Child Labor Advocates Set the Record Straight in Hollywood

LOS ANGELES - Aug. 8, 2014 - PRLog -- After 20+ years working as an agent for Studio Teachers, Children in Film Founder, Toni Casala, found herself highly knowledgeable in the ways of California Child Labor Laws. Through of being the middle-person between talent agents and concerned parents, Children in Film (CIF) evolved from generating last-minute work permits on set into a service to inform and connect. Initially, concerned parents called for permit information but a demand grew for agent lists, casting notices and more. “The more questions we answered, the more questions parents had,” Casala quipped.

  The entertainment industry can be a predatory business that takes some to fortune and fame while leaving others cold, in the dark and waiting for their spotlight. In a business where talent of all ages are asked to go above and beyond to satisfy filming requirements and earn commercial contracts, how does a novice performer or parent of a performer know when they’re being taken advantage of?


Enter Children in Film.

  From their website, CIF’s mission is to “empower [users] with the tools and information needed to successfully employ a child in the entertainment industry while also lending a healthy, positive view into the world of child actors.“ Whether you’re a parent or an agent with questions about child labor laws, CIF has your answer. Over the years, CIF’s website, www. http://childreninfilm.com, has created an atmosphere that encourages and educates parents in the ways of the entertainment industry. With content that ranges from information on state laws to the psychology of fame and how to prevent toxic-parenting, Children in Film provides a holistic perspective for all audiences.

   CIF strives to cultivate a kid-friendly environment on this website. A full-time employee scours audition notices, filtering inappropriate postings from the website and sharing those with positive values for their clients. A strict stance on professionalism ensures each gig CIF-members subscribe for offers legitimate compensation for their talent.

   Casala’s staunch ruling states, “rules on notices: kids must be paid. We don’t post notices that are free. We’re child labor advocates. It’s a law, children have to be paid in the state of California.” Years of hard-work and blooming relationships have offered CIF stronger casting notices that provide more reliable offers for their talent.

  Successful talent who have roamed the CIF registry include Stephanie Scott, currently on Ant Farm; Bailey Madison on Trophy Wives; Saxon Shabino from “Touch” with Kiefer Sutherland and the upcoming feature film “Poltergeist”; Abigail Breslin from “August: Osage County” and “Little Miss Sunshine” and Kiki Palmer from “Akeelah and the Bee”.  You can even follow Dylan’s Sprayberry’ s riseto fame from their initial arrival in L.A. from Texas to his starring role as young Clark Kent in the recent “Superman: Man of Steel” installment.

   While some of talent finds their way to CIF autonomously, Casala also seeks out families in need of her services. One such method is through Hollywood Showcase, a bi-annual conference in which performers traverse the US to perform their talents before a panel of talent agents and managers. Casala has been attending Hollywood Showcase for five years, since the beginning of CIF. The national gathering of models, actors, singers and dancers provides an eloquent forum for families to learn the ways of the industry. An expert at identifying which families will find success, Casala has no trouble finding and abundance of suitable talent at Hollywood Showcase, “You can always pick the great ones. It comes from their ability to look adults in the eye and shake their hands, you can tell who really wants to be there.”

Learn more about Children in Film:

http://childreninfilm.com/Default.aspx

Learn more about Hollywood Showcase:

http://www.talentshowcase.tv