YOTV Presenter from Take 10 Casting

Well done to Imran Goga ( age  21 yrs) who was cast as a YOTV presenter for the new series of the children's show Zenzele which will be screened on SABC 1 in the New Year. His character is Ridiculous Roger and he will help to show case children's talents.


Imran attended the Helen O'Grady Drama Academy Johannesburg part time  for 5 years and he is now studying Film and Direction at AFDA! Imran is a  very talented actor and his role as one of the Ugly sisters in Cinderella was one of his greatest performances at the drama academy.



Imran is on the  left!



Lead boy in Ian Gabriel's " Four Corners"

We are very proud of Jezreil Skei ( age 13 yrs) who was cast for the lead ( Ricardo ) in a South African film " Four Corners". The director ,Ian Gabriel's award winning feature film FORGIVENESS received critical acclaim worldwide, and was heralded in a recent CNN report as one of ten best African films of the last decade http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/21/world/africa/best-african-movies/index.html.

Jezreil or Jezzie as he likes to be known, was selected from hundreds of boys auditioned in Johannesburg and Cape Town to take on this very demanding role. He spent 7 weeks in Cape Town shooting the film. It was an amazing experience for him as he had to learn to play chess, had weaponry training as well as learn the way of life in the Cape Flats.

Jezzie attends the Morningside branch of The Helen O 'Grady Drama Academy in Johannesburg. Our internationally acclaimed drama programme has certainly helped many of our students to achieve success in securing roles in the film and TV  industry.

Four Corners is a coming of age story about a young boy at the crossroads in his life.  RICARDO's coming of age story highlights the positive outcome of the strength of family in the gang-torn communities surrounding Cape Town.

It is due to be released next year .

Racist remark by one of Take 10's artists has caused an uproar!

Many of you have probably read about the racist Tweets made by Tshidi Thamana in response to  FHM's model Jessica Leandra Dos Santos racist tweets last Thursday. Tshsidi was on our books but we have removed her as obviously we cannot support or  condone racism of any form even though she has apologised publicly.She knows what she did was wrong but the whole issue has been sensationalised and it is a prime example of how the media is so happy to release a story without knowing the full facts. Check out this article from 2oceanvibes and please send us your comments.
http://www.2oceansvibe.com/2012/05/08/exclusive-2oceansvibe-speaks-to-racist-model-tshidi-thamanas-ex-agent/.

Hopefully, the DA's spokesperson, Mmusi Maimane's open invitation for the two girls to meet with him,will bring this story to a close and enable South Africans to reconcile their differences. We need to leave the generations to come a feeling of unity and  feel proud to be South African.

Paul Weber takes Master Class for Take 10 Artists

Paul Weber, one of Hollywood's most respected casting directors, enthralled  34 of Take 10 artists at a Master Class held at the POPart theatre, Johannesburg on the 13th and 15th April. Paul's workshop entitled " The Art of Audition" is presented all over the world. He is the most inspiring director and his empathy and time given  towards the individual actor showed in the amazing results he got from the performances at the workshop. Paul was impressed with our child artists and said "They are as good as any  I see in the United States."
Paul talked  about the actors he's worked with and what makes them successful ,including Johnny Depp, Ryan Reynolds,Dakota Fanning and Reese Witherspoon. Paul casts for many of the top movies and TV series including the James Bond movies, Spartacus and  Legally Blonde to name but a few. Check out his website http://www.paulwebercasting.com/.

Paul was accompanied by Greg James, a scout for the Disney Channel and  Nickelodeon.Greg is doing a documentary of their trip here and  he filmed the kids in action . He is also a  renowned photographer in the States and has  photographed top international models as well as celebrities including Jennifer Lopez.

http://www.gregjamesphoto.com/

  

Have a look at some of our artists in Action:



Take 10 Artist finalist in IMTA NewYork 2012

Well done to Katleho Mallela (age 17 years) who won  a place as a finalist at the IMTA( Inernational Modelling and Talent Association) awards taking place in July in New York 2012. Katleho demonstrated her talent at a local competition in Boksburg and was selected out of hundreds of kids to go to NewYork. If Katleho wins she may have the opportunity to receive a scholarship at an American drama school or to be taken on by one of their top casting agencies . Katleho recently had a featured  role in a PSA for HIV aids. The directors were so impressed by her performance!

 Katleho has attended the Johannesburg North East branch of the Internationally acclaimed Helen O'Grady Drama Academy for 5 years. Her attendence at the Academy has certainly developed her performance skills and she has had lead roles in many of their theatre productions. We wish her well and keep  our fingers crossed !!!

