Category Archives: Uncategorized

From Trailers to Long-Form Projects, Editor Ge Zhai Draws Viewers in with her Work

September 11, 2017 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

After all the production meetings, castings and lengthy shoot days are finished is when the story we see in a film or series really begins to come together. Naturally the writers and director have a strong idea of how they want their project to play out, but nothing is ever fully set in stone until the project makes its way onto the editor’s desk. It’s there that the best footage is identified and methodically pieced together into the unfolding story we enjoy as viewers.

Editor Ge Zhai, who is originally from Beijing, China is one of those genius editors who manages to turn hours of footage into a seamless story that grabs the attention of viewers around the world and keeps them watching.

Since moving stateside six years ago, Zhai has made a huge impact in the industry with her work as an editor. She got her start working as an editor for KO Creative, an LA-based creative advertising and strategic marketing group that creates audio/visual and print campaigns for domestic & international theatrical motion pictures, television and more. As an editor at KO Creative Zhai served as the lead editor on over 30 film trailers.

As the editor of the theatrical trailers for films such as multi-award winning director Chris Mason Johnson’s (The New Twenty) dramatic film Test and Coury Deeb’s ( The New Sudan) documentary BBOY for LIFE, Zhai managed to streamline each story into a concise and intriguing snapshot that made audiences want to go out to watch the films; and her success in cutting each trailer needs little further proof than the international attention received by both films upon release.

She was also the lead editor for the online trailers for several films including those for the Dutch film Boys, a coming of age tale about a homosexual teen and his budding relationship with a fellow teammate on the track team, which won the Golden Calf and Dutch Critics Awards from the Nederlands Film Festival and was nominated for an International Emmy Award; and, the Image Award nominated film drama Life of King starring Oscar Award winner Cuba Gooding Jr. (Men of Honor, Selma).

In addition to sifting through hours of footage, selecting the most revealing and powerful moments, and creating a streamline story that would enthrall viewers, Zhai’s work cutting trailers at KO Creative meant she had to understand the divergent audiences each trailer catered to– something the value could be seen as no more integral than when it came to cutting sales trailers, as those are the visuals that actually sell the film to distributors and ensure the project actually reaches audiences. Without a strong and appealing sales trailer, a film may languish alone and unnoticed in a filmmaker’s library and never see the light of day. Thankfully for films such as Oscar Award nominee James Franco’s 2014 film The Sound and the Fury and Adam Levins’ horror film Estranged, Ge Zhai cut strong trailers that attracted the attention of distributors and helped each film make their way onto the big screen.

“I think in today’s world, there are so many choices as to video content, you got Netflix, Hulu, Youtube, with hundreds of thousands of films/tv/videos. So for an audience, why do they spend 2 hours on this specific film? The trailer is the first step to involve your audience visually following the poster. Trailers have to grasp their attention in 20 seconds and leave them wanting to see more,” explains Zhai.

“My strength is noticing details in a shot and maximizing them to convey the intimate emotion without relying on explanatory dialogue. I’m very good at telling the story of a film in a different way that is condensed, rhythmic, gripping, while remain true to the film. Plus, I have a good sense of music, which is super important to trailers.”

Though Zhai got her start as an editor in the industry cutting trailers for massively successful film projects, which is impressive enough in itself, she quickly moved on to cutting longer form projects, such as season 4 of the series Being featuring celebrities like three-time Grammy Award winner Erica Atkins Campbell and singer & movie star Tyrese, the comedy series According to Him + Her with Monica Collier (The Watermelon Heist), the poignant documentary Just Extensions and many more.

“Ge has the magic power to make ordinary materials look stunning. It was a blessing to have Ge on our team when we expanded from a trailer house into a full service post-production facility,” explains KO Creative CEO Kristi Kilday. “She was not constrained by her past experience when facing the challenge of editing long-form content like ‘Just Extensions’ and ‘Being.’ All the storylines and characters charged with emotion reflected her talent in editing.”

Zhai’s ability to breathe life into the characters we see on screen coupled with her ability to move each story forward with her natural (and virtually unnoticeable) cuts is one of the unique assets she brings to the table, and one of the driving forces behind her success that separates her from others in the industry. She doesn’t approach her work from a mechanical, step by step process devoid of emotion– instead she allows her creativity and emotional connection to the work and to the characters to guide the process. This is one of the reasons why the end products of those she’s lent her editor’s wand to have been so successful.

When it came time for the creation of season 4 of the series Being, Centric, the show’s network, which is a cable channel owned by BET, wanted to appeal to a more specific audience and embody a different vibe than that of previous seasons– that is where editor Ge Zhai came in.

Zhai explains, “‘Being’ previously had three seasons, but in totally different tone. For the new season they wanted to shift styles to better fit the rebranded network, which was catered towards educated African American women. I had worked with the same producers on the series ‘According to Him+Her,’ so they were aware of my skills, and at the end of the day that led to hire me to edit their number one show.”

Being series — Poster for the series “Being”

Zhai’s storytelling skills as the editor of Being season 4 served as a massive asset in creating the season’s unfolding story in a way that touched audiences. Her ability to identify the tiny, but impactful moments that a lesser editor might miss, such as the expression of K.Michelle’s (Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta) eyes while sitting in church in season 4 episode 1 or six-time Grammy Award nominee Tyrese Gibson’s (Furious 7, Fast & Furious 6, Ride Along) joyful look as he revisited his childhood school in season 4 episode 4, were all tantamount to creating an emotionally touching story that drew audiences in and kept them engaged as the season played out.

Zhai’s work as an editor is proof enough itself, so much so that she’s climbed the ranks much quicker than the majority of her peers in Hollywood. Most recently she’s been working on the viral marketing video content for the sequel of the Chinese smash-hit Monster Hunt where her work has embraced millions of viewers.

