Dancer, international Talent, Interviews & Features!, Model

Dancer Anton Engel talks the BBC Music Awards, Magic Mike Live, and doing what he loves

January 14, 2017 pressva Leave a comment

anton-bbc — Anton Engel at the BBC Music Awards.

Last month, dancer Anton Engel performed for millions dancing at the BBC Music Awards. The experience was not necessarily new for the young dancer, who has been featured on many broadcasts in his established career, but it was thrilling none-the-less.

The show, which premiered December 16^th, 2016, featured Britain’s best musical talent. Engel knew what being picked as a dancer for the show meant, and would not let the pressure of performing on live television interfere with his job.

“It is always a great feeling to have such a big audience in the auditorium and at the same time watching you on the television live. The crowd was absolutely amazing,” said Engel. “We made sure we knew our material inside out so that we could would only focus on delivering a great performance and presence on stage.”

Engel, who is also a model, was given the opportunity with the show to really focus on his appearance on stage. He was playing the role as both a dancer and model, with the responsibility of accompanying the presenters on stage with the right timing and elegance. They needed a model who would be able to take direction from a director very quickly regarding counts, placement, timing and movement. Coming from a dancing background, this was not an issue for him.

“It can be very stressful, but at the same time it is what I love. It was all about having a good quality of movement with an elegant and jazzy walk,” said Engel.

The ceremony, being one of the largest music shows in the world, had an average audience of 3.9 million people watching live on BBC One. Engel worked closely with the world-renowned team at Black Skull Creative productions, including Ross Nicholson, Dan Shipton, and choreographer Jay Revell.

“Anton will always present a great final product while keeping a professional approach to it during the process. It is always a pleasure to work with Anton, since I know that my work is in good hands. He has always delivered a great performance with a personal touch that only Anton can create. His performance quality is very original and pleasant to watch while his energetic and positive personality stays very enjoyable to work with,” said Revell.

Originally from the countryside in Switzerland, in a small town called Ballen, Engel has come a long way. He has performed for the British royal family, danced with worldwide top-charting group Fifth Harmony, toured with the sensational glamor group The Dreamboys, and been featured on Alan Carr’s New Year Specstacular. No matter how big or small his job is, he is always doing what he is truly passionate about.

“Dancing is something that I have always enjoyed. I feel like I can express myself in a way that words would not be enough. It’s that moment where you and the music become one and everything around you stops. The dance world is such a nice atmosphere, when you meet a dancer you have a lot you can relate to since you are sharing the same passion and have the honor to experience the feelings that dancing can give you. Being lucky enough to have an audience to share my passion with is the best feeling ever,” said Engel.

Engel grew up speaking three languages: German with his mother, Swedish with his father and French at school and with friends. At 13, he and his friends formed a competitive breakdancing group. He moved to Sweden by himself at the age of 16 to study dancing. At 19, he moved to London to live his dream of being a professional dancer. He is now 23 years old and have a critical place in the dance and fashion industries all over the United Kingdom, and will soon be making his way to Vegas to dance in Channing Tatum’s Magic Mike Live.

“The feeling of knowing that I will be moving to Las Vegas working for Magic Mike is unreal, I still can’t believe it. I am constantly thinking about it and it puts a smile on my face. Knowing that I will be performing for thousands of people in the iconic Hard Rock Café in Vegas is a dream coming true,” he said. “It is a huge change of lifestyle for me and I’m looking forward to it. I feel like It is time for a new chapter in my life and I have never felt so ready.”

Engel will be working alongside the director, Channing Tatum, as well as choreographer and co-director Alison Faulk, who choreographed the Magic Mike films with Tatum. He will also work with choreographer Luke Broadlick, associate choreographer and director Teresa Espinosa, and all the other professional dancers in the show. But for Engel, it is just another opportunity to do what he loves.

“When I dance I feel like everything around me stops. All my thoughts and worries are put to the side and I can enjoy life and the moment. The feeling of you being overtaken by dance, whether it is you just improvising, performing on live TV or for a big audience, the feelings and the way it makes your body feel there is nothing else like it,” he concluded.

You can buy tickets to Magic Mike Live here.

Reviews, Interviews & Features!

Graphic Designer Jiping Liu Applies Her Talent to the Film Industry

January 13, 2017 lgreenbaulm Leave a comment

So much money and creative effort goes into a film before it makes it to the screen, and while the fruits of a powerful collaboration are undoubtedly fulfilling, the real payoff comes from getting audiences to give their attention to a project, something that graphic designer Jiping Liu achieves with unparalleled mastery.

Many may ask how a graphic designer such as Liu fits into a film production, and the answer comes down to her ability to create striking graphics that grab a viewer’s attention and makes them want to watch a film they know very little about.

In addition to getting her bachelor’s in digital media arts from Beijing Jiaotong University, Liu, who is originally from China, spent a decade of her life painting.

While her creative skill as a graphic designer brought her a great deal of success back home in China, with Liu designing for Tencent, one of the largest internet companies in the world, as well as for leading mobile digital platform developer Inforgence, she knew there was an area where her talents would not only be better suited, but also more personally fulfilling, and that came through film. Fearlessly diving into her passion for film, Liu left her successful career as a graphic designer in China to complete her master’s in filmmaking at the New York Film Academy where she received a scholarship, and she has made incredible strides in the industry since.

Earlier this year she did the graphic design for the heart-warming film “She Gives Me Sight,” which revolves around a young blind boy named Cecil, played by Diego Delpiano who viewers can also catch in the upcoming film “The Zookeeper’s Wife” starring Golden Globe Award winner and two-time Oscar nominated actress Jessica Chastain (“Zero Dark Thirty”). The film, which Liu also wrote and directed, follows the way Cecil’s grandma, who is played by Rosemary Stevens (“Tumble Leaf,” “Newlywed and Broke”), raises him to be a strong and capable adult despite his disability by treating him as though he is no different than anyone else.

