Jordyn Yarker News

Little Miss Fabulous

Jordyn Yarker wants to see her name up in lights. And just like Miley Cyrus or Hillary Duff, the pint-sized Gold Coast 10-year-old is singing, dancing and acting her way into fame with the world stage in her sights.

Bright-eyed Jordyn Yarker is just like any other 10-year-old kid. She loves fashion, makeup, sports and going to the movies. Only this little girl has something special. She has fame and fortune in her sights and is well on her way to a successful career as a performer – so much so, she's hoping to become the next Miley Cyrus. "I'd love to become like a Hannah Montana, or even Hillary Duff, she's so cool," the little girl says excitedly.

And with a life already consumed by school, training, rehearsing and acting lessons, Jordyn is used to the limelight. "I hope the show will go off, and then I'd like to start my own fashion label because people will know me, so they'll buy the clothes," she says of her current project – a tween-based TV show.

The homegrown young talent has already recorded six of her own tracks here on the Gold Coast, 'Vivid', 'Candy Dance Floor', 'Boom, Crash, Bang', 'Ain't Gonna Catch me', 'Inner Glow' and 'Rock Dat Beat' with music videos, and a pilot for her own TV show titled Accord'n to Jordyn currently in production. "We're going to pitch it to the networks shortly," says her dad Cameron. "There's nothing out there for kids her age, so we think it should be well-received."

And all-too-aware of the pitfalls of young fame, mum Lisa says it's important she and her husband keep a handle on Jordyn's career. "We are marketing to the 5-12 year olds. There really isn't anything for that market. You've got Gaga for the over 16s or the Wiggles for the toddlers. There's nothing in between. We want to convey positive songs and a clean, good message to these young girls," she says. And, Lisa's quick to add, stardom is something her little girl is chasing off her own bat. "It's still very innocent. Her time is certainly condensed but these are her own desires to sing and create, this is what she wants to do. I'm very positive – and we all are as a family – about her following her dreams."

Cameron believes his daughter is a role model her peers can relate to and with the help of Abbe, she won't have her spirit broken by fame. "Abbe and Jordyn spend a lot of time together and she has this mentor in Abbe, who's been in the industry a long time so she knows all the pitfalls of fame and the hard work that needs to be put in." Abbe Bradbury is Jordyn's singing coach, songwriter and choreographer. "I was in a show when I was 14. I had to help the younger kids record their songs so I know how important it is to have someone who knows their craft and has a positive attitude when it comes to young talent. With Jordyn, I can guide her in the right direction. But we don't want to force her to grow up too quickly at the same time, that's crucial to her personal development."

Jordyn will perform her songs in a live show at Dreamworld (April 19-20) and isn't fazed by large crowds. "I love it, it's so much fun," she says, adding she rarely suffers pre-show nerves.

And like any young girl playing dress-ups, the pretty tween is obsessed with fashion design – expressing her desire to one day visit the world's style capital. "I'd love to go to Paris! They have really cool clothes there and I want to see the Eiffel tower. It all just looks so cool. I've got this book with stencils where you trace and make new designs. I do it with my friends," she says as she flicks through her folder with all her outfits laid out like minature catwalk dolls. Reading tomes that would impress even a grown-up's literary inventory – Dreaming of Chanel and Dior – Jordyn's passion for all things style is clear.

As is her ambition for success. Jordyn would love to one day become the next Demi Levato or Selina Gomez. And she's already used to a hectic schedule with her time split between dance, singing, performing, soccer and even acrobatics which means she doesn't usually wind up her day until later in the evening. "We always make sure she gets in her homework. It's important to have her education and performance balance correctly," her father adds.

Lisa – who grew up in Thailand and moved to Australia when she was six – says it's important her daughters (they also have an older daughter, Erinn, 13) are exposed to all the opportunities in life that she missed out on. "You grow up wanting a normal life. Going through what I did when I was young (we weren't allowed to speak Thai at home and so it became difficult for us to fit in) I wanted to ensure I had a strong family unit and give my kids all the opportunities I didn't get. I look at Jordyn, and what she does, and I think it's so amazing. I would be so petrified. I'm so very proud of her and what she's done so far."

Lisa's adamant Jordyn will never be exposed to harm or the overtiredness that can often burden young performers. "There has been the odd occasion where she's been worn out. We'll pull her out and stop filming immediately, we don't want to pressure her and we have to remember she's just a 10-year-old kid."

http://www.jordynyarker.com/ Words: Adrienne Porter

Living the Dream at Dreamworld

TEN-YEAR-OLD Gold Coast star in the making Jordyn Yarker is gearing up 'to perform live at Dreamworld in April.

