Answers about training at First Take, an on-camera acting school in the San Francisco Bay Area. Call 415-295-6026 to enroll or to sit in on a class for free.
Is First Take respected in the industry, and does it lead to real work?
First Take is well known and respected by the biggest casting directors in the business. We’ve been training actors to be successful since 1996. Throughout our history we’ve taken actors who have never acted before and developed them to the point of being able to book big roles in major films and TV shows.
We have more working actors than any other school. People currently studying with us are leads in major TV series. We train people to actually be able to compete for major roles.
Just a few of the people studying with us include Emmy-nominated actor Cameron Britton (Spider-Noir, Paradise, Mindhunter, The Umbrella Academy, Barry, Mickey 17 and too many more to name here), Siua Ikale’o (one of the leads on Apple TV+’s Chief of War, recurring guest star on Nemesis, NCIS: Hawai’i and more) and Robert Wu (series regular on Survivor’s Remorse, currently on Netflix; Tam on The Big Bang Theory; NCIS, The Monkey King, Magnum P.I., Family Guy, Ming in the film Ted and so many more). Take a look at our success page to see all the credits and the many working actors in our school.
First Take has a track record of guiding Bay Area actors into real careers.
The training is specific enough to make actors genuinely competitive for roles at that level. Alongside it you learn the part most schools leave out: how to get an agent, how to get seen, and how casting actually works. There is an entire seminar, Take Action!, devoted to the business of becoming a working actor.
Is First Take a good fit if I’m a working adult starting late?
It is not too late. That is the first thing worth saying, because it is the thing most adults walking in are afraid of.
There are many actors who started training with us later in life who have gone on to work on wonderful roles on television.
We have many class times and days to choose from, so it allows flexibility for busy adults. If you can’t make the class you’re signed up for, there are make-ups available in other classes.
Sessions are 8 weeks, so you commit one term at a time rather than signing up to a multi-year program.
What is the First Take Method?
The First Take Method trains extraordinary actors. It is a unique method that has a blend of some of the principles of Stanislavski and Meisner, but developed further in a way that we believe is more effective. It helps actors have more clarity in their process, and is built for the demands of professional work — on camera and on stage.
First Take actors have become series regulars in television and leads on Broadway even while still studying in class. The First Take Method does not treat theater and screen as rival traditions. It treats acting as one craft, trained precisely, then applied to whatever the work demands.
It covers the craft and the career together: scene work and on-camera technique alongside audition technique, self-promotion, and how to work with casting directors.
Is it a supportive place to learn if I’m shy or nervous?
Absolutely! First Take is a family. Everyone is incredibly supportive of one another. Being shy is not a disqualification — some of the best actors are shy people.
Sometimes acting classes are known for being competitive and cliquey. You won’t find that here. Our school is a place where everyone roots for one another to succeed. The first time you step into one of our classes you will experience a warm and supportive community.
Sit in on a class free before you enroll and see for yourself. Call 415-295-6026 to arrange it.
What classes are there, and what do they cost?
Prices are per 8-week session:
- Kids Acting Classes (ages 5–10) — $350
- Core Class (ages 11 and up) — $450 online, $550 in person
Also offered, with schedule and pricing by phone: On-Camera, and the Take Action! seminar.
Those figures are less than half what other major schools charge — schools which, for the most part, do not publish their prices anywhere. We publish ours because we love that we’ve kept our pricing so much lower than other schools, and because you should be able to find out what a class costs without making a phone call first.
Call 415-295-6026 to enroll, or to sit in on a class free.
Can my child or teenager take classes?
Yes. Kids Acting Classes are for ages 5–10, online, $350 per 8-week session — improvisation, script reading and the audition experience.
From age 11, students join the Core Class, online or in person, and there is a teens-only Core Class on Monday evenings.
Children training at First Take are booking national commercials and films, and are auditioning for major film and television projects. That is not incidental — it is what correct training makes possible.
This is the part most parents do not know to ask about. Starting with the best training matters more than starting early. Bad training builds habits — playing a result, deciding to be angry here and excited there — and those bad habits from the wrong training can take a long time to undo. A young actor who learns the craft correctly from the start has a much shorter road to working professionally.
Do I need experience to start acting classes?
Not at all. The Core Classes give people the very best training from the very beginning. Most students arrive with no on-camera experience. You do not need an agent, a reel, or a drama degree.
What matters is learning the right way from the beginning. The Core Class takes you step by step, from a first class through to professional work.
Students train in our Core Classes for 2 years, so we have people from beginners to intermediate-level actors. Students are usually able to book independent film projects in those first two years. After 2 years, people are allowed to move into our Master Prep Class, and from there to our Master Classes, which help people become competitive for larger film and TV roles.
Are classes online or in person?
Both. We have classes in person in San Francisco and San Jose, and online live on Zoom from anywhere.
Our more advanced classes (Master Prep and Master Class) are all on Zoom, because all the auditions for the bigger film and TV projects are held either on Zoom or by self-tape. Actors need to learn how to make the most of a scene in a Zoom format in order to be competitive. We currently have people from all over the world training with us via Zoom.
Can I try a class before enrolling?
Yes. We allow people to sit in on a class and even participate before they enroll. It’s free! We want you to see what a wonderful community we have and get a feel for what the training is like. Call 415-295-6026 to arrange a sit-in.