Expert: Taylor Sheppard - 1/23/2009

Question
Hi, my name is Erick im 14 years old and i want to be an actor. I always wanted to act for disney channel, but i do not know how to act and wanna be able to. I tried to get in acting auditions some places but they say i need experience. Can you tell where i can find acting schools, and i always wanted to be an actor. I would love if u tell me if i  could get in acting in disney channel even though i am in san antonio, tx. Could you please answer all of my questions.

Answer
Hi Erick,

Well, you've just learned first hand what I always tell people here: you need classes at the very least to get started. When you have classes at a young age, you can try for an agent. When you have an agent, they can send you on some auditions.

San Antonio should have quite a few acting classes to get into. I would look in the SA yellow pages under acting classes and also check with the local theaters (live theaters)for suggestions on who is a good teacher to take classes with.

Also, when I say taking classes, I don't mean one course, like just beginning acting. I mean that you keep taking them, not just one and quit. To be a good actor you need to develop lots of skills. Learning to read well and memorize, to watch people and pick up on how they talk, how the walk, act and react in different situations. Do you ever imagine what it would be like if one or both of your parents died? -That's very uncomfortable to really think about, and many people wouldn't want to go there, but thinking of those things and how you would feel inside and how you would be around people is at the heart of acting.
Could you cry on camera with people watching you? Could you do it whenever you needed to? Being a guy, it's hard to do that. You have thoughts in your head: "Oh no! They will think I'm a wussy!" "Boys don't cry!" -but as an actor (beyond the Disney Channel) you might have a great role offered to you, but you'd have to do it to get the part. So, basically, you have to learn to be fearless and not care what people think. Your character wouldn't. If his family was killed, he's probably bawl his eyes out!

As to Disney, unless you have a few years of experience and ability to go to Los Angeles on a moment's notice (literally) or live there for a month or longer at a time AND are able to find an agent who will take you without your earning a Screen Actors Guild card (SAG card)by having already done a principle, speaking part, -your chances are about zero if you aren't set up to do that. However, there is a world out there in acting and although Disney seems all that, it's really just a small part.

Best to you!

Taylor