Free Zombie Training This Weekend

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Casting Frontier

Is the horror genre recession proof? Paranormal Activity 3 is number one at the box office and just grossed $52.6M in its first week. The force of horror is undeniable as it consistently thrives despite never quiet doing well with critics. Why are we so fascinated with ghosts, boogiemen, ghouls, and creeps? Well, if you’ve ever wanted to star in a horror flick, or if you’ve been dying to make like the undead and take over downtown, now’s your chance to get in on some serious zombie action. The Long Beach Zombie Walk will be held on Saturday, October 29, 2011—and they’re marching to break the world record! The current world record stands at a staggering 4,800 zombies in Seattle, WA. In Long Beach this weekend, the gates will open at 2 p.m. where music, vendors, food, and over a hundred make-up artists are eagerly awaiting to turn you into a soulless corpse. The Dead Man’s After Party and haunted house might be worth teetering into as well. But it’s the Zombie Walk at 8 p.m. where you can help make world history. For more details, visit http://zombiewalklb.com/.

And, if you’re just not that into zombies, you might want to cuddle up at home this weekend with some thrilling, spine-chilling movies. Check out CNN’s listing of spook-tacular shows you can watch on the tube this weekend.

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What Impact Will Miss Representation Have on Media Reform?

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Casting Frontier

“I started in Hollywood in the age of 28 and I was interestingly enough told by my agent at the time to lie about my age and take my MBA off my resume.” –Jennifer Siebel Newsom:

It’s being described as a powerful, uncompromising look at how the media trivializes and sexualizes women. Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s documentary Miss Representation premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, riveting audiences and prompting the Oprah Winfrey Network to acquire the broadcast rights. It was premiered on OWN on Oct. 20th, and a DVD of the film will be released. Its goal is to enlighten the public, educate girls and boys through curriculum to identify and think critically of stereotypes of femininity and masculinity–and ultimately, transform the mainstream media. Misrepresentation.org asserts, “Together we are sparking millions of small actions that will ultimately lead to large-scale change.”

The films starts with startling statistics of the teenage media appetite: “In one week American teenagers spend 31 hours watching TV, 17 hours listening to music, 3 hours watching movies, 4 hours reading magazines, 10 hours online. That’s 10 hours and 45 minutes of media consumption a day.”

The collective message that young women and men overwhelmingly receive from this consumption is that a woman’s value and power lie in her youth, beauty, and sexuality, and not in her capacity as a leader—and this can make it difficult for the average girl to perceive herself as powerful. The film features provocative interviews with public figures including Gloria Steinem, Condoleezza Rice, and Katie Couric who remind us of alternatives available to all of us, such as using the media as an instrument of change.

It remains to be seen how influential Miss Representation will be on the media. Will we be seeing more female characters in empowered roles and male characters standing up to sexism? Will we see fewer sexist remarks being made about female public figures? Certainly, opening the topic for conversation is an excellent first step.

To hear Jennifer Siebel Newsom speak of what motivated her reform the media, click here.

Life Lessons from a Morgue

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Casting Frontier

Six months ago, Lindsay Lohan was given community service in a morgue with duties including mopping floors, stocking restrooms, and washing sheets. She was apparently spared cleaning actual crypts where the bodies are stored. If the reality of a fading career was not evident to Lohan at such a lowly point, will her returning for 16 more hours of service at the same morgue have a real impact on her psyche? Lindsay was once a child star with all the possibilities in the world ahead of her, when she’s now struggling to get work in a very tough business. Robert Downey Jr. and Winona Ryder have managed to come back after problems with the law, but in order to do so, they made a deliberate choice to regain focus, energy, and professionalism. And a tried and tested rehabilitation process includes comic appearances in lighthearted films, sitcoms, or satirical shows like Saturday Night Live. Getting back into the public’s favor is doable when you show you have a sense of humor and are in control of your life again.

Speaking of taking control of one’s life, let’s look at another child star, Natalie Portman. Portman burst on the scene at the ripe old age of 12 with a heartfelt and nuanced performance in The Professional. She’s since starred in over 30 films and recently won the Oscar for her blistering performance in Black Swan. Natalie attributes her success to “wanting to be a positive role model.”

Let’s face it, not just anyone has the talent of Natalie Portman, but there are clearly lessons to be learned from such a serious and focused professional; something Lindsay would be wise to open herself to. We’re given only so many opportunities in this life and in this business; here’s to making the most of every opportunity out there—starting with learning life lessons from a morgue. And here’s to Lindsay getting back to work!

Actors Who Didn’t Let Shyness Stop Them

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Casting Frontier

Lucille Ball’s teachers at the Anderson dramatic school probably thought they were doing her a favor when they advised her that she was “too shy” and would never make it in show business. Fortunately, Ball did not take these words to heart, and she went on to become The Queen of Comedy as well as a television pioneer. Ball once said, “One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn’t pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore faith in yourself.”

Tom Cruise struggled with shyness and dyslexia as a child. His family had to move a lot as well, so he was continually uprooted from schools, which limited his ability to form lasting friendships. Cruise said, “Because I grew up in so many different places, I was used to rumors [about me]. You know, I didn’t have the right shoes, I didn’t have the right clothes. I even had the wrong accent.” He credits his mother with helping him learn to survive and overcome, insisting, “People can create their own lives.”

Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks are also known to have suffered through painful shyness as well. So the next time you doubt yourself before an audition, remember you’re not alone. Don’t allow those feelings stop you. Instead, keep your posture upright, breathe, emphasize the positive, and give yourself credit for your bravery. Lucille Ball maintained, “I’m not funny. What I am is brave.”

Once you habitually change your way of thinking to emphasize the positive, your confidence will blossom.

Playing a Liar?

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Casting Frontier

What draws us to movies like The Ides of March, A Few Good Men, and The Graduate? Drama speaks to us largely because it taps into an inherent truth of life: Sometimes we tell the truth, and sometimes we lie. Research suggests people are lied to between 10 to 200 times a day. And that stranger you just spoke to for 10 minutes? Chances are you both lied to each other 3 times.

As an actor, what tools do you have in your arsenal when playing the part of a lying character? Deceptive speech patterns, revealing body language, and deceitful attitudes intrigue us, and have inspired many books, as well as TV shows like Lie to Me. According to the author of Liespotting, Pamela Meyer claims we all resort to essentially the same behaviors–some counterintuitive–when we seek to deceive. Whether we speak a tad more formally, give too much detail, freeze our upper bodies, peer just a little too deeply into someone’s eyes, or smile in “duping delight,” we give ourselves away. To capture an authentic lie when you are performing, it may help to see a breakdown of what actually occurs to an individual when he or she lies. Likewise, you can explore the subtleties people use when they are speaking honestly, and with decency. To hear Meyer’s revealing talk (and to hear why people hesitate to befriend her) click here:

http://www.ted.com/talks/pamela_meyer_how_to_spot_a_liar.html