All posts by ewgpress

Talha Bin Abdulrahman on watching his passion project come to life for ‘Jellyfish’

November 7, 2017 ewgpress Leave a comment

In order to succeed as a director in the arts and entertainment industry, it is essential to have more than just a keen eye for story telling, or an aptitude for capturing a vision and translating it onto a screen. It requires a passion strong enough to withstand adversity, grueling competition, and setbacks. It is an extremely competitive profession with a wide range of challenges. For a director like Talha Bin Abdulrahman, it is easy to remain level-headed in the face of an obstacle, for he knows that film direction is his calling. It is his reason to wake in the morning and it is the one thing he enjoys doing more than anything else in this world.

“When I encounter a difficult day on set, I take a moment to breath. I believe that there is always a way to make things work, so if ever I hit a brick wall, I move onto another scene and revisit the broken one afterwards. You have to trust your instincts, and your team. Together, they will help you through anything and you will eventually come out on top,” tells Bin Abdulrahman.

As a director, Bin Abdulrahman has earned himself an unprecedented reputation. His peers in the filmmaking community equate his name with success and he is known for using his profound talents to create stellar films like The Scapegoat, and Served Cold. For the majority of films that Bin Abdulrahman has worked on, he has been approached by a producer or a cinematographer with a compelling script that needs a director to execute its storyline. Other times, he is driven by his own passion to tell important, life-altering stories to the world. This was the case with the music video he shot for Jo Blakenbergl’s emotional song, Jellyfish in the Sky. After hearing Jellyfish in the Sky, Bin Abdulrahman was so inspired that he bought the rights to the song and raised enough money to produce a video that would do the song justice.

“I felt that I had a visual story to tell through the music and the lyrics of the song. They are so moving that I wanted to do something about it. It was like an itch,” recalls Bin Abdulrahman.

Jellyfish in the Sky is about a young, ambitious ballerina who loses both of her legs in a car accident. The story begins after the ballerina experiences a near death experience when she attempts suicide and she finds herself performing one final dance before she departs this life. The story resonated well with Bin Abdulrahman because of the parallels he could draw between the ballerina’s artistry and his own. A ballerina losing her ability to dance is similar to what it would feel like for him to lose his ability to direct, and to tell important stories like the one he was telling in his music video. He was determined to translate the ballerina’s despair into a visual masterpiece and after viewing the video, it is apparent that this is exactly what he did. He worked with highly skilled dancers, as well as a world class ballet choreographer to bring his vision to life and the result was more moving than he could have ever dreamt.

When he originally embarked upon the journey that this project would later become, Bin Abdulrahman was apprehensive about finding dancers and choreographers who would share in his love for both the song and the story he was trying to tell. He needed someone who understood the importance of the story and who would dedicate every fiber of their being to ensuring that the video was a success. To his surprise, he managed to assemble a strong team who all shared in his vision and his dedication to the storyline they were portraying. From dancers, to videographers, to costume designers, everyone involved was determined to tell this story in the best light possible. For costume designers like Oksana Derina, it was refreshing to be able to work with such a director as passionate as Bin Abdulrahman and she was pleased to see all of his hard work and dedication pay off.

“Talha is very talented and professional. He is so creative and it makes working with him very interesting and enjoyable. I find it refreshing that he is open to hearing different opinions and collaborating with other professionals. I’m glad to have had the chance to work with him on Jellyfish,” notes Derina.

For Bin Abdulrahman, the true sense of fulfillment came from the final outcome of his efforts. When he watches Jellyfish in the Sky today, he recalls the pleasure of exploring a new art form, learning about the art of ballet dancing and learning how to synchronize a theatrical performance with music. It required him to exercise his patience in a way he hadn’t ever done before and knowing that he pushed himself to his limits for the better of the video’s final outcome was a reward in itself. In addition to his personal accomplishments, he was even happier to learn that Blankenberg loved what he had done for her song. When he was ready to share it with the world, he was taken aback by the way the public received it and was humbled by the fact that it earned over 100,000 views on his official website alone.

In future, Bin Abdulrahman hopes to uncover more passion projects like Jellyfish and adapt his skills to a number of new genres or art forms along the way. He is a motivated, energized film director and is ready to take on any new project that his industry has to offer. Keep an eye out for his upcoming TV sitcom, which sheds a critical light on the current political climate for Arab Immigrants living away from home.

International Creative Talents, Television

Ana Lossada perfectly honors ‘That’s so Raven’ with awesome opening to ‘Raven’s Home’

November 2, 2017 ewgpress Leave a comment

1150136_10151813976276153_1984082562_n — Ana Lossada

Ana Lossada, a leading motion graphics designer, loves what she does. She doesn’t wake up with that feeling most know all too well on Monday mornings. She doesn’t feel her week is a monotonous blur until Friday night. She is eager to go into work every day. For her, every day is different, and she has the ability to share her gift with the entire world.

Lossada’s work has impressed international audiences. When working with The Walking Dead, Lossada worked on The Journey So Far, a two-hour special summarizing the first six seaons of the show, as well as the virtual reality experience, a 360 teaser for their upcoming season. She captured the feelings of the main character of Netflix’s Atypical, a teenager with Asperger’s syndrome, with her work on the opening for the show. Working with Disney Jr on the spots Be Inspired with The Lion Guard and Be Your Best with Miles, she worked to encourage young kids to live healthy, active, lifestyles. Her career has been formidable, and nd now, her most recent work on the opening sequence Disney’s new series Raven’s Home, based off the old classic That’s So Raven, has generated quite a lot of attention.

“Disney Channel wanted the main title for their new upcoming show to be as catchy as the old one. As a fan of the old show, I could not say no,” said Lossada.