"She Gives Me Sight"Jiping Liu — “She Gives Me Sight” film poster designed by Jiping Liu

For the “She Gives Me Sight” film poster Liu created a captivating picture of Cecil appearing in a dark silhouette with the silhouette of a city skyline juxtaposed against the ‘Sight’ portion of the film’s title, with the poster’s background being a warmly lit representation of his grandmother’s home lined with a series of lamps. Revealing the dichotomy between dark and light, and the way a blind boy learns to see through ways other than his eyes, Liu captures the essence of the film perfectly with the poster she designed for “She Gives Me Sight.”

The film has done extraordinarily well on the film festival circuit taking home awards at the 2016 Direct Short Online Film Festival, the LA Underground Film Festival, the Hollywood Boulevard Film Festival and the Hollywood International Moving Pictures Film Festival, as well as earning an award nomination at the International Monthly Film Festival, and being selected as a semi-finalist at the I HELLA Love Shorts Film Festival and the Hollywood Screenings Film Festival. “She Gives Me Sight” also screened at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival, the SHORT to the Point Film Festival and the Roma Film Festival where it was chosen as an Official Selection.

Over the last few years Liu’s creative eye and skill as a graphic designer have led her to land coveted positions as the creator of eye-catching film posters for films such as “Successor of the Southern Star,” “Red Cherries,” “Don’t Touch Me” and the upcoming film “Sea of Mirrors” from well-known Macau director Thomas Lim (“Roulette City,” “The Rat-Ox Diaries”).

What makes Liu such a unique artist in the film industry is the way she has expanded upon her foundation as a graphic designer in a way that has allowed her to contribute her talents to a variety of vital roles on film and television productions.

Earlier this year Liu contributed her strengths as a graphic designer to the art department of Thirati Kulyingwattanavit’s award-winning horror film “Kumal.” Based on the ancient Thai legend of sacrificing an unborn child in order to achieve immortality, the film follows Tom and Charlie, two friends who hear screams from a decrepit house and dash in to help; but when they find themselves in the center of dark voodoo ritual, they soon discover that their good samaritan impulses may have put them in a situation from which they may never escape.

Being chosen as an Official Selection of more that 20 film festivals across the globe, “Kumal” has earned numerous awards including the LAIFF August Award at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards, four Awards of Recognition from the Hollywood International Moving Pictures Film Festival, and the Award of Merit from the Depth of Field International Film Festival Competition.

As part of the film’s art department Liu worked on creating many of the props and wardrobe elements in the film including the character’s bloody shirts and the blood drenched baby, as well as oversee the continuity of the bloody props from shot to shot. After wrapping the filming of “Kumal” Liu has also been tapped graphic design a new version of the film’s poster and title design.

She says, “Graphic Design helped me work in the film’s Art Department on set, and after shooting I worked on the poster and title design, so I worked in two processes for the film, which helped me connect and get a deeper understanding of the film, making it much easier to work on the poster and title design.”

With several award-winning productions under her belt, and several production companies clamoring to hire her for unique talents, it’s clear that Jiping Liu has found a powerful niche in the film industry thanks to her adept skill as a graphic designer.

Behind the Scenes, Director, Film Editor, international Talent, Reviews, Interviews & Features!

ZHENG KANG’S LION DANCE IS AN INSTANT CLASSIC OF ANIMATION

January 7, 2017 pressva Leave a comment

Zheng Kang is redefining the role of animator. Yes, he is technically given the title director/animator but he does (pun intended) the lion’s share of the work on Lion Dance. For this production, he helped create the script, directed a live action cast (more about this later), directed the animation (coordinated with different teams on different continents), animated, and essentially helped to coordinate every aspect of this film. Zheng has been a driving force behind so many animated productions (Comedy Central’s TripTank, Diors Samurai, Baby and Granny, etc.) that he is constantly striving to create original approaches to ward off any unconscious attempt to fall into a pattern. In Lion Dance, Kang has gone to new heights of diligence and preparation in order to create a unique look and storyline to reflect accurately on his native culture and the characters of the film. It’s this intense work ethic and attention to even the smallest detail that led to a host of accolades for Lion Dance, not the least of which was the decision to use Lion Dance as a teaching aid by the faculty at USC (University of Southern California) School of Cinematic Arts for their graduate animation classes. Winning awards and screenings at prestigious festivals is high praise (both of which Lion Dance has garnered) but being used as a template to the premier graduate students in the field is a rare accomplishment indeed. It doesn’t come easy; Zheng can attest to this. He worked hard to make Lion Dance an epitome of its ilk. The achievements and praise of the film confirm that all of this tenacity paid off in spades for this young and creative professional. Lion Dance continues to focus attention on Zheng Kang’s contributions to the animation film world.

In creating Lion Dance, Kang wanted to present a love story that was original. Just as importantly, he wanted to present its main characters in a new way. He states, “As a Chinese man, I’m well aware that the male Chinese characters are often presented as comic relief. I was committed to portraying my leading man as exactly that, a leading man. I wanted to show that he could be brave, kind, searching for love; I wanted him to represent all those qualities that Asian men are seen void of.” The Hero, Jian, is the “head” of the lion in the traditional ‘Lion Dance’ during the parade celebrating Chinese New Year in his town. He and Ayumi (the female lead) lock eyes and fall in love, but Jian is in mid- parade and must continue his march through the town. It is typical when the Lion Dance is performed in real-life that two teams will take turns performing inside the Lion costume because it is so heavy and hot! When Jian hears a hand tapping on his Lion costume, he assumes it is the relief team and he races off to find Ayumi. He arrives at her balcony and is sad to see she is not there. Heartbroken, he heads back to take his place in the parade. The film then switches to Ayumi’s perspective of the events. After their eyes met, Ayumi decides that she can’t let Jian simply march away. She races after him, catching up with his Lion at the same time as the relief teams are taking their shift. She taps Jian’s Lion costume, and he mistakes her for the relief team. Throwing the Lion head onto Ayumi without looking, he races off to find her, unaware that she was standing right next to him! Now, as the relief team begin to march, poor Ayumi finds herself pushed along inside the parade. The star-crossed lovers seem doomed at this point to be diverted from each other. In the final act of the film, a sad Jian becomes very confused when he spots that his Lion is no longer in the parade, and is instead playing with local children. He walks over and lifts the Lion’s head off to find Ayumi underneath. Both are surprised, and relieved, having finally found each other. In the final scene, the camera drifts off to a romantic firework display as the young heroes fall in love. Zheng created these young characters to provide a role model he felt had been too often overlooked in film. He comments, “I wanted to ensure that I was as diverse as possible and created a starring role for an Asian man that allowed him to be an action hero (rather than a comedy relief) and a starring role for an Asian woman that allowed her to have confidence, strength of character, and personality (rather than being a Caucasian guy’s one-dimensional love interest). I believe that no matter what art form you work in, you have the ability to inspire and educate society with a positive message.

