John Shaffner - Chairman and CEO of The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Coverage on John Shaffner; Al Gore and his media company Current TV and its aim to provide high quality investigative journalism and allow viewers to create content. Great video!

Don Mischer - Executive Producer of 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards

Don Mischer talks about the Emmy Awards but also the importance of Social Networking as a strong tool to connect with young people. 

The Academy of Television, Arts and Sciences

As many actors in the know, 'will know' that this year is the year of the Emmy Awards in California. Yes, you can be rest assured there will be alot of coverage from all the press on this star-studded event. The scrutiny of fashionistas and police will be giving you the 'heads up' on everything fashion and of course interviews.

Here is a video published by The Academy of Television, Arts and Sciences which host the Emmy Awards. What I found interesting but not surprising about this video, is the eclectic mix of people, team work and skill behind one of the most prestigious award ceremony's in film and television.  Jiimmy Fallon actor and comedian is hosting the 2010 event and also hearing from the Producers that 'Social Networking' sites such as Twitter are recognised as a useful tool to connect with young people and the wider world is great to hear.

So, you guessed it....Emmy awards are on Twitter!!! Plus a whole lot more. Including, Al Gore and his work behind the media company CURRENT TV and it's aim to change the tide of media consolidation and conglomeration into a democracy; giving viewers the ability to create content and supporting investigative journalism and progressive thinking.

Take a look at the video from the Academy of Television, Arts and Sciences, certainly one to blog about!

'Eat, Pray, Love' Trailer HD

Director  Ryan Murphy
Screenplay Jennifer Salt and Ryan Murphy

A great new film with legendary actress Julia Roberts, this is the latest edition by the pretty woman star who gives us everything we know and more in this soul searching protaganist. Eat, Pray, Love is based on the book and true story written by Elizabeth Gilbert.

Liz Gilbert (Roberts) is living the perfect life, she has a husband, a house and a great career, Why would she want more? This is the question we may ask but the fact is it wasn't enough for her. Truth is, they are for some but not all for many as Liz discovers her life is falling away. Her desire for life is dissolving before her eyes and she passionately wants purpose and freedom. So, she boldly takes a step of faith and does what many might say was crazy, insane or even couragous. Liz, goes for it with zeal and conviction to find out who she is and goes after a new life, leaving behind her old life to find a new one. Liz meets an oriental man who gives her a perspective into her life and one which gives her the courage to take the next step.

In the world, we all go through challenges of sorts but it's the courage to boldly chase after our dreams is something many of us wish we could do but dare not. It's stepping out the box which some people find difficult...However, this film addresses the issue of self-discovery and not conforming to society. This film follows the life of one lady (Gilbert), who looked at her world and realised it was not hers. There was more to life than the one she 'thought' she was living.  She leaves everyone behind; her home, her friends and family to travel to Italy, India and on her quest to find herself she finds something even more precious.  True peace.

Eat, Pray, Love is due for release 24 September 2010 and I cannot wait to see Julia Roberts latest movie. It's a passage of a human life, seeking to find meaning and reason for living each day. It is a noticeable change for Roberts but one that has all the emotion and intensity. Love the trailer, let's see the film.

Casting for STAR TREK by Backstage.com

As actors we all understand how important knowledge is to us and Backstage.com is one of the best acting resources out there. Back Stage has been around for nearly 50 years and has been the most trusted place for actors to find performing arts and the most uptodate casting information.

It began in December 1960 by Ira Eaker and Allen Zwerdling, and like anything when people catch on they follow and that's exactly what happened with Back Stage.  It was the manual to read 'as it were' if you were a young aspiring actor in New York. Later, the Los Angeles edition came about 'Back Stage West' was launched in 1994 and soon after with the rise of the world wide web came Backstage.com in 1997.

Back Stage, invited in Casting Director April Webster who cast for the film Star Trek and she gives actors alot of very important advice, particularly the DO's and DON'Ts. Also, she shares with us the characters and how April found the right actors for the parts and what qualities they needed to possess. Great knowledge for any actor who is serious about acting for TV and Film.

Back Stage is the resource for all actors and those in the arts and entertainment. This is one website I always visit to learn more about my industry. Actors we must invest time and learn. Check out the video on Star Trek and hear what the casting director has to say...This is gold dust!!!

DERELICT MOVIE (2010)

DERELICT (2010)

Director Simeon Lumgair
Producers Jackie Sheppard & Luke Walton
Cast  Graham Cole, Andrew Harrison, Israel Aduramo, Russell Barnett, Irene NG,
Travis Coffmann and Neil Linpow.