Raven’s Home is Disney Channel’s new spinoff from their major hit TV series in 2003. Lossada was in charge of creating the live action set that was used for the main title. She had to plan how the talent could interact with the set as well as how they could place the talent next to their names as they appear in the opening credits. She created several different mock-ups for the set using 3D software (Cinema 4D and Octane Render) as well as Adobe After Effects. The selected set had a LED wall that displays animated graphics that Lossada designed and animated herself. During post-production, she oversaw the selection of typography and animation by the interns, as well as adding visual effects to certain shots that needed it.

“Ana’s graphics and visual effects knowledge made her an instant asset to our design team and clientele. Her willingness to constantly go above and beyond her normal call of duty has shown through all of the projects that she’s worked on throughout her tenure with us. Not only has she been a key member of our post-production process, but has now been working with our live-action productions team, lending her talents to assist in shoots and constantly growing in all areas of television and film production. You just know that if she’s involved you don’t have to worry about her giving 110 per cent and whatever is assigned will be done thoroughly and to the best of her ability. You simply can’t ask for much more than that with any employee and we are so thrilled she’s a part of our team,” Mike Greggs, who worked alongside Lossada on the project.

The main title was released in July of this year, and has already reached over 1.2 million views on YouTube alone, as well as being shared through social media and various websites. It has been featured in Buzzfeed, E! Online, and TV Guide, to name a few, with articles praising the opening for its creativity and the way it honors the original content.

As a motion graphics designer, it is not often that Lossada actually gets to go to a set, despite being a vital part of the filmmaking process. More often, she works behind the screen of a computer. However, with the Raven’s Home opening, she worked on the pre-production and production side. Everyone she worked with had the opportunity to see what she was capable of, and just how well-rounded she is for any task. All of her skills were put to use, including designing, illustrating, animating, and even producing. She put everything she had into this project to ensure it resulted in perfection, and it did.

“I rarely get to go to sets, because I usually can’t due to work, but they needed extra help. While on set, I was able to aid with live-animation for the LED wall, and also helped out on the production to ensure it ran smoothly,” she said.

Lossada’s design and visual effects knowledge made her an instant asset to the design team and clientele. Her willingness to constantly go above and beyond her normal call of duty has shown through all of the projects that she has worked on. Not only is she a key member of Big Machine’s post-production process, but she has now been working with their live-action production team, lending her talents to assist in shoots and constantly growing in all areas of television and film production.

“I’d suggest to students entering the creative industry, they should open their expertise not only to design, but conceptual thinking and execution skills. Especially today, where there is always something new (interactive for example), they need to be able to adapt fairly quickly to the evolving technology and software updates, and be able to execute an idea based on the rising technology,” said Lossada.

Watch Lossada’s outstanding work in the Raven’s Home opener here, and watch Raven’s Home on the Disney channel to see it on a regular basis.

International Creative Talents, Interview

Cooking for the stars: Chef Salvatore Meo

November 1, 2017 ewgpress Leave a comment

Salvatore Meo always wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father. He wanted to have his own restaurant, making authentic Italian dishes for the locals to appreciate. What he didn’t expect was to become an international success, cooking food for presidents, filmmakers, celebrities, and more.

While growing up in Lecce, Italy, cooking was Meo’s one passion. He always felt that cooking was a way to express creativity. While making classic Italian food, he found a way to express himself. However, unlike his father, he decided to expand his horizons beyond the borders of Italy, and moved to Germany to bring his food and share his culture abroad. He has shared his knowledge with his employees and his customers, always achieving success.

“I’ve learned from Salvatore to always be conscious of your surroundings. Make sure you always carry your chef’s vision when making first class dishes,” said sous chef Carlo Centonze, who worked alongside Meo at Trattoria Fornaretto.

Meo has owned and operated a series of popular Italian restaurants in Germany, including Trattoria Fornaretto, Ristorante Rossini Bischoscheim, Restaurant Zum Nudeldunker, and Ristorante Rossini Floersheim. There is little he cannot achieve.

“Experience, dedication, and the ability to handle a fast-moving industry are the most important aspects of starting your own restaurant. Overall though, I think it’s your origin of where you are from that allows you to take that wherever you go. My origin is why I like cooking,” said Meo.

As owner of the restaurant Restaurant Zur Ratsstube, Meo was in charge of every aspect of the cooking and management. He hired the staff, took care of payroll, and created the menu with his own original recipes. He also had the freedom to choose what products he wanted to work with, so he was able to build and create the menus he wanted to serve. He wanted to work with fresh products that he was able to purchase locally and farm grown or raised. The good quality had a very positive improvement to the dishes he cooked and purchasing local products helped stimulating the economy. At the time however, despite vast experience cooking, it was his first time actually owning a restaurant.

“Naturally it was exciting and scary at the same time. It was in a different country, I didn’t speak the language very well and I already had a family to support, but I fell in love with the area it was in. The Rhineland in Germany is known for its many wineries and the wine it produces. It had a very rustic ambient with a good quality kitchen and accommodations that allowed me to run my restaurant and have my family nearby,” said Meo. “The area was interesting because it resembled the part of Italy I came from with the wineries. Local wineries and wines was the foundation and the inspiration to create German and Italian Dishes that I was able to pair with the local wines. People enjoyed that because they were able to enjoy good food that was cooked and prepared with local products and paired with wine they already knew and loved.”

Building Restaurant Zur Ratsstube from the ground up did not come without its challenges. With a friendly and family style and a German and Italian country mix, Meo was bringing Italian cooking to Germany, and wanted to build a good reputation in community. He achieved his goal, as Gimbsheim was a small town that really had no Italian restaurants. Meo was bringing something new and exciting to the well-established community. People enjoyed the southern Italian food and frequently came back.

