TEMECULA – If you ask Diane and Scott Stand, partners and founders of JDS Studios, what 2021 has looked like, their answer would be “eventful.” The two never gave in to the limitations of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through its many outlets: JDS Creative Academy, JDS Video & Media Productions Inc., “Spirit of Innovation,” JDS Actors Studio and DigiFest Temecula – JDS Studios never skipped a beat.
JDS Creative Academy facilitated their Title-17 video production job-training program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The program requires the practice of technical and soft skills to prepare them for the social and workload demands of a real job or internship. When the world had to adjust to a remote environment back in 2020, the #JDSFamily was no exception to stopping the spread and went completely remote. The participants and staff rose to the challenge and implemented ambitious efforts to keep the program up and running successfully via Zoom. Writing staff still wrote, post-production staff still edited content and teaching staff continued to engage participants with hands-on instruction, and their radio broadcast stayed on the air seven days a week, three times a day on 102.5-FM The Vine.
The #JDSFamily worked hard to keep everything going through the shut downs; the staff rejoiced when they returned to the studio in February with COVID-safety regulations in place, creating content, team building and breaking down barriers. Not only was the JDS Creative Academy staff welcomed back into the studio, the participants were able to follow in April, and the doors opened up to the community in June with JDS Creative Academy’s acclaimed summer camp program and performance.
“Spirit of Innovation,” JDS Creative Academy’s broadcasted and live-streamed, magazine-style local news television program for Riverside County, was on its game, never missing an episode in 2021. The #JDSFamily continued to go out on location for production, collect interviews via Zoom and edit quality content delivering the need-to-know and good-to-know news for the community. As things changed, longtime host Gabriella Venturo departed from the show and the #JDSFamily welcomed Mia Digenan as the new host of “Spirit of Innovation.”
JDS Video & Media Productions had one of its best years yet with Strand constantly in the spotlight and showing how women in business do it. Strand became a published author in 2021; a two-time interviewee for Authority Magazine and Thrive Global and a guest on podcasts “Shut Up and Grind!” with Robert B. Foster, “Remarkable Radio” and “Monday Morning Coffee” with Stevie Dawn, Ph.D. She was also the keynote speaker for the 2021 Digital Media Education Conference. JDS Video & Media Productions continued to serve their longtime clients such as Abbott and Temecula Valley Unified School District. JDS Inc. also created many virtual tours in 2021; one of their favorites was the History of Vail Ranch commissioned by the Temecula Valley Historical Society. Thanks to the resilience of the #JDSFamily production team, JDS Video & Media Productions never missed a chance to serve their clients.
JDS Actors Studio thrived as well in 2021. The actors adjusted to Zoom acting classes but were happy to be back in person in May 2021. The Actors Studio presented its first industry showcase in August since March 2020. Actors performed for Hollywood agents and managers and over 80% of the actors received offers of representation.
DigiFest Temecula was virtual but was able to return from the reinvented DigiDay in 2020 to its original three-day format in 2021, which was as strong as ever for its fifth year, welcoming top speakers and presenters into the studio to deliver their golden nuggets of wisdom. DigiFest 2021 also would not have been what it was without all the digital artists that submitted their work, vying for the coveted Digi Awards. With all the success of the past, #DigiFest22 is expected to be their biggest event to date, taking place Friday to Sunday, April 22-24. Competition submissions are being accepted until March 25 at http://DigiFestTemecula.org.
“As the #JDSFamily looks back on the year they’ve had, they feel so much gratitude to the community for their continued support, flexibility and understanding as we’ve asked everyone to please keep their masks on,” Strand said. “JDS Creative Academy loves the #JDSFamily and thanks them for making a year of many changes and challenges as memorable and as successful as it was.”
JDS Studios looked ahead to 2022. JDS Actors Studio came back with the Teen Class, Adult Acting, Little Toddlers and Youth Acting in January. JDS Creative Academy classes will open with Fashion and Backstage Production at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26, and Scriptwriting at 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 31. Musical Theater auditions for “West Side Story” will be held Thursday, Jan. 27, at 5 p.m.
For more information, visit http://JDSCreativeAcademy.org. Enrollment opportunities are available now and inquiries can be made by calling 951-296-6715.
The best of what JDS Studios has to offer is yet to come in 2022.
Submitted by JDS Studios.
