Sunday, October 24, 2010

Hollywood's Top Social Media Experts Say Start Early Creating a Hollywood Buzz For Your Film


 

“Start early, and don’t be shy” in Creating a Buzz for Your Film Social Media Experts told filmmakers at a LA Femme Festival Media Workshop

 

“I certainly hope you do not have your project finished and now you are looking at social media,” said Social Media Expert Kristina Hughes a two hour workshop on “How to market and sell your film via social media,” at the LA Femme Film Festival this month (Oct 14-17, 2010), Hollywood, CA.
Kristina is the co-founder of Holdon Log – “The Standard in Performer Organizational Tools” (Performertrack.com); the leader in business and marketing products and services for the Entertainment Industry. Kristina’s acting credits include appearances in numerous network, studio and independent projects like Boston Legal, Old School and Green River. Look for Kristina in the soon-to-be-released interpolated rotoscoped film, Helicon and the mega-hit series The Resolve and Vegan 101.


(L-R) Brian Vermeire, Kristina Hughes, George Mc Quade, Amber J. Lawson andGotham Chandna at Social Media workshop @LA Femme Film Festival in Hollywood this week.
“Prior to having your product started or done, great sites that can  help you get going,” said Social Media Expert Brian Vermeire. “Sites like these allows you create amazing, quick content that looks so friggin professional it’s ridiculous, and it can really make your end product look professional  before you have even started edting it. There rograms where you just upload video clips, images, tesxtand then processes on various options Online with hundreds of royalty-free songs to go with them. Your presentations need to be done early and compelling,” noted Vermeire.
Vermeire (AFTRA) wears many hats in the Entertainment Industry as a writer, producer, executive producer, host and actor for various networks/production companies such as FOX, The Disney Channel, The Family Channel, Vin DiBona Productions and HombreTV. 

Brian is also a respected stand-up comedian known in the Los Angeles market as the “sharp and witty comedian with a ‘late night-style’ talk show host appeal.” Brian is the CEO of Holdon Log ~ the Entertainment Industry’s number one provider of organizational logbooks and Webware (www.PerformerTrack.com ) for performers. Brian has traveled as a seminar leader or guest speaker for SAG Conservatory, SAG Foundation, The Actor’s Network and Children in Film to name a few.
“The investor in an independent film is you, the producer, and I think that’s why is you’re going to pitch, you’re not going to pitch to the studios, but rather to the people,” said Vermeiere. “ Do the pitch first and start floating idea of this film that you have coming out, and do it in an innovative way using sites and tools at your fingertips Online, and see if people starting say, ‘Wow, this would be awesome, I’d really like to see this film.’

“The best way to get a following on is to provide good content,” said Social Media Expert Henna Merchant. “People are attracted to other interesting people or content. You have to think about the people who are actually using social media. It’s not your grandmother. If you want yourself to spread virally, you’re going to have to touch the people who are most comfortable with the technology, who are influencers. You can filter them out by seeing who’s Online, who has a great following already.


“Websites are dead, it’s really hard to change them, and time consuming,” said Social Media Expert Gotham Chandna Chandna is an International Social Media and Digital PR Guru and the force behind Cloud 21 PR (www.cloud21.com) .
Gotham Chandna talks to Actress Yeena Fisher.



 He is currently involved in devising and implementing successful Social Media strategies for clients ranging from Actors, Filmmakers, Fashion Designers, Corporations and Retail establishments. He has been involved in online marketing since 2000, social media and blogging since 2003. He is currently ranked in the Top 100 Digital PR professionals on Twitter.
“I come from a different school of thought, filmmakers’ first step should be social sites starting with Facebook to engage your fans, then twitter.”


Chandna is currently involved in devising and implementing successful Social Media strategies for clients ranging from Actors, Filmmakers, Fashion Designers, Corporations and Retail establishments. He has been involved in online marketing since 2000, social media and blogging since 2003. He is currently ranked in the Top 100 Digital PR professionals on Twitter.
“I come from a different school of thought, filmmakers’ first step should be social sites starting with Facebook to engage your fans, then twitter,” he said.
“I’m more of a content person, so you need to provide your audience with something that they want,” said Amber J. Lawson, Babelgum.com. “The Paranomal Experience was a good example where the movie folks want a critical mass of media and took it Online. You need to roll out pieces of content of the story that adds value to your audience that you are constantly connecting with.”
Filmmaker Evyha Cerhus, France asks panelists questions
Amber J. Lawson, who manages the comedy channel at babelgum.com and has thus overseen as executive producer comedy shorts by Landline TV, original content like Date A Human.com, and the second seasons of The Crew and Old Friends. Prior to Babelgum, Lawson was VP of Programming at Mania TV and a comedy producer with National Lampoon.


