Thursday, January 19, 2012

How to Make Money as an Actor

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Adam_J._Wahlberg]Adam J. Wahlberg
The gloomy fact is that a lot of us are scrambling to bring home the bacon, much less carry on with our acting careers.
I often would jest that my overpriced bachelor of fine arts degree prepared me for only two different vocations: acting and serving tables. Yet you aren't required to auction off your soul to the food and beverage industry, or any other industry. Because I'm gonna show you 3 simple ideas for making money if you are an actor in these dark economic days.
1. Be an extra:
For those who haven't done it, head over to Central Casting and apply. They are the best firm in America in regards to casting extras in films, TV shows, and television ads. (And they have existed over a hundred years!) All you will need to do is fill out the enrollment papers, get your picture taken, provide a simple interview, then go home and await the phone to ring.
Central Casting has office space in both NYC and LA. But what happens if you live anywhere else in America? Does that mean you cannot become an extra? Do they, in fact, make pictures in other cities?
Sure they do. In the last 10 years, the price of filming has shot up dramatically, about 519 percent to be exact. Because of that, producers are escaping to more inexpensive urban centers: Boston, San Francisco, Phoenix, Montreal, Vancouver, Philadelphia, and Toronto.
You can easily find casting bureaus in all of these metro areas. Simply perform a quick internet search and research when they will be holding open calls.
Now, what are a few of the rewards of doing work as an extra? Good thing you asked...
To start with, your age doesn't make a difference. So long as you can stand, move, jog, and sit down, you are employed! On top of that, your appearance doesn't matter much either. Everybody knows the camera favors a pretty face, but my face isn't all that beautiful, and I get along just fine.
Oh, and they'll feed you. Nibbles, hot dinners, and all of it catered. Some of the best dishes I've eaten happened to be on a picture shoot. All I was missing was a chilly glass of Pinot Blanc.
And it's fast money. Almost the whole day, you are just hanging out inside the holding area, going through the daily news, working on the crossword puzzle, and calling your granny. But if you're shrewd, you will take your computer and hunt for forthcoming odd jobs. Or you can network with all the other extras near you.
Once, I shot a Carnival Cruise Lines television ad which paid me 150 dollars for eight hours worth of work. Nearly 20 dollars per hour. Show me any temp job in Manhattan that doles out anything more than twelve to fifteen. (And that is certainly being kind.) The hardest aspect was making it to the five AM call on-time.
2. Training:
Maybe you have overheard the old saying, 'Those who can't do, teach.' Well, I personally subscribe to an edited variation of that tragic saying: 'Those who can't make money, teach in the meantime.'
The answer to securing work as a trainer or private coach is to decide on a narrow topic. You do not merely teach acting, you instruct scene study. You instruct monologue methodology. You train young adult actors. Pick a particular area in which you shine, and share it with your local area.
In marketing, this is what's called positioning. Chances are, you'll be able to list six or seven acting instructors where you live. So in the minds of your intended customers, you are merely another to throw on the pile. Simply put, the category of acting teacher is already filled up.
But if you create a brand new category such as monologue tutor or acting consultant, then you'll utterly dominate in that category as well as in the heads of all your potential prospects.
Make a few spiffy flyers, post them around the area, and pow! You'll have a successful part-time business.
3. Read at auditions:
Casting agencies require actors for a lot more than just filling out projects. Additionally, they require us to read with other actors who are coming in for a role.
I cannot under-emphasize the gains of reading at auditions. The primary reason, as expected, is that you get paid for your time.
The second reason, and most obvious, is that you are in the audition room with a director and his or her personnel. Commonly for hours and hours. It's kinda like an continuous audition. If you do well, they won't have a need to spend more time casting the role, they will merely use you as a replacement.
Of the three, reading may well become the hardest to accomplish. You must know an insider who will vouch for you.
And finally, let me say that I've employed all three of these strategies to get additional work. That is the way it occurs in the acting business. Work begets work. Indeed, the more people you meet, the more work you may be brought on board for.
Adam Wahlberg is an actor and career consultant living in New York. Want to know how to use [http://www.ace-your-audition.com/open-casting-calls.html]casting calls to your advantage? Learn more at [http://www.ace-your-audition.com/]ace-your-audition.com.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Make-Money-as-an-Actor&id=6544405] How to Make Money as an Actor

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Are You A Vocalist? Learn How To Nail Your First Show

