John D'Aquino's Young Actors Workshop

What John D'Aquino's Young Actors Workshop does

John D'Aquino's Young Actors Workshop (legal entity First Dog Corp, a California corporation) is a privately held acting school headquartered in Burbank, California that provides on-camera acting training to aspiring young actors ages 8 through their early 20s, with parents acting as the purchasing decision-makers. Founded by veteran actor John D'Aquino and inspired by his mentor Charles Nelson Reilly, the school serves both complete beginners and working professionals, and references a substantial alumni roster including actors with credits on Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Wednesday, A Minecraft Movie, Stranger Things, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, The Thundermans, To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Cobra Kai, and Last of Us / Euphoria.

The curriculum is built around proprietary acting techniques developed by John D'Aquino — the Active Interrogation Technique, Magic Rectangle Technique, Discovery Technique, and "Painting the White of the Page" approach to dialogue mastery. Instruction is delivered synchronously through Zoom for online classes and at The Actor's Group Studio in Burbank for in-person sessions, with regional workshops traveling to multiple US states. The school operates two sub-brands — Camp Hollywood (an on-set filming experience) and Camp Demo Reel (a four-day intensive producing a personal demo reel) — and offers auxiliary services including professional demo reel editing at $75/hour and one-on-one career consultations covering headshots, web presence, and agent/manager navigation.

Revenue is generated through a mix of recurring and transactional streams: monthly Unlimited Class subscriptions and single-class credit packages for core weekly instruction, private coaching sessions priced at $140–$185 depending on instructor, three-day workshops such as the $250 Improv Driven Scene Study cycle, and premium Camp Hollywood and Camp Demo Reel programs. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the school's website (johndaquino.net) and Acuity Scheduler for booking, with sessions available globally for Zoom and domestically for regional workshops. Marketing relies on alumni success stories, parent testimonials, social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube), email newsletters, and bottom-of-funnel industry guest showcases.

Name

John D'Aquino's Young Actors Workshop

Legal name

First Dog Corp

Website

https://johndaquino.net

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

John D'Aquino's Young Actors Workshop is a privately held, Burbank-based acting school delivering weekly on-camera classes, private coaching, workshops, and camps to aspiring young actors ages 8 through early 20s, taught by working professional actors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Acting Training

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts (Acting, Improv, Theater) (EDAAAGAE)

Keywords

• Acting classes
• On-camera training
• Private audition coaching
• Youth acting workshop
• Demo reel editing

Headquarters

HQ city

Burbank

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ongoing Classes: Weekly on-camera classes for different age groups offered via subscription (UNLIMITED CLASS) or single class credits. Subscription billed monthly until cancelled.
2. Private Coaching Sessions: One-on-one coaching sessions for audition preparation and training. Prices start at $140 per session with bulk and subscription discounts available.
3. Workshops: Three-day intensive workshops including Audition Prep, Episodic/Pilot Prep, Sketch Comedy, and specialty workshops. Pricing varies by workshop ($250 for Improv Driven Scene Study).
4. Camp Programs: Summer and seasonal camps including Camp Hollywood (with on-set filming experience) and Camp Demo Reel (filming intensive).
5. Demo Reel Editing: Professional editing services for actor demo reels at $75/hr with 1-2 week turnaround. Includes clip selection, color/sound adjustments, and format delivery.
6. Career Consultation: One-on-one career guidance sessions covering headshots, web presence, marketing materials, and career goal setting. Available as $65 add-on to private coaching.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

John D'Aquino's Young Actors Workshop provides on-camera acting training for young performers (ages 8-20s) through weekly recurring classes, one-on-one private coaching, intensives, and seasonal camps. Offerings cover audition technique, scene study, improvisation, on-camera performance, set etiquette, and career development, taught by working professional actors using proprietary methods developed by founder John D'Aquino.

Product overview

John D'Aquino's Young Actors Workshop is a comprehensive acting education business offering a curriculum for young actors ranging from beginners to working professionals. The core offering consists of ongoing weekly on-camera classes organized by age groups (Ages 8-11, 10-13, 11-17, 14-20's), taught by working professional actors. Supporting services include Private Coaching Sessions (starting at $140/session), Career Consultation ($65 add-on), and Demo Reel production ($75/hour). The workshop portfolio includes specialty programs such as Audition Prep Workshops (three-day intensives with industry guest feedback), Regional Workshops (traveling to various cities), Improv Driven Scene Study (four-week in-person workshops), and two camp programs: Camp Hollywood (overnight on-set experience) and Camp Demo Reel (four-day intensive with filmed scenes). Students can purchase single class credits or subscribe to monthly plans (UNLIMITED CLASS subscription). All instruction is delivered via working actors who provide practical, real-world training. Classes are conducted via Zoom for online sessions and at The Actor's Group Studio in Burbank for in-person workshops.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Camp Hollywood: A summer camp program offering hands-on film production experience and on-set training for young actors
• Camp Demo Reel
• Audition Prep Workshop

