About Benjamin Kyle…

This is a legitimate story that was emailed to Houghton.  Unsolved Mysteries cannot do a story on it because there is no police report about this incident.  How it can be true that no report was done is beyond me but in any case, if you can email to your address book, or send to anyone you might know in influencial places or positions who might be able to help this man, that would be amazing.  Thank you in advance, Mystie 

 

In 2004, Mr. Kyle was found in Richmond Hill, Georgia (near Savannah, Georgia) naked, beaten, and covered in fire ant bites beside a dumpster at Burger King.  He has amnesia and does not know who he is.  There was also no identity found on him.  Mr. Kyle is a well spoken man of above-average intelligence and a professional demeanor.  It is theorized that he may have been traveling down I-95 on business before he was attacked. 

 

Even though he is in exceptionally good health, he cannot remember his name or where he comes from. He thinks he may have come from Indiana.  He adopted the psuedonym Benjamin Kyle until he finds out his real name.

 

Mr. Kyle recently appeared on the Dr. Phil show.  We are hoping to get him more TV appearances in the hopes that someone will recognize him. 

 

here is the link:  http://www.drphil.com/shows/show/1146/

  

Acting Classes in Charlotte

2009 Acting Classes at Actors Theatre of Charlotte

taught by Martin Thompson

Registration is now open for the Winter Session of Adult Acting Classes, beginning February 8th, 2009 at Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte. Taught by professional actor/director Martin Thompson, these classes are appropriate for both aspiring actors and professionals who would like to improve their skills. Class registration is limited and will be accepted one week prior to the first class of each session.http://www.actorstheatrecharlotte.org/classes.htm

Basic Technique classes will be held Sunday afternoons from 5:00 to 7:00 pm for eight weeks: February 8th – March 29th, 2009.  Cost: $175 per student.About the Classes:

Basic Technique: This class provides a very practical and easily accessible method of working for both beginning and experienced actors. Incorporating today’s best and most modern principles of acting, this distinctive Layering Technique has been developed by the instructor to provide a practical working foundation for the actor, and to serve as a solid framework on which to build more complex work. Here the actor will identify his unique responsibilities to the creative process, study the essential tools of his craft, and learn to properly apply those tools towards the creation of reality on the stage or in front of a camera.About the Instructor:

Martin Thompson (AEA-AFTRA-SAG) is an award winning professional actor with over 25 years of credits in Television, Motion Pictures, Commercials, and Industrials, as well as extensive Theatre credits on the New York stage and in Regional Theatres across the country. His daytime television work includes roles on The Guiding Light, The Edge of Night, and All My Children. His motion picture credits include Spies, Mr. Destiny, and Billy Bathgate with Dustin Hoffman. He recently completed filming the upcoming feature Blood Done Sign My Name, and will soon be seen co-starring with Dean Jones in Mandie and the Secret Tunnel, and opposite Kevin Costner in The New Daughter.

Call Actors Theatre at (704) 342-2251 for information and registration. Or register on the Web at

Scene Study classes will be held on Sunday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 pm for eight weeks: February 8th – March 29th, 2009. Cost $175 per student. Continuing Scene Study students are eligible for a discount.

 

Scene Study: For the more advanced actor, the emphasis of this class is on the practical and creative application of the actor’s technique through a variety of scene work. In this class we will explore the unique skills required to be a truly creative actor. Students will discover how to make strong and interesting choices, and how to unlock the pathways that propel a character into dynamic action. Other topics will also include: script and character analysis, audition techniques, rehearsal methods, and specific performance skills for both period and modern plays. Students must be prepared to spend time outside of class for rehearsal with their scene partners. Instructor’s permission is required for those who have not taken the Basic Technique class.

 

Thompson has developed a style of teaching that seeks not only to inform and instruct through the development of a strong technique, but also strives to inspire the student to unique and truthful behavior on the stage and in front of the camera. He is well versed in the methods of Stanislavski, Meisner, Adler, Strasberg, and Lewis, as well as the techniques of Uta Hagen, with whom he studied at HB Studios in New York.

For over a decade, Thompson taught Adult Acting Classes in the Triangle, and has also taught Master Classes in Acting at North Carolina State University, served as Artist in Residence at Chowan College and participated in numerous residencies across North Carolina through the NC Arts Council’s Visiting Artists program.

###

How To Create Acting Work – Creative Studios of Atlanta

Actors who do well in the Entertainment Industry know success comes from a combination of talent, training and good marketing.

Have you ever asked yourself:

What am I selling & how am I selling it? How can I make it easier for agents, casting directors and producers to buy what I’m selling? How do people see me? Are my business tools working for me?
In this one-day intensive, Ken Feinberg guides you through the steps of creating your own marketing campaign and setting it into action. He will make it easier for you to get an agent. If you have an agent, he will make it easier for you to get auditions. This class will save you money on frivolous expenses associated with the acting business.

2 Dates to choose from:

Saturday January 31
OR
Sunday February 8. 10am – 5pm. Investment: $100
Class is limited to 10 students for individual attention. Only a few spaces left.