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Simon_B_Li]Simon B Li
Do you have a new band? There's nothing more memorable than your first gig. You should make a mark on your performance, so you'll get all the motivation you need for your gigs in the future.
There are a lot of things to know about shows. You need to be aware of the place, the crowd, the sound system, and more. It's exciting to prepare and rehearse for your first appearance in the music scene.
Being a vocalist is an honor. Along with honor, comes a bigger thing called responsibility. You are the frontman. You hold your band's banner high and you will be the first thing that people will remember when they hear the name of your band. Make a killer impression. Who knows, the next couple of times you'll perform you might get your first set of groupies.
Here are ways on how you can nail one big rock show:
� Practice, practice, practice. With a great rehearsal, you and your band mates will be more confident to pull off the stunt on stage. Go over your tracks repeatedly until you get the right blend that is pleasing to all your ears.
� Dress up. Don't think that because it's your first time to perform, you'll keep a low profile. Always remember that you are what you wear. You are a performer. It's about time you dress up like one. Another thing, don't exaggerate. It's still better to just be your best self, than try to pull off a different identity.
� Know your vocal range. When choosing the songs you're going to play, make sure they fit your vocal range, and if they don't, transpose or change key, because you don't want to sing flats and sharps on stage.
� When performing, you should own the stage. Run around, jump up and down if and enjoy what you are doing. Just don't forget to still keep good quality vocals while you're showing off. Having a high energy level will make your crowd more interested in watching you perform live.
� Get good monitors while singing. Sometimes, the instruments' monitors drown your voice. You'll have the tendency to strain your voice instead of singing with your heart.
� It's always best to bring your own microphone. Microphones in bars are often worn out. The audience might not get the best of your voice quality when you encounter old mics.
� Performing your original compositions will give your band an identity. Make sure that above all the songs you're performing, you nail your compos like they're your most favorite songs.
� Connect to the crowd. Remember why you are on stage. Always keep in mind that you are there to entertain and play for the people, not for yourselves. Try talking to the audience in between songs, so they won't feel like your band is in a different planet.
� Smile. Nobody wants to watch a grumpy performer. You're happy with what you're doing, right? So show it.
It's your first gig, so better make the most out of it. There will always be problems, but as long as your band stays and works together, you will be able to conquer any stage in the world.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Are-You-A-Vocalist?-Learn-How-To-Nail-Your-First-Show&id=6551241] Are You A Vocalist? Learn How To Nail Your First Show

Sunday, January 15, 2012

The Evolution of the Modern Musical

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Keith_Horwood]Keith Horwood
One example of a musical film that has successfully transferred to the stage is Summer Holiday, which starred Cliff Richard. It may be hard to imagine how a film of a double-decker bus travelling through Europe can be shown on the stage, but it can work with a bit of imagination from the director and the crowd themselves.
Pop music has not had a long history in the theater but now the plays being produced are as likely to be centered on modern groups and not just the stars of the past. Love Me Tender and the Buddy Holly Story show alongside more recent musicals such as Grease, which covers the music of the same era but started life as a film.
Children's films are also moving to the stage and there has been a great deal of effort put in to make the stage appear to represent the plains of Africa for The Lion King. Beauty and the Beast may have been one of the earliest films to transfer from celluloid to the boards but its production was nowhere near as adventurous as putting on The Lion King. This is certainly a good way to get young people to see a night at the theater as a good night out rather than just something for their parents.
Another interesting example of the modern musical genre is Rent which has been adapted from 'La Boheme' but with a contemporary twist. The artists of 100 years ago played characters suffering from tuberculosis whereas the modern-day characters have AIDS or HIV. There will be audiences here that would not consider going to La Boheme will associate with rent.
There is a long tradition of musical films being moved to the stage and vice versa but now films that were not musicals are being adapted. Sister Act had songs already in place, but when the decision was made to make Legally Blond a musical, the songs had to be written or chosen especially. Despite being called The Wedding Singer there were songs that you would associate with being a musical number but the play features titles such as Let me Come Home and Today you are a Man.
Some stage musicals have taken music from a particular artist although the storyline has no link.   rel=nofollow [http://www.musicals-in-london.co.uk/Mamma-Mia-theatre-tickets/38]Mamma Mia tells the story of a single mother being reunited with the possible fathers of her daughter based around the music of ABBA, while We Will Rock You is not even based on the same planet as Queen. Both of these make full use of classic songs but giving them their own meaning with a new story.
The modern musical seems to be thriving and producers will be encouraged by the reaction to their productions. There does not seem to be a limit to the films that can make it onto the stage and the advent of reality TV shows to choose leading men and ladies for the next big production has proved hugely popular for the audience and wannabe stars alike. Having the public vote for the singer to play Maria in the Sound of Music will be an encouragement for them to go to see it.
The modern musical will continue to evolve as people's appetite to be entertained evolves.
I write regularly for as a blogger and reviewer for a theatre ticket comparison site, [http://www.musicals-in-london.co.uk/blog]Musicals In London. This site compares theatre ticket prices and offers user reviews & ratings. I enjoy an evening at the theatre and try to see a new performance at least once a month.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Evolution-of-the-Modern-Musical&id=6528906] The Evolution of the Modern Musical

