hscactor's posterous

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TWO SHOWS A-COMIN'

I have two shows in the works. First off, another of my French Naturalist pieces, a fake nature tour of Wild Judaica, has been proposed to the Skirball for their upcoming Puppetry Festival on April 1. No worries- if they turn it down, I will put this show up on my own.

The second show is a project that has been in the works for a little while- Wine Show. This is a piece that will be performed within the context of a wine tasting. The idea is to create a piece I can perform with my friend and wine specialist Charlie Puffer.

We hope to be able to self produce our own series of tastings/ performances, as well as make ourselves available to private parties.

I will be checking in from time to time with my progress on props and such, and you can stay informed by checking in with The French Naturalist on Fbook.

Here is a photo of some of the pieces of 'travel' Wild Judaica I built for my jaunt to Europe last Spring. The new pieces are completely oversized, and much, much thicker.
- 10 January 2012
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RADAR LA & HFF11

-Fringers are confuzzled about all of the attention RADAR LA is getting... "Where is our love?" Red Fringer-

RADAR L.A. and the Hollywood Fringe Festival are now memories. From a quick look at the social media landscape surrounding the fallout and banter caused by three (mostly yawn) 'panels' that attempted to speak to Los Angeles' place in the grand scheme of the theater world, the memories are mostly bittersweet. Or to be all Bitter(Lemons) about it, 100% Bittersweet.

Yep, I even hired a hacker to crack the backend of BitterLemons to steal their algorithm, and that is the results I came up with (chime in here if I'm wrong, Colin, I know you will anyway.)

So, for the moment, let us set aside the panels, and allow me to offer up some frank personal thoughts about the relevance of both RADAR LA and the Fringe. So don’t anyone get your panties in a knot, or take any of this personally.

THE FRINGE. WHAT DOES IT OFFER PARTICIPANTS, AND WHOM IS IT FOR?

A couple of years ago, I seriously considered throwing up a show at the inaugural Hollywood Fringe. The entry fee seemed somewhat reasonable, $200. I jumped on to the HFF site and started doing research...

What would I get for my $200? Advertising muscle? Production assistance? PR assistance in pulling in reviewers? A free venue? NO.
So, what exactly WOULD I get for my $200?
Listing in a bloated Fringe guide, and a presence on a bloated website. Smells like pay to play.

I self produce my own shows. I know how to hustle to find great, site specific locations that I can get for free or cheap. I know how to generate excitement and bring an audience to my show. I knew that my show would get completely lost in the shuffle of the fringe website and fringe program. The difference between self producing outside of the Fringe and inside of it? I have two hundred more dollars to throw in to my production, and do not have to produce within the 'limits' of what they deem to be Hollywood. Thanks for the offer and opportunity, but I'll pass.

So what is the Fringe doing? What is it creating, and whom is it for... it is definitely not for me. Don't get me wrong. I truly believe that the entire Fringe crew has their hearts in the right place. But what they are doing is creating a festival for... themselves. It is a big celebration of small theater for other small theater people. The Fringe seems to think that it can draw in audiences from outside the community with "Outdoor events for visibility to community/ tourists." Um... no. They cannot- well, not yet. In their literature, the Fringe states that, "For participants, the Fringe is an opportunity for exposure, experience, and income." Fine, but how is this ANY different than an independent production any other time of the year, which is... an opportunity for exposure, experience, and income.

Obviously, what sets the Fringe apart is the instant community it easily affords participants and audience. For a week and a half, you can spend time with a great mass of people who share a love of live performance. If you are lucky, or get honest opinions, you can even witness some finished productions that may inspire your own work, or better yet, enhance or alter your beliefs.

Check out this map of the cluster of Fringe venues... Now remember, nearly all of these venues are in near constant operation hosting productions year round. The Fringe may bring a group of people together, but Los Angeles already has this cluster of venues in place.

<br /><small>View Fringe Venues in a larger map</small>

FRINGE vs RADAR
(note to Fringe, you admit you have no money or production values)

Let’s be honest. RADAR festivals are in no way comparable to the Fringe. RADAR is curated. It is about exposing an audience to interesting pieces of contemporary theater that explore new techniques. And The Fringe is not. Anyone with a wad of bills and the gumption to perform live is welcome. RADAR has marketing money and muscle to publicize, and even paper the city. My Sunday newspapers had inserts with the RADAR schedule. No such inserts for the Fringe. Even if the Fringers see that kind of relevance, presence outside of their core group of participants, and overall quality as a goal, they are nowhere near achieving it. They should not be surprised that they do not enjoy the same influence and stature.

