Consulting and support for parents of children in the industry
Your child in Hollywood
A one-of-a-kind experience: I personally guided a child through two of the most competitive industries in the US at the same time — acting and competitive ballroom dance.
Nicholas, 8 — Yuliia Rastvortseva's son
65+professional acting projects in Los Angeles
25+roles in vertical series, leads and supporting
17lead and second-lead roles in under a year
6.5years of sport (since age 2) · US national ballroom championship finalist · player in a professional youth soccer league
Kids don't need more classes. Parents need to understand how it all works
I'm Yuliia Rastvortseva, founder of Stage Lab. In 2022, after the war began, I found myself in the US practically alone with my son — my husband stayed in Ukraine. And even then, in the middle of everything, one thought was already there: “Okay. So how do we get into film now?”
Like many parents, I got it wrong at first — trusted the wrong advice, spent time in the wrong places: signing up on casting platforms by itself changed almost nothing. The turning point came not when the first roles arrived, but when I stopped listening to other people's opinions and worked out how the industry actually operates.
I later saw the same thing in ballroom dance, where Nicholas became a US national championship finalist: the composure built on the dance floor showed up in front of the camera. Skills transfer — which means a child's path into the industry can be approached consciously, not left to chance.
Yuliia RastvortsevaFounder of Stage Lab
On screen
Roles that make the poster
A poster isn't made of whoever happened to be on set — it's made of those who carry the story.
A child moves forward by specific skills, not by the number of auditions
Self-submitting isn't a career yet. You can apply to hundreds of roles and go nowhere, because what develops isn't the number of attempts but what stands behind them: profile, materials, relationships with the industry. That's the Stage Lab system — three levels: Actor first, then Package, then Team, and beyond that — Career.
Confidence, camera work, stage presence, posture, self-presentation, voice.
Every child has their own profile — and there is no universal formula
There is no single right path in the industry. One child is closer to self-tapes and character roles, another to commercial, a third first needs to strengthen presence on set rather than rush to an agent. That's why the same set of steps gives different children different results: what works isn't a formula, but how precisely you've nailed the positioning of your particular child.
What we guarantee and what we don't promise
In the world of child acting, promises aren't trusted — and rightly so. So let's start with the list of things you will never hear from us.
We never promise
Roles and contractsThat depends on the industry's decisions. Any promise otherwise is not credible.
Fame and stardomWe don't create talent and we don't sell the dream of being a star.
Agency representationNo one can guarantee an agent will sign your child. The decision is always the agency's.
That acting is right for everyoneSometimes the right answer is: you don't need acting. That's a successful consultation too.
We guarantee
Clear technical and presentation review of your materialsBackground, lighting, framing, sound, format, file names, profile completeness — with clear recommendations at every step. The family pays for the shoot and recording separately.
Work in the agreed scope will be completedAccounts, upload of the materials you approve, reviews and consultations — within the program you choose. Decisions and submission of materials stay with you.
Otherwise we finish the job or refundIf something that depends on Stage Lab isn't done, we either complete the work at no charge or refund the unfinished part.
I can't promise your child a role or fame. Honestly, no one can. But I can give you what truly depends on us: a clear explanation instead of chaos, order in your profiles and materials instead of random attempts, and the personal experience of a mother who has walked this path — instead of yet another promise of “guaranteed success”.
Yuliia RastvortsevaFounder of Stage Lab
How to start
The first step is free. The rest is up to your readiness
Free 30 minutes
Free call with Yuliia
30 minutes to understand where you are now and what would suit your family. No strings attached.
One-time
$249$199 90 minutes
Parent Planning Session
“I need a clear order of steps.”
Book a sessionOne-time
$2,000$1,900 6 weeks
Launch Sprint
“Help me set everything up quickly and correctly in 6 weeks.”
Learn about Launch SprintSubscription · monthly
$199$249 per month
Membership
“I have a plan: I make the decisions, but I want the support of an experienced parent.”
Join MembershipProgram · 6 months
$7,400$5,900 6 months
Personal Support
“I want Stage Lab to support us systematically, step by step. I make the decisions.”
Discuss Personal SupportStage Lab provides consulting, educational, organizational and technical support to parents. The parent or legal guardian makes all decisions and acts independently on behalf of the child. Stage Lab is not a talent agency or talent management company and does not guarantee auditions, bookings, representation or other professional results.
Questions people ask before starting
It's expensive. Is it worth it?
Entry costs nothing — a free 30-minute call already gives you an understanding of your situation. From there, a $199 Parent Planning Session if you need a clear order of steps, or formats with deeper organizational and technical support. The ladder is built so that you decide on bigger investments after you've seen our work up close.
We're not in the US. Is this for us?
Yes. Consultations and material reviews happen online. Some questions are tied to the US, and on the free call we'll tell you honestly what applies to your situation now and what comes later.
We've already tried, and it didn't work
Then we'll start by reviewing that experience. Most often the problem isn't the child or a lack of talent, but a mismatch between the goal and the path chosen: you wanted a professional level and ended up in a general-development class. That mismatch is what produces most of the disappointment.
We don't want to push our child
And you don't need to. One of our jobs is to help you understand how everything works and make decisions consciously, staying Mom and Dad to your child rather than a boss. We don't make your child someone else. We help amplify what already makes them unique.
We're about sport, not acting
Skills transfer. Resilience and working under pressure, built by sport, work everywhere, including in the industry. Stage Lab does not teach acting: we help parents understand the processes and put profiles and materials in order.
Why an agency, if you made it without one?
Precisely because we did it ourselves, we know how agencies work and when it makes sense for a family to look into them. Stage Lab is not an agency and does not submit children for projects: we explain the process and help put materials in order, while decisions and actions stay with the parent.
Every child has talent. Not every family has a clear order of steps
The first step is free and carries no obligation — 30 minutes to understand where you are now and what would suit your family.