'Cloud Atlas,' 'Passion': Toronto reaction

Image Credit: Jay Maidment

I arrived in Toronto on Monday, five days into the festival, and with this festival that’s so late it can feel like showing up for Thanksgiving dinner around the time dessert is being served. Most of the major, high-profile movies had already been consumed and buzzed about (not to say that some smaller, unheralded gems weren’t waiting to be discovered), and this meant that I’d probably read or heard a thing or two about them, which isn’t the way I like to roll here, but whatever. I bring all this up only because I’d taken in bits and pieces of the divided reactions to Cloud Atlas, the new film by Andy and Lana Wachowski (they co-directed it with Tom Tykwer, the one-hit art-house wonder who made Run Lola Run). And I can honestly say that virtually everything I heard about the movie made me think that I wouldn’t like it at all. A time-tripping multiple-storyline phantasmagorical science-fiction hodgepodge. (It sounded like homework.) Actors like Tom Hanks and Halle Berry playing half a dozen characters apiece. (It sounded like a labored stunt.) Tell-tale comparisons to Darren Aronofsky’s The Fountain. (Sorry, but that’s not the comparison you want to hear.) Nearly three hours long. All derived from a novel that even the filmmakers considered nearly unadaptable. It sounded like a pile-up of pretension, a hyper-mystical jumble — and, frankly, coming from the Wachowskis, it sounded like the worst “cosmic” aspects of the two Matrix sequels compounded and inflated.

So the first thing I want to say about Cloud Atlas is that it’s a nimbly entertaining and light-on-its-feet movie. Adapting the 2004 novel by British author David Mitchell, the Wachowskis tell half a dozen stories at once, but that doesn’t mean the film is a mish-mash. It’s more like a gonzo mini-series made with a sophisticated channel-zapper consciousness — an invitation to go wherever the Wachowskis want to take you, with the trust that they know just what they’re doing. Each of the stories writes its own rules and unfolds in its own madly detailed and organic world. And as the movie goes on, the worlds fuse across time. Cloud Atlas isn’t a chaos; it’s more like the history of movies crammed into a single, emotionally transporting parable of freedom and authoritarian control.

Different elements draw us into the different tales. A post-apocalyptic episode, in which Hanks, as a primitive forest dweller dotted with Maori-style tattoos, reluctantly agrees to be the guide for a searcher (Berry) who looks like she stepped out of Star Trek, draws you in through its odd, slangy language — you learn to decipher it, as you do when you read the novel of A Clockwork Orange — while a fascist-future parable, set in a darkened Blade Runner version of Seoul, is a mesmerizingly ominous vision of a synthetic digitized existence. The way that the tales link up across the centuries isn’t labored or obvious — it’s more like a stone skipping across the water, from one videogame level to the next. Thus, the heroine of the Seoul segment is a fast-food wage slave, played by the outwardly stoic, inwardly perky Doona Bae, who’s living the life of an automaton until she’s spurred to rebel and escape by watching a fragment from an old Hollywood movie, which features Hanks in the heroic role of a beleaguered book publisher, who is played for real in another segment by Jim Broadbent as a desperate British twit who gets locked up in an old age home. He wants to rebel and escape too, and that’s the reigning arc of the film: Everyone is fighting the power, but in each case, it’s something you can’t see. The movie’s Big Idea — and its inspired fusion of form and content — is to wake us up to how all of us are linked through time, through history, self-destiny, and the grand karma of being human.

The multiple-role casting, and the bravura makeup that makes it possible (it includes not just flipped genders but switched racial roles), is so clever and imaginative that it’s more than a gimmick — it’s closer to a burlesque of identity. Casting Hugh Grant as an early-’70s U.S. energy-company stooge in a wide tie is fun…but Grant, in the post-apocalyptic story, as a bloodthirsty “native” in savage skeletal war paint? Now that’s casting against type. That ’70s segment is the place where Tykwer (who directed it) and the Wachowskis come closest to putting forth a timely and specific — and far from conventionally liberal — environmental conspiracy theory: namely, that the possibilities for nuclear power, and therefore for an energy-independent America, were killed off not by the anti-nuke movement but by the oil companies. This segment, too, teams Berry (as an investigative reporter) and Hanks (as a nerdish nuclear scientist) in a romantic connection that reverberates throughout the movie.

Cloud Atlas is an original vision, but in a funny way it’s also a wildly overstuffed smorgasbord that seems to be wearing the entire history of Hollywood genre movies on its sleeve. You’ll catch echoes of a hundred previous pieces of pop culture, from Total Recall to Roots to Soylent Green. I wouldn’t say that Cloud Atlas is profound — it’s more like a pulpy middlebrow head trip — but the hook of this movie is that Andy and Lana Wachowski and Tom Tykwer so clearly meant everything that they put in it. I predict that for a very big audience, it will prove to be one of the must-see movies of the year.

* * * *

Going into Brian De Palma’s Passion (surely it should have been called Brian De Palma’s Passion — or maybe Brian De Palma’s Hot and Bothered Tracking Shot), I knew nothing about the movie apart from the fact that it starred Rachel McAdams and Noomi Rapace. These days, that’s quite an A-list cast for De Palma, so I was intrigued by the prospect of his having made a marquee-name version of one of his voluptuously heightened and even more voluptuously ludicrous operatic killer-thrillers-with-lipstick-lesbian-overtones. But the presence of these two famous and gifted actresses seems to have rooted De Palma. At least, for a while.

Passion, a remake of a French thriller by director Alain Corneau that came out just two years ago, starts off as a reasonably contained and earthbound satire of office politics. McAdams, as an executive at a media-technology company, employs her brightly sexy billboard smile and crisp, emphatic delivery to do an expert take-off on the kind of fake controlled corporate manner that turns the most casual command into a hidden power play. She nails a certain type of troublemaker of a boss who embeds her aggression in a pert, borderline mocking “sincerity.” And Rapace, as her protégé and sort-of friend, who seems like the tremulous, servile one but may, in certain ways, be even more of a competitive head case, keeps you guessing in every scene. When McAdams steals the credit for her subordinate’s innovative ad-campaign concept, that’s the first tip-off that their bond will end in treachery, and the second one is the fact that the mousy-on-the-surface Rapace is having an affair with McAdams’ boyfriend.

The third tip-off is that De Palma, after keeping his infantile gliding-camera “Hitchcockian” impulses under submission for close to an hour, suddenly gives into them like a recovering alcoholic reaching for a shot of Wild Turkey. Why, for five minutes, are we watching a split-screen sequence in which one-half of the sceen is devoted to McAdams wandering through her house, followed by a camera that looks less Hitchcockian than Halloween-ian, and the other half of the screen depicts the ballet performamance of The Afternoon of a Faun that Rapace is attending? The ostensible reason is that the ballet will prove to be Rapace’s alibi.

But the real reason is that De Palma desperately wanted to split the screen and choreograph an entire sequence to Debussy’s music for The Afternoon of a Faun (which sounds like Bernard Herrmann on uppers and downers at the same time). Passion turns into vintage De Palma — which is to say, it makes very little sense and is almost logistical in its absurdity. By the end, I realized that I no longer had any idea of what the movie’s title referred to. Is is true love? Bloodlust? Corporate backstabbing? The lesbian overtones? (Yes, they’re there.) Or is it De Palma’s own passion for turning  whatever he touches into one more attraction in the Brian De Palma formalist funhouse? One thing’s for sure: The passion of the audience is bound to be a distant shadow of the film’s passion for itself.

Follow Owen on Twitter: @OwenGleiberman

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'Shadow and Bone': Potter-powered film?

DreamWorks has picked up the movie rights to Leigh Bardugo’s bestseller Shadow and Bone
, about an orphan girl whose ability to harness a rare magic makes her one of her nation’s most coveted warriors.
Holly Bario, DreamWorks’ president of production, will announce the acquisition later today, and although every studio would like to grab a fresh YA book series in the hope that it can be turned into the next Harry Potter
-style film franchise, not every film has the actual producer of the Potter movies overseeing it.
Shadow and Bone
would be the exception.
David Heyman, who in the late ’90s had the wise instinct to secure the film rights to J.K. Rowling’s wizard-verse, will produce Shadow and Bone
, along with Jeffrey Clifford (Up in the Air), who is president of his Heymaker Films.
The book, which debuted in June, is set in a fantasy version of Russia called Ravka, which is bisected by a territory called the Shadow Fold, brimming with a breed of flying fiends who feast on human flesh. The leadership of Ravka studies children to find those who can wield the power of the elements — fire, wind, water — or can mystically heal, then recruits these powerful young ones into the elite monster-fighting squad known as The Grisha, while all others are conscripted into brutal life in the regular army.
Alina Starkov is one of the latter — a seeming nobody who serves as a mere cartographer until her best friend, Mal, is wounded in an attack, triggering her latent ability to harness the power of light. Not many others in Ravka can do that, and Alina becomes both a prize and a target due to her rare abilities.
It’s not clear yet who would direct the project, or adapt the screenplay, and since the deal just closed there’s not yet a firm timeline for getting the film into production and out into theaters.
Shadow and Bone
is the first installment in Bardugo’s planned “Grisha Trilogy,” so DreamWorks could have a whole series on its hands if the film finds an audience.
Bardugo’s next book in the series will be called Siege and Storm
, with a planned release date of June 2013, while an as-yet-untitled third installment is due out in summer 2014.
Check out the trailer for Shadow and Bone
below:
For more film news

Follow @breznican
Read More:
DreamWorks’ ‘Real Steel’: Meet the Robots
‘Shadow and Bone’: Author Leigh Bardugo on crafting a fantasy Russia in her debut novel
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Terence Malick's 'To the Wonder': Toronto

Image Credit: Mary Cybulski

Terrence Malick made two marvelous movies in the ’70s, Badlands (1973) and Days of Heaven (1978), and partly because he then pulled a Garbo and didn’t direct another movie for 20 years, he developed a highly rarefied fan base that became a cult of reverence. To be a Malick appreciator meant that you placed him in a very special ’70s-art showcase. He was a pantheon of one. And when he returned as a filmmaker in the late ’90s, with the mystical war movie The Thin Red Line (1998), the mystical anthro-kitsch culture-clash love story The New World (2005), and then — to me — the mystical masterpiece The Tree of Life (2011), he’d become a very different kind of filmmaker. In many ways, his mature style — ethereal, incantatory, with a soundtrack woven out of whispers and classical music — seemed as much of a response to his cult as the cult was to him.

