Q: “How do I know if my daughter is right for the business? And do instructors give you their opinions on such or is it more protocol to let the parents find out for themselves?”
A:
If your question is “Does my daughter have potential to be a good actor” then of course an instructor will give you an honest opinion. If they’re a good instructor, they’ll give you that opinion in a way that’s kind, balanced, and highlights her strengths. If your question is “Does my daughter have potential to work professionally” then an instructor will give their opinion, but the person you should really ask is her talent agent. And even then, only time will tell. There are so many factors involved, including her age, her look, what projects are available and what they’re looking for, of course her experience and skill as an actor, etc. etc. “The Business” is always changing, and nobody can say for sure who will work professionally and who won’t, we can just give our best guess. I’ve been surprised before, and I hope to be surprised again. The best measure of whether your daughter is “right” for the business is if she’s enjoying herself, if she wants to be there, and if you as a parent are seeing the benefits for her. Then it doesn’t really matter whether she books work or not.