Jessica Benz
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Meet Nest Cam Outdoor (*plus a cougar)

7/15/2016

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You never know what's lurking outside! Check out this video I booked for the new weatherproof outdoor camera from Nest. Would have been cool to watch the cougar...but only from the inside!
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New Video | Logitech BASE

6/20/2016

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Hey, Siri!...
So cool to see and work with cutting edge technology like BASE from Logitech. Being an actor near Silicon Valley means you get to geek out on set a lot. I really like the hands-free features and the fact that it charges too! 
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New Photos | Headshots and Lifestyle

6/7/2016

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New photos give me that fresh-from-the-salon feeling (even now as I sit here typing in gray loungewear and messy hair) and it makes me smile. Here are some of my most recent photos taken by the lovely and talented Victoria Smith Bradley.
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Thank you for reading! Now I guess I'd better finally get dressed properly because I'm heading to SF for an audition. Hope your day is full of opportunity too!
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Louis M. Martini | #SeizeTheCabernet

5/27/2016

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California is a wonderful state because, among other wonders, it produces some of the most delicious food in the world. What a wonderful chance I had to work for a CA company that produces delicious wines, Louis M. Martini. Here are a few final media pieces from their Facebook campaign. Click the images for CA lifestyle videos on Facebook from Louis M. Martini from this shoot. Cheers!​
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Sketch Comedy Team | Secret Handshake Society

4/13/2016

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I'm excited to share that I'm now writing and performing on the house sketch comedy team at Sacramento Comedy Spot, Secret Handshake Society! Love that I get to create original content with some seriously funny like-minded people. Check out my performer page too!
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Tightening up the gears for Secret Handshake Society's April performance. (photo | @tina_jett)
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Secret Handshake Society performs the first Friday of every month. (photo | @tina_jett)
Fun Fact: The Sacramento Comedy Spot is the largest comedy school in Northern California. Owner, Brian Crall, tells all about it in this YouTube video. (Yes, I'm in there somewhere too.) 
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NEW! Voiceover Demo Reel

3/2/2016

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Yay! Another New Year's resolution checked off the list. Thanks to the talented team at Studio 24, I have a new voiceover demo. Check it out!
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Wonder What Studio Teachers Do?

2/26/2016

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Great behind the scenes look at studio teaching and set life!
"Director's Know: When Child Actor's Are On Set, The Studio Teacher Is In Charge"
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Image by Disney taken from article by NPR (link above)
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Hot from the Edit Bay | 2016 Comedy Reel

1/21/2016

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Studio Teaching | Technology on the Go

1/4/2016

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Setlife is nothing is not highly variable. As a studio teacher, it takes creativity and flexibility to support students learning on the go. Technology, in many ways, makes it easier than ever to make a seamless transition from the home classroom to the classroom on set. Here are some ways my students and I have used technology in our "classroom" on set and even on location:
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  • E-Collaboration: On the same shoot a high school student was able to email and text classmates throughout the day to get up to date assignments and images of class notes on the board from the day's lessons.

  • E-Textbooks: One student and I managed to rig a wifi hotspot on location near Mount Shasta so he could keep up with his math lessons and utilize reteaching and support modules too.
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  • Supplemental Learning:  Sometimes students are expected to learn new material and there just is not much support available from the text and regular teacher. (After all, he/she is teaching when we are in class too!) So when we come to challenging content, I frequently look for instructional videos on YouTube/TeacherTube or Khan Academy. It's amazing how much is out there!  I have links for these and other educational apps on a Symbaloo page linked from this website under Studio Teaching.  
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  • Apps: I learned the hard way that many of the Symbaloo buttons will not open up on a tablet as they do on a PC so I also have a number of apps set up on my personal tablet for use as supplemental instruction. Some do not require wifi which is great for those remote locations. One of my favorite programs both on set and during reading tutoring sessions is One Minute Reader. It's based on the Read Naturally program and is much more engaging and easy for students to use independently than the old program with paper copies and tape recordings. The app has five reading levels and places students with a quick and easy assessment.
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My portable classroom on a shoot in Truckee, CA with one suitcase for me and one suitcase for the students.
  • ​Fun and Entertainment: When the school day is over or the weekend has come, there is usually lots of time for students to hang out and have fun. I love learning new tips and getting fresh ideas from them.  One student set up his camera to take a time lapse video of the mountain sky. It was his first trip to the mountains and he was really impressed with the majesty of it all. (The poor kid spends all his time in Southern CA at the beach, rough! Haha.) I loved how his video turned out and set up my own camera to take one too. It's a happy little memory and so pretty.  You can see it on the right as well as on my Instagram page.

I'm working through the weekend. #myofficetoday #studioteaching

A video posted by Jessica Benz (@jessica__benz) on Aug 29, 2015 at 12:30pm PDT

So wherever a job takes me, I'm thankful to have technology to make students' jobs easier and more fun and engaging. Like on location at...
​Golden Gate Park
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​Grass Valley
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Napa
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​Historic Woodland
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And so many more. I'm excited to see what adventures await in 2016!
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Behind the Scenes | Lifestyle Modeling

11/22/2015

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On-camera work is great. Direct book work is extra great. Direct book work with a pal?! Well, that's just extra super great! Had the chance to do just that last week in Mill Valley with my pal (and talented artist), Kyle Lawson. Here's a peak behind the scenes. 
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I don't mean to brag, but our picnic skills are on point. Excuse me now while I update my resume. Haha!
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    Jessica Benz
    Mom | Actor | Studio Teacher

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