Malick’s new movie, To the Wonder, which premiered last night in Toronto, is the work of someone who now sees himself as a holy poet of the cinema, an American wheat-fields-and-suburbs heir to the transcendental tradition of the great Robert Bresson (Diary of a Country Priest). The new Malick films are every bit as in love with natural light as they are with drama. He particularly cherishes those moments just before twilight, as if you could feel God’s presence and His absence in the barely waning late-afternoon glow. The films also feature movie stars, but they’re treated like non-actors, as objects for Malick’s roving camera to bob and weave and dance around. What’s more, the films don’t tell stories so much as they contain stories that are like tiles in a much, much larger mosaic — a mosaic that the characters themselves have almost no chance of glimpsing, though the audience can, if (through Malick) it learns to behold the world like God with a hand-held camera.

To the Wonder is Malick’s “purest” experiment yet in this hallowed, flowing, cinema-as-living-dream-space method of staging a movie as a kind of wavery, existential human action painting. For a while, I got seriously caught up in it — caught up in Malick’s saintly/voyeuristic way of staring at his characters, objectively enraptured, as if he were honestly wondering what they might do next. As if turns out, what they do in To the Wonder is highly momentous and, paradoxically, of no great consequence.

To even name the characters would be to personalize them in a way that the movie scarcely bothers to, so I won’t. I’ll just say that Ben Affleck, with barely a line to speak (he’s used for his tall, chiseled masculine presence), plays A Guy who works for a company that’s building a suburb that’s really an exurb: spaciously tasteful and abstract two-story homes so remote that they might be part of a moon colony. Affleck’s character has fallen in love with A Girl, a single mother from Paris, played by the dark-ringlet-haired, model-pretty Olga Kurylenko, and Malick features the two of them, along with his ever-tagging-along camera, in a dartingly inquisitive pas de troix. On holiday in Europe, they travel, and wander, and caress, and love. The first part of the movie is like a moody existential Hallmark card as staged by Lars von Trier.

Then Affleck brings Kurylenko, along with her 12-ish daughter, back to the States, and in their tastefully spare, sponge-painted exurban home, in some wilderness state that’s full of oil wells, we behold the unfolding psychodrama: closeness followed by spasms of anger, then a reconciliation, then a separation (spurred by Kurylenko’s visa running out). All of this is the stuff of drama, but Malick stages it as a series of fragmented, most non-verbal moments; there’s lots of sound, and it’s used expressively, but in terms of dialogue we could almost be watching a silent film. For a while, Affleck gets involved with a home-town girl, played by a custard-blonde Rachel McAdams, who looks just about perfect with him, except that so did the previous girl, and then Affleck and McAdams’ relationship fizzles out in almost the exact same way (not that I can be that specific about it — they barely say anything), at which point the movie begins to get a little repetitive. Then, after a while, Olga Kurylenko comes back, which is when we really start to notice that this Ukranian-born actress doesn’t have a lot of personality, and before long the two are fighting again, which provokes another separation…

Through all of this, there is lots of mood, lots of “caught” imagery of a troubled couple swimming in and out of intimacy, and Malick, let me be clear, is a seductive wizard at this stuff. At key moments, the movie is a mirror that allows you to see yourself. At the same time, To the Wonder makes The Tree of Life look like a Noel Coward play. Not that it’s “inaccessible.” You can always tell, more or less, in the abstract, what’s supposed to be going on. Yet Malick roots the movie in a sense of the pictorially concrete (carnival rides, a herd of bison) while almost obsessively removing any sense of emotional concreteness. We know that Affleck and Kurylenko are fighting, but we don’t know why, and the whole point is that we’re not supposed to know why. “How had hate come to take the place of love?” asks Kurylenko in voice-over, and you’d think that would be a pretty important question, but the film never answers it.

Except that Malick does answer it, sort of, by the end. He has Javier Bardem, haunted and taciturn, playing a local priest, a kindly, saddened man who attends to the wretched and the condemned (Malick has cast them with a touch of Diane Arbus ghoulishness) but who is having a crisis of faith. He’s like a homegrown version of the minister in Ingmar Bergman’s Winter Light. And faith, you see, is the key here: The movie says that the reason for our breakups, our fragmented lives and relationships, is that we can no longer see God, at least not clearly. If we could, then we would be whole again. I can’t disagree with that, but in To the Wonder, it’s also Terrence Malick who isn’t letting his characters be whole, who robs them of specificity to craft his grand religious message. Malick, with this film, dares to go into a space that other American filmmakers don’t: the space of our spiritual hunger. At his best, he touches that place, but at the risk of making his movie into the twee of life.

Follow Owen on Twitter: @OwenGleiberman

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Sunny Leon's Hendi Movie Release-Jism2 Very Hot

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P0rn Star Sunny Leon's Hendi Movie Release-Jism2 Very Hot

Jism 2 Hey Walla Song | Sunny Leone, Randeep Hooda, Arunoday Singh

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 Sunny Leone could possibly have not contemplated becoming a Hindi film heroine when she first appeared on Indian television through reality show ‘Bigg Boss’, but an opportunity meeting with producer Mahesh Bhatt bagged her a task in ‘Jism 2’ which eventually became her perfect launching pad.

Sunny Leone plays a character called Izna that is a porn star by profession; Ayan (Arunoday Singh) uses her capture a dreaded assassin Kabir (Randeep Hooda).

The songs in the film have already become chartbusters thereby the film is predicted to receive the first eyeballs. Composer Arko Pravo Mukherjee throws some light around the music from the film, “Because ‘Jism 2’ is really high on sensuality, there's a sense of mystery and suspense, it was vital to sound haunting. The whole idea ended up being to showcase the will for the body, so none in the songs has blasting tracks, it doesn’t appear to be typical Bollywood album.”

But there was clearly a plagiarism controversy around ‘Jism 2’ songs, “The controversy involved the song ‘Ye jism hai toh kya’, the opening from the song is just like two-three songs, you are Turkish as the other is Iranian, then again my song goes completely in a new space. It was not a conscious decision, it happened due to similar generic melody. If you travel across the world, you’ll hear exactly the same kind of songs in numerous countries.”

Not many composers purchased Ali Azmat’s voice just like you, “I am his fan, with ‘Maula’ she has done anything new though ‘Ye jism’ he ventures right into a completely new zone. I had thoughts that he will sound great. Randeep has this intensity, this mystery so Ali’s voice suits him perfectly.”

How Can You Join Child Modeling Agencies?

Child modeling has become very popular these days even as more modeling agencies for kids are coming up. These agencies benefit both parents and businesspersons by providing them with opportunities to be famous and recognized. For businesspersons, it is an advertising avenue, for parents, it is a way to make extra income and showing off their child to the world.

The problem comes in when parents have to answer a few initial questions such as; how do I join my child to the right agency? How do I get my child started in modeling? Are there any charges to join an agency? What does the law say about child modeling? These and many more questions bug parents, but here is a solution to the question on how you can join your child to an agency.

Look for reputable and reliable child modeling agencies

How can you do this considering that the child modeling world is so large? First, you can ask for recommendations from your colleagues, friends, relatives and so on. Make sure that the people you approach are sure of what they are talking about, and they are people you can trust. Besides getting this information from people, you know you can also try looking at local newspapers and magazines, parenting magazines, stores specialized in children's clothing and advertise on a regular basis.

You will realize that most of these businesses - if not all, work with reputable child modeling agencies; therefore, you can trust their recommendations. A reliable agency should have a number of opportunities available for your child. In addition, the agency should offer your child some grooming skills to prepare him/her to face the world ahead alongside equipping him/her with technique for photo shoots.

A reputable agency will also work with you closely and in the best interest of your child, and concerning this, the agency always seeks to get the best deal for your child. Find an agency that aligns itself with states laws regarding a child's safety and one that has a proven record of accomplishment.

Once you get the right company, contact them

You can look for child modeling agencies contacts in the Internet or visit their offices. You can take a few photos of your child to the agency and show them how beautiful the child is as well as why you feel they should work with the child. If the agency likes your child, chances are they will get in touch with you and perhaps try out some few photo shoots with the child to ensure that he/she can work well with their photographs. If everything works out well you can expect to sign a contract in due course.

