Expert: Taylor Sheppard - 7/5/2010

Question
I am Dion and i am 14 years old. I am interested although i have little experience in being an actor. I wanted to know where i can get info for some classes and if i need a agent and if so where can i find one?

sincerely,
Dion

Answer
Hi Dion,

You didn't say where you live, but here in the US you can find acting teachers and schools fairly easily. One source is to go to a live theater and ask. Sometimes they have a posting board with teachers cards or notices. Yahoo Groups also have actor's forums in different cities and states that contain posts of classes, independent projects, etc. There are also acting schools, but be warned, you don't want to attend John Robert Powers or any of these "school/agents". Generally they promise success if you take their classes and buy pictures from them, etc. Now one can tell you your chances without seeing you first, and if you've never acted, it's unlikely they would say "You're a natural!" and be honest. If you did join, they would wind up "getting you a job" alright. A useless, low pay, nothing job. Like a "fashion show" at the local mall. That would be "a job", but not what you are hoping for. I would in fact go to classes with an assortment of teachers over a time. (one at a time) Why? To get different perspectives on acting! Some teachers can reach certain people better, and other teachers "click" with other people.

As to an agent, that will be a while before you need one, so I will leave that for the future. I would at least spend a year getting educated before bothering with that. The better you are when the time comes, the better impression you will make. If you are very inexperienced, they may sign you, but it takes twice as long for them to "see" you as a better actor. I had an agent early on that let it slip after 2-3 yrs that she thought I wasn't a "serious actor". I was very angry! It's not easy being a struggling actor and fame and fortune is far from quick to come, so to find out I was living poor, and working hard as I was, and she wasn't promoting me with the right mindset...well, it was crushing! Luckily, the nitwit sold the agency to someone who saw me different and I progressed after that.

Get into the classes, read acting books until you have read them all, and watch a lot of movies with a mind as to how they do what they do while watching. Practice memorizing scripts too! There are lots of scripts on the net, and you can read them and compare them to the movies you have seen to see how different they look on film from the printed word!

Best to you!

Taylor