From beginning her career editing trailers that have been integral to drawing audiences and selling films to buyers, to serving as the editor on highly-watched long form projects that have aired on major networks, Ge Zhai’s seasoned skill as an editor combined with her unique power as a storyteller have been integral to the success of a great many projects. This is one editor we know we’ll be seeing a whole lot more from as time progresses, so keep your eyes out for her name as the credits roll.

Behind the Scenes, Canada, Comedy, Entertainment, International Creative Talents, Uncategorized, Writer

A FAMILY OF FRIENDS HAS MANY FORMS IN “PARKED”

September 7, 2017 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

There’s something romantic and endearing about a group of people coming together to support each other’s attempt to bring out the best in themselves and their dreams. It might be possible to make it on your own but when you do it with a trusted group of confidants it’s so much more enjoyable. “Parked” is a Canadian production which tells the story of five men who attempt to navigate the highs and lows of life. It’s a theme that is synonymous with the writers who created this show. In a small writers’ room, Gorrman Lee, Executive Producers Adam O. Thomas, Tracey Mack, Siobhan McCarthy, and Actor/Co-Producer David Lewis spent many long nights together writing what ultimately became a season of six full webisodes and twenty-five interstitial videos. The struggle that artists take on to test themselves, to aspire to create something which binds viewers together, it’s just as touching as the obstacles and experiences of the characters in “Parked.” Great things are achieved in life when people work together to support each other’s dreams, whether in real life or the stories which resemble it.

Here’s something that any true artist will tell you, greatness is found in the idea and the manifestation of it not necessarily in the execution of it. There’s a reason that songwriters receive a larger portion of the income generated by a song than those who perform it. Creative individuals understand that the idea itself is the keystone. The modern presentation of this is the fact that many of the productions that are presented on the web rival, and sometimes exceed, the stories presented on more traditional platforms. When writer Gorrman Lee saw the pilot for “Parked” shared on Facebook he thought “They’re doing this on the web? It’s so good!” The show’s pilot is so well produced and funny that it stands as a testament to the excellence of work being created outside the traditional system in today’s marketplace. When Lee had the chance to meet Siobhan McCarthy at a pitch event, he made it his mission to convince her that he could be of benefit to the show as one of their writers. He recalls, “I was very professional about it. I told her how much I enjoyed the pilot and asked if they were looking for people to join up; if so, I’d love to have a coffee with her to discuss. Asking people to coffee in this industry is a great, low-pressure way to get an in.” To Gorrman’s delight and the shows benefit, it worked.

“Parked” is about a group of 30-something dads, plus their one non-father pal, struggling with their late coming of age. While at first glance the characters might seem homogenous, each one has their own story to differentiate them in the group. The same can be said for the writers. As the youngest in the writing room and the only non-parent himself, Gorrman related most to the character Josh (the burnout, non-father of the group). While Lee and Josh vary greatly in personality, being of a certain age and place in your life naturally presents a shared perspective. Josh is found to be somewhat abrasive by the audience of “Parked” but Gorrman enjoyed the exercise of finding the sympathy/concealed soft side of Josh. The dichotomy of Josh was as entertaining for Lee as a writer as it was for the viewer. In episode #5, “Waiting for Kiddo”, Josh appears insufferable as he enters the scene complaining about how lame kids’ birthday parties are and how he’d much rather spend the day getting stoned. Lee’s writing shined a light on Josh’s humanity by showing just how hard he’s willing to work to get a child to attend this party with him. It looks creepy from the outside but Josh’s unawareness of this ultimately comes off as sweet because he just wants to hang out with his friends.

In a similar way to Josh’s willingness to step out of his comfort zone to keep the group together, Gorrman took on a writing assignment for “Parked” that was well outside his wheel house. Adam O. Thomas (Executive Producer of “Parked”) notes, “Gorrman was a key member of our writing room. He helped find the humor and really had a strong handle on how to shape a scene. If we were going off on a tangent, he was always the one to help bring us back around. He also made sure we never took the easy way out. I loved him for that. We broke down episodes and then assigned each writer some. Gorrman had a couple of the toughest. One was a musical episode and the other had to dance around the theme of child abduction to find the comedy in a dislikable character…. not an easy task. When he turned in his episode, I laughed out loud. It was perfect!” The musical episode referred to was entitled “Master Baker” and required Gorrman to create a Rap video. While most people think of writers as professionals who create based on something which they already know and actors as professionals who educate themselves/research about things they don’t know, Lee’s situation with this episode seems to indicate that writers are much more like actors in their approach. He was given an outline and lyrics for the song but the rest of creating the scene was up to Gorrman. He states, “I’m not really a Rap fan, my wife is though. I’m a writer of color. I’m Chinese-Canadian. It was important to me to research enough that I wasn’t being offensive or inappropriate in satirizing rap with three white, and one Indian actor. I think we pulled it off because of how silly our characters looked. The joke was on them, and not at the expense of rap.” The writer admits to feeling a great sense of accomplishment standing on set and watching the rap video sequence being filmed with Davinder/Sean Amsing is in his hot tub alongside Jimmy Z /Colin Foo. The entire cast and crew seemed to revel in the ridiculousness of the scene which Gorrman had concocted. It was obvious to all that the cast was living out the same fantasy that their characters connected with. “Parked” actor/writer David Lewis confirms, “Gorrman’s voice was definitely a distinct one. His episodes were some of our strongest. His understanding of character and story structure was invaluable. I’ve been working in this industry for over 25 years and have seen both good and bad writing. Gorrman’s writing is very good!”

