FREE ACTION CHOICE!!!…STOP UNEMPLOYMENT!!!

AFTRA, The Television and Radio Guild for entertainers recently sent a mass email mailer out to all of its members to join in the fight against unemployment in America. The rise of unemployment in America is vastly growing at record high numbers. A great portion of the presidential debate in this past election was primarily geared towards the crashing economy and record high unemployment. I currently reside in New York City and regularly keep up with the financial news and economy issues since this is the corporate and financial capital of America.

There was a major convention last month at the legendary Javitz Center next to Penn Station in New York City called “OUTSOURCE”. It is a company that acts as a catalyst to bring large companies together with employees overseas to work for the company in order to keep overhead low. An example would be how Citibank outsources its customer service reps to India. So now when you call in to get information on your account, you are speaking to someone in India instead of the United States. It is much more cost effective for large corporations to outsource jobs like this in order save company overhead expenses, and in return gain more profits. Represenatives from the Outsource convention were complaining as to why the attendance for interested business entruepenuers was so unusually low. I was thinking to myself, why would any company want to outsource any more jobs out of America when we have record high numbers of unemployment. We need to find ways to fight against this “outsource” of jobs to foreign markets and putting millions of Americans out of work! This is the sole purpose of FREE ACTION CHOICE!!!

“Employers routinely harass, coerce, intimidate, and even fire workers when they try to exercise their legal rights to form unions. As the law currently stands, union elections are prone to delay and often favor employers in their fights against workers’ unions.

Under the Employee Free Choice Act, workers could opt to follow the “majority sign-up” method of organizing, where workers choose union representation through a process in which a majority signs cards indicating their support. Free Choice Act in the 110th Congress (HR 800 / S 1041).

The Corrpution of Unions in America!!!

Employers routinely harass, coerce, intimidate, and even fire workers when they try to exercise their legal rights to form unions. As the law currently stands, union elections are prone to delay and often favor employers in their fights against workers’ unions.

This legislation would fix the broken process through which workers form unions by imposing stiffer penalties against employers that violate labor law, and would set up a process for newly-organized workers to negotiate a first contract in a timely manner. Under the Employee Free Choice Act, workers could opt to follow the “majority sign-up” method of organizing, where workers choose union representation through a process in which a majority signs cards indicating their support. “

Workers deserve a free choice and a fair chance to form a union if they want to – without risking their livelihood to do so. It’s time to give working families the freedoms and protections they deserve.

We, as Americans, need to continue to communicate with Congress against this unemployment slump that has seemed to put many families out of work and on welfare!!! Please contact Congress via mail to join in on the Free Action Choice Act to help put Americans back to work and fight for their rights!!!

MASS MAILINGS…DO THEY ACTUALLY WORK, OR A WASTE OF MONEY…FIND OUT!!!

So how does an actor get seen in this little fish big pond market of impossible FAME and STARDOM? A great deal of actors think that mass mailings are the way to go. There are literally thousands of agents, casting directors, and managers out there. How do you get seen? The average LA casting director and agent gets approximately 6,000 headshots and resumes a week for aspiring wannabees. Most casting directors and agents and their assistants simply do not have the time to go through thousands of unsolicited mail. The chances of your picture getting opened and seen is very little, less than a 5% chance. On occasion, you may get a call from them if you are persistant, but this is a very expensive and uncreative way to market yourself. Unless they specifically ask you to mail it to them, it’s a shot in the dark of success at it. If you do what every other actor is doing you are sure to fail. This is a very over-populated and competitive market, especially in LA. For most agents, casting directors, and managers, they usually only open mail that is solicted from someone that was a referral. Casting websites may also pose a problem because there are so many other actors on the site competing for ths same attention and money.

You have to be a very sharp, creative, and knowledgable entruepenuer in order to find success in this industry. Find way to market yourself that is not so saturated. You want to find a way to get 100% of there attention, especially if it is face-to-face. There is nothing more effective in business than a face-to-face meeting or that old-fashioned handshake. So what are some examples of effective ways to market yourself as an actor?

