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Education + Directing

Throughout my career, I've had the privilege to not only perform on stage and screen but also to educate, direct, teach, and coach aspiring actors. From leading fundraisers, to providing on-set coaching, I've dedicated myself to nurturing talent and imparting the skills necessary to thrive in this competitive field. My experience extends beyond traditional acting methods, encompassing improvisation and specialized training techniques. Working alongside great individuals from all corners of the globe has enriched my understanding of storytelling and performance, establishing me as a seasoned professional in both cinema and theatre. As I continue to evolve and contribute to the vibrant tapestry of the entertainment world, I remain committed to sharing my knowledge and passion with the next generation of artists.

What does he do?

I have been directing, coaching and teaching for over 40 years. 

I work with talent of all levels.  

I am available for public and private lessons in:

 

  • Theater Acting

  • Film Acting

  • Theater Games

  • Improvisation

  • Cold Reading

  • Audition

  • Commedia del Arté

  • Environmental & Living History

  • Writing 

  • Directing

  • Music Appreciation

  • History 

On set Jeffrey wi Don Every 15

As an acting coach, I have helped performers from novices to veterans develop their craft. My seminar, "The Art Of Making it As An Actor," focuses on the business of acting, providing aspiring thespians with the nuts and bolts of what it takes to launch and sustain a career, including building a team, finding jobs, and gaining and maintaining celebrity status. I have been teaching and sharing my years of experience all over the Bay Area lately.

 

In 2008, I taught film acting classes at the San Francisco School of Digital Filmmaking, conducted a three-week advanced acting intensive for young actors in Education Unlimited's camp on the U.C. Berkeley campus, and participated in Theater Bay Area's ATLAS program, helping actors advance their professional careers. During the fall of 2007, I taught improv comedy at Sonoma State University, was an "Artist in Residence" at San Francisco High School of the Arts Academy, and coached an ongoing "film technique" class in Sonoma County.

 

I also led theater games "intensives" for teen improv workshops at the Novato, South Novato, Corte Madera, and South San Francisco libraries. These workshops, immediately followed by publicly performed all-teen improv shows, have been a big hit, especially during the "Teen Read" weeks, inspiring reading, imagination, teamwork, and play.

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Traveler Jeffrey x 2.

Theater Bay Area (TBA) invited me to present my ‘Business of Acting’ workshop seminar as part of their 2008 ATLAs (Advanced Training Leading Actors to Success) program. Several hundred actors benefited from it, and since then I’ve taught this workshop at Bay Area Film Mixer, The SAG Conservatory and Film Festivals and Expos.

The same year Archbishop Mitty High School, San Jose invited me to demonstrate, and train theatre students in Commedia del Arte, and in 2018, I taught a semester of Commedia at Sonoma State University.

 

As an on set acting coach I have worked in educational, corporate, major and indie features with first rate directors and actors,… helping directors communicate in actor terms to heighten and deepen performances.

 

I’ve had wonderful feedback from my workshop for directors, ‘How to Get the Performance You Want from Your Team’, where I show how to get the best from actors & crew. 

 

I often work with up and coming filmmakers. I was in the thesis projects of Greg Araki and John Schwartzman at USC, George Bamber at UCLA, and the first film teaser/trailer for Catherine Harwicke and Michael Werb. Projects in the grad departments at AFI, SFSU, Chapman and Loyola.

I am in demand as an on-set acting coach, working with film directors to achieve effective communication with talent and crew. My workshop for directors, "Directing Actors: How to Get the Performance You Want from Your Team," applies not only to working with actors but also shows how to get the very best performances from the entire cast and crew.

I often work with aspiring young filmmakers at schools such as USC, UCLA, Loyola University, Chapman College, and the American Film Institute. I have worked on the student film projects of a number of up-and-coming young directors, including:

  • Greg Araki and John Schwartsman 

  • Catherine Hardwicke

Jeffrey Interview On Set
Anthony & Jeffrey
Dam California On Set a
We Miss You Pete Ryan Jeff

I love to stay active on camera, but I also like participating behind the scenes on film productions. I’ve helped develop projects, as a writer, and as a coordinator of table reads for writers to hear their works come to life, listening for authenticity and making suggestions for deepening and heightening the material. I’ve lent a hand for decades to film makers looking for the right talent for their projects, making suggestions for talent that are proven and team players. I’ve helped producers find members of their projects in all departments, drawing from my 50+ years in the industry.

I have also worked extensively directing live projects; theatre, events, Music Hall, Vaudeville, Reviews and Tributes.

I was selected by Universal International to direct two ongoing shows, The Blues Brothers Review, and the Hollywood Hi Tops Doo-Wop Show, and to train the lookalike and body suit talent opening and working in the new billion dollar Universal Japan Theme Park in Osaka. 

