Article written by David Guillod.

The title “film producer” is rather vague when you truly think about it. For those outside the industry, it’s difficult to tell how this position helps create a movie or television show. The producer, or chairman of the film, takes on a multitude of roles in the movie industry. Here is a brief overview of some of the responsibilities that a film producer is usually tasked with.

Producing the Film

Before any work can be done on the film, there needs to be some type of material to produce. It falls on the shoulders of the producer to find a story that is worth putting into film. This can be anything from an adaptation of a novel to an original screenplay. Moreover, this prospective piece must be something that piques interest – or it would just flop. Producers must then negotiate with the entity responsible for the original material, such as the author of a book for example. The goal is to acquire the rights to the material, so it can be utilized for the movie. Additionally, the producers must also cast the film along with the director and the financier.

Financing the Film

Once the producer owns the rights to the film, he or she must proceed to pitch the film to the studio. Once financing is secured, the producer will look at the overall budget available for the movie to ensure everything can be delivered on time and without going over the budget. Generally, the producers have the final say on the film they are working with, but a number of producers will hire specialists that they can delegate their tasks to expedite work. The producer is also instrumental when it comes to the marketing aspect and is the driving force from inception to viewing.

David Guillod is a well-established talent and literary manager. Guillod held senior partner leadership roles at United Talent Agency, Handprint Ent. & most recently at Primary Wave Entertainment. Guillod is also a film/TV producer, most recently credited on Atomic Blonde and Louder Milk. Visit David Guillod’s profile on Twitter.

If you’re new to the entertainment industry, it’ll be quite difficult to understand the ongoing trends and developments that are occurring today. However, it isn’t impossible to think like the pros, even if you’re new to the industry. Here are some tips to help you get started.

Attend Gatherings and Network

In order to stay up-to-date with all of the latest news and developments, it’s important that you reach out to seasoned lawyers that have been working in the field for a substantial amount of time. Any chance that you get, try and attend a meeting or a seminar in your area, or even out of state. Attending sponsored seminars that pertain to the entertainment industry is a fantastic way to network and gain insight on how to hone your craft.

Assess the Market

Lawyers that start out tend to shoot for the moon and look for any potential client. Instead of going this route, look to properly assess the market for available clients. Now, one of the best ways to understand the market for clients within the industry is to survey the local market for potential clients. Then, start comparing the market to the overall level of activity in various geographic regions in the country.

Don’t underestimate the power of geography. If you’re looking to practice entertainment law, you’re going to want to choose a city that has potential and can provide you with a solid group of clients as well. This is where performing adequate research will come in handy.

Remember, diversity and versatility are key factors when it comes to being successful. If you have a plan to develop an entertainment law practice, you need to have a solid understanding on how the market works, what techniques and tactics have shown the most results, and where clients are staying.

Blog submitted by Barry K. Rothman: Barry K. Rothman reviews say it all, Barry K. Rothman can help provide you with all the entertainment and business legal advice that you need to assess and solve your situation. Give him a call for more information.

Written by: Charles Matthau

Actors exist in one of the most highly competitive professions of any market worldwide. Everyone thinks they can act, and all of those people are looking for the first opportunity to prove themselves right. As a result, a lot of actors willing to work for cheap get work with indie filmmakers.

This is negative and positive. Everyone needs a start and some of those actors are actually undiscovered gems. The flipside is that a lack of budget signals a risky film in the making, and anything risky tends to be scary.

In fact, actors should be more interested in working with indie filmmakers than big budget productions. Here are just a few reasons why that is.

Taking Chances

Indie Films are basically self-funded endeavors. You know that an indie filmmaker has raised funds as part of a passion project to make the film, and that those involved have seen the script or the pitch and believe in the idea. That’s at least worth giving the script a quick read through.

Character-Driven Films

Everyone wants to be center stage, and indie films offer you that chance. No matter where you are in the hierarchy, you can make smart films that utilize your greatest strengths as an actor. The late Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Murray and Daniel Day Lewis all understand the value that holds for someone passionate about acting.

Final Thoughts

Indie films aren’t films made for money, although it’s not impossible to monetize them. They are passion projects made on ideas people believe in. True actors understand the passion that goes into independent filmmaking.

Charlie Matthau directed “Her Minor Thing,” and the film adaptation of Truman Capote’s “The Grass Harp.” Other Charles Matthau Company productions include “Freaky Deaky” and the upcoming “Mexican High.” For information on Charles or Walter Matthau, visit the Charles Matthau Company.

Written by: Charles Matthau

Summary: Scoring the film adds body to it, so choose a good composer.

There are a few stand out composers in the filmmaking scene who most people think of when they think about movie scores. People like John Williams, Danny Elfman or Hans Zimmer are the names that come to mind when one thinks of great movie scores, but every film has a soundtrack to it and those three names aren’t making everything. Finding a composer for your film isn’t as difficult as you might think.