For one, campaigning yourself to non-profit organizations to hold your own event for some cause and then inviting selected agents, casting directors, and managers to attend. You are in the media, so this is a always

a good way to get attention.

A second way is a hiring a publicist. The next time you land an acting job, hire a good publicist to promote that project into the media and see how many interested casting directors, producers, and agents want to hire you. Media is always one of the most credible way to market yourself as an entertainer.

A third good example, is actually going into production, behind the scenes. By working behind the scenes, this moves your career much faster than a speed of lightening than it would if you were just an actor. Why work waiting tables, or bartending for a living while waiting for that break, if you even get it, when you can work behind the scenes as a productions assistant, intern, or even learn the art of filmmaking and become a producer. You are taken a great deal more serious and more respected when you work behind the scenes. As a producer, for example, you have a great deal of power and are able to get behind closed doors and speak to people you would not normally be able to if you were just an actor. You make real money, have power, connections, and have respect from the industry. On average, most of successful celebrities have their own production companies.

In retrospect, remember, don’t spend hours of time and money on mass mailings. Spend your time more effectively by finding better ways to market yourself. This is a frazzled and highly competitive industry with no text book on how to drive your boat and do things the correct way. You live and learn. You will make many mistakes, but if anything, remember…BE DIFFERENT AND STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD!!!

THE SECRET OF ATTRACTING WHO AND WHAT YOU WANT …. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS THINK IT…SEE FOR YOURSELF…!!!

Ever wonder why and how some people are happier and more successful than others? One of the key reasons is due to their thought process. Its is said that, supriseingly, thoughts are living beings just as we are and they are a part of us. They are the essence of what makes us human and drives us to make decisions. Its is said that the average human being has 64,000 thought that go through their head in a single day.

Can you imagine controlling your thoughts into a way of success and happiness? According to a very inspirational book, called the Spiritual Dimensions of Psychology, thoughts are actual living beings and can travel into the minds of the people you are thinking about and actually influence their behaviors, thoughts, and life. Your thoughts are a spiritual energy that is easily transported into the body of another people. Think, for example, when you walk into a room people look at you. From the moment you walk into that room, the people in that room are feeling your energy as they look at you. If someone sitting next to you is angry you can sense that, just animals do in the wild. If you are happy, people will feel that energy and react to accordingly. People react to what you give them.

We give off a kind of supernatural energy that carries an energy or aura. If a person is alone or absent from the person they are thinking of, that energy on the inside is still very much alive, active, and able to penetrate any physical object or person. That thought is a living being and that energy travels into the body and mind of the person you are thinking of, whether it be someone you know, or a celebrity, someone you don’t know. It is a being that is reflected , like a mirror into their mind. Depending on how open that person is, they can get a psychic sense you are thinking of them and it can prompt them to call you, email, or contact you in some way.

It is not uncommon that at some point in a person’s life that when you think of someone you know that they within a given point in time, call you, or contact you. Some people say it is a coincendence, but it actually isn’t. Your thought was reflected into their mind as a message from you and it prompted them to contact you. We are always communicating with other people with our mind and energy. Human communication is more than just spoken words. The Universe has this same energy. Its gives you energy and in return you give energy back to it by your thoughts that are chosen by you. That why it is vital to choose good thoughts, so the Universe can give you what you want. Just like a person gives you what you give them, the Universe works the very same way. You reep what you sow.

Give out good things and positive energy and it will give back to you. So when you think during the day, don’t think that just one or two goods thoughts throughout the day are gonna get you by, when the rest of your thoughts are still negative. Your thought and feeling have to be predominantly positive to get good results. Work on this on a daily basis and you will see that after time, you will soon become “one” with the Universe… and that is how it works. Now, it starts to grant your most deepest wishes one at a time. Follow your instincts and don’t ignore a song than comes on the radio and it just happens to answer the question to something your are thinking inside your head. It was just the Universe beginning to speak to you and give you direction towards your greatest wishes. The Universe, God, is the best guidance and teacher a human being can have.

So pay attention and try it…It works!!! The Universe awaits your command!!!

THE UNIVERSE

Wanna be Famous? Here’s a Secret…SSSSHHHHH!