In working the new country, Meo learned a lot about German culture and cuisine. It helped him improve the way he ran a business and how he cooked.

“Learning what German people appreciate in food helped me improve the quality of my food,” he said.

Because it was new and unique and one of the first to be established in the community, the combination of a rustic German kitchen mixed with a Mediterranean kitchen was extremely interesting, and people responded well what Meo had to offer. For his first restaurant, he achieved what many do in a single lifetime, and it set up the base for his now esteemed career. Despite such success, however, it is no longer just his passion for cooking that motivates Meo.

“My kids made me realize that working hard and doing what you love to do for a better quality of life is important. Although my kids chose a different profession, they both work hard to achieve their dreams and I have passed down my passion for Italian cuisine, which both of them incorporate at home in their kitchens,” he concluded.

Filmmakers, photographers

Alice Esposito reminds us it’s never too late to change your mark on the world

October 26, 2017 ewgpress Leave a comment

CronacheDiFotografia — Poster for Alice Esposito’s work with Vincenzo Castella

In today’s day in age, it is nearly impossible to envision a world without photography. Picture yourself walking down the street toward the supermarket, only imagine a lack of billboards, advertisements in store windows, and posters on the walls. What would magazines look like? Or film and CD covers? How would we capture perfect moments in time? Photography is a universal language, spoken and understood by people from all different walks of life. It speaks to our eyes, but more deeply, to our souls. It is an undying profession and as technology advances, we are increasingly able to see the world through millions of different lenses. It is an exciting time to be a photographer and for artists like Alice Esposito, it only heightens a passion that has been embedded within her from the time she was a child. For Esposito, photography is both a skill and a hobby, but above all else, it is a job that she has enjoyed building into a career.

“For the kind of photography that I do, it is essential for me to travel, to meet new people, and to learn new cultures. It is something that I truly love to do and the way photography connects me with people all over the world is something rare and beautiful. The potential to tell stories in countless different ways is magical,” tells Esposito.

Esposito has differentiated herself from her competition by more than just sheer talent. She has developed a way to combine her photography skillset with her interest in filmmaking in such a way that gives her a unique edge and understanding of her industry. Her filmmaking skills have earned her several prestigious jobs across the world. For instance, Esposito worked as a photographer and videographer from 2009 to 2011 in Italy and was tasked with filming for multiple different events, conferences and Exhibit Shows. Later on in 2011, she landed herself a job as Vincenzo Castella’s photographer and personal assistant, where she experimented with different cameras and set ups to bring Castella’s photography to a different level. Whenever she was tasked with one of his projects, Esposito would heavily research the concepts, study any and all appropriate mediums, and determine how best to showcase his visions. She is a trusted talent and has an unprecedented ability to capture the ideas of her clients or employers flawlessly.

In 2011, following a conversation with a colleague, Esposito was inspired to tell her own, original, compelling story to the world via stop motion animation. She was excited about the opportunity to explore stop motion animation, as it was the first time she had worked with it. The video short that she created, called Thend, tells the story of a man who occupies a city but consequently becomes occupied by it. The story presents the idea that human beings often forget that when they invade the earth like a virus, they eventually find that the earth, or in this case, the city, ends up infecting and assailing man. Essentially, the story is a reminder for people everywhere to be mindful of the consequences of destroying the earth out of personal interest. Esposito and her team aimed to remind people to think about the repercussions of their actions and to be careful where they step, what they do, and ultimately, of the legacy they will leave behind.

For Esposito, the joy of creating Thend, in collaboration with Carlotta Roda, was based on the ability to both explore her storytelling abilities, as well as to dive deeper into the art form that she lives and breathes for. She took a lead role on the production, leaving herself in charge of the visual style that was to be achieved, the choice of equipment, the set locations, and more. Her natural affinity for photography and videography allowed her to see the project from a unique angle and to bring it the level of quality that the premise and script demanded. In the end, Esposito could have never anticipated the wide-range success that the short would receive. Upon releasing Thend, it was selected for a special screening event called Cronachedi Fotogradia in Verona. It was subsequently screened on the show VideoSoup at Artist’s Television Access in San Francisco in 2011 and was later shown at SiFest 2014 Urban Space Garden.

“The success of the film came as a surprise at first. It started out as something that was supposed to be a fun way to collaborate with other colleagues. When it became a success, I was honored. I loved seeing the way it was received and knowing that I took a risk in showing something new and different but that it paid off big time. It made people think and I enjoyed answering questions about the process of creating it. It was humbling to hear their thoughts and interpretations as well,” says Esposito.

For Esposito, creating Thend presented a series of unforeseen challenges that she is fortunate to have encountered. Every set back and obstacle allowed her to build and refine her skill set and provided her with a series of opportunities to learn new things about her artistry. The reality of working with stop motion is that it is precise and any minor mistake can create a large impact on the final result. The project required a very diligent, detail oriented artist like Esposito and the final result of Thend was a reminder that all of the hard work, time, and dedication that she put into its final production was more than worth it.

Me_StellaTinucci_ClamChowderSet — Alice Esposito and Stella Tinucci on set, photo by Nilangana Banerjee

Today, Esposito continues to use her exceptional skills to show the world how powerful photography and videography truly are. She is currently working on creating her own, independent production company and with that, she has some short films moving their way through the editing process. In addition, alongside Director and Producer, Stella Tinucci, Esposito is collaborating on a television pilot called Surreal Estates. The show has been successfully crowdfunded and Tinucci attributes a large part of this success to Esposito’s prowess as a filmmaker.

“Alice’s efficiency, combined with her warmth, add to her talents and knowledge of her craft. She has a very keen eye and she cares about details. This attention to detail, coupled with her professionalism, make her a pleasure to work with. She is also a strong communicator, which is key in this industry. She will do great things,” concludes Tinucci.

