Quirky Kidz

[JadeVS72]

My DD8 enjoys attending PQA (Pauline Quirke Academy) although never gets any of the main parts but is confident and gets recognition elsewhere e.g. school drama/music club, doing readings/prayers at church.
The usual email has come around for signing up to Quirky Kidz agency and I am wondering if the opportunities here are worth it?
She is often disappointed to not be recognised or get the part she wants in things so I don't want to crush her spirit. She also has quite crooked front teeth and will likely need braces when she's a bit older. I don't want to sign her up if this would impact her chances and make her self conscious.
Her current dream is to work as a cast member at disney and she loves acting, drama, dancing.

How much does it cost, and what part of the country are you in? For instance, you're never going to get cast as a child in a West End production unless you live within a certain distance of London.

We've been wondering this too. Representation is "free" but you need to pay annually £110 for up to date headshots. DD wants it as her main Xmas present but unsure if she'd ever get put forward for anything as she's a strong actor but not so much with the singing and dancing.

We're up north so wouldn't expect to nrcessarily get the London opportunities, but assume there are bits and pieces happening in local pockets. I also know for stage shows around here there are often open auditions so representation isn't necessary for those!

Mine's not a singer either!

We are striking distance to London (less than an hour by train - commuter belt area). DD7 would do brilliantly in an acting role. She has a v. babyish face and voice and is the shortest in the year but a very advanced reading age and intonation. She'd be great at playing a five year old, for example, but she'd be scuppered if she needed to sing or dance: she has a very average natural ability and has never had any type of dance lesson.

There's really no point in child joining an agency unless you are able to do it quite seriously and you are able to work with the commitment entails.

Costs - you will need headshots (anything from £70-£500 a year), Spotlight (£118 a year) and the cost of a self-tape set up... tripod, backdrop, lighting, editing software.

You also need the ability to drop everything and go to London or Manchester for an audition with perhaps 48 hours notice (and quite often far less). And you may need to go multiple times to not get the job.

Once they get to 5ft or 13 or "developed" then they are generally finished till over 16 or even 18.

Having been doing this for over 10 years now, think carefully. I have one child and a very flexible job and it is still a massive commitment.

If you do decide to do it, then there are many other agents that I would approach before PQA. You want one with a small book otherwise there will be too much internal competition.

Just to add - travel to auditions is at own expense... very occasionally you might get reimbursed for a final recall but never early rounds.

8 is a good age especially if they are tiny and young looking.

From the ad: Our Quirky Kidz have recently been working on exciting opportunities including: Peter Pan & Wendy (Feature Film), Dodger (CBBC), A Christmas Carol (Theatre), Hollyoaks (Channel 4), JoJo and Gran Gran (CBBC) and School of Rock (Musical Theatre) to name a few.

It sounds like there are plenty of straight acting opportunities without singing or dancing and having a younger looking child is ideal (mine is tall and looks old for her age) best of luck if you choose to go for it!

Not strictly true that if you live outside of London you will never get cast in the west end. We live a good three hours by train from London and my daughter has done a 6 month contract in the West end. Granted there are very few opportunities for this but it can happen.
There is quite a lot of work up north however- tv and film and also theatre. There also seems to be more regional theatres up north producing original productions who then cast from the surrounding areas, than southern regional theatres.
What is true is that having an agent is a huge commitment and involves a lot of rejection. And if you aren't sure you are up for that then I'd stick to open castings - my daughter has had three professional contracts and all three were from open castings. She's not yet booked anything since having an agent! But she is getting older now, although still small. I'd maybe try the open casting route first. Professional shows are also a huge commitment - check whether you have the stamina (and bank balance!!) to do more than one before you commit to an agent. Its not for the faint hearted- but is great fun and a fabulous experience.

We were with quirky Kidz for 2 years....had perhaps 4-5 emails with opportunities which went nowhere.

My DD was with Quirky Kids for over 5 years, only stopping when she left PQA. They are honestly a great agency BUT your expectations need to be in the right place.

QK is not a modelling agency. It’s a talent agency. You also don’t have to be able to sing and dance - if you can’t then you won’t be put forward for musical theatre jobs. The fee you pay them includes your headshot photos. It will last you a year unless they have a radical new haircut, get braces etc.

My comments below apply to all agencies.

Most work is London based. Some jobs specify the children must be based within the M25. There are northern opportunities but nothing like the number commuting distance to London.

You have to be able to drop everything and head to an audition with very short notice (24 hours). This can include having to get them out of school early. Then travel to the audition site. Castings rarely run on time and then they’re in the room for about 5 mins max. The environment really isn’t suitable for taking siblings to. Can you actually cope with the logistics?

You will get more exposure if you join Spotlight - something children can only do through an agent. QK don’t mandate it but you are seriously limiting your options by not joining. This is an extra cost.

Your child has to be confident to walk into a room by themselves and to take direction. To not get phased by things, cope when put on the spot etc.

The odds of actually getting a job are tiny. My DCs were actually very successful there but they have a very unique physical attribute which made them kind of stand out. They had roles in feature films, TV series, commercials and online promos. One of them worked with two MASSIVE Hollywood stars. But they are in a minority. Most of their friends were lucky to hear once or twice a year from QK.

My eldest has since left the profession but the youngest is trying to find an agent again. It’s near on impossible to find one despite an extremely impressive CV - they are 10 years old and 5’3” already and we know this is the reason why. QK is an easy way of getting an agent.