Controversy in the World of Entertainment

Controvery exists everywhere- even in the world of entertainment.  Just because the entertainment Industry may be viewed as artistic and glamorous, it doesn't mean that law and business practices don't apply.  Today, I will give you three examples of current controvery in the entertainment industry. 


I begin with one cause that is personal to me, the "Real Men Don't" PSA created by Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore in their efforts to end child sex slavery.  The big controvery is that film maker Tom Kiesche has been using the "Real Men Don't" phrase since 2006.  Online entertainment website, Bitten & Bound has an article, "Tom Kiecshe vs. Ashton Kutcher 'Real Men Don't' Controvery", compares both videos by Kiecshe and Kutcher and asks readers to see for themselves.  They also report that a spokesman of Ashton's and Demi's told Canyon News, "This allegation is absurd.  There are 7.8 million results on Google for the phrase (Real Men Don’t), used in all sorts of media.”


Another current controversy in the world of entertainment lies in that of the fashion industry.  Its no secret that Calvin klein has been known to be quite controversial in many of his ads over the years.  The most norotious was the Brooke Sheilds ad where the 15 year old at the time stated, "Nothing comes between me and my Calvins".  This time its supermodel Laura Stone wearing nothing but underwear and her body along with the background seem to be spelling out a naughty word.  That's right, the streets of Manhatan seem to be receiving the F-U-"ck" (the calvin klein signature).  Click here to view the billboard.  Fox News Entertainment reporter, Hollie McKay, interviewed editor of AdRants, Steve Hall; he stated, "It won't hurt the brand because CK isn't a brand people look towards to be ‘sensitive’ or ‘politically correct’ or just plain ‘nice.’ No. It's a fashion brand and by design, fashion brands push limits".  As we all know, the 1980's Brooke Sheilds ad did just fine despite all the controversy.  Makes you wonder if creating such controvery is a smove business move.  I think it depends on the industry.


The final controvery I'd liek to share is that of Dreamwork's "Kung Fu Panda".  In China there are protestors who feel the movie has "Americanized" the Chinese culture.  The movie uses several Chinese elements to capture audiences-especially Chinese.  Some Chinese scholars and artists have argued that film has twisted Chinese culture and serves as a tool to "kidnap" Chinese people.  English News Editor, Fang Yang, reports that some Chinese view it as a "cultural invasion".  However, many other Chinese viewers have been huge fans of the "Kung Fu Panda" movies.  They often wonder why they (the Chinese people) have not ever created a movie quite like this before.  The story also reports Deputy General Manager, Cao Hui, expressed "Technically, Kung Fu Panda is not more advanced than Chinese movies, but as for story telling skills, Chinese movies have a long way to go".  The arguments closes with the understanding that there seems to be nothing wrong with using Chinese elements in creating fine cinema.


These three examples are perfect examples of current day controversy in the world of entertainment.  There are tons of other examples found related to the entertainment industry.  One must remember that the Entertainment Industry, like many fellow industries, have much legal guidelines to follow.  The world of creativity is as much business as any other and it is always important to consider and explore all the outcomes and risks imagineable.  Its never a bad idea to continue to conduct research and seek legal guidance or counsil. 

Ready for Jurassic Park 4?

Over the weekend, film director, Steven Spielburg announced at Comic-Con Interntional Convention in San Diego, California, that there will be a Jurrasic 4 coming to theaters in 2013 or 2014.  


Spielburg made a claim; "We have a story. We have a writer working on the script, and I think we will see a 'Jurassic 4' in our foreseeable future, probably in the next two or three years."  

Joe Johnston, the "Captain America" director who worked on the first three, had a bit more to add to Spielburg's comment.  According to the Huffington Post, Johnson stated; "We are in discussions about 'Jurassic Park 4, the most important thing I can tell you is that it starts a new trilogy that will go off in a different direction -- a completely different direction that is very exciting."

Spielburg, a sci-fi film fan since childhood who made the genre movies "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," was at Comic-Con to receive an "Inkpot Award" for achievement in science-fiction movies.

Reuters claims that Spielburg received a standing ovation from the crowd and told them: "We all love the same source material that has brought all of us here and the source material has always been the collective imaginations of so many brilliant artists and storytellers."


Steven Spielburg is a man that needs no introduction.  He is a man of innovation and strong imagintation.  When he created the first Jurrasic Park in 1993, he really brought to life the pre-historic creatures and had them co-exist with human beings for the first time that hisotry and science would ever allow such existence.  The film was indeed a success and so was the sequal, Jurassic Park 2.  However, Jurassic Parl 3, may I just note was not directed by Spielburg, was not a success.  The question is, are we ready for another Jurassic Park adventure after twenty years?