The process of joining a modeling agency for your child is not as difficult as some people think. You just have to find the right modeling agency, contact them and if you are lucky, enough you get to sign a contract with them.

We provide the best info about child modeling agency and modeling agency for kids. For further details please visit the provided links.

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Wacky Words of Wisdom - Nautical Nuances

Previously I have written about the hidden meanings and origins of a number of idioms in common usage in our daily language - with a focus on animalistic, musical and general themes, This one is for the sailor who dwells in the heart of many of us - with all the phrases actually having quite a deal more than nuances to their nautical nature.

So now we're ready to set sail and it's 'anchors away'...or is it? Well, actually...no. The spelling should be 'aweigh' - in the sense of weight...in this case, the anchor as its weight is first felt on the rope of chain hauling it up. And the 'a-' in front? Well, the sailors of years gone by were notorious for adding 'a-' to make new words, like...adrift, aground, afloat, ashore. I didn't know that.

Whatever the period in history, it has been of importance (and common sense) not to be unpredictable, or liable to cause harm if left unchecked. In other words - a 'loose cannon'. It's not hard to visualize this happening in stormy weather, but we may not be equally happy to share Victor Hugo's description of a 'carronade' (or cannon) that '...hurled forward...crushed four at the first blow, and cut in two a fifth poor fellow...'. This harrowing description is in his novel 'Ninety Three'.

"Well, 'shiver my timbers' if I'm not telling the truth!", is an example of an oft-used sailor's sacred oath. But what did it mean? It helps when you know that the word 'shiver' once meant 'to break into pieces' - and the timber of course, refers to the boat. And so, a translation would be - "Well, let my boat break into pieces if I'm not telling the truth!" Quite an oath for a sailor.

Yet another kind of shivering would surely happen when it's 'cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey'. Once again, nothing is what is seems. The story goes that on the old sailing ships, stacks of iron cannon balls would be supported by triangular frames, called 'monkeys'. In the coldest weather, the iron would contract and rough weather could cause the cannon balls to fall away. Whatever the truth of this particular idiom, few would argue that it certainly is an apt description for the bleakest weather way out in the 'Cruel Sea'.

After the storm comes the calm - time for the crew to enjoy a 'square meal' - or a warm meal at last, served on square wooden platters that wouldn't slide like regular crockery - and all this still only possible in good weather and calm seas.

Another dilemma after a storm, when a ship could easily have been blown off its course, was to find the nearest shore - 'as the crow flies'. A caged crow, brought along for this exact purpose, would be released and the directness of its flight would be charted for a navigational focus point. And guess what the best vantage point for all of this was? Where else, but the 'crow's nest' atop the tallest mast.

When we hear the phrase 'three sheets to the wind' and find it has a nautical origin, the first thought is of those great billowing sails of old-time ships, filled with wind powerful enough to propel the largest sailing ship forward, almost in leaps and bounds. Romantic? Beautiful? Most certainly...but true? Unfortunately, no. Sheets aren't sails in Sailor-talk - they are ropes, or chains, actually attached to the lower corners of sails to hold them firm.

Three sheets (or ropes) loose, and a ship would roll and pitch and lurch around like a drunken sailor. And so a scale of inebriation was created with tipsy coming in as 'one sheet in the wind', up to the well-known 'three sheets' level of total drunkenness.

Many references are made to 'slush funds' these days, often in political circles and it's strange to think of a nautical origin to this one. The unwanted fat or grease (often rancid) from boiling untold amounts of salt pork and beef would be stored in empty barrels, to be sold at the next port of call. It was known as 'slush' or 'slosh' - and it doesn't take too great a stretch of the imagination to work out why.

Consequently, the money earned this way became known as the 'slush fund' - and could, in turn, be used to better the life of the unfortunate cook with bribes and the like. The name remains a derogatory term for money put aside for less than honourable pursuits - so completely opposite to the admirable 'saving for a rainy day' concept.

It seems fitting to end with being 'between the Devil and the deep blue sea'. Yet another quite surprising explanation. It's not the Devil you're thinking of - actually, on a ship's hull there is a seam that runs between the deck's planking - and the topmost plank of the ship's side. It is called the 'Devil' or the 'devil seam' - and as it would need to be watertight, it would require caulking (r sealing) on a regular basis. A sailor charged with this duty would either need to stand at the edge of the deck and lean out most precariously, or more likely, actually be suspended over the side. 'Between the Devil and the deep blue sea'? I would most certainly say so.

I hope I've whetted your appetite to learn more about these and so many other expressions, so that you're not 'all at sea' with a sudden need to 'cut and run' when asked, "...but what does it all mean?"

© 2012 Christine Larsen All Rights Reserved Worldwide

If you enjoyed this article, maybe you would like to read about the origins of some idioms of other kinds? Just look for my ezine articles with the prefix 'Wacky Words of Wisdom....' These include a general theme, as well as commonly used animal and musical phrases.

And look for Prefer Wacky Words? or Wise? at my website - ceedee moodling

Oh yes, and while you're there, feel free to wander around that particular corner of my world - all brand new and developing, day by day.

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Useful Sites and Resources For Becoming An Illustrator

Even when I was in college I tried to make the time to create personal pieces and promote them effectively to the world. But, it wasn't until I took a forced hiatus from college once and eventually left again that I really started searching and finding out more about the business side of Illustration. As you may or may not know, mid-year of 2011 I ended up having to leave school due to the financial strain it was having on me. But, because I still had the drive to create art, and have the world see my work, I began to search for how other illustrator's experiences were like. I looked for answers to these questions: How to promote your art/illustrations? How to get your art into galleries? How do get your illustrations into magazines? What are some steps to becoming an illustrator, and many more.

I learned so much and I'm still learning. This will most likely be an incomplete list. But, it is a list of some sites that may reveal to you more about the background of an illustration business, such as sending out promo cards, creating a blog, social networking, style. It's not only for the freelance illustrator but also for the artist who is working on bringing their art to the public and knowing the inside and outs of marketing their business. I'm still in the same boat you're in when it comes to effectively creating a market for my work and forming relationships with my art peers. But, with the guides that I've found, I am a different person now and know more than I did a year ago. You will too.

First up: 1. Escape From Illustration Island

Yep, Escape from Illustration Island, it's served me rather well. Particularly the podcasts. I used to listen to these podcasts while creating pieces. I say used to because I've listened to every single one of them and am waiting for an update! (ETA: The podcast has come to an end but you can still listen to the plethora of podcasts up on the site) Thomas James interviews many different people in the field from Art Consultants, Art Directors, Illustrators, Art Reps and more! It's crazy insightful and engaging. When you listen to a podcast, it flows pretty smoothly even though at times Thomas James will pause and it looks like he doesn't know what to say. I love wondering if he has preplanned questions yet sometimes he ends up asking questions that are really unexpected and rely solely on what the interviewee said. Aside from the podcasts, he has an abundance of resources that feature contributions from fellow illustrators. Resources like showing examples of a contract when working with a client, sites to sell your work, tutorials on different mediums and various outside blogs and sites to cater to your desires as an artist If you've got a skill, article or piece you want to share, you're even invited to do so. (Guest contributing is one way to increase the visibility of your work.)

2. IllustrationMundo

I can't really remember how I found out about this site. It was probably senior year of high school. I do think it was at a time when I was discovering Illustration for the first time. It features plenty of Illustrators and when you click on a particular thumbnail that you like, you are sent to the artist's website to see more of their portfolio. Aside from the front page featured Illustrators, you can search for plenty of Illustrators by medium, or style. You'll see how someone uses the same materials you use in their own way, find out more on a style you're trying to hone or just look at new styles in general. Illustration Mundo gets you acquainted with artists working in your field. In the blog section, a huge bonus is at times Nate Williams (the illustrator who runs the site) will interview some of the illustrators featured. Not only do you find out their work, but you'll find out why they became an illustrator, what's a day in the life of said illustrator, what mediums they use and why, clients they've had etc. It's a great way to not only understand more about an Illustrator, but you can take a look at their work ethic, quite possibly how they landed a client, and if your work relates in some way to the illustrator or a client's vision. If it does, then that's an opportunity for you to share your work or strengthen your work if the type of clients they've had are the ones you're looking for.

3. zero2illo

zero2illo was set up by illustrator Jonathan Woodward during his own beginning stages of being an illustrator. You're there along with him while he shares his own experience. That's what I like the most about this site. Even now while his career is flourishing, he gives tips on different income streams, interviews other artists, details to you business practices that start with your own confidence as an illustrator, and provides a list of business tools you'll need as your own boss.

4. Lines and Colors

Lines and Colors I definitely found in high school and I've been keeping up with it ever since. Charley Parker (founder of this site) reviews any art from past or present. We're talking art as far back as the 16th century, quite possibly more. In each article he focuses solely on the artist, or the art form. This site is similar to Illustration Mundo in that it features your peers in the art field but it differs in that I don't recall him interviewing anyone. What makes Lines and Colors a viable resource in my opinion is you're shown a large assortment of creatives who have worked before you or are working alongside you today. You're shown sites, materials, resource books, or medias you've probably never seen before or really paid attention to. Or it may spark an interest you already have in say the area of animation, and on further view of the links he provides alongside an artist, you're given more access into how a piece is created, or how it could relate to your work. In my own experience, through reading Lines and Colors, I found J.C. Leyendecker, an artist from the early 20th century. I became acquainted with the way he played with colors, shadows, the way he stroked a brush. Those things were important to me in my work so finding an artist who came before me who could serve as a teacher was exciting. When you become familiar with the works of the artists in the field both past and present, in my opinion they start feeling less like strangers. You've also gained a wealth of portfolios and teachers if you desire to strengthen more of your own skills in their particular area. Plus, when you become more of an established creative you might be asked whose work you admire. It's a question I've seen posed more than once.