In his role as director/animator for Lion Dance, Kang utilized a very unique approach. Because he wanted the characters to avoid any status-quo type movements found in animation, Zheng cast and directed a group of live actors in order to get completely original movements and expressions. Employing a method known as rotoscoping, the animators would work on top of the live action footage and follow the actual live sequences. This led the animators to following the movements of the actors rather than deferring to their stock ideas about what movements should look like in animation. The result is immediately noticeable as different from the vast majority of animation productions. Zheng concedes that this method was every bit as successful as he had imagined. The only difficult aspect was that he had so many great actors auditioning with interesting interpretations of the characters.

To meet the scheduling and budgetary constraints but yet still bring his vision to completion, Kang hatched another ingenious approach. Coordinating multiple crews on different continents, he created a twenty-four hour per day work schedule. Zheng’s co-director Tim Pattinson was astonished as he relates, “On Lion Dance, Zheng’s directing skills were exceptional. Using a series of sketches, drawovers, and video calling, he was able to effectively and assuredly communicate very complex animation direction to teams across 5 continents, resulting in the successful completion of our animated scenes. In Tokyo, Zheng created a complex and incredibly successful method of visually communicating the direction of our original sound and score design to Japanese speaking team members, via a series of graphs showing our story’s emotional peaks and troughs, high-energy moments, etc. Lion Dance has been very well-received globally and I have no doubt that it could not have enjoyed any of this success without Zheng’s clear, confident, and incredibly commercially-successful direction. Zheng’s skills on Lion Dance as the Animation Lead were invaluable, in terms of achieving our finished film.” The recognition and achievements Lion Dance has received are literally too numerous to mention in one article but a few include: Award of Recognition (Hollywood International Moving Pictures Film Festival 2016), Animation Of The Month (The Monthly Film Festival) October 2016, Best Animation (Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards) November 2016, Best Animated Short Film (Chandler International Film Festival) October 2017, Best Animation (Asian On Film), Best Short Animation (Canadian Diversity Film Festival), Best Short Animation (Canadian Diversity Film Festival), and official screenings around the world in LA, London, Guam, Toronto, and many others.

When asked what fueled the herculean amount of work he did for Lion Dance, Zheng reveals, “I really do feel that any artist can have a positive effect. I knew that this was a great love story that could also show people from my part of the world to be the same as anywhere else. There will always be cultural differences but in our hearts we all want the same things. Animation serves to tell that story just as well as a feature film, a great song, or a moving painting. Oh, and one other thing fueled all of this. Typically, for a whole year, the work for me was 15-hour days/7 days- per-week. Approaching the last month of production, the light at the end of the tunnel was visible. Tim [Pattinson] and I have a friend named Konie and his fantastic Korean cooking kept us going. we’d have been living on hot dogs and potato chips for that last month if not for him. That’s a hero to me as well!”

Behind the Scenes, Cinematographers, Film, international Talent, Reviews, Interviews & Features!

CINEMATOGRAPHER YASH KHANNA MAKES “OUIJA SUMMONING” FRIGHTENINGLY GOOD

January 7, 2017 pressva Leave a comment

When filmmakers create a film on a smaller budget that does huge numbers, Hollywood sits up quickly. That’s exactly what happened when Writer/Director Marwan Mokbel’s Ouija Summoning (produced by Egywood Pictures) became a hit horror film. Ouija Summoning was distributed by some of the biggest platforms in the U.S. and worldwide, including Amazon Prime, Walmart, Best Buy, Red Box, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, and many more. Horror films are among the most commercially successful genres in the industry. When a film like this with tighter budgetary constraints is so well received, it’s proof that the story and the look of the film are exemplary and in perfect synergy. Horror productions rely heavily on the believability of the “look” as fans of the genre continually demand more realistic visuals for the unbelievable situations. Mokbel needed a consummate professional as his DP for Ouija Summoning and he found it in Yash Khanna. One of the main reasons for Khanna’s enthusiasm about being involved was Marwan’s encouragement that his DP be experimental. Creative people love the opportunity to do just that…be very creative. The scenario worked out well for Yash, Mokbel, and the film they have created. Marwan states, “I hired Yash because of his extensive history of bringing a unique visual style and stamp to each production he has worked on in the past. Yash was nothing short of impressive with his work on our film. His understanding of lighting, composition, and color, reveal his talent while the thoroughness of his preproduction preparedness gives proof of his staunch work ethic and commitment. The film one hundred percent succeeded thanks to the fantastic contributions of Yash.”

Khanna relents that being prepared is the most necessary part of his early contributions to any film. His eclectic resume (including films such as: Funny Man, How To Get Girls, Slipaway, Exit, and many others) displays his ability to be a valued Cinematographer on a production for any genre but, his work on Ouija Summoning allowed him to stretch his creative muscles in the appropriate manner for this horror production. Yash notes, “The reason for taking on a project like this, other than working with someone great like Marwan, is that I was afforded the chance to do different techniques. I learned some new things about the horror genre working on this film. I learned how it can be made gripping. I was able to try some lighting ideas which I had wanted to try for a long time. Usually we don’t get to play much with underexposure and contrast but I was able to explore many of these ideas while shooting Ouija Summoning. Marwan works at a very quick pace so shooting fast on multiple setups was a good experience for me as well.”

