Information Handbook
Thank you so much for your interest in Showcase Elite Management Agency, we hope you find the below information and answers to some frequently asked questions useful. If you require any more details, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We are 'The Next Step' for children aged from 7 years (with a few younger exceptions!) - 16 years old who have a strong desire to be a part of the performing arts industry as part of their career aspirations and or at higher education. We are a leading boutique talent agency linking quality monthly training in dance and musical theatre along with a unique programme of individual mentoring and industry workshops. We personally work with children at our unique monthly training programme at our performing arts studios 'Showcase Studios' to consistently encourage and educate each child providing them with valuable, practical skills on how to succeed.
Through our agency Showcase Elite Management, clients on our 'books' will have access to professional castings, auditions, and performance opportunities and last but not least fabulous memories!
Our agency was founded by Emma Hitchman who is a passionate teacher, educator, principal of Showcase Dance & Stage and industry professional having a successful career in singing and performing which has taken her all around the world in shows. Emma understands what the industry demands are and how children need care and nurturing to succeed in all aspects of life and in this industry. You will find Emma normally in a 'downward dog' position in her beloved yoga and meditation classes or working hard in her office looking for 'The Next Big Thing'.
Our other agents and qualified teachers are all industry professionals too and create a wonderful family community, all of our team compliment one another each representing our 4 Elements of personalities - giving our clients and children the best of all worlds!
We have a very positive, holistic view on life and all we do, one of our biggest aims is to fill each child with the confidence and the self-belief that they are capable of 'The Next Step', allowing them to take on whatever challenge they face, whether this be in school, work or in the performing arts / TV industry. The performing arts industry can be a very difficult industry to perform in at a 'High Level' as adults which means we also want to prepare the children for life too. We believe strongly that there are No Limits in Capabilities Just ' The Next Step'
We passionately believe in every single student in our agency and we are dedicated to providing them with the skills and confidence they need to believe in the 'IM - POSSIBLE' We have strong values that offer our children the freedom to be unique and natural, we believe in being authentic, real and heartfelt. We have strong links with our performing arts school Showcase Dance & Stage and offer the perfect platform for developing students for performing arts pathways as well as being able to offer them dream opportunities through our agency.
To attend a casting assessment work-shop you will need to be attending performing arts classes at Showcase Dance & Stage school, with strong recommendations of participation in the below classes;
1) Classical Genre such as Ballet or Contemporary
2) Theatre Genre such as Musical Theatre, Singing, Modern or Jazz for children 10+ years an additional class in,
3) Commercial Genre such as Street Dance, Commercial, Freestyle, Lyrical or Acro
Our books are open to all children aged from 7 years (with a few younger exceptions)- 16 years who are able to travel to Manchester / Leeds / Liverpool or London for castings with very little notice. We're looking for a range of attributes including natural charisma, acting ability, naturalism and a great energy.
To apply, children must have full support from their parents / guardians as it can be a very demanding and last minute industry.
Admission onto our books is via a casting assessment workshop only - complete an application to attend a casting workshop via our 'Apply' page or email [email protected], we'll be in touch with successful applicants through to the casting workshops stage.
Our casting workshops are held at our purpose built studios 'Showcase Studios' in Manchester and can only be attended once you have pre-registered, there is a £12 fee to book your place at the casting workshops which will be payable in advance via the invoice we will send to you on email.
We aim to be in touch with successful applicants through to our casting assessment workshop within 4 weeks.
Your child will take part in a fun workshop, including dance, musical theatre, singing, audition techniques, improvisation skills, scripts and confidence building with our main aim being to replicate a real casting audition. The children will join in the workshop and work in groups and also be given the opportunity to perform individually lead by our fully qualified, DBS certified teachers and directors of the agency.
For parents / guardians we aim to create a realistic casting audition environment and kindly ask you wait wait outside the assessment rooms. There is a waiting and café area with Free Wi-Fi for our parents to sit and relax. We will also provide you with more details whilst you are waiting regarding the agency and industry in general as well as giving you an opportunity to ask questions you may have. We like to get to know every parent and child in our school and agency as we love for everyone to feel apart of the family!
Were looking for children with personality, charisma and a positive, hard working energy. We know what the industry is looking for and require children for all the genres we work in Musical Theatre productions, Dance programmes, TV Programmes and Commercial's, Voiceovers, Acting and Modelling.