Part of success is accepting both achievement and disappointment with grace. “Parked” received multiple nominations at the Leo Awards (Canadian based awards) in 2016 and a win for best actor (David Lewis). It was an instance of public affirmation in the industry for this production. With equal measure Lee describes, “It was a wonderful moment for all of us. While I remember that easily, I also remember the many long days and nights churning out ideas and breaking stories. I wish we could’ve come up with a way to shoot our original idea for the season finale. It was about Josh realizing that he had drunkenly donated sperm to a local sperm bank and convincing the other dads to help him break into the bank and steal it back. It was our take on a ‘bank heist’. Thinking back to this pitch still makes me chuckle. There’s always something to work towards.”

Actors, Entertainment, Film, International Actor, Uncategorized

MANOJ SAKARAPANI IS A CORPORATE VILLAIN IN THE PILL

September 5, 2017 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

Sometimes you have to listen to your gut and sometimes you have to listen to those around you for sage advice. In the extremely rare case, you can do both. When Manoj Sakarapani was cast as the CEO of a pharmaceutical company in “The Pill” it was a great occurrence of playing against type. Sakarapani is a soft spoken, intensely polite, and thoughtful person. The money grubbing CEO which he portrays in this film which explores the morality and ethics of the industry is an ego fueled opportunist. Taking on this role allowed the actor a chance to “swim in a pool” that he always avoids. It’s a benefit of being an actor and this is something that Manoj is exceptional at; in fact, a little to exceptional. His fellow cast mates felt such disdain for Manoj’s character during the filming (and surprise by his complete reversal of personality) that they continually made him promise to never pursue any work in the pharmaceutical industry because he would be a highly successful villain in it. Sakarapani concedes that he was highly convincing in “The Pill” while also finding the reactions of his costars amusing. It’s an age old conundrum for an actor, you want to be completely believable in your role, even if that means being believable as someone who is hated.

In “The Pill” a virus is spreading and a pharmaceutical company has found a cure for it, deliverable in the form of a pill. Once the pill is distributed and released to public, reports surface about its cures against the virus but also revealing deaths due to side effects of the pill. The CEO of the company sees an opportunity to take the company global and ignore the facts that the pill offers some cure but avoids the possibly fatal side effects. He puts intense pressure on the scientists and the quality control specialists and his team to produce large quantities and release the pill worldwide. While fending off direct conflicts the Scientist who discovered the pill and his team, the CEO also is confronted by the news media. A reporter interviews the CEO and the team regarding the discovery but secretly wants to uncover the truth of the drug and expose the CEO and his company to the public as money driven and disregarding of the serious damage to life. In a final heated discussion with the CEO, the scientist and the rest of the team refuse to release the pill. The big reveal and catharsis happens when the scientist forces the CEO to take one of these pills and tries to shove it down his throat. All of this is exposed to the public through media by the TV reporter who secretly tapes the whole thing with the aid of her camera operator.

As Brenden Fletcher in the movie, Manoj portrays a man who is money minded and who will do anything to take his company global. Fletcher is blindsided by the potential income and shows complete disregard for the potentially malevolent effects of this drug on members of society. He is willing to sacrifice his moral and ethical values because as it was so eloquently stated in the film Wall Street “Greed is good.” Sakarapani did not see the character as one sided and felt that the role was quite challenging. He explains, “As an actor you have to be versatile here because you are playing a really good guy with the media who states that he wants to save lives and cure humanity as your number one priority. At the same time, you have to play the greedy guy who wants this done right away before there are more complications and more negative news comes out about this drug. I enjoyed the versatility needed to play these contrasts with my acting range to convey the subject and the message to the audience that my character needed to deliver. My role tends to be more of a Chameleon because that is what I am doing with the reporter when I’m talking to her in person and with my team during conversations and heated discussions.”

The presentation of the film is non-linear, which helps to intensify the emotional impact of the story as well as provide some interesting twists and turns for the audience. The story was built in a way which wouldn’t have made sense in a linear approach. The story starts with a reporter trying to investigate why this Pharmaceutical company is still thriving but being tight lipped when asked about the deaths being reported. The reporter states that she wants to focus on the success of the company, which causes the CEO to perceive this as an opportunity for positive press. gets nice media for the company. Fletcher relaxes and begins to profess his aspirations to help humanity. At this point, flashback being to present the back story involved, revealing the CEO and team discussing the drug’s merits and shortcomings. The film vacillates between members of the team being interviewed by the reporter until she finally sneaks in to a live meeting that the CEO and his team are having which ends up dramatically against the CEO, publicly exposing him. This constant paradigm shift slowly revealed the layers of deception and intent on the part of Manoj’s character. The final shot of the film which slowly roles in on Sakarapani communicates the solace and defeat of a man who has gambled and lost it all, and he knows it.

Vanessa Gibuea, one of Manoj’s costars in “The Pill” states, “The only way to describe Manoj in this film is chilling. He plays it close to his chest. He’s not maniacal or overtly abusive in his portrayal; it’s not cartoonish. This is what makes it so frightening. What Manoj did was to present his character as a very real person. A real person makes a series of mistakes that eventually lead into one very big and bad decision. Brenden Fletcher is a person who lost sight of himself and his fellow man. That happens more often that we’d all like to admit. What was so striking about the way Manoj presented him is that he found all of those little decisions in his performance and you felt them rather than someone showing you them or telling about them all. It was amazing.”

Uncategorized

If Companies Could be Movie Stars: SIC and Entertainment Success

September 3, 2017 Nicole Sim Leave a comment

While movie lovers and fans generally know the names of the actors who grace TV and film screens, the names of production companies sometimes don’t roll off the tongue as easily. That doesn’t mean, however, that a company like See in Color (otherwise known as ‘SIC’) doesn’t exert power and influence in the notoriously challenging and tricky waters of entertainment. SIC, with a hugely successful collection of video content in their library and on their upcoming production slate, was formed with a singular mission that brings credence to an industry otherwise known for superficiality and money-making values that come at the expense of artistic integrity. Indeed, they stand by a mission to challenge the odds, defy stereotypes and encourage the world to “see in color,’ a set of values of which their team is rightfully proud.