About the Instructor

For almost 20 years Feinberg has been directing, writing, producing and acting in award-winning films, hit television series and major theater projects in Los Angeles, New York and Atlanta, He is also the casting director in residence at CSA.
As an actor, Feinberg is known to millions of television viewers around the world for his role as the Chaos Demon in the richly acclaimed Buffy The Vampire Slayer . He also played impressive characters on other hit series including Alias, Charmed, STAR TREK’S Enterprise and the popular network series The District.

We look forward to working with you.

Sincerely,

Ken Feinberg
Creative Studios of Atlanta
email: creativestudiosofatlanta@yahoo.com
phone: 404-355-4588
web: http://www.creativestudiosofatlanta.com

Barbara’s coming back!

Barbara B heading to Atlanta in March to shoot headshots.  She’s available the 10th to the 19th.  www.benvilphotography.com  (new website will be up in a couple of weeks)  323-969-4944

Hundreds seek extra roles in remake of 1973’s ‘The Crazies’

 

 

“The Crazies”

 

 

Hundreds of people hoping to become extras in a horror movie lined up Tuesday afternoon for a shot at “The Crazies.”

 

Overture Pictures held an extras casting call at the Holiday Inn, aiming to fill the parts of townfolk and law enforcement officials for a remake of the 1973 horror flick that will film in parts of Perry and Peach County. What they got was a line of people that wrapped around the hotel’s pool and back around another building. By 3:30 p.m., 100 people had been seen, and that was only a half-hour into the three-hour session.

 

At the casting call, extras casting director Patrick Ingram and his assistant photographed and accepted information from those in line. When the hopefuls left, each one received a sheet of paper noting that every position paid at least $100 and that those chosen would be expected to work a 12-hour day. Ingram said the long work day is the reason movie directors often prefer to work with local talent.

 

Those who make the cut are likely to be notified between two weeks from now and the end of April, Overture officials said. The movie is being shot from March through May.

 

Ingram said he needed between 300 and 1,000 people for the movie and was pleased with Tuesday’s turnout.

 

“We appeared to have gotten the word out that we wanted all types of people,” Ingram said.

 

The line represented a cross section of Middle Georgia with people from various races, age groups and backgrounds.

 

Perry High School student Meredith Bowden stood in line with a wealth of acting experience already under her belt. At the age of 15, she has participated in her school’s production of “The Yellow Boat.” When she was younger, she was active in the Perry Players, a community theater, and had a part in “The Fiddler on the Roof.”

 

“I thought trying out for this would be a good thing,” said Bowden, who first fell in love with acting in the second grade.

 

For 28-year-old Sheba Gray, of Perry, it wasn’t a love of drama as much as it was a love for being in front of the camera.

 

With no acting experience, she saw the announcement of the casting call and decided to give it a shot.

 

“You never know. This could be anybody’s big break out here,” Gray said.

 

The casting call was a family affair for Steve Merlino, 42, and his two children.

 

It all started when Merlino’s daughter, Ashleigh Merlino, 14, heard about the casting call. Ashleigh Merlino, who takes a drama class at Houston County High School, got her brother Steven Merlino, 17, on board.

 

“I just wanted to try it out,” Ashleigh Merlino said. “I thought it would be cool to be in a movie.”

 

She, her brother and their mother convinced Steve Merlino, a J-STARS navigator at Robins Air Force Base, to try out since the studio was seeking people with military and law enforcement experience.

 

“I figured it would be a fun experience, so why not?” Steve Merlino said.

Videogame production growing down South By BASHIRAH MUTTALIB

Baton Rouge boasts its share of Louisiana film and TV production as well as a growing vidgame development industry.

Electronic Arts is setting up a testing center on LSU’s South Campus to ensure consumer readiness for its “Madden NFL” franchise, “Tiger Woods PGA Tour” game and “NCAA Football” series. Baton Rouge is banking on the success of this enterprise to launch a digital research complex for similar companies on the university’s 200-acre South Campus.

Vidgame developers Nerjyzed Entertainment and Yatec Games have also added their titles to the city’s production roster.

Yatec’s president, Dean Majoue, evacuated his New Orleans home and business in the aftermath of Katrina and Rita. He created Yatec with a vision of participating in the development of Louisiana’s growing entertainment industry and supporting the post-hurricane revitalization of the area.

Yatec, creators of “I.Q. Identity Quest,” offers services in Web design, custom animations, 3-D modeling, simulations and training programs.

Nerjyzed Entertainment is a privately held videogame and 3-D animation development and publishing company and the creator of “BCFx,” the Black College Football Experience vidgame. The once Dallas-based company is now headquartered in Baton Rouge.

CEO Jacqueline Beauchamp and partner Frederick Johnson founded Nerjyzed in 2003 with a team whose track record included entertainment, sports and videogaming as well as degrees from historically black colleges and universities. Their goal, according to Beauchamp, is to “continue infusing the videogame and publishing industry with positive content related to the urban lifestyle.”

Vidgame development is an ever-burgeoning industry, and Baton Rouge recognizes its growth as an added draw to the city’s production base.

“One additional key point to highlight regarding this industry is that successful startup videogame studios are typically targets for acquisitions from large publishing companies like EA, Midway, Sony, etc.,” said Beauchamp. “Therefore, building strong workforce, infrastructure and incentive programs will show the industry that Baton Rouge is serious about the videogaming industry. The key thing that must be highlighted is — assuming that the new startup studios will be successful and acquisitions occur — the city of Baton Rouge wants to insure that there is a strong industry support to retain the companies in Baton Rouge.”