“At Babelgum.com sometimes what we do to support the theatrical release of the film is to do n early prequel in film, a character lead out or build out the story to create a fan base that will be exciting and engage the viewer. There’s more than 800 hours of hand-picked films and film-related programming on the site. Babelgum’s films products feature action and adventure, animation and anime, classics, comedy, clips and interviews, documentary, drama, horror and thriller short films.
Merchant cited an example this example: “For instance the filmmaker of ‘Turbo’, who showed his film at a USC Paramount picture premiere, and he told me that one of his actors, who actually on ‘Twilight’ and he tweeted about Turbo, everyone else on ‘Twilight’ loves this guys and they all started tweeting about ‘Turbo.’ Then he wrote to Gizmodo, because the content of his movie, the nature of the content was very techie with the 3D element, and techies are looking for that kind of stuff and they just start talking about it.  Do your traditional PR and write to others, and you can tweet about it, and if Gizmodo tweets about it gthat’s like reaching a chain reaction.”
Henna Merchant is the Principal of Clicked Digital PR and Marketing Communications, an agency that combines digital influence, social and traditional media, public relations, and marketing to produce a persuasive communications mix.
Henna Merchant, Brian Vermeire, Kristina Hughes,
George Mc Quade (center), Aida Mayo and Gotham Chandn
a
Clicked experience extends across many industries ranging from emerging online technology start-ups to real estate brokers, medical real estate developers, and nonprofits.
“All you have to do is ask people and provide them with the components to tweet about you, and because it involves a juana it works,” Merchant said. “You always have to thing about your content, your audience in the realm of what they are tweeting about


MAYO PR - "We don't guarantee media, we just get it!"

Monday, October 18, 2010

Angela Bassett, Angela Kinsey, Carmen Carter, Gloria Bigelow among stars on the red carpet at the 6th Annual LA Femme Film Festival


 
Los Angeles - Rain Showers didn't dampen the spirit of the LA Femme Film Festival Awards program.On the red carpet is Angela Bassett, who's impressive film career preceeds her "Image Award."

Angela Bassett has built her career around playing some of the most celebrated real-life, pioneering women of the twentieth century. A native of New York City, Bassett and her sister D'nette grew up in St. Petersburg, Florida with their mother Betty.  



She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in African-American studies from Yale and also holds a Master of Fine Arts Degree from the Yale School of Drama.


ANGELA BASSETT - Image Award Actress, Director, Producer

Angela Bassett has built her career around playing some of the most celebrated real-life, pioneering women of the twentieth century. A native of New York City, Bassett & her sister D'nette grew up in St. Petersburg, Florida with their mother Betty.

She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in African-American studies from Yale and also holds a Master of Fine Arts Degree from the Yale School of Drama.


Among her many artistic accomplishments, Bassett was Oscar-nominated and won both the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture- Comedy/Musical, and the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture, for her star-making performance as Tina Turner/Anna Mae Bullock in 1993’s What's Love Got to Do with It. She won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for her work as the late-Dr. Betty Shabazz in Spike Lee's Malcolm X, (1982). She also received an Emmy nomination her lead role in the 2002 television feature, The Rosa Parks Story, for which she was Executive Producer.

Angela also served as Executive Producer on the films Our American and Bucket of Blood. Her talents continue to expand into directing and producing for the upcoming film United States. She is also developing the television pilot, One Police Plaza. Look for Angela in her upcoming film projects The Green Lantern and Jumping the Broom.

Angela resides in California with her husband, Courtney B. Vance, and her children Bronwyn and Slater.
 

Among her many artistic accomplishments, Bassett was Oscar-nominated and won both the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture- Comedy/Musical, and the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture, for her star-making performance as Tina Turner/Anna Mae Bullock in 1993’s What's Love Got to Do with It. She won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for her work as the late-Dr. Betty Shabazz in Spike Lee's Malcolm X, (1982). She also received an Emmy nomination her lead role in the 2002 television feature, The Rosa Parks Story, for which she was Executive Producer.

Angela Kinsey, "The Office"


Angeles Kinsey in an exclusive Interview said she was surprised, but elated to recieve the LA Film Festival "New Establishment Award." Broadband Emmy winner Angela Kinsey portrays the feisty, tightly-wound head of accounting “Angela Martin” at Dunder Mifflin on NBC's critically acclaimed show The Office, voted television’s best comedy ensemble by the Screen Actors Guild for the second year in a row. 