Friday, January 13, 2012

The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies - An Absolute Must-See

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Brad_Schmett]Brad Schmett
In the first decades of the 20th century, vaudeville was all the rage. In Palm Springs, California, the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies re-creates a Ziegfeld Follies type show, complete with performers who are old enough to remember the first generation of vaudeville performers. The "Follies" are performers in the truest sense and their popular presentation is an "absolute must-see". Here's why:
The Concept
Riff Markowitz has been running the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies for over 10 years. He has become something of a local legend and manages to draw nearly 200,000 people to Palm Springs every year to see the show. The show is held in a building that is a sight to see in and of itself, the Plaza Theatre, located in the city's downtown area.
The Show
The Follies offers quite a bit of what you might have seen if you had gone to visit a vaudeville performance in the early 20th century. Expect plenty of campy jokes, funny and slapstick skits and other entertainment that has kept people entertained for over 100 years. The most famous part of the show is the "long-legged lovelies". This group of female dancers includes women anywhere from 50 to 85 years of age.
The Variety
Vaudeville always thrived on offering a huge variety of performers and performance types for the audiences. The Follies is no exception to this rule. With over 125 people in the cast and crew, there's plenty of creativity to go around. You will see everything from acts including animals to singers, dancers and comedians.
Remember that the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies is designed to give you the feel of a performance that you would have seen in the 1950s or even earlier on. This means that some of the jokes you will hear are a little bit racy and that they're certainly not going to be politically correct according to modern sensibilities. This is all part of the fun. If you are old enough to remember these variety performances, you'll probably get a great rush of nostalgia when you go to see the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies. If you're too young to remember those days, you will get a history lesson in addition to a very entertaining evening.
The Performers
The Follies is not a simple novelty act. Some of the performers that you will see among the female dancers were performers in the USO in World War II and in other venues. The show also makes an effort to include only the best performers you can find. While the cast and crew may be under 150 people, the producers have been quoted as saying that they audition over 500 people every year who want to become a part of the Fabulous   rel=nofollow [http://www.laquintarealestateinfo.com/about/palm-springs-california-coachella-valley/]Palm Springs Follies. In total, the Follies have entertained approximately 1.5 million people since it was founded.
The Follies will give you a great deal for your money. Expect the show to last about three hours in total and to experience a great many different entertainers within that time. Some of these entertainers have literally been working for a lifetime, so it is a given that you will see some performers who are incredibly experienced and adept at their craft.
If you're traveling to Palm Springs, the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies is an absolute must-see. This is a show unlike any other anywhere in the country and, even more than that, it is a show unlike any other that is produced and performed today. The Follies provides a perfect mix of nostalgia and rollicking entertainment and is not something you should pass up.
Brad Schmett is Broker Associate at Luxury Homes by Keller Williams in La Quinta, California. Brad is an expert, helping sellers best position their real estate for sale - and helping buyers maximize their real estate investment. To learn more about Brad's services and/or real estate in the La Quinta, California area, visit http://LaQuintaRealEstateInfo.com/
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Fabulous-Palm-Springs-Follies---An-Absolute-Must-See&id=6561218] The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies - An Absolute Must-See

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Simple Tips to Collect Celebrity News