Bolstering the city’s production infrastructure are new post-production companies and soundstage facilities such as Celtic Media Center, River Road Creative, Louisiana Media Services and Louisiana Media Prods.

“The collective economic impact of these new entities is currently being determined,” said Baton Rouge Film Commission executive director Amy Mitchell-Smith. “But the benefits of permanent jobs creation, strong local wages, competitive infrastructure, high tech equipment purchases and capital investment are considerable.”

Celtic Media Center, partnered and managed by Raleigh Studios, is a full service 20-acre complex providing services and support personnel for film, TV, musicvids and vidgames. The facility’s 35,000-square-foot O’Connor Building houses administrative offices, post-production and 4,057-square-foot and 6,500-square-foot soundstages.

Baton Rouge hosts a healthy film/TV production roster, with projected revenues of more than $67 million for 2007 (total in-state spend will be finalized in 2008). Room revenue for 7,000 nights amounted to a direct spend of $490,000.

Pics such as “I Love You Phillip Morris,” “Nine Dead,” “The Open Road,” “Cirque du Freak,” “The Librarian: The Curse of the Judas Chalice,” “Yellow Handkerchief,” “Middle of Nowhere” and “The Way of War” lensed in the city, while additional photography for “Jumper,” “Miracle at St. Anna” and “Cadillac Records” was done in Baton Rouge.

* * *

The relatively young film commission for Northeast Louisiana is open and ready for business.

ESPN docu series “Varsity, Inc.” recently lensed in the area, and a second season is in the works.

“The football atmosphere was perfect for what we needed in West Monroe, not to mention the beautiful scenery,” said Horizon Entertainment and Prods.’ Jason Geigerman. “The hospitality shown to us made us want to never leave.”

Northeast Louisiana’s universities, Louisiana Tech, Grambling State and the U. of Louisiana at Monroe, in addition to its high schools, offer a mixture of old and new looks, as well as period architecture, and they are often the site for live coverage of events for ESPN, CSTV, Cox Sports and other sports networks.

The cities, like the schools, vary in location appeal. Monroe offers art deco and craftsman styles, while its small towns, hard-bottom bayous, lakes and rivers, piney forests and agricultural terrains can pass for just about anywhere.

“The same great state tax incentives apply in our area,” said Sheila Snow, communications director, Monroe-West Monroe Convention Visitors Bureau. “During the recent hurricanes, our 13 Northeast Louisiana parishes experienced no lost work days. Area government agencies are ready and willing to assist productions, and our commission is dedicated to eliminating any red tape.”

Northeast Louisiana’s proximity to the South’s major highway, I-20, and an airport serviced by major airlines, in addition to more than 2,000 hotel rooms and corporate housing, add to its production appeal.

Read the full article at:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117993657.html

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Women in Film Event Wednesday night

** REMINDER **

Women in Film and Television Atlanta Proudly Presents 2009 State of the Industry Kick-Off Celebration

Date:            Wednesday, January 28, 2009             

Time:           6:30 – 7:00 p.m. (Registration & Reception)        7:00 – 8:30 p.m. (Program)

Excitement is in the air as Women in Film and Television Atlanta (WIFTA) turns 35-years-old in 2009!  Come celebrate with us and hear updates on exciting happenings within our organization and Georgia’s growing film and entertainment industry.  We’ll reveal a special announcement for members and?provide a sneak peek of things to come this year.

 

Joining us for the evening is Special Guest,?Deputy Commissioner Bill Thompson, of the Georgia Film Music & Digital Entertainment Office who will share a forecast of our state’s production industry in 2009; including an assessment of our current national ranking and the effect our newly modified incentive package will have on this year’s projections.   This year’s kick-off celebration is a great networking opportunity for both women and men interested in joining WIFTA; take this opportunity to meet members who are connected in the entertainment industry; be introduced to this year’s new Board of Directors; find out about upcoming WIFTA activities; and get more involved in Georgia’s film and television industry!   

Cost:  FREE For WIFTA Members, $10 Non-Members, $5 Students with valid ID

Cash, check or credit card payments accepted

LOCATION:

STATS is located on 300 Marietta Street NW, Atl, GA 30313?

Cash Bar
Light hors d’oeuvres will be served
Paid Parking easily available located across the street in the parking deck
 
Please RSVP by Jan. 26th for more details to: wifta.rsvp@gmail.com
For more information about WIFTA go to www.wifta.org

 

 

 

Makeover show searching for deserving woman!!!

Hi all!  Makeover show searching for a deserving woman in the Atlanta area for an exciting makeover!  Do you know a woman who constantly gives to others and never treats herself to anything special?  If so, we want to help you honor this person by giving her a fun-filled day of fashion and beauty!  Please send a photo and contact information to mystie@houghtontalent.com to apply or nominate someone.  I’ll forward this info to end client who will be in touch directly if the person you nominate is in consideration or selected.  Feel free to forward this but emphasize no phone calls please, email only.

