First Take Acting Program

I have studied at FirstTake acting just shy of 6 years. Its been a ton of fun! Every actor who wants to work in TV and Film has to start somewhere. Firsttake is a great mixture of learning how to be a great actor by diving right into guest star scenes, development of relationships with Casting and «working out» the cold read muscle.
I feel very fortunate to have been able to study with Nancy and create some very meaningful and life long friends in Firsttake.

Worst experience ever– such a rip off!!! I would never ever go back! The teacher is a looney tune, and I didn’t feel like it helped me at all! Hope this review helps your decision.

I hear its nothing but the best here!

hello everybody great news i switched to First Take and i saved a ton of money on classes, lol. Let me explain. I was completely «green» back when i started acting class with Nancy. Nancy took me under her wings and gave me a healthy jump start on what i needed to focus on and why. Before i became a working actor, i became a healthier person first. I recall that i was out of touch with the reality around me and within my own world. First Take helped me gain the tools i needed to investigate the complexity of who i am and how i was made up as a human being. Learning more about myself with the help of First Take classes became so addictive for me, that at times throughout the years i even doubled up on First Take classes in different cities.
The results were quickly evitable in my personality. Although for me a slower process than the average classmate, eventually i started working as an actor and started having so much fun working onset in Hollywood that i lost sight of that original excitement i had in class of self discovery.
I moved to Los Angeles in hopes of further marketing myself as a local hire in Hollywood. I took a break, started a new job. Kept myself busy with work and family. Although i still live in the Los Angeles area. I missed that fire i had staying in class with First Take, there is this sense of peace i felt on a therapeutic level, that gave me that confidence i needed to book those roles. I love love the environment in a First Take class. Everyone’s honest and open and safe. An environment that encourages you to be yourself and grow. Although i still live in Los Angeles, and i feel blessed that im still booking roles. I started this year (2012) with a bang! I purchased a whole year worth of First Take acting classes– I’m home! And ready to experience other aspects of my complexities as a young adult and excited to see where this new journey will take me from here.
My overall experience with LA classes and workshops to the opportunity that First Take provides, for me, has been a complete 360′ i say this because im convinced that im conditioned better than the person sitting next to me in that audition room. I truly feel like im getting more bang for my bucks here at First Take and under Nancy Berwid’s leadership as an amazing person and teacher. First Take rocks!
click link and watch live interview:)

I’ve been with First Take Acting Program for 7 ½ years and continue to learn and grow as an actor. The atmosphere is supportive, the information is right on and Nancy teaches each of us to bring our own personal essence to the role. I trust her laser eye. Kathy recently taught an on-​camera class that was excellent and applied all we work on in class to being in front of the camera. This is the best way an actor can continue to live here in the Bay Area and eventually work in LA. I highly recommend this acting program; it’s amazing to watch people grow and become better actors. I love it!

I have been with First Take for 2 years now, and I love it.
I love the supportive class environment, I love Nancy’s ability to see exactly what is missing in each scene and I love working on my craft along-​side working actors. Every time someone in the class books something, it is so exciting for everyone. It builds my confidence to see my classmates working, and doing scenes with those working actors makes me work really hard.
Now that I found First Take, I have no desire to go anywhere else, and I saw this on the first day when I came and audited my first class. I saw how so many of the First Take actors had been there for many years and were so happy there. I knew right then that I wanted to be a part of this environment.
If you want to work in film, this is truly the place. Nancy has a gift in seeing exactly what is missing in the scene and she will send you home to work on that missing piece. I have grown so much with Nancy both as an actor and as a person. Nancy has the ability to see within each person and find what is great about them. I have learned so much about myself and have been able to apply it in my acting. I have also seen this in my classmates and it is truly amazing to see this growth.

It saddens me to read about negative review of Nancy’s class because she is such an amazing person and the most giving person I know. Plus, I have never felt like she was ripping me off. I have been studying with Nancy since June 2005 and it as been such an incredible journey. I have taken so many other acting classes and I can honestly say that until I met Nancy, I didn’t know what honest acting was. It sounds so simple, just be yourself, but we all wear masks to shield ourselves from the pain we’ve experienced in the past. And I’ve been hiding behind the mask for so many years, that I was «fake acting.» My rawness and pain never came out until I met Nancy. She shares so much of herself, her pains from the past, that I felt comfortable letting the mask fall. Was it easy? Hells, No! But, I’m glad I stuck with it, because she got me to open up and rather than hide myself, to embrace myself and know that I’m enough.
And did Nancy ever promise me anything? That if I stayed in her class, I would be in a major movie with a pivotal scene with Jude Law for Steven Soderbergh’s upcoming thriller, «Contagion»? No. I stayed in class, because I love it and knew she was hands down the best acting teacher. Did the movie happen? Did Steven shake my hand after shooting and thank me for doing an amazing job? You betcha! And who made my life long dream of being on a silver screen happen? All thanks to Nancy Berwid!

