One of the wonderful things about the entertainment industry is that the possibilities are, quite literally, endless. There are no restrictions on success and it can be achieved at any age! Vivienne is the perfect example of this, having being only 5 years old when she scored a role in a Feature Film! Four callbacks over the span of a month and a role in the movie Little Monsters was hers, who knew decision making was so hard?!
Vivienne and mum Kathryn loved the whole experience and sat down with us to chat about it.
Vivienne
How long have you been with the agency?
Since I was, like five
What was your first job?
An ad for Aldi, I got to be hooked on a fridge
What was it like going to your first casting?
I was nervous. There were lots of other girls and I made friends with them while we waited.
How did you feel when you were told that you booked the job?
I felt really happy
How did you learn your lines?
They told me words to say, and then I had to say them in sentences.
What was the best part of working on set?
At the end, because I was so good I got a unicorn! Everyone is really nice and mum was right there.
What things did you find difficult or challenging on set?
I couldn’t like, get off the fridge for ages and it got a bit boring. On the film set, sometimes we were tired or bored and then I had to fake laugh.
How did you feel seeing yourself on TV for the first time?
It felt weird but it was really good.
What was it like working on the set of a feature film?
On the film set, the best parts were all the cool stuff I got to do, like going on a tractor and seeing animals. I made lots of friends. The grownups were really nice. I had to miss a lot of school which was good! I got to meet the person who did the voice of Olaf, and he did the Olaf voice for us. It was really fun.
Kathryn
Why did you decide to join Vivienne up to an agency?
Vivienne was always adamant that she wanted to do modeling or acting. I was unsure but decided to check it out. I googled agencies and chose Bettina as they had good reviews and were close by. I thought it was a small outlay to give her a chance!
What was it like taking her to her first casting?
I was really nervous! When I saw the other kids I thought they all seemed really confident and quite different from Viv. Some seemed to know the casting agent, I thought she didn’t have a chance. It was hard sending her in by herself.
What is the best part of seeing Vivienne working on set?
Honestly, I’ve been so proud watching her working – and it is work- so hard. Even when she’s a little tired or bored, she knows this is what she wants and she keeps going. There are loads of breaks and if she ever needs some time, it’s always available.
What do you find challenging about having Vivienne working in the industry?
The hardest part has been juggling other family commitments.
What is it like seeing Vivienne on TV?
It was amazing! I loved seeing her up there. It was interesting to see the way it all came together after watching the ad being filmed. It looked great and she looked so comfortable.
What was it like working on the set of a feature film?
What can I say but WOW! I never ever thought I’d be eating lunch next to an Oscar-winning actress. It was quite surreal. Everyone is just lovely and by the end of the eight-week shoot, we felt like family. We had representatives from the children’s guardian come and talk to us, to make sure we were comfortable with the process. Because there were some scary elements, they made sure they introduced these to the kids really gently and anything scary they made sure they shot it from angles so the kids weren’t actually there. The amount of people involved was really astonishing, but the kids were always made to feel like royalty. Even the stars let the kids have first dibs at the lunch table. As parents, we were always really nearby and set up with monitors if we couldn’t directly see the children. There was a nurse on set and two dramaturgs who looked after the children and coached them. By the end, they were all true actors.
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Bettina Management Blog 