It’s back to school time, and as parents in the Buda/Kyle area prepare for the busy school year ahead, those with creative children – especially those interested in acting and filmmaking – can begin planning for another educational experience this year. Creative Arts of Austin (CAA), offering film acting and filmmaking/video production classes for youth, teens and young adults, is expanding into the Buda/Kyle area to offer high quality, professional classes taught by nationally renowned industry professionals.
CAA Founder and Instructor Adriana Garza is no stranger to Hollywood or to being a young working actress. Garza has been acting professionally for nearly 20 years. As a teenager, the Brownsville, TX native moved to Los Angeles to pursue her dream of becoming a working actor. She spent 16 years in Los Angeles before moving to Austin in 2012. While in Los Angeles she studied at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and has recently appeared on TV series including: “From Dusk Til Dawn” and HBO’s “The Leftovers.” In 2006 Garza was also featured in Glamour Magazine after being honored with the Toyota Moving Forward Award in conjunction with Glamour Magazine’s 2006 Women of the Year Awards – a recognition she earned for her play, “The Art of Being,” which Garza created, directed, produced and performed in. In 2009 Garza’s UNICEF commercial campaign was one of 10 finalists at the prestigious Cannes Lions Awards. All these personal and professional experiences Garza shares with her students as the film acting instructor.
“Acting and performing have been a huge part of my life since I was a little girl. I remember taking dance classes as a very young child and wanting to find other ways to express myself. That’s when I fell in love with acting,” recalls Garza. “Having lived in smaller cities like Brownsville and El Paso, the opportunities were very limited at that time, more than 20 years ago. I had to move far away from home to pursue my dreams and gain the professional experience I wanted. Today, I’m honored to be able to offer my expertise and share my personal story with young actors here in Buda & Kyle – especially since I know what it is like to be in their shoes.”
Joining Garza at CCA is Travis McGehee as filmmaking instructor – who also began his professional career at the age of seven. McGehee is a writer, director, and producer who studied both film and music production at Full Sail University, where he received his degree and continues to have a successful working career in the industry today. CAA offers acting and filmmaking classes at various levels so young students learn the ins and outs of acting, including: analyzing scripts, becoming the character, preparing for auditions and more. Filmmaking classes teach students the essentials including: scriptwriting, camera and lighting techniques, the business of filmmaking, and more. The invaluable information students learn prepares them for expanded studies in higher education in film and acting courses, and for real world professional opportunities. “My daughter has taken three of Adriana’s film acting classes, and enjoys working with (her). She is very experienced and knowledgeable in the Austin scene. She not only helps the kids prepare for a role, but also guides them and parents on what to do next so they can get right to work,” parent Camilla Widenhofer said.
CAA will host a grand opening and open house event on September 11, 2016 at 203 Railroad St., Buda, Texas 78610 (Downtown Buda next to the ‘Buda Soda Fountain’), where parents and students can tour the facility and learn more about the classes offered at CAA. There will be pizza, giveaways, and picture ops. CAA offers a unique opportunity for students to learn in a mini soundstage setting to gain a full perspective of what it is like to work in front of a camera – an experience not offered anywhere else in the area.
“Ultimately, I want these young students to have the experiences and learning opportunities that I had to travel far away from home to gain,” Garza said. “Parents looking for ways to develop their children’s creative talent and energy don’t have to look any further than right here in Central Texas.”
For more information on Creative Arts of Austin, visit http://creativeartsofaustin.com/
For more information on Adriana Garza, visit http://adrianagarza.com/