Be Involved

Directors should want to get hands-on with nearly every aspect of the project. It’s important to know when to let people do their work, but do actively have ideas for what you want your film to sound like. Before you meet anyone, be prepared with sound clips that illustrate emotion. Particular songs work too. Any kind of point of reference that helps you better describe your film, its emotion and the underlying themes.

Listen to Music

Invest in mp3s, CDs, vinyl or however else you decide to store your music. Just buy something you can listen to and digest it. Be prepared to write to music, drive with a different album on. Make note of artists you like, especially indie artists. Jot down particular songs and compile a good sized track list.

Watch the Film

You won’t know how your track list meshes with your movie until you actually sit down and watch it. The tracks that speak to you should guide you to the composers you should call. Explain your situation, be honest, build rapport and set a budget. Those are the keys to finding a composer.

Bio: Charles Matthau prides himself on a passion for storytelling. The Charles Matthau Company produced and directed the adaptation of Truman Capote’s “The Grass Harp.”

Article Written by : Fashion News

1. Outkast, “Speakerboxx/The Love Below”

Released in 2003, “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” was a groundbreaking exercise in genre-mashing. The double album’s first disc, “Speakerboxxx,” saw Big Boi continuing Outkast’s tradition of forward-thinking yet soothingly familiar hip-hop. Although Big Boi’s “The Way You Move” became a radio staple, it was Andre 3000’s “Hey Ya” that made a truly huge impact in musical culture. Featuring Andre 3000’s singing voice, this massive hit single was a perfect introduction to “The Love Below,” the set’s second disc. Directed by Andre 3000, “The Love Below” featured influences ranging from Prince and Parliament to British Invasion pop-rock. To date, the album has sold over 11 million units.

2. Eminem, “The Marshall Mathers LP”

With over 10.8 million albums sold, the release of this album in 2000 truly cemented Eminem’s place in popular culture.

3. Eminem, “The Eminem Show”

Eminem’s caustic, complex rapping shined brightly on this LP, which was released in 2002 and has sold over 10.3 million copies.

4. The Notorious B.I.G, “Life After Death”

Released posthumously in 1997, this album not only cemented Biggie’s central place in hip-hop history; it also proved a huge boon to the careers of Puff Daddy, Mase and Jay-Z, all of whom were featured prominently. The album has sold approximately 10.2 million copies.

5. MC Hammer, “Please Hammer, Don’t Hurt ‘Em”

With his clean lyrics, MC Hammer presented a style of rap that was broadly accessible to the U.S public. This is reflected in the fact that the artist’s 1990 collection has sold over 10 million records.

Article Written by : Fresh Boutique

In normal everyday life, few Americans get to experience adrenaline-fueled rushes of excitement and danger.

Some people find their excitement in riding rollercoasters, others in air sports like piloting a plane or jumping from one. Yet, these are hardly things that can be done often or even from the comfort of their own home.

This is where the world of the Action film comes in. In an Action film, the audience follows the hero on a journey of intensity, athleticism, and quick decision-making that allows them to beat the bad guy and save the day. The best of the genre features an actor whose great screen presence and charisma turns their character into an iconic figure and in turn, makes the actor an icon as well.

Here are the top four iconic action film heroes in their most iconic roles.

Bruce Willis in Die Hard as Officer John McClane. A regular-guy cop on leave to visit his family at Christmas suffers innumerable injuries and multiple foes in an effort to save many innocent lives, including his wife.

Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator as the titular mechanical killing machine. A robot from the future with advanced technology and no empathy. This anti-hero seems to be an unstoppable force for evil.

Sylvester Stallone in Rocky as Rocky Balboa. Rocky is an underdog boxer who trains as hard as anyone could for his one chance to go up against the heavy-weight champion of the world.

Harrison Ford in Raiders of the Lost Arc as Indiana Jones. A slight-of-build archaeologist must out maneuver a Nazi horde to claim the supremely powerful Ark of the Covenant.

By Phin Upham

In the 1920s, a group of rural Protestants managed to pass legislation that banned the production, sale and distribution of liquor across the United States. The dry movement allowed for religious use of wine, but clamped down hard on illegal liquor sales and trafficking. The idea was to try and cure society of its ills with a bit of tough love, but ultimately the law would see repeal not long after its passage. It also gave birth to several important clubs.

300 Club

The 300 Club was one of the most well-known clubs in New York, and was raided several times by police. The emcee, who went by “Texas” Guinan, always managed to argue her way out of charges by claiming guests brought alcohol with them. George Gershwin often played impromptu piano there, and George Raft was discovered in that club.

El Fey

The El Fey was a high-class club that acted as a front for selling liquor. The club was fueled by Canadian liquor, brought in the trunks of cabs owned by Larry Fay. Fay had made a name for himself running booze, but “went straight” after he’d made a half million on the black market.