Photo (L-R) Russell Barnett, Irene NG, Travis Coffmann, Neil Linpow

Derelict is a movie developed as a screenplay by Simeon Lumgair, Guy Logan and John Lumgair. Inspired by a true story. The film is set in the year 2025 in a distopian city. Three Soldiers and a sniper are on hot pursuit of an immigrant played by Israel Aduramo (Onesimus) and leader of the soldiers 'Archie' (Russell Barnet). Archie leads his soldiers to hunt down Onesimus through a dystopian city in England.  This is intense from the outset and builds up to a dramatic end. This is a film of pace and speed, can you keep up with them? They will find you and hunt you down. Onesimus is the man on target, will he escape? How will it end?

Quote 'It was great to work on this film and to help bring the writers, producers and directors' vision to life'. by Travis Coffmann.

http://www.derelictmovie.com/

CAT BOUNCE CUTDOWN

I just watched a short clip from the Independant film Cat Bounce Cutdown and definately intrigued by the story surrounding 2 city traders. The opening scene we see what appears to be a potential murder or a suicide nothing is quite clear here. The film reminds me in someways like the CSI TV series but nevertheless a film with a story to solve. A dead body, man in the room almost shocked and we walk straight into the scene.....All very peculiar and a perfect situation for inspector Columbo to solve with the shooting style but also the dark undertones within the story.

Could the gruesome reality of greed be part of this unresolved dead man facedown in blood? Nothing is set in stone accept we know, there is a dead body involved and a city trader may be an intruder, a murderer or part of a corrupt society ending in suicide. Whichever way you look at it, there is something to uncover.

How does a normal average city trader discover a formula of numbers in a newspaper, delivered outside his apartment door?  It seems alittle too good to be true. Certainly a dream for any city trader but in this film we see one character caught in a web of greed and clouded judgement. Of course it is fiction but the director has certainly kept me hooked here. Let's see how this might play out. I have a number 'no pun intended' of ideas of what comes next but this is a film which should hit the big screens.

Watch this space for more updates on Cat Bounce Cutdown.

Click this link to watch the film  'CAT BOUNCE CUTDOWN'

Discovery Channel Show highlighting LA Headshot Photographer Kevyn Major Howard

As any actor can tell you, the headshot for those of you who do not know, this is a 10 x 8 Photograph of an actor focusing on the face.
This accompanied by a Resume or CV is the normal requirement for an actor to be considered for a TV/Film job. There are so many photographers, how do you choose? It's a dilemma most actors deal with when they submit or their agents submit to a casting director.

I know a few photographers in LA, New York and London but there are few photographers the industry, especially Hollywood would say is delivering exactly what they require. However, there is one LA Photographer 'Kevyn Major Howard' who has the reputation to capture great pictures specifically 'Headshots' which open doors for actors in the Industry.

Check out the video link of Kevyn Major Howard right here at TC BLOG

INCEPTION is a mind maze of reality meets surreality

Well, I have now seen the film 'Inception' and must say that in the first 30minutes, I was unsure of what to really expect and at the sametime my mind was trying to conculude and summarise but to no avail. It was hard to comprehend the path being taken as we see Leonardo Dicaprio washed up on the shores of a beach.

It seemed unbelieveable as I sometimes like to know where I am going with a film but something was holding me back and allowing the film to play out before me. As I sat in the movie theatre, I began to absorb this film differently and not try to evaluate or judge to quickly and then things began to change.

The lead actor of course, drew the attention immediately but the idea of dreams being invaded seemed different, at first obsurd and then becoming convinced of the possibility. Gravity is a law that exists and wind blows but we cannot see it but it is real. Therefore, my thought was, if there are things we cannot explain than maybe our reality doesn't have to end there. Dreams are a phenomenon in themselves, could it be that these events in time when we are sleeping in a fictional sense, potentially 'be' isolated and penetrated? It all sounds abit 'spooky' and alittle weird you may say but there are so many things we cannot explain and I realised this film, was tapping into something we take for granted and we all do but don't take the time to think about dreams.

This film within 30minutes hooked me in as I was desperate to find out what was happening and what was real and what was a dream. Some of the dialogue between the actors was like a group of science majors, who who were going against the rules and we were observers, looking in. The good thing about the film was the varied cast, young and legendary.

Michael Cain an incredible actor and the dynamics of the other cast members all worked well together, as the pace and the speed and of course the effects literally were amazing. Some, film enthusiasts may think, it was odd because it was a surreal film on the edge of reality and often science, philosophy and psychosis can be understood in certain circles but if you like action and clarity immediately, then this may not be your film. It's a film where reality is broken and surreality embraced.