The busy St Stephen's College Year 5 student has been run off her feet recording new songs, working on a television show and designing a fashion label, but her father Cameron Yarker said her full-on lifestyle is self-driven.

"We have to be really' mindful of her age and energy levels, but it is all driven by her," he said.

Mr Yarker said Jordyn's singing career first began when she was in preschool.

"She came home singing Christmas carols and she just had this beautiful little voice, We were amazed by it," he said.

"We thought nothing of it for years and then she came to us and said she'd really like to start singing."

After searching for the perfect' singing school, Jordyn was enrolled with Dinah Williams, a speech level singing coach.

Designed by Seth Riggs, speech level singing is a program which has trained a range of high-profile artists including Michael Jackson and Madonna, so it is no surprise the style has helped Jordyn with her success.

She is now signed to Dynamite Studios Australia with vocal and performance coach Abbe Bradbury, a move which Mr Yarker said was aimed at helping Jordyn with acting, singing and perform- ance training.

Having performed in the United States and across Australia, Jordyn has done more than most in her short life.

"Jordyn's experience both overseas and in Australia has given her an excellent insight into the industry at a very young age," Mr Yarker said.

Jordyn will be performing at Dreamworld on April 19 and 20 and is in the process of recording two new dance tracks for the night.

For more information on Jordyn or to listen to her songs visit www. jordynyarker.com

Fresh Faced Jordyn Yarker Arrives...

Who is going to fill the Hanna Montana Void? Accord'n to Jordyn she's V-I-V-I-D. Here it is! New kids TV Series "Accord'n to Jordyn" this month will start filming production on an exciting new kid's television series for Australia. "Accord'n to Jordyn".The show stars fresh faced Jordyn Yarker, the 9 year old, multi-ethnic musical sensation touted as Australia's next teen idol.

Accord'n To Jordyn will follow the style of show popular of musical themed kids programming in the US and will uniquely feature animated scenes built from simailar software and modelling used by Pixar (Toy Story).

The Director is David Wright, a 25 year film and television veteran, and the past 15 years has seen him working actively as an in house director/producer and digital FX director for his own well known Australian production company Media Odyssey. He has been responsible for literally thousands of productions of a wide and varied nature and has been awarded for developments in stereoscopic digital video production (3D). In addition to his children's animated series work, his works include impressive international advertising and marketing for Disney Channel, Europcar, News Corp and Reuters.

Jordyn Yarker stars as the lead character of her own show, with the same name; Jordyn. Jordyn is a regular, yet vividly imaginative young girl growing up in a typical modern day family; with two time poor parents, a prankster for a brother, a Poppa with the personality of a wet blanket and a globetrotting Grandma. With her parents and siblings frequently unavailable to turn to, she is finding her way in the world by herself. She battles with a typical awkwardness and anxiety about fitting in at school that many young girls and boys can relate to.

When Jordyn experiences challenging circumstances and feelings arise she overcomes negative emotions by transforming into "Vivid"; her fairy alter ego. Vivid loans Jordyn the powers of confidence and moxie from a positive attitude. Vivid is unstoppable. Jordyn learns the ability to cope and deal with emotional pressures through the colourful song and dance numbers she learns from her life in Vivid.

Accord'n To Jordyn is a unique show in that it depicts a modern family with a certain realism that is missing from Australian children's TV shows to date. The creator, Lisa Yarker grew up like many children in today's society; in a broken family unit. Lisa felt convicted to loan her personal story to the writing. Her strong motivation in creating the show is to teach kids healthy ways to cope and deal with real issues and emotions.

'Are We There Yet' in Style Magazine

What's the concept behind Are We There Yet? This is a fun travel TV show for parents, told through the eyes of kids. It's meant to be an educational lifestyle and travel show. Things are pretty stressful right now and the show is a good idea because it teaches families how to have fun when you don't have a lot of money. The overall best part about holidays is when the family is together, and we show relatable travel stories and problems – like when siblings are arguing or you're experiencing new things (whether good or a bit of a challenge) for the first time. We want people to rediscover having fun together, and actually learn how to plan and be organised to make the most out of your budget and time. We'll also show kids how to help their parents with this kind of thing – for example, we'll explain what's the best food to take with you (basics like boiled eggs) or how to pack a picnic hamper. Our website will also feature games and entertainment ideas you can play in the car or while you're camping.

Who stars in the show? I'm the anchor more or less, and seven-year-old Jordyn Jessica Yarker ("Jordy") is our reporter. We're currently auditioning for three more young presenters on the show. Basically, each episode will offer various trip ideas, both nationally and internationally, and we'll interview families on their experiences and even follow them around on their journeys. You will have the opportunity to register online or via SMS, so you can send holiday experiences and feedback to us for a chance to be featured on the show and win prizes.

