Careers: Acting, Performing, Directing/Where to get started?

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Expert: - 7/30/2008


Question
Dear Taylor,

Hello. I'm 13 and I live in NJ. Where I live is about an hour about from NYC. I really love acting. I was in this opera thing in 2nd grade. People from the Metropolitan Opera Company came in and taught us how to act for about 3-4 months. I was also in the drama club at my school this year where we trained for about 3 months.
My mom got excepted into The Manhattan School Of Preforming Art. And went to collage for acting too. She told me to take acting lessons to start off with. But after that, were do I go?
   I also want to know what sites I could go on to look for casting for non-union or non-SAG casting for commercails, tv shows, extras, and movies.

thank you,
Sarah

Answer
Hi Sarah,

You know how lucky you are?
To have a mom with her background is a blessing! She is going to save you a lot of time and grief! I wish I could keep the knowledge I paid dearly for and start over at 18!

The acting classes are the way to go. I ususally recommend at least a year to beginning actors here, but that isn't entirely accurate. There is no way for me to know if they will need more, because some people catch on slowly and some very slowly. I seldom, no, have never seen someone who needed LESS than a year of classes. BTW, you should never stop taking them! Casting directors look at your resume to see if you are still training. That tells them you are committed to your craft and are serious.

Don't waste your time looking for auditions on the web. Ocassionally, extras casting will put an ad or get a story in the local paper looking for crowds or a pool of people for a movie, but real casting takes place in a closed system between reputable agents, casting and directors, not on scam websites or phoney "agencies" who get your hopes up and take your money for little or nothing.

Take the classes and then after a while, check my previous answers for resume and headshot information. I know you're impatient, but it's not overnight in the business and you don't want to be unprepared for your first/last audition with a casting director. They remember if you are bad.

Best,

Taylor

Careers: Acting, Performing, Directing

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Taylor 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).

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