Even more worthy of a celebratory mention, in addition to their grounded mission statement, are two of their upcoming projects. “Viral”, an episodic drama thriller about a group of scientists attempting to save humanity from an alien virus, represents the company’s ambitious foothold over the hugely lucrative sci-fi TV show genre. Then there’s “Singled Out”, a feature film about drugs, crime and corruption in the Atlanta Police Department, speaks to SIC’s capacity to bring raw heart to a real-life setting in the spirit of the Oscar-winning “Moonlight” and Kathryn Bigelow’s recent “Detroit”. So how is the company able to create such a varied selection of projects that speak to audiences around the world, and not only that, but also rake in substantial receipts at the box office?

Well, first, there’s SIC’s well-known ability to create visually stunning, emotionally compelling, intellectually engaging and share-worthy video content that will capture the hearts and minds of audiences everywhere. That isn’t just a sales pitch, but is an ethos that’s proven with the success of past projects like “Cyberversity,” a short film about the lack of diversity in the cybersecurity field. It premiered at IBM headquarters in NYC and Symantec headquarters in Silicon Valley. On the feature side, “Pseudo Blood Of Our Own,” was a 2011 co-production with the world-renowned Canadian Bollywood Films.

The second, and perhaps more glamorous reason for SIC’s incredible triumphs, is the renowned talent involved with SIC productions. Indeed, “Reuben,” a short film directed by SIC Vice President, Kaisania Calubaquib, won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Short at the 2017 Universe Multicultural Film Festival). The International Consortium of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals (ICMCP) also hired SIC to produce a Mission Video Series in 2014-2016

It’s therefore appropriate that both “Viral” and “Singled Out” have attracted top-levels of talent. In the leading role of Emma Greene is New Zealand A-lister Sophie Renée, known for critical roles in Frankie Contino’s “Living Together” and“50 Ways To Kill Your Lover” by Hanna Berrigan, where she starred opposite Nigel Barber (known for “Mission Impossible” and the James Bond movie, “Spectre”). Sophie’s reputation seems to align with SIC’s. She adds: “I constantly get told after shoots that I bring an indescribable positive energy on set and that I make everyone else a: up their game and b: that I lift the mood…I love that that is my professional reputation!”

Sophie Renée — Renée will star in the new TV series “Viral.”

In “Singled Out,” SIC have lured accomplished UK actor Neil Reidman to play the leading role of James Montgomery. Neil then acted alongside Mackenzie Crook on the BAFTA award winning comedy series, “The Detectorists” as Dr Tendai and played the lead role of Errol in a stage production of ‘Routes’ at the Welsh Millennium Centre which was also filmed for Made in Cardiff TV. He also headed up the feature film “Hard Time Bus,” which won Best Film at the Hollywood Black Film Festival. Yet another feather in the cap both for SIC and for Neil to be working hand in hand – the meeting of two great players in the entertainment field.

Hard Time Bus Poster — Reidman played the lead role in the successful feature film, “Hard Time Bus.” He will be playing James Montgomery in “Singled Out.”

If production companies could be famous, then SIC would be followed by paparazzi and social-media hungry fans all the time. It’s more fitting then that, as a lucrative business, they can focus on their roster of projects, and continue entertaining audiences all over the world instead. Also coming up for the company is “Picture This,” a romantic comedy feature currently shooting, about an aspiring photographer embarking on a hilarious journey after she finds an enchanted camera, and “Today is the Day,” a short film revealing the disturbing nature of a man suffering from emotional trauma and mental illness (expected release, March 2018). A diverse range of projects for a company which prides itself on celebrating diversity for global audiences.

actor profile, Actors, Actress, Uncategorized

Her Time is Now: Giselle van der Wiel on Lead Roles, Fame and Playing Characters with an Edge

August 24, 2017 Nicole Sim 2 Comments

Actress Giselle van der Wiel shot by Sally Flegg

In a time when “Wonder Woman” dominated the box office, Oscar nominee Ava DuVernay and Oscar Award winner Sofia Coppola attracted acclaim left, right and centre, and the “Star Wars” franchise is lead by a female protagonist, there’s no doubt women now represent a powerful force in the entertainment industry. With that being said, all over the world actresses are now being called upon to portray strong women with an edge – gone are the days of being just an ‘ingenue’. Representing Australia’s crop of accomplished performers is ‘it-girl’ Giselle van der Wiel.

“Some people don’t like the phrase ‘it-girl’, taking offense to the term girl. I am proud to be a girl, to be a woman. But, you could just call me an actor,” says Giselle van der Wiel. And a very successful one at that.

Already a familiar face on Australian screens, and known for her work in the dramatic series “Bikie Wars: Brothers in Arms” opposite “Westworld” star Luke Hemsworth and “Captain America” actor Callan Mulvey, Giselle offers a formidable presence that will continue to heat up screens even more in the coming year. It’s fortunate then that this Sydney-bred actor, whose cross-cultural background ranges from Uruguayan to Spanish to Dutch, is not too preoccupied with simply building her fame for fame’s sake.

She explains, “It’s not about the fame to me. If it was, I think I would have stopped acting a while ago. To me, it’s about the stories we get to tell and the characters we get to explore as actors. By telling the important stories, we have the opportunity to really impact the lives of our audience. As a child, I grew up learning from the movies I would watch, as an adult I get the opportunity to impact others in the same way. I think that is pretty amazing.”

