Thursday, March 31, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
Great article by Marc Durso
Read this great article on Acting by acting instructor Marc Durso from Infocus Magazine.com.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Looking for Entertainers for Corporate Events, Murder Mysteries, Celebrity Lookalikes, and more...
Crownover Enterprises is looking to expand its Rolodex of talent.
I'm looking for actors in the Atlanta area who you feel have the potential at being great at:
Corporate Theater
Living Statues
Murder Mysteries
Mix & mingle characters
Etc
Candidates need not be ultra experienced because I can show them the ropes. They do, however, need to be extremely professional, willing to learn, generally be a fun person to be around, and be comfortable with a live audience. Improv skills are big plus!
If you know of anyone who may fit the bill please send them my way.
Have them email a current photo and a list of any experience they may have with corporate acting.
Thank you,
Dean Crownover
404.403.9090
dcrownover@comcast.net
CrownoverEnterprises.com
CROWNOVER ENTERPRISES
Entertainment With Outcomes
*Fake Paparazzi
*Emcees
*Benefit Auctioneers
*Murder Mysteries
*Celebrity Lookalikes
*Walk-Around Costumed Characters
... and much more!
See Video of our Fake Paparazzi right now at www.crownoverenterprises.com
Friday, November 5, 2010
Ready for our closeup
Tinseltown taps Atlanta as movie-making mecca! Will showbiz boom bring boffo box office?
by Curt Holmanhttp://clatl.com/gyrobase/hollywood-comes-to-atlanta/Content?oid=2298123&showFullText=true
Read this article in Creative Loafing!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Sister Entertainment Open Call every other Saturday
Avery Sisters Entertainment (formerly known as Sister Entertainment, LLC) has recently teamed up with a talent and model agency in LA! Not only do we receive castings from the Southeast Region, we will now receive castings from the Los Angeles, CA area.
We are searching primarily for actors that have SAG credentials, but we are also looking for professionals actors and those who have “extreme” potential but must be currently enrolled in reputable acting classes.
We are looking for all ages, genders and ethnicities. (Not accepting children under 5 yrs of age). Please bring headshot and resume. You do not need to prepare a monologue, a short script will be supplied to you.
Open Calls will be every other Saturday at our local office. calls every other Saturday. Email info@sisterent.com for schedule of next Open Call.
You do not need to make an appointment but please note…contact our office on Friday evenings after 7pm to listen to our voicemail for any scheduling changes that “we” may have.
Our address is: 3783 Presidential Parkway, Suite 142E, Atlanta GA 30340 (Presidential Commons office Park)
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Great article in Jezebel Magazine
Atlanta’s music business has been booming for more than a decade now. But how did the ATL become the East Coast’s answer to Tinseltown?
Perhaps you’ve read about the increasing slew of local celeb spottings within the pages of JEZ, People and US Weekly magazines. Maybe you’ve even seen a star or two around town yourself, what with A-list actors ranging from Demi Moore and Jennifer Aniston to Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds descending upon the city. Regardless, it’s clear Atlanta is emerging as the East Coast’s answer to Hollywood, with dozens of big-budget films and TV shows lured here by the gorgeous weather, experienced local crews and state tax rebates.
There was a time when the business of filmmaking was location-driven, with directors seeking out specific locations that best embodied their creative vision. That all changed when Canada began offering competitive tax incentives, which helped production companies that were struggling to finance increasingly big budgets. In 2003, Louisiana became the first U.S. state to offer major tax incentives, which took away much of the business Georgia was getting at that time. It took until 2008 for the General Assembly to pass the Georgia Entertainment Industry Investment Act, offering aggressive tax incentives to production companies choosing to work in the state.
Lee Thomas, the film division director for the Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office, remains one of the key players in Georgia’s current film boom. In her eyes, the legislation has proved to be remarkably effective, leading to a 400-percent rise in local productions in the last two years. “In fiscal year 2007, the economic impact of our efforts on film, TV, commercials, music videos and game development was around $241 million,” she points out. “By fiscal year 2010, which just ended, the economic impact was $1.3 billion. So it’s definitely working.”
