All posts by Portia Leigh

Portia Leigh is an LA-based freelance writer who has worked professionally across multiple platforms. In addition to working as a publicist, Portia Leigh currently writes for Number 3 Magazine. Her past work also includes serving as the Music Editor for TidBit Magazine, a music and fashion quarterly, and the Arts and Entertainment Editor for The Round Up Newspaper. With an education in both Journalism and PR, her scope of talents include Maximizing Company SEOs, Creating Engaging Socially Media Content, Writing Company Sponsorship Letters, Bios, Elevator Pitches, Backgrounders, Press Releases, Fact Sheets, EPKs, Media Kits, and much more. Blog: www.GypsyRich.wordpress.com

Dancers

Shiler Pierrimas Dazzled Audiences Long Before “Spain’s Got Talent”

June 10, 2021 Portia Leigh Leave a comment

Last year French performer Shiler Pierrimas, who’s known widely for his unique blend of dance, stunt and acrobatics, made an unforgettable mark in the minds of millions when he took to the stage of the hit TV series “Spain’s Got Talent.”

For most artists, just making it onto the highly watched series, not to mention winning the show’s coveted Golden Buzzer Award like Shiler did with his group ‘Enjoy,’ would be enough to shout success from the rooftops– but for him, this kind of attention has become the norm.

Shiler Pierrimas – Photographed by Paul Green

“I perform because I was born for it, this profession is my dream,” says Shiler Pierrimas. “I have been dancing since my childhood. I started to dance in front of an audience in the street with friends, my goal was always to do dance performances on stage and I am proud to have succeeded.”

For Shiler, wowing audiences as a performer on the “Got Talent” stage is nothing new. He first took to the stage of “France’s Got Talent” with his group Les Drôle de Mecs back in 2009, followed by that of “Turkey’s Got Talent,” where he performed as a dancer and performer over the course of 2010, 2011 and 2012. Now, after the success of his performance on “Spain’s Got Talent,” he has been invited, along with the rest of Enjoy, to participate in “Germany’s Got Talent” as well.

“The casting director of [Germany’s Got Talent] contacted us to participate and he really wants us on his program. It’s exciting because we are going to relive what we experienced in Spain… we did not expect this reaction from the public,” admits Shiler.

“To have the chance to do our show in front of a German audience and get the same reaction is going to be a challenge for us, but why not have the chance at another Golden Buzzer… Ultimately I do this job to bring happiness to the public, and if it works in Spain, I tell myself why not do it for our German neighbors as well.”

From the streets to the stage, over the years Shiler has created a well-known name for himself in the French entertainment industry. A natural funny man and born performer, he has spent the past 20 years impressing audiences with his ability to merge his performances with dance and acrobatics.

Prior to the international “Got Talent” stage, he was probably best recognized by fans across France for his work with the incredibly successful dance troupe, Les Drôle de Mecs a.k.a. The Funny Guys.

Founded in 2008, Les Drôle de Mecs started out on the streets of France after a group of friends decided to join forces to create a comedy breakdance group– those friends were Shiler Pierrimas, Benjamin Renaudin, Kevin Perez Alvarez and Luis Ribeiro

“The mixture of dance and acrobatics that we came up with was an original concept,” explains Shiler. “We were just a group of friends who wanted to travel around France in order to bring a communicative energy to our audience, and we wanted to reach everyone from children to adults to entire families.”

Over the following 6 years, Shiler, who also acted as the director and frontman, and his group Les Drôle de Mecs really did reach audiences far and wide. With fabulous comedic timing, a fun and upbeat presence, and extraordinary dance moves at their disposal, it wasn’t long before they were being invited off of the streets and onto some of the biggest stages in France.

Early on in their formation they were invited by well-known TV host Nagui to perform during the famous French Telethon (AFM-Telethon), which raises funding for muscular dystrophy. Organized by France Télévisions, which broadcasts the marathon on its channels each year, the AFM-Telethon is a huge event that takes over television screens for more than 20 hours each December putting some of the best performers in entertainment on display for a good cause.

The Telethon performance not only left a memorable imprint on audiences, but on Shiler as well. When asked about his favorite moment from performing as a part of Les Drôle de Mecs, he responded by saying, “It was when I participated in the telethon, helping the cause in this way was very important to me.”

To be invited even once to perform during the AFM-Telethon is a huge accomplishment– and Shiler and his group were invited four years in a row! Aside from the telethon TV performances and “France’s Got Talent,” the group also performed on the popular series, “Les Stars du rire” a.k.a. “Laughing Stars Have Fun.”

As a dancer and acrobat, Shiler electrifies the stage making it nearly impossible to peel our eyes away from him when he performs; and the chemistry he had with his fellow performers in Les Drôle de Mecs was palpable. With their often over the top comedic dance routines, an area where Shiler always nails his mark, it’s not surprising that he and the group were invited to open the 2013 and 2014 La Tour des Zeniths for comedian Kev Adams, which toured the most famous venues in France, Le Zenith.

Not only did Shiler wow audiences of more than 6,000 people with each show during that tour, but he also left a rather strong impression in the mind of well-known producer and Robin & Co. founder, Jean-Yves Robin.

