Hi there!

I’m Jim Jarrett – actor, writer, director, teacher, and founder of the premiere acting studio in San Francisco – The Meisner Technique Studio.

Success Leaves Clues

I have been living my dream for over thirty-seven years. More importantly, I’ve been making a living at my dream for that entire time as well by making my own rules and setting my own standards.

I know the pitfalls that take you off track and the paths that can get and keep you there.

I created this online mentorship program to share that knowledge with you.

PILLAR #1 – Elite Craft

I began my career in 1987 when at the age of twenty-nine – with no training or experience – I moved to New York City to begin my dream of becoming a working actor.

The biggest break of my entire career happened three weeks later when I was accepted to study with Sanford Meisner, the acting teacher who produced a more famous “who’s who” of acting alumni than all the top-named teachers combined. This partial list is a testimony to his teaching brilliance:

I spent the next four years with Sandy – two in his professional class, then two more as the master teacher’s last protégé.

Now in Hollywood, I worked my way up “the Hollywood Food Chain” – first student films, then national commercials, and eventually guest spots on network series (including “Colombo” and “China Beach”).

By the end of my third year, I was co-starring in movies-of-the-week, as well as in independent and feature films.

“In the pursuit of any art, consistency in practice and the ability to adapt are paramount.”

But my real dream of gaining steady work, with life-sustaining income, was not yet fully realized. 

And there was competition. Lots of it. 

In fact, I soon discovered there is nothing more common in Hollywood than really talented, well-trained, out of work actors. 

So what now?

PILLAR #2 –The Business of My Dream 

At this point, I made the decision to take control of the business side of his dream. 

I formed my own production company –  determined to create my own breaks rather than passively waiting around for them to come to me.

I have never looked back. 

Shortly after, I secured the rites to Leonard Nimoy’s one-man show about Vincent Van Gogh – and produced the play myself.

The Vincent Phenomena

“Vincent” opened for a six-week run and was an immense commercial and artistic success. I was immediately signed by one of the top agents in the world of touring.

Over the next quarter century, my production of Vincent became one of most successful and respected touring one-man shows in the world. It played to over a quarter million people in premier festivals, performing arts centers, museums and universities across the globe.

In 2008, “Vincent” was the smash-hit of the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh. I was nominated for Best Actor from over thirty thousand performers. My production was also nominated for Best Show, and Best Solo show from over three thousand productions.

With the success of “Vincent,” I began touring three children’s shows he had written. A powerful “commencement speech’ titled “Graduation Day,” “Manners Matter (K-5),” and “The Worst Thing about Me Is… Middle School.”

THE NEXT BIG BREAK

In 2009, I created a play based on my four years of massive note-taking both as a student and as Sandy’s apprentice. The title was, of course, “MEISNER.” 

It was an awe-inspiring, first-hand experience on what it was like to sit in the classroom of the man who forever changed the art of acting as I played Sandy and the audience became “Sandy’s students.”

“MEISNER” debuted at San Francisco’s historic Magic Theatre in August 2009. It garnered massive critical and commercial acclaim. 

I was immediately signed by the William Morris Endeavor Agency (WME). WME brought MEISNER to Los Angeles where it became the number one smash-hit of the summer season, playing to SRO crowds for the entire six-week run.

But even with all of the successes I had, there were still moments of artistic depression, fear, and doubt. It happens to all artists. I instinctively knew that I had to find a way — a strategy — to combat these negative forces and energies, to stay in the game.

Pillar #3 – The ‘Mental Game’ 

This is THE most important pillar in my entire career as a working actor. 

In fact, it’s the one I’ve worked on (and continue to work on) the most. 

I readily admit that no part of my blessed career would have ever happened if I hadn’t dedicated the past thirty-seven years to becoming a warrior at the mental game. 

I call this pillar a ‘Dream Saver.’ That’s why there are 57 sessions on this important subject for you.

A promise kept

Throughout all of my successes, I never forgot the one promise I made to Sandy many years before. 

In 1993, I opened “The Meisner Technique Studio” in San Francisco.

Today, The Meisner Technique Studio is considered the most authentic and legitimate place to learn the Meisner Technique and is one of most highly respected acting schools in the world.

We attract students from every part of the globe yet I realize not every passionate actor has the means to travel to San Francisco for a two-year stay to study with me. 

That’s one of the major reasons why I created this online mentorship program – to help anyone, at any stage of their journey become a working actor.

These courses represent a lifetime of knowledge, wisdom, and experience – tightly wrapped into 125 focused video sessions.

They’re filled with proven acting techniques and successful career-building strategies – along with everything I know and have learned about THE most important pillar in becoming a working actor – the mental game.

I designed this program to help you fulfill your dreams so you can lead the rich, rewarding life of a successful, working actor.