A Break from Gypsy Lyrics: I'm Making a Movie!

Austin Davis ("Freshie"), me and Rebecca Boughton ("Laila")
Photo credit: Katie Bogdanski

I'm making a movie. 

A real, full-length feature film.

MY movie. One I wrote. One that started out as a stage play back in 1995 and was turned into a film in 2000. TWENTY years after I wrote it, it is becoming a feature film.

With actors and stuff. Not just my friends that I hang out with. REAL actors. SAG-AFTRA people. Actors that are in the tabloids and stuff.

Oh. My. God. I'm making my movie.

My heart is pounding. My breath is short. My stomach is fluttering. My blood is pulsating in my ears. I feel like I'm about to bungee jump for the first time, and I'm praying that the cord doesn't snap. Holy crap, I'm scared. I'm really effing scared.

It's okay to be scared, though.  Everyone gets scared sometimes. Not everyone writes a feature-length film, casts known actors, raises the funds, and shoots the movie in less than four months. But, hey, we all have our own "things." (Right, Kristin?)

Me and Cody talking at an interview (cred: Katie Bogdanski)

I have had an enormous amount of fun getting to know the different actors that are a part of the film. I met Alix Kermes like seven years ago, so I'm really excited to see her again. (She just called from the airport... She flies in TONIGHT!!)  Mechelle (Martz-Mayfield, my Line Producer) and I had dinner with Jake Thomas one night, and then with Shelley Regner, Brian Tyler Cohen and Matthew Joel Kranyak another night. I know Judy San Roman, Mary Beth Kraese, Debra Cavaliere, David Eggers and Stephanie Katz personally. And Cody Calafiore... Well, I love that guy. I met him, and we just clicked. We actually clicked on the phone the first time I spoke with him. Now I look at him like a little brother. He is working so freaking hard on his role as Joe. He's flexible and accommodating and just so nice. He's going to go really, really far in this business.

And then you've got my crew, whom I cannot mention by name because I will inevitably leave someone out. Everyone knows that my core is comprised of my mom, Shannon, Joe, Kristin and, all the way from freaking Colorado, Mechelle. I've got an AMAZING support team. My crew rocks.

That's all for now. I'm going to try to document this process so that you all can see what we are going through.

(Jess, bring the Xanax. Fo' sho'.)

Well, I Got It.

Me and 1 of the stars of UNSPOKEN, Lilianna

HECK YES.

Believe me, I would like to write something a bit more explicit, but I know that younger eyes do read this blog, so I will do my best to keep it G-Rated. But, HECK YES.

HECK YES.

Why the heck-i-ness? Well, my dear reader, my short film, Unspoken, won a Special Selection Award at the 2015 Olive Tree International Film Festival. We were all pretty shocked when they called "Unspoken by Candice Cain." I was so shocked that I didn't even get out of my seat until Amie, who was sitting in front of me, turned around, grabbed my leg and growled "GET UP!" My husband jumped up first, then I did. I quickly kissed him, walked down the stairs, grabbed the award from the presenter's hand, mumbled "Thank you" and returned to my seat. No kidding-- I didn't even give a thank you speech or anything!! Everyone from my crew looked at me incredulously. I honestly hadn't prepared anything, and I wasn't even in the mindset to improv anything. It was pure, unadulterated shock. That being said, I think I set a precedent for the rest of the winners since I was the first one called-- Absolutely NO ONE else gave a speech. They finished half an hour earlier than they anticipated!!! HAH! (Oops... My bad.)

Catherine, Charles & Allison in the cab.

Honestly, we had an unbelievable time that day. We all went in to NYC from various points on Long Island, watched our film on the big screen, and almost everyone came to my house for dinner catered by a local Italian restaurant. Oh, and I serenaded the people that I worked with on Unspoken with a parody I wrote with my mom and Nicole on the train home from NYC. My heart is still singing over it, and I can't wait until next year's Cain Awards to do a recap of everything. 

Honestly, I can't wait until we are accepted into the next film festival! I use FilmFreeway.com to find out what film festivals are available to us. We are currently waiting for a response from 46 of them to see where we stand. We have already had two screenings of Unspoken, so I'm positively thrilled. Considering that our budget was just $68, I think the fact that we have been screened at TWO film festivals speaks volumes of what an amazing cast and crew we had. Perhaps if our budget was higher, we would have been accepted to more festivals. Perhaps if we had better equipment, we would have won even more awards. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps...