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Sunn_Ma_Cs]Sunn Ma Cs
Celebrities are popular personalities in your country. They may be movie stars, sports stars and even political stars. Any small matter, which happens with a movie star today will become the most sensational news in headlines tomorrow. All the TV channels will highlight this news to increase their rate in the market. There are books and magazines, which exclusively tell stories about celebrities and share their views. Now you can gather news online where you can browse number of websites, which shares hot news about popular stars and sports personalities. Even in social networking sites you can find some of the celebrities sharing their opinion about the recent happenings.
There are certain classes of people who long for reading any kind of celebrity news. Internet can provide you with news and information at very fast rate when compared with newspapers and magazines. Make sure to visit the websites, which you trust to gather latest information about Hollywood and sports stars. Several websites gather fast news about movie stars and flash it on their page for catering to millions of viewers daily. People are fond of listening to celebrity gossip. Next to internet, TV channels will provide you updated news about popular personalities. It may be about a famous pop singer or a movie star or even your favorite boxer. They give right news and hot stories on television channels. There are special channels which air hot stories about celebrities on particular programs daily. You can make yourself available to watch the shows or programs to collect all information about celebrities.
Further you can keep track of popular persons by reading magazines. It is true that magazines give you late news, but sometimes they give genuine information with an interview from particular celebrity on the first page. The news and hot stories keeps on changing each day or after certain period. For few days everyone will be talking about the accident of particular movie star. If next news starts showing up, things would change drastically and all the media and channels will focus only on the latest news and forget the accident news.
There are certain ways by which you can keep track of your favorite movie star. You can give tips to the workers in the salon, restaurants where the star visit frequently. Also gather celebrity news from delivery boys and security men, who can share first hand information quickly. Browsing the websites regularly can give you more information about popular movie stars and other celebrities.
It is a celebrity news blog with the [http://anythinghollywood.com/]latest Hollywood gossip, celebrity gossip websites and [http://anythinghollywood.com/]Hollywood gossip news. The content of this web site is for entertainment. For more information on Hollywood celebrity gossip please visit us.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Simple-Tips-to-Collect-Celebrity-News&id=6557342] Simple Tips to Collect Celebrity News

Monday, January 9, 2012

Juggling World Records for Balls, Rings, Clubs, Bounce and Passing

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Steve_W_Thomson]Steve W Thomson
The rules for these World Record attempts to be accepted (whether by Guinness or the JIS Committee on Numbers Juggling) are as follows:
The props must be thrown individually from each hand, therefore multiplexing - which involves throwing more than one object at a time is not allowed.

You are counting the number of catches, not throws, so your counting will only begin when you have thrown all but the final object from your hands!
Catches are only counted until the moment that a dropped object would have reached the hand that was meant to catch it (it stops sooner than when the object would have hit the floor!)

The new generations of jugglers usually film their attempts, so that their claims can be more easily validated. It is also far easier to try and count the number of catches of 12 objects when you can watch the filmed footage in slow motion!  The attempts are usually measured in the number of catches, but occasionally (with slightly lower numbered items) the length of time.
World Record for Ball/beanbag Juggling

12 balls/beanbags for 12 catches by Bruce Sarafian (1996), Peter Bone (2006), Sam Hartford (2010) - 3 different people all holding the same world record!
11 beanbags for 21 catches by Alex Barron in 2011
10 balls for 23 catches by Bruce Sarafian in 2001
9 balls for 54 seconds by Anthony Gatto in 2006 (featured in his "To be the best III DVD)

World Records for Bounce Juggling

10 balls using the lift bounce (39 catches) - Robert Mosher III
9 balls using the lift bounce (35 seconds) - Mathias Ramfelt
9 balls using the force bounce (62 catches) - Alan sulc
8 balls using the force bounce (4 mins 12 seconds) - Alan Sulc

2-man bounce passing

16 balls (74 catches) by David Critchfield and John Jones in 2005

World Records for Ring Juggling

13 Rings for 13 catches by Albert Lucas (2002)
12 Rings for 12 catches by Anthony Gatto (1993), Albert Lucase (1996), Sam Hartford (2002)
11 Rings for 17 catches by Anthony Gatto (2006)
10 Rings for 47 catches by Anthony Gatto (2005)

World Records for Club Juggling

9 Clubs for 9 catches by Bruce Tiemann (1996), Scott Sorensen (1997), Chris Fowler (2003)
8 Clubs for 16 catches by Anthony Gatto (2006)
7 Clubs for 4mins 23 seconds by Anthony Gatto (2005) from his Legendary Moments video

World Records for Club Passing
Records don't need to be a solo effort!

