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Question
I'm not embarrassed in big crowds and to myself i am a very experienced actor. i don't know how to get recognized or seen. I am 13 and live in a small town in Oklahoma, which is another reason why its hard to get recognized, and desperate to act. i am in creative reading and drama and every where i go people say you should be an actor.All i am asking is, how do i get recognized in a place like this?
Hey Lindsey,
Short answer: find a community theater or dinner theater near your area and find out when auditions are. Get the script to audition. Get the time of the auditions. Go to the auditions. Knock 'em dead.
I once asked a friend of mine who is a great singer/songwriter, and who is dying now, what I could do about a situation I was in that limited what I could. His answer? "Figure out what you can do and do that!" Pretty simple.
If you can't move somewhere else, then you have to find a way where you are. I had a girlfriend who loved performing theater. She joined up with a group of yearning thespians in her area and formed their own theater company to give shows in donated public buildings that were sitting vacant.
That's a novel solution, right?
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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