“He is a complete artist. There were four members in this group, each had their role, but Shiler was both the dancer and the lead performer of the group. He was the group leader,” recalls Robin.

“He is a sacred artist. His energy was infectious…. [Shiler] was clearly the mainstay of the group. On the microphone, he was also excellent, he gave us his own one man show to benefit the tour teams during rehearsals, everyone came by, we were all laughing to death! He clearly contributed to the good atmosphere of that tour.”

Left to right: Shiler Pierrimas with Drôle De Mecs members Kevin and Luis

Shiler’s rare blend of humour and dance proved invaluable once again was when he and Les Drôle de Mecs took part in famous comedian and performer Anne Roumanoff’s show “La Carte Blanche with Anne Roumanoff” during the Paris Fait Son Comedy Festival. The dance show, which was performed at La Olympia and aired on TV via TF1in Paris, was yet another occasion where Shiler wowed those around him.

While Shiler originally discovered his passion for dance in his youth, over the years he’s honed his skills in various disciplines, which has made him an incredibly unique artist in the field– yet what makes him stand out the most, is something that’s arguably unteachable, charisma.

Anne Roumanoff says, “As soon as I saw him I knew that Shiler had something special, I’ve seen his versatility in very few professional artists.”

While natural talent and versatility have undoubtedly been a factor in Shiler’s success, his magnetic presence has made him an unforgettable star on stages across the world. As a dancer and acrobat, Shiler Pierrimas really does bring a wild deck of cards to the table, and with each new trick that he whips out being more impressive than the last, we confidently place our bet on him.

Costume Designer

The Dramatic Talents of Viktoriia and Kostiantyn Vlasenko

December 8, 2020 Portia Leigh Leave a comment

While the films “All Lives Matter” and “86 Melrose Avenue” are completely different in scope and story, they do have two things in common– and that is Ukrainian siblings Viktoriia and Kostiantyn Vlasenko behind the scenes. As the costume designer on both films, Viktoriia designed the extensive wardrobe for each project all under the direction of her brother Kostiantyn, who worked as an actor and production manager.

**“86 Melrose Avenue” includes costumes inspired by the past and present**

A spectacular thriller directed by Lili Matta, “86 Melrose Avenue” also features Kostiantyn Vlasenko in the role of one of Marine. A dramatic film that never ceases to keep the viewer in suspense, the plot of the film is centered around a former marine who suffers from PTSD, and breaks into an art gallery where he takes hostages and forces each of them to face their past and impending death.

As the costume designer, Viktoriia faced an interesting challenge in the way that each of the costumes had to not only correspond to the character’s image, but it also had to give viewers important insights into the character’s past– a difficult task, but one she achieved seamlessly.

With the wardrobe created according to Viktoriia’s sketches, and under the direct supervision of Kostiantyn as production manager, the costumes exceeded all expectations of the director, who especially emphasized this when talking about the film. In addition to serving as the costume designer, Viktoriia Vlasenko also played a key role as a make-up artist and special effects specialist for the film.

Viktoriia Vlasenko in “All Lives Matter”

Compared to the previously mentioned film, “All Lives Matter,” which was written and directed by Alonzo Dominguez, has a completely different dramatic tone. A sci-fi film featuring a cyberpunk boy from the future and his girlfriend, “All Lives Matter” offers a dramatic narrative built around a futuristic society’s rejection of the cyberpunk way of life, and the related twists and turns that ensue. The film develops the philosophical idea that even a futuristic society will not be ready to accept people who differ from the mainstream.

In this film, Kostiantyn Vlasenko again worked as an actor, as well as a production manager, while Viktoriia acted as the film’s costume designer, a familial collaboration which provided yet another film with truly spectacular chemistry behind the scenes. The tailoring of the costumes for the film was also carried out under the direction of Kostiantyn.

Kostiantyn Vlasenko during the filming of “All Lives Matter”

The creative collaboration of the Vlasenko siblings has already been seen repeatedly on set, with the brother and sister taking part in the filming of more than 30 films. Moreover, as a result of their natural energy and ability to multitask, both of them often combine several roles during filming. Viktoriia, in addition to working as the costume designer, acts as a make-up and special effects artist, where Kostiantyn, who is often acting in leading or supporting roles, also acts enthusiastically as a line producer and production manager, while also helping his sister to bring her creative ideas to life.

Social Media, Uncategorized

Renan Pacheco Sheds Light on How He Became a Digitally Influencing Phenomenon

September 5, 2019 Portia Leigh Leave a comment

As you scroll Instagram, have you ever seen someone beautiful, in an equally breathtaking setting, and wondered how they managed to land hundreds of thousands of followers? These digital influencers indeed have what seems like the best job in the world. By amassing a loyal following, they have the unique position of traveling the world as a digital influencer where their costs are footed by sponsorships from international brands.

Of course, there are millions of exceptionally beautiful faces out there, so what is it specifically that makes a digital influencer stand out? Look no further than Renan Pacheco, a French digital influencer and undeniable heartthrob with thousands of fans across the globe.