Since news of the anticipatd Jurassic Park 4, many fans are already becoming impatient.  They are eager to see what this new film will bring.  Whether it be a nostalgic crowd awaitng a film from their youth or a sci-fi infused audience, the buzz of Jurassic 4 is being heard world wide.  There is no doubt that Spielburg will add much of his signature wonder to this highly anticipated film.

Negative Perception Negates deals for Casey Anthony

Over the past three years, Casey Anthony has made a name for herself.  She is one of the most recognizable women in the world right now.  However, the way she acquired her infamous reputation had to do with the murder of her 2 and half year old daughter, Caylee Anthony.  


Even though Casey was not found guilty of the murder do to insufficient proof, many entertainment professionals were aware of the attention that was drawn to this case.  Hence, they assumed that they should cash in on her persona right away.  As of right now, Casey has been offered a deal to appear on the Maury Show, a deal to star in an adult film, a movie concerning the case seems to be in the works, and of course a million dollar book deal.  


However, several of those offers have been retracted due to the negative perception she has made for herself.  Vivid's Co-Chairman, Steven Hirsch, has reportedly changed his mind after Vivid fans expressed that they want nothing to do with Anthony.   


The question now is, will the other offers be retracted?  If the porn industry does not want anything to to with Cassey, how will other appearances and books sell?  The idea that these offers are directly intended to profict Casey, may in fact turn off the consumers.  However, there has not been such a hype of interest in such a case since the O.J. Simpson trial.  There has been talk that the jurors should come together to write a book about their experiences during this trial.  There may be better chances of a profit for the jurors than there may be for Anthony.  I have seen many messages throughout social media of people protesting Casey Anthony's offers.  

"energy, emotion, and edge" with edgefactory Omnimedia

Its been almost two solid months since I joined the edgefactory team as a Communications Coordinator.  In my previous entries I expressed my desire to work in the entertainment industry and be able to give back to society in a positive manner.  Now I know, that I have been blessed to have found a company that has the same beliefs as me and strives for perfection in all creative forms.


Let me first begin by introducing edgefactory Omnimedia.  edgefactory OMNIMEDIA is a leading producer of creative video, meetings and special events for Fortune 500 companies, major industry associations and a host of other organizations. Founded in 1998, edgefactory is a multi-disciplined creative resource offering an array of services from creative writing, video production, graphic design, 3D imaging, original music and technical support.  


"We are the award winning, 2010 EMMY® NOMINATED, edgefactory OMNIMEDIA, we are committed to providing world class convention and corporate video production services at affordable prices. Everything that we do, we do with energy, emotion, and, of course, edge".

Based in Orlando, edgefactory's experienced production team uses cutting edge technology to produce and deliver creative video content across the country and internationally. Among its clientele are film production agencies, Audio Visual companies, professional meeting planners, and Fortune 500 companies.

I will never forget the impression I got from these four men; Brian Cole, Keven Leonard, Ryan Haanstraa and Carl Pfeiffer, on my first interview.  I was not only impressed by their experiences and skills but more impressed by their very apparent energy and passion they felt for their work.  The positive energy I felt was contagious.  This group of people clearly had their inividual "egde" about them.  They are all very unique and yet, they manage to compliment one another beautifully.  They are fresh and innovated.  It only took a moment to know that I wanted to be part of their team.

In my short time with this respectable group of individuals, I have learned that they are eco-friendly in all that they do.  I have learned that they are always willing to find a way to work on something they believe in even when things may not seem feasable.  I learned that they LOVE what they do.  They are a well connected and highly creative team with much "energy, emotion, and edge".    

Talk Radio Producer Jose Zouain talks Entertainment and Negotiation

I'd like to introduce you to a good friend of mine and former co-worker, Jose Zouain of Zouain Entertainment and also known as "Zouain" from the hit talk radio show, "The Shannon Burke Show".  He is currently producer to "The Ray Junior Show".  I have watched this young man take different roles professionally and have been impressed by his people skills. Jose has to interact with all sorts of people daily.  He has managed to own and successfully run his own entertainment business as well as produce radio shows.  For this reason I have decided to interview Jose and see what he can tell us about his experiences in the entertainment industry as well as discuss negotiation.