From working with her, acclaimed directors like Peter Andrikidis, who is known for the critically acclaimed “Janet King” and “Pulse” on ABC, David Fairhurst (“Reaching Distance”) and Kate Halpin have been continually inspired by Giselle’s down-to-earth nature.

“I’ve been very lucky to have been involved with a lot of different projects and worked with a great crop of amazing directors. Each director has taught me something unique about myself as an actor, and as a person,” admits Giselle.

One especially exciting project that Giselle is currently filming is “On Halloween”, a feature film that unfortunately she is unable to discuss in detail. “You can probably guess by the title that it’s in the horror genre – while I can’t say what the film is about, I can tell you it is great to work with a top cast.” They include Terry Serio from “Home and Away” and “Little Fish”, Robert Harrell from ‘General Hospital’ and Ezekial Simat from “Syd2030,” adding to an impressive list of actors with whom Giselle has shared screen-time.

Giselle isn’t barred, however, from talking about all of her upcoming projects. The feature film “Reaching Distance,” pitched as mystery-thriller, concerns Logan, a cynic with a photographic memory who follows his sister’s murderer onto a night-rider bus. As the line between past and present begins to blur, Logan uncovers he has a complex past with much more than one passenger. Giselle, in the role of Chell, plays a crucial part in Logan’s story, and therefore shared critical screen time with Wade Briggs, lead actor from Shonda Rhimes and ABC’s “Still Star-Crossed” and the international-Emmy nominated comedy “Please Like Me.”

The actress says, “Wade is really wonderful to work with. As an actor he gives so much and doesn’t hold back. The rest of the cast and the amazing crew from Screen Ink Media, who are responsible for some of Australia’s recent most acclaimed film projects, were [also] incredible to work with.”

While she has to remain tight-lipped about her upcoming projects shooting in the United States, readers should expect to see her name in bright lights soon enough. Producers and managers have disclosed exclusively to our editors that Giselle is due to start shooting on a new television series, with a revered cast and crew, in the coming months.

In a film landscape where women are now expected to carry stories, and bring attitude to their characters, Giselle certainly earns the title of ‘It-Girl’ with an edge – or perhaps more appropriately, ‘It-Woman’, or better yet, successful, working actor.

“I’m most excited about exploring female characters who are strong and intelligent – and maybe a little bit weird.” She adds with a laugh: “I definitely think I bring that to the table.”

Comedy, Uncategorized

English as a Second Language is No Barrier to Success for Comedian Ronen Tverya

August 24, 2017 Nicole Sim 1 Comment

More than ever comedians serve a valuable purpose in society, drawing attention to important cross-cultural and political issues in ways that can be challenging, entertaining and more often than not, funny. With such a heavy responsibility, it’s therefore understandable that only the cream of the crop amongst comedians become regulars on the stand-up circuit. Ronen Tverya, whose first name translates to ‘song of joy’ in Hebrew, is certainly aware of the pressure that comes with spreading joy and making people laugh on the world stage. He however, as a nationally acclaimed and successful performer in Israel, knows all too well how to poke fun at his own plight as well as that of his country.

His jokes often come at the expense of “[t]he differences between his country (Israel) and all aspects of life.” Explaining though that his “life [in the US] as an Israeli” is very funny, Ronen subscribes to the style of the best comedians working today like Louis C.K., Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock: he proudly admits that he “laughs a lot a lot about [his own] life situations.”

That being said, Ronen has encountered challenges when literally translating his shows for American audiences. He explains, “When I do comedy in English I need to think in Hebrew and then translate it into English in my head and find the right way to say it…sometimes I have to improv[ise] on stage in English – and it’s difficult to find the right word at the perfect time for the punchline.” Nevertheless, his past and future performances would suggest that such language barriers don’t serve as a barrier to his undeniable success.

Indeed, it’s not just Ronen’s unique style as a comedian which sets him apart from the rest of those performers struggling to achieve success. Ronen’s experiences on stage, as part of the Cookies and Comedy show in San Francisco with renowned comedian Tony Sparks, signify how he has reached the heights of success in the comedy world. Sparks is known as “The Godfather of San Francisco Comedy,” as noted by leading Californian publications like”‘Hoodline,” so for Ronen to be hand-picked by Sparks to perform alongside him is a huge honour. Ronen adds “[I] think if someone like Tony Sparks sees [me] and immediately wants [me] to be in his show [it] is a great step for me in America.”

Back in his home country, Ronen has graced audiences in such esteemed venues like the Camel Comedy Club (also host to renowned comedienne Kandi Abelson) and The Stand Up Factory, touted as the hottest new comedy club in Tel Aviv by the country’s leading newspaper publications.

His upcoming shows also demonstrate that things are not slowing down anytime soon, and that Ronen is a sought after figure in the world of comedy, and a forbearer for the cultural conversation. When discussing the upcoming ‘Dirty Martini’ shows in Seattle, which is scheduled to be broadcast live on Facebook on August 27, he adds “it’s a variety” show with “stand-up comedy, comedic musical acts, sketch groups,” no doubt featuring fellow high-profile and successful artists. Noting that the show will be recorded with the “best sound system” and live cameras, it’s also exciting to know that the show will be exclusively broadcast live in collaboration with Facebook for a huge number of viewers around the world.

It’s clear though that Ronen doesn’t just perform for himself. He does it for the audiences who need a laugh. “This world is stressful enough with all sorts of issues. I think comedy is a great opportunity for people to forget their problems.”

