Introducing Tae Brooks

I’m not sure what it is about Tae Brooks I like so much. Is it the natural exuberance beaming out at me in his videos? The clear bright voice which even sounds great a capella – like in his cover of Soldier by Gavin de Graw? Or is it the unpretentious teen-swag style that loves to have fun singing? Maybe it’s all these plus a fine professional precision in a flexible voice able to sing both suave and soft as well as Hip Hop teeny crush tunes.

Taelyn Bryce Brooks, who is 14 until October, came from Cincinnati to LA with his family to get closer to the entertainment scene. His mom and brother shoot very pro-looking videos of him and their home studio creates a superb sound. His brother produces, edits and also plays guitar for some songs. Which leads me to another thing I like: the family concept behind the music!

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Jake & Jasper: A Ferret Tale (2011)

“Sometimes all you need is a little friendship.”

I found out about the short film Jake & Jasper: A Ferret Tale about a year ago, thanks to a Twitter message which led me to a creative fundraising clip posted on YouTube. In the months that followed, I witnessed how the idea of a film focusing on the friendship of a young boy and a ferret got many supporters as the word about it spread across the social networks. Today, I am happy to review it for the readers of theskykid.com.

Jake (Connor Stanhope) is a young boy who is struggling to come to terms with the passing of his mother. Overwhelmed with grief, he withdraws from his friends at school. He has lost a pillar of his life. He’s confused and suffers from sudden mood swings ranging from depression at home to aggressiveness at school where he is weary about showing his sadness openly. He feels misunderstood by his father, whose own grief incapacitates his abilities to emotionally support his son. Jake’s older sister gives him a pet ferret named Jasper, hoping that Jake will find in Jasper a friend who will help him move past the harsh time of his young life.

The story felt familiar – a lonely boy and his special animal friend (made me recall similar themes from Coming-of-Age masterpieces such as Lassie, Flipper and Shilo). Yet the fact the boy’s pet was a ferret instead of the commonly portrayed larger animals in the movies such dogs, cats, horses or dolphins – did make a difference. Small animals like ferrets convey a sense of harmlessness, helplessness and innocence and these characteristics spill onto the protagonist by association. The playfulness of Jasper, and the affection he displayed towards his new friend, contributed greatly towards the cuteness factor of the movie. That being said, the familiarity of the theme made the story story utterly predicable. And if it were not for the excellent performance of the young Connor Stanhope in the lead role, the beautiful cinematography and soundtrack, I would have been disappointed.

Some would argue that the short format does not allow for a challenging and innovative story plot. And while the movie succeeded in getting me to sympathize with Jake and his struggle, I believe that an element of surprise could have greatly benefited the story.

The death of a loved one is a commonly addressed theme in films belonging to the Coming-of-Age genre. Jake & Jasper: A Ferret Tale offers one solution to the issue of children dealing with grief – the friendship of an animal. The simple story and the family friendly nature of the film guarantee that this movie will appeal to people of different age groups. Young audiences will be drawn by the cheeky playfulness of the ferret, while older viewers are likely to be taken in by the emotional portrayal of grief and convalescence.

Jake & Jasper: A Ferret Tale Trailer

httpv://youtu.be/ECS91vMr89g

I would like to express my gratitude to the film’s director, Alison Parker, for providing a review copy for the readers of TheSkyKid.com.

You can find more about the film by visiting its Official Web-Site.

Project X – The Musical

An Interview With Eric Gelb

One of the principal missions of TheSkyKid.com is to support young talent in music and the performing arts. That is why we were excited when thirteen-year old Eric Gelb contacted us. Eric, as it turns out, wrote, co-directs and stars in Project X – a Musical — a production focusing on the Coming-of-Age experiences of four teens on their voyage to adulthood. He started working with his best friend and Norup International School classmate Ryan Hurley on the full-length script of the musical in 2010.

The protagonists of the story have just entered Middle School and are struggling to fit in with their peers while trying to stay true to oneself. The issues tackled in the musical include peer pressure, popularity, friendship and making decisions. Those are just few of the numerous challenges children face during the Middle School years, a time of life when most of us learn a lot about ourselves – who we really are.