Oscar-winning film director Aaron Schneider, who shot his latest film, “Get Low” (starring Robert Duvall and Bill Murray), here, claims the tax incentive was one of several reasons he decided to film in Georgia. “One reason is that the crew is terrific, because the people down here are great. We also wanted to shoot in Georgia because of creative reasons: We saw a beautiful little town in Crawfordville that worked perfectly for us. And the tax rebate plan works out great for everybody. We put some money into the economy, and Georgia helped us out a little in terms of our squeaky little budget.”
That’s not the only way the state helps out. Thomas’ team also assists clients through every step of the production process, from location scouting and finding production office space to securing local crew and equipment. They certainly have their hands full, what with TV shows such as “The Vampire Diaries,” “Drop Dead Diva” and “The Walking Dead” all in production here. The list of films being shot in the area seems to keep growing by the day, from the “Footloose” reboot (starring Dennis Quaid, Andie McDowell and Julianne Hough) and “The Fast and the Furious 5” (Dwayne Johnson, Paul Walker and Vin Diesel) to “The Change-Up” (Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman) and “Wanderlust” (Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston).
Georgia is also attracting multimillion-dollar production facilities as well. Filmmaker Tyler Perry opened his namesake studio in southwest Atlanta in 2008. Raleigh Studios, the largest independent studio and production support operation in the United States, recently opened a full-service film and TV production facility in Senoia. And major industry player EUE/Screen Gems recently announced a 50-year partnership with the City of Atlanta to open a 30-acre production facility on the Lakewood Fairgrounds property.
“We are so pleased to be open and working in Atlanta,” says Chris Cooney, COO of EUE/Screen Gems. “We’ve hosted one major entertainment brand at the studio already. We’re in discussions with studios about upcoming bookings, and you’ll be hearing soon about some of the Atlanta-based individuals we’ll be hiring as we move forward. The climate here is definitely film- and television-friendly. We are excited about the work and collaboration still to come.”
As happy as Hollywood may be about setting up shop in our fair city, it doesn’t hold a candle to the excitement local actors and other creative types are feeling. For them, more productions means more work, which in turn leads to more opportunities for them to generate their own creative ideas. Adel native Ray McKinnon has been a working actor for more than 20 years now, moving from small parts in “Driving Miss Daisy” and “In the Heat of the Night” to major roles in local productions such as “The Blind Side” and “Footloose.” As a writer and director with several indie films (“The Accountant,” “Randy & the Mob”) under his belt, McKinnon sees the current climate as one that will foster great growth for the city’s creative future.
“There’s a viable entertainment industry happening here, and that creative energy is leading a lot of people to pursue film degrees,” McKinnon says proudly. “They’re gonna make movies come hell or high water. There’s a sophistication about it. The film crews have worked on big productions and aren’t freaked out by them, and even the young actors have been in front of cameras for a good portion of their lives and aren’t intimidated by it. I’m grateful for the fact that it’s happening in Atlanta, and I just want to see it continue for as long as possible.”
There was a time when the business of filmmaking was location-driven, with directors seeking out specific locations that best embodied their creative vision. That all changed when Canada began offering competitive tax incentives, which helped production companies that were struggling to finance increasingly big budgets. In 2003, Louisiana became the first U.S. state to offer major tax incentives, which took away much of the business Georgia was getting at that time. It took until 2008 for the General Assembly to pass the Georgia Entertainment Industry Investment Act, offering aggressive tax incentives to production companies choosing to work in the state.
Lee Thomas, the film division director for the Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office, remains one of the key players in Georgia’s current film boom. In her eyes, the legislation has proved to be remarkably effective, leading to a 400-percent rise in local productions in the last two years. “In fiscal year 2007, the economic impact of our efforts on film, TV, commercials, music videos and game development was around $241 million,” she points out. “By fiscal year 2010, which just ended, the economic impact was $1.3 billion. So it’s definitely working.”
Oscar-winning film director Aaron Schneider, who shot his latest film, “Get Low” (starring Robert Duvall and Bill Murray), here, claims the tax incentive was one of several reasons he decided to film in Georgia. “One reason is that the crew is terrific, because the people down here are great. We also wanted to shoot in Georgia because of creative reasons: We saw a beautiful little town in Crawfordville that worked perfectly for us. And the tax rebate plan works out great for everybody. We put some money into the economy, and Georgia helped us out a little in terms of our squeaky little budget.”