Behind the Scenes, Entertainment, fashion, Film, Hollywood, International Creative Talents, Producer, Uncategorized

RAFAEL THOMASETO KEEPS THEM COMING BACK FOR MORE

August 16, 2017 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

Los Angeles Brazilian Film Festival.JPG

A producer is the closest thing the entertainment industry has to a parental figure. As the head of any production, this individual oversees every aspect from beginning to end and ensures that it all runs smoothly. It’s a tiresome and exhausting vocation, the main reward of which is getting more of the same work. A producer will tell you that they choose this vocation because they love the creative process and being surrounded by others who take part in it. For a successful producer, diversity is the key. Similar to directors, a producer’s work on a notable ad campaign can mean as much (or more) recognition and compensation than on a film or TV presentation. The career of Rafael Thomaseto encompasses all of these different creations, leaving him in the enviable position of having an eclectic body of work and possibilities to pursue. His resume encompasses a strong list of production credits, including independent films, commercials for major brands (such as Chanel, Samsung, Nissan and Jose Cuervo), the clip of the song “Perfect Illusion” by the iconic Lady Gaga and the production of videos for the YouTube. The common thread among all these is the talent and work ethic he possesses. The best advertisement is performing your job with excellence and the word is out about Thomaseto.

As producer of the film “Inherent Greed” (Directed by Zachary Wanerman), Rafael oversaw this production which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and also impressed Louie Torrellas (CEO of Ambitious Media Productions). Torrellas relates, “One of the executive producers on the film recommended Rafael to my company, Ambitious Media, which was in charge of producing Inherent Greed. We hired him and he instantly took over the project and made it work, to great acclaim. Our first partnership was such a success that as soon as I received the briefing of the entire media production for LA Style Fashion Week, Rafael was the first name that popped into my mind. It was going to be a challenging job but I was sure he was qualified and experienced enough to handle it. Again, my expectations were attained. Once Rafael joins a project, he will do anything possible to make it work and to make it the best.”

Hired by Ambitious Media as head of production for the city’s biggest fashion event would seem to be a completely different environment than that of a soundstage or location shoot for a film however, Thomaseto’s skill set is equally applicable to both. Though Los Angeles Style Fashion Week has been around in some incarnation since the 70’s, the past decade has seen it evolve into a much more expansive and widely attended event. The city and the industry have taken an obvious step towards using their entertainment producing infrastructure to promote the fashion scene as a major player worldwide. While the surroundings and the players are different than the ones he is so accustomed to, many of the applications of Rafael’s abilities are lateral. Instead of overseeing a film production, he developed a documentary which showed the increase of the fashion scene in LA. Locating and hiring the director, cinematographer, and film/photography crew to shoot interviews with the major players in the fashion industry as well as the big name models who would be appearing at the event; all these were familiar procedures for Rafael though they were in a wildly differing venue. The producer notes that his ability to bring aboard world renowned fashion photographer Lemuel Punderson as the main director for the production was a particular source of pride.

A complete dichotomous experience of working with the beautiful people, Thomaseto’s past success on a number of productions for Traverse Media resulted in them hiring him as part of the production team for the experimental “Crypt TV.” Traverse Media, a production and talent management company committed to creative and enterprising content and filmmakers, hired Thomaseto as part of their Production team coordinating the project for Crypt TV. Crypt TV is a digital genre brand co-founded by Jack Davis and horror icon Eli Roth. Declaring its motto as “#WeirdIsGood”, Crypt TV creates and distributes dark, edgy, and scary video content on Facebook and across its family of publisher sites. One year after launch, with 2 million direct social followers and a syndication network of 2.5 million unique monthly visitors on the sites in its network, Crypt TV has quickly become the fastest growing leader in digital productions of this genre. In addition to working with the best up-and-coming filmmakers across the world, Crypt TV creates engaging original video content directly for the Top Hollywood Studios including: Universal, Fox, Warner Brothers, Paramount, Netflix, and others. Crypt TV is uniting fans and creating a movement that’s redefining what the future of the genre among millennials.

Although hired on shortly before the shoot, Rafael quickly solidified all aspects of the production of the three short films which Traverse created for Crypt TV: “Lust Kills” (62,000 VIEWS), “Gluttony Kills” (371,000 views), & Sloth Kills (272,000 views). These three films were produced in just a matter of weeks and had received several thousand views in a mere matter of hours after being released. The expediency and process by which entertainment is created and delivered continues to evolve with technology and the public’s sensitivity to it but the need for professionals like Rafael Thomaseto will be a constant throughout these changes, as will the need of entities like Ambitious Media Productions and Traverse Media. The upcoming projects which Thomaseto is currently involved in with both companies assures this fact. The new edition of LA Fashion Week (which is a biannual event), an indie feature film in 2018, and several short films (a continuation of his partnership with Crypt TV) will all add to the association that Rafael has with both Ambitious Media Productions and Traverse Media in the very near future.

Actress, Entertainment, International Actor, International Creative Talents, Television, Uncategorized

ALYYSA VENIECE BRINGS IT ALL, LIKE A WARRIOR

August 16, 2017 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

Alyssa Veniece describes herself as having alter egos which make appearances. This makes a lot of sense when you consider that she has experienced success as an actress, singer, stunt person, fitness model, swimsuit model, and dancer. It seems easier just to have the specific part of your talented personality show up that day for work while the others rest (it would actually allow her to get some rest). While she says this in half-jest/half-truth, it’s obvious that Alyssa is a driven and artistic individual who is capable of tremendous focus. Often the duality of her nature and talents is obvious in the work she presents. Her music is influenced by everyone from Boys II Men to 50 Cent. In productions like NBC’s “Warrior” she dances and acts while her modeling led to the production using stills of her face to adorn the scene. You can’t separate the ingredients of your favorite meal or dessert and still achieve the same satisfaction and this applies to the multiple talents of Alyssa Veniece as well.

