DOWNEY ACTING CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS

***JOHN WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE HIS CLIENT, CRYSTLE STEWART, ON BEING CROWNED MISS USA IN LAS VEGAS.   JOHN HAS WORKED EXTENSIVELY WITH CRYSTLE, COACHING HER ON VOICE, INTERVIEW, SPEECH AND COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE FOR HER PAGEANT COMPETITIONS, INCLUDING MISS HOUSTON AND MISS TEXAS.   ALL THE BEST TO CRYSTLE STEWART, FOR WINNING THE MISS USA TITLE, AND BEST OF LUCK IN THE MISS UNIVERSE COMPETITION REPRESENTING THE UNITED STATES.***

John Wesley Downey teaches at 4801 Woodway, one block west of the intersection of the West Loop and Woodway.   It's a 4 story office building with a sign in front that includes the names NAVIGANT and HQ GLOBAL WORKPLACES.

See John's biography and extensive background in the entertainment/media industry at the bottom of this page.   He is currently developing several film projects and raising funds for his feature film directing debut, Redhanded.   The screenplay is based on the novel of the same name, and the book has done very, very well on amazon.com this year.

COMMENTS FROM STUDENTS ON WHAT IT'S LIKE IN JOHN'S CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS:

(These comments are regarding John's weeknight on-camera acting classes.)

John went out of his way to design a program specifically tailored to each of the students' needs as an actor. This is the first acting class I've taken where the students acted more than the instructor lectured.
-Greg Mesler

First of all, John's class was the most constructive acting training I've ever had. I used to think that to be a good teacher that you had to be a drill sergeant type, but that's not true. Allowing people to get comfortable is better; it's also more conducive to the creative process.-Justin Alexander

John Wesley Downey really cares about the growth of his students. This is the first course that I have attended where the teacher asked "What would you like to work on?" John wrote scenes for each actor depending on their areas of weakness. He was concise and tactful in his critiques and constructive criticisms. I continued to feel myself grow throughout the weeks.-Nikki Donley

Here's feedback from some students in John's voice-over workshops:

The class was fun, interactive and I walked away gaining valuable experience. John is a great teacher with tons of knowledge and he made the class enjoyable - Carla Marsh

"I enjoyed the class, number 1 because it was a small class. It is difficult to go into something new and have a lot of people and not have an instructor who can give you personal attention, ESPECIALLY because it is so new to you. John was able to show attention and actually give feedback to you because the class was intimate. My number 2 reason I enjoyed it was because it was hands-on. No teacher speaking for 4 hours about technique and history and yawn yawn yawn. Of course it is important to understand the concepts and history of voice-overs, but it is also important for us to actually get to perform a few and have them critiqued. My final vote: Two Thumbs Up!" - Jennifer Lawson

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Read further down the page to learn how you can help support the chance for a new feature film to get made in Houston with a local cast and crew. It will be based on a novel by John Wesley Downey.

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May 31st, 2008 Workshop:
Acting for Tweens for the Big Screen

The class is especially designed for students age ten to fifteen, with scenes that relate to that age group.

John Wesley Downey will hold a workshop for on-camera acting basics from 10 am to 5pm on Saturday, May 31st, 2008 at 4801 Woodway.    LESS IS MORE.   Relax and let the camera do all the work.   Learn how to take direction, analyzing scene objectives, learning how to handle adjustments and above all, the reduction of tension are all apart of this all day workshop.   The class is especially designed for students age ten to fifteen, with scenes that relate to that age group.

Maximum of eight students allowed so that everyone will get plenty of attention and screen time.

The workshop is $ 75.00

To enroll call 713-513-4812.   To enroll by mail, send payment, along with contact info to:

John Wesley Downey

Suite 300 East

4801 Woodway

Houston, TX 77056

June 7th, 2008 Workshop:
Introduction to Voice-Over

John Wesley Downey will hold an Introduction to Voice-Over Workshop from 10 am to 5pm on Saturday, June 7th, 2008 at 4801 Woodway.   It's for newcomers to voice-over and we cover basic technique, radio and TV commercials, industrial narration and broadcasting.  Workshop includes LOTS of practice and constructive critiques in a supportive atmosphere. There is a brief lecture at the start, and then the rest of the day the students practice, perform and get critiqued.   In this workshop, you work on your skills.
(You must be 18 to take this class.)

Maximum of TEN students allowed.

The workshop is $ 75.00 Checks, cash and money orders accepted.

To enroll call 713-513-4812.   To enroll by mail, send payment, along with contact info to:

John Wesley Downey

Suite 300 East

4801 Woodway

Houston, TX 77056

You can email John at goodkarmajohn@earthlink.net

June 14th, 2008 Workshop:
Actors and Directors: Can't We All Just Get Along?