That’s not the only way the state helps out. Thomas’ team also assists clients through every step of the production process, from location scouting and finding production office space to securing local crew and equipment. They certainly have their hands full, what with TV shows such as “The Vampire Diaries,” “Drop Dead Diva” and “The Walking Dead” all in production here. The list of films being shot in the area seems to keep growing by the day, from the “Footloose” reboot (starring Dennis Quaid, Andie McDowell and Julianne Hough) and “The Fast and the Furious 5” (Dwayne Johnson, Paul Walker and Vin Diesel) to “The Change-Up” (Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman) and “Wanderlust” (Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston).
Georgia is also attracting multimillion-dollar production facilities as well. Filmmaker Tyler Perry opened his namesake studio in southwest Atlanta in 2008. Raleigh Studios, the largest independent studio and production support operation in the United States, recently opened a full-service film and TV production facility in Senoia. And major industry player EUE/Screen Gems recently announced a 50-year partnership with the City of Atlanta to open a 30-acre production facility on the Lakewood Fairgrounds property.
“We are so pleased to be open and working in Atlanta,” says Chris Cooney, COO of EUE/Screen Gems. “We’ve hosted one major entertainment brand at the studio already. We’re in discussions with studios about upcoming bookings, and you’ll be hearing soon about some of the Atlanta-based individuals we’ll be hiring as we move forward. The climate here is definitely film- and television-friendly. We are excited about the work and collaboration still to come.”
As happy as Hollywood may be about setting up shop in our fair city, it doesn’t hold a candle to the excitement local actors and other creative types are feeling. For them, more productions means more work, which in turn leads to more opportunities for them to generate their own creative ideas. Adel native Ray McKinnon has been a working actor for more than 20 years now, moving from small parts in “Driving Miss Daisy” and “In the Heat of the Night” to major roles in local productions such as “The Blind Side” and “Footloose.” As a writer and director with several indie films (“The Accountant,” “Randy & the Mob”) under his belt, McKinnon sees the current climate as one that will foster great growth for the city’s creative future.
“There’s a viable entertainment industry happening here, and that creative energy is leading a lot of people to pursue film degrees,” McKinnon says proudly. “They’re gonna make movies come hell or high water. There’s a sophistication about it. The film crews have worked on big productions and aren’t freaked out by them, and even the young actors have been in front of cameras for a good portion of their lives and aren’t intimidated by it. I’m grateful for the fact that it’s happening in Atlanta, and I just want to see it continue for as long as possible.”
By Bret Love
Monday, September 20, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Article in the AJC
Atlanta Business News http://www.ajc.
By Tammy Joyner tjoyner@ajc.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
By Tammy Joyner tjoyner@ajc.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Film students spend most of their college years creating their craft, so few graduate understanding how the industry works as a business.
Emory University hopes to change that this fall with a new program that will combine the artistry of filmmaking with the left-brained fundamentals of business.
The school's new concentration in Film and Media Management will give students a broad immersion not only in the creative side of filmmaking, but real-world experience in distribution, marketing, finance and other business elements of film and media. In turn, business students interested in film will get a chance to learn how film and other media evolve artistically.
"They've taken a leaf from our notebook," said Al Lieberman, marketing professor and executive director of the Entertainment Media and Technology program at New York University's Stern School of Business. In 1996, the business school began offering courses tailored to undergraduate film students. "Emory, to the best of my knowledge, is probably the first school to have picked up on this and looking at it as an opportunity.
The two-year program, which starts in a student's junior year, is a collaboration between Emory's Department of Film Studies and the Goizueta Business School and comes as Georgia is carving out an impressive role in the film industry. "The growth of the [film and media] industry in Atlanta has made it possible for us to connect our students to meaningful experiences and better prepare themselves to launch their careers. Film is going to end up being a huge part of Atlanta's economy in the not-to-distant future," said Andrea Hershatter, associate dean and director of the Bachelor of Business Administration program at Goizueta Business School.