 

SAG Board Ousts Embattled Negotiator Doug Allen

Former Guild General Counsel David White To Serve As Interim National Executive Director

LOS ANGELES (AP) , January 27, 2009, Ryan Nakashima, Business Writer — The board of the Screen Actors Guild on Monday ousted the guild’s chief negotiator and national executive director, Doug Allen.
    Allen, who had strongly backed a strike vote until recent attempts to fire him, notified the guild executive staff in an e-mail Monday that “the national board has terminated my employment” and wished the guild well.
    The move makes the prospects of an actors’ strike extremely remote and will likely hasten an agreement with studios on a movie and prime-time TV contract that expired last June. Actors have been working since then under the terms of the expired deal.
    “The threat-o-meter has gone way down,” said Jonathan Handel, an entertainment lawyer who has followed the labor strife closely. “There’s still work to be done, but this is the dawn of a new era for SAG.”
    The move to oust Allen follows months of turmoil at the guild over whether to hold a strike vote, and a contentious meeting two weeks ago when a group representing the majority on the board tried to fire Allen but failed because of filibustering by other members.
    Anne-Marie Johnson, the guild’s first vice president, said board members making up 52.5 percent of the voting rights on the 71-member board signed a document making the move. Guild lawyers authenticated the document, she said.
    It was an unusual procedure but not surprising in the wake of the last full board meeting, in which members of a hardline Hollywood group known as Membership First, led by President Alan Rosenberg, delayed a vote on Allen’s ouster in a 28-hour marathon session using procedural delays.
    It also followed a glitzy evening at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, where collegiality replaced public bickering between high-profile actors on both sides of the dispute.
    Allen, a former NFL linebacker and NFL Players Association assistant executive director, will be replaced by former guild general counsel David White as interim national executive director, the group said. Veteran guild staffer John McGuire will take over as lead negotiator, with a smaller negotiating team supporting him.
    White is expected to start work as early as Tuesday and move quickly to reopen talks with the studios.
    The studios, represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, declined to comment.
    Johnson said Allen will be paid his full $500,000 annual salary for the year remaining in his three-year contract. He joined the guild in January 2007.
    Late last year, as talks with major Hollywood studios ground to a halt, the guild maintained the studios’ final offer was unacceptable because it failed to guarantee guild coverage in productions made for the Internet, failed to make residual payments on made-for-Internet content that is rerun online, and didn’t protect actor benefits in unforeseen work stoppages.
    But support for a strike vote waned quickly as the economy soured. High-profile actors lobbied on both sides of the issue, fraying efforts at building a consensus within the 120,000-member union.
    SAG is the last holdout among several unions that have agreed to a new long-term contract with the studios, including directors, a smaller actors union, and writers, whose 100-day strike last year helped forge template terms in new media that other unions later accepted.
    The studios have said their final offer added $250 million in additional payments for actors, but that SAG had foregone $48 million in increases by not accepting the deal by mid-August.

Jesus Christ Superstar – Industry Night

The response last weekend for industry tickets to Jesus Christ Superstar GOSPEL was extraordinary. Many in the industry did not get to see the production. Some who saw it wanted to share the incredible experience with other friends and colleagues in the non-profit industry.

Therefore, we have added two more opportunities for $15 industry tickets this weekend, subject to availability. We strongly encourage all to purchase tickets early to ensure best seating. The two performances included in this offer are Fri, Jan. 23 at 8 p.m. and Sun, Jan. 25 at 7:30 p.m. When ordering tickets (either online or at the Box Office), please use the promotion code INDUSTRY to receive the discount. (Industry tickets are available in the side orchestra sections and the balcony.)

Offer not valid on previously purchased tickets or orders.

5 Things Every PA Should Know

Five Things Every P.A. Should Know:

Tips to Getting Started in the Film & Video Industry as a  Production Assistant

January 20, 2009

About the Session

This workshop is designed for those wanting to work behind the scenes in the film and video industry – a great way to learn first hand the job skills necessary to begin successfully in the entry level position of Production Assistant.  Taught by an experienced, working producer, the 4-hr workshop topics include:  the production team, industry lingo, wages, working conditions, tools of the trade (the PA kit), set protocol, ethics, production paperwork, getting work, and much more.  Handouts are included.  Reservations required.  Certificate of completion to attendees.
———————–
About The Instructor

Workshop Instructor  Edwanna Blanding has worked in the film industry for several years, producing and directing feature films, documentaries, informational videos and commercials.  She received a Mass Communications degree from North Carolina State Univ in Raleigh and a degree in Film/Video Production from Full Sail in Winter Park, FL.  She established her own independent production company, BLACKEYE Productions in 2003.  She resides in Georgia with her husband and three children.

———————–

Details

DATE:             Sunday, February 15, 2009
TIME:             1:00 – 5:00pm
LOCATION:      Creative Studios of Atlanta, 500 Bishop Street, Suite F8, Atlanta, GA30318
COST:            $49 in advance (or w/coupon below before February 9- just $39!!)
$59 at the door (space permitting)

PRIZE DRAWING:  All seminar attendees will be entered into a drawing for the chance to win a special prize!  (valued at $100 or more, must be present to win)
———————–
To Register

ONLINE
Space is limited!  Advance registration highly recommended.  To reserve your spot, register before February 9 or on our website at www.gabpc.com, or call 770-726-9818.