I’ve been a student at First Take for 3 years and I have learned so much about acting and about what it takes to land gigs in Hollywood. I’ve seen many of my classmates on television shows and in movies, and I’m really inspired by what I’m learning. I love that First Take provides a nurturing environment in which I can grow at the pace I want to. I don’t feel pressured to achieve some artificial goal, and that inspires me to keep at it. I’ve seen many of my classmates on television and in movies, so don’t believe that guy named «Al» who says First Take students never make it on TV. I maintain a calendar of TV appearances for the First Take Facebook page, and I have watched all of these folks in roles they landed as First Take students: Alex, Carl, Carolyn, Eduardo, Erik, Hector, James, Joelle, Kathy, Kristi, Kristin, Kumi, Miranda, Rosie, Roshni, and Seema, just to name over a dozen who come immediately to mind. To make it in Hollywood, you have to get solid training and maintain a good network of industry contacts; First Take provides all of this. However, you can’t expect to take one or two eight-​week sessions of training and expect to land a gig. For every co-​star role on network television, there are 1,500 auditioners. You have to work hard to stand out, and if you go with First Take, you will definitely learn how to do that.

This is the best class to take if you want to work in film and television, and Nancy is your best choice of teachers if you really want to start working in this industry. She really knows what she is doing. She will never steer you in the wrong direction. And the cherry on top is her compassion. She really cares about her actors and really wants to see them succeed. I have studied with her for 2 ½ years and I am here to tell you, she is a fantastic teacher and MANY First Take actors book roles in major film and television projects. Please don’t listen to the naysayers. This IS the class you want to be taking!

First Take was the very first acting school I went to. and I think I’ve been totally spoiled in that regard. Nancy is an incredible teacher– she really listens, understands, and most of all, she really does care about her students! Her teaching style has helped me grow immensely both as an actor and as a person.
I originally thought I’d try one session and «see how it went.» That was the tip of the iceberg– I was hooked and learned so much each session that I stuck with it, and now 1.5 years later, I find that I’m still learning by leaps and bounds every week. Nancy is honest with each of her students and tells them exactly what they need to know to move forward with their work.
As an aside, my workplace gives me free credit to take classes every year at the University– I’ve taken two 9-​week acting classes there (theater and film acting), and I found them nowhere near as helpful as First Take.
I realize that in the grand scheme of things I am still very much a beginner and have lots to learn, but thanks to Nancy’s class, I now have a safe place to learn, make mistakes (c’mon we all make them), and enjoy the process of acting. I also have a family of incredibly talented and supportive actors who I regularly see at auditions locally. Her students have accomplished so much in Film/​TV yet remain so humble and real.
I’ve also gotten callbacks and booked roles in commercials and independent films that I never did before. This month alone I booked 5 principal roles in commercial jobs and had 2 callbacks for lead roles in feature films that I would’ve never even auditioned for before First Take!
If you’re interested in auditioning well, being honest in your acting, knowing how to market yourself for the LA market, and ultimately booking the job, First Take will help get you there. If not, then why are you reading this? :)

Nancy is the teacher I was always meant to have. My only regret is that I didn’t come across her sooner.
I came from an incredibly competitive and not exactly the most nurturing academic acting background. As a result, I grew to have a very pessimistic view of acting classes, in general, and almost quit acting at one point as a result of a bad experience with a former teacher.
Once I studied acting in Oxford, England, I grew incredibly picky about where I’d do my future training. In fact, I took a 2 year hiatus from any kind of acting training because I couldn’t find a class that would mirror the quality of training I had experienced in Oxford. However, regardless of the training, acting still remained fragments in my mind, so I couldn’t quite get a grasp on it entirely.
I came across the First Take Acting Program ad in a local magazine, studying the ad very careful and the headshots presented in the ad, noticing that this was a local bay area class. Plus, the actors were also working in LA. I felt that there was something I could definitely learn from this class if local folks were auditioning and working out of LA, so out of natural curiosity, I audited the class.
Although Nancy was sick the day I audited the class, I took one of the biggest leaps of faith in my life, and enrolled even though I had never met her. I have to say, it is the best decision I have ever made for my acting career and myself. I have been with First Take for over a year now.
One of the things I really love about the class is that, for the first time ever, I don’t feel as though I’m competing against classmates. The class has taught me a great deal of humility. Everyone — regardless of skill level — is integrated into one class. As a result, you get a really lovely, nurturing group of people, supporting each other and rooting each other on. Complete 360 from anything I have ever experienced.
Nancy is a pro at facilitating a nurturing and safe environment. She has a loving and honest way to approach each individual actor, maximizing you to the best of your abilities in the work. I love her enthusiasm, and passion for growth both as an actor and a person. As hard as I push myself, Nancy helps me push myself even further. Nancy’s method is the bridge to the honesty in the work.
Nancy also brings experience and knowledge from the business side, informing students about the importance of relationship building through casting workshops, and the steps to market yourself in a pro active, and positive light.
I promise, you will get the most out of the class if you give it your all.
First Take is something truly special. If you want to enrich the acting experience for yourself, grow as an actor, and help blossom an acting career, First Take is where you’ll get all that jazz.