Watch Esposito’s astounding work in Thend here.

Top photo by Claudia Caldara

Art Director, Artist

Art Director Hanna Petersson creates visual spectacle for Samsung

October 25, 2017 ewgpress Leave a comment

When Hanna Petersson sits down at her desk, ready to take on a new art project, she doesn’t simply decide what looks good. As an art director, an appealing design is only a small aspect of what makes her work extraordinary. She has to design everything with her client in mind, thinking of end goals and the brand’s message. It is much more than artistry, it is intelligence and savvy, and Petersson embodies all of those things. She is an extremely in demand art director, working with some of the world’s largest companies, and she has no plans on slowing down.

Throughout her esteemed career, Petersson’s artwork has created dynamic advertisements for large brands, most recently Häagen-Dazs, Canon, Pringles, and T.J. Maxx. Her talent has earned her the reputation as one of Sweden’s best art directors; she is known for her creative imagery, and her artwork captivates. Millions across the globe have seen her work and may not have even known it. This is exemplified when she took on a project for Samsung, one of the largest and most well-known companies in the world. Working with WorkShop in Stockholm, Petersson took on the visual development and concept illustrations for the Samsung retail experience, called Experience Zone, which was a three-month installation at the three largest train stations in Sweden; Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmo. She worked on the concept development of these pop ups and also created imagery used in the pop up to drive foot traffic. The Experience Zones attracted more than 200,000 people that came to look at the new Samsung products and interact with them.

“Samsung is one of the leading technology companies in the world, because they are not afraid to test things that have never been done before and they really embrace innovation to bring their brand and products further. They are a joy to work with because they understand that in order to really create the best experiences with their products, they need to trust in the creatives who work on developing campaigns and promotions for them. This makes for a great client-creative relationship, which is a good recipe for success,” said Petersson.

Initially, Samsung was looking for a way to promote their new products for the Christmas season, and wanted to target the three largest cities in Sweden. When reaching out to WorkShop, a Swedish company that specializes in branding and marketing for large companies, WorkShop knew Petersson was the right person for the job. She and her team immediately began coming up with a wide range of ideas that involved different ways of creating activations around the products. During this whole process, Petersson would bring ideas and also add conceptual sketches that she would then show to Samsung. She would describe the ideas and to get approval by the client to continue with a certain direction of the ideas, and then she started producing a physical space that would be inviting to a passerby, causing them to engage with the Samsung products that would be on display.

“When the creative agency I worked at was going to start this project, I was a part of the concepting team who came up with what the project was going to look like and how it would be possible to execute. The work was a lot of fun and I got a chance to experiment with new ideas and to bring innovative solutions to the table. The project was a great opportunity to really see a project from start to finish and I wanted to be a part of that journey and to make sure that I did everything in my power to make the project as great as possible,” Petersson described.

When Samsung approached WorkShop about the project, they knew they wanted the best team possible to help promote their brand. At the time, Petersson had already worked on a number of projects at the agency, constantly impressing those she worked alongside with her talent for concepting and coming up with innovative ideas even under a tight deadline. When building the Samsung team, Workshop knew Petersson could not only bring great suggestions to the project but also that she is a joy to work with. She also had a skill for putting down concepts and ideas on paper as sketches and illustrations showing exactly what she and the other creatives were imagining, so they knew that she would be a very useful asset to have on the team from day one.

In the end, Petersson’s contributions to the Samsung Experience project were essential to its success. She came up with different activations, ideas and designs for the final product. She consistently had innovative ideas and also produced conceptual illustrations for the ideas showing designs and potential activations. These sketches were used to sell the ideas to Samsung and to make them a reality, by being the guidelines for how the pop up location was built and designed. As the project went live, Petersson also helped with creating new events and designs for the pop up locations, which helped to further bring more people into the Samsung space and to increase sales by making more people try out the products and engage with them in a creative and fun way. This drive once again impressed all she worked with.

“Hanna has worked with several of WorkShop’s clients, including Swedish Match, Samsung and Apoteksgruppen. For Samsung, she participated in the creative process of developing a setup for a pop-up concept that was later realized at the central stations in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmo,” said Helena Hammar, Head of Projects & Consulting at WorkShop when Petersson was working with the company. “Hanna was a very valued employee and is solution-oriented, tremendously good at sketching, and has an ability to adapt to the missions at the same time as she has a personal creative expression. Her willingness and ability to take responsibility and to constantly evolve makes her very versatile and strong as a creative.”

Beyond colleagues, Samsung was extremely satisfied with Petersson’s work. Not only did she help increase their sales, she helped engage customers and the model was then carried to other countries. Petersson then worked on another project for Samsung, creating illustrations for maps that were used to engage visitors in different stations during the Winter Olympics. Evidently, Petersson is truly an exceptional art director, and she loves every minute of what she does.

“There was so much to enjoy from working with Samsung. Not only did I get to try out new ideas and see them become reality, but I also got a chance to work with some really nice collaborators and to work together to ensure the best possible end product. I very much enjoyed seeing a project through from first day until the end and all the work that went into making it a reality. It was a lot of hard work but it was all worth it and seeing different ideas going from a sketch on a paper to a produced design or activation was incredible. It was really proof of how an innovative idea that I came up with can become reality and actually create value for people and for Samsung,” she concluded.

Actress, Model

Marysia Peres on using her talents to make the world a better place

October 25, 2017 ewgpress Leave a comment

A common misconception about the modeling industry stems from the idea that models who are born “tall and skinny” have their careers handed to them. What these critics underestimate, however, is the grueling, cutthroat nature of the industry. The competition is fierce and opportunities are often scarce. For this reason, models have to work harder than most to build their careers and to ensure that they keep themselves fresh and ready for whatever is ahead of them. Oftentimes, this involves exercising, training, networking, and more. For many models, the obstacles and challenges become too much for them to persevere. For models like Marysia Peres, however, these obstacles and challenges are merely the fuel that push her to continue doing what she loves to do and to remain at the top of her field.