MAIL
To register by mail, send your payment, coupon below and your name, address, phone number and email address (postmarked before Feb 9 for discount) to:

The Big Picture Film & Video Fdn
Attn:  GABPC P.A. Workshop
6070 Stonebrook Ln
Austell, GA 30106

FAX
Or fax your name, address, phone, email address and credit card information with signature to: 770-726-9818.

All events are held at Creative Studios of Atlanta, 500 Bishop Street, Suite F8, Atlanta, GA 30318.  For directions, call 404-355-4588 or visit http://www.creativestudiosofatlanta.com/directions.html.

CANCELLATION POLICY:  No refunds.  However, if you’ve prepaid for a session and need to cancel, you will receive credit in the amount paid toward a future GABPC seminar or workshop of your choice.

Proceeds of the GABPC Educational Series benefit The Big Picture Film & Video Foundation, a Georgia 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the producers of the bi-annual Georgia BIG PICTURE Conference (GABPC).  The next conference takes place in Atlanta April 2009.  For details or to register, visit www.gabpc.com.

GABPC Production Team
The Big Picture Film & Video Foundation
770.726.9818

———————–

Save $10!

Register for the GABPC Production Assistant Workshop before February 9 and save $10 off advance workshop registration.  Simply refer to coupon code PAWORKSHOP09 when you register online, or print this coupon and mail it in with your prepaid registration.

Coupon is transferrable – feel free to email this offer to friends, family or any associates who may be interested in attending.  Have them join our email list to receive future special seminar and workshop mailings and discounts.

Register now at www.gabpc.com to lock in your discounted rate and reserve your spot!

Offer Expires: February 9

New Class at Creative Studios of Atlanta

From Script to Screeen

Instructor: Tom Thon
When: Mondays, February 2 – April 20, 2008 from 7:00pm-10:00pm
Investment: $125/month for 3 months or $300 for full prepayment

Whether you’re a beginning actor or a seasoned pro, this is an excellent class geared toward strengthening your acting foundation. It is especially helpful for theater trained actors who want to transfer their skill sets from stage to screen.
Through the use of various acting tools, exercises and techniques you will learn to access elusive emotions and use them to create behavior patterns in your performance. Learn how to make stronger actor choices using the script as a map. The confidence you will gain in front of the camera during this course will make you ready for any film audition or on-set work.

This class also teaches the technical language and practical applications involved in filmmaking.

“In theatre you can inhabit a character, but in a film, the character must inhabit you.”

–Sir Laurence Olivier

Ken Feinberg
Owner/Director
Creative Studios of Atlanta
500 Bishop Street, Suite F8
Atlanta, GA 30318
404-355-4588

WIFTA 2009 State of the Industry Kick-Off Celebration

SAVE THE DATE

Women in Film and Television Atlanta Proudly Present our
2009 State of the Industry Kick-Off Celebration

Date:            Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Time:           6:30 – 7:00 p.m. (Registration & Reception)        7:00 – 8:30 p.m. (Program)

Excitement is in the air as Women in Film and Television Atlanta (WIFTA) turns 35-years-old in 2009!  Come celebrate with us and hear updates on exciting happenings within our organization and Georgia’s growing film and entertainment industry.  We’ll reveal a special announcement for members and provide a sneak peek of things to come this year.

Joining us for the evening is Special Guest, Deputy Commissioner Bill Thompson, of the Georgia Film Music & Digital Entertainment Office who will share a forecast of our state’s production industry in 2009; including an assessment of our current national ranking and the effect our newly modified incentive package will have on this year’s projections.   This year’s kick-off celebration is a great networking opportunity for both women and men interested in joining WIFTA; take this opportunity to meet members who are connected in the entertainment industry; be introduced to this year’s new Board of Directors; find out about upcoming WIFTA activities; and get more involved in Georgia’s film and television industry!

Cost:  FREE For WIFTA Members, $10 Non-Members, $5 Students with valid ID
Cash, check or credit card payments accepted

LOCATION:

STATS

STATS is located on 300 Marietta Street NW, Atl, GA 30313

Cash Bar
Light hors d’oeuvres will be served
Paid Parking easily available located across the street in the parking deck

Please RSVP by Jan. 26th for more details to: wifta.rsvp@gmail.com
For more information about WIFTA go to www.wifta.org

On a Sad Note…

It is with great sadness that WIFTA has learned of the passing of highly respected Atlanta Actress Ms. Carol Mitchell Leon.  A veteran stage performer, Ms. Leon also had roles in several films including locally lensed productions such as Tyler Perry’s “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” and “Fried Green Tomatoes”.  Our deepest thoughts and prayers go out to her family and friends during this difficult time.
For more details please visit:   (www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/obits/stories/2009/01/21/Carol_Mitchell_Leon_obituary.html)

America’s Got Talent

Americas Got Talent on NBC is currently casting for Season 4 and are coming to ATLANTA February 7th-8th!! I would love for you to reach out to any of your acts/clients that would be interested in submitting themselves for the show. My job is to book “professional” acts for each city, which means a potential for an actual audition time to go directly in front of our executive producers. No Open Call Lines.