In Project X – the Musical, the story of teenagers is told by teenagers. The show is currently touring the Detroit area. We caught up with Eric for an exclusive interview for the readers of the SkyKid.com.

Eric Gelb (1st from right) and cast members of Project X – The Musical

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Cyber Bullying

The Internet has created a lot of possibilities for young singers and musicians to showcase their talents and interact with their fans. Unfortunately, the coin has two sides – as the relative anonymity online is abused by individuals with criminal intentions. Cyber Bullying is defined as the use of the Internet and related technologies to harm other people, in a deliberate, repeated, and hostile manner. This type of bullying is not any less dangerous to people than its offline counterpart. The worst form of such offences involves children being victimized.

Recently, one of the young singers featured on TheSkyKid.com was exposed to the dark side of the Internet. Someone put a lot of effort into impersonating him by setting up a website, Twitter account, Facebook account …etc. On that fake website, the criminal (because this constitutes a crime alongside identity theft and aggravated harassment) published information that constituted a Defamatory Libel (deliberate publication of defamatory lies, which the publisher knows to be false). The information was made to sound as if it was coming from the singer himself. This person went even further by inventing false “personal confessions” targeted to hurt the reputation and well-being of that singer.

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Introducing Jack Cassidy

When you hear the name ‘Cassidy’ spoken in the same sentence with the word ‘music,’ some older readers of theskykid.com might be tempted to think of 70s teen sensation David Cassidy, or his heartthrob brother Shaun Cassidy. They were popular singers in their day, made more so, especially with teen girls, thanks to TV — David’s The Partridge Family and Shaun’s role in the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries. Even older readers, on the other hand, might see the name Jack Cassidy and think of the late Jack Cassidy, father of the above-named sensations, and an actor who died many years ago in a house fire.

Well, Minnesota’s Jack Cassidy is none of the above. He’s a much younger performer with a full life of music ahead of him. Even at just 13-years-old, Jack is well-known in gospel circles in his home state. Although he is an emerging recording artist, he is also currently a soloist at his local church. He has sung songs such as The More I Seek You, Be Still My Soul, and America the Beautiful for large crowds and on video.

Jack started singing at the age of three and has taken part in concerts with The Cassidy Brothers, four actual brothers from Jack’s family who are recording artists and popular performers. Later, he won major roles in a number of school productions including Scrooge. In recent years, he won an award after performing in his home state, and also sung with Mary Beth Carlson in December of 2011. Jack’s fame is growing, thanks to the power of Facebook and other internet tools. Listener reviews indicate that he sings with meaning and obvious feeling.

This young talent was influenced by singers such as Michael Buble and Stevie Wonder. He also enjoys listening to music by The Beatles and The Cassidy Brothers. His own grandfather, named Jim Cassidy, was another influence. But his most important inspiration is Jesus, Jack says, and it is Him the young man most often sings about. Young Jack sings because he knows his voice and his message make people feel good. Others describe his voice as smooth and soothing, and the teenager knows he has a gift. You can hear him singing on his uncles’ debut album Sweet Spirit.

These days, establishing a fan base on YouTube is as important as convincing a recording studio that you have what it takes to sell records. As seen in the case of Justin Bieber, even very young individuals playing music and working hard can become successful before they even turn 20, if they have something special to offer. With his talent and drive, Jack Cassidy could very well become one of these success stories.

Introducing Frank Dixon

Singing Sensation Frank Dixon

Continues To Win Awards

Thirteen-year-old Frank Dixon is a fast-rising singing star from Australia, who is known for the original music and lyrics of songs he performs himself. He has already won numerous awards and added another the first weekend in March 2012. At the Youth Singer-Songwriters Competition at the Sydney Road Festival held in Brunswick, Melbourne, on March 4, Dixon won first place.

The young singer and his original music have been available for viewing on YouTube for more than two years. It was this exposure on YouTube which brought him to the attention of a management company in Los Angeles. The blonde-headed, blue-eyed Dixon commutes between Australia and LA. In California, he is recording his own music and working with Grammy Award winning producers. Back in Australia, Dixon is continuing to study at the David Jaanz School of Singing and to receive vocal coaching twice a week from David Jaanz, considered the top in his field in Australia.

