Talent in SA
Wednesday, May 05, 2010 - Young Australia Productions
Credited with sparking the rise of international artist, teen Operatic sensation, Grace Bawden, long before her appearance on national media, Young Australia Productions (YAP) is now ready to move into Talent Management for newcomers to the film and entertainment industry.
YAP Manager, Dale Ross, is 'YAP-ping' about the many small but significant successes the company has enjoyed in the past few years, but none more so than that of Grace Bawden. Dale was there at the very beginning, recognising Grace’s potential from the time she was 12. Dale helped design a marketing campaign concept which later brought Grace to the attention of Today Show Entertainment Editor, Richard Wilkins.
“It has never been more opportune to ramp up the help and support we can offer South Australian talent to grow and develop than now, given the wonderful team of independent Consultants which YAP had initially engaged to focus on developing and marketing small businesses. From this, we realised very quickly that we can help promote individual artists also,” Dale said.
The philosophy is really very simple. We operate from a position of abundance. There are enough resources and opportunities to go around as we share in the wealth of knowledge and expertise to create future opportunities for each other.
YAP’s team now includes Author and Promotions Consultant, Michael Russo, and Consulting Talent Manager and Managing Director of Grace Bawden Promotions Pty Ltd, Matilda Bawden. Grace’s mother, Matilda, has entered into a collaboration with YAP with the view to showing emerging artists the pathways for building a professional portfolio of work and identifying untapped opportunities that others would miss – a knowledge base that is often lacking for the novice, before they set out canvassing for agents, managers, promoters and other audition opportunities.
“Most would-be stars wouldn’t know that they can expect to pay upwards of AUD$45,000 per year – up-front - to be managed by some of the high-profile managers in this country that can plug them into opportunities and introductions to which they might aspire. Who wouldn’t want to be introduced to the CEO of a major label, a world-wide promoter or multi-award winning producer that way? And that’s fine if you have the resources and assets behind you that won’t send your family broke or result in losing your home over such a gamble.
However, in truth, most Mums and Dads don’t have access to such resources, regardless of how much they would want to sacrifice for their kids.”
“As a parent, if I had had access to this kind of information and advice from those who went before me before I had set out on this “journey of discovery”, I’d have saved myself many tens of thousands of dollars in lost family time and mortgage money, but I had to learn things the hard way and that can give you a rude awakening.”
With artists and parents alike from as far away as the United States, United Kingdom and Austral-Asia seeking her advice and support, Matilda, who was also formerly a Careers Advisor, is seen as a mentor to many and she is happy to share her knowledge as graciously as those who had helped nurture and guide Grace’s career.
Matilda said “In pursuit of the ever-illusive “big break”, there are often tangible opportunities lost that the new artist would never spot for themselves. “
“At best, most local artists, face the prospect of endlessly partaking in bogus “talent quests” that are little more than karaoke nights, but with the vague promise of introductions by anonymous talent scouts to big-name promoters, agents, record label executives and producers that never comes to pass - even if you win! Invariably parents pay hand-over-fist for these purported opportunities, throwing away good money after bad, for the mere promise of “the big break” or “discovery” that, in fact, never existed.”
“We make no such outlandish promises”, Dale said, “but we can promise to give you the best advice we can acquire from our own collective experiences. We develop real opportunities for local talent or we guarantee your money back. That’s got to be priceless.”
For further information any time, please contact YAP on 8463 1034 or 0412 836 685 or email