5. EmptyEasel

EmptyEasel gives you tutorials on art mediums, sites to show your portfolio when you can't afford your own website, how to set up an art blog or parts of running a business you probably didn't know about like using art registries to market your work, etc. They also provide you with the opportunity to guest write like IllustrationMundo and encourage you to do so on other sites. EE will almost always research other social networking, business or portfolio sites before they tell you it might be a great idea to join. I'm still at the beginning stage of testing out Google Adwords for my illustration print shop, and even though these articles on EE are a bit dated, they gave me the jist of what I could expect from advertising my shop with google.

6. New York Foundation for the Arts

I live in New York, but from personally using this site, you don't have to. At least in most opportunities. If you want to exhibit your work in galleries some of these are out of state so not residing in New York won't be a problem continously. Apart from the jobs and Call for Entries board, there are sections of this foundation that cater to business advice, podcasts, providing sponsorship, grants, etc. I've focused most of my attention on the jobs and exhibition opportunities so you'll have to find out more on the other sections yourself.

There are still more specific useful advice I want to share that I've read and found. But, they're from illustrators, designers, in their own voice and not as a collective site so that will be for another post. For now that concludes this list.

This article was originally published on http://jardleyjean-louis.com/blog

Jardley Jean-Louis is an artist/illustrator from New York. She works primarily in watercolor, and diluted acrylic. Her work often portrays settings based in reality juxtaposed with people, objects or actions that don't fit within that structure. See some of it at http://jardleyjean-louis.com/ or read her blog.

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Stock Footage: Advantages and How to Get Them Right?

Stock footage has gained unprecedented popularity in recent times, due to their immediate availability adding onto to cost saving. This trend has affected not only the buyers but sellers as well. Though we all depend on them, not many know how to make the most of them.

Stock footage essentially is small clips of videos, still images or a combination of both, available online for download. These footage are essentially licensed and can be purchased online. Over the years, we have seen stock footage being used by film-makers, in fact, they are so common that most of the time we don't even realize it was a stock footage only to confuse it for a scene in the movie, sitcom or documentary. Remember the scene that showed volcanic eruption? Remember a tourist spot brimming with people enjoying themselves? Yes, you've got it right, they both were stock footage. It have numerous advantages:

I. Cost and Time Effective: Compare cost of downloading a video clip to cost of hiring a camera, crew and travelling to and from the shoot locations. It obviously saves you a lot of money as you bypass expenses that would otherwise go in hiring camera, crew and transportation, saving you not only money but time as well.

II. Offering Substitute Scenes: Most of the motion pictures today make extensive use of stock footage. It is almost impossible for a production company to shoot scenes like natural calamity on their own while others may find incorporating special effects a bit expensive. It's then, the stock footage come to their rescue and the film makers can easily show a volcanic eruption or flooded neighbourhood, if the story demands.

III. Instant Availability: They are available for download straight away. Once downloaded depending on the need and licensing, you can modify the video to suit your need.

All these advantages are enough to get us excited. If we have a project at hand then, out of excitement we might miss on few details that can cost us the quality of our end-product. There are a few factors the buyer needs to be aware of while selecting that perfect footage. These are:

I. Footage Licensing: This is very important; not knowing the licensing and how to use it can lead you to nightmarish legal battle. Available footage are either royalty-free or rights-managed. Royalty-free clips can be purchased once and with the purchase you earn the right to use it in all media, worldwide, in perpetuity within the same film production while rights-managed clips may have limitations in regards to media, license period, and territories.

II. Quality: Quality of stock footage is very essential. The quality of stock footage should match the quality of your actual project. Imagine the horror, when two of your created clips are linked using a low pixelated footage. It will not only break the smooth flow of your clip but the audience will automatically lose their interest too.

III. Availability of Legal Guarantee: A free legal protection is provided by most of the reputed footage providers to grant you protection, should any legal problem arise on using the footage purchased through them. Most sellers allow modifications to their footage while a minority might be strict with respect to editing option. You can always cross check this when you buy the footage.

Stock footage market has estimated annual revenue of USD $282 million. It's not only cost effective for the buyers but it generates a good income for sellers as well. If you are struggling to finish your project under budget then stock footage might just be the deal for you.

The author of this article is associated with MrFootage, a leading provider of stock footage. MrFootage boasts of a massive collection of Nature & Landscape, Wildlife, Bloopers, Marine and Sports footages among others.

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Wacky Words of Wisdom - Generally Speaking

Previously I wrote about the common expressions we use daily, and I focused on the themes of animals and music. I ended the trivia about animals with a promise to treat more 'general' idioms in the same fashion.

Accordingly, I will 'start from scratch' and tell you that many years ago, this expression referred to competitive sporting events where a starting line was scratched in the dirt. You can imagine this meant a 'race' (or competition), could be held absolutely anywhere.

A slight variation - 'come (or be) up to scratch' - belonged to the boxing ring, wherein a contestant, once knocked down, was allowed a 30 second interval, and then a further 8 seconds to regain the ability to come unaided to a line marked in the centre of the ring, or...'up to scratch'.

At the essential core of all things is the 'nitty gritty' - we all know that. But do we also know that originally this referred to an unclean scalp (on an equally unclean, poor or rough person), and to the inevitable nits or lice causing a build-up of scales, and an itch that must be scratched. Easy then to follow the logic of probing deeply to get to the bottom of the problem.

Too often, a desirable plan or outcome is a matter of 'touch and go', and we understand the words to clearly indicate a decidedly risky undertaking. However, an older definition came from the days of stagecoaches and the fierce and usually unfriendly competitive nature of their journeys. In their frenzied attempts to overtake each other, dangerous tactics could mean the difference between a 'touch' (or entanglement of wheels with diabolical consequences) and a 'go' (where the 'touch' was light enough to allow continuance without harm to either stagecoach). And so we can see how our 'plan' becomes a finely balanced matter, capable of toppling over at the slightest 'wrong touch' or miscalculated step.

The phrase 'throwing someone off the scent', whilst meaning today to divert interest away from what is actually happening, simultaneously conjures up clear pictures of a sniffer dog on the trail of a fugitive, being somehow distracted from his focus. It clearly follows that a well-trained and experienced hound rarely loses this valuable 'scent' without extraordinary distraction.

In the past, this has included the well-known crossing of water, however more recent research has found that a keen hound can still smell the fugitive in the air above the water, thus requiring him to swim for a considerable distance in rapidly moving waters before re-emerging onto land again. Another cruel approach has been to sprinkle pepper across the 'path' to seriously interrupt his ability for some hours, and even permanently damage the fine inner structure and capability of that sensational nose and scenting ability.

As the dog is following one particular individual's scent, plus the countless skin cells that are dropped constantly as we move, there is little hope for the fugitive. Probably not much hope for the person just trying to divert attention, either. It seems there's really no option except to 'face the music' and 'stand and deliver' the truth.

The beautiful white strip down a horse's face is called a 'blaze', and interestingly, is actually linked to the idiom 'to blaze a trail'. Whenever a pioneer or explorer wished others to know and follow the direction he was taking, particularly through a forest or treed area, he would chip off bark from a conspicuous tree at regular intervals. The newly bared spot would look almost white - like the horse's blaze - hence 'trail-blazers' who most certainly did not want to throw their followers 'off the scent'.

And finally, when we hear that a competitor 'wins hands down', we are in no doubt that this was a clear and exceptional victory with a wide winning margin. Few know these words have their origins in horse-racing parlance. When it's a close finish to a race, the jockey will be gripping the reins and wielding his whip furiously to attempt a win 'by a nose'.

But if victory is clear and easy, he will not only relax his grip, but in a gesture of absolute domination and contempt, actually drop the reins altogether and hang his hands to his sides, thus 'winning hands down'. Oh-h-h, the humiliation for his followers!

So, next time one of these succinct sayings slip from your lips, you may smile as you remember 'from whence they came', and maybe wonder, as I often do, how many of today's expressions will 'go the distance' of these golden oldies.

© 2012 Christine Larsen All Rights Reserved Worldwide

If you enjoyed this article, maybe you would like to read about the origins of some idioms of other kinds? Just look for my ezine articles with the prefix 'Wacky Words of Wisdom....' These include a nautical theme, as well as commonly used animal and musical phrases.

And look for Prefer Wacky Words? or Wise? at my website - ceedee moodling

Oh yes, and while you're there, feel free to wander around that particular corner of my world - all brand new and developing, day by day.

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Self-Definition Is a Must

We're already in the second month of a brand new year. Can you believe it? The first few months of a new year are always seen as the time to set goals and create resolutions. However... I propose something a bit different to start this year.

Over the holiday I was with my family and raised my glass to toast my being cancer free for three years. My aunt turned to me and said "Oh my gosh, I completely forgot that you had breast cancer." She really did. She commented on my positive outlook on life and said it had completely slipped her mind that I had gone through that. She didn't identify me with cancer.

At first I was mad. How could she forget such a horrible circumstance in my life? How could such a life-changing event be forgotten? But in that same moment I also thought, "Well, does it really define me anyway?"