Anthology Film Archives theatre

Frankly, it doesn't matter to me how we fare at film festivals. This was our first project right out of the gate. We did it on $68 and 43 people were involved in creating it. The guy sitting next to me spent over $22,000 on his short film, Top of the Rock. Believe me, it was very well done. They had a budget for a green screen, which was cool. And it was a period piece. They took home the award for Best Narrative at Olive Tree. It was easily my favorite film of the night.

If I had $22,000, I would make a kick-butt short film, too. (G-rated, remember...) These guys used IndieGogo to raise their budget. Unspoken was entered into the 2015 Disability Film Challenge at the last minute, so we didn't use IndieGogo to raise any funds. If I had $110,000, I would make an AMAZING feature film. As a matter of fact, I already have the script for it: What Happened Last Night. I even have several actors already interested in being a part of it. I've got locations. I've got a crew. I've got the potential to make my kick-butt movie.

My excited face.

Now, I don't ask for a lot of things. I rarely, RARELY ask for favors. (This weekend, I did as my "little brother" to rescue me from the Jersey Turnpike after my brake line broke...) I do a LOT of things for a LOT of people. I've raised money for all sorts of causes and individuals. I've written recommendation letters for at least 100 people in my lifetime. I've spoken to groups, classes, meetings and such without charging a dime. Heck, I donate clothes every single time Big Brothers & Big Sisters calls me. I volunteer a lot-- As much as my busy schedule permits.

Yes, I sell a lot of stuff. I own a travel agency AND I work from home with another company. (Not as much as I used to, though...) I own Cain Talent, and I post a lot about it on FaceBook. Heck, I post a lot about travel and working from home, too. Oh, and let's not forget about eBay. I love selling stuff on eBay, and even do it for my daughter's twirling organization, The Sparklers. I'm sure I annoy the heck out of people. That's fine-- people can just unfollow me or hide what they don't want to see. I do it to those posts I don't want to see!

Anyway, I'm asking for help now. I want to make my film, What Happened Last Night, and I need help in two ways: Spreading the word and contributions. Now, a LOT of people have shared. I have 1,150 views on the IndieGogo Campaign from the USA alone. Canada is next with 18. France and Germany each have 9 views. There are 26 other countries with between 1 - 4 views as well.  If all of those people viewing the IndieGogo Campaign contributed even $1, we would have raised well over $1,000. Who knows how much we would have accumulated if each person shared it? Of all of those people, we have 13 people that have contributed for a total of $466. I need $109,534 more to meet the budget.

The Unspoken cast & crew after winning at Olive Tree

Obviously, I need help from anywhere I can get it. I need help in any amount. As I said, we are currently at $466 on the IndieGogo campaign. Once we hit $500 on that campaign, I will release the name of one of the actors playing a minor character. That's only $34, folks!! And check out the awesome perks that you can get when you click to contribute to our IndieGogo Campaign. There's something for everyone-- Even something for people that don't want a perk. (Nothing, actually. You get nothing for $1. You want to contribute, but want us to leave you alone.)

I'm not going to overwhelm you with all of the other ways that you can help with making What Happened Last Night a reality. I've applied for grants. I've contacted business owners. I've made videos. I've posted on FaceBook. I've done a ton. This movie will get made. I've got an awesome crew and cast so far. Several name actors are reading the script.

I cannot express to you how great it feels to be a part of something so... amazing. It's the only word that I can use to describe how it felt to create a film from a flicker of an idea and have it culminate with watching it on the big screen and winning an award for it. It was exhilarating-- And the movie was only a little over four minutes long. The thought of having my film - a feature length romantic comedy - on the screen for an hour and a half gives me goosebumps.

We have 30 days exactly left on this IndieGogo Campaign. Please share. Please contribute-- Even if you have $1. If 1000 people contributes $1, we'd have $1,000.

We WILL make this film. Be a part of it.

Please.

Ya Like It?

Photo by Katie Bogdanski

Since my last blog entry about The Secret, things have been absolutely AMAZING in my life. It has been a little over a month since writing that, and things are just AWESOME. I feel very, very blessed and fortunate. I always believed that I would be a success in the entertainment industry, although I never knew how. I've been an actress, writer, director, producer, casting director, stage manager and more... Never did I ever think that I would be able to wear all of these hats and be successful. I'm 

Make no mistake - I know that I'm successful because of the people that support me, those that give me opportunities, and, of course, thanks to God. I may seem like a one-woman-show, but I'm certainly not. My staff alone (Shannon, Joe, Kristin, Alena, Heeral and Kevin) are why Cain Talent has done so well. I thank them as often as I possibly can, and I know that they know that I truly, truly appreciate them.