21 Club

When most people think about prohibition clubs, they probably envision the 21 Club. While the premises was raided several times, the owners were never caught in the act of selling liquor. The club used levers, and a sophisticated system of chutes, to dump bottles into the sewers so no one in the club would be caught handling bottles.

About the Author: Phin Uphamis an investor at a family office/ hedgefund, where he focuses on special situation illiquid investing. Before this position, Phin Upham was working at Morgan Stanley in the Media and Telecom group. You may contact Phin on his Phin Upham website or Twitter page.

Article Written by : Signal Television

Beyoncé recently released her ‘visual album,’ “Lemonade” to huge amounts of critical praise. It’s received a lot of attention because of how candidly she deals with marital infidelity in the songs, and has garnered some controversy for her husband Jay-Z over his alleged affair with the mystery figure “Becky with the good hair.” All of this controversy has overshadowed the fact that the album is a remarkable achievement sonically, as well as a new career high-point for the already prolific Beyoncé.

Here are five facts you probably didn’t know about Beyoncé’s “Lemonade.”

1. In addition to holding the only executive producer credit on the album, Beyoncé is credited as either a writer or producer on every single track of “Lemonade.”

2. The album marks the first collaboration between Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar in the Black Lives Matter anthem “Freedom.” The track was produced by star hip-hop producer Just Blaze.

3. The song “Formation” contains a line about Bey carrying “hot sauce in my bag.” If you pay close attention to “Lemonade,” you’ll see that “hot sauce” is what she’s named her baseball bat.

4. The once-popular rapper Soulja Boy has a songwriting credit on the song “Hold Up,” because it shares lyrics in common with his hit, “Turn My Swag On.”

5. Keeping with the revolutionary theme of the album, the song “Don’t Hurt Yourself” features an excerpt from Malcolm X’s famous “Who Taught You to Hate Yourself?” speech.

By Phin Upham

Marilyn Monroe was one of Hollywood’s most iconic figures, and few people had the intimate knowledge of her life that George Barris possesses. He shot the last photo of her before her death, a shoot that took place on Santa Monica Beach.

Barris, who was born in New York City in 1922, had worked his way up to become the most sought after photographer during the 1960s stars and starlets. Barris had a lifelong interest in photography, which he put to use in a professional capacity first for the Army. His photography captured General Dwight D. Eisenhower, and provided a glimpse into the war effort for those watching from home.

After the War, he made his living as a freelancer who found work primarily in Hollywood. Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando, Charlie Chaplin, Frank Sinatra, Clark Gable and more posed for Barris’ trained eye.

Barris shot Marilyn Monroe on multiple occasions, the first time being on the set for the 1954 movie The Seven Year Itch. The next time the two met was on Santa Monica Beach in 1962, and then again in the Hollywood Hills. That final set, which would come to be known as “The Last Photos” marked the last time Marilyn Monroe was captured on film.

Rumors persist that Barris and Monroe were close, and Barris has given several interviews discussing the mysterious circumstances of Marilyn Monroe’s death. According to Barris, it was no accident.

Barris remembers Monroe as being “one of a kind”, and was recently part of an exhibition of memorabilia and photography focused on Marilyn Monroe.

About the Author: Phin Upham is an investor at a family office/ hedgefund, where he focuses on special situation illiquid investing. Before this position, Phin Upham was working at Morgan Stanley in the Media and Telecom group. You may contact Phin on his Phin Upham website or LinkedIn page.

If you’re a small business or store looking to attract new customers, consider advertising through radio.

If you’re a small company that’s looking to reach new customers, your best bet is to use one of the most original mediums of all time, the radio. One of the biggest advantages that you’ll have advertising through radio is that thousands of people are going to hear your commercial while making their commute to work.

Building a Solid Reputation

Steve Doctrow, Executive Vice President of Rogers & Cowan, explains that most radio listening takes place in the car. With the proper marketing strategies, you can define your selling proposition in an efficient way. Publicity is one of the prime factors in a successful company with advertising being the main way to improve a company’s image and build a reputation around them.

For example, one of the reasons why you hear so many advertisements for car dealerships on the radio is because their business is somewhat limited to the local market. Therefore, radio becomes the preferred medium to get their message across.

Investing in Local Market Advertising is More Cost-Efficient

Consider allocating a good chunk of your budget to radio for these reasons. Local advertising doesn’t require you to invest as much capital as it would for national advertisements. It would only make sense if you were a brick-and-mortar location to utilize radio’s local market targeting influence to attract your clientele. Also, consider the fact that radio will only continue to evolve with the times and will embrace new technology as it rolls in. This means, new applications or software designed to maximize radio’s capabilities will only mean bigger and better things for advertising.