Wednesday Entertainment News: ABFF Part 1

Sharee and I will be attending the 18th Annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF) in NYC June 19-22.   We previously attended ABFF in Miami, Florida in June 2010.  Here are the recaps of that experience.  Day #1, Day #2, and Day #3.  This is the first year in New York, and we will share similar recaps, and dozens of pictures!!

This year we will be attending two separate Master Classes:

How to Avoid the Pitfalls of Producing (Rhonda)

Robert Townsend's "The Ultimate Pitch" (Sharee)

Other Master Classes being held are:
Bill Duke's Actors Boot Camp
Writing for Television
Rob Hardy's Amazing Stories

On a side note, this blog will be discontinued at the end of the month.  However, the archive will remain available for view of past posts.  Our entertainment updates will be found on our Take A Leap Blog on 3rd and 4th Wednesdays of the month starting in July.  If you are not following us there, please make sure you subscribe TODAY!!

The Premiere of Safe House: A Christian Film by Doyhae Films

Photo Credit: R. Eleazer
Zeb & Regina Foulks 

On Saturday, September 28 over 150 people including cast, crew, Francis Burns United Methodist Church members, and invited special guests viewed the premiere of Safe House: A Christian Story by Doyhae Films.

Photo Credit:  R. Eleazer
Actor Max Highsmith & sons

Photo Credit: R. Eleazer
Audience

Photo Credit: R. Eleazer
Deidre Foulks, Sister of Zeb

Photo Credit:  R. Eleazer
Producer Rhonda pauses for the camera

Photo Credit:  R. Eleazer
Producer Sharee is all SMILES

The goal of Writer, Director, and Executive Producer Zeb Foulks is to have the film premiere at upcoming Christian film festivals throughout the country and to find a distributor. Everyone has a story to tell and more people need to see movies like this.

We also recently featured faith-based film Grace Unplugged in a previous blog post. Will you go out to support Indie Christian Films?

Rhonda W. & Sharee W.

PVIFF's Cast Me If You Can with Kristen Shaw, Mel Jackson, Kim Fields, and Others

We Connected Productions, LLC attended the Peachtree Village International Film Festival "Cast Me If You Can" Panel discussion in Atlanta, GA on Saturday, August 20.

Moderated by Raw Empowerment's Nevaina Rhodes, the panelists included: Actor Mel Jackson(Motives 1, Motives 2, Soul Food, Living Single); Actress Kim Fields(Facts of Life, Living Single); Actor Brad James; Actress Jasmine Burke(independent films, plays); Actress Kristen Shaw(Blueprint4Hollywood); and Actress Valery Ortiz(Webseries: Diary of a Single Mom).

Do I have to live in LA or NYC to be an actor?
No. People will see your work. Do independent films, short films, etc.
Productions are continuing to film in GA, SC, and NC.
Get your skills up. Take acting classes, such as, on camera technique for auditions and marketing classes. Sometimes you may audit classes before paying for them.

Auditioning
Don't make booking the job the goal. I'm going to work on .... (eye contact, my cold reading, etc).
Do not chat with fellow actors or text while in the waiting room for your audition.

Getting an agent?
You do not have to go to the big name agencies. Photos/resumes must be on point.

Branding
You want to build longevity for your career. You need to know acting, marketing, and personal skills.
Know your Essence. It is all about the "work". See resources for the book Onward about branding yourself.

Networking
Offer your services to talent agencies or casting directors. Example-be a reader for actors.
Building relationships with screenwriters, producers, directors, and actors can open doors for you.

Opportunities
Create don't wait!!!
Do short films, church plays, webseries, and place content on youtube or vimeo.

Resources:

http://www.blueprint4hollywood.com/classes/class-description.html

The Actors Stage with Brad James. Reasonable price acting workshops in Atlanta, GA.

The Green Room Lounge with Terri Vaughn(Meet the Browns, The Steve Harvey Show, etc)- acting workshops. 

 How To Write a Screenplay in 21 Days by Viki King

Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul  by Howard Schultz

Rhonda W.