Frank Dixon’s first video clip for his original song Moving On

httpv://youtu.be/Tw-9bHgmebY

Dixon’s songs have been compared to those of Elton John and Billy Joel. His writing style is said to echo their work from the mid-1970s. Another aspect of Dixon’s songwriting is that he writes to touch the heart of his audience.

Dixon as a Singer, Actor

By the time Dixon was 11-years-old, he had released his second single on YouTube and was performing regularly in and around Melbourne and Brisbane. Ever busy, this young man was touring with the Young Voices of Melbourne, and performing with the choir in the Gold Coast and Brisbane. Also by that age, Dixon was doing back-up vocals for the group Miami Horror – Imagination.

He is the youngest singer to have ever performed at the prestigious Bennetts Lane, a well-known and popular jazz venue. There, he performed his original song I Told You So in a show called An Evening of Original Artists. He was named the winner of the 2010 Dream Inc. singer/songwriter prize. Part of the prize was a development deal that brought him into the sphere of professional musical producers.

Frank Dixon performing at the prestigious Bennetts Lane

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0qiwK6sNcE

While Dixon’s career as a musician appears to be soaring, his acting has not been neglected. The young singer/songwriter/actor/model was selected to play the role of The Boy in the Melbourne season of Waiting for Godot. The cast was led by the incomparable actor Sir Ian McKellen. Dixon also won a role in the Wizard of Oz and has acted in seven films. The largest and best known of these being An Illness at the House. In addition, Dixon has been employed on Channel 7’s Sunday Night program.

Among his works are Lost In This World, from 2012; City of Flashing Lights, called a masterpiece by one reviewer; Nothing Left; and Jigsaw, along with numerous others. At the tender age of 11, following the Queensland Flood, Dixon wrote Heartache in the Water as a tribute to victims of the disaster.

We encourage you to follow Frank on Twitter and Facebook and YouTube .

Don`t hesitate to spread the word about the talented young singer by sharing this article with your friends.

4th Annual Coming-of-Age Movie Awards Recipients Named

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6H3R9Y1z8s

The Coming-of-Age Movie Awards recognize excellence in eight categories, for films in that genre released during 2011.

The categories are: Best Actor, Best Newcomer, Best Performance in a TV Film, Best Cinematography, Coming-of-Age Value, Special Soundtrack, Best Short Film and Best International Film.

More than three thousand people from across the globe participated in the voting process at TheSkyKid.com – a site focusing on young talent in music and the performing arts and in adolescent development.

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This Special Friendship (1964)

I have wanted to view this film for quite some time but never got around seeing it or struggled to find a copy. Well, I’ve finally seen it.

It could be argued that character arcs are somewhat absent in this film, but I think it has the classic structure of a tragedy. The storyline follows an unlikely friendship between a 16-year-old and a 12-year-old who attended a strict Catholic boarding school in the 1920s.

The special friendship featured in this heartbreaking and impactful film took place at a time and place when certain thoughts or doings were deemed very wrong. It was an environment in which purity was number one on the list. It is a beautiful and, at the same time, gut-wrenching relationship. At times, one may question the protagonists’ motives. Above all, it is a strong tale of friendship and the outside forces that can disrupt friendship.

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Christopher McGinnis on The Mystery Artist Show

Since starting the Mystery Artist Show on TheSkyKid.com radio, this only makes the third interview that I’ve done so far. That being said, I must say that, for someone who is only 14-years-old, Christopher McGinnis is definitely someone you should keep your eyes on. Since he is so diverse, involved in so many fields, I wouldn’t doubt it one bit if he was to become famous in at least one of those fields.

It was an extreme pleasure doing the interview with Christopher, but I must say that it wouldn’t have been possible without his mother Michele. So I’d also like to thank her for allowing this to happen.

Note: This interview is transcription of the original interview aired on TheSkyKid.com radio on 19.02.2012. The clip included below features the whole interview and snippets of the songs that were played during the live broadcast. In this transcript, “MA” will represent the questions posed by the Mystery Artist’s Show and “CM” will be Christopher’s answers.

