First Take Acting School - Los Gatos, California

Andrew

Acting had always been something I wanted to try but never got the chance to. Last year I made the decision to finally try it out and joined First Take.

Since joining First Take I’ve booked multiple projects around the Bay Area and built connections with other actors.

Through these classes, I’ve learned that acting is so much more empowering than what I thought it would be. First Take really helped me learn how to accept myself and develop areas of empathy that I did not have before. These skills are great for acting but I’ve also found them extremely helpful in personal and career development.

Additionally, the entertainment industry can be very competitive with many rejections. In these times, I have found it really encouraging to have a strong support system like the other students and teachers at First Take.

In summary, I highly recommend the First Take Acting School to anyone who’s ever considered trying it out. You might just learn something about yourself you never knew before. Also, if you are near the San Jose area - I HIGHLY RECOMMEND taking Susan’s class. She is a phenomenal teacher who really looks out for the best interests of her students!

Matt Cabot

I've been participating in the Core Class for about month. It's top notch! The First Take homework process is well developed and effective for preparing actors to work in the industry. In fact, each class begins by listing the First Take students who are getting booked in acting jobs! The founder, Nancy Berwid, is to be commended for creating the First Take technique -- and for fostering such a positive, encouraging environment. Our instructor Jonathan Lim (who is a working actor and screenwriter) has a remarkable ability to identify what we need to work on to improve as actors. And he does so in such an encouraging way. His classes are fun and instructive. Overall, I've been very impressed with First Take!

Andrew Thomas

I’ve been taking acting classes almost 3 years now and it’s been an incredible experience at First Take Acting School. All the acting teachers at the school seriously know their stuff and make class an extremely fun and engaging environment . I've trained with Danny and Robert and currently with Alison and it's been really good. First Take has this awesome vibe, with all these aspiring actors buzzing around, each with their own unique style and talent. You can just feel the creative energy in the air, and it's contagious. I have not only learned about acting but also about the industry itself.I'm very happy to be part of this community, surrounded by talented individuals who share the same passion for acting. If you're serious about acting, or just want to learn more about yourself, this is the place to be. Trust me, you won't regret it!

Brian Nicholas

This studio provides an experience for actors of any tenure. They allow you to work on your craft in tandem with others while pushing you to improve every session. They provide a varied course allowing you to learn smaller roles as well as larger scene work, while not forgetting to cross genres. The online accessibility is a plus for those who can't travel to in person - and helps prepare you for the online environment that the industry is trending towards (online auditions/self tapes/etc.)

Catarina Kim

Love love love First Take's process-driven method, the underlaying belief of 'I am enough,' and the supportive community of actors I now have the privilege to call my friends. First Take method helps me focus on exploring and finding myself in the "character" while honouring the intention of the writer rather than what the character is "supposed to be." I never thought I'd love studying acting when I first started but now I can't stop because Nancy's method is so in line with what I try to do every day, which is getting to know my essence and letting myself free - every class I get to meet and get to know different parts of myself that I couldn't have otherwise before and nurture it or heal it depending. As for the community, wow I am so grateful for such a supportive, encouraging, inspiring, hilarious and beautiful group of humans in my class. So, honestly every class is like therapy for me. Thank you Nancy for creating this school and offering your warm & kind hand every week in my journey in acting and individuation!

Mason Walker

First Take is a school unlike any other! All the teachers are so supportive to growing actors and create a super safe environment for students. I have been there almost three years and started with virtually no acting experience; today I work with a wonderful agent from LA. First Take does a great job at moulding people into working actors. I myself have seen so much growth in my own ability. Every class I learn something new. I would strongly recommend this to anyone interested in acting!

patricia Deery

I had spent quite a few years looking for the ideal acting class that resonated with my personal learning style. I was involved in amateur theater for a few years with very few classes and realized that I did not have the skill set or growth I needed to be an actor at the top of my game. Once I started classes with Nancy at First Take, I recognized I had "come home" as far as finding the professional training program I had been seeking. The First Take process in approaching a script is a comprehensive and compassionate journey to discovering each character within the actor. Nancy has a finely tuned instinct in working with her actors, always seeking the humanity within the character as well as within the actor until they are one and the same. With her encouragement and guidance, I have found myself diving into scenes, with a sense of being the character like never before. It is not always an easy journey but it is a rewarding training foundation once you recognize that the actor's journey is the way of the warrior. There is a profound truth in Nancy's philosophy: "You are enough". Once we the actors internalize that mantra, the fun really starts.

Carolyn Power

I've studied with Nancy Berwid of First Take for sixteen years. In that time, Nancy has taught me all the tools I need to know in order to audition for and to book roles in Los Angeles for television and movies. The most important lessons are to relax, be yourself, believe in your choices and always, always welcome falling flat on your face. It's a humbling profession because the actor must always look inward at one's inner most self. I continue to learn and polish and struggle with all of this. The last ingredient is that acting takes time; it's a peculiar lifestyle and a long term commitment--and I love it.