Rules For Booking Live Entertainment

Audience

You would think that booking live entertainment, a magician or clown for example, should be a simple and straight forward process but it is common for mishaps to occur. We will discuss a few general guidelines you need to follow in order to make the process smooth and frustration-free for you and the entertainer.

When to book

First, you should figure out exactly what kind of live show you are looking for. There will be numerous options to look into so having a general idea of what you want will help cut the search down, and save you time! Take into consideration your budget range as well. Many professional or well-known performers won’t be nice to your wallet. Of course, if it’s a big once-in-a-lifetime moment, any cost could be worth it in order to make the event memorable and beautiful.

Try to picture the image that you desire the guests to leave with and decide what you are willing to spend in order to attain that. So be upfront and honest about your budget, the worst that will happen is for the entertainer to politely decline your offer. Be aware that you should give at least 3-4 weeks of notice to any performer before your big event. Some entertainers will charge more for short notices because they will be under pressure to create custom routines, prepare for your unique event, and/or obtain permits.

Know your venue

It is very important to know certain details of your venue, which will make the booking process simple and fast. Have these written down when calling performers for cost estimations and schedule availability; exact date of the event; time you require the performer to arrive & begin performing, as well as expected duration; type of event; any special requests you want from the entertainer down to the very last detail; your budget; number of guests estimated; description of the location where the event will take place; appearance of other entertainment; and finally, have all your contact information available.

Selecting a performer

As you search for the perfect entertainment, you will find that prices will differ greatly. Even when the acts are similar (as in the same area, not the same performance) prices can go from the hundreds to the thousands. Do not use the mindset that expensive is best. Take your time to select perhaps two or three performers and review them carefully before making your last choice. Ask for samples of performances, read through testimonials, look at their websites, and contact them with any doubts. Good performers will have teasers of their show available to potential customers, will answer all questions, and will have referrals from trustworthy sources.

Expect a contract

No matter how “little” your event is, it is important to the performer for a legal contract to be a part of the booking process. Contracts help him or her keep track of all gigs, expenses, and income for tax purposes so don’t be offended if they want to establish a contract even when the event is small. Contracts will also help you feel reassured about the whole booking process. Make sure to abide by your agreements (payment agreements as well, whether it means paying before or immediately after performance) so that both you and the performer can have a tranquil and pleasant business transaction. 

About Today's Contributor:
Florin is known as a freelance publisher and foodie whose work has been highlighted in personal blogs, websites, publications, and TV advertisements.


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License: Image author owned

Stranger Things: Inventiveness In The Age Of The Netflix Original

Stranger Things. Netflix

By Arin Keeble, Edinburgh Napier University

The Netflix series Stranger Things, which shortly returns for a second season, was the surprise TV hit of summer 2016. Fans and critics revelled in its allusions to Hollywood hits from the American 1980s in which it is set. Every haircut, every rippling synth pattern, BMX chase and adolescent gesture of friendship seemed to come from an 80s movie. Its young protagonists communicated through references to Star Wars and Dungeons and Dragons and the first trailer for season 2 shows them trick-or-treating as the Ghostbusters.

So what made Stranger Things feel fresh and new? Was it somehow innovative in its referencing? It certainly wasn’t because of a new kind of aesthetic recycling, as JJ Abrams had already done an 80s Steven Spielberg pastiche with Super 8, and borrowing or referencing has long been prevalent in American cinema. From Film Noir’s adoption of German expressionist techniques in films like The Maltese Falcon or Touch of Evil to the postmodern genre-mashing of Pulp Fiction, Hollywood storytelling has a rich history of pastiche, allusion and homage.

But what happens when serial TV does this? Stranger Things featured eight hour-long episodes developing characters who inevitably cannot exist solely in the stylistic shoes of Spielberg or Stephen King. And though the referencing is there, the immediate pleasures of its clever nods to E.T. or The Goonies evolve into a more sophisticated meditation on the processes of allusion.

Nostalgia and trauma
The achievement of Stranger Things is twofold. It is not just highly referential – it is actually about referencing. The series explores the way people – especially young people – communicate through patterns of reference or allusion. The programme’s retro register is also paired with an ongoing discussion of what we can see as the opposite of nostalgia – traumatic memory.

The casting of Winona Ryder is integral to this convergence of nostalgia and trauma. Ryder’s star power was born in the 1980s, when she was a teenager, through films like Heathers and Beetlejuice. In the 1990s her screen successes were accompanied by extreme tabloid scrutiny of her personal life. This included high-profile coverage of her struggles with drugs and anxiety. Because of this public history, the casting of Ryder was itself referential, as is the casting of any “star”.

As Keith Reader argued in Intertextualty: Theories and Practice: “The concept of the film star is an intertextual one, relying as it does on correspondences of similarity and difference from one film to the next and on supposed resemblances between on and off-screen personae.” So while Stranger Things’ teen drama story, centring on Nancy Wheeler, evokes the high school world of Heathers, Ryder’s performance as Joyce Byers, draws on her real life experiences. Joyce is a loving, thoughtful, single mother and a sufferer of anxiety. This is exacerbated by the disappearance of her youngest son and for much of the first series she is upset and hysterical.