"This is now the best time to be making film and television in Atlanta," said Matt Bern-stein, a film historian, professor and chairman of Emory College's film studies department. "This kind of [recent] expansion is bringing so much work to Atlanta."
The heads of the film department and business school at Emory realized the need for the program two years ago after business and film students were brought together to create a television pilot in a TV production class.
The business students naturally gravitated together as a team and came up with good ideas to market and distribute the product but couldn't really execute the ideas. The film students could create trailers and commercials but didn't have the logistical or marketing know-how, Bernstein said.
Beyond the classroom, the gulf between the creative and business sides has led to huge failures in the industry. Who can forget "Heaven's Gate"? Released in 1980, the Western was a lavish recounting of the dispute between land barons and European immigrants in 1890s Wyoming. The movie, which cost $44 million - a fortune at the time - was deemed "the biggest flop ever" by film critics. Its financial and creative excesses eventually sank United Artists studio.
"The business people didn't have an ongoing communication with the creative people and the creative people had the sense the business people couldn't really contribute," Lieberman said. "They felt the business people were only interested in curtailing them, not really supporting and facilitating.
Creating a better link between filmmakers and financiers is every bit as critical today.
The industry has ushered in a new age of filmmaking, where films and other forms of media are conceived and displayed on more than just big screens in theaters: on the Internet, in video games, on cell phones, personal digital devices and other platforms.
"It's a vast industry," said Eddy Von Mueller, a lecturer in Emory's film studies department. "A lot of [film studies] people get upset if they leave college and don't become a movie star or director. They think there's nothing else. We want to give them an idea of how rich and vast it is. There are careers that exist now that didn't exist a few years ago."
To get a better sense of what Emory's program needed, Bernstein, Von Mueller and Hershatter met with alumni in Los Angeles - among them agents, producers and network executives - to find out what areas of media they wished they had learned about while at Emory.
The alumni gave them pointers on how to better prepare students for careers in film and media and committed to help students in the program. Emory alumni work in talent agencies, movie studios, television and other parts of the industry.
Emory began teaching filmmaking on a regular basis about two years ago. Courses include documentary, avant-garde, narrative fiction filmmaking and screenwriting.
The inaugural Film and Media Management program will have 10 film students and 10 business students. It will be open to juniors and seniors this year but limited to juniors after that.
The concentration, which offers five courses, is not a minor for film studies students or business school students and will not appear on a student's transcript.
It will, however, give students a chance to learn more about the multifaceted media industry. Students will be teamed with industry professionals during internships in the program. By its end, students will be expected to develop, pitch and create a pilot for their ideas in a course called "Content Creation."
"We're not trying to be UCLA or NYU," said Hershatter. "We're trying to work within our region to leverage Emory's resources and position our students in a unique experience."
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Some good advice
What am I doing with my life?
by Leslie Becker
Author of The Organized Actor®
Have you ever felt like you're on a treadmill that just keeps going, and even though you want to get off you just don't seem to know how to?
If you're human, I know that you've felt it. Everyone has. And let's be honest, "what am I doing with my life?" is a valid and scary question. But you know me, I'm never shy about asking tough questions, especially if they
will lead you to the answers you are looking for.
So what ARE you doing with your life?
Are you fulfilled? Are you happy? Are you living the life you've always dreamed of?
If so, congratulations!
If you are not, congratulations for admitting it! Knowing that your life is not really going in the direction you want it to can actually be an incredibly powerful motivation. The challenge with actors and artists is that often we want A LOT of things to be different. But through all my years of coaching, what I usually find is that all of those "not so great parts of your life" stem back to one key ingredient that if altered, will change everything. I'll bet you already know what yours is. It's usually pretty obvious even if you don't want to speak it out loud. And I'm not talking about outside factors like "if I were just in a Broadway show everything would be great." No, I'm talking about things you have complete control over.
Is it your self-image? Do you need to lose weight? Are you in a relationship you need to get out of? Do you need to get back to voice lessons? Do you need to get a job? Do you need to quit smoking? What is it? What is that one thing that would change everything if you took the step today?