It would be helpful if the Fringe team understood and got past this fact. Instead, some in the 99 and under crowd and Fringe crew seem taken aback that the 'establishment' just doesn't get it. In a July 2, 2011 New York Times article about RADAR L.A.'s success and plans to continue RADAR festivals outside of New York, Ben Hill, the Fringe Festival Director, was quoted as saying, “…we’d love to see more engagement with L.A.’s existing theater scene, including the thousands of artists participating in our 99-seat theater community, less reliance on conferencegoers to fill seats and more outreach to existing Los Angeles patrons.”

Perhaps this quote is out of context, but it comes of as a bit, well, bitter and snarky. And when you break down the three issues Hill raises, they fall apart.

The Los Angeles bid for the TCG conference was endorsed by a coalition of large, midsize, and 99 and under theaters (as stated in the KPCC panel.) The effort to bring RADAR L.A. together was a huge ordeal. It took the cooporation of local government and many many players in the local theater scene. Olga Garay (Executive director of Los Angeles’ Department of Cultural Affairs) and Diane Rodriguez (of Center Theatre Group, CTG) struggled for nearly four years to bring a Radar-like festival here. It just was not working. CTG’s mission did not match the needs of this type of festival, which is nearly impossible to do under AEA jurisdiction. REDCAT’s did. They are not a union house. They are a presenting organization.

When the TCG bid was accepted, things began to roll... New York UNDER THE RADAR producer Mark Russell worked with Mark Murphy of REDCAT and Diane Rodriquez of CTG, two companies very much a part of the existing Los Angeles theater scene (you even sat on the KPCC panel with them, Ben.) RADAR is billed as an "international" festival, yet more than half of the program- seven of the fifteen shows- were productions by Los Angeles artists. If that is not engagement with our existing scene, I am at a loss to define what would be.

Latino Theater Company's (LTC) coziness with the city and Poor Dog Group’s affiliation with CalArts may push them out of the world of 99 and under here in LA, but Moving Arts' rental is a 28 seat black box in Silverlake. And they performed in the inaugural Fringe in 2010. That should be a success for the Fringers to celebrate and publicize.

Regardless if you are still bitter with how LTC came to run LATC, they hosted five of the shows in their venues, three of them with 99 or less seats. TCG kicked in $40,000 to RADAR L.A. They saw an opportunity to bring contemporary theatrical entertainment within walking distance of their festival. Tickets were available to the public, and the festival sold "25 percent more [tickets] than… originally expected." That figure is proof of the outreach to Los Angeles patrons. RADAR L.A. actually penetrated the consciousness of the community. The Fringe barely scratched in to it.

THE STATE OF REVIEW: POPULISM, TRUTH, PAY TO PLAY

The traditional review system is broken. Reviews used to tell a wide audience of readers (back when everyone read the paper) what shows were good, bad, indifferent, and wild. Each paper and reviewer had their own style that you could identify with, allowing for your own understanding of what biases and predilections each of the reviewers used as a prism to witness the shows through.

With the LA Times refusal to cover the actual local theater scene in earnest, and the move towards shorter 'capsule' reviews at many of the other publications (online and in print,) how is an Angelino, let alone a tourist, to figure out what to see? I read five or six times as many reviews of New York productions than Los Angeles ones (I am a daily print subscriber to the New York Times.)

Even the 'review scene' is marred by this agenda of patting the performers on the back. As Trevor Thomas wrote in a great article, LEMONOLOGY 101 on Bitter Lemons last month, "…Los Angeles critics have given big thumbs up to an overwhelming majority of theatrical productions presented so far this year." Certain reviewers work on a 'pay to play' system that sings praises of shows as long as they advertise in the publication. 'Legitimate' reviews will only be assigned to performances with traditional runs of six weeks, leaving out some of the most innovative work being produced.

The Fringe gets around this lack of reviewers to cover the festival by championing a populist review system. Anyone who sees a show can review it on the Fringe website. The Fringe is organized as an inside job. If you are active in the Fringe community, you can get a slew of patron/ reviewers to laud the quality of your show. If you are not actively involved in the 'community' of artists, you don't get people to 'review' your show on the site (in the kindest way possible, of course.)