From the very earliest stages of his preproduction planning, Khanna set down with the department heads to design the color palette for wardrobe and art design in order to achieve a gothic look for the film. Moving on to lighting and color, Yash wanted to execute soft lighting but with a lot of contrast. The reason behind this choice was to make the atmosphere appear grey and gloomy. Khanna and his team designed their lighting by first cutting and diffusing the daylight and then they began lighting the world of Ouija Summoning. They came up with the idea of using stained glass. This would allow them to introduce harsh colors in the frame. They then designed a rig that would keep the color temperature in sync with the sources, accommodating the many scenes with flashlights and candles. A prime example of the result is in the suspenseful first scene of Ouija Summoning. Yash explains, “The Opening scene was one of the toughest ones to film. We were filming in the basement of an old house. The scene was a long one shot with practical effects. We needed a very dim look as it was the first time we reveal paranormal elements in the film. Marwan had written the scene in a very gripping tone and we wanted to do justice to it. We rigged small units where the camera wouldn’t see them and rigged just the right amount of practical [lighting] where we would feel silhouettes moving.

It was really tight quarters and I had to operate the camera through the stairs walking down and following though narrow corridors. It was a long take. A lot of fans comment that this is a ‘jump out of your seat moment for them…which makes me very happy.”

In a film of the horror genre, it’s a modern day requirement to use VFX, fans expect it and almost demand it. In Ouija Summoning, a beautiful woman is haunted by an evil spirit after an innocent game of Ouija board goes horribly wrong. Sara (the woman) had a perfect life until an evil spirit was summoned from a Ouija board. This spirit had once killed its own son and cannot put the past behind it. Sara is tormented by this spirit, who will stop at nothing until it destroys Sara and everyone else in her life. Making good use of his prior experience working on projects which involve VFX, Khanna planned his lighting, color, and camera choices with the VFX team to make this work to the film’s advantage. Sometimes however, VFX is not enough. Only the authenticity that comes from witnessing real events works in a storyline. In the climactic ending scenes of Ouija Summoning, Sara flees from the spirit and the viewers witness a harrowing chase. For Yash’s role as DP, it was one of the most dangerous and important scenes. He confirms, “The car chase scene, towards the later end of the film, is where the character is driving away from the paranormal spirit. This scene required the car to appear fast and out of control along curvy desert trails. Our stunt man had to skid the car along the turns and do a 180 spin and flip the car in one single motion; after which the car explodes. This was filmed during a one-night shoot. Time constraints were strict, the risk of danger was high, and we could obviously not do take after take of exploding cars. I had multiple camera units running to maximize the footage. We lit a huge area of the desert because we were shooting from far away. The shot came out perfect and was one of the highlights of the movie, a real testament to the planning we did and the amazing execution of our crew!”

Because of the stir Ouija Summoning created, Yash is now fielding a host of offers. The best advertisement is doing great work. The public took great interest in Ouija Summoning and the look which Khanna created, now Hollywood is taking great interest in him. Smiling he declares, “The success of Ouija Summoning has been a great boost for my career. This was my first horror film. I have been offered many horror scripts as a result of it. I’m reading them and waiting for something unique to interest me. I am excited about what’s next.”

Actor, Featured Actress, Film, Reviews, Interviews & Features!

Gioya Tuma-Waku Shines Bright in new film

January 6, 2017 pressva Leave a comment

gioya-2 — Gioya Tuma-Waku plays Dalia in *Shine Bright*.

Many films and television shows driven from the female perspective deal with a lead searching for a romantic companion with funny tidbits along the way in her quest for true love. The genre ‘chick-flick’ although entertaining, tends to portray some two-dimensional female characters that are motivated by little else than their careers and/or romance. On the other hand, there is a typical role for women to be cast as a sexy sidekick in an action-packed adventure. Slowly, Hollywood is stepping away from this type of pigeon-holing, and deeper characters are being written for female leads. The new feature film Shine Bright does just that, and explores the relationship of two sisters dealing with life’s tragedies, love, conflict and surprises. It’s a story about self-discovery and follows how two sisters react differently when faced with grief and their journey to overcome it.

Actress Gioya Tuma-Waku plays Dalia in the film. Dalia is the best friend and right-hand-woman of Genesis, the younger sister in the story, played by Maya Brattkus who is known for her role in the indie film Wild Prairie Rose. They are teens dealing with dating, social media, the pressures of graduating, and enjoying their last year in high school.

“I wanted to be in this film because it’s a beautiful story about the bond between sisters and their journey overcoming pain and grief. I love female driven stories or any stories that have strong female leads because this industry is mostly male driven and as a woman, I enjoy stories that I can relate to and stories that are written from our perspective but that are not clichéd and those are the kind of roles I want to be seen in,” said Tuma-Waku.

The film is written and directed by James Avelar, known for the 2008 film Look at Me, and who also owns the production company Calixtro Films. Avelar describes working with Tuma-Waku as a delight, saying the moment he met her, he knew she would be an integral part to his film. Now, he wants to work with her on all his future films.

“Good actors are very hard to come by. When I met Gioya to go over the role, I knew she was that character. Given that the character was a teenager and Gioya is not, her youthfulness and innocence was the right look I needed for the character. She became a teenager, and it is not that easy for most actors who are over 21 to go back and live and act like a teenager,” said Avelar. “Gioya is also a great improviser. She came up with dialogue that helped the scene, which made it better, and made her character more believable. What makes her a great actress also, is her interaction with the other actors. She was giving, caring and helpful in any way to move the story along. Coming to rehearsals, editing dialogue, even reading other parts when the other actors could not show up for rehearsals.”

Tuma-Waku is originally from the Congo, but was raised in South Africa. She wanted to work on the film because it is a coming-of-age but is female driven, describing the importance of Hollywood starting to diversify, and that includes gender just as much as it includes ethnicity and culture. This is something that Avelar captured in his story.

