The Talented Cafe

Hello;
I am looking for work in Reklam,TV,Film, or on Stage. I am Stephen IronMan McNatt
I’m an actor / stuntman / special effects tec, I am 47 years old and married, I am Native American I dance mens traditional play the flute and tell old tribal storys I look in my 30’s I have Long brown hair and eyes I weigh 200 lbs and I am 5ft 9 inches tall and I am in great shape I worked with Helsingborg Theater 2005 in the show Mice and Men it was the most popular show in the history of that theater and was extended twice, my
roll was one of the prime supporting players. I can become anyone and become anything I am needed to I am a character actor, a gaffer a special effects technician a stuntman, fight coordinator, firearms expert, as a second job I teach and lecture on Native American Tribal Culture and History. I take direction well and I LOVE TO WORK. I will relocate for work and I will travel I am sorry but I don’t speak Swedish well But
can do lines in Swedish with practice.

past work
NORTH & SOUTH 1 and 2, GODS AND GENERALS , COLD  MOUNTAIN,and GLORY
I was a Union Cav Solder in all 3 films and stuntman I did stunts on and off horse back and fought with sabers hand to hand and with Knives and helped to choreograph some of the knife and hand to hand fighting sequences.

WIND RIVER, SMOKE SIGNALS and DANCES WITH WOLFS
Played a Native American in all 3 films, in Wind River I was a stuntman and one of the assistant fight coordinators and also an extra. In Smoke Signals I was an assistant stunt technician and Native American extra, in Dances with Wolfs I was again a Native American and stuntman, and was also employed as a
gaffer.
I can start now anytime Please I need a job if you can use some one that is able and
willing to do anything you have please call me

Thank you.
MVH

Stephen IronMan McNatt
ironmanmcnatt@yahoo.com
Vintergatan 8 B
26731 Bjuv
Sweden
H–042-82-823

This is a bit of fun for those with the blues

Optical Illusions

Optical Illusions Cheer me up: This takes a short while to load in here, but its worth it

Attorney General Eliot Spitzer today announced that his office has filed a lawsuit against a Montgomery County man who scammed dozens of actors into believing he was a talent agent and casting director for major motion picture studios.Eric Charles Roselli, also known as Eric Latham, of Amsterdam, is accused of fraud, deceptive business practices, false advertising and violations of a state law that prohibits advertisements for show business employment opportunities when an advance fee is a condition of employment.

“This individual pretended to be a movie talent agent and nearly convinced many people to pay in advance for an opportunity to appear in a movie,” Spitzer said. “But his claims were not substantiated and my office is now seeking restitution for those who were victimized.”

In June 2003, Roselli placed an advertisement in Backstage Magazine, a publication read by individuals in the entertainment industry. The advertisement invited aspiring actors to call a Manhattan telephone number for information about auditions purportedly affiliated with Paramount Studios and Warner Brothers.

Actors who called were told that auditions were being held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Albany. Hundreds of individuals traveled to Albany, at their own considerable expense, to appear for the auditions.

Spitzer’s investigation revealed that Roselli was not affiliated with either studio and that every actor who auditioned was offered a role by Roselli on the condition that they pay him $552 to join the “Artists Union,” a non-existent entity.

Several actors recognized Roselli’s offer as a scam and reported it to Spitzer’s office. Fortunately, no one paid the fee sought by Roselli.

In filing the lawsuit, Spitzer’s office seeks a court order compelling Roselli to pay full monetary restitution and damages to all aggrieved consumers, civil penalties for his violations of state laws and costs. The lawsuit also seeks a permanent injunction against Roselli barring him from future fraudulent, deceptive and illegal practices.

Individuals wishing to file a complaint against Roselli are encouraged to call the Attorney General’s consumer help line at (800) 771-7755 or visit the office’s web site at www.oag.state.ny.us.

This case is being handled by Principal Attorney Robert Vawter of the Consumer Frauds and Protection Bureau.

Visitors have already noticed the new links in the left-hand column to the publisher of my book Writing for the Web 3.0. This is third edition of a book first published in 1999, when the subject was very new. If your goal is to see your fiction as print on paper, W4W3.0 probably won’t help much—though I think its argument for simple, clear text applies in most genres.