Nearly every show that received 'populist' reviews on the Fringe site had average scores of 4/5 or 5/5. Maybe four or five shows had a 3/5 star review, and one had an average of 2/5 (non scientific review of the Bitter Lemons FringeMeter.)

This is utter bullshit. If someone unfamiliar with the inside baseball of this review system actually chose shows to see from it, they could easily be utterly disappointed. But who, outside of the core group of participating artists, utilizes the Fringe site? I do not have access to the analytics, but I would assume that the penetration of users outside of the Fringe participants is rather low. This is an assumption, and I really hope I'm wrong. But the way I see it, the Fringe is overly consumed with creating this mini biosphere of like minded artists. A veritable Mobius Strip of positive feedback and semi-coerced support and praise, where the Fringe is the center of the known universe, and if you don't drink the kool-aid, you just don't get it.

Do we need a cheerleading outlet that rah rahs any and everything, especially unfinished works and showcases barely disguising their true nature as solo performance? No. What we need is more ways to highlight the awesome and ENTERTAINING bits of Los Angeles theater that are inventive, original, novel, and inspiring.

MY HORSE

Well, it seems it is time to admit that I, Howard Seth Cohen, have a horse in this race. For the last year and a half, I have reviewed shows for my website, Thomas Hampton Reviews. I attempt to be honest and thoughtful, and have even been attacked for some of my less than favorable scribblings (and then some.) To be fair, the main goal of THR is not to be a review outlet, but to offer the performance community at large additional tools to spread the word about their show in the wild world of the interwebz.

Am I guilty of the same urge to be 'all sweet' on the shows that I see? I preface the review section of THR with, "My Macro Reviews provide you with the ideas and themes behind a performance. I think once you understand the big picture- the feeling, tenor, and tone of a show, you can make a more objective decision on whether or not to go. If my Macro Review raises questions and thoughts that spark your interest, that is a good indication that you should give that show a try." Is it a cop out? I don't think so. But I do put it out to the world that I am attempting to produce some thoughts on a production that are not an old school review. Why don't I take critical look at my own work?

DON’T MIND IF I DO

I do know that I react to a bare bones show in a black box differently than I would if it was produced in a more finished way. Take the three Fringe shows I reviewed: FIVE UNEASY PIECES, VOICES OF CHORNOBYL JR., and I DO CARD TRICKS AND I'M FUNNY. They each had their unique reason for being.

Jon Armstrong's close up magic act felt like a close up show at the Magic Castle, without the need for a member's escort or the privilege of paying for overpriced, poorly mixed drinks. There was really no point in running down a set list of his performance, so I breezily summarized the feel of the show, hoping that the reader could discern whether or not this performance was worthy of their time. I have reviewed magic before, and invite you to see what is (I believe) more indicative of the writing style I want to present in a piece on Rob Zabrecky's group show.

As for Cindy Marie Jenken's VOICES… she presented what is probably better described as a workshop of a touring production for schools. Did I mention that? No. Was I too forgiving of the production? I'm not sure. I chose to focus not on the production itself, but on the conversation it will start, and educational aspect of the show. I ignored the shortcomings of the Fringe necessities; a non existent set, poor lighting plot, and press preview jitters.

When it came to Todd Waring's FIVE UNEASY PIECES, the most polished production of the three, the underwhelming taste the show left me with was unavoidably showcase-y. I shared the underlying themes and quality of the work, but hopefully made it clear that this was a friends, family, and casting director show only, in contrast to Michael Bonnabel's THE GOOD BOY, which I reviewed during its run at Bootleg Theater.

In contrast to all three of these shows, the selections from RADAR L.A. that I saw for review were much more engaging. They dealt with themes and issues in sophisticated ways. They allowed for contemplation without simplifying the meat of the show. They used classic and new medium in inventive ways, perhaps in some cases pushing far beyond what a patron recognizes as theater. In fact, I have been so overtaken by this embroilio and my thoughts I have put aside the reviews to pen this reaction.

CAN THIS BE A LEARNING EXPERIENCE?

Is it possible for all of our community to pivot from the us vs. them of the last month, including the 'riot inciting' Culture Monster panel, the more inclusive panel from KPCC, and Fringe/ Bitter Lemons critics’ panels that followed? Can we understand that we are an us AND us community? Can we use our airing of grievances as a learning experience for everyone who cares about the present and future of theater in Los Angeles? Will discussions resulting from this prove to be a turning point in the way that we work together to support all of the theater in this town?

