Over many months of filming “Dancing Flea” (an in-depth documentary on the ukulele craze sweeping the nation), we have developed a great appreciation for the power of music and the arts to touch kids lives in positive ways. After filming the great folks at The Rock Teen Center we became deeply inspired by the life-changing work of the Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Foundation. We remain on a steadfast mission to provide the same type of sanctuary, positive energy and creative journeys for Upstate youth! We are in the process of joining together with local leaders, large and small corporate sponsors and charities to fund, develop and launch our very own “arts-based teen center” here in Greenville, South Carolina. Christian based values drive all that we do. We are blessed and excited to announce the future of Rock ‘n’ Arts Academy!
Current Studio Facility and Equipment
Our current studio “in action” located in Greenville, SC. This is all equipment that will be integrated into the new facility along with additional high-end movie quality video and sound recording equipment that will be made available for the kids. We have everything we need to get started and are ready to rock!
- The Greenville County Museum of Art, home of the Andrew Wyeth Collection, also contains pieces by Jackson Pollock, Jonathan Greene, Georgia O’Keeffe, Jasper Johns and William H. Johnson.
- The city is home to the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, Greenville County Youth Orchestra, Carolina Youth Symphony, and the Carolina Pops Orchestra. The Boston Symphony Orchestra regularly performs at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Greenville Light Opera Works (GLOW Lyric Theatre) is a professional lyric theatre in Greenville that produces Musical Theatre, Operetta and Opera.
- The Carolina Ballet Theatre is a professional dance company in the city which regularly presents programs at the Peace Center and elsewhere.
- Centre Stage, Greenville Little Theater, South Carolina Children’s Theater and the Warehouse Theatre are the major playhouses in the area. These theaters offer a variety of performances including well-known works, such as Death of a Salesman and Grease, and plays written by local playwrights. During the Spring and Summer, the local Shakespearean company performs Shakespeare in the Park at the Falls Park Amphitheater.
Notable Greenville natives:
- Edwin McCain, musician
- Peabo Bryson, singer-songwriter
- Jaimie Alexander, movie actress
- Noah Guthrie, pop singer
- Bear Rinehart, Christian rock singer
- Tyler Florence, chef and television host at Food Network
Location:
- Greenville is part of the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson-Asheville DMA, which is the nation’s 36th-largest television market.
- Greenville is the largest city in the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson Combined Statistical Area, a 10-county region of northwestern South Carolina known as “The Upstate.”
- Greenville is No. 10 on the 2019 top places to live https://livability.com/best-places/top-100-best-places-to-live/2019/sc/greenville
- The city’s downtown is a premier destination for dining, shopping and entertainment, but outside of that, Greenville is home to an array of outdoor recreation opportunities thanks to its prime location in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
- Greenville is located on the Interstate 85 corridor, approximately halfway between Atlanta and Charlotte. The Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP), is the second busiest airport in the state and is served by most major airlines.
- Greenville has gained recognition in various national publications such as CNN Money, which ranked Greenville as one of the “Top 10 Fastest Growing Cities in the U.S.” Bloomberg named Greenville the Third Strongest Job Market for 2010; and Forbes named Greenville the 13th Best City for Young Professionals.