A commenter asks which way I make the most money; I do get a little extra if you click through the link to Self-Counsel Press and buy the book right on the publisher’s website.

Next on my agenda is a second edition of Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy, first published in 1998. Look for a link to it next month.

Singer-songwriters

One trend that looks set to continue in 2007 is the onward march of the singer-songwriter. All those rock groups with their preening frontmen, clashing egos and enormous touring overheads have been eclipsed lately by a myriad of lone troubadours, each with an “authentic” story to tell and a sound almost as minimalist as their start-up budget.

From feisty, go-it-alone heroines like KT Tunstall, Lily Allen and Imogen Heap to more conventional archetypes of romantic introspection such as Richard Hawley, James Morrison and James Blunt, it is every artist for him or herself. Even confirmed team players, such as Thom Yorke, Jarvis Cocker and Brett Anderson, have suddenly started putting out solo albums, while singer-songwriters as diverse as Amy Winehouse and Sandi Thom, Sufjan Stevens and Ben Kweller, or Scott Matthews and Ben Taylor are just the tip of the iceberg.

Why the sudden appeal? In a pop world increasingly saturated with marketing spin and showbiz sham, the singer-songwriter offers the promise of something a little more up close and personal. Instead of music and performances with big, glossy production values you get a more intimate sense of communication by artists who seem comparatively genuine and unvarnished.

They certainly don’t come any more unvarnished than Ray LaMontagne, the key exemplar of this surging new wave of singer-songwriters. Surly, shy and - gasp! - bearded, he could not stand in greater contrast to the self-promoting characters more usually embraced by the modern media/celebrity circus.

“I didn’t think his first album, Trouble, would get the airplay or the attention that it needed,” says Allan Jones, editor of Uncut magazine, who was an early champion of LaMontagne’s. “It seemed deeply unfashionable, with all those 1970s, singer-songwriter influences, even allowing for the success of people like David Gray or Damien Rice. It was difficult to imagine it finding its way to an audience. I imagined it would be an obscure cult album, that a few of us would be writing about in 20 years time as a lost classic.”

Instead, a little more than two years after it was first released, Trouble has sold half a million copies, becoming a word-of-mouth hit that has redefined the popular tastes of its time. Lamontagne’s new album, Till The Sun Turns Black, slated for UK release in the spring, is a much more sophisticated collection, incorporating haunting string arrangements and rich keyboard textures (”It’s definitely not Trouble, Part 2,” Lamontagne insists). But its core appeal remains the heartfelt performance of melodies and lyrics which reflect the emotionally-charged life story of the singer, making it an album which once again satisfies what one biographer has called “the demand for meaningfulness”.

LaMontagne may be hopeless at trading bon mots with talk show hosts, but he is not a man to shy away from solemnly pondering the big issues.

I have noticed a trend in the past few years, scam artists are getting smarter in the modeling biz! Years ago there were only a few and it was obvious who was what. Lately, even I have been shocked at what these crooks have cooked up. These individuals have gotten smarter and realize new faces in the industry are more educated, thus they have gotten more creative in their attempts to hide the real deal.

Here are a few reoccurring scams I’d like to point out to help all of you save time and money!

By far, the most popular scam is what we call a photo mill.

This is an agency that makes their money by sending models to photographers that are ON STAFF to shoot expensive photos and produce a comp card.

These agencies don’t make their money by booking work only selling pricey photography. They sign up anyone with a credit card and book few jobs.

Be suspicious of any company that forces you to shoot with a certain photographer. Normally, that means someone is getting a kick back!

A legitimate agency will give you what they call a testing list. This is a list of all good photographers in your area that you’ll be able to contact and pick on your own. A good agency shouldn’t force you to use their printing company rather suggest one but let you do it on your own should you choose to.

Also, a brand new model should never print more then 500 cards at one shot. If you’re new, chances are your first card isn’t going to be strong. It’s simply just a way to introduce you to clients. You’re going to want to keep shooting to gain experience and update your cards within a few months. So, 500 cards isn’t a good idea. 100-200 cards are enough to get started and they shouldn’t cost more then $1.00 per card to produce.

You shouldn’t have to write your check out to the agency, rather to the printing company directly.

However, this scam does not apply to only the modelling profession, it will also apply to actors, dancers, singers etc.