Identity. Self-definition. At our core who are we?

In the beginning of December I took an audition class with Caryn West. (One word about Caryn: BRILLIANT!) She said, in acting we need to use both our left brain and our right brain. All the business stuff, the marketing, branding and script analysis uses our left brain, the analytical thinking part of ourselves. In the audition room, rehearsing or performing we need the right brain, our creative center. The left brain doesn't function well in the audition room and the right brain resists doing those mailings.

We're doing ourselves a disservice if we bring our left-brain in the audition. That's the time where you need to show them your soul, your passion, who you are at your core. The left brain can't do that. The ability to switch between these two parts of yourself is key.

Once you set your goals, plan your projects and tasks, develop and define your Brand, create your marketing and sales strategies - you need to let it all go a bit. Let the left-brain go. And live. Live presently in the audition room, be present in the moment, conscious of the world of opportunities coming your way everyday. No second-guessing, doubting or feeling self conscious about your choices. Let the right brain ground you. Have faith that you've done the work.

That faith will come if you understand who you are. Your identity.

As we all move forward and jump wholeheartedly into a new year, I think it's also important to take a step back. Step back and rediscover once again who you are, what you want and where you're going. This year for all of us is The Year of Rediscovery.

My personal struggle is about constantly living in the left brain. I teach and coach and analyze branding and business everyday. I'm a do-er. I'm always on the go. It has become harder to switch to the right brain for my own auditions, personal life and relaxation time. To breathe and not do anything and know I am enough just as I am. That's my rediscovery this year. I also want to rediscover my relationship with my cancer. How much does that define me? I want to rediscover my friendships, my relationship to this business, my family. How do I define those?

Take the time in 2012 to rediscover you. If you start with your core of who you are, I know the rest of the year will fall into place. You will be coming from a place that matters most.

Instead of just setting goals, ask yourself:

What defines me? What is my passion? Why did I pursue the goal I did last year? What is my must? What are my strengths as a person and an artist? What is my relationship with the business? With the world?

Let's rediscover together. Let's look inward. Let's once again tap into what makes you, you and me, me. Life should be a journey, an exploration. Let's continue to learn from our past as we move forward. Let's continue to be fulfilled by our own identity.

I'm proud to say that I am an actor, a business owner, a wife, a breast cancer survivor, a dog owner, a friend, a coach, a confidante, a student, an achiever and an empath. All of that is who I am. All of that is part of my brand. All of that helps define me.

Now go rediscover you.

The Savvy Actor mission is to empower actors to think like small business owners by creating and implementing an effective business plan, branding their unique product, and developing marketing strategies that get them noticed and in the door; ultimately merging career and life into one of abundance and success!

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Strip Clubs: Special Features to Watch Out For

If you're tired of the same old strip clubs, it might be time to take your adult entertainment to the next level. If you think these establishments are nothing more than a few drinks and some decent-looking women half-heartedly dancing on a dimly lit stage, you've been going to the wrong places. Look around, and you might find that there is another level when it comes to this form of entertainment. The difference can be as stark as seeing a local garage band play in their backyard and sitting front row at a Pink Floyd arena show. Here are some special features to look out for.

Featured Dancers

The best strip clubs will often have celebrity dancers come and perform on special nights. These are magazine centerfolds, adult entertainment stars, and dancers who have built a reputation from their beauty, sexual appeal, and ability to put on an unforgettable show. To the uninitiated, it may seem silly to put one dancer above another, but there is a world of difference between a woman who is working her way through college and someone who has truly made this her profession. There is excellence in all walks of life, and you can't know the gulf that exists in skill and performance level until you've seen one of the best in action.

Entertainment

If the local dive you frequent plays only 80s hair metal out of scratchy speakers and you have to squint to see the stage, you probably scoff at the notion that strip clubs can offer a great deal more. But they can and do. A really good establishment will put on a light and music show that will be almost as entertaining as the dancers you're there to see. They will hire professional DJs that have the skill necessary to enliven the crowd and keep the party going. You don't need to pull your jacket up over your head when you walk into these places, because there's nothing embarrassing about enjoying a show that the owners have taken a lot of time and money to put together.

Private Suites

Don't want to hang around with the unwashed masses? Excellent strip clubs will offer private suites so you can enjoy the entertainment with your group and no one else. If you're taking clients to the best place in town, this may be an option you would be interested in. It can also be the perfect setting for a bachelor party or any other occasion where you want to be treated like a king for the evening.

New Orleans strip clubs offer more than the standard fare found elsewhere. Find the right one to stop by next time you're in the city by visiting http://penthouseclubneworleans.com/.

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If You Can't Watch TV On The Go, Here's What You're Missing

Believe it or not, you can actually pack more fun in your day by watching TV on the go. In these busy times, everyone is trying to pack as much as possible into their hurried schedules. Frequently, the opportunity to enjoy TV entertainment is put off until the end of the day, or a few hours on the weekend if there is room to squeeze it in at all. That is exactly why so many people now watch TV on the go and tune in to their favorite shows from portable devices.

How TV On The Go Works

A new technology called a Slingbox connects your DVR to your home internet connection so you can connect back to it with a laptop, tablet PC, cell phone or other mobile device that's connected to a high speed internet connection. All you need is a slingbox converter attached to your Wi-Fi connection and you have mobile television at your fingertips and have the ability to navigate program guides and even schedule DVR recordings

Any Time, Anywhere, Mobile Television Technology

We all knew it would happen sometime and we are just thankful it happened in our lifetime—truly mobile television technology. Now, no matter where we are at or what we are doing, we can tune in to our shows in real time and DVR recorded favorites and watch in those snips of downtime found in our day without being tethered to the living room. With play and pause features, you do not even need a whole block of time to enjoy a program, but integrate our entertainment into our day in exactly the way you desire, picking up right where you left off.

New Freedom

Watching TV on the go provides users the ability to use their time their way, instead of being bound by circumstance. With TV on the go, you don't have to find ways to entertain yourself when waiting at a dentist's or doctor's office, you can watch your TV right in the waiting room. That means no missing out on special history making events or overpaying for movies you have already seen while traveling by plane, or TV schedule that do not match your schedule. The power is in your hands and you deserve it.

Regardless of whether you're simply looking for a quick way to entertain yourself for a few minutes or you simply want to get more out of your day, mobile television is a great way to do it.

Landon Christian found great DISH Network deals and specials so he could get everything he wanted at a great price. With the latest on technology, the best satellite DISH deals and packages and much more, AllSat.com has the information you need.

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A Page From My Writing Life: How Intuition Helped Me Save a Child

How can we sense danger before it occurs? How do we attract total strangers who appear, out of the blue, when we need help?

Mystics say we're all connected. Quantum physicists agree.

I started working with Intuition as a lark: a bunch of us Romance writers piled into a hotel room during a regional writers conference. We were giddy and giggling, because we'd volunteered to have our fortunes told by a fantasy writer who was studying Tarot cards.

Several years later, I started working as a marketer for a psychiatric hospital. Over lunch one day, one of my therapist friends assured me that everybody has Intuition. I couldn't imagine a more exciting concept.

"How do I learn how to work with my Intuition?" I asked him eagerly. "Can it help me be a more creative writer? Can it help me stretch my Imagination?"

He shrugged. "Sure. Go to the book store. Read up on the connection between Intuition and Imagination."

The book store. I grinned. Of course!

When I set out to develop my Intuition, I wanted to get better at tapping my Creativity. I never imagined that I would wind up saving a child's life!

But I'll let you draw your own conclusions. Here's a true story from my "writing life:"

The day I met Charlie, I had sneaked out for a 90 minute lunch and was worried that I would be missed at my full-time marketing job. I had no business book shopping, and yet my Intuition was urging me to take a driving detour and turn my car into the parking lot.

I thought this hunch was strange. I was already 40 minutes late. Surely I would be missed at my desk! Why visit a book store and risk the wrath of my boss? She considered timeliness next to Godliness.

My Intuition had been this persistent only once before: on the day that it had saved me from being lured to my car by a mugger. I had learned to differentiate between Intuition and Imagination, and my gut was telling me -- literally -- that another life-changing event was about to occur.

Uneasy but curious, I climbed out of my car and walked past the various stores that surrounded the book store. I tried to imagine all the positive reasons for my gut feeling's urge to go book shopping at that exact time.

Maybe I would meet an old friend, a new business contact, or a reader who would profess to be my biggest fan. Better yet, maybe I would bump into a gorgeous bachelor who would invite me to the caf for coffee and a not-too-distant happily-ever-after!

I wandered through the aisles. Few people were in the store that Thursday afternoon, and even fewer of them were men. Instead of bumping into a gorgeous bachelor, I stumbled across a young mother.

She was sprawled upon the floor with a half-dozen gardening books. Behind her, and clearly bored, a tow-headed toddler was climbing the shelves. He was well on his way to the "D" section when I heard his mother call, "Charlie, get down!"

Sighing, I strolled to the next aisle. Had I misinterpreted my gut feeling? Intuition and its hunches could be so tricky. I recalled my many misfires, the early days when I'd tried to guess who was calling me on the phone, or how fast the pizza guy would deliver my dinner.

Meanwhile, the clock was ticking, and my boss was surely wondering where I was. I felt like an idiot.