“James is a wonderful director because he allows you to take he’s written on the page and combine it with your own imagination and script. It was great to be allowed the freedom to add certain things while still adhering to the essence of the script. Some directors don’t allow you to deviate at all from the script but James wanted us to use our natural instincts. And when your character is a teenager, you want to be able to play around with her and be a little silly because the age calls for it,” said Tuma-Waku.

Being silly while playing Dalia was definitely fun for Tuma-Waku. Dalia is a teenager who loves to party and is very techno savvy, but is also a good student and she looks out for her best friend. Although she is playing a teenager, Tuma-Waku says there are similarities between herself and her character.

“Dalia is very protective her best friend and will be the first to raise any concerns she has about people who she thinks are a good influence. I get pretty protective of my close friends too. I don’t like or want anyone messing with their happiness,” said Tuma-Waku. “I could also be a lot quirkier with her dress sense, which is similar to how I used to dress but have grown out of it.”

Tuma-Waku has also appeared in a webisode of Pre-Dates, and an improv based short called Dr. Brown where she was able to go back to her African roots as well as an original theatre piece called Circles in which captured the audience in the leading role at the well known James Armstrong Theatre in Torrance. She has also been cast in a pilot called Up The Ladder and is currently filming two webseries called Dreamchaserz, where she is cast in the supporting role and The Palms Series, where the lead role was offered to her by the producer whom she had previously worked with on Pre-Dates.

Shine Bright also stars actress Rebecca Grimes, playing the older sister Andie. Grimes immediately thought of Tuma-Waku and recommended her for the role, knowing the talent and versatility that Tuma-Waku possesses as an actress.

“When you find people who you work well with, you stick with them,” said Tuma-Waku. “You see this happening every day in the industry, even with the biggest stars and directors, because you know the kind of quality of work you will get, and I got to work with amazing people.”

Shine Bright is currently in post-production and expected to premiere later this year. There is no doubt that with such an impactful storyline and strong cast, it will be making its way through the film festival circuit.

“I wish people would support indies like these more often. Because these are the people who have a dream and no funding but find a way to barely make it work because they are so passionate and eager to tell their story and share it with everyone,” Tuma-Waku concluded. “This is a beautiful film about two sisters who had to rely on each other and are forced to grow up too fast, and should be seen by people, especially the younger generation, because it’s something that actually happens a lot more than it is talked about.”

Actor, Featured Actress, Film, Reviews, Interviews & Features!

Anele Morris stars in upcoming film Snake Outta Compton

January 6, 2017 pressva Leave a comment

anele-2 — Anele Morris is an actress from South Africa.

Most twelve-year olds barely know what they want for dinner let alone what they want to do for the rest of their lives. Many teenagers’ passions change as fast as their clothes. Anele Morris is the exception.

Morris started writing when she was just a twelve year-old growing up in South Africa. She would change the outcome of stories she would see on the television screen by writing her own endings and different scenes. This hobby slowly transitioned into something much more, a love for acting.

When Morris was 20, she was presented with the opportunity to audition for the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles, where she was awarded with a partial scholarship. That’s when her professional acting career began. Now, she plays the role of Carly in the upcoming feature film Snake Outta Compton.

“Working on this feature film was an absolute joy. This was my very first comedy and it was an amazing experience to explore that side of my acting ability,” said Morris. “I learned that comedy acting is a lot of fun and I definitely would love to do more of it.”

Morris worked with director Hank Braxtan on Snake Outta Compton, which she doesn’t take lightly.

“Working with Hank taught me how to have more fun on set and to enjoy the experience,” said Morris. “He gave us freedom as artists and directed us in a way that helped improve my creativity.”

Braxtan has directed actors such as James Remar (Django Unchained) in his film Unnatural, which he also edited and got limited theatrical release for.

This is not Morris’ first taste of success. She has a starring role in the film Bloggers, which she wrote and produced and it has been submitted to a variety of film festivals over the next year. She also appeared in an episode of the award-winning web series Adopted. She also is the lead actress in the film Arsenic, and is in the film After.

“As an actress I submit myself to telling someone else’s truth. It is not about me but about the character. I imagine the character as the musician; my body is the instrument, the notes are made from the internal and external dialogue, and the performance is the music she plays,” said Morris. “I like the artistry of it, how you can only really trust yourself to be what each character needs to be. It really challenges you as an artist to be creative and own your performance with no apologies.”

With everything Morris has achieved, she has overcome what she believes to be the largest challenge as an actress: a lack of self-confidence. She did this by realizing that she wasn’t on her way, trying to be an actress but that she is an actress, and this allowed her to walk into auditions more confidently and approach scenes with more creativity.

“My goal is to embody the essence of being not just a talented actor but a professional actor who carries herself well in the business of acting as well as in the craft of acting, which includes owning a production company that produces stories that embody the unique talents of all kinds of actors from around the world. I also aim to be a film actress whose name stands for excellence, truth and inspiration. I want to be the kind of actress who is not afraid of discipline and hard work, manifesting success and a career with longevity,” said Morris.

There is little doubt, with the talent that Morris has, that she will achieve all of her goals. However, there is still one challenge that she has yet to overcome, which was the most difficult part of acting as Carly in Snake Outta Compton.

“Honestly, the biggest challenge was standing in my heels for extended periods of time,” she joked. “My feet were really feeling it, but other than that I had a blast.”

Actor, Model, Reviews, Interviews & Features!

Copenhagen Model and Actor Andreas Holm-Hansen Shines Bright!

January 5, 2017 Scott Prewitt Leave a comment

Andreas Holm-Hansen shot by Freddy Billqvist

With the poise of a veteran thespian and an appreciation for the beauty of the human form, Andreas Holm-Hansen is a remarkable figure with talent that shines through in his work as both an actor and model.

In his first big role, Holm-Hansen played ‘Mad’ Mads Steen in the Swedish series “Dreaming in Mono.” The show’s characters were each from a different Scandinavian country, with ‘Mad’ Mads Steen hailing from Holm-Hansen’s native Denmark.

