“Hi Sheilah, just wanted to thank you for sending Trevor to Georgia for the AT&T shoot. It was a 12 hour day, but we had a blast! I had alot of time to think about things during that shoot, so I thought about writing down our experiences and some pointers for those thinking about giving acting/modeling a try.”
Actor: Trevor Childress
BOOKED PRINCIPAL for AT&T COMMERCIAL
(filmed in Augusta, Monday, May 21 ~ 2012)
*Trevor’s mom (Kasha Childress) shares and has advice for those interested in the industry:
“I have people tell me every day that they want to “get their kids in the business”, like Ian and Trevor, because their kids are cute. Well it takes much more than a cute kid, it takes the right training, dedication and guidance.
Last fall, Sheilah sent Ian (Trevor’s older brother) on a go-see 4 hours away in Atlanta for a project (PILOT) and it turned out to be the chance of a lifetime. Ian is a stand up comedian first and foremost, so opportunities to showcase his talent, at the age of 15, are few and far between. He went, auditioned, they loved him, and hired him to do a pilot based on ” last comic standing ” (only for kids).
Ian worked with wonderful people, one of whom is Quincey or ” Q ” . He is a regular on Tyler Perry’s House of Payne, and is a long time stand up comedian himself. Quincey has taken a few of those boys under his wing and has really gone out of his way to give them experience and help with connections.
So if a parent is reading this thinking about getting their child involved in the industry, I have some advice. First, be sure that your child likes the acting and/or modeling. You can do this by taking a class through the Millie Lewis Agency (Training Center). Sheilah will tell you, “first, let’s be sure your child is interested”. It’s very important to Sheilah for each to have fun and gain self-confidence along the way. And trust me, she’s checking to be sure it’s not just the parent living out his or her dream through the child. She recognizes “stage parents”, immediately, and considers this very “unhealthy” for the child and will confront the parent with her concern. Sheilah is very protective of all the young people. The bottom line is that she will be HONEST about your child’s potential. Sheilah does her job well, is respected in the industry and gets her models and actors opportunities. She is well-know for shaping, molding and building the careers of many. Sheilah will also tell you that it is “your (our) job to keep it FUN”, meaning no pressure, at any point, on yourself, and especially for your child. Good Luck to any of you that choose this path.
Sheilah, thanks for opening doors for Ian and Trevor. I know every time they come up there they are loud and take over the room, but you never complain and always have a smile on your face and nothing but nice things to say about them.
This is to let you know we have nothing but nice things to say about you too !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Much love from Kasha, Ian and Trevor.”