John Wesley Downey will hold a workshop for on-camera acting basics from 10 am to 5pm on Saturday, June 14th, 2008 at 4801 Woodway.   While most tasks in life require great effort, acting on camera is the opposite: the harder you try, the worse you look. LESS IS MORE.   Relax and let the camera do all the work.   And what about the boss?   We'll address the working relationship every actor must deal with: in working with directors. Learn how to take direction from capable directors, learn how to protect yourself from the dreaded "he doesn't have a clue and doesn't know want he wants" director.   Analyzing scene objectives, learning how to take adjustments (from directors who know what one is), and above all, the reduction of tension are all apart of this all day workshop.

(You must be 18 to take this class.)

Maximum of EIGHT students allowed so that everyone will get plenty of attention and screen time.

The workshop is $ 99.00 Checks, cash and money orders accepted.

To enroll call 713-513-4812.   To enroll by mail, send payment, along with contact info to:

John Wesley Downey

Suite 300 East

4801 Woodway

Houston, TX 77056

***Actors that also take the voice-over workshop on June 7th will only pay $ 75.00 for this workshop.***

JOIN THE E-MAILING LIST FOR WORKSHOP AND CLASS UPDATES!!!

If you would like to be added to an email notification list whenever a new class or workshop is added to the schedule, send an email to John at

goodkarmajohn@earthlink.net

and put the words MAILING LIST in the subject line. You will then receive regular email updates on classes and workshops.

JOHN WESLEY DOWNEY'S SUPERNATURAL MYSTERY NOVEL, REDHANDED

Will Mason has a big problem on his hands.   Blood.   No matter how many times he washes it away, it always come back.  Learn more about Will's story in John Wesley Downey's supernatural mystery novel, Redhanded.   The story is set in Houston and Sugar Land. It's a contemporary story with a spiritual edge.    John is planning on making it into a feature film, to be shot right here in Houston, and YOU can help that happen.    Order the paperback version of the novel right now.    The better the book sales, the more successful the book, which it makes it more likely that John can get the financial support to make REDHANDED in Houston, with a Houston cast and crew.    If you bring the novel to a workshop or class that John teaches, he'll be happy to autograph it for you.

To order your copy of Redhanded right now, and support the Houston film and creative community, click here:

http://www.amazon.com/Redhanded-Spiritual-John-Wesley-Downey/dp/1420875582/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209960145&sr=8-1

VOICE-OVER DEMOS

INTERESTED IN HAVING JOHN PRODUCE A VOICE-OVER DEMO FOR YOU?  EVERY ACTOR SHOULD HAVE ONE.   (Tuition paid to John for his voice-over workshop may be applied to the cost of having John produce a voice over demo for you.) The demos John produces are first rate and require more a full month of preparation, discussion, practice and critiques before John takes the client into a recording studio.   Your demo wil be  thoughtfully, carefully crafted and created to showcase your talents and voice to maximum effect.   For more information email John at goodkarmajohn@earthlink.net

INSTRUCTOR BACKGROUND:

JOHN WESLEY DOWNEY HAS WORKED IN BROADCASTING, MEDIA, AND ENTERTAINMENT HIS ENTIRE ADULT LIFE. HE HAS WORKED ON AIR IN RADIO IN HOUSTON SINCE HE WAS 13 YEARS OLD.

HE REPRESENTED OVER 2,000 ACTORS, MODELS AND VOICE-OVER TALENT WITH HIS OWN STATE-LICENSED TALENT AGENCY, GOOD KARMA MANAGEMENT, FROM 1996-2003.   DURING THAT TIME HE WORKED EXTENSIVELY WITH PRODUCERS, CASTING DIRECTORS, PRODUCTION COMPANIES, AD AGENCIES AND MOVIE STUDIOS.

HE IS CURRENTLY DEVELOPING A MOVIE PROJECT BASED ON HIS NOVEL, REDHANDED.   BUDGETED AT 2 MILLION DOLLARS, THE MOVIE WILL BE FILMED IN AND AROUND HOUSTON.   THE NOVEL IS AVAILABLE ON 25,000 COMMERCIAL WEBSITES WORLD-WIDE ON THE INTERNET.

IN EARLY APRIL, REDHANDED WAS IN THE TOP 1% OF ALL OF THE 3.3 MILLION BOOKS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.COM AND IT'S POPULARITY CONTINUES TO GROW.

JOHN'S BEEN TEACHING ACTING AND VOICE-OVER CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS SINCE 2002.