I’ve trained performers worldwide at fan-cons, expos, and led workshops for corporations, universities, colleges, high schools, libraries, outreach programs and casting companies.

 

  • Sonoma State University 

  • San Francisco School of Digital Film Making 

  • Ruth Azawa San Francisco High School For The Performing Arts

  • San Francisco Acting Academy

  • Bay Area Professional Actors Studio

  • Dominican University

  • California State University Long Beach

  • Santa Monica City College

  • Penngrove Elementary 

  • South San Francisco Library 

  • Novato Libraries

  • Petaluma Parks & Recreation

  • Every Fifteen Programs in Petaluma

  • CHOPS Teen Center

  • DeLorean Car Show

  • Arizona Film Expo

  • ITZA Film Festival, Sonora 

  • El Dorado Film Commission 

  • Universal Studios Hollywood

  • 32Ten Studios

  • Universal Studios Japan

  • Columbia SHP

  • Red Barn Productions

  • American Eagle Studios

  • 6th Street Playhouse

  • Girl Scouts of America 

  • The Living History Center

  • The Magic Theater Gym

  • Alter Theater

  • Vector Theater

Other career highlights include as artistic director of The Flying Penguins improv comedy troupe in the late 1980s, which became the varsity players of the newly formed Los Angeles Theater Sports, now known as Impro Theater, performing 2 hour long improvised themed shows. 

While performing and directing with LATS, I helped Ellen Idelson with KIDPROV, and I have developed TEENPROV, using teenagers as the stars of their own ‘Who’s Line Is It Anyway?’ style shows. I also have taught school teachers ‘From Page to Stage’, a how to use improvisation and theatre games in their classrooms course at Dominican College. And I’ve taught several semesters at Sonoma State University, in Improvisation, Comedy and Commedia dell'arte.

Four Cups of Joe on set

What Clients Say

Paris Asma Benjamin

Actress at CMA Entertainment (Los Angeles) / J.Pervis (Atlanta) / Williamson & Holmes (London)

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2940434/

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Jeffrey Weissman is not just a wonderful teacher and an impressive talent with an incredible body of work, he is also an amazing human being. Jeffrey was the very first person to take the time to sit down with me when I first moved to LA and explain to me in detail how the industry worked. I carry his valuable advice with me to this day. His patience, kindness and encouragements are rare qualities in Hollywood and for that I am forever grateful.

BAPRO-ACT Coaching 3

Teaching

I have coached acting talent for over 30 years, using my 50+ years of industry experience and extensive training. I also consult with writers, supplying vital insights while workshopping and developing their scripts. 

I work with directors helping them understand the language of acting that help them get the finest possible performances from their on set talents. 

I trained at the American Conservatory Theatre, San Francisco State University in the Theater, Film and Broadcasting Departments, Santa Monica City College, in Hollywood with legendary coaches at the Studios of Jackie Benton, Peter Flood, and Harvey Lembeck.

Teaching
Dam California On Set

Coaching

I have been artistic director of several improvisation groups; The Flying Penguins, North Bay Improv, Evil Comedy Group, 6th Street Improv and I helped form legendary Los Angeles Theater Sports, now with over 30 years of delighting audiences performing 2+ hour long improvised shows. 

Coaching
Jeffrey & Darcy coaching

Training

I have taught at San Francisco School of Digital Filmmaking, where I created the Writers/Directors/Actors Lab and headed up the Acting Department, San Francisco Ruth Asawa High School of the Arts (SOTA), Dominican University teaching school teachers how to use theatre games in the classroom, Sonoma State University teaching Improvisation & Comedy and Commedia del Arte, I am on the teaching staff at the San Francisco Acting Academy, and I started Bay Area Professional Actors Studio. Also, I have led workshops at numerous festivals and expos around the country.

Training

Directing

As a director and consultant, I bring an enormous amount of experience, knowledge and inspiration from my studies, my work on stage, and on screen.

 

I created the Writers, Directors and Actors Lab at the San Francisco School of Digital Film Making, bringing together students of all three disciplines. The result was a well oiled machine, where writers developing their material were able to see their works come alive, and for directors to learn collaboration and how to speak in actor terms, to get the best possible performances.

I’ve directed films; The Outlaw Billy West and Don’t Tell Me.

I’ve developed and directed stage shows since the early 1980s.

 

As an on-set consultant, I’ve helped productions with troubleshooting technical problems, directors to get their actors to meet heightened emotional challenges, and coaching non actors into natural performances. 

 

I’ve also helped cast numerous projects, from table reads, on camera talent, musical scoring, to ADR & looping voice talent, often finding the right element to raise the material to increase its entertainment value.

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