Casting Director from MGM (USA) doing workshop with Take 10 Artists!

The in house Casting director from MGM(Metro Goldwyn Meyer) is coming to South Africa in April.Take 10 Casting is one of only two agencies in Johannesburg who have been invited to send their artists to attend the workshops. 36 of our top artists will be given the insight into how castings take place in LA and how to be more successful at auditions. Pics and reviews will be posted after the workshop.

On Camera Workshop!

We realised that some of our talent, particularly our kids were not getting  jobs even though they were great performers with great potential .So we got together with presenter, actor ,singer and rap artist Caz Abrahams and designed a workshop to get  the best out of our kids at auditions.
The 3 day workshop focused on

•  Preparation and audition
•  Presenting styles and techniques
•  Auditioning for TV ads and Acting
•  Direction and team work

The kids had great fun and at the end of it were presented with an edited DVD of their workshop!
Check out the You tube link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1-h7dUrjXI  
Look out for more workshops in the next few months.

Presenters for The Learning Channel

Nthatisi Mashike, (age 16),Ntuthuko Zingu  (age 16) and Chris Martins (age 16) from Take 10 were selected to be presenters for The Learning Channel for their Grade 10 DVD. It is a very demanding role as it requires them to learn alot of script work . The DVD's will be used by Grade 10 students as learning aids. Well done guys!

Another little star in The Wild!

Bejennia Tshibangu (age 8 yrs) from Take 10 is going to be featured in The Wild,Mnet on Tuesday 13th March(7pm). It's going to be exciting so don't miss it.Bejennia is a great little actress and she has been attending the Helen O'Grady Drama Academy in Johannesburg for nearly 3 years.
We also have adults and children appearing as extras over the next few episodes.

Lead boy in International film " Machine Gun Preacher"

The true story of Sam Childers, ( played by Gerard Butler) a former drug-dealing biker tough guy who found God and became a crusader for hundreds of Sudanese children who've been forced to become soldiers. The film was shot on location in the USA and South Africa. Tshegofatso (Junior) Magale from Take 10 was cast from many hopefulls as the lead boy - William whose mother and father have been killed and he goes in search  for his younger brother. Sam Childers recues him and takes him under his wing. It is a truly moving story and Tshegofatso's sensitive and brilliant acting will bring anyone to tears. Machine Gun Preacher was released in South Africa in January 2012.

Take 10 also had 4 other featured boys- Sebo Moabelo ( child sniper) Mulweli Muofhe (13yrs), Ikegang Mogatusi (12yrs) and Lebogang Phosoko ( orphaned children).

                                            

  



Eve Ensler's " I am an Emotional Creature" at The Market Theatre

In July 2011, a local workshop production of I Am an Emotional Creature: The Secret Life of Girls Around the World ran at the Laboratory at the Market Theatre, Johannesburg

Originally published as a book by world-acclaimed playwright, author and activist Eve Ensler, I Am an Emotional Creature: The Secret Life of Girls is composed of fictional monologues and stories inspired by girls around the globe. The work boldly expresses the often-unheard voices of young girls from across the world, demonstrating both the diversity and commonality of issues they grapple with

It featured  a cast of six – including 4 undiscovered young South African actors sourced from auditions across a range of high schools in Johannesburg, The cast included Ratanang Mogotsi (age 18 yrs) from Take 10 Casting. She was chosen out of 150 + girls and went through gruelling auditions before she was cast. Ratanang is also a singer and attended the Helen O'Grady Drama Academy for 6  years.Take 10 actually had 3 girls down to the last eight . The reviews were fantastic including one from the Star newspaper which applauded the acting of the girls themselves. 

Well done Ratanang ! We are so proud of you.

Fanie Fourie Labola - A little star in the making !

Written and directed by Henk Pretorius (Bakgat!, Bakgat! 2), and produced by Out of Africa Entertainment, Fanie Fourie Lobola is a romantic comedy about the differences we find in each other, that bring us closer together.Khumbuzile Maphumulo (age 7yrs) from Take 10 played the role of Patrica in this hilarious comedy. The film is due to be released late 2012.

Khumbuzile is also well known for the lead in Debonairs Pizza TV advert  (2010) where she  says "What the F.....!.". Khumbuzile lives in Benoni and she has been attending the Helen O'Grady Drama academy in Benoni for 2  years. In 2011 she also featured in Nestle's TV ad. Khumbuzile is an amazing little actress and keeps everyone entertained where ever she is.