I don’t think that anyone would say that the Fringe is doing harm, or misguided. In contrast, I think most observers are quite impressed by the organizational muster of the group. But there is no doubt that the Fringers are very new to Los Angeles. They don’t seem to appreciate that there are other theater professionals, even entire organizations, with very similar goals... that could possibly be of great assistance to them. I can only shudder to think how Ben must have felt at the KPCC panel as he realized whom he was really on the panel with. Not ‘big theater’ boogymen, but caring arts professionals who have devoted their careers to forwarding the life of Los Angeles theater beyond the fledgling institution that it is.

Terence, you were wonderful on that panel. I hope you were able to inspire the community to further embrace the Alliance, understanding the goals you see for its future.

Here is the bottom line. Everyone enjoys being able to feel that they are being heard, and that their views, values, and issues are important. However, it seems that we are constantly cycling through the SAME ISSUES. And what comes of it?

Has your theater engaged its hyper-local audience in earnest?
Has your theater engaged in real partnerships with other theaters to create work or exchange productions to find an audience in a new neighborhood?
Have you really enacted real world and on line pr? Have you put as much effort off the stage as you put on it?
Has your theater asked the LA Stage Alliance what it can do to help?

No, not likely. So maybe we should quietly begin to foster the future Los Angeles theater audience. This seems to be the goal of Le Infant Terrible's FUN FAMILY FESTIVAL OF TRAGEDY at Bootleg Theater. And if they were really smart- which I am fairly certain of, Justin Zsebe and Angela Berliner will be translating those tragedies in to Espanol pronto.

Tags » Cindy Marie Jenken #LAthtr #hff11 Angela Berliner Bitter Lemons Bootleg Theater CalArts Center Theatre Group Colin Mitchell Culture Monster FIVE UNEASY PIECES FringeMeter Hollywood Fringe Festival I DO CARD TRICKS AND I'M FUNNY Jon Armstrong Justin Zsebe KPCC LA Stage Alliance LATC Latino Theater Company Le Infant Terrible Lemonology 101 Los Angeles Michael Bonnabel Pay to Play Poor Dog Group RADAR LA REDCAT Rob Zabrecky THE GOOD BOY Terence McFarland Thomas Hampton Reviews Todd Waring Trevor Thomas Under the Radar Festival VOICES OF CHORNOBYL JR.
- 2 July 2011
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Bad skin day- Glade 'Bring on Spring' online campaign

Thanks to S.C. Johnson & Sons, The Rella Group, DraftFCB, and the entire crew and production team for 'Bring on Spring,' yours truly worked yesterday on an online ad for Glade.

My makeup artist, Jennifer Mann (all around good egg,) treated me to several lovely 'pimples' utilizing a simple and quick make up effect that was new to me; so I thought I would share.

step 1: mark the location of the blemish with a red dot using a thin brush

step 2: apply a clear plastic 'glue' like liquid/ gel (straight from the tube, and yes, it smelled like airplane glue until it dried)

step 3: blend the edges of the 'pox' with foundation as necessary

Great work, Jennifer! She took these photos on the set.

(download)

Click here to download:
bad-skin-day-glade-bring-on-spring-online-campaign-qxdBjsccnqqotFzsbdtp.zip (3.1 MB)

Images courtesy of Jennifer Mann Makeup Artist, Licensed Barber, Licensed Esthetician... and All Around Good Egg

I'll share the video when it goes live, but expect a great 'music video' with amazing, dynamic, moving shots, clever art direction, and belive it or not, they ACTUALLY hired the jingle singer, Jess Penner, as our on camera hero!

Big thanks to the entire cast and crew. Everyone was extremely professional and kind, and thankfully, the set was devoid of power plays and some of the abusive shenanigans that are all too common in our industry. I would welcome the opportunity to work with our director, Shawn Kim, and First AD Isaac Heckert, or our production team, including John Corser, Justin Gilley, and Bekah VanBruggen again on any of their future projects.