I was lucky enough to catch up with this global Instagram sensation to find out what it’s like being a digital influencer, and how he got his start. He is currently nominated for two Monaco Influencer Awards, which will take place in October.

While his insta profile currently boasts nearly 650K followers, Renan was dazzling cameras long before he made his way into his incredibly profitable career as a digital influencer, where he admits that he often earns “a five figure number per post.” Earning a minimum of $20,000 per post is a pretty impressive figure, one that makes it quite obvious that Renan’s reputation for engaging viewers with his creativity is a major profit source for the brands that ask him to come on board as an influencer in their market.

Though he was raised in France, Renan was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil — and you can bet that the combination of his multicultural upbringing and looks work to his benefit as an influencer. Renan was first ushered into the spotlight at the age of 14 when he won a modeling competition.

“A friend of mine sent my Facebook pictures to an online contest and only told me about it when I got selected to attend a catwalk in Paris,” Renan recalls.

“Once I got there, I looked around at the other models that were far more experienced and it seemed like they were feeling no pressure or stress whatsoever. We were all competing for some very valuable prizes and opportunities. It was my first time feeling ‘under pressure’ as a teenager and I’m proud I took it head on… Having 650,000 people seeing every day what I’m doing is something young Renan in that contest with an audience of 100 could probably not fathom!”

That seemingly destined contest win led Renan to land numerous other modeling contracts, at the same time while still a teen in Paris, he went on to make a name for himself as an actor. Back in 2014, he starred in a national commercial for Danone, followed by social media campaigns for Zadig and Voltaire, L’Oréal and Jean Paul Gaultier.

Renan Pacheco with Xenia Adonts at a Jean Paul Gaultier show

Filmmaker Matthieu Khalaf says, “Renan is a ‘one cut’ actor. I rarely ever have to re-shoot something with him or edit things out which is very convenient. Renan is an artist with an engineer-like discipline. He brings creativity as well as punctuality, discipline and work ethic which inevitably compounds to putting him ahead of the pack.”

Over the past few years Renan has played leading roles in films such as “Partons, dans un baiser,” the crime series “Falco,” and the French hit “Nos Chers Voisins,” where he took on a comedy role as the love interest of the lead character. And his ease as an actor and model have definitely lent themselves to his skill as an Instagram influencer.

As Instagram grew so did brand interest in what Renan had to offer. His first contracts were for L’Oréal and French footwear giant Courir.

“I had to post about them on Instagram. Instagram was a very new tool at the time, and my follower count being only in the low 5 figures, the required posts were made as a verbal request,” recalls Renan. “No one thought at the time that there would be written contracts for this one day! My first written contract for an Instagram post was for Kapten & Son, a famous eyewear company.”

For Renan there are undoubtedly perks that include traveling the world, attending posh parties and awards ceremonies, and making a pretty penny for posting on behalf of brands. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have to put effort into what he posts. He has a unique understanding and awareness of what his audience wants to see and makes incredible efforts to deliver. On top of that, he has to bring a high level of creativity to the images and stories he posts in order to serve the high-profile brands that support him.

In terms of blending media exposure and creativity into his posts, Renan explains, “My pictures must take both criteria into account. ‘Media exposure’ means taking into account what my community wants to see. ‘Creativity’ means including the story the brand wants to tell. Often, the picture is what will satisfy the follower, and the caption is what will satisfy the storytelling.”

While a photo can say a thousand words, Instagram photos still require some catchy and thoughtful captions, and Renan is a pro at coming up with tidbits that will keep his audience engaged.

“I love reading and listening to audiobooks. I take active notes and like to share them as short nuggets of wisdom to complement my pictures. My followers gave such fantastic feedback that I decided to start posting pictures that complement the caption and not the other way around,” admits Renan.

“Approximately 1 out of 5 of my pictures are now about a story, a painting, an artist, a movie etc. It’s challenging but very rewarding and my community has definitely responded with the best feedback.”

On top of creating engaging posts to serve both the brand and the audience, one of the reasons that Renan has developed such a loyal following is the fact that he interacts so consistently with his audience. For most us, responding to countless direct messages and comments from over 650k followers would get exhausting, but Renan admits that is something that he actually enjoys.

Another aspect of Renan’s ability to maintain such a strong following and keep his career moving forward is the fact that he doesn’t just support any old brand that approaches him, for him remaining authentic and supporting brands that he can whole-heartedly get behind have been key.

Renan Pacheco at a Vampped Event in Palm Springs, CA

“If I don’t like the product, service or storytelling, I have to pass regardless of the financial compensation. People have a sixth sense for detecting what is truthful and what isn’t, and particularly now, I I think a big part of my success is always focusing on my follower experience.”

Renan is an avid traveller and brilliant visual storyteller renown in the social media world for his hard working spirit, integrity, and exceptional track record with leading brands. Outside from all the glitz and glamour, he admits that at the end of the day his favorite part of his career as a digital influencer is, “Meeting different people from all walks of life have been the most rewarding moments across my travels. Their stories, their lessons and most often their pains have been the building blocks for my life since college and I don’t think any other experience could be a substitute to that.”