The first super-exciting thing that happened was that my short film, Unspoken, was accepted into the 2015 Olive Tree International Story-Teller Film Festival, which will be held on August 29 in NYC. We are up for Best Film, which carried a $500 prize! Second place is $250 and third place is $100. I really hope that we place in the top three. A lot of people are heading into NYC to attend the festival. Two of the teens on my talent roster, Mikal and Makayla, will be speaking to the audience and actually opening the festival. Unspoken is the very first film that will be screened at the festival. I can't wait!

A couple of weeks after that, I received an email stating that Unspoken will be screened in the 3rd Annual Enumclaw Film & Arts Festival on August 22. This isn't a competition, and I really, really, really wish that I could attend, but it just isn't feasible. Heck, I wish I had someone in Washington State that could attend for me, but no such luck. It is going to be screened at the Chalet Theatre. It would be so stinkin' cool to see Unspoken on the west coast! I mean, it's going to be amazing in NYC, but the entire cast and crew is from here. The fact that it was chosen to appear across the country just amazes me.

Then I was asked to be interviewed for Adam Symkowicz's blog for being a published playwright with Samuel French. That interview will be posted this Saturday. Needless to say, I feel like I am on top of the world right now-- So much so that I decided to produce my first feature film, a romantic comedy entitled What Happened Last Night.

I wrote What Happened Last Night when I was in college as a stage production. I wrote, directed and starred in the play. It was the highest grossing show ever in the history of the theatre where we did the show-- Which was pretty freaking amazing for a college sophomore!! I adapted it into a screenplay in 1999 and did an EXTREMELY amateur version of it. I have no clue where it went, but I do know that I have the only copy-- somewhere.

I have since re-written the film, and am currently working on the third draft. We are going to film this movie in the late Fall on Long Island, and I truly couldn't be more excited. It has been a really long time since there has been a good college romantic comedy. What Happened Last Night fills that void.

YOU, my dear reader, can be a part of What Happened Last Night by participating in the IndieGogo Campaign that we've got going on. At the time of this blog entry, we have raised $226 and still have 48 days left. You can select the perk you would like, or even just contribute $1 right here:

That's pretty much for people that are interested in just supporting the movie and that want to find a way to be involved to participate. We were also awarded a grant from AIM Hatch Fund to film this movie. However, in order to collect our grant, we have to get contributors to this 501c3 charity. It's really terrific, because we are able to support other artists while setting up our grant. Furthermore, EVERY donation to our Hatch Fund page is tax-deductible! As a matter of fact, you will get a receipt for your files IMMEDIATELY! Considering that we are entering the fourth fiscal quarter, this is a really great opportunity for those that need a tax write-off.


I can't wait for the film festival on the 29th. I can't wait to start shooting What Happened Last Night. I am so, so, so blessed to be in the position I am in. Thank you for being so supportive, even if it is just reading my blog.

And, Boys, I Got It!

Katie Bogdanski took this of me.

Have you heard of "The Secret?" It's a book and a film that basically teaches people how to get what they want by using the Law of Attraction: Like Attracts Like. I believe in it, completely and totally. I found the book again recently and started reading it again. I really do believe that like attracts like. If you've got a positive attitude, then good things WILL happen to you. If you are negative and have negative thoughts (whether about yourself or about others), then negative things will happen to you. This is also called karma. I believe in it. I really, really do.

After my last two blog posts about Brenda and Paul, I decided to wash my hands of negativity. I decided not to deal with any drama that comes my way, and to just turn my back on all attacks and all gossip. One woman called me to tell me that there is some sort of website that is saying bad things about me. Fortunately, Shannon (my fabulous and amazing assistant) was the one that fielded that call, and I didn't even find out what the web address of said website is. Frankly, I don't care. Talk about me all you want-- Just make sure you spell my name right.

In taking my positive attitude towards everything, life has really turned around. My husband had a successful surgery (although there were many complications, he is alive and healthy). Things have been going AMAZINGLY for Cain Talent. My short film, Unspoken, suddenly has been garnering a lot of attention. We started a new webseries that has also been getting lots of attention, called The Kids' Table. 

Projects are moving along smashingly. Aside from our own projects, my company is working on 59 television shows around the country and 19 feature films, let alone countless print campaigns, commercials and other projects. I feel very, very blessed. I AM  very, very blessed.