“The biggest challenge is the competitiveness of the industry. Casting sessions in big cities can be quite intimidating, with hundreds of girls auditioning for the same job. Everything from your portfolio to your personality can play a role, but ultimately, you have no control over a client’s decision making and I find it extremely important to understand that. I believe in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, working out, being curious and proactive, and most importantly, remaining true to myself, my unique character, and my style,” told Peres.

Peres learned how to pose for photographs from an early age, working the camera for her mother. As she grew up, she became increasingly intrigued by the unique career opportunities that modeling offers. Not only would she get to work amongst some of the most talented individuals in the fashion industry, but she would also get to travel the world in order to do what she loves. As a travel and fashion enthusiast, Peres couldn’t think of a more fitting job for her to work toward. Flash-forward to today, Peres has established a successful modeling career and continues to strive to improve herself in order to take on bigger, better roles. As a model, she does photo shoots for magazines, for fashion catalogues, and for other advertising campaigns. She also performs in fashion shows, as well as special art and fashion projects.

Not only is Peres a fashion and travel enthusiast, she is also a firm believer in philanthropy. She is an advocate for building a self-sufficient lifestyle wherever possible and lending help to others who aren’t as fortunate to do so. She finds personal value in the knowledge that with her career in fashion, she is able to merge her charitable intentions with her natural talents. Throughout her time as a model, she has committed herself to keeping true to her moral compass and with that, she has participated in a number of charity fashion shows. Most recently, Peres lent her modeling expertise to a charity fashion indicative called “Project Mother.” The project, spearheaded by the highly influential German photographer Laura Helena Rubahn, aims to raise awareness about nature preservation through a series of breathtaking photographs taken around the world. The proceeds from the project are to be directed to a nature protection and preservation fund and Peres was humbled to be able to help place a spotlight on this important, worldwide issue.

When Peres isn’t embarking upon a philanthropic journey, she is continuing to train herself and seek out opportunities to expand her experience and skill set. Throughout her career, she has modeled for a number of well-known fashion brands such as Kuraudia, Le Moir, and Key Wear. In fact, some of her most memorable modeling jobs occurred when she worked for agencies in Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Over the past few years, however, Peres has been modeling and acting in Europe where she has shot several editorials and runway shows. Her latest editorial work includes cover shoots for Vamp Magazine and Hilton Malta Magazine. In addition, spanning beyond editorial and runway work, Peres is also known commercial personality having shot a commercial print for Vodafone in 2016, as well as a video commercial for Radley London. Her skill, energy, and professionalism make her an asset to any modeling shoot and she is known for being a pleasure to work with. Even for her fellow models, Peres acts as an inspiration and a reminder that no matter how talented someone may be, there is always room to remain kind and humble. Marina Plotnikova has modeled alongside Peres on multiple occasions and understands why Peres has the reputation she has better than most.

“Marysia is always very responsible but more importantly, she remains positive no matter what the circumstances are. During shows, she is always happily involved in all of the activities. Most of all, she motivates the people around her by setting a good example. As a model with vast experience in the industry, she is always eager to help others. She is a joy to work with,” Plotnikova said.

When Peres sets her sights on a goal, she will stop at nothing in order to achieve it. She sheds her own blood, sweat, and tears in order to be able to sleep soundly at night knowing that she has brought her best possible performance to every task she sets out to do. Fortunately, the result comes with widespread recognition and at times, even awards. For instance, Peres’ talents were recognized sufficiently in June 2014 when Starcentral Magazine dubbed her Sexiest Woman of the Month. For Peres, this title was simply a testament to the fact that hard work pays off and that she can accomplish anything she sets her mind to with the right type of drive behind it. She is an inspiration to her fellow models and hopes to be able to bring even more prestigious titles to her resume as she continues along her career.

If Peres could offer any advice to young, aspiring models, she would tell them this: “It is a tough industry that requires a lot of confidence and hard work. You have to be not only be healthy, fit, and photogenic, but you also have to be communicative, easy to work with, and resilient. There will be several reasons why you either do or do not get a job, and those reasons shouldn’t give you an ego or make you miserable. Just remain true to yourself and remember that beauty always comes from within.”

Be sure to follow Peres’ modelling career on her website.

Photo by AJ Singh

Music, Music Producer

Music Producer Lhast is genius behind hit song “Do You No Wrong”

October 17, 2017 ewgpress Leave a comment

Rafael Alves has always known music was his passion. Even when he was just a child, the beat of a song was more captivating to him than a fairy tale. At a young age, he began playing piano, knowing that he was destined to create music in his future. Now, that is exactly what he is doing. Known as Lhast in his home country of Portugal and around the world, he is one of his country’s most in demand music producers.

Throughout his esteemed career, Lhast has worked on several chart-topping songs. His work on Diogo Picarra’s hit song “Historia” received a gold record for its sales, and the song itself has over seven million views on YouTube alone. A similar pattern followed on the songs “Tarzan” by Regula and “As Coisas” by Valas, who was actually nominated for Best New Artist at the New Era Awards because of the success of the song. Many thanks Lhast’s producing skills on their success. The artist Dillaz, who worked with Lhast on the popular song “Arena” believes that the producer is one of a kind.