Stranger Things Season 2. Netflix

Ryder’s performance was widely acclaimed – including by Rolling Stone journalist, Noel Murray, who suggested Stranger Things “brought her back”. Murray notes that the performance is powerful because the show takes advantage of what we already know about Ryder: that she is a “likeable celebrity who’s fallen on hard times”. Joyce’s hysteria certainly carries the power and authenticity of experience and it sharply juxtaposes the nostalgic innocence of Eggo waffles and BMX chases.

Joyce’s experiences are also echoed by other strands of the story. We learn that Chief Hopper is still struggling with the traumatic loss of his daughter and it is inferred that mystery child Eleven, who is the subject of sinister experiments, was taken as an infant from her now-institutionalised mother. Ultimately, Stranger Things’ nostalgic frame magnifies the intensity of its traumatic realism and stories of loss and psychosis.

Navigating an ‘upside down’ world
But Stranger Things is also invested in how its characters communicate through allusion. The boys, Dustin Henderson, Mike Wheeler, Lucas Sinclair and the missing Will Byers use these references to map out and understand their world – and that of The Upside Down (a dark alternate dimension existing in parallel to the human world). In the first episode we learn that they have renamed the streets of their small Indiana town using references to The Hobbit and in episode three, puzzling over the mysterious Eleven, Dustin asks his friends: “I wonder if she was born with her powers like the X-Men or if she acquired them like Green Lantern?”

Eleven by Aelini

Sometimes references serve as a code that adults and other kids won’t know – which is important as the boys are outsiders (geeks before geeks were cool). Sometimes references are charged with imaginative and emotional meaning. For example, Mike cites his missing friend’s boldness and bravery in a Dungeon’s and Dragons “campaign” as a reason for him and his friends to be brave in trying to find him in real life.

Literature academic and blogger Aaron Bady has pointed out that what makes Stranger Things’ allusions unique is that it has no “anxiety” over its gratuitous borrowing. This subverts the need “to play authenticity detective.” This is undoubtedly the case and it is striking in the world of “Netflix originals” where everything seems to be an adaptation or re-imagining, like House of Cards or Daredevil. But I believe what sets the show apart is its clever use of allusion to amplify the impact of its depictions of anxiety, trauma and loss and its exploration of allusion as a mode of communication.

About Today's Contributor:
Arin Keeble, Lecturer in Contemporary Literature and Culture, Edinburgh Napier University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. 

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(via DeviantArt.com)

Stranger Things - Nancy and Jonathan (via JCLF88)

Upside Down, Downside Up (via NuclearLoop)

The Chinese Massacre Of 1871 Comes To The Big Screen

The Jade Pendant - Poster

Oct. 24th marks the anniversary of the Chinese Massacre of 1871 where a mob of around 500 white rioters entered Los Angeles, Chinatown to attack, rob, and murder Chinese residents of the city. An estimated 20 Chinese immigrants were tortured and then hanged by the racially motivated riot mob. The initial conviction was unlawfully overturned and no one has ever been held accountable for the murders.

"The Jade Pendant," a novel by L.P. Leung, is based on these true events and will open in limited theaters Nov. 3rd. The film stars Asian talents such as South Korean star Clara Lee (Some Like it Hot),Taiwanese heartthrob Godfrey Gao (The Mortal Instruments), Russel Wong (Romeo must Die), screen legends Tsai Chin (Now you See Me 2, The Joy Luck Club) and Tzi Ma (Arrival, Pali Road). 

"The story of the Jade Pendant is a part of American history that has been untold and we are very excited to bring diversity and quality story-telling to audiences in North America," said Jonathan Lim of Crimson Forest Films.

The Jade Pendant is directed by Hong Kong veteran Po-Chih Leong (The Detonator, Out of Reach) and follows the journey of a young girl, Peony, who flees an arranged marriage in China and finds herself on the shores of America.

The Jade Pendant was produced by Thomas Leong, Scott M. Rosenfelt, LP Leung and Bruce Feirsteinfor Lotus Entertainment and will open at the 4 Star Theatre in San Francisco, AMC Atlantic Times Square 14 in Los Angeles and AMC Empire 25 in New York City on Nov. 3rd. 

• For more information please visit bit.ly/2yL0HHk

SOURCE: Crimson Forest Films

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#MeToo Campaign Not Slowing Down Anytime Soon, But Now What?

S.H.E. Speak.Heal.Empower (via sharikarney.com)

After the recent Harvey Weinstein sexual allegations have come to light, the floodgates have opened with celebrities using the hashtag #MeToo creating a social-media viral sensation. Many of us have seen and are shocked to hear of female family members, friends and co-workers coming forward publicly on-line with personal sexual abuse and harassment stories. Karney believes, "If men stand with us too, we can stop the sexual assault of women."

"An NBC movie, 'Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story' starring Melissa Gilbert, was written based on the abuse that happened when I was a child. People in my inner circle who never confided in me are using social media now to find their voice but we can't do it alone," said Shari Karney, attorney and legal pundit.