The epic scenes of exploding buildings and city scapes 'turning on their heads' as it were is simply unbelievable and something you would only imagine but not actually see before your eyes. Truly a marvel to be seen and a film many will question but one thing is for sure, it is a film that will go down in history that took reality to surreality and back in a moment. Dreams can never be truly understood but at least there was one film that looked at it differently and gave us a view into the human subconscious. Whether conclusive or as agent Dana Scully would say this is inconclusive evidence. Nothing is cut and dry!

Solving the film isn't necessary but to experience the impossibility is what makes this film a hit. Salvador Dali painted dreams and Inception did the same but through film. That's a work of art.

Inception - Movie is a roller coaster of dreams..Wake up or not.

This film is about dreams and so far I have yet to watch the film, but will go and see it soon but check out the official trailer. It is incredible combined with the special effects is sheer brilliance.

The cast are good too but it's the acting by Leonardo Dicaprio seen in the trailer that really shows he is the leading man.  The next time you go to sleep who knows what could happen.

Do our dreams reveal truths of our existence and are there any messages in them? Everyone has an opinion. I believe there may be something in this but who knows.

Twilight Films are a great modern look at The Vampire Phenomenon.

Yes, before you ask, I absolutely think the Twilight Films are brilliant from the perspective Vampires in the traditional sense are integrating with society is a great modern take which works. Growing up watching films, from the 80s and 90s especially films of this genre; including Lost Boys and Interview wth a vampire were such epic cult classics and brilliant and some 'may say' ahead of their time. But, with all films there must be another shift and another level of creativity coming out of the Film Industry. And, here we have it. Twilight.

The next addition  of 'Twiilight' comes to our screens with less blood than the normal traditional. This was in many ways somewhat of a relief as Vampires always equalled blood  but this film takes a different angle to this cult phenomenon. We are taken on a journey with a young girl 'Bella', with teenage issues. confused and yet we see an individual crying out to be understood, and yet she is astute but lost and trying to find herself.  Bella  loves her father but is often distant, detached, showing us although love is there it isn't enough. The father daughter dynamics is not a normal synergy as this plays out in the film.

Bella cares very little to conform with her peers but is happy to live and co-exist but not engage with her new found friends at a teen superficial level.  Her life turns upside down as she meets the new guy at school. Edward with his chisselled looks; cool, slightly odd, but disengaged guy 'Edward Cullen' who is every teenage girls dream; tall, good looking who is captivating and who has caught her heart from a glance. This power draws them nearer and they soon are caught in a web of intense passion throughout the movie. Bella is drawn to Edward and vice versa with no understanding of the sinister truth of his existence or what fate has in store for them both.

Edward Cullen a young man, who speaks with maturity beyond his years and who has lived for decades. It is true being 17years is hard enough but having to repeat your education must be hard to take. It seems the approach  in the story and characters selected for the film were there to help us believe these characters could actually be in our own town. There were no blonde 'super-models' pacing up the corridors of the school  but young ordinary looking people, funny, quirky, enjoying life and unaware of the reality of their community.

The idea of vampires working within the community and making choices to integrate with humans is brilliant and a totally different perspective with a modern take. The pale faces are clearly different but this seems not to bother the people in the community. Refreshing. Twilight is not just about vampires and werewolves but it's about relationships and also love, superceding circumstances and indifference. Twilight with all the effects is impressive but the interaction between good and evil is more interesting in this film as they deal with this reality in a different way.

Love seems to have more power than anything else. But, also  we understand vampires have feelings too, they are not just the enemy but they do have another side, which is what we get to see in Twilight. Acting was great throughout and awesome locations.

Twitter Phenomenon and New Technology

This Twitter Phenomenon is a funny one. Ever since I heard about that news story in America where members of the public were able to see something and broadcast using their twitter accounts before regular mainstream news desks, was impressive, to say the least. It proved we have moved on heaps and bounds into a modern age where consumer becomes news reporter. News travels with new technology faster than even the press! The sheer power and control people have and more importantly the technology we have at our finger tips is changing interaction and speed of communication. The twitter news story opened my eyes to the reality and that was it. This idea was never something that I could have even perceived true but it seems people trust Twitter and so I joined.

It is the best thing ever! And I can assure you I'm not one to follow the crowd but had to admit this was revolutionary. The ability to connect with anyone around the world and share your thoughts instantly with the added benenfit of security and privacy, it proved a great networking tool. If your an actor or anyone in any field you get so much opportunity to talk about anything, anytime and it takes seconds to post straight from your phone! Phones were at home are now mobile and part of life. If I forget my blackberry it almost feels like I left myself. I don't think it's too extreme or dramatic but it's true. Technology has advanced.