“Besides the great knowledge and technical ability Rafael has, working with him is a very freeing process, where creativity is encouraged to the max. I feel he brings out the best in me and encourages me to try some things that wouldn’t be a part of my normal process. Besides that, the communication is always very open and I feel we can address any issue very easily with no major complication,” said Dillaz. “I think he’s knowledgeable about the whole song making process, and has a sense of simplicity and open mindedness in the song making process that make him a few steps ahead of the rest. Also, he seems to find the compositions that fit not only me, but many artists. I think he can tune his vibe to the artist he’s working with, and that makes him very versatile.”

Despite all of the aforementioned success, the highlight of Lhast’s formidable career was working on the song “Do You No Wrong” by Richie Campbell. Initially, he just wanted to work on the song as an opportunity to work with Richie Campbell, but he did not expect the vast success that would come from the collaboration.

Since its release on May 4 of last year, “Do You No Wrong” received a Platinum Record Award for over 15,000. It was nominated for a Portuguese Golden Globe and was performed at the award ceremony earlier this year. It still plays on the radio frequently in Portugal, and Lhast never gets tired of hearing it.

“I felt great the first time I heard it on the radio. It was amazing to hear it there. I’ve had songs play there before but this one played was different. It felt really good that a lot of people were enjoying hearing my music,” said Lhast.

The song was an idea of Lhast, who had already created the instrumental for the track with Campbell in mind. The two have known each other for many years but had never collaborated. Lhast is known for his work in hip hop and R&B, whereas Campbell is more of a reggae singer. Initially, working together with such different styles never occurred to them. However, when Lhast created the music for what he wanted to be a love song, he thought of Campbell. Campbell immediately became captivated by Lhast’s work, and wrote all of the lyrics in a short time. Once this was done, the two started to work together on the arrangement and technical aspects, wanting to make the best possible track. They even discussed how the song would be released and how they would make the video.

After finally having the opportunity to work with his friends after many years, everyone made the most of it. The success of the song was just the cherry on top to a great experience for Lhast. They were all able to work together seamlessly. The understood each other’s experience and valued their input. Working on the song was a relaxing project and a good time. Overall, for the music producer, the song meant a lot more than just a simple project. It changed all of their lives, especially his.

“This song was really an amazing moment. Everyone seems to love the song; kids love it, my mother loves it, all my family enjoyed the song and that was a really good moment for me. I have always done music that people in my age group related to, but to have a song touch so many people in different spectrum was really just amazing,” he said.

Needless to say, without Lhast’s producing talents “Do You No Wrong” could never have achieved what it did. The track was his idea, with his instrumental being the basic concept. Without him, there would be no song at all.

Now, the producer is working on many more tracks that will appeal to all ages. Listeners not just in Portugal have the opportunity to listen to his sound, and it is highly encouraged. He is truly one of the best, and any looking to follow in his footsteps should know that it is not only talent, but hard work that makes him extraordinary.

“You have to enjoy the process. Work every day, and have people around you that are in the same mindset, and if possible, in the same area. Understand everything takes time, but you should learn to cherish the small victories, they will keep you going. I think a lot of producers feel they need to work towards a big break, but I think you’re always working for small breaks and that’s what keeps you moving. Once you get to that one ‘big break’ it won’t look so big because you know the work you have put to it, so it’s just another reward for your consistency,” he concluded.

Artist, International Creative Talents

Graphic Designer Suzy van der Velden on becoming industry leader

October 17, 2017 ewgpress Leave a comment

There is a saying in Dutch that goes “Doe maar gewoon, dan doe je al gek genoeg” that roughly translates to “Just act normal, then you’re already silly enough.” Suzy van der Velden has always embraced this mentality. Originally from the small town of Limmen in the Netherlands, she had a passion for creating in a place where there was not a lot of arts and culture. Despite this, van der Velden could not hold back her desire to create, and her artistic instincts quickly took hold. From a young age, she would sit behind her desk and draw, and slowly drawing transformed into design.

Now, van der Velden is a leading Dutch graphic designer. She is internationally sought-after working with some of the world’s biggest brands. However, she did not always know graphic design would be where her creative predisposition would lead her. From the time she was a young teenager, van der Velden found herself interested in fashion. However, it was not until her work with the Dutch company Oilily that van der Velden realized she could combine her interests.

“I see myself as a problem solver. More than anything I’m trying to find an aesthetically pleasing solution, through the use of all sorts of media, to solve a problem or need. I have talks with myself whenever I’m working on something on how to achieve the best result. One day nothing might happen and the solution seems far away, and the next day it just pops in my head and I know exactly how to handle something. In my work, I don’t tend to stick to one type of media so I’m constantly learning and thinking of new ways to come to innovative results. Often it feels like my job is all about balance and how to reach that balance. Next to the technical side of things I hope my work as a graphic designer adds that extra joy or connection to a product,” she said.

During her time at Oilily, van der Velden quickly rose up the ladder, impressing both customers and colleagues with her talent. She designed a wide range of artwork for both the Women’s, Kids, and Toddler lines. She worked to bring the themes alive through allovers prints, placement graphics, embroideries, engineered prints and trims. She was also a part of both the ‘Oilily Summer of Love’ and the Fall collections that were shown at the Amsterdam Fashion Week of 2009.

It wasn’t long after this when van der Velden’s reputation became extremely reputable in her home country, and she went to work at sporting wear brand O’Neill. O’Neill is originally Californian surf wear and surfboard brand started in 1952 by Jack O’Neill. The company produces wetsuits, performance water and snow sports inspired apparel for young adults. The products are distributed internationally to 86 countries worldwide.

While with the iconic company, van der Velden managed all the artwork that included swimwear, active wear, lifestyle and snow wear. She was part of a global design team that created art that would be placed on products throughout the entire world. She directed and groomed lower level designers to grow and enhance their skills. She also took on the highly important role of emphasizing the importance of making unique artwork for specific regions around the globe some including Australia, Japan and Germany, helping to increase sales in these countries with her work.