Kinsey's television credits include, All of Us, Run of the House, King of the Hill, Mad TV, Mind of Mencia and Monk. Kinsey has been a member of The Improv Olympic Theater for the last nine years and continues to perform in their notorious 


The Armando Show. Recently appointed the new face of Clairol.Kinsey can be followed on her site
Adventures with Angela located at NBC.com.





Also on the red carpet, ABC's Carmen Carter, who was delighted to be there despite the rain showers. She was pumped for the evening.


Her voice is behind many well-know television theme songs including those for
Moesha, Sister Sister, Touched by an Angel, Hangin’ with Mister Cooper as well as featured on the riveting soundtracks for Madagascar 2, Prince of Egypt, The Lion King: Simba’s Pride and The Frog and the Prince.
 

Carmen Carter’s musical career has been undeniable eventful. She currently captivates audiences each week with her voice on the hit reality television show Dancing with the Stars. She has blanketed the television screen with performances on the Family Guy, American Dad, South Park, Ally McBeal, Friends, and more.

FEATURED ARTIST CARMEN CARTER Singer/Actress -
with George Mc Quade on the red carpet.

 


Whether singing background vocals on recordings with Barbra Streisand, Michael Buble, and Celine Dion, or enhancing the live performances of Patti LaBelle and Chaka Khan.


Actress Katrina Hughes was also on the red carpet to tell us about her upcoming projects Online and in Hollywood. 



Kristina Hughes (SAG / AFTRA) - actress, entrepreneur, author, producer, casting coordinator and publicity director. Kristina is the co-founder of Holdon Log - "The Standard in Performer Organizational Tools"; the leader in business and marketing products and services for the Entertainment Industry. Kristina's acting credits include appearances in numerous network, studio and independent projects like Boston Legal, Old School and Green River. Look for Kristina in the soon-to-be-released interpolated rotoscoped film, Helicon and the mega-hit series The Resolve and Vegan 101.Joining Kristina were here celebrity friends, business associates and team Comedia Brian Vermeire and Actress Nicole Sadighi. 
 

They run the Performers Track, awesome new social media and concepts presented at the social media workshop during the festival. It was the most talked about workshop during the four day event, and create a lot of buzz around the events following the two hour seminar "How to Market and Sell Your Film via Social Media."

Brian Vermeire (AFTRA) wears many hats in the Entertainment Industry as a writer, producer, executive producer, host and actor for various networks/production companies such as FOX, The Disney Channel, The Family Channel, Vin DiBona Productions and HombreTV. Brian is also a respected stand-up comedian known in the Los Angeles market as the "sharp and witty comedian with a 'late night-style' talk show host appeal." Brian is the CEO of Holdon Log ~ the Entertainment Industry's number one provider of organizational logbooks and Webware 
(www.PerformerTrack.com)   for performers. 
 

Brian has traveled as a seminar leader or guest speaker for SAG Conservatory, SAG Foundation, The Actor's Network and Children in Film to name a few.


Enjoy some of the highlights of the event in the slide show below and be sure to share with your friends, thx. for visiting @ MAYO Communications



Photos by George S. Mc Quade III

MAYO PR - "We don't guarantee media, we just get it!"

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Star studded night, Celebrities, 100 movie premeires the Festival announces honorees tonight with Red Carpet @LA Femme Film Festival - Angela Bassett, Carmen Carter, among winners

LA Femme Film Festival is wrapping up tonight with red carpet and awards honorees at the Renberg Theatre
in Holllywood.


        
  
   
Beverly Hills, CA, October 5, 2010-Beverly Hills, CA, October 5, 2010 LA Femme Film Festival’s Founder Leslie LaPage announced today that the 6th Annual LA Femme Film Festival 2010, October 14-17, 2010 will be honoring Angela Bassett (What’s Love Got to do with it, Green Lantern), Virginia Madsen (Sideways, Scoundrels), Angela Kinsey (The Office), Loretta Devine and Maggie Wheeler (Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond) at the festival’s Awards Ceremony on October 17, 2010. Carmen Carter (Dancing with the Stars) will be performing throughout the evening and comedian Gloria Bigelow will be the ceremony’s MC. Guests to attend: Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski,, Jenna Fischer, B.J. Novak, Mindy Kaling, Craig Robinson, Ellie Kemper, Tasha Smith (Tyler Perry Films), Vanessa Bell Callaway, Peter Sarsgaard, Tim Robbins, Forest Whitaker, Rick Fox, Tyler Perry, Sofia Vergara, Lance Gross, Keke Palmer, Laurence Fishburne, Amanda Seyfried, Sandra Oh, Paul Giamatti, Jim Carrey, David Schwimmer, Diablo Cody (United States of Tara), Sara Gilbert, Daphne Zuniga (One Tree Hill), Marisol Nichols (The Gates), Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Marla Gibbs, Tippi Hedren, Vivica A. Fox, Lorraine Toussaint, Rosanna Arquette, Lea Thompson, Jacqueline Bisset, Sally Kirkland. For more details visit: MAYO headlines
Comedian Brian Vermeire @Social Media Workshop @LA Femme Film Festival from George  S. Mc Quade III on Vimeo.
MAYO Communications The actress, producer and Social Media mover and shaker in Hollywood to follow in 2011! Meet her tonight on the red carpet at LA FEMME FILM Festival