Almost 20 years ago, Twitter was never truly realised or would be conceivable much the same as the mobile phone. What is the future for new technology? How far are we going with it and what will it be like in 10 to 20 years time?  Biometric technology and eye scanning are already underway but it's interesting the speed of change. Where will this take us and for those less technologically savvy, it could be a nightmare? or a brain melt-down.

In anycase, technology will no doubt evolve and integrate with our every day lives, as good design and technology should but will we lose the great part of human interaction and communication? Human interaction and how we use this technology is the fundamental question. Future dictated by technology or should we strive for equilibrium?

Workshops are a must as an actor!

As an actor I have looked at the importance of building up my skill. Let's face it, if you haven't been acting for a month or two, it's time to get into an acting workshop. The acting profession is not an easy one but with all talents we need to continue to develop it.

Talent is vital but our skill must be nurtured and constantly worked on, whether we are new comers or not. It's something actors must look at and enrol whereever necessary. In the United Kingdom, there are so many opportunities to advance our skills as actors and we should take them.  There are many good, reliable and cost-effective options out there! The Stage newspaper is a good place to start if you're based in the UK.

In the US, workshops are a highly used resource and I think it may be catching on in Britain much more. What do you think? It's an observation I have seen overtime and as an actor interested in 'method acting' for Film and I know it is imperative to seek more training. If we as actors are not looking to continue to learn and utilise our time well, then what are we doing with our time, when we are not working? It's a question to ask ourselves.

Training is the way forward I think but what do the rest of you think?

What is method acting? There are so many definitions but which is the definitive?

The process of method acting has been defined by so many different people but I think Stanislavsky' term (Definition 1) for this is the best and easy to understand;

Definition (1): an acting technique introduced by Stanislavsky in which the actor recalls emotions or reactions from his or her own life and uses them to identify with the character being portrayed.

Definition (2): (Wikipedia Research below) Method acting is a phrase that loosely refers to a family of techniques by which actors try to create in themselves the thoughts and emotions of their characters in an effort to develop lifelike performances. It can be contrasted with more classical forms of acting, in which actors simulate thoughts and emotions through external means, such as vocal intonation or facial expression. Though not all Method actors use the same approach, the "method" in Method acting usually Wrefers to the practice, advocated by Lee Strasberg, by which actors draw upon their own emotions and memories in their portrayals, aided by a set of exercises and practices including sense memory and affective memory.

Method actors are often characterized as immersing themselves in their characters to the extent that they continue to portray them even offstage or off-camera for the duration of a project. However, this is a popular misconception. While some actors have employed this approach, it is generally not taught as part of the Method. Method acting has been described as "revolutionizing American theater." While classical acting instruction "had focused on developing external talents," the Method was "the first systematized training that also developed internal abilities (sensory, psychological, emotional)."[1] Method acting continues to evolve, with many contemporary acting teachers, schools, and colleges teaching an integrated approach that draws from several different schools of thought about acting.

Further Information: Click on link >>>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Method_acting

What has method Acting done for you?

Harry Potter comes to an end!!! What's the future?

It seems impossible to believe for many the very staple diet of Harry Potter is coming close to an end. When I read the story it was a surprise. No doubt, there will be many mourning at this time and Harry Potter fans checking in with a life coach as everyone tries to recover from the end of an era of what was an epic series from JK Rowling. What does this mean for the actors? May be JK Rowlling has a few ideas brewing in the pot. .....Hmmmmm Who knows, what lurks within the pot of ideas but I am certain there may be a new twist that only writers of greatness can solve. I'm thinking perhaps I need to ask Jeeves....He might have the answer. Let's hope it wasn't writers block that ended the epic HP.

What makes a movie great and can a film be better than the book?

It's something that I often think about all the time. What makes a film great, is it necessarily the dialogue alone or the characters or the idea? I have a thought, it might be the dialogue and how many set-up points there is in the script or is there no real answer? Everyone out there let me know your ideas.....People tell me all the time a book before the film is much better than any film remake but is this always true?

Do you think the ''The Book of Eli' was a good film and why?

Personally, I think the film was a powerful and heroic journey of a man with a destiny that changed the course of history in this fictional movie. Denzil played the character well and the cast was good. I like the idea of 'the book' being the focal point of the entire film as it's a different view point and one that I think makes people think, I know it certainly made me think! The twist at the end was good and it concludes well....maybe a sequal is yet to come.