And who's working behind the scenes? Our executive producers are Gold Coasters Cameron and Lisa Yarker from CAMZ Entertainment (Creative Active Mindz) who, after returning from a screen and TV writers summit at Universal Studios in Florida, decided to pursue their idea to create a fun, "kid friendly" travel and outings TV show. Although the information is mainly aimed at parents, they cast kids to report and host because they tend to have the ability to break through barriers in interviews that adults sometimes can't, and present an honest opinion. They wanted to present different holiday options that can appeal to varying budgets, but offer real-life experiences that cater for each member of the family and everyone's comfort zone. We're also lucky to be working with Simon Wise, who is our producer/director and senior editor. He's worked on projects like The Butterfly Effect, Talk to the Animals, My Restaurant Rules, and for BBC and Fox networks. Where has filming taken place so far? We've shot the teaser/intro to the pilot at Sea World and we will shoot the pilot probably mid-December. We'll be pitching it to major international contacts early next year.

Funniest/most memorable on-set moment so far? Well, we all have so much fun and have a terrific, professional crew. Jordy is only young and she's very outgoing and cheeky – she never fails to win hearts and often makes us laugh by just being "her"! It's great working with a lot of kids too, because everyone tends to be more patient and helpful with each other, and we try to keep it fun and lighthearted.

What are you most looking forward to in the New Year? We're very much looking forward to travelling and seeing places like Bangkok, Malaysia and Cambodia. Mostly we're excited to see it all come together on screen!

When can we check it out? Well, it will be pitched to contacts at the BBC and in the USA early next year, and the show is also being represented at the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) in Las Vegas from January 26 to 29, so we're confident it will grow from there. We're also in the process of developing a board game and the interactive Are We There Yet? website. Stay tuned!

Are We There Yet! in Play Magazine

A new TV show is the holiday of a lifetime for two rising local stars, writes Seanna Cronin

GOLD Coast talent is the centrepiece of two new local television productions. Coomera couple Cameron and Lisa Yarker are the creators of Are We There Yet! and Accord'n to Jordyn, both of which star their daughter.

The family recently completed filming the pilot for Are We There Yet! and are looking for three more talented youngsters to join the show's presenters, Lauren Brant and their daughter Jordyn.

'We strongly believe there is a tonne of talent in southeast Queensland and we think we can get the talent together here to pull this thing off,' says Cameron.

'Sydney and Melbourne have been the focus and we hope to bring some more professional development and production to this part of the world.'

The family outing and travel show, viewed through the eyes of its young presenters, was inspired by Lisa's travels with her family as a child.

'Travelling with my family is something I enjoyed when I was young and I want to show others how to achieve the same thing,' she says.

The Yarkers hope to take the show to destinations across Australia and overseas, but are adamant they won't only report on big-ticket holidays.

'The show is about general day outings as well as holiday destinations and includes facts to help families prepare,' says Lisa. 'You don't have to do expensive holiday travel to have a good time.'

The show's presenters experience the destination, report on what do and don't like and interview other families on the same holiday or weekend excursion.

Segments for the pilot, which the Yarkers are pitching to Australian and international television networks, were filmed at Hinze Dam and Sea World.

Lauren, 19, and Jordyn, 7, have an easy rapport on screen thanks to the time they spent as tutor and student at the Bright Stars talent academy.

A small-screen veteran, Lauren has a recurring role on the hit children's series H2O: Just Add Water and featured in an episode of The Strip.

She taught Jordyn the presenting skills she's now using in front of the camera. 'She's a great girl who gets along with everyone and shooting with her is much more relaxing than with adults,' says Lauren, a former St Hildas student. 'Jordy's expressions are great – especially when we were touching the animals at Sea World.'

While Are We There Yet! is aimed at adults and their children, Accord'n To Jordyn is aimed directly at kids and this time, Jordyn gets to hog the spotlight. Combining animation with real actors in a style similar to Disney Channel's Lizzie McGuire, Jordyn's gravity-defying piggy tales act as her 'boreometer'.

Still in its early stages, Lisa says her inspiration for the show came from Jordyn's interactions with her grandfather.

'I used to watch her face when he'd go off into factual, scientific explanations. She'd go blank in the eyes and when she was no longer interested, she'd quite courteously say 'Poppa, that sounds great, but this is more how I would see it'.'

Jordyn is softly spoken, but certainly not shy about her love for the camera.

'I like the way everyone is looking at me,' she says.

'It's really fun to go to all these places and spend time with my family.'