Suddenly, Intuition seized my feet. I don't know how else to explain it. I had no conscious intention to walk to the front of the book store, but there I was, responding to some magnetic pull.

At first, I assumed that I was being released from my Wild Goose Chase, that I'd received some Higher Blessing to leave the building. Then I heard giggles. A blond bullet whizzed past me and barreled out the door.

I recognized Charlie, dashing gaily for the parking lot and the freeway on the other side. No one was at the cashier's counter to stop him. I was the only witness.

My heart stalled.

"Charlie!" I shouted, running out the door.

The driver never saw him.

It all happened so fast. There I was, calmly grabbing on to a child I didn't know. And there he was, throwing himself into the arms of a stranger, putting his utter trust in me as I dragged him out of harm's way.

If I'd hesitated in that split second, if I'd refused to follow my Intuition's urging to walk to the front of the book store, Charlie's mad dash into the parking lot would have ended very differently. There were no other pedestrians on the sidewalk -- no other bystanders who might have saved him from that car.

My knees were quaking when I took Charlie's tiny hand in mine and led him back inside the store. I found his mother exactly where I'd left her, pouring over the gardening books.

She'd never noticed that her son was missing.

As I develop my Intuition, I can't help but wonder. How can we know that an event will occur before it happens?

Mystics say we're all connected in miraculous ways. Even scientists are starting to agree.

Maybe that's how I received the intuitive S.O.S. that turned me into Charlie's guardian angel that day.

Award-winning Romance novelist, Adrienne deWolfe, ardently believes in the Law of Attraction (thanks to Charlie). She writes about her adventures with Intuition, Imagination, Creativity, and the Writing Muse at http://writingnovelsthatsell.com/. Follow her at http://Twitter.com/AdriennedeWolfe.

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Ballet Workout for Adults

Beneath the fluffy tutu's and the stretchy pink tights, ballet dancers are some of the world's fittest people. They obviously workout and work hard to achieve those Lycra encased abs and thighs of steel, and have probably been working on getting that type of body ever since they were kids, but that doesn't mean that as an adult you can't shape up using the same principles that ballet dancers do.

Ballet, apart from being an art in itself, is a great way to workout both your body and mind at the same time. Starting with the physical benefits, ballet can help increase your cardio level, tone up, and build muscle at the same time. Your cardio level improves due to to the ongoing movement and change of pace of the movement that is being conducted. You will tone up simultaneously, because whilst you are moving your muscles have to adequately be placed in order for the movement to be done correctly. This way, you don't need to have separate time slots for cardio based training and muscle tone training, because ballet achieves both in one practice. With some additional dietary changes you would also be liable to lose weight with frequent practice. Simultaneously, you get to learn an art form and listen to beautiful music whilst you move!

The mental benefits that come with the practice of ballet are several. Dancing requires a fair share of co-ordination between your body and mind, and practicing ballet has proven to improve co-ordination. It helps you in structuring your thoughts efficiently in the shortest time possible, because you usually are not given much time in between being given instructions, and transferring those instructions into movement. Another major benefit is that of improving your visual and kineasthetic memory. Several steps and exercises have to be remembered, and because dance is a visual art, you primary have to remember what it looked like or how the movement felt like. It also helps you to escape from your daily work, primarily because you're too busy focusing on what your body is doing to think of anything else in between!

You don't have to have prior experience or be a long term practitioner to practice and enjoy ballet as a meaningful workout. I will not promise that all of the above benefits will become visible quickly; your body requires time to digest what it is being given, particularly so if you haven't previously done much physical work. What I can promise though, is that through the long-term practice of ballet, (whether recreational or not), your body will keep those benefits for long after they have been achieved, helping you in other ares of your life in the process.

Starting classes as an adult may be off-putting to some. Perhaps you don't have enough time in your schedule for extra ballet classes, or perhaps you might be intimidated to join a class as a total beginner. Lucky for you, we're in the 21st century where you can start learning and practicing ballet in the comfort of your own home by means of dvd's or other technological software. There are so many guides and videos to help you get started, whether you want to learn some things before you join a class, or whether you just want to practice at home, you will definitely find resources online that can help you workout through ballet. It does sound better than going to the gym right?

Valentina Azzopardi, dance practitioner, believes that ballet is a highly beneficial practice, for recreational practitioners and professionals alike. Weather as a hobby, or as a workout, so many people of different ages could benefit from the practice of ballet. More articles are to be found on my website: http://www.balletworkoutdvds.com/

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Become America's Next Top Model

There are many women with ambitions of becoming America's next top model. However, they do not know what it take to become what they aspire to be. Perhaps, this is clearly seen in America's top model auditions.

As such, it is important to ensure that you know what it takes to become the best candidate for America's next top model. This will enable you emerge the winner at the end of the race. Consider the following:

• Professionalism is very important for anyone who wants to become a winner in these auditions. This is because modeling is not a career for unprofessional people and slackers. People who do not know what they are doing. It is a sector that requires discipline and determination. This is because if you cannot take direction or even if you are rude, you will most probably miss many opportunities that will come your way.

• It is also important to do a lot of practicing. This is because during the auditions you will have to take photographs in a number of poses. Therefore, you need to practice to perfection to ensure that you give the best versatile look to audience in the runaway. Make sure that you are able to do your best in different poses.

• It is also important to develop confidence and courage. This is because you will be asked many questions by clients. Some will form a bad impression of you and they will not hide it. It is up to you to know how to market yourself to them. Let them see that you have strength and capability of handling these questions in the best way possible. If you do not have a personality that can handle negative criticism in a positive manner, then you are not likely to make it to the top of the America's top model auditions.

• It is also important that you join a modeling agency. However, be careful when choosing the one to join. There are fake agencies that will require you to give them hefty upfront fee but at the long run they will not deliver the results you desire. As such, it is important that you ensure that you join a professional and reputable agency that knows how to help you achieve your goals. This will help you shoot your photos and come up with a professional portfolio. It will also require you to play a small fee.

• It is apparent that during the competitions, there will be experienced models. This will attract a lot of publicity. As such, these competitions are a perfect way for you to gain popularity and exposure. Therefore, make sure that you use all that you have been practicing in these competitions.

To become America's next top model, you have to keep applying for spots any time there competitions. This will enable you familiarize yourself with what happens during the America's top model auditions. It will also enable you build confidence and learn more on what goes on in these competitions.

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Letting Go to Activate Your Soul Purpose

For many people the biggest challenge they face is finding the way to live their unique purpose and destiny in life?

The issue is not that they don't have the talent or interest to find their soul purpose, in fact, it is far simpler.

For many people it is a struggle for them to fully understand their purpose because they haven't woken up to - or are only partially awake to - their unique individual place in the world as a whole unit. Most people hold on to old, limiting beliefs of themselves and the world in general. Many, many people don't realise the significance of the statement

"everyone and everything in the world and universe is interconnected."

When people become overwhelmed by all the changes in the world around them, most people live their lives within a "very small story". As a result, of doing this they confine themselves to a "small self."

This is the real reason why so many people feel that they don't have a purpose, or that they aren't able to actually *live* the life they were born to live.

The first secret in your journey towards activating your life's purpose and being able to live a purpose driven life is to develop new beliefs about yourself and about your role in the world and its future.

If you want to live a fulfilling purposeful life, first you must fully understand the challenges and opportunities of your life along with those of the larger world today. That is really the only way any of us can be truly creative individuals and find the way we can be of service to the world.

There are a number of things that need to be recognised in order for a full understanding of the shifts needing to take place for you to cultivate your sense of compassion and of the infinite possibilities available at this moment in time.

These understandings of life are:

Become aware of who and what you are and what you need to become in order to be able to deal with the complexity of our current time and become aware of how the world, as a whole, is evolving.It is believed by many that human societies are in the process of re-patterning. Social constructs are dissolving and whole new stories are trying to emerge. Recognise how this is affecting you (and everyone around you) and see how this is affecting your question "What should I do with my life?"All over the world, how we conduct business and commerce and how we interact with others is shifting. This is perhaps the largest and most important social event of the last five thousand years, because commerce impacts almost everything in our lives.The rise and fall of different cultures is changing daily-we are swiftly moving towards a planetary civilization that accentuates the uniqueness of each culture while blending them together in a true case of multiculturalism. Think of the great fusions of food and of music and of beliefs that have already taken place since the 2nd world war.There are completely new orders of spirituality that are emerging that are not about religion. The new lessons on spirituality are giving us a view of ourselves that we never had before. For the first time ever, we are recognising that we do not just live in the universe, but that the universe lives in us and we are all connected.

When you take all of these ideas together, you can recognise that there is a whole system pattern shift that is happening all around us.

In order to flow with this journey and recognise how it will affect your understanding of your soul purpose it begins by letting go of old beliefs and patterns to make room for the new beliefs and capacities that will empower you to awaken to and live your higher purpose.

Once you recognise this need to shift your ideas around yourself and your place in the universe you will activate your RAS (reticular activating system) and you will begin to see things you need and the answers to your questions on how to change your life in order to discover your unique soul purpose.

Be open to what the universe puts in your path and willing to move through your lessons even if they are challenging. In addition, remember the best way to grow is through adversity. When you find yourself in a situation that you find difficult and are able to move through it you will look back and recognise the value of the situation. How often have you heard people say about a disastrous situation that in retrospect it was the best thing that happened to them as it allowed them to move ahead on a different path on their life's journey.