Thank you to those that support me. :)

Ya either got it, or ya ain't.

I've been dealing with a stalker since August of last year, and it has just gotten out of hand. This individual has attacked me and my business. She has spread rumors about me. She has spread vicious lies about me. I literally have done NOTHING to this woman, yet I am in her crosshairs. I've been dealing with her obsession of me since November. It's starting to get scary.

Her name is Brenda Landry.

There are so many stories floating around there, I just want to set the record straight. Some man wrote a blog about me that I have never dealt with before, and every lie that he spewed about me sounded like it came from Brenda. It amazes me how people can make snap decisions about another individual without contacting that person in the first place. I contacted my attorney about legal action, and he told me that it would be VERY hard and not worth my time to pursue a Defamation of Character case due to the First Amendment, and this woman doesn't have the money that I would win in a libel suit. It was recommended that I address her publicly to set the record straight.

Let me start from the very beginning... I own a company called Cain Casting & Talent Management. It is a talent management and consultation company. The consultation fee for my company is $500. I have absolutely NO apologies for that. My staff and I work extremely hard, and our services are worth a heck of a lot more than $500. It is a fee for consultation services, not for management or representation.  This post, however, isn't about my company nor my fee. If you have questions about it, feel free to contact me via my website.

Brenda contacted me over the summer, asking me if I would accept her daughter's paychecks to pay for her $500 registration fee. I declined. She told me how badly she wanted to register her daughter with my company, but couldn't afford the fee. I introduced a payment plan thinking that her daughter would earn money and then Brenda would be able to make the installments (which is basically what she would be doing by offering me her daughter's paychecks). Brenda still insisted that the $500 was too much for her. 

At the end of October, I came up with an idea called the "Cain Talent Test Drive" where people could sign up for $50, try out my company and services until they received their first paying job. Once they worked and earned at least $50, the Test Drive would be over-- No strings attached. If they wanted to register with my company, they could. If not, they could just walk away, their money back and then some.

The Test Drive was a hit with others immediately. People started signing up for it right away. After about a week, Brenda signed her daughter up for a Test Drive. She was added to one of the FaceBook groups specifically created for people with my company. I corresponded with her quite a bit about her daughter. On November 17, a little over a week later, her daughter was cast as a photo double in a mini-series:

Her daughter was booked on a SAG photodouble rate, which was $158. The check would be mailed directly to her, so she would get her $50 back plus another $108. Yes, I knew thet she was coming down from New Hampshire, but Brenda knew that the Test Drive was only available for the NY area. As a matter of fact, she was excited about getting a hotel with her daughter (note the smiley face):

Well, I got her information over that weekend, sent it off to her, and she attended the shoot. She got there early and texted me when she arrived, as is required of all of the people that represent my company on any set. When her Test Drive was over, I sent her the standard email that I send to anyone that takes a Test Drive. She told me - well after leaving set - that her daughter was not used and was released early. PLEASE NOTE: HER DAUGHTER WAS STILL PAID THE $158.

Mind you, this was the weekend before Thanksgiving. As you can see from the note above, Brenda told me that she wanted to register her daughter after the holiday. I left it at that. We had Thanksgiving at my house last year, and I don't believe in pressuring people at all. Either people like me, or they don't. They had a good Test Drive and want to sign their kids up, or they didn't like it and want to do everything on their own. Whatever-- I'm pretty easygoing in that respect.

Then the crazy started. Before I get into the crazy, I'm going to give you a little break-- Mainly because this is such a long blog entry and this is a good place to take a place and rest your eyes. Consider this ad your placemarker:

Now, on to the crazy...

A week after Thanksgiving, Brenda started her own "company." She created a website and started sharing it in different groups on FaceBook:

I found it interesting, since I knew all of the casting directors from the shows she mentioned. I asked one of them about her, and they told me that they had no idea who she was. I thought nothing of it and moved on.

Then she started personally reaching out to people, including approximately 70 of my clients. One of these people happens to be one of my best friends, Kevin. Well, Kevin was a bit angry that this woman reached out to him, knowing full well that she had her daughter take a Test Drive with me. (Kevin is protective of his friends.) So, he responded to her and posted it in the Cain Talent group:

From Kevin's post in the FaceBook group, I learned that Brenda had been doing this since September. I reached out to her to find out what she was doing. She ignored me. More and more stories started coming to me from clients about things she was saying about me. I posted on her FaceBook page to get her attention. I posted something to the effect of, "Please stop trying to poach my clients. It's pathetic."

