Posts Tagged ‘you tube’

As the summer days keep us daydreaming, Hollywood East Connection wants to keep your dream of landing your next gig. It’s been a slow couple of months for the industry minded here in Hollywood East but that doesn’t mean you should sit back and wait. We are certainly not saying to put the beach chairs away or even the margaritas, but in this crazy upside down, edge of your seat profession, it’s important that we continue to promote ourselves by finding new and hip ways to network. Here’s our third dose of networking opportunities in Hollywood East. In case you missed them, click here for parts one and two.

Networking can be thought of as shameless socializing with the hottest casting director in town or rubbing elbows with filmmakers at one of the many film fests.  But, as you know, it can also be just fingertips away on the internet. Don’t get us wrong, going to the hottest industry mixer and charming the right person hasn’t been known to hurt anyone.  However, clicking on the right website and promoting yourself online is the way of the future in this biz.

In an industry that’s all about who you know, as well as this Facebook-era, it’s all about who you are “friends” with too.  Network sites seem endless and some require a fee but Facebook profiles can grant you access and offer new ways to stay in the loop.  Some of our local favs are ones that are constantly filling our news feed such as  New England Talent & Crew, created to provide New England cast & crew a chance to network online and exchange information, tips, and entertainment news. South Shore Casting, New England Casting, Christine Wyse Casting, one of newest casting directors to hit the coast, and of course Beantown.Name are several places where you can find opportunities.

In addition to the endless possibilities of free Facebook networking opportunities, we can’t forget about You Tube and LinkedIn, which will always be self indulging networks for Hollywood East. These are by far the hippest free tools for actors to get a head in the business.  It’s not new but we just want to remind you to leverage these online tools.  Finally, if you have an iPhone, check out this new app called Actor genie. This app has endless casting notices and even has helpful hints from working professionals including hot agents and sassy casting directors.

With these hot and sticky summer days, sometimes we forget how important it is to stay connected.  Networking is endless so no matter how you choose to do it, don’t forget to see the list of local resources on our Career Scene page.

What’s your favorite local networking site?

Only seven months ago, the independent film directed by Allen Cognata, The Putt Putt Syndrome, wrapped up shooting in Winthrop, Maine and as of today, the film’s trailer has already received over 5,400 hits on Youtube. The film, which features Jason London, Thea Gill ,David Chokachi, Heather Tom and Robert Maschio, follows London’s character Johnny, a happily married man who decides to test his bitter friend’s theory about why marriages fail. Johnny, who doesn’t want to believe his friend’s ‘Putt Putt Syndrome’, suddenly realizes he has all the symptoms himself.

When Hollywood East Connection last spoke with the producers of The Putt Putt Syndrome, René Veilleux and Donald Roman-Lopez of Verité Films, they had just finished wrapping up the film and were very excited about the outcome. They are even more thrilled that the film is complete only 7 months after wrapping principal photography. “A lot of films can end up in post-production purgatory,” Veilleux and Lopez tell us, “but together with our director and producing partner Allen Cognata, we had a clear vision of how we would get the film to the finish line as quickly as possible.”

A few months ago, Veilleux and Lopez decided to test the screening of the film with friends and industry professionals. As they read the feedback, one of the viewers wrote, “I do trailers. I work at a trailer house in LA. I really love the film, and would be happy to help you guys with a trailer.” Later, trailer editor Stefanie Crisman took the rough cut of the film and produced an incredible trailer. Veilleux and Lopez are so grateful for Crisman’s work and were blown away by how fantastic it turned out. Watch the trailer below:

Both producers are very modest about the work they have done but had no problem raving about the cast and crew. “It takes a village to raise a child,” Veilleux tells us, “and we really could not have done this without all of the support from the community and our hard-working cast and crew.”  Lopez and Veilleux feel very lucky that they got to work with such an “amazing” post-production team as well, including editor Dino Marc Pascarelli in New York City, and composer/sound designer Craig Jansson in Melbourne, Australia. “Both of these teams have gone above and beyond to make our indie film look and sound outstanding,” Lopez tells us. “Sound is a very important element, it could make or break the movie, and we got really a top notch mix!” Veilleux and Lopez are overwhelmed with the response the movie is receiving and are looking forward to the future of the film.

As the film, continues to putt putt along, its first screening will be on February 6^th in Winthrop, ME at the Winthrop Performing Arts Center. “We are really looking forward to going back to Winthrop and sharing the film with the cast and crew,” Veilleux tells us. Check out director Allen Cognata’s live interview on 92 Moose Head, central Maine’s hit radio station, where you can hear him talk about the film and leak a red carpet appearance in Winthrop. Cognata will also be conducting an interview airing this Thursday night at 7pm on NBC’s WCSH6 in Portland, Maine.

The film will then continue to putt putt down the coast and into New York City on February 12^th for the second screening at the Tribeca Theater, where they will meet up with more cast and crew. It will then head to Los Angeles for another cast, crew and industry screening before they continue submitting it to festivals.

Follow the latest news by becoming a fan of Verité Films and The Putt Putt Syndrome on Facebook and find out what’s next for the film and its producers.

Here at Hollywood East Connection, we like to inform our readers about opportunities that help individuals interested in film and television get ahead in their field.  Sometimes, we find FREE professional development opportunities that any motivated careerist should take advantage of.  Here’s one for all of you aspiring camera operators.

In today’s Youtube culture everyone is a filmmaker with their web cams, trendy flips and iPhones, yet most of us can agree that Youtube videos are far from being professional.  Enter Rule | Boston Camera, a video and audio equipment provider for film and video production. Rule | Boston Camera will teach you how to film and use equipment like a pro, and nowadays they’re doing it for free.  Located on Soldiers Field Road in Allston, Rule | Boston Camera specializes in selling and renting filmmaking equipment to cable networks, production companies and independent filmmakers. They recently expanded their services by inviting film production learners to join them for a free, monthly lab series on topics involving cameras, lighting and editing.  There are no requirements to sign up for these classes, only an RSVP to [email protected] to reserve a spot.

This month, Rule | Boston Camera is featuring two learning lab series both two hours long. On December 9^th it’s Cameras in Motion: A Low Cost Alternative to Using Dollies with Rule’s Senior Engineer and Operations Tech, Tim Coughlan. Coughlan will show you how to create big-budget dynamic movement using low-cost camera tracking devices.

On December 16^th it’s Color Is How You Light It with award winning Lighting Designer, John Gates. Gates will explain how we perceive the colors of light on-camera and why color is one of the most important lighting choices. These labs could cost you some money if taken somewhere else but here at Rule | Boston Camera they are free.

Rule | Boston Camera wants to teach you the knowledge you need to be a successful filmmaker by using the equipment correctly.  Check out the Rule | Boston Camera web site for additional information about the free lab series and renting/buying filming equipment. They are also looking for a part-time Spring Intern. For more professional development opportunities in Hollywood East, check out our Career Scene Page for a comprehensive list of resources for people getting started in the television and film industries in New England.