AboutTaylor Sheppard Expertise I can answer questions: on starting a career in acting, mistakes in acting, etiquette when dealing with industry contacts, finer points on how to act, and things to avoid in the field.
Experience I have been a professional actor 21 years, with appearances in TV, Film and commercials. I have made good decisions and potentially damaging mistakes. I believe anyone who has a dream deserves to explore it, and I take their aspirations seriously. That being said, I do not pull punches. I try to be tactful, but I will not lie to someone, honesty is more effective. My last film role was in "Teeth" which was picked for Sundance in January 2007. It was sold to Lionsgate and Weinstein Co. for somewhere over 2.5 million. The role was "Mr. Griffith", a sex-ed teacher.
Organizations Ciao Agency-Austin/Georgetown, Texas. (Formerly known as Donna Adams Agency. Matthew McConaughey was a good friend and fellow member. I also have belonged to agencies in three other Texas cities, but they have since closed.) TXMPA -Texas Motion Picture Alliance. Various other internet networking web rings as well as Actors Access. I was instrumental in advising actress Krista Allen on getting her career in acting started in Austin,Texas (we worked at the same Health Club in the early '90's).
Publications Previously wrote on a now defunct website such as this one. I enjoyed helping new actors.
Education/Credentials I have acted for 21 years. I studied under James Nelson Harrell as well as other talented actors at Southwest Texas State University. After college, I have taken classes with Julliard graduate Mona Lee, Bill Johnson, Van Brookes, Marco Perella and others in Austin Texas. I am constantly attending classes to maintain my edge and explore new directions. In addition to attending strictly acting classes, I have also taken business workshops with respected casting directors, such as Shari Rhodes ("Jaws","Close Encounters", "Raggedy Man".) Barbara Brinkley, Jo Edna Bolden and Donise Hardy, (Castingworks LA).
Question hey im janessa , im 17 years old and im from canada. Im filipina chinese and would like to go on acting auditions in Japan after i graduated from college. I would like to ask if do i have to be a japanese citizenship before i can act? or when i get accepted, or it doesnt matter. and do they accept people from different backgrounds and be an actress or it has to be japanese since its in japan?
in order to go on auditions, do i have to have an agent? and do they have an open auditions, where people can go without an agent. and when does the audition happens. once a year?week?month?
thanks :D hope to hear from you soon cus i really have lot of questions to ask about acting :)
Answer Hi Jane,
I don not know of an citizen requirement to act in Japan.
I know American productions have shot there with actors of all countries.
I also do not see how not being Japanese would interfere with success in Japanese TV or film, but I don't live there...
To audition in most countries you need an agent, which means that you probably had lessons for acting to get one. I do not know of any "open calls" other than for extras work, which is not the same thing as auditioning for an actual part that has a name and any significant screen time.
Start looking into acting classes, then go from there!