Well, Brenda went ballistic. She posted an angry message on FaceBook, tagging three casting companies that I work with, calling me and my company a scam and then blocked me on FaceBook. It was completely out of left field for me-- I thought she was going to register her daughter with my company after Thanksgiving. I was baffled. I tried to call her, but she didn't answer. I emailed her, but no response. The next thing I know, I get a chargeback claim with PayPal from her for the $50 that she spent on the Test Drive. I immediately called PayPal, and the chargeback was denied and found in my favor in a matter of 13 minutes. Brenda filed an appeal, which was found in my favor in 7 minutes. That was the end of it in my opinion... Or so I thought.

On December 14, I received an apology email from Brenda. I've broken it into two parts so that you, my dear reader, can see how I refute and correct what she wrote:

So, let me break this down for you:

1. I didn't want to communicate with her anymore. I didn't have to jump to conclusions-- She already prooved the kind of person that she is.
2. Rosemary, Natasha and Lisa were three other women from New England that I had never worked with before that also accused me of being a scam. Someone told me that Brenda was friends with them, and I believed her. (I still do, FYI.) I commented in the PayPal chargeback about the three women, saying that I believed that Brenda was trying to infiltrate my company to provide them with information.
3. The "casting calls" I receive come directly from Casting Directors that know and trust me to provide them with excellent talent.None of them knew who Brenda was.
4. I am not educated on Brenda's fee. I do, however, know that several people paid her $50 to join her "network."

Here's the second part of her email:

1. I never thought it was about competition. I don't have competition, because no one out there does everything that I do.
2. Aha! She admitted to wanting to find out what I did and how I did it! So she was trying to infiltrate my company... Perhaps not for those women, but certainly for herself.
3. I NEVER said "until [her] daughter films" she would have a Test Drive. I have absolutely NO control over what happens on a set. It was "until she works and makes at least $50 back." She worked. She earned $158. Test Drive = Over.
4. Yes, I think it is fair. "That's showbiz." She was paid for a job. She went to set. She filled out a voucher. She wasn't used, but she still earned her money. It happens all the time.
5. I never did anything to hurt her daughter. I would NEVER do anything to hurt a child. Ever. Period.
6. She's right-- I didn't care. I just wanted it to be DONE.
7. I couldn't believe that she was offering to both register her daughter with me AND promote my company-- including to people that were a part of her network. After all this, there was no way on God's Green Earth that I would partner with her. I don't think any good business person (or SANE person in general) would.
8. Some of the things I said? Okay, I'll just bite my tongue here...

I replied to her simply. I wrote, "Do not contact me again. I have alerted all of the casting companies that I work with about you. You are disgusting."

Should I have called her "disgusting" in my response? No. I was angry, and I felt the need to get an insult in there. My bad.

Did I actually contact the casting companies I work with about her and/or her daughter? No. I actually didn't. I vented to a very close friend of mine who happens to be a casting director for one of those companies, but she talked me back from a ledge. I genuinely did nothing. I took the advice of my friend, who said, "Candy, she's going to screw herself. Just let her do it to herself. Take the higher road."  So, I did. I never wrote back to Brenda to tell her that I didn't contact anyone. I took my friend's advice and kept my mouth shut.

Unbeknownst to me, my response to her sent her right over the edge. Again, this is a super long blog entry, and now is a good time to take a break. So, here is another placemarker for you:

The crazy REALLY kicked into high gear.

The next day, FOUR of my Casting Director friends forwarded me an email that she sent to them about me. Now, I have never addressed this epic message, so I will take the time to do so in this epic blog.

It begins as such:

• My "at-home business" is actually a different company that I've worked with since 2011. You can read all about working from home in one of my other blogs. That at-home business has absolutely nothing to do with Cain Talent, which is a registered S-Corporation. Also, what is the "fraudulent information" that she was given and by what parents? Where is the "long line, filing dispute against" me? 

• I do not charge "over $500" and I never have. I am not an agent, nor do I act like one. I have NEVER sold a casting call, WHICH IS ILLEGAL TO DO. She was not defrauded-- She received absolutely EVERYTHING that she signed up for. She was angry that her child didn't film-- Something that I had absolutely NO control over.

