local storiesDecember 2, 2025

Meet Jordana Johns of Torrance

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordana Johns.

Hi Jordana, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi! I’m Jordana. My story starts a little further afield than my beautiful town of South Torrance. I was born across the pond in the Emerald Isle, Dublin, Ireland.
I own and run a music and acting school in South Torrance, The Creative Factory. The spark for The Creative Factory was ignited in 2022 when my twin boys were diagnosed with ASD (autism spectrum disorder). I had already enjoyed many years, in, around and adjacent to “The Biz”, one of those jobs, being a momager to my twins (actors). I realized there was a positive connection with neurodivergence and creativity and I wanted to share that positivity with others. My boys have already had huge success in Hollywood from appearing in many commercials and TV shows, to shooting supporting roles in a feature film this year. If my own boys could achieve such success despite being on the spectrum, why not other children?
Enter, The Creative Factory school and Foundation. It is a creative space where every voice is celebrated, and children can choose from a wide variety of schools of creative arts. All ages, all abilities – whether they are on the spectrum or not!
The benefits of the school are manyfold. On one layer, the children are learning skills like acting, singing, music, videography and dance. But deeper than that, they are igniting their creative spirit which in turn fuels confidence and develops essential life skills, such as confidence, self-expression, and problem-solving. They learn to understand themselves and others, advocate for themselves, and communicate effectively using 21st century skills— skills that will serve them well in any endeavor they pursue.

Our teaching method is called The KOI Method, a core principle I developed, which espouses the unlimited capability of all children when in the right environment. It recalls the story of the Koi fish my father used to tell her in my martial arts training. He said “If you keep a Koi fish in a teacup they will only grow to the size of a teacup. However, if you place them in a pond big enough, they will grow as big as they are meant to be.” Creating a space that is conducive to growth is essential for optimizing potential.

Our multi-space studio has a black box theatre with costumes and props; A music studio for jam sessions, solo instruments or vocal training; A dance studio for dance or stage combat; and a writers space.
Our classes have children of mixed abilities, ages, backgrounds and experiences. This is where the magic happens! We see kids teaching and leading. We see creatives collaborating. We see the shy kid come out of their shell. We see the domineering kid taking turns! We see laughter. And best of all, we get to experience what these kids create.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Our biggest obstacle has been holding out to get the right people on the bus. We wanted a teaching team that were not only experienced in their field but also had the right balance of EQ to IQ.
This definitely slowed down our launch. It is imperative that our kids feel safe, seen, and confident. This is the only place creativity can flourish. You could have lets say an amazing musician, but if he’s only focused on himself and his image and career, it’s never going to work out! We need leaders that are cheering for these kids and gently guiding them to their creative potential.
We are beyond blessed to have the team we have today. I am so grateful for the beautiful creative souls that have joined us on this mission!

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I was born with a love for the movies! As a little girl I used to stand wrapped in a towel after my bath and pretend my hairbrush was an Oscar! I used to write my own plays and convince the neighborhood kids to perform in them! My mom signed me up to be a background extra when I was around 8 years old. The first time I stood on a film set I knew I had to be involved. I remember being on set, wide eyed and my mouth hanging open taking in all the intricacies. (I’m still like this today, I remember talking to a prop woman for an hour about which kinds of leaves she sprinkles in a scene depending on the season and location!) I loved and still love every moving part.
I landed my first proper industry job when I was 16, as a stunt performer, filming a fight scene alongside the great Irish actor Stephen Rea. It was SO much fun. A group of thugs jumped me in a take-away restaurant. They were all really lovely guys in real life! But I still picked up a few bumps and bruises. I credit my martial arts training prepping me for that opportunity. I knew that black belt would come in handy one day!

I was hired as an assistant director at 17, but continued to take any role on any set that would have me! I was cast as Juliane Moore’s body double in the 2003 romcom Laws of Attraction, which introduced me to a full cast and crew of Americans!
As phenomenal the creative output of Ireland’s film scene is, it is a small pond. So I set my eyes on the mecca of filmmaking… Hollywood!

The next decade in California I put on every industry hat available on dozens of productions, from tiny indie films to billion-dollar franchises: actor, voice actor, stunt double, body double, producer, assistant director. I studied comedy, sketch comedy, improv, stage direction, digital film making, lighting, stage makeup, scene study, monologue performance, acting for camera, cold reading, and even got a degree as an entertainment paralegal. But teaching is my favorite role yet!

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
The Creative Factory Foundation is not only dedicated to providing classes at our center but also aims to extend these benefits to the broader community. Through scholarships, we offer underprivileged children access to our programs. Additionally, we partner with external organizations—schools, community centers, and non-profits—to deliver workshops that share our unique, blended curriculum with those who may not have access otherwise.

Our goal is to:
Provide Scholarships
Ensuring all children, regardless of their financial situation, can experience the magic of creativity and collaboration.

Bring Programs to the Community
By partnering with outside organizations, we bring our hands-on learning approach to those who need it most, both locally and regionally.

We need help to make these opportunities available to more children. By donating to our foundation and supporting ur mission, we will be able to:
Fund scholarships for students in need.
Bring our specialized workshops to underserved communities.
Continue developing our proprietary curriculum, blending arts and tech with life skills to create a well-rounded educational experience.

By donating to The Creative Factory Foundation, you are directly contributing to the empowerment and growth of children through creative expression, collaboration, and hands-on learning.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
My headshot photo only needs to be credited to, James Starkman Photography

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