Publicists….it is a great necessity for any actor or actress. Landing the job is one thing, but the media will never know about it until you put it out there. Do not be the best kept secret in the business. The purpose of a publicist is to let the media, as publications, magazines, talk shows, internet, and television to know about you and what you are doing.

The key to raising your net worth as an artist is to constantly be in the media. The American public spends billions of dollars a year on media and marketing materials, whether it be Time Magazine, new papers, watching TV etc. This generates enormous profit to the media based on your image and how much people actually invest in it. In order to be a marketable commondity to the public, you must know what your selling and be very specific. The publicist assist the actor in what is called branding oneself. Basically, it is a way that the media determines what your specific image is and how your are presented to the public eye.

Once, you determine this, creating regular press releases and pitching yourself becomes essential. Your press release should include your bio, what you have accomplished, what your goal and mission is, and what you are currently working on. It can contain much more information than this, but this is the basic outline of the purpose of what is usually contained in a basic and effective press release. This marketing tool can be sent to the media via email or mail. Follow up by pitching yourself through email and telephone is vital. It takes an average of 7 times of contacting a particular media vehicle before an actual contact is even made.

Persistence and repetition is key! If you have the budget for a publicist, choose one that has a proven track record. There are so many publicists in the market that take your money, but do not deliver as they are supposed to. A few top notch publicists for actors are, Cowan & Associates, PMK/HBH (Most powerful firm in Hollywood), Solters & Digny, and ed Lozi. There are many more, but these are a few; however, most publicist cost anywhere from $2000 a month to $10,000 a month depending on how involved your project is. The best thing to do, is build yourself up on your own, get a great A list credit, then get a publicist. The last thing an actor or actress wants to do is invest a great deal of money and not get the results they paid for. Publicity is essential for actors, but is very difficult if one is not an A-Lister. T

Timing is key!

The Secret of Giving… CHARITY, CHARITY, CHARITY!!!

One of the most effective ways for an unknown artist to get media exposure and coverage is …CHARITIES! Non-profit organizations are all about giving. Rarely will a non-profit organization turn down an artist that wants to be part of a current project or launch for that charity. Most non-profits constantly have projects and events going on all of the time. It is important that you pick one out of many that you are really passionate about and pitch yourself vis phone or email and more than likely you will get a call back, especially if that charity is a smaller organization. A great deal of non-profit events attract a great deal of mainstream media, so it is very likely if you at least have some recognizable credits that you can be one of the red carpet attending guests for that event and hopefully, end up in the press release, or maybe if you are really lucky you can get a short interview with a media reporter. If you take a good look at most successful celebrities, they do a great deal of charity and some one their own charities. For example, Reese Witherspoon does a great deal of work with PETA, a cause for Vegans and animal cruelty in the processing of foods. Rachel Ray started her own non-profit, called Yummo, a cause for the fight against animal cruelty. Qunicey Jones recently did an event with an organization called IFERS, a cause for underpriviledged children to get equal education and schooling. These are just a few examples. Non-profit is definitely the entrance way to media exposure for any unknown artists. Remember, you must always GIVE FIRST IN ORDER TO RECEIVE!!!

Headshot, Headshots, and more Headshots

All actors seem to think that just because they have arrived in Hollywood, they need to have a headshot right away. WRONG! The most important thing for a new aspiring Actor or actress in Hollywood, is to learn the ropes first and ask a great deal of questions, especially to those that have been in La for awhile. Just be careful whose advice you take. You do not want to learn from a “Shrinking Violet” in the business that has been there 20 years and still doing extra work. Unless you are already a working actor in the business, take you time to adjust and learn when you first arrive. Too many actor come to Los Angeles ready for Stardom the day they arrive. Its does not work that way. For most actors, as myself, it take about an average of 15 to 20 years of persistance to get to the top of your game making serious money and getting significant recognition. Katherine Heigel and Adrian Brody, for example, busted their buts in the business for 15 years before they hit a serious financial breakthrough. Its does happen on occasion that people get break right away, but remember its best to work your way up over time. Too much too fast, can cause one to not be ready and have the knowledge, connections, and relationships to maintain that stardom.