• I don't know why she is quoting "until she physically filmed," as I never, ever, ever said it. Ever. The "rude comments" were me asking her not to attempt to poach my clients. I didn't call her pathetic--  I called poaching clients pathetic. Kevin called her "pathetic" in a private message. I called her "disgusting" in a private email. And, as I said before, I never contacted any companies about Brenda or her child.

• The only bit of the above section that is true is that I told Brenda that I wrote to casting companies about her. As I said before, I did not.

• This is where it just gets plain weird. I own The Candy Cain Travel Company, Inc. My mother has taken it over since the entertainment industry has been so great for me. Candy Cain Travel has NO complaints against it. As a matter of fact, the company was honored by Sandals with a STAR Award two years in a row. I was a destination wedding planner and traveled the world teaching workshops about destination weddings. The Candy Cain Travel FaceBook page is absolutely still there. I have ZERO BBB reports against me or any of the companies that I am affiliated with. Produce them, Brenda. Please. What I don't understand is how she can bring up Candy Cain Travel. It's just odd. The company was - and still is - very successful. As for N.E. Kids Actors, Brenda's original email to me shows you, my dear reader, what REALLY happened with the group. A woman in the group DID comment against my business, and the other one defended me, saying that I'm not a scam. (I have those screenshots, too.) 

• I'm sorry, what? 

• Annnnnnnd there it is. The pitch for business. The self-victimization in a situation that Brenda created, hoping that a Casting Director would feel bad for her and throw business her way. 

Okay, I'll admit it. I didn't let Brenda know that I didn't contact the casting companies because I knew that she would implode somehow. But this? It's a whole new brand of crazy. Impressive crazy, actually. It's too bad that her spelling and grammar aren't as great as her lying prowess. This email was sent to many different people at many different companies, and at least four sent it to me. From different companies.

This is called libel and defamation of character. 

But, I let it go. I kept my mouth shut. My business was (and still is) absolutely BOOMING. We worked on 49 television shows and 23 feature films since August 2014. I'm a big believer in karma. I kept doing good things, and good things kept happening to me and my business.

In March, Brenda decided to write a review about my company on FaceBook. However, since I have her blocked, I wasn't able to see it. Someone sent me the following screenshot of her review:

Isn't it lovely how she creates her own reality? You can see in the progression of all of the emails what ACTUALLY happened. I had not mentioned her name AT ALL, and this review happens in March. It was, once again, out of left field. A few of my clients saw what she wrote, and defended me. Then a Casting Director defended me, and another wrote a review of my company. I didn't even know that the bad review existed, until another friend of mine pointed it out last week! Again, I ignored it. I literally did nothing.

But, as I'm sure you know, the crazy just keeps coming. Here's another placemarker for you:

Brenda has been the furthest thing from my mind. I've been insanely busy, partnered with several Casting Directors and a Talent Agency so that my talent gets more exposure. I'm working on the Second Annual Cain Awards. Business has been great! I've been really busy in my personal life, too.

Yet, two nights ago, I received the following email entitled "Move On Now. Thank You" from my long-lost chum:

She sent me this message both via email and through the contact form on my website. She used an email that she subsequently deleted so that I couldn't respond to her. I don't know who Gina is, and I forwarded her message to Noel. I have NEVER blasted her name. Truthfully, I feel sorry for her. Moreover, I feel very, very bad for her children. She ruined it for them.

Brenda, please move on. You're embarrassing yourself. And if you insist on attacking me - or anyone else for that matter - you can at least look intelligent with proper grammar and spelling. My company is doing quite well, and you're not going to change that. Find another line of work. Find someone else to attack. 

I do right by the parents in my company. Read the reviews about Cain Casting & Talent Management on the BBB. Read the reviews on the fan page. Just move on, Brenda. You're upset because your daughter isn't a star. It's sad. You can't live vicariously through your child, no matter how hard you try.

And I'll say the same thing I said to you in the "vulgar voicemail" I left for you... I hope you go to church, because you need Jesus. You need good in your life. You need something to believe in. You need light. You need hope.

You need to leave me alone.

An Open Letter to Paul Russell

Dear Mr. Russell,

You don't know me. I don't know you. I have never dealt with you before. I have never spoken with you before. I never even knew who you were, until clients of mine wrote to me with concern that you posted a completely erroneous and libelous blog about me and my company, Cain Talent. You completely trash my reputation. You call me a scam. You say that I "prey on children and their parents." You attack my business. You attack me personally.

Yet, we have never crossed paths before.