Look for your own life's lessons and see them as part of a bigger picture. Learn to recognise your place in the world and your life purpose will become clearer every day.

John and Linda Ballis from http://wheeloflifebook.com/ are the authors of the practical step by step guide to life balance "The Wheel of Life's 8 Keys to Success".

If you feel that you could use some help in balancing your life so that you are happier and more contented, you have more wealth, and better health and relationships visit our website and purchase our book and download our many free resources including a free, instantly downloadable relaxtion MP3.

For more articles you can also visit our blog at http://wheeloflifeblog.com/.

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Dr. Faustus As a Man of Renaissance

Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593) is a well educated scholar and one of the University Wits who comes into the second or closing years of the 16th century. His plays are Tamburlaine the Great, Dr. Faustus, The Jew of Malta, Edward the Second and Parts of The Massacre of Paris and The Tragedy of Dido, Queen of Carthage. He is the most talented Pre- Shakespearian dramatist and the eminent and distinctive member of the group. His hero, Dr. Faustus is a true representative of Renaissance spirit.

First of all, we must know the movement, 'Renaissance' started in England from 1500 to 1600. This period in English literature is also called the Elizabethan period or the Age of Shakespeare. Renaissance means re-birth or re-awakening of learning. It was the reaction to the darkness of middle ages. It first came to Italy, later to France and than to England. The shine of Renaissance came very unhurriedly to the isolated island of England. Their chief characteristic is humanism that is further divided into individuality, desire for knowledge, power, beauty etc. Humanism means the concern of man with himself as a point of contemplation.

Dr. Faustus is a masterpiece work of Christopher Marlowe, and it comes into the realm of Morality plays. It shows the clash between the medieval world of tradition and the world of knowledge. As the drama opens, Dr. Faustus, the most learned German scholar is found unsatisfied by his gained scholarly knowledge of medicine and the vista of theology. He considers theology as a tedious subject because it talks about the doom of man and the limitation of power. His emotional inclination to the thirst of knowledge and power shows the spirit of Renaissance. Such thirst of knowledge and power compel him to give away his life and sign a bond of twenty four years with the agent of Satan, Mephistophilis. He makes such bond for filling the desire of power, pelf, name and fame because Mephistophilis will serve him twenty four years,and he will make him a mighty god. Indeed, it is the rejection of the medieval form and the resolution to quest a way to become powerful through magic.

The central element is thirst for knowledge and power, and for that the soul is sold. Dr. Faustus asks about astronomy, Mephistopheles willingly reveals to Faustus the secrets of astronomy, but when is asked about the creator of the world, Mephistopheles refuses to answer.Mephistophilies tells him about heaven, hell and the earth. Dr. Faustus finds the Limits of the power, and it dissatisfies him. His pact with Mephistophilis makes him away from God. Indeed, these were the questions of the age that Christopher Marlowe transfers to his hero for seeking answers from Mephistophilis. His bond with Mephistophilis for knowledge sake was not wrong because he got knowledge about whom he was ignorant.

The second element is power for that he sells his soul. Mephistophilis is his power, and he is with him. It is power that he flies and makes enquiry about cosmos etc.He has a great power of necromancy and uses it according to his own wishes, whether in voluptuous or trivial things. It is really the spirit of Renaissance. When he was signing the bond, the good Angel came and tried to divert him to God, but he denied and did as it was his wish. In Rome, he, along with Mephistophilis, makes fun of the Pope and the friars. He enters German court and shows his power to the Emperor Carlous by calling the ghost of Alexander the great. His trick with knight by placing a set of horns on his head, his selling a horse to a horse-courser on the condition that he will not take the horse into water and his conjuring up of Troy for some fellow show his absolute power.

Individualism is also a dominant spirit of Renaissance. It gave importance to individuality or individual ideas but not to society. He is individual in his decision of selling soul, and he does not pay any attention to the good Angel who forbids him to sell his soul. Mephistophilis comes into religious dress, but he forbids. He writes on his arm shows his own wish but not of Mephistophilis or Lucifer. Throughout the drama, his individuality is dominant. When Mephistophilis does not answer his questions about the creators of the earth, he turns his mind to God and thinks that it is too late to repent. The good Angel admits that it is never late; He then appeals to Christ for mercy.In it, we don't find any force imposed on him by some body, but it is own decision proving his individuality. The Lucifer and other devils appear and tell him not to think about the God, and he is shown the masque of seven deadly sins-Pride, Covetousness, Envy, Wrath, Gluttony, Sloth, and finally Lechery. He is satisfied and wishes to visit Hell. Hence, the role of individuality is dominant.
The other important role of Renaissance was appreciation of beauty and art. When the absolute and desired power corrupts him, he stops seeking of knowledge, but shows his desire for pleasure. So, he hankers after a beautiful wife and selects Helen from Greek myths. He knows Helen, the most beautiful woman and for her the battle between Troy and Greece took place. Dr. Faustus returns to the ancient Greece that produced Helen and the scholars, thinkers and writers. So, it was the age of classical Greece, and Dr. Faustus desires to go to this age. It is also clear from drama that Dr. Faustus had good appreciation about beauty and art of ancient Greece.

In the drama, there is the conflict between religion and knowledge. It is fact that the Catholic Church was very powerful, despite it, in 12th, and 13th century, Renaissance movement started in Italy whose main focus was knowledge, again, discovering from the books of ancient Greece and Rome. This movement was to break the darkness of medieval Europe, and at last the scholars succeeded. The religion got a new spirit because the supremacy of Pope was challenged by the Protestants by bringing a new protest against Catholic idea of Christianity.

In Dr. Faustus, such challenge is issued to Christianity with the help of the evil. The good Angel and the bad Angel come to him. It shows the conflict between religion and knowledge because the bad Angel insists on him to follow necromancy that will make him powerful and will be the source of great knowledge. When he plays tricks with the Pope and the friars, it also shows the conflict between the medieval darkness and the renaissance. Such conflict goes on through out the play, and for such conflict, the old man comes to pursue him to return to God or religion. Indeed, he succeeds in his goal.

In this drama, something very strange is found, and it can be named anti-renaissance element. It is patent that for knowledge and power, he sells his soul to the devil, and the audience might have condemned him to be totally against the religion or the Christianity. His pranks with the Pope, the Friars, the knight and the horse courser show the misuse of power for small things.So, he slips, to some extent, from his goal. Apart from it, he seems to be very voracious for luxury and money.

In drama, it is very clear that for the knowledge sake, he turns away from religion and does not listen to the good Angel. When the time of death comes, he runs back to religion and Christianity. One must think that being a man of renaissance, he does not endure the scare of death, and he desires to hide himself into the sea or under the mountains. It shows that Dr. Faustus feels scare of his funny reaction to religion or Christianity. Christopher Marlowe turns his hero to Christianity in order to save himself from the anger of the audience. In drama, on one spot, the Pope and the Friars read the Bible to curse the invisible attacker, and Dr. Faustus as well as Mephistophilis becomes upset. The scare of death can not disturb the man of renaissance, and he is not against God, but he stands against those who misuse the religion according to their own wishes.So, he plays tricks with them. He returns to God but not to the contractors of the religion. He sold his soul is a great step for knowledge sake. Indeed, he broke the monotony or unlawful power imposed on the people by such contractors of religion. Besides, Christopher Marlowe might have suffered in his age, and through the drama, he warns them not to misuse the power; otherwise, the suffered will cross the limits. For that purpose, the hero stands against the religion or medieval thoughts of religion. It is an autobiographical element.

One can not deny from the fact that Dr. Faustus is really a man of Renaissance and he answers of all the Renaissance queries.Apart from it, one can not deny from the anti-renaissance element that ought to be used for above discussed purpose.

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Becoming Famous - Tips on How to Become Famous

In case you are looking for ways of becoming famous, your drive should not be the money. The road to fame can prove very challenging and therefore, if all you want is the money; it might take a long time to become a reality. The tips on how to become famous include working hard to improve on your exceptional qualities. Therefore, working hard and smart with your talents can create the way to fame. If you think you are not talented, you can consider thinking out of the box.

Tips on how to become famous

Reality TV: In case you are wondering how to become a famous actor, reality TV offers a popular platform through which you can extend your goal. In fact, talent is not an important consideration with reality TV. All you need is the confidence to do what you need to do and in many occasions, exposing even your undesirable qualities.

Talent

Talent has a way of making people famous. If you can do anything like singing, cooking, running, painting, driving, swimming and much more, you can consider improving on your skills to beat the competition. Being good in sports has made many people famous in record time. In fact, some sports achievement can be accomplished easily with some people who happen to be naturally stronger or faster. In this case, the genetic cause plays an important role in getting fame. Nevertheless, many people with talents lack confidence. Therefore, looking for ways to boost your confidence will help you make good use of your talent.

Invent

Giving answers to human problems is bound to get you to the public limelight. Furthermore, many inventors have gained fame in record time. Inventors are people who took the time to understand the problems and to come up with practical solutions. If you can think 'out of the box' you will be in a place to generate a revolutionary idea that can get you fame.

Timing

Timing plays an important role in getting you to fame. You might consider looking around to know when and where to do heroic acts. Although this is often difficult, it is nevertheless an effective way of receiving the attention of the members of your social group. The good thing is that every person is affiliated to one or several social groups, which makes it possible for you to get to the public limelight courtesy of the social groups.

