THANK YOU! We hit our crowdfunding goal on Indiegogo so Memorable Minorities is a go.
We hope to shoot in the next few weeks, and we’ll keep you posted on our blog. First up, Game of Thrones. Then, a hysterical piece by Melody Cooper — you will not think of museums the same way again, or the films and characters she spotlights.
Bruce has eyes on The Ring for more Memorable Minorities. What other science fiction and fantasy stalwarts would you like to see?
Blacks, Asians and Latins in Sci Fi, oh my!
Help support our newest project, Memorable Minorities, a series of skits where we will show you what it would be like for there to be color in Sci Fi and Fantasy. Check out our Indiegogo page, and help us out!
Absolutely eat dessert first. The thing that you want to do the most, do that – Joss Whedon
Ari Karpel posted a great piece in Fast Company on Joss Whedon: How To Be Prolific: Guidelines For Getting It Done From Joss Whedon.
The above quote on doing the fun stuff first is just one of the tips Whedon shares. He talks about rewarding himself frequently (with chocolate).
Whedon also favors consuming different types of content — watching “outside of your viewing zone, your reading zone.” Another point for diversity (though Whedon doesn’t mention this specifically)!
Finally, Whedon advises just doing it, no excuses. He sees younger creators better about doing this: “this generation is not waiting for someone to read their spec script, and I love that.”
Reward yourself often. Mix up your entertainment. Just get things done. What are your favorite tips for being productive?
How is the entertainment business like high school?
I’m still puzzled by the film business (see If Steven Spielberg Is Worried About The Film Business, Should We Worry?) like I’m still puzzled by high school
I read with great interest this Hollywood Reporter piece on how Steven Spielberg himself predicts the implosion of the film industry:
If Spielberg feels like it’s tough to make a film, what does it mean for the rest of us?
If literary, creative, or basically any non-tentpole films need to be made for TV, what does that suggest to aspiring filmmakers, screenwriters and film producers?
If Spielberg needs to co-own a studio in order to green-light Lincoln, should filmmakers with less clout (and no studio) choose subject matter with this in mind?
On the one hand, filmmaking has never been so accessible: the technology is cheaper, crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo facilitate fundraising, distribution tools like YouTube and social networks facilitate audience-building.
On the other hand, this means there’s more content than ever, vying for audience and funds. Yes, it’s easier to make a film but it’s that much harder to ensure people see it. Spielberg’s concerns imply that it’s not enough just to make a great film about a great topic.
What do you think about the state of the film industry? Encouraged by the accessibility? Drowning in too much content? Optimistic about the business prospects?
This tap number is what I imagine if Friday the 13th were made into a musical, and Jason had his big song and dance number. Soundrack by Anarbor and costumes by Converse!
Alison Tap Senior Solo from Scott Ceniza-Levine on Vimeo.
Which horror movie would you like to see as a musical?
Tania Verafield (The Queen) began her career as a Ford model at age 10. Tania made her feature film debut in 2005 opposite Christian Bale in Harsh Times, the directorial debut of David Ayer, screenwriter of Academy Award-winning Training Day. Since then, she has had the pleasure of playing opposite Tilda Swinton in the foreign film Julia, getting in touch with her comedy side in The First Time and has appeared in two Sundance Film Festival films – Short Term 12 (Winner Best Short 2009) & I Am Not A Hipster (currently available on Hulu). Television credits include 24, The Ghost Whisperer, Standoff, and Strong Medicine. Theatre credits include Lobby Hero, The Little Dog Laughed (NY) & originating the role of Bug in the now published Treefall (LA). Currently, Tania resides in her hometown Los Angeles and is plotting her bi-coastal future.
How did you get involved in modeling? Do you still model? If not, what made you transition from modeling to acting?
As a child, I wanted to act. My parents didn’t have the means to make that a reality but when we were approached by an agent in an elevator, he recommended starting with modeling to test the waters. I signed with Ford & did a couple print jobs before my parents realized I was much more excited to be acting (which I had started doing in community theatre & school plays) and the modeling just tapered off.
What do you consider your “big break” into acting? Was it making a movie with an A-lister like Christian Bale? Was it tackling a specific role?
I don’t think I’ve had it yet! Actually, “Harsh Times” opposite Christian Bale was my first film role & it definitely felt like a break at the time. Christian had just finished shooting Batman so he wasn’t a household name yet but we all knew he was about to be. For me, that project also meant tackling a very specific role so that felt like a coup as well. Each job feels like a tiny break & then you hope they all add up to something of a “big break” – I am still working on my “little breaks”. 🙂
You’ve done drama and comedy. What is your preference? What is a role you’d love to play? Who is someone you’d love to work with – actor, writer, director, all of the above?