“This was the first time I was given a full script, and I had a lot to learn and memorize,” he said, recounting the initial shock of jumping into such an extensive role so early in his career. “My character goes through a big transformation, and trying to play this was an eye-opening experience for me.”

When Holm-Hansen began acting in Los Angeles shortly after, opportunity found him almost overnight when he was cast in a lead role in the music video for “Blow Me (One Last Kiss),” the latest hit single at the time by three-time Grammy Award-winning musician P!NK.

For Holm-Hansen, there is far more to “being in front of the camera” than simply “being” there. To him, every time he steps into the frame is a chance to step into someone else’s mind.

“I love that your body is your main tool, that you need to learn new things for every role you play,” he said. “With acting no two days are alike — new people, new locations and constantly new impressions and experiences.”

Holm-Hansen has talent in spades, but he also has the added advantage of looking every bit the part of the handsome Hollywood leading man. He is quite literally the picturesque embodiment of a cover model. With his toned physique, air of confidence and striking red hair, it’s no surprise he’s caught the attention of some of the most influential figures in the field today — including famed fine art photographer Thomas Knights. When Knights set out to make a book featuring the 100 hottest redheaded men in the world, he approached Holm-Hansen to be one of the “Red Hot 100.”

“In ‘Red Hot 100,’ I was featured along with 99 other redheaded guys, and we were branded the ‘unofficial 100 hottest redheads in the world,’” Holm-Hansen said.

The photos, which celebrated “ginger” men’s sexuality, were used in Knights’ high-end coffee table read “Red Hot 100.” Holm-Hansen described it as an amazing experience, but there was no way he could have known how immense an impact the shoot would have on his career.

The first book had featured 100 models. But in 2016, Knights began a follow-up, “Red Hot II” with creative director Elliott James Frieze, and chose Holm-Hansen to be one of just a handful models. The book once again focused on redheaded men, but this time it was a more intimate approach. With fewer models, the new series of photos of Holm-Hansen received a much greater focus.

Andreas Holm-Hansen on the cover of Thomas Knights' "Red Hot II" — Andreas Holm-Hansen on the cover of Thomas Knights’ “Red Hot II”

“The book is built around stories of many redheads, who are known for being bullied and for often having a rough time with name calling and teasing,” Holm-Hansen said. “Thomas Knights gathered many of us together and allowed us to share our stories and show that even though we had it tough, we fought through it and became the strong individuals we are today.”

Being featured in “Red Hot II” was an honor in itself, but when Knights was finalizing the book for print Holm-Hansen was in for a big surprise — he was chosen to be the cover model, the very first thing people would see when they picked up the book.

“I had worked really hard to be in great shape for the shoot, and then I was told after the project… that I would be getting the cover,” he said proudly. “It feels amazing.”

Both books are available now, and with Holm-Hansen appearing prominently on the cover, “Red Hot II” is impossible to miss — or resist.

Andreas Holm-Hansen is a shining star, a fact which continues to capture the attention of those in Hollywood and beyond. With talent, charm and good-looks that could heat a cold-room, he is truly unparalleled by any other figure in the industry today.

Actor, Actor Profile, Film, international Talent, Reviews, Interviews & Features!

EDDIE TANG BRINGS LIKABILITY TO A VERY BAD MAN IN THREE SIXTY

January 4, 2017 pressva Leave a comment

Kidnapping is a dangerous situation. It is the subject of the film Three Sixty. While the action displayed on film is tense and dark, Eddie Tang gives a glimpse of levity that has endeared him to the audience and created a stand out role. The brilliance of Three Sixty is not in the originality of its plot (though it does possess a couple of major twists) but rather in the execution and performance of the actors. Every character in Three Sixty is tense and frightening in their own way (even the kidnapping victim “Cheryl”, played very convincingly by Ella Bowman) with the sole exception of Tang. In a small ensemble, the audience is afforded the chance to bond with each character to a greater extent. In Three Sixty, Zac is oddly the character which is most easily relatable. Eddie Tang is an Australian actor with a diverse career in film (Three Sixty, Happy Feet 2, Superman Returns), TV (East West 101), and commercial work (major campaigns by Volkswagen, KFC, and others); his performance as Zac is a perfect example of the talent and on screen charisma that have made him a sought after actor in so many productions. Three Sixty is benefiting from some of that attention as it is set to become a feature film in Hollywood with actors such as Ray Liotta attached to it. Tang is interested in following suit with the film and pursuing the opportunities that Hollywood’s film industry offers.

Three Sixty is an Australian thriller that depicts the story of a kidnapping gone wrong, in multiple ways. It’s the tale of two hapless youths, Zac and Roc, eager to make a quick buck by accepting a job from a nightclub owner to kidnap the girlfriend of a famous footballer. What could possibly go wrong? Nothing? Not if your Roc and greedy for more money. It’s a classic sting, almost a cliché. Get the merchandise, hide and stash it, and raise the price; except that the merchandise isn’t playing ball. No one is playing the game as it was supposed to be played. Nothing in Zac and Roc’s scheme goes according to plan. Just when things seem to get sorted, everything does another three sixty. From the moment when Zac and Roc rip the tape off of Cheryl’s mouth, the duo realizes that they may have kidnapped the wrong girl as evidenced by her American accent rather than the expected Australian one. The chemistry between these three characters (and thus cast members) is undeniable on screen. It is equally as attention commanding as any episode of the Sopranos. This positive interplay was palpable between Tang and Eamon Farren [Roc] during their mutual audition. Faith Martin, one of Australia’s leading casting directors, asked Eddie to audition for Zac based on her experience and intuition about the role. Tang comments, “Eamon and I had an instant connection. Off-set we were best buddies just like our characters were on set. The banter between us was great. There were jokes between us and the sound guys, which led to jumping on the airwaves on the crew radio and causing mischief. It was a fun set to be on. I felt like we were up to George Clooney and Brad Pitt-esque type shenanigans. Sometimes you have to design that kind of vibe on set but it happened completely naturally on Three Sixty. The producer came up to us at dinner on the first night of filming. He said there was magic dust in the air about this film. He was excited by the onscreen chemistry between Eamon and I as actors and how both our characters bounced off each other.”

