Jill Donnellan Hollywood Acting Studio Jax Jill Donnellan Hollywood Acting Studio Jax takes your money but does not teach you anything Jacksonville FL
If reading scripts to a camera and then being told how to do it the way she likes but not being taught how to do the job before your "tested" is your thing this class is for you. The main reason I took this class was because it advertised itself as providing scene study. This was not that whatsoever. This class shoud be called "find your mark on the floor and do what I say." Buyer beware!!!!!!
The backstory---In Jan of 2018 my job moved me to a dept that requires me to travel. First stop---Jacksonville, Florida. Having nites free I decided to start taking acting classes again (I prev went to studios in savannah and near Marietta and had great experiences) and maybe I could meet some new people while I was at it.
I thought it was a little pricey (almost $$350.00 at the time) but I figured that she must be good if shes worked with so many famous actors and actresses and this rate was probably fair. My expereince was not pleasant. I ended up leaving early and had no intentions of ever bringing Jill Donnellan or Hollywood Acting Studios Jax up to anyone but a couple things prompted me and the biggest was meeting someone at my new studio in Atlanta who told me how they had the same experiences feeling mislead and ripped off.
Most of my classes with Jill Donnellan consisted of being given a script and told to leave the room with other students (some who you could tell had been there before and some newer like me) and go read it together. I could tell some people loved getting a script and then told to go read it through with their partner, but I felt lost as to what we were supposed to be doing and why.
No instruction was given beforehand as to what to do with the script aside from reading it through. When we reentered the room we were told to "act it out" and if we didn't do it to Jill's liking she would tell us how to change it so we could do it her way. Jill praised people who werent good and I could tell they were her diehards.
The whole time I thought I couldve just watched a youtube video or read a book. I know now that none of it was normal instruction meant to prepare people for anything. Basically, we were taught auditioning protocols like finding your mark on the floor and where to look into the camera (theres a million videos like that online by the way) and then told to go read our scripts, I can see how some people might be blown away by the classroom having a green screen because it feels like your on a set , but I wasnt there for that.
I was there to learn how to actually act and do scene study work. If reading scripts to a camera and then being told how to do it the way she likes but not being told how to do a good job before your "tested" is your thing this class is for you. This class shoud be called "find your mark on the floor and do what I say." Buyer beware!!!!!! Don't waste your money!!!!!!!
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Jill
Saint Johns,Florida,
United States
To Bradley M - re unhappy experience
#2REBUTTAL Owner of company
Mon, August 19, 2019
I do believe this is the first time in 35 years of teaching in Los Angeles and now Florida that I have had someone so unhappy with my workshops. Why didn’t you talk to me about it, a year and a half ago? I’m always available for feedback. You kept coming to class so I’m not sure why you’re wanting to degrade my good name and business now.
I will always listen and if necessary refund your fees. But how am I supposed to know that you expected something else if you don’t talk to me? My workshops have always been intensive and professional. I do not have favorites that I pat on the back but I do encourage people to be their best. If you would like to contact me, we can discuss your experience and refund your money for any classes missed. Every Acting Workshop has different teachers and different ways to teach.
Your experience and the one you say your friend had (who also came to all the classes and never spoke a word about feeling ripped off) are a matter of opinion. But it certainly doesn’t warrant this hateful commentary. We all work hard to maintain our good name and it’s sad that these days an invisible person can try to knock that down without having the courage to speak up face to face. I will ask that you take this down and reach out to me so we can deal with this like professional, adult human beings. Thank you.