14 Clubs for 14 passes between Darin Marriott & Peter Kaseman (2004)
13 Clubs for 18 passes between Patrik Elmnert & Wes Peden (2008)

Further Resources
Some of the records on this page may not be recognised as official "Guinness World Records", but it is good enough for the excellent   rel=nofollow [http://www.juggling.org/records/records.html]JIS Committee on Numbers Juggling from which these stats are taken! Their aim in creating this well maintained list is to stimulate interest in numbers juggling at all levels as well as setting some goals for the most dedicated, so head over to their website to see a more complete list!n Plenty of video clips for a lot of the record-breakers to get you inspired!
Another good web page with lots of fun facts is the Official Guinness World Records website. Type in "Juggling" and let the websites search engine pull up the best results -   rel=nofollow [http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/]http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com.
Steve Thomson is a professional juggler based in East Midlands. He has an online juggling store (UK only) called Jugglingworld.biz where you can buy a whole range of [http://www.jugglingworld.biz/Juggling-Tricks/index.php?/Guinness-World-Record-Products/View-all-products.html]Guinness World Record Products including balls and diabolo's!
Jugglingworld has tricks pages and beginners guides for over 30 different skills-based props so if you ever want to learn a new skill, this is the place to start! [http://www.jugglingworld.biz/index.php?/Juggling-Tricks/tricks-section.html]Tricks Section.
Twitter name is @stevejuggler
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Juggling-World-Records-for-Balls,-Rings,-Clubs,-Bounce-and-Passing&id=6565584] Juggling World Records for Balls, Rings, Clubs, Bounce and Passing

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Silly Juggling World Records

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Steve_W_Thomson]Steve W Thomson
Your World Record attempts needn't be trying to juggle a high number of objects. They can be as simple (or as funny) as you like! They may not get recognised by Guinness, but that doesn't make them any less entertaining as long as you enjoy them and they improve your skills no matter how silly!!
Keeping a Tennis Ball in the air while climbing up a ladder (53 steps)!  2008 by Paul Sahli.
Longest Distance driven in a car (with open roof) while heading the ball (7km) by Agim Agushi in 2004.
Fastest Mile while hopping on a pogo stick and juggling 3 balls is 23minutes and 28 seconds. World Record set by the legendary Ashrita Furman in 2007!
Most bites of an apple while juggling in 1 minute (65 bites)!
Keepy Uppy with Football. 24hr 30 seconds nonstop without ball touching the ground! By Nikolai Kutsenko from the Ukraine in 1995. Imagine being able to do keepy-uppys for over a day without even dropping once!

Haggis Juggling Endurance World Records: This is an unofficial World Record (as Guinness have refused to recognise it as it would open up all sorts of claims for breaking world records for lots of different foods!)  This is held at every Scottish Juggling Convention, so come along to the next one if you fancy trying to beat it - I almost won in the early years of the competition before the awesome Tempei and then Luke Burrage destroyed all the previous records!

6 Haggis - 11 catches - Luke Burrage (2008)
5 Haggis - 1m 14 secs - Wes Peden (2008)
4 Haggis - 1m 31 secs - Tempei (2006)
3 Haggis - 15m 5 secs- Luke Burrage (2008)

Joggling: Not too silly, but certainly something different from your ordinary juggle as you now need to do everything while running at the same time!  The wonderfully talented Albert Lucas (holder of many Juggling World Records is heavily involved in organising a lot of these World Record attempts and you can find a full list on the   rel=nofollow [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joggling#Records]Joggling Wikipedia page.
You can view all sorts of home-made video clips of people setting their own records for silly juggling stunts at   rel=nofollow [http://recordsetter.com/]Record Setter website. Their excellent search box will allow you to find lots of silly records being set for all your favourite hobbies and past-times! These include:

Most rotations performed on a slackline in a minute (12 rotations)
Most Helicopter head spins while juggling 3 baseball bats in 30 seconds (16 head spins)
Most consecutive golf ball bounces on a claw grip hammer while juggling 2 tennis balls (41 bounces)

I am sure you can think of a record to add to their collection!
Steve Thomson is a professional juggler based in East Midlands. He has an online juggling store (UK only) called Jugglingworld.biz where you can buy a whole range of [http://www.jugglingworld.biz/Juggling-Tricks/index.php?/Guinness-World-Record-Products/View-all-products.html]Guinness World Record Products including balls and diabolo's!
Jugglingworld has tricks pages and beginners guides for over 30 different skills-based props so if you ever want to learn a new skill, this is the place to start! [http://www.jugglingworld.biz/index.php?/Juggling-Tricks/tricks-section.html]Tricks Section.
Twitter name is @stevejuggler
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Silly-Juggling-World-Records&id=6565614] Silly Juggling World Records