Industry Professionals

"I've been speaking at the Hollywood Jumpstart showcases while casting talent for some of my productions. As a casting director, the most wonderful thing about finding inspiring actors, seasoned actors, or new beginners during a showcase is that they're open to anything, they're flexible, and you just never know who you're going to meet.

As a casting a director, it's very important that actors know the tools of the trade while coming and enaging in this new exciting industry we have. Hollywood Jumpstart is wonderful and I give it a thumbs up for any agent or manager who submits his clients to come and take these workshops. I encourage them. I encourage any person sitting there who wants start getting into acting. "Where do I go?" That's always the question. "How do I get started?" Well, Hollywood Jumpstart is a great place to get started. To even come and rehearse with casting directors that are currently on productions.

Being located at Raleigh Studios, it's convenient for me to come and see new talent. I have some great new productions coming, I encourage everyone to come and take these workshops. Hollywood Jumpstart is to me, not just an acting class... they really care for their actors and the new inspirng talent in this wonderful indsutry we have. It is of course run and organized by Jill DeForest, who respects her teachers, and really wants to make this happen for the new inspiring actors.

So please come join Hollywood Jumpstart. You never know who I'll discover. It may be you!"

"When my teenage son approached me with an interest in acting, one of the most tasks I was confronted with was finding the appropriate camp among all the many choices available to me.

I heard about Hollywood Jumpstart in a very positive local newspaper article. It sounded like me to the ideal camp. It was much more professional, and a lot more age-appropriate... something that would suit my son's needs.

It actually turned out much better than I anticipated. Michael got a lot out of the camp. And as a parent, they got his headshots done for him, they did his resume, and his work permit. All the while, he received exceptional acting training throughout the camp.

Michael enjoyed it so much he immediately signed up for an additional week."

Kids

"I attended the Hollywood Jumpstart Showcase, and I didn't know anything about acting. It was my first time... and I learned EVERYTHING about acting. There were coaches there, there were agents there, there were people that really know the business and they taught you what it's really about. I love acting, so I wanted to learn more. One of the agents who was there called me and said she wanted to sign with me... so I signed with her!

I wanted to learn a lot more about acting, so I went to the Hollywood Jumpstart Camp over the summer. I know so much more and I have so much more variety of knowledge about acting. If I hadn't have done that, I would not be where I am today. I've gone on auditions and gotten jobs, and it's really exciting.

The summer camp is really fun, and all the counselors and the coaches there really help you. I would not be where I am today without it. I'm going to go back every summer after this."

"I did Hollywood Jumpstart over the summer. It was a lot of fun. I learned a lot of stuff... I got headshots and a resume. The coaches were really great. It was a lot of fun. We played a bunch of games and improv. I really liked filming the student film at the end. I think it was a really good experience. I loved it!"

"I like Hollywood Jumpstart cause we played a lot of improv games, I got to be in my very first movie, and I got to perform my monologue in front of agents!