For Season 4 the bar is set extremely high and we are looking for the absolute best of the best! This is a chance for incredible publicity! Last season America’s Got Talent reached over 12 million viewers an episode! Even appearing on the show once can draw a crazy amount of attention! Season 2 winner Terry Fator is now the highest paid reality star in the world, signing a $100 million dollar deal for a show in Las Vegas !!!

I would love to have all acts that you think would be great for the show send me their information. The process moves quite quickly and there are only a limited number of private audition spots open, I wouldn’t want anyone to miss out on this AMAZING opportunity I have attached my electronic flyer and all the necessary paperwork if you want to email blast your performers or pass on my info to anyone! Thanks so much!

*IMPORTANT* ALL INTERESTED ACTS

Please email me at Megagt4@gmail.com ASAP with the following information. I prefer all info to be emailed and mailed to me no later than January 30th, 2009. Though if you cannot make the deadline, let me know and we can try to work around it. The process moves quite quickly and there are only a limited number of private audition spots open, I wouldn’t want anyone to miss out on this AMAZING opportunity!!! Please email me the following information as soon as you can and then get working on mailing me a DVD and the paperwork as soon as it is done. I have attached all paperwork and ALL members of groups must fill out the paperwork individually.

NAME:
DESCRIPTION OF TALENT:
LOCATION:
DATE OF BIRTH: (everyone in group, can put this on your paperwork)
VIDEO LINK OF PERFORMANCE: (MUST HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED FOR PRIVATE AUDITION)
PICTURE::
STORY INFO: How did you begin performing and why? What makes your act unique? What is your occupation outside of your talent? What sort of hobbies do you have? Because our final audition rounds include America’s votes, personal stories are almost as big of a part of this show as showcasing your talent. We are looking for inspiring, happy, sad, funny, embarrassing stories…anything that will have the Judges and the American viewing audience rooting for you!

DVD PERFORMANCE INFO:

1. Make a 2-3 minute videotape of your performance. If you already have something pre-recorded that is fine too, just make sure it is a recent video. Also, keep in mind that fast-paced, high-energy performances will really catch the eye of my casting director!  All music performed must be a “cover version” of a popular, published song. NO ORIGINALS please. We will accept VHS & DV tapes along with DVDs. (Please NO hi-8s or formats that need VHS adapters.) Label the tape or disc with your name, act name, address and phone number. Also if you are sending a PROMO reel, make sure that it still showcases your talent to the best of its ability.

2. Download the attached forms, fill them out, and mail in a COPY of them with your video submission! Please have ALL members of each group fill out separate forms as well. Dates of Birth should be written on your paperwork.

3. Please send ALL submissions to:

ATTN: Meg McAlduff
America’s Got Talent 4
4000 W. Alameda Blvd 3rd Floor
Burbank, Ca 91505

Pros vs. Joes

ATLANTA … SPIKE TV’s PROS VS.

JOES OPEN CASTING CALL!!

Think you stand a chance against the likes of Jerry Rice,
Clyde Drexler, Bo Jackson, Dominique Wilkins, Warren
Moon, Hershel Walker, or Nick Van Exel?
Then come try out for one of two sports…

BASKETBALL
SATURDAY, JAN 24th
Peachtree Center Athletic Club
227 Courtland St. NE #9
(12N– 5P)

FOOTBALL
SUNDAY, JAN 25th
Adamsville Park
3201 Martin Luther King Jr.
(12N – 4P)

Go to pvjcasting.com to download an application and find
out if you are eligible. Questions? pvjcasting@gmail.com

Spec Casting

POPfilms, the company that brought the sci-fi horror film The Signal is casting a short prologue to their next feature film. Most roles are non-paid but will be offered a credit in the feature. Please submit headshots and resumes to casting@popfilms.org by Wednesday, January 21st. Please include the role you are posting for in your email.

LEVON- In his 30s, he is a flamboyantly dressed black man whom everyone assumes is gay. The star of the karaoke bar, he is a talented singer who’s starting to generate some real buzz. Considered “the ultimate” among the karaoke in-crowd, he is the one Bo has to beat..

APRIL- In her 30s, with long blonde hair, April is a tennis player (albeit a terrible one). She’s a friendly, upbeat woman with a passion for fashion but hasn’t really figured out the taste part yet. April is turned on by the attention she gets from this strange karaoke world. April is looking for any excuse to be away from her failing marriage, these bowling alley schleps have stroke gold with this hottie.

BO- 17 years old, a member of his church choir, Bo can wail but church singing ain’t getting him action with the high school girls.  He’s a likable and polite young man, a romantic at heart, but he finds himself wanting to be on top of the hokey and seedy world of bowling alley karaoke. What 17 year old wouldn’t want the grand prize of 100 bucks.

Bob Benson: Male, Caucasian, 50’s, handsome TV talent show host (Think Ed McMahon or Regis Philbin)

Darla Adams: 18-20,  All-American, pretty, bubbly girl. A singer, she wins the TV talent show. (Think: Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus, Jordin Sparks)

Asian Boy/Girl Models: Need 2 Female and 2 Male model-types 18-23, Asian, non-speaking

Musician: Male, 20’s, Asian. 1970’s era rockstar.

Masaki Clan Leader: Male, 50’s or older, Asian (preferably Japanese). Old, wise Samurai leader.

