Actor-Preneur

Egyptian actors who do extra work, sometimes called atmospheric background have been complaining that they are working without a guild to protect their rights. According to Egypt’s “GulfNews.com“, Many actors that do extra work in Egypt have been seriously harmed, crippled or died while filming!

Egypt Known as the Arab world’s Hollywood, boasts the region’s oldest film industry. After having been in the doldrums for the past two decades, the film industry is struggling to recapture its shine by increasing the quantity and quality of productions.

I have not seen a more unique name for a New York and London based Talent Agency. UGLY has a great web site you should see here.

The blood-stained clothes of James Gandolfini, who is best known for his portrayal of New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano on the TV hit series “The Sopranos,” fetched $43,750 for the Wounded Warrior Project.

In total, 25 outfits worn by James Gandolfini in HBO’s The Sopranos were sold and which raised $187,750

The mission of the Wounded Warrior Project is to honor and empower wounded warriors.
“Honoring and Empowering wounded warriors.”

If you have ever considered working in Australia, “The Actors Handbook” is a must have for every aspiring actor.

The book is for aspiring actors, adults, children and extras. It covers step-by-step every aspect of a performer’s career from training to retirement with practical advice and insider information.

The book also has hundreds of tips, interesting stories and opinions from dozens of industry professionals including leading performers, teachers, agents, casting directors, producers and directors from Australia.

Australia’s “The Actors Handbook” A guide to the Australian Entertainment Industry, by Marnie Hill (Casting Director) a must have guide for all Australian Actors.

For additional details on “The Actors Handbook” and to purchase the book, please take a look here.

How did veteran Broadway Actress and actorpreneur
Betty Buckley get the role of odd recluse Mrs. Jones in M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Happening”?

A video camera and bubble wrap!

New York casting director, Doug Aibel contacted Buckley’s agent, Tim Stone of Stone Manners Agency, about a possible part in “The Happening” and e-mailed her some scenes to her ranch in Fort Worth, Texas.

Doug Aibel asked Betty to record herself performing the scenes and overnight the DVD to him in New York. After purchasing a video camera, as she did not own one, she shot the scenes only to find out that her video camera was not compatible with her Macintosh computer! What did she do then? Buckley took the camera to the store in order to burn the footage to a DVD. When that did not work either, Betty decided to wrap the camera in bubble wrap and overnight it to Aibel.

Maybe it was her outstanding audition or perhaps just the unusual way she presented it, but she impressed M. Night Shyamalan and Doug Aibel enough to win the role of Mrs. Jones.

Actorpreneur Betty has had an astonishing record on Broadway, in films and on television. Her Broadway credits include starring roles in 1976, Pippin, Cats, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Song and Dance, Carrie - The Musical, Sunset Boulevard and Triumph of Love. She won a Tony award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 1983 for Cats.

She also has a long list of Film and TV credits. In addition, she has recently been signed to Playbill Records, which released two of her recordings; one was made when Buckley was 19 and has been issued both on CD and vinyl.

A new album with Quintessence was released on February 14, 2008.

There is a great story in today’s Kansas City. com web site about John Leguizamo and his acting career.

The article asks the question, “How’d you wind up in acting classes?”

My high school math teacher suggested it. They were going to expel me because I’d never stop being the class clown. …

The article written by Joseph V. Amodio goes on to ask, “So when was your “aha” moment — when you knew you had to be an actor?”

There’ve been three. One was in acting school. My first scene … was from (the Sal Mineo film) “Dino,” about a street kid. I rocked it, man. I thought, “Wow, I can’t do anything right, but I can do this.” The next time was (in a performance art showcase). I went on last, 2 a.m. and I was like, nobody’s gonna care, but everybody stayed and I got a standing O. I thought, holy … I can make these white people laugh. They get me. The third moment was in (the movie) “Carlito’s Way” — I realized, this is what acting is about.

Please read the article in it’s entirety here.

Kaufman Astoria Studios, one of New York City’s three largest movie studios, is moving ahead with a major expansion plan.

The studio in Queens, will break ground this fall on a $20 million building, with an 18,000-square-foot soundstage and 22,000 square feet of support space, on a plot of land diagonally across 36th Street from its current building, which is between 34th and 35th Avenues.

Silvercup Studios, in Long Island City, Queens, announced that it would build a $1 billion complex on the East River waterfront, south of the Queensboro Bridge. It is to have eight new soundstages, production and support space, two towers with 1,000 apartments, an office tower and stores.

Four-year-old Steiner Studios, is renovating a 289,000-square-foot building adjacent to its current soundstages in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, for use as production and office space.

Australia’s ABC Kids commissions the kid-targeted reality series Escape from Scorpion Island. In the series 16 British and Australian kids 11-14 are stranded on an island and must compete on teams in various challenges to be the first figure out a way to escape the island. Seasons two and three (60×30) of Escape from Scorpion Island will be shot back-to-back in Australia July 26-August 16. Season two will bow on ABC TV later this year, with season three slated for 2009. Escape from Scorpion Island is an RDF Media/Freehand production for BBC and ABC TV. The first season of the series, filmed in Brazil, was produced by UK based RDF for the BBC.

Former UTA talent agents Jonathan Perry and Brian Dow have joined APA Talent Agency.

According to Variety, Perry’s clients include Alyson Hannigan, Ashley Scott, Moira Kelly, Audrina Patridge and the Kardashian family. He also will rep newly signed APA clients Gina Gershon, Vinnie Jones, Tom Arnold, and Yeardley Smith.

Jonathan Perry left UTA in February during a restructuring. Prior to his four-year stint at UTA, he worked at Original Management and spent three years as a talent agent at Endeavor.

Variety states, “Dow will be leading APA’s efforts to establish a presence in commercial endorsements and had worked in UTA’s New Ventures department, handling endorsements, licensing and personal appearances for the agency. He co-represents Patridge and the Kardashian family with Perry.”

Just as actors market themselves, American casting directors have been creating amazing web sites. Above is NY Casting Director and TVI teacher Judy Bowman.

Also take a look at Los Angeles casting directors Terry Berland’s and Renita Whited new sites.