The fast, glamourous, world of film and television is not ordinarily one that brings to mind the innocence of children. To settle the question in our minds about how these two seemingly incompatible things can exist together, either in harmony or conflict, we endeavoured to seek out the opinions of those who have been
involved.

 

We sought out former child actors, some have moved on while others are still involved in acting. Their answers were illuminating and might not be what one first expects. As they are first hand accounts of what being a child actor is like, they provide exclusive - though of course limited - access to the most intimate thoughts and, perhaps more importantly, the emotions of being a child actor. We hope that listening to their stories, the reader will keep in mind the difficulties of being a child actor and treat them with the respect that they deserve.

 

To obtain different perspectives on this issue, we interviewed both the Artistic Director of a company that does enrichment through drama for children and an Assistant producer for a media company in Singapore that produces a children’s talent show. Through these interviews we hoped to uncover how some of the people surrounding child actors view them. The different approaches expressed in these interviews in dealing with children are enlightening.

It is our sincere wish that the reader of these interviews will gain new and valuable insights into the phenomenon of child acting in Singapore.