Dolphin Talent’s Acting + Industry Guide

SAG Resolution

June 23, 2009 at 3:20 pm | In The Biz | Leave a Comment

There will be no actors strike… As of June 10th, SAG has entered into a contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers that will be valid through June 30, 2011.

Main changes include increases in wages and pension.

Where are they now?

June 12, 2009 at 4:35 pm | In All About Dolphin | Leave a Comment

As we prepare for our first LA Experience trip of the summer next week, it’s always fun to reflect on our participants who joined us last year. One participant, Jeanine , joined us in August 2008 and spoke about how acting is so much hard work, but worth every second of it. She has spent the past year in our advanced acting classes and auditioning.

So what is she up to now? Despite being a great actress, she is also a fantastic dancer. You can watch Jeanine on Wednesday and Thursday nights on “So You Think You Can Dance” at 8 PM EST. She is 1 of the 18 amazing dancers remaining. Check out the link below for her duet this week:

Good Luck Jeanine!!!

Great Resource for Young Actors!

June 4, 2009 at 7:56 pm | In Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

We just wanted to share with you about another blog that is directed towards actors getting startedin the entertainment industry and making the transition to Los Angeles. The blogger, Megan, speaks from experience and we are excited to have her sharemore valuable knowledge with us at our LA Experience trip in a couple weeks. Check out her blog at: www.tailscalifornia.com

-Jenn

May 28, 2009 at 9:57 pm | In Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

Often actors wonder what job he/she should turn down and which to work on. Here is a fun list to see what roles famous actors have turned down. In looking at these you could never imagine anyone else playing these roles, yet many of the roles that made people famous, the actors that played them were not the first choice. See if you agree or disagree on the production’s first choice and let us know what you think.

http://www.glamorati.com/celebrity/2008/25-more-actors-and-the-roles-they-turned-down/

-Manny

The Power of Spacebook

May 19, 2009 at 8:54 pm | In Casting 101, The Biz | Leave a Comment

Facebook, Myspace, imeem, and Linkedin are all social networks that have the best of intentions. Their intention is to connect people, keep them updated on each other’s lives, and provide a way to communicate via the Internet. However, there is a dark side to these social networks as well, too much information about their users is available to the general public. Over the past few years, many teachers, professors, professionals, etc have talked about the ability of a future employer to use social networks to find out more about the person they are about to interview, and depending on what you, your friends, or the kid who lives down the street, post linked to your name, a stigma will be created for you. The same goes for the acting world.

You may think things on your profile are harmless, but others may not. Pictures that were fun photos from Halloween may or may not be appropriate for a future employer or casting director to see (or even your mother to see for that matter). And then think about the random people who you don’t even think would be checking your profile and what they can learn as well. At the end of the day, social networks are a slippery slope.

How can you take control of the information age? Two words: privacy settings. Privacy settings are a glorious thing; they give YOU the power to control the information that is being disseminated about you. This is important with pictures, contact information, as well as personal information. In addition, it’s not just what you post about yourself but what others post about you. We’ve all seen young stars make the news for photos reporters have found via friends of the star.

What’s the lesson here? Think before you post. Think about what you are posting, or what others are posting about you, and if you’d be embarrassed if your parents, or grandmother saw it, think of how embarrassed you’ll be when a reporter or your boss finds it.

-Megan

Choosing a Location for a Movie

April 30, 2009 at 8:54 pm | In The Biz | Leave a Comment

Often times we meet talented actors in a variety of different states that want to know where we are shooting our next movie. We reveal that though we are based out of Miami, Florida, we often do not shoot locally. So how do we determine where the next project will take place? Often times we must consider the actual screenplay that we going to produce and what the setting of the movie must be. For example, it wouldn’t make much sense to shoot a surfing movie in the Midwest because there would be no ocean or waves. The location must make sense with the time period of the film and also fit into the budget. Most states and locations offer monetary incentives to encourage the production of movies in their area. The state or country often feels that it will be good publicity for their state and even encourage tourism to that area. That means producers could get tax credits and sometimes even cash rebates for shooting in a particular location. Often the tax incentives of a specific place will factor into where exactly a producer decides to shoot. The more money that a producer gets back or can spend elsewhere in the budget, the better off they are! Another deciding factor is the amount of people they have who could serve as production crew on location. There are many films that will shoot in a specific place because of the parameters of the script or if it is based on a book or actual event, but for those that are flexible, producers have a number of things to take into consideration.

-Jennifer

Information Download : SAG Stalemate

April 27, 2009 at 8:08 pm | In The Biz | Leave a Comment

You are definitely in the majority if the words “SAG Strike” leave you in utter confusion. To keep you in the loop, here are some of the main points from the past 10 months:

- SAG’s contract with AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) expired on June 30, 2008

- SAG is asking for increased rates; AMPTP is willing to offer SAG rates they agreed with AFTRA; SAG wants better deal

- AMPTP made a “final offer” in February with the agreement ending three years from ratification (placing expiration somewhere in 2012); the offer is not the increase SAG’s been fighting for

- SAG pushing for the contract to end June 30, 2011 to coincide with the other unions’ (WGA , AFTRA, DGA) contractual expirations with AMPTP

- AMPTP is now willing to offer the contract to expire on date set by SAG

- SAG board accepted the deal on April 19 and it will now go out for a vote to the members, however, there is still unrest as the offer is not the rate increase SAG has been pushing for the past 10 months

There is MUCH, much more that occurred, however, this is the bare bones, quick fix version. For more information on the history of the SAG situation and up to date info, please visit: www.variety.com and hollywoodreporter.com

Screenwriting in high school

April 21, 2009 at 8:10 pm | In Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Tags: screenwriting classroom Dolphin Entertainment

For those educators struggling to get much enthusiasm from their students for traditional creative writing exercises, screenwriting can be a wonderful way to capture the interest of otherwise reticent young writers. I have taught a number of outreach programs at local Miami-Dade High Schools guiding young adults through the screenwriting process. These workshops have varied from a single day to a semester long course. Regardless of length of the workshop or the school I was visiting, I’ve found that each workshop revealed several very talented writers. And even those who had no great skill for or interest in writing, everyone loves being a storyteller. What’s more, when you pull ideas from a group you inevitably come up with the story that is richer and more relevant than if you were to have each student write their own story in isolation. We use this same round table process at Dolphin and as a group we work through characters and character arcs, plots and subplots, themes and messages. It’s a incredibly fun process and by far one of my favorite aspects of my job. I welcome you all to reach out to me if you’re thinking of incorporating screenwriting in your classroom. I am happy to share my workshop outline and my experiences.

Dolphin enters the social realm online!

April 14, 2009 at 9:24 pm | In All About Dolphin | 2 Comments

You can now get even more frequent updates on everything going on with Dolphin Talent on Twitter. Or check out our LA Experience group on Facebook!

March 31, 2009 at 10:03 pm | In Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

Hi Guys … I was in Ohio at the State Thespian Competition this past weekend, and I was asked a question that I would like to talk about. A girl asked me if she was too heavyto work in the business. Here is the scoop. It does not matter what you weigh; there is always a part for whatever size you are. Just look on the TV or the movies, and you see all types of bodies on the screen. With that said, be truthful to yourself about your looks. If you are a 4’2” girl you will most likely never get the role of a high fashion model. One of the most important ways to succeed in the acting business is to know what parts you are right for. Then position yourself to be the best you can be for that look. The more honest you are to yourself, the happier you will be in the business. If you look at yourself unrealistically, you will never be getting the part that you think you should get. So don’t let weight, height or even age stop you, but learn the appropriate roles for you to play. Get to know yourself and go for it!