We know which children are likely to be booked by casting directors which forms a big part of our decision-making process. We only accept children onto our books who we feel can find work. We're looking for confidence, technical ability, the ability to be comfortable in unfamiliar situations, sight read and who are able to take direction and listen to instructions on demand! An important factor too is parents / guardians who are able and willing to travel at last minute (usually next day!) to castings, auditions and events with a holistic, relaxed approach and to not take the industry too seriously!
Great news! Our agency team will notify you within 4 weeks of your casting assessment of your approval to the agency, the exciting times can begin. You will receive your agency handbook on email confirming your monthly training programme for the year (mandatory attendance at the training programmes is required to ensure we have the best chance of developing the students). Your handbook will also include
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- A performers bio and measurements template to be completed to appear on the agencies books and online for casting directors to view your child's bio and performance credits
- A child performers license application details (this is a legal requirement for children to professionally work in the industry) to be submitted to your local council.
- A template letter for schools to approve for your child to take absence from school for castings, auditions, events with your permission.
- Monthly membership fee direct debit form for the monthly training programme which is £25 per month for 3.25 hours training every month.
- Confirmation of your Showreel, Voice clips recording and Headshot photography session.
- Uniform / Accessories Order Form
Our training programme provides students with techniques and skills to be able to be successful in the industry providing exceptional tuition in musical theatre, dance and performance to challenge and develop your child the their 'Next Step'. Each monthly training will rotate featuring styles in classical dance, commercial dance, theatre performance along with invaluable lectures in casting and audition techniques, confidence and stage presence activities, nutrition and hydration education, physiology and injury prevention clinics, and the most valuable of all individual mentoring programme goal setting with the agency director or chosen mentor. The training also provides the teaching team with the opportunity to monitor the student's individual goals progression and submit students for briefs that they are most suited for. We require each member of the agency to attend the monthly training programme and to commit to the sessions, if 3 consecutive workshops are missed re-audition for the agency may be required.
This is impossible to predict! We do, however only accept children that we feel have a chance of securing future opportunities or work. Sometimes there will be 'dry spells' where, even though we're regularly submitting for castings, we don’t hear back from the casting directors regarding your child. Other times you be hearing from us a whole lot! Its unpredictable, but we will be submitting each child on the books for work day in, day out but we will usually only get in touch once we hear back from the director / client.
Payment can vary so much and we also like to say to parents that the money should be viewed as an added bonus to the amazing opportunities they may experience. If you're money driven you will only get frustrated as many jobs, particularly for younger children may not be particularly lucrative. Payment for modelling shoots can range from £60 - £1000 and for TV if featured it can be from approximately £100 to £20,000+. Payment not only depends on the type of job, hours worked but most importantly the usage for the performances, photos, voiceovers, TV commercials etc. We always make payments and will forward remittance advice as soon as we receive it from the client. This can and often does take up to 90 days and very occasionally slightly excess of this.
If accepted there will be the monthly training direct debit fee which is currently £25 for the 3.25 hours monthly training programme with teachers and professionals. A one off joining payment of £185 which cover the profession recording show reel videography session, voice clips production, the first photo-shoot (of which you will be sent approximately 10 of the best photos for personal use, we'll then choose a selection for the website and for the Spotlight casting portal), all of this will be uploaded to our website and Spotlight casting catalogue to feature your child, and license processing with the local council. And an annual £100* fee payable to Spotlight Casting will need to be made to feature on the casting portal *determined by Spotlight Casting and may be subject to change. The commission costs for any paid work will be 18% (+ VAT) which will be deducted from the payment you receive for works completed. We do not have any hidden annual costs.
Spotlight connects performers with roles in theatre, television and film productions, for young performers under 18 years these opportunities can only be connected to performers through Spotlight approved young performer agents. Casting professionals seeking talent choose spotlight to cast their projects because agents and performers on Spotlight are recognised as the industry's best. This is why it is essential all of our students are registered to spotlight via our agency to be able connect performers with roles and opportunities.
Unfortunately not, we require exclusivity with anyone on our books, if successful a 'Sole Representation' agency agreement will need to be completed to join the agency.
No, please do not worry about this as we will book you in for photography headshot session with a professional photographer as part of your initial registration fee.
Please be aware of photographers who insist that you need a casting portfolio before approaching an agency as these can often be expensive and are not required by Showcase Elite Management Agency.