Products and services

• On-Camera Classes (Weekly Ongoing) Weekly recurring on-camera acting classes segmented by age group, taught by working professional actors covering audition technique, script analysis, character preparation, and on-camera performance. Designed for aspiring young actors from beginners through working professionals.
• Private Coaching Sessions One-on-one audition preparation and training sessions with named workshop coaches, priced per session with bulk package discounts. Targeted at students preparing for specific auditions or seeking accelerated skill development.
• Demo Reels Professional demo reel editing service including custom tailored reels, highlight reels from Camp Hollywood projects, strategic clip selection, color and sound adjustments, and multiple format delivery. Priced at $75 per hour with a 1-2 week turnaround.
• Audition Prep Workshop Three-day intensive workshop combining audition technique classes, one-on-one coaching, and an industry guest feedback showcase. Designed for young actors ages 9-20 seeking significant improvement in audition outcomes.
• Regional Workshops Weekend workshops delivered by John D'Aquino and team in cities across the U.S., covering topics such as Advanced Scene Study, Active Interrogation Technique, Magic Rectangle, Virtual Auditions, Self Tapes, and genre-specific performance training.
• Improv Driven Scene Study Workshop Four-week recurring workshop taught by Japheth Gordon blending improvisation, scene study, and on-camera technique. Held in person at The Actor's Group Studio in Burbank for students ages 14+; priced at $250 for the four-week cycle.
• Camp Hollywood Summer camp offering hands-on on-set film production experience with a professional crew and broadcast-quality HD equipment, combining acting instruction with real-world film set exposure.
• Camp Demo Reel Four-day intensive camp teaching script and scene preparation with on-camera technique, culminating in filming two scenes—one comedic and one dramatic—for the student's personal demo reel. First two days virtual; last two days in person in Los Angeles.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple alumni starring in major studio films and network television series
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Groundlings: LA-based improv and sketch comedy school offering ongoing classes, workshops, and performance showcases. Comparable in performing arts instruction, recurring class model, and reputation for launching working comedic performers.
• Lesly Kahn & Company: LA-based acting school specializing in on-camera audition technique and cold-read skills for working actors. Directly comparable in focus on camera-ready audition technique and ongoing class format, though it targets broader adult demographics.
• Second City Training Centre: Chicago-founded improv and comedy training center with Hollywood locations offering ongoing classes, workshops, and performance opportunities. Comparable as a performing arts education business with structured curriculum and professional instructor network.
• Catapult Acting Studios: Multi-city acting school (Atlanta, LA, online) offering on-camera classes, private coaching, and workshops; explicitly mentioned as a JDAW referral partner. Directly comparable in on-camera curriculum, recurring classes, and serving young adult actors.
• Anthony Meindl's Actor Workshop: Los Angeles-based acting school offering ongoing on-camera classes, workshops, and intensive programs for actors of all levels. Directly comparable in model (recurring classes, industry-oriented curriculum, working-actor instructors) and target demographic (aspiring to professional actors).
• Beverly Hills Playhouse: Iconic LA acting school founded by Milton Katselas offering ongoing technique-based acting classes taught by working professionals. Comparable in teaching methodology, ongoing class structure, and focus on serious aspiring actors, though it serves an older demographic than JDAW.
• The Acting Center: LA-based acting school offering ongoing on-camera classes, private coaching, and audition workshops. Comparable in on-camera focus, instructor credentials, and tiered pricing (subsidized classes through premium coaching).

Emerging players

• MasterClass: Online education platform offering celebrity-taught video courses including acting categories. Comparable as a scalable, online-first format for premium acting instruction, though it lacks JDAW's live coaching, real-time feedback, and audition-prep specialization.
• Improv MKE: Online improv comedy school and theater founded by Michelle Gilliam (a JDAW improv coach). Comparable in online-first performing arts education, recurring-class subscription model, and instructor-led format, though it focuses on improv rather than on-camera acting.

Broad incumbents

• Stella Adler Studio of Acting: Long-established NYC-LA acting school with broader curriculum including technique, scene study, and Shakespeare. Comparable as a professional acting school targeting serious actors, though it serves a wider age range and broader stylistic approach than JDAW's on-camera focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/JohnDAquinosYAW
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC7skjijHqmCZTYRnLaHqTOg
• Facebookfacebook.com/JohnDAquinosActorsWorkshops
• Instagraminstagram.com/johndaquinosaw/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about John D'Aquino's Young Actors Workshop