While Roc is the darker and menacing of the two, Zac is the one who is more meticulous, cautious, and considerate of both the Cheryl and the felonious plan. Zac analyzes the situation and makes sure nothing goes wrong. The dark heart of Three Sixty is the kidnapping and its ambassador is Roc who, if left to his own designs, would add rape to the plan. Zac brings an aura of level headedness and sense of gentile to the circumstance. The comedy of Three Sixty is in the inexperience and the stupidity of these two when it comes to committing the crime. They often stumble their way through, being fooled and bewildered by Cheryl. Another comedy element is the banter and friendship between Roc and Zac. The back and forth commentary between the two characters in the diner is a classic example of this comical relationship. Three Sixty’s small cast (only five cast members in this film) could have resulted in the audience becoming weary of seeing the same actors on screen but, thanks to the electricity between Tang and Farren the opposite is true.

Eddie Tang’s successful portrayal of Zac in this film can be described with one word, subtle. The unobvious nice guy, Zac is presented in a low key manner which draws the viewer in to an emotional place where they feel sorry that he is even involved in the crime. It’s not an easy place for a character to access with an audience…while committing a violent felony. Eddie notes, “I always prepare and research for a role and I did a lot of work running lines with my PA for Three Sixty. My co-lead, Eamon Farren, is such a fine actor that I knew I’d have to be even more prepared to go toe to toe with him. The roles only work in this film if we both are magnetic in our individual ways. Roc is the character that pushes the guy who organized the job for more money. I felt that Zac’s role needed to be subdued in order to be more the natural stylistic kind of character; the character who is the subtle comic relief within the film. Zac is not an over the top clown, but rather the straight deadpan comic relief. It’s very easy to overplay a comic opportunity but if you underplay it, then it becomes more relatable to the audience and you are not begging them to like your character. It’s better if they just do it because they can relate to him. It gives you an opportunity to build rapport. It’s not an easy task to get the audience to like a character who is a kidnapper; a man who in reality is the villain. Nobody likes a kidnapper in real life, but Zac somehow wins over the audience by playing a subdued role within the film.” Eddie was disciplined and proactive in his approach in creating the backstory for his character. He states, “His father was never around. Because of his abandonment issues, he got into trouble in High School and was expelled. Zac started mixing with the wrong crowd. Roc was his best friend. Zac’s a DJ and dabbled in some Marijuana growing up. He’s overweight, not got much money, never had a girlfriend. He grew up in the South Western Suburbs of Sydney.” Eddie’s preparation paid off in his performance with the film’s Official Selection at the following Film Festivals: L.A. Shortfest, Rhode Island International film festival, Flickerfest (Academy accredited), Hollywood Film festival, Sydney Cockatoo Island, Cleveland International Film Festival, Carmel Art, and Bay Area film festival. Three Sixty’s director Dan Mitchell declares, “I do not hesitate when I say that Eddie’s leading role for Three Sixty was irreplaceable. The film could not have achieved the tone that the script suggested without him. I cannot imagine completing the film without him. Eddie’s achievements in his leading role for Three Sixty were a huge factor in the film’s incalculable critical acclaim. A good actor is an invaluable member of any production and Eddie is doubtlessly a great actor. His status as one of the most accomplished members among his peers can be seen in the variety of achievements he has earned throughout his career. Eddie is one of the most sought after actors in his field.” It’s a bit ironic, by not seeking attention for his role as Zac in Three Sixty, Eddie Tang has once again become one of the most lauded and recognized actors in a successful production.

Canadian Talent, Film, Producer, Reviews, Interviews & Features!

Michelle Solomon produces upcoming film Sunny Side Up

January 2, 2017 pressva Leave a comment

Michelle Solomon is both a producer and graphic designer.

Approximately 17% of Canadians are registered as organ and tissue donors. Every 10 minutes another name is added to the national organ transplant waiting list in America. One person can save eight lives. However, many people are desensitized to stats and numbers. They respond better to stories. Producer Michelle Solomon hopes to shed light on this issue by sharing the film Sunny Side Up.

The film tells the story of Marc, who after receiving a corneal transplant unexpectedly befriends a witty, blue-haired girl named Sunny. She helps him see his potential for a happier life.

“Sunny Side Up is a chance to show the real-life impact a donor could have. Hopefully, it inspires people to sign up as organ and tissue donors,” said Solomon. “It is a story that tackles the importance of organ donation and showcases the impact one person could make. This beautiful short film is an abstract look into how one can see the beauty in life despite great adversity.”

The film features a young star on the rise, Peyton Kennedy, as the title character Sunny. Her credits range from leads in television series to feature films, like the Netflix series Between, Emmy award-winning Odd Squad, Killjoys, and Murdoch Mysteries. In addition, she has starred in critically acclaimed films American Fable (across House of Lies’ Richard Schiff and The Fosters’ Gavin MacIntosh), Lavender (with Justin Long), and upcoming Telefilm micro-budget feature Cardinal. She worked alongside the film’s other lead Marc, played by David Reale. David has appeared across both film and television, with credits in Suits, Minority Report, Beauty and the Beast to the Canadian Screen Award winner Bang, Bang, Baby, Ben’s At Home, and, Glen Coco in Mean Girls.

“It was fun and very much a collaborative work environment. We received much support from the community in which we were filming. In the end, our financing was a bit of a Frankenstein between our sponsors, investors, and donations. This resulted in the film feeling “bigger” than us, as we had others equally invested in the project,” said Solomon.

Solomon describes the inspiration for the film beginning with the creation of the title character Sunny. Simultaneously, the writer, Simon Paluck, saw a Facebook post from a friend addressing the twenty-year anniversary of his kidney transplant and how thankful he was for his donor.

“How death in one person could mean life in another was a stimulating relationship worth exploring. Especially if the transplant recipient feels unworthy of the organ donation,” said Solomon.