If you are an actor or actress that needs a headshot and is ready to work in LA, here are some suggestions from free headshots to high-profile expensive photographers. If you are a model type, you can upload a free profile of your self on Model Mayhem, a free website for models. Its a website geared for model and photographers to get together. Most of the shoots are on a TFCD, trade for prints. They shoot you for free in exchange for using you photos to market themselves as photographers. A great deal of photographers from no experience to famous photographers are always looking for ways to update their books and website. Some may even hire you for a paid job. Looking in the trade papers, as Backstage West, and the Hollywood Reporter are ways to find a legitimate photographer. BEWARE of photographers that ask for the entire shoot to be paid up front. Most photographers ask for a deposit, but not usually the entire balance. Most good photographers can range from $50.00 a shoot to $1000.00 a shoot depending on who shoots you. Alan Weissman is amongst the best headshot photographers in Hollywood. He has shot Charlize Theron, Angelina Jolie, and Morgan Freeman. His studio is located in Studio City, CA. Make sure you sign a model release agreement with that photographer, so you know how your photos will be used. You do not want your photos to end up on a site or somewhere you would not want. Also, get a CD of your work, or a copy of the negatives, so you can make prints. Ask the photographer also, if he copyrights his work, most do. So, get a standard copyright release from them stating that its okay to make prints of the photos because some print shop will not reproduce anything that looks copyrighted. Never take anything for granted.

Always take photos that represent yourself and your purpose truthfully. If you take shots that do not sell a character you can perform, it may come back to bit you when you go on an audition for that type of character. On average, you will need at least 3 different looks. One for commercial, one for television, and one for film. Make sure, that your pictures show character and personality and its not just a pretty picture. There is nothing more irritating to a producer, agent, or casting director that gets a photo that is just an empty, but pretty picture, and no character. You came to Hollywood to be an actor or actress and its important to understand you are selling a product, YOURSELF! Most people want to buy products on the market that are interesting and different, so STAND OUT and GOOD LUCK!!!

Trade Papers, a Crafty way for Actors to Gain Knowledge, while Marketing Themselves

Trade Papers are the best way for actors to gain an insight of what is going on in the industry from, the Writers and Screen Actors Guild Strikes, to new movies coming up, to successful actors on the rise.Reporter, Daily Variety, Hollywood Reporter and the Backstage East and West are excellent resource guides. This weeks Backstage East has a huge article about new Television shows on major networks that are currently casting for new actors and actresses. There is also an articles about three breakout stars and how they did it. Show Business is by far, the most misunderstood and under informed industry. Gaining knowledge and sight from many correct sources is key to furthering a prosperous career in the industry. A great marketing idea for actors, is to have note cards with your picture on them or a business card on the inside of them and send them out with a personal note to industry professionals that have current articles in these Trade Papers. Write a small note or comment on about what is going on in the article, as a way to voice an opinion and the same token, to introduce yourself to that person that you do exist. Most articles do list the names of the people of the focus of the article. Find out a way, perhaps on google to get that individual’s business mailing address and send out the note card. Just remember, exposure is key. You will not get hired if they do not know you exist!!!

About Me

Elizabeth Perez was born on May 7th, 1980 in Chicago, Illinois. She acquired an early attraction to show business at a very young age of 11 where she was first discovered by John Casablancas Modeling agency in Knoxville, Tennessee where she first got her start. She had a small featured role in Emmy Award winning television movie “The Dollmaker” starring the legendary Jane Fonda. She was scouted by Talent Trek agency back in 1997 to be a featured role in the movie “October Sky“, starring Jake Gyllenhal and Laura Dern. She is a very experienced actress / producer / model that has recently started to make her entrance in the world of fame and stardom. She has starred in over 15 feature films in Los Angeles, appears at many red carpets press events, as a special guest, as for the SNI Swimwear Calander Release Party at the well-known nightclub, “Ritual” in Hollywood, and Project Ethos; Aspiring Artists Charity function Elizabeth has currently found great success in the business of television and film after 15 years in the industry. She is scheduled to produce her first full-length feature and also star in with the world famous cello player, Marston Smith in a film called “Cirque Du Vampire”.

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