KIMBERLY JENTZEN – THE JENTZEN TECHNIQUE

The Jentzen Technique is a series of lessons and exercises designed to access emotional range, empower imagination, authenticity, depth work, risk taking, strong choices, character development, script analysis, scene and monologue study and audition technique. Training provides insights and breakthroughs in Acting Mastery.

Kimberly’s passion for acting stems from an unwavering passion for the work and a love for her students. Classes provide a safe space to develop the artist, from foundation to master level training. Kimberly created the Jentzen Technique to focus on the imagination and develop tools that generate a layered and impactful performance. This allows her students to experience a profound shift in their approach to the craft, giving them an edge in booking roles in the Entertainment Industry. Kimberly explores and empowers each actor’s unique strengths and challenges, offering insight and direction to discover the humanity in every role. With a BA in Theatre Arts from UCLA and an MA in Spiritual Psychology, Kimberly brings a unique perspective to coaching that inspires the very core of each student’s performance. She believes that “Acting is not just about delivering lines or hitting marks, but a transformative journey where actors connect with the motivation and essence of each character.” 

As an acclaimed master acting coach in Los Angeles, Kimberly’s teaching awards include: “Favorite Acting Coach,” “Favorite Acting Teacher,” and “Best of: Acting Coach,” Back Stage Reader’s Choice Awards. As an award-winning writer/director, Kimberly’s films Reign (Oscar-qualified), Anne Frank Meets God, Grounds and Of Earth & Sky won multiple awards including : “Best Short Film, Audience Favorite, Finalist, and Honorable Mention.”

Kimberly’s book, Acting with Impact, the second edition, will be available here at actingwithimpact.com and on Amazon soon. Her inspirational audio series: Three Magnificent Journeys is available at actingwithimpact.com.

“The bravest and most important work is the inner work of the actor.”

“I began teaching in 1987 and discovered it is my passion and calling. Coaching and directing actors became my mission: to elevate the artistry of acting technique. Since I began, I’ve directed more than a dozen plays and been actively involved in film and TV productions ever since.” KJ

WHO TRAINED KIMBERLY?

My early training as an actor led to acting roles (in my early teens) starring in my first semi-professional musical. I had a very big voice and it gave me an advantage getting cast in Guys & Dolls as a singer/dancer. I went on to train in the Stanislavski Technique at age 16 and received scholarships in drama at USC’s summer camp, Idlewild School of Music and the Arts. 

Shakespeare and literature led me to UCLA where I trained with Delia Salvi in the Strasberg Technique and received a BA in Theater Arts. I directed my first play at UCLA as an undergrad, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Training at American Conservatory Theater in the Uta Hagen Technique followed. Always searching for the key to mastery as an actor, I was accepted into the prestigious American Center for Musical Theater Civic Light Opera Workshop as a “triple threat” actor, singer and dancer.

In love with the process, I continued my training with Michael Shurtleff and was invited to join his company where I was cast in the plays: Heat, and Female From Crash to Cable. I also studied with Roy London, Nina Foch (who taught the Stella Adler Technique), Sanford Meisner Technique, Milton Katselas, Harvey Lembeck (improv and comedy) and finally, my mentor, George Shdanoff of the Chekhov Technique. During my acting career, I spelled my name Kimberly Jensen. I booked acting gigs, notably: the lead in two independent films, Terror on Sorority Row, and a comedy that was shot but never released, the feature film Schizoid, a recurring on General Hospital, and several commercials. Theatre credits include: Company, The House of Blue Leaves, Feiffer’s People, and benefits for the Los Angeles Music Center, which began the road to my teaching career and the changing of the spelling of my name back to its Austrian origin.

“During my years of training, and in every acting technique, I discovered major gaps missing from each acting curriculum. There was no bridge from the training classroom to ready you for the demands of acting on TV and film sets. I chose to develop that bridge. Directors will ask many things from actors, related to the script. This is one of the reasons why I developed a technique to coach actors on how to immediately apply their tools to auditions and roles to truly thrive by using the Jentzen tools on set and stage.”

Kaight Zoia [Office Administrator] grew up in Rose City Michigan, a town with only 600 people. The cliche of the naive small town girl being stunned by the big city was actually her story. She has performed in numerous films including Halcyon Dreams, Red Veil and Beautifully, Love, Dark – which earned 23 nominations and several wins in the film festival circuit. She also played Pope Joan/Mrs. Kidd on stage in Top Girls, at Dow Arena Theatre. The entire Top Girls production received a prestigious invitation to perform at the Los Angeles Theatre Center for the Kennedy Center American College Theater Region VIII Festival 51 and earned a festival award. Kaight has trained in the Jentzen Technique for the past seven years, and she attributes most of her major acting, and even personal breakthroughs, to this training. Kaight is a member of Screen Actors Guild (SAG/AFTRA), has a B.A. in psychology from California State University Northridge and plans to attend graduate school, seeking a PhD in clinical psychology or neuropsychology. Kaight feels most at home in nature and is fortunate to live in the magical southern California city of Topanga, with her husband, son Sol Drago and their critters which include a tarantula, snake, turtle, frog, fish, and some chickens.

Serena Tarica [Writing Strategist/Editor/Screenwriter], received a B.A. in Communications from the University of Washington and is a member of SAG/AFTRA. She is credited as a writer and editor for the following published books: Going Vegan, Dog Bites, Do Cheese Puffs Grow on Trees?, and Black Thiles. She is also honored to be the editor for Kimberly Jentzen’s book, Acting with Impact. She’s written screenplays, websites, articles and marketing materials, and is a sought-after writing coach and editor for students in the Jentzen Technique that are working on writing, and producing projects. Serena is an optioned screenwriter. As a screenwriter, producers had this to say about The Locked House: “Smart, well-written… original story… I could not put it down… it brought back intelligent, smart, clever supernatural thrillers.” Project Neptune and Allagash garnered avid interest from feature film producers and talent alike and The Locked House was optioned at Libertine Films. As a producer, her film festival awards include: Best Short & Audience Award, Anne Frank Meets God (producer); Audience Award & Best Short, Reign (producer/script consultant); and writer/producer awards from the New York Festivals and the Film Council of Greater Columbus, Of Earth & Sky (co-writer).

Serena on LinkedIn

Michael Nankin [Guest Teacher] is a director with credits spanning 30 years, including: Red Faction: Origins (pilot for Syfy), The Cape, Caprica, and Battlestar Galactica, as well as episodes of Eureka, FlashForward, Heroes, Lie To Me, The Dresden Files, Life Goes On, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, The Agency, CSI, Veritas, Invasion, among others.  His first job in Television was writer/director/showrunner of Life Goes On. Nankin is a recipient of the “Humanitas Prize” and the “Peabody Award”. He has taught acting and directing at The Art Institute and Actors’ Foundryin Vancouver, B.C. Michael Nankin’s website