Comedian Brian Vermeiere, Social Media Expert @LA FEMME FILM FESTIVAL
www.youtube.com
Social Media Workshop "How To Create A Buzz For your Film" at 6th Annual La Femme International Film Festival Four-Day Event. Comedian, social media expert and Actress Kristina Hughes talks about How to market and sell your film via social media

Default Henna Merchant @ LA FEMME FILM FESTIVAL
LA Femme Film Festival provide a powerful Social Media workshop "How to market and sell your film via social media"
Filmmakers also learned where and how to market their films and company Online
Default They also learned secrets of Twitter from Social Media Expert Gautam:
Actress Kristina Hughes and Comedia Brian Vermeire were also there sharing their secrets to successful Social Media do's and don't of the film and entertainment industry

MAYO Communications The actress, producer and Social Media mover and shaker in Hollywood to follow in 2011! Meet her tonight on the red carpet at LA FEMME FILM Festival

Social Media Workshop "How To Create A Buzz For your Film" at 6th Annual La Femme International Film Festival Four-Day Event. Comedian, social media expert and Actress Kristina Hughes talks about How to market and sell your film via social media


MAYO PR - "We don't guarantee media, we just get it!"

Monday, October 11, 2010

LA Femme Film Festival adds Mekahlo Medina, KNBCLA to Social Media Workshop on Saturday in Hollywood

LA Femme International Film Festival features powerful Social Media Workshop Sat, 10 Am - Noon.
LA Femme International Film Festival features powerful Social Media Workshop Sat, 10 Am - Noon.

Social Media Workshop “How To Create A Buzz For your Film” at 6th Annual La Femme International Film Festival Four-Day Event

Hollywood, CA – MAYO Communications announced today it is sponsoring the first social media workshop at the 6th Annual La Femme International Film Festival, October 16th, 10 AM  to Noon, Hollywood, CA,  The four-day event  (Oct. 14-17th), will be held at the Renberg Theatre, 1125 N McCadden Place, Hollywood, CA,  90038.


“Now that you have your film completed, trailer, website and traditional media, don’t forget to engage your biggest fans via social media,” said George Mc Quade, social media workshop moderator.
Former TV and Radio Newsman George Mc Quade
will moderate "How to market and Sell your film
via social media" , Sat., Oct. 16, 2010, 10 am - Noon,
Renberg Theater, Hollywood, CA.



“Engaging film enthusiasts about your movies or projects is critical to a successful campaign. This year the Film Festival is presenting a timely social media workshop to help filmmakers optimize content and buzz about their movies projects.”  The seminar “How to market and sell your film” is expected to be sold out.
The two hour program and film media workshop panel features actors, directors, producers, webisode producers, SEO experts, Online social media experts, film publicists with cutting edge techniques for brand awareness, better ROI and tracking of films with little or no budgets. The workshop is for beginners and the experienced.
The panelists, who will offer social media insider tips about Online tools for film marketing will include:

Mekahlo Medina, News Anchor, KNBC-TV RAW joins LA Femme Film Festival Social Media Workshop Panel this Saturday.
Mekahlo Medina – Mekahlo Medina, news anchor/reporterKNBCLA.
Mekahlo Medina currently serves as anchor of KNBC’s avant-garde digital service, “News Raw.” “News Raw” allows viewers to join KNBC staff and journalists as they decide what news stories will be covered each day and what was going on behind-the-scenes when the stories were covered. Available on KNBC’s digital channel 4.4 and on the station’s web site, www.nbc4.tv,  ”News Raw” provides news updates throughout the day and also takes a look at what’s “hot” on the Internet. 
Medina joined KNBCLA in January 2006 to front this new endeavor. Prior to KNBCLA Medina work in TV news in Minnesota, Arizona, and New Mexico markets. http://www.nbclosangeles.com/station/about-us/Mekahlo_Medina.html 

Gautham Chandna — Gotham Chandna is an International Social Media and Digital PR Guru and the force behind Cloud 21 PR (www.cloud21.com) . He is currently involved in devising and implementing successful Social Media strategies for clients ranging from Actors, Filmmakers, Fashion Designers, Corporations and Retail establishments. He has been involved in online marketing since 2000, social media and blogging since 2003. He is currently ranked in the Top 100 Digital PR professionals on Twitter.