There are good things and bad things about First Take. The good is that the acting instructors know about the craft, they understand well how the biz works, and students in casting director workshops do get exposure to industry professionals. But First Take is overpriced, dangles more than it can deliver and feeds off of the wannabe-​actor-​dream-​mentality.
First Take’s founder/​director is Nancy Berwid. She has reputable, though not extensive, acting training — for example, she is a graduate of ACT’s Summer Training Congress. However, apparently she was not able to succeed as an actress, so she turned herself into an acting coach/​acting manager/​preacher (what a combination!). According to the First Take website, Ms. Berwid’s industry contacts come «from being raised in a family of Hollywood entertainers and executives … Nancy has used this special insight into the industry to bring the magic … to the business side …» And Ms. Berwid likes to remind her students frequently that she has these industry connections. Her mantra is that she can’t make you a star but she can get you working. Interestingly, she neglects to mention that even if her expensive courses ever do get you closer to a paid gig, it is highly unlikely that you will make a living as a TV/​film actor.
I have taking several First Take casting workshops, at which students are given sides and perform in front of the class. The casting directors are involved in major Hollywood productions. But unfortunately, each student gets precious little time in front of these professionals. Students are taught that their strategy should be to take more First Take casting workshops so that they can build relationships with these casting directors and then eventually — possibly — get some work.
It’s probably helpful to check out First Take’s website (
), which features a man who walks onto the homepage from stage right and starts out asking «Would you like to be a successful actor in TV and film? At First Take we can help make your dreams a reality.» Needless to say, it is cheesy, and it has the look and feel of one of those late-​night/​early-​morning TV infomercials promising that you too can make millions in real estate in your spare time. First Take’s tag line is «The proof is in the booking.» This seems to be true: out of all the hundreds (or thousands?) of First Take alumni, only a small percentage have ever worked professionally in film or TV. The website prominently lists the roles that 40 students have had — most likely the only ones who have in fact obtained anything. And almost all of the infrequent jobs listed were bit parts or minor roles. Apparently, not one First Take student works consistently. And as far as can be gleamed from the website, none has ever had a starred in any major film or TV production.
First Take definitely has something to offer — good instructors, contact with working casting directors, and the very distant possibility of realizing your dreams. But First take’s founder should grapple more with reality and less with fantasy: for Bay Area actors, Ms. Berwid suggests driving to Los Angeles from the Bay Area for auditions — fine for people who actually own a car and are independent enough financially to take off with one or two days’ notice, but not practicable for most actors. In short, the acting training is fairly good. But the career advice is cult-​like. The implicit message is that if you believe the mantra and work their method, then you too will be employed in Hollywood soon. Many First Take students take classes for years and spend far more there than they will ever earn from paying gigs. It’s best to sign up and pay the high prices only if you can see through the hype and accept that you are most likely spending a lot of your cash on an expensive hobby.

Hmm… Nancy is a good teacher there is no doubt about that, but if you take class here you need to be okay taking class with 25 – 29 other people in a normal three hour class period. She also works as a manager, which has its pro’s and con’s. Pro — you learn alot about the industry. Con — you have to listen to her spend an hour every class talking about the auditions all of her clients are going on. Which is kind of cool, because it’s your classmates, and kind of sucks because it feels like you are wasting precious class time.
She also works as a full-​time minister and the people who attend her church are awesome but zealous and they will definitely try to witness to you. She will try and get her husband to take your head-​shots and sell you a t-​shirt =). She will also push casting director workshops, which I found useful but expensive. Sometimes it feels a little like those other acting schools that try to sell you everything including your mother’s kitchen sink.
This school didn’t leave a great taste in my mouth, but I think the people are fantastic, and as long as your prepared for what’s in store, you can learn quite a bit.

My background’s in theater, and for over 5 years, I’ve taken many different acting classes in San Francisco. I finally narrowed my focus down to acting for TV and Film, and this is by far the BEST acting program I’ve come across.
Al Pacino once said, «Acting is not acting,» and I never understood what that truly meant, until I took Nancy’s class. This class uses an immersion technique which is very sound, and really works. Plus you’ll get advice on how to manage your acting career and how to sell yourself, and it’s more advice than any other acting class in the Bay Area!
If acting is what you really want to do and you live in SF Bay Area or L.A., this class is indispensable.
Two thumbs up!