“Suzy was part of the creative team, where she was responsible for all the graphics, allover patterns and presentations for each new seasonal collection for the women’s, swim, apparel and snow line. I thoroughly enjoyed my time working with Suzy, and came to know her a as a truly valuable asset to absolutely any team. She is an incredibly hard worker, honest and dependable. Beyond that she is a very inspiring, creative person who always delivers the results. Along with her undeniable talent, Suzy was always an absolute joy to work with. Her knowledge of sportswear and casual wear, and her expertise on creating artworks from scratch, her color use and feel and her skill-set on printing technique were all huge contributions. She is very independent and always had a secret box of unexpected, new and original ideas,” said Mareine van Beek, Senior Designer Swim/Lifestyle Women & Girls at O’Neill.

After years of creating dynamic imagery for O’Neill, van der Velden caught the attention of Lululemon, a Canadian athletic apparel retailer. It is a yoga-inspired athletic apparel company and a designer and retailer of technical athletic apparel. The company makes a number of different types of athletic wear, including performance shirts, shorts, and pants, as well as lifestyle apparel and yoga accessories. It is extremely popular around the world, and working for the company was the highlight of van der Velden’s esteemed career.

After being headhunted for the role, van der Velden moved from the Netherlands to Vancouver to work for the brand, helping them revolutionize their look. With the company’s shift to reach a more youthful and progressive demographic, van der Velden’s versatile skillset came into play. Due to her great artwork and design aesthetic, she works on the global design team as Senior Graphic Designer for both the men’s and women’s divisions. Since her employment, the company has acknowledged the success of her design artwork and has increased her number of designs to grow the overall business. She was also a part of a select design team that traveled to Switzerland to create a small collection in collaboration with Europe’s leading supplier of technical embroideries. On top of this, she was also chosen with an exclusive group to travel to a Lululemon retail store in Toronto to give a detailed product presentation when the first collection with the new aesthetic was launched. The company has grown and advanced in their overall design aesthetic largely due to the success of van der Velden’s artwork and design theory.

Her role with the company is absolutely essential. Not only does she design, she brings on new team members and trains them to follow in her footsteps. For those looking to do so outside of Lululemon, she offers important advice.

“Go for it. It’s hard work, but the joy you get from it pays off. Try and work as free as you can to discover new ways of working. Take a look at other graphic designers if you don’t know where to start and go from there. It’s a very specific job and chances are that if you don’t become the best in your field it might be hard to stay in the game. Therefore, you have to keep practicing and experimenting. See where and how you can push the limits to come to new solutions,” she advised.

And with a career like hers, we can all assume that van der Velden’s guidance will be fruitful.

Composer, Film Composer

Min He communicates through her extraordinary compositions

October 16, 2017 ewgpress Leave a comment

William Shakespeare once said, “when words fail, music speaks.” It is a universal language with the power to change lives, to evoke emotion, and to allow human beings to connect with each other on the deepest level. For renowned composer, Min He, it is a language she speaks fluently. She is one with her music and her compositions are profound. When audiences listen to He’s work, they hear far more than an arrangement of notes and chords. They hear her passion, her expertise, and her extraordinary ability to connect the world through her music.

“I love composing because I like being creative. I have so many things to say to this world, whether it’s my feelings, my thoughts, or my imaginations. For me, being a composer is an opportunity to capture my emotions, to write them down, and then to share them with my audiences. It is a bridge that connects me with the world and it is the most wonderful form of communication that I can think of,” tells He.

Through He’s unwavering desire to compose, she has built a career unlike most. The award-winning composer has acquired experience from a variety of different projects and she is well versed in studying a script and determining how best to bring it to life with her music. Whether she’s scoring or orchestrating, she has an unprecedented affinity for creating unique sound arrangements and she is an invaluable member of any team she works with. She has a vast amount of experience, composing for films like Princess Eun Hwa, Sanjiang Dream, and Jin Zhi Xi Yan (No Smoking).

One of the many things that sets He above her competition is her diverse understanding of the art of music and her willingness to experiment composing for different genres and mediums wherever possible. For instance, in 2014, He was approached by game designer Zi Li about composing for the video game, Dissonance, and due to her love for video games and her passion to expand her knowledge in the arts and entertainment industry, He eagerly accepted. The success she earned from Dissonance, however, was the reason she was later approached by designer Jack Cai about lending her talents to his game Pursuit of Light 2 in 2015. Cai had heard of He’s reputation, sampled her work in Dissonance, and knew that he needed He to take his game to the next level.

When He composes for a video game, she begins by speaking with the game designer about the type of feel that he or she hopes to communicate in the game. She then requests a cue sheet with the designer’s vision for each piece. This is where He’s magic begins. She carefully and considerately reads through the designer’s ideas and determines how best to translate these ideas into scored scenes. Once she has developed her composition, she vigorously edits through it to ensure that presents the designer with nothing but the highest quality composition. She then allows the designer to review and make any changes necessary.

Due to the fact that He has such a vast understanding of her profession and an unparalleled creative edge, she is often trusted with taking full creative authority over the process. In rare cases, where designers are skeptical about stepping outside of their comfort zones, He uses her professionalism and work ethic to communicate their options and to make sure that they are getting the best result for their project. For instance, when He worked with Li on Dissonance, she was asked to write dark and depressing music to keep with the mood of the game’s storyline. He, knowing Li’s vision for the game, was certain that there was some leeway to dive deeper into the player’s emotions and create a more dynamic score. When she suggested adding elements of hope and brightness to the composition, Li was hesitant. He proactively decided to craft two separate pieces, one keeping with Li’s vision and one demonstrating He’s ideas. Upon reviewing the two compositions, Li realized that He was right and loved the result.