Well guess what? All you have to do to change it is to take the first step. Whatever it is. Take it right now. Go on, do it. Be brave. Your life is waiting for you on the other side!
Here are 8 fabulous ways to take back your life!
1. "BE" WITH YOURSELF. As artists we are pulled in so many directions as we run to auditions, balance our day-jobs, families and friends. Before you can blink an eye, a year has gone by and you'll still running around like a chicken with your head cut of. Make a point to "be" with yourself everyday. Just you. The real you. You can do this by taking time daily to journal, meditate or walk with nature. Stop "doing" and start "being."
2. STOP THAT ONE BAD HABIT. You know which one I mean. It's that habit that is affecting every aspect of your life. It might be smoking, procrastinating, sleeping till noon, being late, jumping from relationship to relationship, complaining about the business, gossiping. Whatever. Stop it right now. Think highly enough of yourself to treat your mind and body with great respect and your life will transform almost immediately.
3. TACKLE THE BIG ISSUE. Yes, THAT big issue! Everyone has one. Many times we skirt around the issue and look for other "excuses" as to why something isn't going our way instead of really addressing the biggest thing holding us back. And quite honestly, usually the thing holding you back is YOU. Only you. You can pretend it is someone or something else, but it is only you.
4. STOP DOING WHAT YOU DON'T LIKE TO DO. I've written this one for myself because I am the queen of doing things I don't really like to do, simply because I CAN do them. But being good at something doesn't necessary mean that you LIKE doing it. So cut out at least one thing that you really don't like doing and give it to someone else. Even if you have to pay the person, find someone else or some other way to have that thing done for you.
5. TAKE A BREAK. Human beings always feel the need to push themselves so hard.especially goal-driven people (hello!). But taking a break and allowing yourself to breathe and get perspective will catapult you forward quicker than hard-nosing your way through whatever you are working on.
6. DO THAT THING YOU'VE BEEN TERRIFIED TO DO. If you're terrified to leave your agency, do it. If you're terrified to do a solo concert, do it. If you're terrified to break up with your spouse, do it. Trust me, the fear you've created "about" doing it is far greater than actually doing it. (Let me be clear, I am not instructing you to take these specific actions, but rather using these as examples to spark your own "do-it" actions)
7. STOP MAKING EXCUSES. There's nothing less empowering than blaming everything and everyone else for your own mistakes. Oh yes, it is much easier to say "the accompanist really screwed up" than it is to say "gosh, I really didn't prepare properly for that audition." Everyone can have a rough day, at an audition or otherwise, but as soon as you take responsibility for it, your world becomes an easier place to navigate.
8. ACCEPT THE TRUTH. Regardless of how difficult the truth might be, it IS the truth, and accepting it will truly set you free. I can't promise you that accepting the truth will be easy, but I can promise you that when you do, a new world awaits!
Apply even just ONE of these ideas above and your life will transform with ease.
Leslie Becker is an actress and author of The Organized Actor®, the #1 selling organizational tool for actors for 15 years. To subscribe to her free newsletter Work IT! Tips for Workin' Your Acting Career and Your Life, please visit http://www.OrganizedActor.com
=============================
Leslie Becker
The Organized Actor®
www.OrganizedActor.com
by Leslie Becker
Author of The Organized Actor®
Have you ever felt like you're on a treadmill that just keeps going, and even though you want to get off you just don't seem to know how to?
If you're human, I know that you've felt it. Everyone has. And let's be honest, "what am I doing with my life?" is a valid and scary question. But you know me, I'm never shy about asking tough questions, especially if they
will lead you to the answers you are looking for.
So what ARE you doing with your life?
Are you fulfilled? Are you happy? Are you living the life you've always dreamed of?
If so, congratulations!
If you are not, congratulations for admitting it! Knowing that your life is not really going in the direction you want it to can actually be an incredibly powerful motivation. The challenge with actors and artists is that often we want A LOT of things to be different. But through all my years of coaching, what I usually find is that all of those "not so great parts of your life" stem back to one key ingredient that if altered, will change everything. I'll bet you already know what yours is. It's usually pretty obvious even if you don't want to speak it out loud. And I'm not talking about outside factors like "if I were just in a Broadway show everything would be great." No, I'm talking about things you have complete control over.