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First Love in Coming-of-Age Movies

Coming-of-Age films touch a special part in the hearts of everyone. When you watch a first love relationship in a movie, you are transported back to your own experiences. Not only do these films cause you to reminisce about your first love, but often you also recall the pain of your first heartbreak. Although the times you are remembering may have been painful, they are nostalgic glimpses into the past.

Typically, these films are categorized as Coming-of-age movies. They often involve themes surrounding rites of passage for teens and young adults. The plot is usually based on a first love or heartbreak, conflicts and rebellion with parents, and teen troubles or fears. It is not uncommon for these usually serious subjects to be played down or made light of in these films.

The first love experience can be portrayed differently in a Coming-of-Age film, depending on the sub-genre to which they belong. The 1991 drama My Girl, starring Macaulay Culkin and Anna Chlumsky, is just about the most stereotypical film about growing up and adolescent love that exists. The young actors deliver impressive performances, and their story is guaranteed to bring you back to the days of that magical first kiss. You remember your’s, don’t you?

Tender-hearted Coming-of-Age romance is also present in the 2005 film Little Manhattan – a brilliant story providing a great insight into that age when interest in girls is such a new and scary transition for a confused young boy. A romantic comedy about two youngsters in New York, Little Manhattan is a feel-good movie with a young protagonist one can easily identify with, thanks to the first-person narration and adorably sincere portrayal of young love.

Compared to the two examples given above, the 2008 Swedish masterpiece Let the Right One In (Låt den rätte komma in) provides a unique mixture of horror and Coming-of-Age experiences. A human boy and a vampire – an impossible love, a mixture of affection and empathy in a young person’s life – and the sacrifices one is ready to make for a loved one.

An unusual first love in Let the Right One In

Though young protagonists in Coming-of-Age films focusing on first love are predominately boy and girl, same-sex attractions in movies have not been neglected either. While this remains a taboo theme for many, films such as the French Amitiés particulières, Les (This Special Friendship) and the Danish Du er ikke alene (You Are Not Alone), offer as beautiful and heart touching portrayal of the first love experience as those in which the protagonists are the traditional girl and boy characters.

Some of the Coming-of-Age films with a focus on first love that has been reviewed at TheSkykid.com include the Norwegian film Totally True Love, the 1994 French Quand j’avais cinq ans je m’ai tué (When I Was Five I Killed Myself) – which features a complicated plot involving romance, psychology and loss of innocence. Others are 2010 Flipped that provides a rather intriguing take on the familiar “boy meets girl” theme by giving us a glimpse of both the boy’s and the girl’s mentalities, the 2008 film Kisses, and the sweet short film from Australia Marry Me.

This type of movie often is in a high school setting or involves characters in that age group. Some early examples of this type of film are the beach movies made in the 1950s and 1960s. The films involved the typical first love, breakups, peer conflicts, parent conflicts, and other identity issues often faced by adolescents.

First love …

Depending on the film’s cultural context, the code of conduct and principles will vary. However, they typically include subjects like high school, proms, relationships, cliques, social groups, and parties. Many films have been set in a high school located in a very affluent town or one set in the ghetto. While the teen may be rich or poor, they all encounter the same personal challenges of Coming-of-Age.

It is typical for teen movies to be based on American pop culture. They tend to be stereotypical and include such popular themes as the rebel, the jock and the cheerleader, misfits and geeks, the new kid in school, the loner, the girl next door, or the band geek.

Setting these films in or around a high school makes it easy to include and show the different social groups and cliques. In this type of setting, there are so many different groups that can carry out the storyline. The variety in the social groups also allows a lot of room for setting up conflicts.

No matter how old you are or what part of town you lived in growing up, there is a film that has been made that you can relate to. Over the years, the same conflicts and challenges of teenagers and young adults have been portrayed in various films. The times may change, but the subject matter stays the same.

Regardless of which first love Coming-of-Age movie you choose to watch, you will be able to find a connection to your past. Just as you can relate to the movie’s subject, so too make the teen and young adults who watch them today—the only difference between the movies of the ’50s and ’60s in the year. Throughout history, the challenges of being a teen have stayed the same.