“Working with Min was a wonderful journey. She has phenomenal ideas when it comes to making music and more importantly, her sound is unique and she is innovative beyond measure. On top of that, she is so gifted and hard working. Her love for video games also helps to make her music fit with the game. She just knows what will work best for the project at hand and I am glad I was able to work with her,” states Li.

He becomes instrumental to any project she works on and is often showered with praise and recognition for her efforts. She has received a number of awards for her work. Dissonance, for instance, won the Indie Prize for Best Innovative Game 2015 and The Experimental Game Showcase at the Out of Index Festival. Pursuit of Light 2, on the other hand, won the CGWR SINA Award for Best Indie Mobile Game of the Year. For He, receiving recognition for her work is fulfilling, but the true joy of her job comes when she hears what her audience or the players of her video games have to say about her work.

“One of the greatest joys about my career lies in the way that people receive my music. They truly love it and they actively look to hear more. After Pursuit of Light 2 was released, I saw reviews from players left on the Apple Store and they were all talking about my music, saying how beautiful and enjoyable it was. In that moment, when I was reading those reviews from absolute strangers, I felt truly loved and it was the highlight of my career,” He recalls.

In future, He hopes to continue creating beautiful compositions to share with the world. Professionally, she aims to work with more talented and prestigious movie and television directors, as well as game designers. Personally, she is bursting at the seams with inspiration to compose even greater works than she has already created. For He, composing is more than a job. It is her creative outlet and she is always ready to try something new.

Actress, Film

Actress Francesa De Luca to star in upcoming film ‘Café Mnemosyne’

September 28, 2017 ewgpress Leave a comment

Originally from Hammersmith, London, Francesca De Luca knew she was meant to perform at the age of six. At the time she was dancing, but she realized the stage was her home. She knows what it is to connect with her audience, to make them feel something they didn’t know was there. She brings everything she has to every performance she does, and this is what makes her such an outstanding actress.

Throughout her career, De Luca has risen to one of England’s top actresses. She has worked alongside extraordinary talent like herself, including Producer, Writer, and Director Francis Ford Coppola, known for many award-winning films including The Godfather trilogy. He is also one of De Luca’s idols.

“He reminded me of my grandfather with his warmth and he told me I reminded him of his daughter Sophia. I spoke about my Italian heritage and it felt like I had known him for years,” she said.

With a busy upcoming couple of years, De Luca will once again appear on the big screen in several new films. One of these is Café Mnemosyne, set to be released in 2019. The film will be directed by a prominent director, who approached De Luca knowing he needed her to make his film a success, and that she would be perfect for the role. This was four years ago, and now, the film is finally coming to fruition. De Luca immediately was on board.

“I’ve seen this director’s previous work and love the script and think he will be a nice guy to work with. I like working with talented, nice people, and it’s important to feel relaxed on set,” she said.

Scripts are extremely important to De Luca. She wants to read a script and feel compelled by the story, and if she is, that is when she will take on a role. Café Mnemosyne is one of those films. It is set in a strange diner where a young girl shows up with an odd dilemma, throwing the regular café occupants into a panic. The suspense is evident while she finds out what the café really is and what will happen to her next. De Luca will be playing the role of Carrie, who is one of the main characters in the diner. The film is expected to make its way to many of the world’s most prestigious film festivals.

“The filming will be in New Jersey so it will be an opportunity to spend time in New York again and spend time with my cousins and friends. I love New York as a city and I love the directness of the people. Also, I love playing Italian America New York characters, so I enjoy people watching while I am there and picking up traits that I can later bring to my characters,” said De Luca.

There is no doubt that De Luca will help make the films a success. She is known for working on acclaimed projects, such as the docudrama Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent. De Luca played the role of Margot Fonteyn in the film, a true Prima Ballerina. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last year, and was subsequently selected for the prestigious Hamptons Film Festival and the Key West Film Festival. Earlier this year, it was released in theatres across the United States and Canada, receiving rave reviews from the New York Times, with a score of 82 per cent “Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes. It was released on iTunes in July of this year, and went straight to number one in the documentary chart and top ten in independent movies.

“I am proud to have been part of such a successful film,” said De Luca, speaking of Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent.

De Luca saw similar success with the film Passports. The film follows Tanya who returns after six wild years of travelling. Once home, her mother and grandma make her join an online dating site and go on a date. The date is a visit to a psychic. During the visit, unexpected events occur and the guy hits on the psychic secretively sliding to her a piece of paper reading ‘Call Me.’ The psychic ignores him and tells Tanya her fortune and after Tanya shows the psychic a ‘new’ game of magic in which she makes her date’s car keys disappear. From then on things get heated between the three. This film is a dramedy with beautiful cinematography and interesting characters. De Luca plays the pivotal role of the psychic. Passports went on to win several awards at many prestigious international film festivals.

“During Francesca’s audition for Passports, we decided to cast her immediately because of her commanding stage presence and the many unique details she brought to her acting. What makes her special is her uncanny ability to perform at the drop of a hat, improvisation skills especially with dialogue, and her capacity to do numerous accents from all over the world. We are currently in the development stages of our first feature Midnight Daughter, filming to start early 2018, and are casting Francesca in one of the primary roles of the film. Her vast skill set allows Francesca to fit into different characters. Overall, Francesca’s dedication to the craft of acting and her easy-going attitude are two of the many reasons why we like working with her,” said Jeremy Pion Berlin, the Director of Passports.

Audiences have a lot to look forward to with De Luca gracing their screen presence so frequently in the coming years. She has recently been working with Mark Myers of CSP Management, who also plans to cast the actress is roles with his production company Citizen Skull over next few years. She is also looking forward to working on various roles in US television programs. She is definitely one to watch out for.