Expert: Taylor Sheppard - 4/16/2009

Question
I have a couple of question actually for you, Taylor. First off, I've been reading up on acting stuff and reading what you need for casting calls, how to do a resume, be prepared for improve, etc. and the first question is,my family is kinda sort of struggling with the economy and with personal problems as of now and I want to take acting classes because I've heard you have a much higher percentage of getting accepted for a job if you have, plus you need to send a resume with a headshot in to casting directors sometimes. Will acting classes really give me a better chance than no acting classes at all ( I have acted before in minor things in the area)? And what do you put on a resume when you've only done simple little things? Also, is it alot easier to have a talent agent or not really?

Answer
Hi Bri,

An old friend, an entertainer gave me a great piece of advice once.
I had problems in singing range. I couldn't sing the tenor range, which is prized in rock and other genres. I said "What do I do?"
His reply: "Find out what you can do, and do it!".

So, you have a little experience. That's better than nothing. But while you can try to go with what you have, you KNOW it's better to have more training. In the field, casting and agents and directors and producers HATE lazy actors. Do not expect them to give you the answers and make allowances just because they like you. Why should they? I can tell you why not. MONEY! Shows on stage and films cost a lot and they will go with the best talent there is because if the film or show bites, they lose money.

A talent agent may take you on with little experience, but they want to see active effort to hone your craft. An actor should never stop training. Doctors don't other professions don't.
I get a lot of letters from impatient, lazy want to be actors that "don't need to bother with classes" because "they KNOW they are talented" and don't see any reason to "waste their time". They just want the rewards without doing the work. I know older people can be boring and don't know as much as younger ones...I thought that as a teen and 20-something...but trust me, you will get farther in life if you stop looking for short cuts and just buckle down-bite the bullet and dive in to doing it right. Some people I know are life-long failures because they won't comitt to anything if it doesn't come easy. DON'T BE ONE OF THOSE!

Find a way  -it will not be easy! Find the money, take the classes!
If you don't have an agent, you really won't go too far. They hold the auditions with the casting directors. They won't be in a newspaper looking for non-actors.


Best, Taylor