Do you have a favourite movie that brings you back to the wonders of first love?

Giuseppe Bausilio and Life After Billy: An Interview

Hi Giuseppe and thank you for agreeing to this interview with theskykid.com.

You’ve had a pretty exciting last couple of years starring in Billy Elliot the Musical (BETM), which has included moving to the US from your native Switzerland and then playing the title role with three different casts of the show: in Chicago, all over the USA with the National Tour and then on Broadway. That had to have been a very hectic time during which you were “in the spotlight”, both literally and figuratively.

We thought we’d visit with you, now that the Billy spotlight has been turned off, to update your many fans as to what life is like for you after Billy. It’s been three months since your last show on Broadway and a month after the show closed there, which included the big finale that you participated in.

Note: For this interview, the questions posed by theskykid.com will be represented by an “SK” and “GB” will indicate Giuseppe’s answers. To view captions on any of the pictures in this article, just run your cursor over the picture.

The Interview

SK: For those readers of theskykid.com who may not have followed your career as Billy Elliot, what was your pre-Billy training like? You started out as a dancer, correct?

GB: Yes, I did start out as a dancer. And that was really all I knew. Up until I was discovered by Nora Brennan (Kids Casting Director for Billy Elliot The Musical) at the World Dance Competition “Youth America Grand Prix” where I was 3^rd in the World. I was very excited. And then, because of Billy, I started doing Tap, Acrobatics, Singing, and the Acting just came along.

Giuseppe as Billy Elliot

SK: Could you just briefly recap what the process was like being “discovered” for BETM and then the training/rehearsal process leading up to your debut?

GB: It was hard, intense but FUN work. After I was discovered by Nora Brennan, I was training every day (as I had before), but this time I had to also fit Tap and Acrobatics into my schedule. It wasn’t too different. At the callback, I was at the same level of Tap as all the others. I had improved a lot in Acrobatics. And I really liked it.

SK: What were some of the highlights of your time as Billy – things that you’ll always remember about that experience?

GB: The thing that most impressed me was the fans traveling all over the US to support the show. Some of them became really good friends and I started to find out that they had the same passion as the actors and re-lived it through the actors on stage. I really miss the fans I don’t get to see a lot. They gave us a lot of power and energy on stage. I will also remember all the good times I had in and outside the theater. Of course, there were also the awesome press events, which I loved doing.

SK: So now the glare of that bright Billy spotlight is off. Those hectic days of rehearsal and training and performing in the show have ended. In these post Billy days, what is a typical day like for Giuseppe Bausilio?

GB: I usually take two ballet classes a day with my mother. And then I have rehearsal for competitions. Then I have some Acting, Singing, Acrobatic and Tap lessons. Or Guitar. I do school work. Sometimes I go home to Switzerland.

SK: Doesn’t sound all that different from your days as a Billy. Speaking of schooling, how are you continuing your academic schooling now that you don’t have the tutoring at BETM?

GB: I do Virtual Schooling, which is online, with online teachers and everything you would have in a regular school program. It definitely also teaches me discipline.

SK: Is dance still your primary focus? Are you doing any formal dance training?

GB: Yes, I dance every day about 4 to 5 hours. I also sing and act. I like to keep my options open. And I wouldn’t dare lose all the things I learned in Billy Elliot the Musical.

SK: So you’re taking most of your dance training from your mother now. What about the singing, acting and acrobatics? From whom do you take that training?

I still do formal singing/acting/acrobatics training. I sing with Amelia DeMayo, take acting lessons with Susan Batson Studios/Jagger Kaye’s “Castings n’ Classes”/TVI… and also a couple of others. I take acrobatics at Chelsea Piers.

SK: We hear through the grapevine that you have a couple of very exciting projects coming up in the near term: The Gala in Paris and the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) competition in New York City. Could you tell us when they will happen, what each of those involves and how you’re preparing for them?