Ken: Male, 40s, Asian. Bar owner in 1970s.

Kinji: Male, 30s, Asian (preferably Japanese). A Samurai, quiet, strong, hero

Pupil: Female, Age 7-9, Caucasian, small, blonde karate student

Karaoke Performers: Any age, ethnicity accepted. But you need to be a fantastic singer.

Master Audition Workshop – Moore Casting

A New Workshop for 2009. Please pass it on.

MASTER AUDITION WORKSHOP

REGINA MOORE OF MOORE CASTING
in Nashville, Tennessee

DATE: Saturday, January 24th 2009
TIME: 9:00AM to 4:00PM
LOCATION: Nashville, TN
PRICE: $125.00

MASTER AUDITION WORKSHOP
Regina Moore is without a doubt the busiest casting director in this region. She casts feature films, TV pilots, commercials, music videos and all other areas of on-camera performance. This is a rare opportunity to be one of a small group to study and audition for this very in-demand talent specialist in an intimate and informal atmosphere.

TOPICS WILL INCLUDE:

• Advanced audition techniques
• Scene work
• Improvisation
• How casting directors and talent agents communicate
• Important relationships for performers
• Learning who you are professionally
• Promotional materials and marketing yourself
• First impressions
• Evaluation

Go online at www.moorecasting.com to sign up or
PLEASE CALL TO REGISTER (615) 831-0039

2 Great Workshops from yourACT!

“The Director’s Chair”

Learn, create and perform under the guidance of professional film & video director, Michael Lucker.

* The Director’s View:  Seeing acting through the director’s eyes and ears.
* Great Expectations:  Giving the director what he wants, needs, and doesn’t expect.
* Arcs and Acts:  Acting for the big picture.
* More Than You:  Acting in multi-character, multi-purpose scenes.
* The Little Things:  Acting with subtlety for film and video.
* The Whole Shebang: Acting with wardrobe, make-up, lights, crew, moving camera, multi-camera.
* The Location Shoot: Acting with ambience and unknowns.
* The Showcase:  Acting on stage before agents and industry pros with video of the location shoot.

The Director’s Chair is a unique and exciting, new, eight week workshop that enables the working actor to work with a professional film & video director.  In a fun and creative environment, students will learn what directors are really looking for in auditions, how to break down new material and make it their own, prepare with techniques that are right for creative and commercial sets and discover how to give directors the goods they’re looking for and the surprises they’re excited to see.  The class will shoot multi-camera pieces on location that will serve as video presentations for an agency showcase and to take away from the class to use on their reels.

D E T A I L S
7-10pm THURSDAYS, January 22, 2009 thru March 12, 2009
Cost:  $350 (10% discount for AFTRA/SAG members)
Limited to 12.
AUDITION JANUARY 19TH – 7PM
PERFORM A PREPARED MONOLOGUE.
Call 404-499-9996 for more info.

Michael Lucker is a creative writer, director, producer and consultant with over fifteen years experience in developing film, television, animation and digital media.  Driven to write stories as a child, he studied film and broadcasting at Boston University’s College of Communication.

After graduation he moved to Los Angeles where luck and fate collided landing him a job as assistant to Steven Spielberg on  Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade, Always, Arachnophobia and Back To The Future II.  Michael then rose to creative affairs at Hollywood Pictures where he aided in the development of Crimson Tide, Terminal Velocity and Straight Talk.

Still afflicted with a passion for the page, he left the city for the beach and embarked on a career as a screenwriter, co-writing more than twenty scripts for such studios as Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, DreamWorks SKG and Universal Television.  Among the projects produced were Vampire In Brooklyn, Mulan II, Home On The Range, Emperor’s New Groove II, 101 Dalmatians II, Black Cat and Spirit, which won the Academy Award in 2002 as best animated feature.

Always partial to the South, Michael returned home to Atlanta where he consults to acclaimed writers, award-winning producers, prominent cable companies and, most recently, the Turner Entertainment Group in launching its broadband comedy network Super Deluxe.  He serves on the board of directors of the Georgia Writers Association, lectures at Image Film & Video Center and speaks regularly to a wide variety of media organizations.  In 2008 he signed on with Atlanta-based Encyclomedia which now serves as home to the projects he writes, directs and produces.  You can write to him at michael@encyclomedia.net.

TELEPROMPTER WORKSHOP

Increase your marketability as an actor (and your income!) by mastering the art of the teleprompter.  Della Cole will be the instructor.
Using actual teleprompter equipment provided by K2 Productions, you will learn the techniques needed to deliver corporate narration, live broadcast scripts, television host material, and more in this evening workshop. K2 Productions will be providing an experienced teleprompter operator who will be operating the prompter and providing feedback and expertise as well.
Join us for this valuable workshop to add to your resumé!

D E T A I L S
7–10 pm
THURSDAY, January 22nd
Limited to 10.
$150 (Payment confirms your space) – (10% discount for AFTRA/SAG members)
Contact us at 404-499-9996 to check availability and to register.

The Actor’s Audition and the Actor’s REAL Job

The phone lines are now open, and reservations are currently being accepted by Actors Theatre of Charlotte for these upcoming workshops!