Actors in Young Leonardo BBC TV Series

In 2011, the well known Young Leonardo BBC TV series, a  modern style version of the life of  Leonardo da Vinci was partly shot in South Africa. 5 of Take 10  young adult actors were cast in a number of their episodes. Well done to Sheldon Channing, Claudio De Jesus, Jake Wagner, Jean Dominic Rivard and little Gabriela Berimbau.

                 

 

Oprah Winfrey Look -A- Like

Take 10 is very proud to have on their books , Maureen Mashoga who is the spitting image of Oprah Winfrey. Maureen was featured in the Hansa TV ad last year as Oprah .She has also had  a guest appearence in Leon Schuster's "Boetie and the Beast" as well as featured roles in a Vicks TVC and a PSA.

Featured Role in sitcom " Home Sweet Home"

  Sbonelo Makamedi (age 10) landed the featured role of "Agreement" in the SABC 2 sitcom " Home Sweet Home" which was flighted in July 2011. He had great fun on set and cast and crew loved him !
Sbonelo  attended the Helen O'Grady Drama Academy (Johanneburg North East) for 4 years.
He  is a favourite with casting directors and he has  been the lead boy in numerous TV ads over the last 3 years: Lucky Star, Mnet, STB, Telkom, Tastic Rice and Omo.

Rotimi Adelegan ,also from Take 10 had a guest appearance in one of the episodes. Roti  used to feature in Jacobs Cross.

Lead Role in BBC Series "Wild at Heart"

Wild At Heart        is a current ITV television drama series about a Bristol-based vet, Danny Trevanion and his family emigrating to start a game park in South Africa. The show premiered in January 2006 and is currently in its seventh series.The series is shot on location at Glen Afric reserve park . It features many international stars including Stephen Thompkinson and Hayley Mills. Tarryn Brummage from Take 10 plays Danny's daughter(Charlotte Trevanion). Tarryn has been attending the Helen O'Grady Drama Academy (Johannesburg North East) for  4 years. She has also recently featured in a Wimpy and Kyocera TV ad.

 

DIE LÖWIN (LION GIRL) stars two of Take 10 Artists

In August 2011,  SA Production Company DO Productions started filming a German TV film called Lion Girl in and around the outskirts of Johannesburg. Lisa Strydom ( age 16 years) and Joshua Beck(age 8 yrs) from Take 10 played the younger versions of  the leads,Lena Adler (played by  German actress Silke Bodenbender) and Daniel (played by Kai Schumann).It was an amazing experience for them as most of it was filmed in The Lion Park , Maagalesburg and much of it involved them interacting with Lion cubs.They had to spend a few weeks  bonding with Lions  before filming began.  

Sangoma in The Wild

For all those avid viewers of The Wild on Mnet, you might remember the scene where Mama Rose and Modise go to the village to see the Ngaka . They wanted to be certain that Itumeleng had no hand in Ratladi's death.The Ngaka was played by Alina Mdonona from Take 10 Casting.

Take 10 also has regular featured adult artists in The Wild.

Many of our kids have also featured and had a great time meeting the cast.Our children are well looked after and tutored on set by Nanie Taylor and her team from Education on Location

 

Lead Role in Mnet Series "The Wild"

Since the filming of "The Wild" started last year Take 10 has secured featured roles including the lead role of Amber Van Reenen , daughter of Tristan Van Reenen(James Alexander) played by Amber Janse Van Rensburg. Amber (age 13) has not only been with Take 10  for the last 4 years but she has attended the Helen O'Grady drama Academy since she was four and a half years old.Amber has also been in a number of TV ads and she came a close second to star in the British TV series "Wild at Heart".

Check out some
shots from behind the scenes.

Check out the next blog for more cast from Take 10 in"The Wild"

We would love to hear some comments about our blog site so please let us know what you think of it!!

Boksburg girl in highly acclaimed foreign film

Tirza is a 2010 Dutch drama film directed by Rudolf van den Berg and based on the Dutch bestseller of the same name by Arnon Grunberg. The film was selected as the Dutch entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards^[1] but it didn't make the final shortlist.

Keitumetse Matlabo (age 8yrs) from Take 10 was cast as a lead role as Kaisa in this amazing film half shot in Namibia and half in Holland. It was a fantastic experience for her and she was invited to the premier in Holland. She was loved by everyone - a truly talented young girl ! Keitumetse lives in Boksburg and has been attending  the Helen O'Grady drama Academy for 4 years.