Is it your self-image? Do you need to lose weight? Are you in a relationship you need to get out of? Do you need to get back to voice lessons? Do you need to get a job? Do you need to quit smoking? What is it? What is that one thing that would change everything if you took the step today?
Well guess what? All you have to do to change it is to take the first step. Whatever it is. Take it right now. Go on, do it. Be brave. Your life is waiting for you on the other side!
Here are 8 fabulous ways to take back your life!
1. "BE" WITH YOURSELF. As artists we are pulled in so many directions as we run to auditions, balance our day-jobs, families and friends. Before you can blink an eye, a year has gone by and you'll still running around like a chicken with your head cut of. Make a point to "be" with yourself everyday. Just you. The real you. You can do this by taking time daily to journal, meditate or walk with nature. Stop "doing" and start "being."
2. STOP THAT ONE BAD HABIT. You know which one I mean. It's that habit that is affecting every aspect of your life. It might be smoking, procrastinating, sleeping till noon, being late, jumping from relationship to relationship, complaining about the business, gossiping. Whatever. Stop it right now. Think highly enough of yourself to treat your mind and body with great respect and your life will transform almost immediately.
3. TACKLE THE BIG ISSUE. Yes, THAT big issue! Everyone has one. Many times we skirt around the issue and look for other "excuses" as to why something isn't going our way instead of really addressing the biggest thing holding us back. And quite honestly, usually the thing holding you back is YOU. Only you. You can pretend it is someone or something else, but it is only you.
4. STOP DOING WHAT YOU DON'T LIKE TO DO. I've written this one for myself because I am the queen of doing things I don't really like to do, simply because I CAN do them. But being good at something doesn't necessary mean that you LIKE doing it. So cut out at least one thing that you really don't like doing and give it to someone else. Even if you have to pay the person, find someone else or some other way to have that thing done for you.
5. TAKE A BREAK. Human beings always feel the need to push themselves so hard.especially goal-driven people (hello!). But taking a break and allowing yourself to breathe and get perspective will catapult you forward quicker than hard-nosing your way through whatever you are working on.
6. DO THAT THING YOU'VE BEEN TERRIFIED TO DO. If you're terrified to leave your agency, do it. If you're terrified to do a solo concert, do it. If you're terrified to break up with your spouse, do it. Trust me, the fear you've created "about" doing it is far greater than actually doing it. (Let me be clear, I am not instructing you to take these specific actions, but rather using these as examples to spark your own "do-it" actions)
7. STOP MAKING EXCUSES. There's nothing less empowering than blaming everything and everyone else for your own mistakes. Oh yes, it is much easier to say "the accompanist really screwed up" than it is to say "gosh, I really didn't prepare properly for that audition." Everyone can have a rough day, at an audition or otherwise, but as soon as you take responsibility for it, your world becomes an easier place to navigate.
8. ACCEPT THE TRUTH. Regardless of how difficult the truth might be, it IS the truth, and accepting it will truly set you free. I can't promise you that accepting the truth will be easy, but I can promise you that when you do, a new world awaits!
Apply even just ONE of these ideas above and your life will transform with ease.
Leslie Becker is an actress and author of The Organized Actor®, the #1 selling organizational tool for actors for 15 years. To subscribe to her free newsletter Work IT! Tips for Workin' Your Acting Career and Your Life, please visit http://www.OrganizedActor.com
=============================
Leslie Becker
The Organized Actor®
www.OrganizedActor.com
Monday, May 31, 2010
Live Painting for your next Party
This is a video of a live painting I did this past April in Tampa. It was for a fundraiser for a school jazz program. Hopefully you'll recognize Duke Ellington when it's done!
A native Atlantan, Jean Alexander has a background in painting, portraiture, architectural illustration, and, oddly enough, theatre. These two worlds collided in the form of live painting when Jean did her first live performance painting, along with six other artists, at North Point Community Church in front of an audience of 12,000 people. That was in 2002, and since then, Jean has painted for various fund raisers, at conventions, and even as the entertainment in a club. For more information, you can contact Jean at jeanvalexander@gmail.com.
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