 "From the time I was four years old I knew I wanted to be in the entertainment industry at some point.  I remember standing in front of crowds at a very young age and speaking to them very easily as I do today".  These are the words of Talk Radio Producer, Jose Zouain.  He reminices, "my first taste in entertainment came in the form of an internet radio station called PowerZone Radio.  A guy approached me during my freshman year of college because he said I had a good voice and good knowledge of the format that he was broadcasting in this station.  He taught me the basics of voiceover and Disc Jockey work and I worked for free for a few months while I was a freshman in college". 

From there on, Zouain was approached by the largest DJ company in Orlando, White Rose Productions,  to do work as an emcee in the orlando area  for high end events.  After four months of training, he received his first paycheck as an entertainer and from then on he knew for a fact that entertainment was the industry for him. While working as an emcee, his interest in being a disk jockey greatly appealed to him.  He then began to DJ for celebrity weddings and high end parties all over the south east.  All the while, he was doing full time work as an I.T.  Some may call it a blessing in disguise, I believe that Zouain took charge of his life after getting laid off; he  decided to pursue his life's passion working full time in talk radio.

"I approached a radio station and I was able to learn quickly enough that they entrusted their flagship show to me".  Zouain expresses proudly, "I learned a ton there and through that networked with some very powerful and influential people in the industry".  Since then, he has produced for a number of different shows, doing everything from booking guests, voicing, producing commercials, to on air comedy bits and commentary.  I have personally had the pleasure of seeing him play all of these roles.  Believe it or not, but we all play roles-often different roles; we either play them out or society places us within in them.  This is something that can be used as leverage when negotiating.  Reason being, we become experts in our roles and the way in which we play them influences how others perceive us.  How we are perceived, can determine the outcome of closing a deal or settling a negotiation.

I asked Jose what advice he would give to those pursuing the industry.  He responds, "To make it in the industry is a two fold equation. You have to know the job you’re applying for well. If you don’t, the networking you do could easily hurt you. You can become the person who talks a good game but doesn’t know what they’re doing.  What separates an amateur from a professional is keeping your word".  Jose and I can both agree that being knowledgeable is the best way to win a negotiation.  When one is familiar with the work, one immediatley acquires respect and crediability.  This is mainly due to the confidence a person has when he or she is certain of a subject matter.  Always do your homework and stay abreast in order to better succeed.


He continues, "The other piece of that equation is to network. Network with your fellow classmates, coworkers, and anyone you come in contact with in the industry. The people you sit next to in class or work with you are people who you will more than likely run into in the future. Most branches of the entertainment industry are small. Keep that in mind when encountering anyone". Jose is absolutel right! In any business market-especially that of the entertainment industry, networking is key to good business.  When one networks, one tends to affiliate themselves with cetain groups or chapters.  As we network, we tend to form small and growing social enviroments of a particular group of people.  This is how we resource and identify ourselves amongst others with similar interests.  This is also a tool often used in negotiation.  One should identify with the opponent and agree on a middle ground.  The outcome of a good negotiation is always beneficial to both parties.


Zouain leaves us with one more important tip, "The Entertainment industry is one that it takes a special type of person to enter. You don’t get into it because you want to get rich. You get into it because you LOVE it. If you get rich in the process so be it, but I wouldn’t count on it".  




**** I want to personally thank Jose Zouain for taking the time to enlighten us a bit more on the world of entertainment as well as provide us with a few tips on negotiation. ****

Pirates' Strange Ties

Disney has had much success over the years and has been known for having impecable taste in creating immaginative family films.  Probably one of the most recent box office successes was that of The Pirates of the Carribean and its sequals.  Disney's Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides, was directed by Rob Marshall and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.  The cast made up of: Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Ian McShane, and Astrid Berges-Frisbey to name a few. 

Despite the bad reviews from film critics, Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides has kept up in the box office thanks to its large enthusiastic fan base.  The movie still managed to open the box office with $90 million.  However, this seems to be a disappointment for box office analysts who proclaimed Pirates would have a $100 million opening.    As Thomsons On Hollywood suggests, "In the world of perception, a Wednesday opening might have made a difference. Had Disney unspooled Pirates 4 over five-days, they could be writing press releases heralding a $100 million-plus opening. They implemented a wise distribution maneuver with the last Pirates pic, At World’s End, opening on late Thursday evening prior to Memorial Day weekend, which bolstered pre-Midnight screenings to $14 million at 3,100 sites and total four-half day holiday gross of $153 million.  It will be interesting to see if Pirates 4 crosses $100 million on Tuesday."  Hence, poor timing and publicity accounted for the film not meeting expectations as they had with the first three Pirate movies.