Why? Why do you feel so threatened by me as to defame my character as well as my business? Furthermore, your blog post has encouraged hate mail. I have received emails threatening me and my children. Yes, Mr. Russell, there are sick people out there that are threatening the lives of my seven year old twins. Does this please you?

What truly baffles me beyond you and I never having any contact before is the fact that you disabled comments in all of your posts about me and Cain Talent. My clients - who I happen to take VERY good care of - sprung to my defense. They told you that they do not feel that I am a scam, that I take care of them, that I have helped them go far, that their children have been given more opportunities through me and my company than anyone else that they have ever worked with before. Most of all, they said that I am NOT a scam. You deleted their comments. You disabled the comments on your FaceBook page and on your blog. Why would you do this?

In your blog, you mention that I own Candy Cain Travel, as though it is something to be ashamed of. Yes, sir, I do indeed own Candy Cain Travel. I have owned this company since 2006. Yes, I still book clients that contact me. I do not actively market the company, unless I see a great deal that I think my friends would like to take advantage of, such as free dining at Disney. My mother, who retired from her teaching job in 2008, has taken over my company. She can provide you with an excellent quote, should you like to travel. She doesn't charge a fee-- Candy Cain Travel has never charged fees.

In your blog, you mention that I owned the "now defunct" Wedding Lane with Candy Cain. That, too, is true. I was the most successful destination wedding planner in the USA for a couple of years, and even had a reality show in development over it. (You can watch the trailer HERE, if you'd like.) You make it sound as though Wedding Lane went out of business. In reality, I closed that division of Candy Cain Travel because I did not want to do destination weddings anymore. I didn't want to do ANY sort of weddings anymore. I closed it because I wanted to, not for any other reason. I didn't - and still don't - like planning weddings anymore. It doesn't make sense to keep a business open that isn't in, well, business.

You call things that you have copied and pasted on your blog "screenshot." Those aren't screenshots, Mr. Russell. It is you copying and pasting something. A screenshot looks like this:

A screenshot is a picture of a website. You have no pictures. You simply copied and pasted something from an old website. Yes, I had a Wix website. There is nothing wrong with a Wix website. The reason I had it was because my website was being designed and the Wix site was used as a placeholder. If you had contacted me and asked me about it, I would have been happy to tell you that. I'm an open book, Mr. Russell. I'm happy to tell you anything that you'd like to know.

I don't exactly understand what you are trying to accomplish with your blog. I have indeed tried to reach out to you. I really wanted to speak with you before a cease and desist letter was sent to you. The things you said about me in your blog are indeed untrue. I'm sure you got your information from someone else, and I do know who she is. Unfortunately, I believe that she is an unreliable source. It's a shame that you would put your reputation on the line for someone that isn't telling the truth.

After all, isn't it the truth that is indeed important? I'm in business to help people cultivate careers in the entertainment industry. I help people-- Especially children. I am very proud of what I do and what I have done.  I don't attack people. I don't spread rumors. I don't talk about people. And I certainly don't say anything negative about someone until I get my facts straight-- And, even then, I tend to keep my mouth shut.

I welcome you to call me, Mr. Russell. I welcome you to talk with me for the first time. I have emailed you. I have sent you private messages on your FaceBook pages. I filled out your contact form on your website. My phone number is 914.861.5437.


Sincerely,
  Candice Cain
 Owner, Cain Talent
 www.caintalent.com
 914.861.5437

Light the Lights

Me.

Life amazes me. Ten years ago, I had changed the date of my wedding from September 10 to April 9. I was still acting-- I had just landed the role of the Mother Superior in the musical "Nunsense" at Clare Rose Playhouse in Patchogue, NY. My husband-to-be was working the midnight shift as a police officer. We had just purchased a townhouse in Middle Island a few months earlier. There were two things that I knew would not change: my love for my husband and my love for acting.

Well, I was wrong about both of those things. 

Not to sound cheesy, but my love for my husband has only grown and gotten stronger. It certainly did change, especially last summer when I almost lost him. Having our twins strengthened our love for one another-- It forced us to work as a team more. I know way more about him now than I did ten years ago. Yes, there are things that are annoying about him, but I love him no matter what.  I can't picture my life without him.

I thought that was howI would feel about acting for the rest of my life.  I never thought that anything would ever take the place of it. Ever. Yes, I stopped acting in 2007 so that I could get pregnant via IVF. Once we had the twins, I said I would go back to it when they were five. I did some voiceover jobs here and there, but I never got back into it. 