GB: The Youth America Grand Prix starts on April 22, 2012 and finishes on April 26, 2012. Then comes the Gala in Annecy, in France, where I will dance with my brother (Editor’s Note: Giuseppe’s brother, Yannick Bittencourt, is a soloist with The Paris Opera Ballet). And then I have another competition in Paris. YAGP is a competition, for which I train 1-1¹/₂ hours a day with my mother. Chausson D’or is an International competition, and I also train 1-1¹/₂hours a day with my Mother for that. For both of those, sometimes my father and brother also see me through Skype. Annecy is a competition, but this year they have asked me to dance at the Gala there. I’m very excited for all of them.

Giuseppe Dancing in the 2011 YAGP

SK: We know from several articles published about you over the past couple of years that, aside from performing, you have a variety of other interests ranging from blacksmithing to cooking. Please talk about your hobbies and if you’ve found time to participate in any of them recently.

GB: I love cooking and baking, and I always do it at home where I sometimes cook for my family. I make really good cookies too. I also love Blacksmithing. It has always felt really natural working with iron and metals. I do a lot of sports. For example: Boxing, Soccer, Football, Ice Hockey, Fencing, Swimming… and there are many others. I’m also very handy, which I learned from my father. I help my mother with her new ballet school “AS Ballet NY”, where I both study and train dancers.

SK: How’s your dog? Is he in America with you now?

GB: I actually have 2 dogs — Billy and Fina. Billy is with my mom and me in the USA. He comes back with us to Switzerland when we go. Fina, who is in Switzerland right now, comes with my dad to the USA. I love both of them.

Giuseppe playing with his dog “Billy” while in Durham, NC at the start of the BETM US Tour

SK: Besides the performance projects we’ve already mentioned, do you have any others on the horizon for 2012 or beyond?

GB: I am going to record some songs Thommie Retter wrote, take some Master Classes at colleges, and act in some large/lower budget movies. And, of course, there are the ongoing auditions for various other projects.

SK: Is there anything else about Giuseppe Bausilio that you’d like to share with our readers that we haven’t specifically asked about?

GB: I really thank my parents for giving me such a big opportunity.

SK: Is there anything you’d like to say to your many fans?

GB: Thank you so much for all the support all of you have given me. And I really want you all to know that I appreciate every second of that support.

We’d like to thank Giuseppe for taking time for this interview so as to update his many fans on how his “Life After Billy” is going. There is no doubt this talented and personable young man will go far in the entertainment world, if that’s where his desires take him. We wish him all the best on that journey.

For more information about Giuseppe: visit his website, read his Billy Elliot profile or visit his thread at Billy Elliot the Forum

Tomorrow Will Be Better (2011)

“I know that many of us hope that life is better, different, and more beautiful somewhere else. Wherever that is…”

_{Dorota Kedzierzawska}

Having previously seen the Polish Coming-of-Age film Jestem (I am), when I found out that the 2011 film Tomorrow Will Be Better (Jutro bedzie lepiej) was also directed by the outstanding filmmaker Dorota Kedzierzawska, I knew that I had to watch it. And, when I did, I was not disappointed. Present was the familiar artful photography and camerawork of Arthur Reinhart, which made an impression on me while watching Jestem. That, combined with Dorota’s dexterous directing of the young actors, created in Tomorrow Will Be Better a beautiful visual poem of childhood and hope – which reminded me why many think of cinema as the seventh art.

Just like the meaning of a poem can sometimes be hard to grasp, the plot of Tomorrow Will Be Better does not offer much story development. However, the lack of complex or dramatic scenes does not hinder this film. On the contrary, instead of seeking out meaning, one is overpowered by the visual aesthetics and the charming appearance and talent of six-year-old Oleg Ryba (whom I took for a girl at first), his brother (11-year-old Jewgienij Ryba -one of the most expressive young actors I have ever seen) and 11-year-old Kinga Walenkiewicz . They play the roles of homeless boys who live in a railway station in an unnamed Russian city.

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TheSkyKid.com

TheSKyKid.com

“Sometimes all you need is a little friendship.”

Singing Sensation Frank Dixon

Continues To Win Awards

Dixon as a Singer, Actor

“I know that many of us hope that life is better, different, and more beautiful somewhere else. Wherever that is…”