One of Solomon’s greatest strengths as a producer is her savviness. She instinctively understands who to partner with, where to distribute funds, and where films should be submitted to get the greatest recognitions. Kelly Kiernan, a Producer of Creative Design and Development at DreamWorks Animation, mentored with Solomon during the film and realized her talent.

“Sunny Side Up is developing partnerships with nonprofit organizations. The film is set to enter Tribeca Film Festival and South by Southwest in Austin, Texas. Michelle’s passion for TV and film, combined with her relentless work ethic and drive, led to Sunny Side Up being a hugely impactful film with great performances. I can’t wait to see it’s continued success in the field, and of course Michelle’s continued success as well,” said Kiernan.

Solomon and the film’s writer Simon Paluck run the production company Picosphere Inc. in Toronto, and together have worked on many projects including the award-winning films Emma and Chalk Dust.

“The biggest challenge of Sunny Side Up was shooting the entire thing in three consecutive days with the majority of the shoot being outdoors. Time was never on our side but we overcame it by immediately dealing with problems as they came up and constantly communicating with everyone,” said Solomon.

In addition to being an award-winning film producer, Solomon is internationally recognized for her work in graphic design. She revitalized the Ace Building Materials brand and will be launching her own social shopping app Adoorn early next year. In addition to all of this, she is proud to be a successful producer.

“I absolutely love assembling a group of hard working, talented individuals and seeing everyone work together for a common goal. There are few environments where you really depend on your peers’ skills, and producing is one of them,” she concluded.

Film Editor, Mexican Filmmakers, Music Videos

Zeon: EDITorially Obsessed and Growing Through Fashion Film

December 29, 2016 pressva Leave a comment

fashion-films-zeon-with-mextilo-team-at-asvoff — Zeon with *Mextilo* Team at ASVOFF

Growing up in Mexico City, Alejandro Salinas was captivated by the artistry of music videos. Crafting images and story to music, and the creativity that went along with it, was something he knew he wanted to be a part of. Eventually, this transitioned from a dream to a reality, and now he is professionally known around the world as Zeon, an extraordinary director and editor who isn’t just passionate about what he does, but this passion translates to talent, making him one of the best.

Zeon’s career has been filled with accomplishments making music videos and films. This past year, he also saw success in the fashion world, which he calls one of the highlights of his career so far. Zeon directed and edited first Mexican fashion documentary, titled Mextilo.

“I travelled to Paris, met all these important fashion designers and saw how far a simple idea can take you,” said Zeon. “It was an amazing experience. I collaborated with a very hard working and talented team, who are now great friends who I keep working with. We’re like a family now and I’m glad this project allowed all of us to come together.”

The documentary did so well that it’s now being turned into a book, something Zeon is very proud of. He originally wanted to work on the film because the producer, Gustavo Prado, was someone he had always admired and wanted to work with. However, after being exposed to the project, it being the first of its kind made it even more attractive to get involved with.

“I worked very closely with Gustavo. I had a great time, because he’s not just a co-worker, but a good friend and someone I learned a lot from. The editors are now friends of mine with whom I’ve worked on in different music videos. They are all very talented and fun,” said Zeon. “But getting to know all these designers, the fashion history behind my culture, and this whole visual world I got to explore by making the documentary made working on Mextilo amazing.”

The film had a long process of editing and re-editing, shooting interviews and making the film better with each cut, but having a clear structure and organization allowed Zeon to push through. This perseverance led to outstanding results. In addition to the book deal, Mextilo was the first Mexican fashion documentary premiered at ASVOFF film festival in Paris.

“I feel very honored to have been personally invited by Diane Pernet to the festival. Working so hard on a project locally and seeing how it was much bigger when seen from a worldwide perspective was very rewarding,” said Zeon.

Although it was the first Mexican fashion documentary to appear at the festival, Mextilo was not Zeon’s first taste of success in the world of fashion film. He previously worked on the fashion film and music video Dieode.

“It’s motivating to have such recognition because it proves I’m not the only one who sees potential in what I do, and even though some people in my country don’t seem to appreciate it, the rest of the world does, even more than I expected,” said Zeon. “It was great being involved in all the creative aspects of the film and getting to develop my creative vision with many talented people that further expanded everything in the best way.”

Dieode went on to be an official selection at various festivals, which is satisfying to Zeon as he was in charge of creating the entire concept of the film from scratch, and he worked hands-on with every single creative department.

“Zeon strives for perfection–he’s one hundred percent focused on the work in all the videos or films he’s involved in, always with a lot of responsibility, communication and passion. He’s very detail oriented,” said Kether González, the producer of Dieode. “He is very friendly and kind with the people he works with. He is definitely one of the most dedicated and responsible people that I know in this business.”

fashion-films-dieode-still — Still from *Dieode* fashion music video.

The film premiered in early 2014 at the Cineteca Nacional in Mexico City, with full attendance in the theatre. Zeon was very humbled to see this video finally done, and that people enjoyed it so much.

“People were silent until the very end of the video, and when up until the final credits showed up on screen, everyone clapped euphorically,” he said.

Despite having worked on music videos in the past, Dieode was Zeon’s first time fusing fashion with music videos. He wanted to create his own version of that hybrid.

“It was a very strong and simple idea I thought could work. It would allow me to push my limitations by working with other creative disciplines alongside me,” he said.

With his true passion being in making music videos, Zeon has worked alongside Lady Gaga on the video for her Academy Award nominated song ‘Til it Happens to You, as well as La Lupita, Icon for Hire, and the Raíz collaboration of Lila Downs, Niña Pastori, and Soledad. No matter who he is working with, he knows directing and editing is what he was meant to do.

“I wanted to get into this field because I would be watching music videos that were already released and thinking: “No, this needs to cut faster! It’s the chorus of the song and the most emotional part! How come we’re in a static shot?!” I felt that only by doing it myself would I be able to get my vision across,” said Zeon.

“There’s so many feelings that can be accentuated and drawn just from the right editing, and I’m obsessed with making that happen,” he concluded.