Dat face. (Charles, my son)

I never expected my son to tell me that he wanted to be an actor when he was five. As you may already know, he is the reason why I got into talent management. Never did I expect that in a mere 17 months I would have nearly 300 people on my talent roster. Never did I expect to have a staff of four other people and three interns. Never did I expect requests for me to expand to Chicago, New England, Texas, Atlanta and even Los Angeles.

Never did I expect to find something that would replace my love of acting.

One of the biggest things that I love about my company is the face that I help people-- especially kids-- go after their dreams. A mom told me that she and some other mothers in my company have dubbed me "The Dream Maker." You have no idea how that makes me feel. My company is called Cain Talent, and we somehow came to calling the people on my roster "Cainiacs." We even have an official sweatshirt. Heck, Stephen Spielberg has referred my company to producers. That's saying something about Cain Talent. That's saying something about the people of Cain Talent, especially those on my roster.

Don't get me wrong-- I'm not bragging. I'm just so pleased with the way that everything has turned out. I know that I have a reputation for being really strict and having a hot temper... I don't mind. I don't need any more friends. I don't need people to LIKE me; I just need them to like my WORK. I have extremely high standards for the people on my roster, and they all know it. I have a reputation for being tough. I know that people talk behind my back. I am very much "what you see is what you get" when it comes to my personality. I'm honest to a fault-- And that's why Casting Directors, Casting Companies and Production Companies choose to work with my company over so many others out there. They know that they can count on whomever I refer to them. My talent is able to use my reputation to further their careers. And, again, I don't mind it one bit. That's part of talent management-- Building reputations of my talent so that they go further in the entertainment industry.

Gabe saying thanks to contributors.

Speaking of helping my talent go further in the entertainment industry, three of the kids on my roster (ages 10 and 11) received their Must-Join letters from SAG-AFTRA. In order to help their families get the $3200 for their children to join this prestigious union (of which, by the way, I have been a member for the past 13 years), I set up GoFundMe.com fundraisers. That way, people can contribute whatever they would like so that the financial burden is lifted off of these parents. I've been criticized for this, but I really don't care... I constantly see people running GoFundMe campaigns for trips for their kids, money for items they lost, etc. Who is to say that I can't do this for my talent? It's not fair. Frankly, if you don't want to contribute, then don't contribute.  No one is forcing you to. However, don't criticize openly, because then you will deter others that want to contribute from contributing. I have over 3500 followers. This blog has over 5000 unique views. It would be so nice if people could support one another rather than criticize. Yes, these kids might not have terminal illnesses or anything to that effect, but they DESERVE support. They are hard working children. CHILDREN. I mean, these kids weren't even born when I first became interested in show business. Their careers are moving so rapidly, and people have the change to help them.

Isabella, our first SAG-AFTRA kid

The first child that became a Must-Join with SAG-AFTRA was Isabella. Her GoFundMe.com campaign to raise $3200 was successful and completed in SIXTEEN days! She is the first Cainiac to actually join SAG-AFTRA, funded by our efforts. I (and the rest of my company) am so proud to have been able to make a difference in this kid's life. People pulled together and contributed what they could... It was absolutely amazing to see how fast  it happened for her. The money was deposited into the company bank account, we wrote a check and signed an agreement with Bella's mom, then she went into NYC and had her join the union. It was absolutely uplifting and amazing. This is something that Bella and her family are going to remember for the rest of their lives. Who knows where Bella's career might go? We will support her as much as we can, guide her, help her and encourage her to follow her dreams. We will be there to catch her when she falls, lift her up when she gets knocked down, applaud her at her successes... The same way we will for ALL of our talent.

People usually don't see this "soft" side of me, so I might as well let it all out now. I am extremely fortunate to be in my position. I watch these kids (and even some adults) grow into successes. I light the way for them. I set the path for them to follow. I give them what they need in order to become a success. Can they do it without me? Probably. I'm not patting myself on the back by any means. I'm just saying how cool it is for me to have a hand in what all of these people are doing. It makes me feel very special.

If you'd like to support Gabriel's GoFundMe campaign, you can CLICK HERE. If you'd like to support Gunnar's GoFundMe campaign, you can CLICK HERE.  If you don't want to make a choice and just want to contribute to the SAG-AFTRA fee for one of our kids that makes it, you can CLICK HERE.

You can also learn more about our Cainiacs and how you can become one by watching our latest YouTube video. And, if you'd like to buy the 2015 Cainiac sweatshirt, just visit our sales page by February 28.