What exists in 2017 is a multitalented and confident Alyssa but in the early days (back home in Canada), she was just a little girl in what she describes as a loud, crazy, and constantly laughing family. Her early predilection for casting and directing her sisters and cousins in plays was a strong indicator as to the direction she was headed. Witnessing the Olsen twins as child actors and a strong attraction to Disney movies assured young Alyssa that her career was a certainty, with the added benefit that she didn’t have to choose between acting, singing, and dancing. Her early attraction to acting still remains true all these years later. She notes, “The honesty is what it’s always been about for me. Whether someone plays a villain or a saint, they are honest with themselves in their actions. I’ve always been drawn to the truth of things, and I loved that during a movie I was constantly having realizations about life and the way people are. As an actor we get to tell stories, and teach people, while figuring ourselves out during the process. Certain shoots I’ve worked on have definitely been closure for me of times in my past. It all connects us to each other and to something greater – anything is possible when you’re playing pretend! I hate limitations and acting frees you from any cage you ever could imagine. I love acting because it’s healing, helpful, hopeful… and ultimately, fun.”

As audience members, we’ve all had that moment when a performance spontaneously created a strong emotional response. One of the talents that has served Veniece so well throughout her career is her ability to synthesize her different talents. Singing, acting, and dancing are different faces of the same person for this immensely versatile and creative Canadian. Her appearance on NBC’s Warrior as a Geisha was just as much due to her strength as a dancer as an actor. Her costar Jade Whitney (whose credits include Suicide Squad and FX’s “The Strain”) “Both Alyssa and I appeared as Geishas in ‘Warrior’. Not only is she an incredible actor and dancer, but she is one of the most hard working people I’ve had the pleasure to work with. One shoot was a particularly long overnight experience; it was grueling for all of us. Alyssa was focused and strived for perfection with every take yet didn’t complain or even show signs of fatigue. There are a lot of talented people in this business but I think it’s those with the right attitude that end up becoming successful throughout their career. I think Alyssa excels in this field because she cares about the craft, is open-minded, and willing to learn new things.”

In “Warrior” Alyssa’s role is that of a Geisha for Will Yun Lee’s character, Susano. Her character is extremely well- trained, comfortable with being the center of attention, seductive, and completely at ease with her sexuality. While the mindset of this character does not correlate with Veniece’s own, she uses another of her passions to enable this…music. The actress reveals, “I’ve spent a lot of time studying my craft and using the methods that I’ve learned but I’ve also found that music is an incredibly strong tool. I like different types of music depending on what I’m doing. I typically steer towards hip-hop, trap, pop, r&b, and electronic. If I’m trying to get into character for a role, I will listen to music that I think that character would listen to. If I think they should be in a certain mood, my musical choices will reflect that to sustain my character, especially right before an audition. My song picks vary depending on the intensity of my training and I could easily be listening to a slow song by 6lack or something hardcore like Omelly or Casanova from OHB.”

Alyssa Veniece is that type of creative individual who never suffers from interest or ability, only from lack of time to do everything she wants. The very fact that she acted and danced in “Warrior” while her very face adorned the club (add model to her credits on the show) attests that it’s not “if” she will be creative but rather “which” avenue will she choose. One thing is certain, if you keep watching you are going to see Alyssa in a film, TV production, or music video. In fact, you most likely already have.

actor profile, Actors, Actress, Australian Talents, Uncategorized

Performer Jasynda Radanovic Achieves Success Across Mediums

August 15, 2017 Nicole Sim Leave a comment

Actress Jasynda Radanovic

The world’s most successful artists, actors in particular, often source their creativity from a diverse set of experiences and lives that are not like any other. Jasynda Radanovic, with a rich cultural background that has placed her ancestral roots in Croatia, a childhood in Australia, work in the UK and now a successful career in the United States, is a clear example for how a unique biography endows an actor with an ability to excel and breathe life into a wide-range of high-profile roles and projects.

As she continues to build a successful screen career by stepping into a critical role in the American television series “Emergency: LA” starring “Warrior” actor and WWE superstar Kurt Angle, we look to Jasynda’s complex technique, expertise and successful career in live theatre as a driving force behind the powerful place she holds in the entertainment industry today.

The most obvious project which speaks to Jasynda’s excellence as an actor are her roles with one of the most well-known mass media companies in the world, Disney. Such is the breadth of Jasynda’s illustrious reputation within the entertainment industry, she was asked to perform in a critical role representing the Disney brand at Walt Disney World where she had to entertain the park’s thousands of visitors and ensure their visit was truly magical – a feat not just any actor could achieve but a task that Jasynda took to with gusto.

She tells us how her performance was not only creatively satisfying for her, but was also uniquely moving for audiences. “During the regular meet and greets there was a little girl in a wheelchair who had a disability…she could not react or move…she smile[d].” Jasynda recalled that when the girl smiled, “the family uttered that…it was the first time in the little girl’s life she had reacted to something.”

Jasynda’s outstanding body of work and critical roles in Disney productions extends to the iconic world of “Peter Pan.” In the Australian premiere of “Peter Pan: The Musical,” created by West End producers George Stiles and Anthony Drewe who are also well-known for their hugely successful production of “Mary Poppins,” Jasynda played the seminal character of Tinkerbell. A character somewhat difficult to prepare for, because of the physical challenges of the role including wire work and choreography, Jasynda gracefully stepped up to the plate and drew inspiration from the ‘Tinkerbell’ franchise and original “Peter Pan” films.

Jasynda Radanovic as Tinkerbell in “Peter Pan”

Jasynda’s portrayal of Tinkerbell was crucial to the production’s success, as she not only brought the character to life in an interesting way, but Jasynda’s diverse and unique skill set in the areas of dance, choreography and puppetry were put on show and critical in ensuring the show impressed audiences. She mentions how renowned choreographer Mel Warwick and her “worked together every rehearsal to create new steps and [figure out] how to include props…Mel brought in a swing coach to teach us aerial movements, to create the illusion of flight.”