I really enjoy the depth of work that comes with dramatic roles – just getting to play in these dark worlds & then leaving them behind to go back to my real life. However, as anyone who has seen me with my little siblings can attest, I love to make people laugh. I don’t think I have a preference – my favorite roles are those that are dramatic & have that tinge of humor (be it dark, embarrassing or just silly) – that is just like life in my opinion & I believe the best pieces hold a mirror up to real life. I’d love to play a seemingly strong, confident, intelligent female role – something of a badass be it physical in nature or career-wise but who lacks that key to holding her personal life together, someone broken on the inside. I’d love to work with Sofia Coppola, Claire Danes, Richard Linklater – there are so many people I want to work with!
You’ve done film, TV, and theatre. What is your preference? How do you decide what project to tackle?
Theatre is something I have done since I was a little girl – it feels like home to me. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve transitioned into TV & film as well & now feel strongly that I must continue working in all 3. Ideally, I would love to be on a series, do films during hiatus & squeeze in a play at least twice a year. I take the roles that move me, that I’m passionate about or that will challenge me the most. Right now, I’m learning to speak Urdu to play a Pakistani girl – the role isn’t large but I was excited about testing my language skills.
What does a day-in-the-life of Tania Verafield look like?
Hectic fun! No, really, I’m a simple girl. I was born & raised in a small town part of LA, where I’m living now, so my days are full of seeing my local mailman, coffee shop barista, etc., all of whom have known me since I was a child. I spend a great deal of time with my family (especially my kid siblings) and all my childhood friends – I am so grateful that my career is pursuable in the city I grew up in. I run around going to acting class, auditions, rehearsals & always make time to be outdoors with my dog – we love the LA weather!
What is something fun or surprising about you that is not in your bio?
As a result of tremendous divorce & remarriage, I am one of 8 siblings – we are all half or step but I consider each of them family. I wouldn’t change my blended family for the world – I am blessed to have so many incredible people in my life.
What’s next for you?
I am currently in the show “Suburbia” at Pacific Resident Theatre in Venice, CA (http://www.pacificresidenttheatre.com/suburbia/) running the month of June. I am looking forward to the episodic TV season starting up after that & seeing what’s in the cards for me.
How can people keep in touch and learn about your next projects?
Check out my website www.tania-verafield.com. I am not the greatest at updating it, but this will inspire me to!
I attended an informative writers panel sponsored by the Asian affinity group, A3, at Time Inc. It featured Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, Author of the novel Pastor’s Wives and the CBS pilot The Ordained and former TIME writer; Alison Singh Gee, Author of the memoir Where the Peacocks Sing and former PEOPLE writer; and Kirby Kim, Literary Agent, William Morris Endeavor. It was moderated by Julie Dam, Assistant Managing Editor of PEOPLE and Author of novel Some Like it Haute.
Some of my favorite Tweetable moments:
Overall, I loved how scrappy, non-linear and different the paths were to getting started and getting published. Julie Dam talked about doing her own publicity and not relying on the publisher – she blogged as her character for months leading up to book launch. Lisa Takeuchi Cullen talked about how she pitched her now agent multiple times before finally gaining interest. Alison Singh Gee talked about telling everyone she knew about her book to keep the momentum going. Helen Wan, an author/ journalist not on the panel, lobbed in that she worked on her upcoming book, The Partner Track, for 12 years alongside a full-time job.
These sentiments echo my earlier interview with Trevor Shane, author of thriller trilogy, Children of Paranoia, who still works as a lawyer at a financial firm by day, while writing his books at night.
What are you going to write (or film or create) now that there is no excuse?
I had the privilege of hearing Judy Gold interview George Lopez at the 92nd Street Y. Full disclosure: I am a BIG George Lopez fan. I discovered his TV show in reruns because my 11-year old watched it on Nick, and it became our family show. When my 11-year old had to get an MRI (for luckily nothing serious), I calmed her down by pointing out if she were George Lopez she might get her head stuck in the machine. She laughed throughout her procedure thinking of that. The MRI technician said she was the first kid who laughed during an MRI. Thank you, George Lopez!
He said a lot of funny and memorable things, many of which I Tweeted:
He talked about looking up to Freddie Prinze, Sr., and how important Prinze was to encouraging him into comedy. How’s that for another reason we need diversity in entertainment!
But my favorite line was when he answered an audience question about his driving force. Lopez grew up in a tractor house with no air conditioning – they would bring the TV outside because it was cooler to watch there. His first job paid $2/hr. He grew up around people with no drive. How then did he motivate himself and keep on motivating himself despite the slow start?
I wanted to be somebody more than I wanted to be nobody. – George Lopez
Trevor Shane is a lawyer by day and author by night. He is behind the thriller trilogy, Children of Paranoia, and its second book, Children of the Underground, has just been released. Both books are excellent (dark and sad, but thrilling), and I’m excited for the final installment in fall 2013, Children of the Uprising.
In this 20-minute audio, I talk to Shane about his four-year journey to first-time published author, about his writing process (and why he doesn’t believe in writer’s block), and how he balances a demanding day job with the creative demands of writing with being married with two young sons:
Children of Paranoia has just been optioned by CBS Films, and you can follow Trevor Shane on Twitter, Facebook, or his website.