Acting As a Business by Helene Goldnadel of International Creative Artists

Helene Goldnadel, the owner of International Creative Artists the post secondary acting school located in Irvine, CA, was SAG and AFTRA franchised agent in New York for ten years. She recently gave a seminar about the business of acting. Parents and talent who attended had some questions which Helene answered. This is the content of the questions and answer part of the speech. Helene Goldnadel, the owner of International Creative Artists, the post secondary acting school licensed in the State of California, is a renowned public speaker.

Her graduates have booked jobs in the film/TV industry within the past month and a half such as:

·         Connor G. 2 national Kodak commercials and a print job.

·         Wyatt Y. a co-star appearance on Judging Amy etc…

·         Patrick D.R. a promo with Comedy Central’s Reno 911

·         Magdalena a guest star appearance with Two and a half men and two guest star appearances on Reno 911

·         Elijah T. a Baby Einstein commercial

·         Jolene C. a Wachovia National commercial

·         Jackie H. a Disney national commercial

 

Helene has given numerous seminars and presentations on the subject of the auditioning process and the business of acting. Her new involvement is to have the information accessible on the net by anybody who ever had interest in acting. If you are not totally committed to the expressive art, she strongly recommends that you would not even bother reading further.

A child actor only exists because of committed parents or one committed parent who will take the child to auditions, be reliable and will be able to work in harmony with the child’s agent. The process of auditioning is for children, pre-teens, adults that love the camera. Helene Goldnadel expresses her thoughts here, responding to questions asked by a panel of twenty parents that gathered for the occasion. Here is the content of the tape.

 

TRAINING, IS IT ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY? "Without proper training," says Helene Goldnadel, "you cannot book work on camera. Modeling is the only thing you can do if you just look incredible, are tall, and extremely young and skinny! For that you can get away with learning as you go. Of course at International Creative Artists we have a teacher from Milan and she teaches you how to handle the still camera work, runway, hair, nails, make-up, the very important health and nutrition knowledge.

Not everyone qualifies for fashion modeling though. "Acting cannot become any type of serious professionally oriented endeavor if you don’t have the skills, if you don’t know how to book on camera work."

"At International Creative Artists," says Helene Goldnadel, "we combine education and the access to proper representation, since I happen to know top agents for having been one myself years ago in New York."

"We are a licensed school," she says, "and we have the best licensed teachers and the most outstanding placement program.

"What differs our institution from the "John Robert Powers," "John Casablancas," "Barbizon" of the world, is the fact that we have the most skilled teachers that have worked and taught in the film/TV industry for years and a placement program which no other school has since it has to do with the presence of agents that come in to audition our clients and can make you a career. The agents come in because they know me and trust my judgment, she continues, they also trust our programs and have experienced that they work.

Furthermore she says, "we don’t only train you in general acting studies, but we also work with you on each and every audition. That is called running lines!"

"This is a business of referral, says Helene. If you don’t have a manager you can’t get an agent if you don’t have an agent you can’t get a manager. Now talent agents don’t do open calls, only Modeling agencies do.

 

"HOW DO I (MY CHILD) GET AN AGENT?" If you are not close to any International Creative Artists locations, or you do not get accepted or your child by us, says Helene, you can try to submit a headshot to one of the agencies that are SAG and AFTRA franchised in LA. A standard 8X10 color headshot or some shot. They will probably not call you because of the lack of referral, but you never know. If you get that call and you’re not in class though, the agent will give you a short list of licensed schools and make mandatory your getting proper skills. The other good schools are all located in LA. We are the only one with locations in Orange County, CA and The Bay area. Now know that there is no work in Ohio or Texas! You may have to relocate to LA to do this.

 

"WHY DO I (MY CHILD) NEED AN AGENT?" Because if you don’t know what is being currently booked in the industry, you’re not going to make the audition! Agents get breakdowns. Those are job description that only agents get because of their being franchised by the Unions: Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of television and Radio Artists.SAG is the film Union. They also organize most commercials and show on TV such as sitcom and episodic dramas. AFTRA is the TV Union. They organize soap operas on TV and also voice over work on the radio.

 

”OKAY, I SUCCESSFULLY GOT AN AGENT THROUGH YOUR PLACEMENT PROGRAM, NOW WHAT?" Now every time you book a job on film, television, commercials you are going to give your agent 10% and every time you book a print job you will give your agent 20%.Your agent is going to send you to auditions. Hey, they have to pay for the Porsche and the Beverly Hills house! (Laughs) So let’s say your agent hears that there is a movie being made for which they need the next Dakota Fanning for instance. And oh well, it so happens that you have a daughter who could be just that! Your agent will submit her headshot to a casting director.A casting director is the person who decides to send the talent to producer so they make the final decision. Casting directors literally trim down the amount of people that go to producers. The producer however makes the final decision.

 

"WHAT IF MY DAUGHTER DOES NOT BOOK THE JOB?" She won’t a lot of the times! Out there, talent book one job out of thirty to ninety. International Creative Artists graduates book usually close to one out of fifteen! You still don’t book everything you go out on!

 

"HOW MUCH MONEY CAN MY CHILD MAKE?" Children make the same money as adults do. They book mostly commercials and print work is like the icing on the cake but is not as much money. Recently our graduate children have booked national commercials such as Mac Donald’s, Wachovia Bank, Baby Einstein, Boeing, Kodak, Fannie Mae, Hallmark etc…Etc… One of our kids (Wyatt York) booked a co-star appearance on Judging Amy and many more jobs. Result: He doesn’t have to worry about college anymore! A commercial can make you or your child anywhere between $10,000 to $200,000 a commercial, a year. Can you imagine if you are the Pinesol Lady, Jarred or the Sprint PCS guy?"This press release is not at all geared towards advertising international creative artist’s courses. It is meant to be informative.

Know more about Helen and her work http://www.rina-aiuchi.tv/