Jasynda’s achievements as an actor in the world of live entertainment have helped her build a reputation to the point where she was asked to perform the lead role in a production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “A Whistle Down the Wind.” As Swallow, Jasynda had to play a fifteen-year-old girl grieving the loss of her mother while managing a distant relationship with her father. On Christmas Eve, Swallow discovers a mysterious man hiding in her family’s barn, bleeding from his hands and feet, leading her to think the man is Jesus. Such an important role and production again called on Jasynda’s distinctive abilities as a triple-threat, using her voice, body and performance skills to entertain audiences in a sold-out UK-Wimbledon season directed by Roger Jones.

It’s rare nowadays to find triple threats and trained stage actors who use their experience treading the boards to lay the foundation for a successful career in film. Jasynda proves that the tradition of excellence – where an actor can refine and expand their skill sets, not just a social media following – is the real key to success.

Actors, Commercials, Entertainment, Hollywood, International Actor, Uncategorized

TRANSFORMING THE SMALL PARTS INTO BIG ROLES WITH AVI AGARWAL

August 7, 2017 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

Here’s the secret that many involved in the arts don’t want to tell you; there are two types of professionals in these industries: those who desire esteem and those who just want to be creative. Everyone likes to be respected, that’s completely understandable but some need it more than anything else. It’s up to psychologists to explain the reasons for this. The true believers of the creative world simply want to create, it’s the oxygen to their career. Actors like Avi Agarwal can be seen in films, TV productions, theater plays, and commercials. For him, each of these is simply another opportunity to do what he wants to spend every day doing. These many differing productions not only flex different acting muscles for him but they also reach entirely different sections of the public. A famous and respected director might see his work in a play such as “The Crossover” (the LA production in which Avi performed multiple roles) while old friends on the opposite side of the planet reach out to him in excitement having seen him on a global Amazon Prime commercial. The lack of ego Agarwal possesses is palpable when speaking with him as it becomes easy to comprehend that he is best categorized as an actor who simply wants to spend his life acting. They say that variety is the spice of life and this actor’s commercial work alone attests that he is compiling an eclectic collection of vocational and acting experiences.

Appearing in the Amazon Prime commercial titled “Speed. Selection. Underwear for your hands. Get it all with Amazon Prime”, Avi was seen by more than three million viewers. This advertisement was presented through one of the most ubiquitous of all formats in the world, Facebook. Due to the extremely brief length of commercials, directors of these productions cast memorable and charismatic actors, the type of individuals who stick in your memory. Director Steve Mapp stipulates that both Agarwal’s appearance on camera and his ability to not over-perform made him effortless to work with. Avi comments, “It’s proof that you can’t try to make sense of this business, you just take each situation on its own merits. I’ve done plays where I rehearsed for more than half a year to perform and films where it was months of preparation. When I was cast in the Amazon Prime commercial, I simply showed up, had a conversation with Steve [Mapp] and then did a few takes. I had people from places as far as London reaching out to me with excitement when they saw me. It’s funny and it makes you thankful that people are excited about your career.”

It’s this humble perspective and staunch work ethic that have made Agarwal appreciated and desired by many professionals in the production industry. Director Justin Bookey confirms, “I hired Avi Agarwal for my production company’s shoot of an online commercial with a widespread management industry audience. His professionalism and skill made him shine in this role and the video garnered industry awards with his help. His great attitude and flexibility on the set also made him a valuable asset. He’s got a unique blend of quirkiness, timing, and expressiveness that will serve him well in a variety of comedic and dramatic roles. I feel lucky to have found him.”

This commercial is a sort of an innuendo on how not to run an agile meeting. It’s a comic take on the most common mistakes made by the employees and employers. Such occurrences as when an important topic is being discussed and someone interrupts with the silliest of questions, people being on their phone instead of paying attention, insecurity about their job resulting in hoarding information, people lying about their work, over enthused employees, etc. Avi portrays a nerd at an office meeting where everyone is quirky and the team leader pays more attention to his own interests than creating a cohesive team. The production was created for industry outreach and was shown at the Global Scrum Gathering in San Diego where it received enthusiastic praise and reactions.

In a bit of a stretch that called upon his heritage, Agarwal used his knowledge of Indian Culture to portray the character of Pastor Sanjay in “The Great Controversy.” The scene is set in a church where the younger pastor (played by Agarwal) is more inclined to understand and compromise to the senior pastor but we also see the senior pastor bending his rules to adapt to the younger generation. Avi appears as the same youthful pastor happily dancing to music in his office. In “Are You My Mother” Avi is seen in a tale which depicts how the older and younger generations are struggling to adjust to each other’s ideas and tastes. It’s displays the impact on two insanely big generation gaps. This commercial is all about how all single people are always pestered by the older women around them about finding a partner and getting married. It’s based on an Indian single man being imposed on by an elderly Indian woman whom he is not even related to. The goal of both commercials is to promote the idea of diversity in the church. This actor admits that he was more surprised than anyone to be given the role but concedes, “I was thrilled to be a part of such a commercial which is different because it is promoting diversity in the world. I mean, honestly…before this work, I did not know that people made commercials to invite different cultures to churches and these two were especially targeted towards the younger members of society. I feel blessed to do such a commercial. It promotes the fact that people from different cultures can be pastors at a young age and in most cases can be funny.” That would not be as possible without Agarwal and the director of the two projects, Philip Sherwood notes, “It’s so obvious that Avi takes great joy in his craft. He is a great actor and has the ability to lift everyone’s spirits on set…which is exactly what his character was doing in the action of these commercials. To this day I don’t know if that was who Avi is or if he was so deep in the character that he never left it. That’s a testament to just how truly great he is.”