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Question
how do actors use math in their job?
Hi Katrina,
I will answer your question and give you some advice…
I was terrible in math in school. Unfortunately, I didn’t know I could have asked for tutoring to help me get competent at it. You see, I was placing at college junior level in 6th grade. That is exceptional. My father, on the other hand, cannot spell, only signs his name in cursive, and writes like a child….YET, he can do trigonometry in his head if he wants, where I can’t reliably carry a number in mine! What I am getting at is that most people’s brains favor certain abilities over others, so if you aren’t a genius in everything, its normal. However, that doesn’t make it an excuse to not address it! If you avoid dealing with it, and find a way around it, you will regret it the rest of your life. I do! It’s one of very few regrets I have. Sometimes I get letters here that make me want to beat my head on my desk because of the spelling and grammar. These people want to be taken seriously yet they have such poor writing (and probably reading) skills! It’s ok to text-speak on a cell phone, but you have to know how to do it correctly when your around professionals. IF you are weak in something, get instruction, ask your parents. My father was great at math, but a horrible tutor. He did not understand WHY I didn’t understand what came easy to him…so there was a lot of yelling.
Anyway, math in acting helps you check to see your paycheck is correct. My agent takes 15% out for her commission. It helps me with doing taxes and figuring out my gas mileage and expenses to travel to auditions and jobs. It helps me pay bills and know how much spending money (when I have it) afterward. Those are the main things.
In my private life, I like to work on my house remodeling. I wish I was better at measuring and could figure out how much wood and concrete I need for a project. I just have to guess! That wastes money, time and materials. Maybe I will take a course in that.
In your life, live like you will die tomorrow, take the opportunity to learn as if you will live forever.
Best, Taylor
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Answers by Expert:
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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