This serves as a valuable lesson in regards to any business opportunities.  It crucial and beneficial to always consider timing, location, and marketing plans to as a special formula to create desired earnings.  I say this because depsite the poor review the critics gave this film, there are many fans still waiting to see this movie that could have been accounted for had they opened on another night of the week or better yet on a holiday weekend.  Never under estimate the fan base.  These strange box office opening results are due to poor executive ties.   

I have included a video of the first trailor to the latest Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides film for you to enjoy.

Meet Vanessa Pascale Editor-in-Chief of Miami Living Magazine

I'd like to introduce you to someone whose hard work, dedication, commitment, and passion has led to a fulfilling career in the entertainment industry.  I truly admire and am very proud of my old high school friend, Vanessa Pascale , who has not only made a name for herself but followed her dreams.


My admiration for Vanessa's success provoked me to ask her a little bit about her journey along the way and her experiences in the industry.  I plan to share her story and thoughts with you for they have been very inspirational and I am certain that it will be very influential to my career as well.


Vanessa is a fellow University of Central Florida alumni who, like many of us, did not have an easy start.  She explained, "I spent almost an entire year actively contacting every major and minor publication I knew of.  Finally, Orlando Style Magazine gave me a shot and asked me to interview Genevieve Gorder--an interior designer from the TV show Trading Spaces who now has her own show on HGTV: Dear Genevieve."  Genevieve Gorder was her first big celebrity interview.  I asked Vanessa of that experience and she feels thankful to have had the opportunity to have interviewed her since she was "incredibly nervous, as I’d never interviewed anyone before, and she was very patient and comforting. She really was so sweet and the perfect person to ease me into interviewing."


She declares that after graduating, she actively sought employment and even flew to New York City for interviews but nothing seemed to come of it.  It wasn't until a close friend of hers mentioned that she was moving to California for grad school, she jumped at the opportunity to relocate, thinking there would be more writing opportunities in Los Angeles- the entertainment capital.  She moved to Los Angeles in 2008 and continued freelance writing.  It wasn't until 2009, that Miami Living Magazine's Editor-in-Chief decided to leave and suggested her for the job.  She was beyond ecstatic she says, "I never even considered becoming an Editor, especially this early in my writing career".  


I would think it to be normal for someone so early in her career to be filled with nerves and doubt in holding such a position, but not Vanessa.  She immediately came into that title with grace and much determination, "since becoming the Editor-in-Chief, I’ve made sure to use this position to my advantage. I’ve actively and steadily built strong relationships with L.A. public relations firms enabling me to garner many celebrity interviews for the magazine and allowing me to showcase the type of writing I’m really passionate about: interviews. And I’ve been able to help my friends promote their careers and businesses, which is really great."  Not only does Vanessa love what she does, she uses her talents and connections to help family and friends and she seems to find that rewarding.  I'm sure this is one of the many reasons I am such a fan of this young, talented, and ambitious woman; she finds it within herself to do more with what is given to her and it shows.

I asked Vanessa what she enjoys best about her career.  She responded, "What I enjoy most about my career is hearing about the journey of these incredibly successful people that I get to interview. It’s enlightening and inspiring. I am a very curious person so this feeds my need to understand people and learn from them."  Its no secret that any good writer needs to satisfy their need to seek answers in order to understand and grow.  Her response definitely leads me to believe that she has met her calling.


I also asked for her thoughts on the entertainment industry over the years and how she sees it evolving.  "In my experience, this industry is very hard to break into. After speaking with people in the industry who have high up positions at major publications/companies, I have found that a lot of them have gotten their jobs because of who they know." 


She continues, "There are so many talented writers out there and not enough positions (magazines) available. It’s really cutthroat. I asked a friend of a friend, who works at Vogue, for some advice and who I should contact about a job and she completely blew me off – did not want to help at all."  It is no surprise that the entertainment industry is the most competitive and one must be resourceful and learn to use their networking skills. 



To close the interview, I asked Vanessa what advice she would give to anyone pursuing a career in the entertainment industry.  This was her response: "If I could go back and do it over, I would’ve tried to intern at Hearst while in college, that way I would’ve had my foot in the door and would’ve been able to move my way up the ranks. I think the industry is only going to get more exclusive and harder to break into as the years go on. For anyone who wants to pursue a career in media/entertainment, I suggest that they hit the pavement full force –this is advice I’ve been given and really live by. Anything worth having takes tons of hard work and if the talent is there and the determination is there, it’s only a matter of time till you’re given the opportunity to shine. Don’t give up."   



***I want to personally thank Vanessa Pascale for taking the time to answer my questions and share some of her experiences, insights, and advice.  I admire your work, your passion, and your drive.  You are truly blessed to be living your dreams.  I wish you well always. ~Drea***