Relationships

If you are considering fame, consider getting into a relationship with a celebrity. Being a member of a celebrity's inner circles gets you to the public domain without having to engage the target audience directly. Nevertheless, more intimidate relationships are more likely to generate much more attention.

We provide the best info about tips on how to become famous and how to become a famous. For further details please visit the provided links.

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What Does It Take to Be a Fashion Model?

One of the only ways you can become a model when you are not tall and slender is by being famous. Models are required to be young and anyone hoping to join the industry should do so when they are in their teens. A 25-year-old model is considered to be old, though there are some who pass as models.

Most models are recruited by scouts who are constantly searching for new faces. Many models have been discovered in clubs, shopping malls, and other areas where young people frequent. Since no one knows where the modeling scouts will be at any given time, it is difficult to say the best places to hang out. A young person who fits the physical requirements is likely to be noticed at one time or another. Anyone who feels they meet the requirements can also send pictures or go to a modeling agency. There are a number of agencies in the country and it is important to make sure the agency visited is reputable.

When sending photographs to an agency, it is better to send simple photos that show you as you really are, than to try and create an expensive portfolio. The agencies prefer to see the models in their 'raw form', or natural face, so that they can see what they have to work with. Another way to become a model is by going for open castings. A number of agencies have castings a couple of times a year and this is a great place to get noticed.

There have been a few cases where model conventions and schools have produced some results. It is generally believed, however, that this is usually a waste of time and money. A number of those who attend the schools have no chance of becoming models. The schools will enroll anyone because they are, after all, getting paid. No one should have to pay anything to get access to a reputable agency.

Before you say 'I want to be a fashion model', you should know that the first few years are going to be very difficult. You need to persevere and have strong character and ambition to make it in the industry. It can take a long time before you start getting regular bookings. You may also be required to work away from home which can really be stressful especially for young models. This is a business that attracts many characters, and most of them are out to take advantage of the young vulnerable models.

We provide the best info about I want to be a glamour model and I want to be a fashion model. For further details please visit the provided links.

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Strip Clubs and Age Limits

Strip clubs are entertainment venues that cater mostly to adults. These places usually have performers who dance or put on a show on stage and show off their skills to an audience. The types of performances that occur in these premises are reserved for adults and usually for males only since most performers are women. There are also some venues that cater to the needs of female audiences. Other such places cater to specific fetishes and preferences of individuals, whatever gender they are. There are many different laws and regulations that govern venues like these. Among them are based on the age, licensing and nudity. Licensing is necessary for the place to operate. It includes licenses for operation, selling alcoholic beverages as well as licenses for each performer who the establishment hires to perform. Nudity can be a relative term nowadays because many states have become more and more strict regarding this. Most do not allow full nudity but instead insists on the performer wearing pasties or a latex skin like cover, which gives the impression of nudity.

Limits on Age

The age limit of the patrons who can enter strip clubs is limited to 18 years old and above. In many states and cities, this is the age that one is considered an adult and may try out many different things. For most if not all, of the venues of this nature, males and females who can enter should be this age or above it. The representatives of the state or the city councilors who contributed to the laws that specify this are looking out for the welfare of older children who might not be guided accordingly. Without these laws, younger and impressionable children might be able to enter and be influenced or mislead by the performances and the general ambience of the place. Venues are also required to monitor the ages of their workers and performers. It is not just the patrons who need to be above the age of 18 but also the people who work at strip clubs. The law is very strict when it comes to this age limit. Closure of the establishment is imminent if local government agents find out that it has broken any of the laws that govern it and its operation.

Strip clubs that sell alcoholic beverage in the premises are also not allowed to serve these to individuals below the age of 21. Both males and females are allowed to enter the premises if they are 18 years old and above but they cannot partake or order any alcoholic drink unless they are 21 years old and above. This restriction is a national restriction. It is also applicable not just for strip clubs, but for all establishments that serve alcoholic beverages. Even owners of private domiciles and homes cannot serve alcohol to minors. Parents will be charged with specific laws if they abuse this. The law is very clear on this restriction regarding strip clubs and other premises.

All strip clubs myrtle beach have regulations. Make sure you understand them all when visiting by heading to http://www.penthouseclubmyrtlebeach.com/.

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Strip Clubs and Why They're a Big Hit

Strip clubs are a consistent feature in many different cities around the world. They have developed from an audience of only men to include women and other sexualities. There are also some that are specialized for fetishes and inclinations that are very specific. In general, establishments like these should be legal and above board, complying with the laws, rules and regulations of the local, city, federal and national laws that apply to them. In many smaller or progressing cities, many residents are against establishing these types of entertainment but progress has a way of paving the way for many forms of entertainment.

Entertainment Value

Many people have this very narrow notion of what strip clubs represent. All they see is the darker side where people drink too much and indulge in vice. The reality of it is that there is also a positive side to these businesses apart from the vice. Many of them are actually done in good taste and focus mainly on entertaining the people who come and visit. Higher class venues usually have tasteful shows that deliver the sexuality that many come to see but at the same time, offer a touch of artistic flavor. Other than for their artistic aspects, most of the middle to lower class establishments is sure to meet the demands of an audience who needs an outlet for their needs and desires. Many of the audience members of strip clubs are men who might be feeling randy or adventurous. On the other hand, many are also out looking for a good time with some girls.

Entertainment for many men varies depending on their needs. Some might have some sexual frustrations that they need to express or work out while others might just like the sight of a sexy woman. Some actually like spending time with their buddies while being entertained this way. They can spend a lot of time with their friends and at the same time be entertained with the shows and the beverages. For others it's not all about the performers but more about spending time with the people whom they are with. It just so happens that their companions choose this kind of venue.

One other reason why strip clubs are a big hit is that they are usually taboo. It is not just the young who are looking for kicks but also the middle-aged and the old. Young men like to think of it as a rite of passage while middle-aged men like to spend time ogling other women other than their girlfriends or their wives while older men like to be contrary and believe that they've still got "it". Women also like to frequent these kinds of venues, whether they are designed for women audiences or men audiences. The girls like to be thrilled with the illicit knowledge that they are not supposed to be thee or that they are going against the wishes of their parents, boyfriends or husbands. Some people also really enjoy the performances that the women (and men!) put on.

For whatever reason, visit myrtle beach strip clubs to enjoy the shows put on. Find out more about the shows by visiting http://www.penthouseclubmyrtlebeach.com/.

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Hey, Look At Me! - What Every Artist Wants Most

Some artists will smugly tell you that they don't need to share their work with others; that they do what they do to please themselves. They're lying! They're peddling baloney along with their art.

I used to live with such a man. Despite his solipsistic claims, he often brought young women back to our place to ogle his artwork as he ogled them. When asked why he didn't present his artwork to curators, he replied, "I'm not a good salesman."

Artists are salesmen, by nature! We're always looking to be compensated for our efforts, with attention or money or both. Of the two, attention is more important.

Don't get me wrong. Money is great. But we artists will do what we do--whittling down truth and beauty into consumable portions--whether or not anyone gives us money for our offerings. It's the attention without which we cannot survive.

No artist creates a sculpture, a song, a story or a joke without saying to someone else, in essence, "Hey, look at me!", even if it's only to a stranger at a party. Art requires a response, in order to complete its function; in the same manner that a carriage requires a horse, or that a wealthy man requires a prenup.

Even that most reclusive of poets, Emily Dickinson, sought readers. She wrote over 1800 poems in her short life, often giving them to friends in gift baskets of flowers grown in her garden. It is said that these recipients typically appreciated the flowers more than the poems.

Can you imagine, now, receiving such endearments from Emily Dickinson? It would be like receiving postcards from Toulouse-Lautrec, or sheet music from Bach.

It is commonly believed that Emily Dickinson could not come out of her room to greet houseguests because she suffered from agoraphobia. I rather believe it was because she found some of her poems in the community compost, along with her wilted flowers, and said, "I'm done with you people!"

Many years ago, when I was a budding composer, I wrote arrangements for friends of mine who played in a band. This was way back before notation software came on the scene. My manuscripts were meticulously notated by hand. When I attended one of their rehearsals, I found my pages scattered on the floor, further defiled by dusty shoe prints. It was a good lesson. I stopped giving away my work, especially to friends.

Artists typically feel entitled to some attention, and resent being ignored. Approval is always welcome; but disapproval is better than no-proval. No attention is tantamount to the guest-of-honor never showing up at a surprise party. Even if that person hates the party, it's still a success. But if he or she never shows, then everyone else is left wondering, "What was all this for?"

Consequently, when artists don't get enough attention from their work, they sometimes feel compelled to rub their ids in people's faces. When Lucie Dupin couldn't get published because she was a woman, she wore men's clothing, smoked cigars and changed her name to George Sand. Oscar Wilde satirized Victorian hypocrisy and refused to deny being gay; he wound up in prison.

Me? Like Emily, I sometimes loath stepping out of my solitude. Like Lucie and Oscar, I enjoy blatantly defiling taboos--to remind people how arbitrary they are--for which I am predictably punished; an easy task. All anyone has to do, to beat me to within an inch of my life, is to ignore me. At least Oscar had his day in court.

Greg Silva is an Entertainment Business Entrepreneur and Consultant, as well as a Dating Coach. His company, Maestro's Method (for men and women), offers a mature, ethical approach to attracting the right people; rooted in Evolutionary Psychology, Mythology and practical experience. http://www.maestrodatingcoach.com/

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