If you have not already registered online, call Actors Theatre of Charlotte today at 704-342-2251 to reserve your seat! Seating is extremely limited, and advanced reservations are required. No walk-ins! The cost for each seminar is $95. Or, you can attend both for only $150! That’s just $75 each, for two all-day events!

For more info, or to register online, go to: http://www.actorstheatrecharlotte.org/acting.htm

Auditioning and Working on Camera
From the Actor’s Perspective
Saturday, January 17th, 2009 10AM – 5PM

Casting directors can tell you what they want to see at an audition. But, in this workshop you’ll discover how to actually get there, from the actor’s perspective! This full-day workshop will lead actors through the process of booking the job, using unique audition strategies that allow the actor to win every time! Then, we’ll focus on the mechanics and special acting techniques required to work in front of the camera, after you’ve booked the job. All participants will be video-taped, and we will use actual scenes from television shows and movies that have been auditioned and filmed in our area. Age limit: 12 and up.

Topics will include:

Your Type, and how to maximize your edge
Ace the Interview
Taking control in the audition, and making it yours
The mechanics of on-camera auditioning
The art and science of auditioning at your best
The secrets that Casting Directors WON’T tell you!
The unique requirements of on-camera performance
Working and rehearsing on the set
Adapting Stage performance to the camera
Acting to an eye-line, what’s that?
and MORE…..

The Actor’s Real Job
Running your Acting Career as a Business
Saturday, January 24th, 2009 10AM – 5PM

It’s not enough just to be good at what you do, it’s also important to make a living doing it! 90% of the actor’s job is looking for work, the other 10% is spent actually working! In this workshop we’ll learn the essential tools of managing your career as a business, and discover how to turn your “hobby” into a lucrative career. We’ll create marketing materials – headshots, resumes, demos, websites – that stand out from the crowd, and sell you at your best! You’ll learn how to most effectively market yourself, how to assemble your team, what pitfalls to look out for, and when to move to the next level in your career. Age limit 18 and up.

Topics will include:

What are you selling? Branding yourself
Who is buying, and how do I market to them?
The tools of the trade, and how to maximize their effectiveness
Agents: How do I get one, and how do I keep them?
The Casting Director: What are they looking for?
Job opportunities in the Southeast. Where is the work?
Unions: When should I join?
Record keeping and, ugh… Taxes!
and MUCH MORE!

About the Instructor

Martin Thompson (AEA-AFTRA-SAG) is an award winning professional actor with over 25 years of credits in Television, Motion Pictures, Commercials, and Industrials, as well as extensive Theatre credits on the New York stage and in Regional Theatres across the country. His daytime television work includes roles on The Guiding Light, The Edge of Night, and All My Children. His motion picture credits include Spies, Mr. Destiny, and Billy Bathgate with Dustin Hoffman. He recently wrapped filming on the upcoming feature Blood Done Sign My Name, and will soon be seen co-starring with Dean Jones in Mandie and the Secret Tunnel, and opposite Kevin Costner in The New Daughter.

World’s Worst Commute – Atlanta

WORLD’S WORST COMMUTE

We are looking for the man with the “World’s Worst Commute” into or out of Atlanta by car on a daily basis.  If you or someone you know has the world’s worst commute, we may just want to hear your grueling story.

We are looking for men between the ages of 25-45. The commute cannot take place in a government-owned vehicle, and the commute time does not take place as part of the job, but in getting to and from work daily by car.

Please email a recent photo and a very brief description of your consternating commute, including where from/to and the average drive time one way. If you are selected to tell your story, we will contact you to schedule a preliminary video-taping on Thursday, Jan 8 – this will put you in the running to appear in a national television commercial being filmed in Atlanta January 19&20.

Photo submissions must be received no later than Wednesday, January 7 at noon.
Those selected for the preliminary taping will receive $20.00 for telling their story.

Please forward this to anyone you know who thinks their commute to work is the worst in the city!

Open Call from Last Looks, Inc.

Greetings!

Last Looks Inc, takes a look back on 2008 with casting for Atlanta industry powerhouses, Rainforest Films, Symmetry Entertainment, Tyler Perry Studios, CNN and TBS.  Yes, we had a very successful year and look forward to a progressive and powerful 2009.  In light of the new year Last Looks, Inc is opening its doors to hold its very first OPEN CASTING CALL.
Here is your opportunity to SHOWCASE YOUR TALENT.  Show us what you got!!!  If you are confident you have what it takes, we want to see YOU.  You need not to be represented by a talent agent or manager.  We welcome everyone: Prepared Monologues, Singers, Skits, Special Skills, Comedians, Dancers, Models, Improv Actors etc., come showcase your talent.  Cold reads will be available on the day of the Open Call.

Open Call will be held:

February 4 – 6, 2009 from 9 am – 3 pm, February 7 & 8, 2009 from 9 am – 5 pm.
February 12 – 16, 2009 from 9 am – 3pm and February 17 & 18, 2009 from 9am – 5pm.

Location:
250 Auburn Ave
Suite 600A
Atlanta , GA 30303

Bring in your New Year with this great opportunity.  Please bring your headshot and resumes, if applicable.  You do not have to make a reservation or appointment.  See you at the Open Call…

Thank You and we at Last Looks, Inc look forward to meeting you…

George Pierre, Founder & CEO