Kristina Hughes (SAG / AFTRA) – actress, entrepreneur, author, producer, casting coordinator and publicity director.

Kristina Hughes, Actress, Producer and founder of Holden Log
Kristina is the co-founder of Holdon Log – “The Standard in Performer Organizational Tools”; the leader in business and marketing products and services for the Entertainment Industry. Kristina’s acting credits include appearances in numerous network, studio and independent projects like Boston Legal, Old School and Green River. Look for Kristina in the soon-to-be-released interpolated rotoscoped film, Helicon and the mega-hit series The Resolve and Vegan 101.
Henna Merchant – the Principal of Clicked Digital PR & Marketing Communications, an agency that combines digital influence, social and traditional media, public relations, and

Henna Merchant
marketing to produce a persuasive communications mix. Clicked experience extends across many industries ranging from emerging online technology start-ups to real estate brokers, medical real estate developers, and nonprofits.
Henna Merchant has been responsible for helping small and large companies with social media marketing and public relations using cutting edge
tactics Online and behind the scenes of companies.
Brian Vermeire (AFTRA) wears many hats in the Entertainment Industry as a writer, producer, executive producer, host and actor for various networks/production companies such as FOX, The Disney Channel, The Family Channel, Vin DiBona Productions and HombreTV.

Brian Vermeire PerformerTrack.com
 Brian Vermeire is also a respected stand-up comedian known in the Los Angeles market as the “sharp and witty comedian with a ‘late night-style’ talk show host appeal.” Brian is the CEO of Holdon Log ~ the Entertainment Industry’s number one provider of organizational logbooks and Webware (www.PerformerTrack.com) for performers. Brian has traveled as a seminar leader or guest speaker for SAG Conservatory, SAG Foundation, The Actor’s Network and Children in Film to name a few.
Amber J. Lawson, who manages the comedy channel at babelgum.com and has thus overseen as executive producer comedy shorts by Landline TV, original content like Date A Human.com, and the second seasons of The Crewand Old Friends.

Amber J. Lawson Babelgum.com















Oct. 14 -17th. Sat. Oct 16th Social Media Workshop
Prior to Babelgum, Lawson was VP of Programming at Mania TV and a comedy producer with National Lampoon. There’s more than 800 hours of hand-picked films and film-related programming on the site. Babelgum’s films products feature action and adventure, animation and anime, classics, comedy, clips and interviews, documentary, drama, horror and thriller short films.

About La Femme International Film Festival
LA Femme Film Festival is a premier festival that focuses on women filmmakers’ platforming their commercial films for the world wide audience. It is a Festival for those women who want to have an equal opportunity in commercial entertainment desiring to change, enhance, or become leaders in the industry as a Director, Writer, Producer or Director of Photography.For more info visitwww.Lafemme.org.
For press credentials call Donna Hull at 213-926-3301 or emailllapage@lafemme.org. For the seminars and event details visit: 2010 Event Program, 2010 Seminars, 2010 Party Schedule and  2010 Screening Schedule.

Social Media Workshop @www.MayoPR.com
MAYO Communications  is  a full service marketing communications and PR firm with offices in San Diego and New York, serving celebrity, corporate and nonprofit clients.
Variety Magazine is sponsoring a digital workshop coming up, too. All happens October 189, 2010.
DATE: October 18, 2010Add this event to my calendar
LOCATION: Loews Hotel, Santa Monica, CA

Variety is returning with the Entertainment and Technology Summit, an exploration into how film and TV is becoming transformed by changing consumer tastes.

Read more at VARIETY.COM

Variety’s Entertainment & Technology Summit is an exploration into how film and TV is becoming transformed by changing consumer tastes. Today’s audience is demanding content in ways that only new and emerging technology can deliver. Variety’s Entertainment & Technology Summit will analyze how film and TV is evolving through sessions dedicated to social networking strategies, rising distribution platforms, new revenue models, among other provocative topics. Attendees will be able to keep their businesses on the cutting edge of this revolutionary intersection between entertainment and technology. Join top industry leaders and experts like Michael Eisner of The Torante Company, , Brett Leonard of FragFilms and Max Haot of Livestream
David Nevins- President of Showtime Networks
David Eun- President of AOL
John Landgraff- President of FX
Among others—-

Register Now at
www.variety.com/ent&techsummit training and social media.


 

MAYO PR - "We don't guarantee media, we just get it!"