- Greenville also earned the No. 3 slot by Condé Nast Traveler’s “Best Small Cities in the U.S.” in 2017. Greenville was the fourth fastest-growing city in the United States between 2015 and 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
- Greenville County is the centerpiece of the region and is considered the “economic engine of South Carolina.” Greenville County has grown into a large and diverse metropolitan area and one of the southeast region’s premier areas for business. Over the past 35 years, Greenville has transformed itself from the textile capital of the world to a destination for a diverse industry base that includes corporate office, manufacturing, and warehousing/distribution operations. Below is a list of the major employers in the area:
| COMPANY | EMPLOYEES | PRODUCT / SERVICE |
|---|---|---|
| Greenville Health System* | 14,787 | Health Services |
| School District of Greenville County* | 9,800 | Public Education |
| BMW | 9,000 | Automotive |
| Bon Secours St Francis Health System* | 5,047 | Health Services |
| Michelin North America Inc* | 4,100 | Headquarters / R&D / Mfg (radial tires) |
| GE Power* | 3,400 | Turbines and Turbine Generator Sets |
| SC State Government* | 3,036 | State Government |
| Fluor Corporation | 2,400 | Engineering / Construction Services |
| Bi-Lo Supermarkets* | 2,089 | Distribution & Retail |
| Greenville County Government | 2,085 | County Government |
| U.S. Government* | 1,835 | Federal Government |
| TD Bank | 1,600 | Financial Services |
| Concentrix | 1,500 | Business Services |
| Greenville Technical College | 1,435 | Higher Education |
| Verizon Wireless | 1,360 | Telecommunications – Call Center |
| Charter Communication* | 1,345 | Telecom Services |
| Sealed Air Corp – Cryovac Division | 1,300 | Paper Coated and Laminated, Packaging |
| Bob Jones University | 1,204 | Higher Education |
| SYNNEX Corp | 1,055 | Technology Solutions |
| Windstream | 1,000 | Telecommunications – Call Center |
| City of Greenville | 973 | City Government |
| Magna / Drive Automotive * | 950 | Motor Vehicle Bodies and Parts |
| Furman University | 850 | Education |
| House of Raeford | 825 | Poultry Processing |
| Bosch Rexroth Corporation | 780 | Fluid Power Pumps and Motors |
| Lockheed Martin Aircraft | 700 | Aircraft Component Machining / R&O |
| Nutra Mfg, USA | 660 | Vitamins and Supplements |
| Honeywell* | 645 | Turbines / Aircraft Engines and Parts |
| Mitsubishi Polyester Film, LLC | 600 | Unsupported Plastic Film and Sheets |
| AT&T | 600 | Communications |
| BB&T | 600 | Financial Services |
| Anyone Home(announced 2016) | 574 | Customer Care Center |
| Samsung Electronics America, Inc. | 550 | Customer Service Center |
| Hartness Int., Inc. | 500 | Packaging Machinery |
| Resurgent Capital Services | 500 | Financial Customer Care Center |
| Hubbell Lighting | 450 | Headquarters /Lighting |
| ScanSource | 430 | Computer and Software Wholesalers |
| Day & Zimmerman | 400 | Engineering Services |
| Kemet Electronics | 400 | Capacitors |
| Bausch & Lomb | 400 | Eye Care Products |
| Warehouse Services Inc (WSI) | 400 | Warehousing /Distribution |
| Confluence Holding | 400 | Boats and Boating Accessories |
Our Team
Brian Hetzman is a veteran of television production, graphic design, digital media and advertising. He is a former webmaster for Siemens and won ADDY and TELLY Awards for his work as the art director of WPBF-TV, the ABC affiliate in West Palm Beach.
He’s worked with major companies such as Motorola, Blockbuster Video, Kiplinger Personal Finance, The Red Cross, and the YWCA.
Brian was born and raised in Michigan and is a graduate of Michigan State University. He relocated to Greenville five years ago with his family and now couldn’t be happier to call the Upstate home.
Kris Harrison is a director and cinematographer with over 25-years experience in all aspects of production — from audio, video, TV and feature films. He has thousands of successful projects under his belt and still feels a sense of excitement about the creative process and turning vision into reality. It is his specialty to meet with clients and get an understanding of their businesses and then translate that understanding into powerful video.
Kris is a proud Midwesterner who now calls the Upstate, “the best place I’ve ever lived.”
Eric Baltazar began his career in the industry with a humble idea for a television show. The purchase of basic equipment, and connections in New York City led to the beginnings of what would become Baltazar Productions. Most of his projects are based upon a cast of strong characters and a high level of interest in the subject matter being captured.
” I like to develop characters and concepts in a free flowing environment. I’ve found if you let the cameras roll, relax and make sure your cast is relaxed, you will capture the best footage”
Eric Baltazar has worked with and pitched concepts to a variety of companies including MTV, TLC, DiGa Entertainment, The Weinstein Company and most recently with AnE with the airing of Cement Heads a reality concept created and developed by Baltazar Productions.