Shari Karney led the charge of changing the laws in California in 1991 and didn't stop there. Karney worked with 40 other states so that survivors across the nation now have legal rights as well. Karney successfully lobbied and testified in Washington D.C. for a Children's Bill of Rights.

"Now what? Men stand with us too! If you are sickened and shocked at what you are reading and hearing about through the #MeToo campaign, be the voice of honor and reason. You can be the ones to hold bosses, co-workers, family members, coaches and churches' feet to the fire. Men listen to other men. Please, be the good man you are and stand with us #MenWithYouToo," said Shari Karney. 

"Basic civil rights laws must be enacted to hold perpetrators accountable and give victims justice. We need to remove statutes of limitations for criminal and civil actions so survivors of sexual violence can have their day in court," said Karney.

Shari Karney (via sharikarney.com)

About Shari Karney :
Shari Karney is an attorney, on-air legal pundit, author, speaker, entrepreneur and activist for victims' rights. A widely respected legal expert, analyst and commentator on breaking news cases, she has appeared on hundreds of television and radio news programs. 

• Visit sharikarney.com. 
• Follow Shari on Facebook facebook.com/Shari Karney or Twitter @sharikarney .

SOURCE: Shari Karney

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The Asian World Film Festival Announces the World Premiere of Finding Julia Starring Vietnamese Actor/Singer, Ha Phuong, October 28

Actress Ha Phuong

The Third Annual Asian World Film Festival (AWFF) announced the world premiere of Vietnamese superstar Ha Phuong's film Finding Julia. The film is scheduled to screen at the Arclight in Culver City on October 28 at 7:00 PM.

Finding Julia stars Ha Phuong, Andrew McCarthy (Dir: Orange is the New Black, The Blacklist, Pretty In Pink, Mannequin), Richard Chamberlain (Twin Peaks, Thorn Birds, Shogun) and Kieu Chinh (The Joy Luck Club). The film was conceived by Ha Phuong, based upon her experience of immigrating to the US and trying to live the American way of life during her younger years.

The red-carpet event will be attended by Ha Phuong, co-star Richard Chamberlain, actress and screenwriter Kieu Chinh, director Igor Sunara, actresses Minh Ngoc Nguyen and Lauren Pham (young Julia), Susan Batson (co-producer and acting coach), Leyna Nguyen (CBS anchor), producer Alan VoFord, costume design Bao Tran Chi, make-up artist Gordon Banh, editors Gil Choi and David Van and film attorney George Rush.

Asian Film Festival

Film Synopsis [Short Version]: 

In Manhattan, Eurasian acting student Julia Chamonix (Ha Phuong) is unable to enjoy the privileged life she shares with her doting father (Andrew McCarthy). Haunted by the tragic early death of her mother-a former star actress and singer in Vietnam-and likewise haunted by a secret desire she must hide from the world, her only confidante is her Vietnamese grandmother (Kieu Chinh). 

Caught between two very different cultures, East and West, Julia questions if she will ever fit in anywhere. As she attempts to understand who she is, Julia begins to forge a more confident identity from both parts of her birthright.

Film Synopsis [Longer Version]: 

(Via Ha Phuong World)

Beautiful, rich and sad. In Manhattan, Eurasian acting student Julia Chamonix (Ha Phuong) is unable to enjoy the privileged life she shares with her doting father (Andrew McCarthy). Haunted by the tragic early death of her mother–a former star actress and singer in Vietnam–and likewise haunted by a secret desire she has to hide from the world, Julia struggles in her acting studies under renowned coach Igor (Richard Chamberlain).

However, her ambitions to emulate her mother’s success are thwarted by her severe difficulties with the English language. Her only confidante is her wise Vietnamese grandmother (Kieu Chinh), but even with her she limits what she confides. Meanwhile she begins to experience recurrent nightmares in which she relives the car accident that killed her mother.

Caught between two very different cultures, East and West, Julia questions if she will ever fit in anywhere. As she attempts to understand who she is and how to forge a more confident identity from both parts of her birthright, her father falls in love with an American woman, Jennifer (Paula Devicq). Fearing abandonment, Julia’s secret obsession spirals out of control as she hears voices berating her and playing into her darkest fears.

When her grandmother suddenly dies, and an accident causes another unexpected death, Julia is brought to the edge of madness. Will her life also end tragically, or will she be able to overcome her terrible duality? Where will she go and how will she finally find peace?

The surprising conclusion to the heart-pounding drama makes it not only an unforgettable story, but also, on the deepest subconscious levels, speaks to the plight of millions of men, women, young adults and teens who are caught between cultures, who likewise feel “different,” and who are struggling to find a place in the world.

• All films at the Festival will be screened at the Arclight Cinemas in Downtown Culver City (9500 Culver Blvd.) Sponsors include Presenting Partner Ha Phuong Foundation, as well as the city of Culver City, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Variety, East West Bank, RK Media (Radio & TV Korea), the Arclight Theatres, Emporium Thai Restaurant (Los Angeles) and AWFF host venue, the historic Culver Hotel.

SOURCE: Asian World Film Festival   

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