Hollywood, Unapologetic!

- Season 2

(2017)

We live in a time where social unrest and images of war are read about and seen on the airwaves daily. We as a community of content creators are in a unique position to influence change, and it is our responsibility to do so. If more of us can get together to create films and television programming with a positive message, hire more people from broader backgrounds, and not limit ourselves and our potential by identifying one another only by race, color, sex, religion, or sexual preference, we can then, and only then, influence the masses to be more open minded.

At this point in time in history, there seems to be a polarization of the American populace. Whether you lean towards one political party or another, one thing holds true: Our citizenry is divided culturally. unquestionably is a rift between American ideologies today. And to some extent, Hollywood has some blame. Right now with the polarization of it's citizens fueled by manufactured "fake news" and 'alternative facts', is pulling the country apart. This will have long-lasting ramifications in all aspects of our society. Many feel Hollywood's liberal elite shove their...

Recently, some friends and I were discussing the importance of setting up a business entity and how that can provide legal protection. The conversation touched upon the creative process, branding, contracts, copyright ownerships, music licensing, and legal protection of lyrics. As content creators, this is important because there are far too many charlatans and sharks in suits waiting to take advantage of the naïve and the inexperienced. Unfortunately, not enough individuals on the creative side of content creation know enough about protecting their work. This is ...

Most of you watching this fall under the 75 million young people that make up the "millennial" generation. Every one of you is influenced in some way or another by what you see on screen, and the music you listen to on the radio. The clothes worn by celebrities and seen in magazines, as well as one other by creating trending topics on social media influence you. There is a lot of power your generation has due to the direct influence you have sociologically and the immediate accessibility to the distribution of your ideas, and also the affordability of tools to ...

When a script is developed away from a film studio, whether hired by an independent producer or working on his or her own, sometimes it ends up joined with other elements. This can be a director for the project or one or more members of the cast. Then it can be presented to one of the studios for financing and distribution. For most filmmakers, their films are often developed and produced away from the studio that distributes them in the end. These independently produced films are usually financed by the pre-sale of distribution rights and may also have private ...

One of the biggest lessons I learned growing up in the entertainment industry was seeing firsthand the rational and the mechanics of business decisions, and understanding how money is made. This may sound like a no-brainer because "the business of show" is most definitely about moneymaking; it is also about those in various levels of power positions throwing their weight around, oftentimes driven by their own hubris. Hollywood has and will always be about making the most money possible the quickest, with as little risk, period. This will never change. The financial ...

I have a simple question for you: Do you want to be a motion picture director? The answer for many of you watching this is, "yes!" Well, here's the thing. The more I speak to young people and from what is being talked about on social media a lot is about the lack of opportunity for minorities and for women. I'm seeing over and over again a dialogue about how there are not enough opportunities for people of color and women, and not any dialogue on what it truly takes to be successful. Many complain about lack of opportunity from the studios, and focus on the ...

There has been a lot of attention on the lack of diversity by the Hollywood film studios and television networks, especially over the past few years. But there are several issues not included nearly enough in this dialogue.

As someone who has worked on television, film, and in theater productions for decades, I have been conditioned, or better said, us in the entertainment industry have been conditioned to work long hours. It has been and is commonplace. Please don't mistake being conditioned for acceptance or anything other than having to do the work you're hired for when it is available. And that means we don't go home until the job is done. Not after eight hours. Not after ten. Usually not after 12 even, and sometimes not for days at a time with little if any sleep at all. And this ...

There is a huge stage which should be in place well before the development stage that so many young content creators totally overlook.

Los Angeles is a wonderful place to live once you get in your groove and are able to afford a somewhat comfortable living. Most Californians I have met are down-to-Earth individuals who are very grounded. There is a long-lasting summer season and a "not summer" season, which only lasts a few weeks. There are many things to do, although you need to know where to find those things or at least how to find them or you would never know. There is also a never-ending parade of eye-candy to experience ranging from the physically perfect to their poorly augmented counterparts....

One thing about living in Los Angeles, you'll notice right away it is a tough place to be in if you aren't relying on financial help from your parents or anyone else. This is true for most people upon the first few years of being here until they have somewhat of a steady gig. People can be disconnected and the way many live their lives is rather backwards. There is a strong sense of disparity as a byproduct of our industry's nature. Most people don't speak to their own neighbors and are detached in many ways. Take logic and accountability, and then turn them one ...

Without a doubt, to be a successful content creator and filmmaker you have to think of yourself as an entrepreneur. You are in the business of YOU. All of your work, your branding, your reputation, are all part of running your business and are very much under constant scrutiny of others. And as a business owner, you have to prioritize how you're going to spend your day. This may seem like a no-brainer. But until you actually take the time and itemize what your day's schedule looks like, you don't see how to prioritize your time the most efficiently. Your time lost is ...