Studios?

According to the company's website, for animators WDAS is looking for Bachelor's degree in computer animation or related field or equivalent work experience . The company is looking for a range of experience, but you must have at least 2 years experience in computer animation with Maya or a similar program.

Is it difficult to become a Disney animator?

This is a very difficult process - artists on the board must be able to write dialogues, know the story, draw, stage, act and much more. Basically, they must be incredibly talented.

Who is the CEO of Disney? In a memo recently issued to employees of the company, Bob Chapek , CEO of The Walt Disney Company, outlined three strategic directions that will guide the company in 2022 and beyond.

Which company owns Disney? Which companies are owned by Disney?

ABC.
ESPN (80% stake)
Touchstone Pictures.
Marvel.
Lucasfilm.
A&E (50% stake with Hearst Corporation)
The History Channel (50% stake with Hearst Corporation)
Lifetime (50% stake in Hearst Corporation)

Does Disney hire child actors?

Disney just posted an open casting call on their new website! Open competition means that anyone can audition. They are currently looking for actors who can play between the ages of 8 and 16. … It currently looks like this casting is only available to kids in the US

How to become a Disney child actor? Ask your agent to give you every opportunity to audition for Disney. Go to open call to listen to Disney Channel . From time to time, Disney Channel casting directors will travel around the United States and hold open auditions where anyone in a certain age group can come.