Tags » Ann Madden Anna Marietta Bekah VanBruggen Beth Farmer Blue Thompson Brian Mundell Bring on Spring Charlie Slemaker Colby Dunford Curtis Brown DRAFTFCB Dino Robinson Dylan Johnson Glade Howard Seth Cohen Hunter Rodgers In Good Taste Catering Isaac Heckert Jacquin DeLeon James Washington Jeff Hightower Jennifer Mann Jess Penner John Corser Jonas Weeks Joseph Messier Justin Chefe Justin Gilley Katie Hodgkins Kyle Bryson Laura Leppanan Lou Landolph Marlin Geore Michael Adrian Mikey Dewinter Paris Cronin Peter Foldy Peter Prte Raymond Fitzpatrick Rella Group Robby Meckler Robert Fox Rudy Martinez Ryan Monelli S.C. Johnson & Sons Sean Taylor Shanna Worsham Shawn kim Steve Chase Taylor Bro Trevor
- 9 March 2011
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home sweet home #lathtr

I am currently playing The Postman in home sweet home, a wonderful performance/ installation for all ages at the Skirball Cultural Center.

home sweet home is the title of the performance by the theatre company Subject to_change. It has been produced in the U.K, Canada, and now has its U.S. premiere.

Participants purchase a cardboard home, apartment, or shop, construct and decorate it, and become a part of a new community... An alternate version of Los Angeles laid out on stretched canvas across the gallery floor.

Yesterday, a whale meat purveyor opened up at the beach. Today, there was a 'Save the Whales' march and demonstration against it, and an 'Eat the Whales' dinner at a new seafood restaurant. The Postman has gone on strike several times, and a live radio station plays music throughout the entire event. Once you purchase your house you are welcome back to the performance/ installation until the climax of the event, a Block Party on Sunday, October 3rd.

home sweet home encourages participants to take action and invest in the future of their new home, a fledgling society full of opportunities to lead, follow, cause trouble, and create art.

I highly recommend this blend of site specific performance, crafting, and social conscious raising. I will continue my role as The Postman on W, Th, F, and Sn. home sweet home is open during museum hours: T-F 12pm to 5pm, S,Sn 10am to 5pm. There are two special events, Thursday's Town Council meeting at 7:30pm, and the Block Party on Sunday, October 3rd from 5pm to 7pm.

More information is available on Thomas Hampton Reviews.

Tags » Bring Kids Dan Wilcox Eleni Kafetzi Jacob Schmdt James Carey Jen Maxcy Jordan Pesmer Ken Franklin Kyra Oser Laura Tull Lauren Simon Lucy Hayhoe Mario Cotto Marion Hodges Michelle Castillo Nancy Konrardy Silvie Zamora Skirball Cultural Center Ssan Boorujy Susan Lucas Taya Kenny Abigail Conway Howard Seth Cohen Los Angeles Subject to_change The Postman Theater craft home sweet home site specific
- 26 September 2010
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LIVE BETTER WORK UNION (even on the Interwebs)

The Internet! The Internet! Its all the rage!
We all use it; especially if you are reading this. You probably found this post by way of a social networking site. More and more of our time is spent finding entertainment on the web. Sure, some people use their computers to view content created for more traditional media outlets (film, tv, etc...) but most people use their computers to view material created primarily for the web.
Youtube clips, Vimeo, Funny or Die all feed the eyes of entertainment consumers. I know several friends who have started their own Youtube channels, or something similar, and regularly produce and upload content. And many of them are union members. Which brings up this dilemma...
Why should any guild member be willing to work without a guild contract on webisodes?
Remember, these webisodes really are not solely promotional vehicles. They are not being posted on SAG’s iactor site for industry professionals to view as a reel or performance clip. These continued webisodes are being placed in commercial arenas, and even if the producers themselves are not receiving monetary compensation for their posts, someone is. Usually Google; do you think those ads on the side and the pop ups on the bottom of the video box are free? No. Google is making money off of you every time you upload content on to the site. Funny or Die is making money. Vimeo is making money. Everyone is making money, except for the people making the content.
This is wrong, and it is why I shy away from posting much of my work on line in such public forums. I detest the fact that everyone seems to have their hands in the pocket of the performer, and I usually refuse to let anyone play grab ass with my potential earnings.
While they seem to always be perpetually behind the times, both SAG and AFTRA now have contracts producers can use for web content. In fact, they allow the producers to negotiate ANY RATE for compensation. Yes, they can pay their performers ABSOLUTELY NOTHING and still be a legitimate union sanctioned production. All it takes is a little legwork. And if the production eventually does pull in some cash, the contracts protect the performers, in some cases forcing a pay-out to the cast of as much as 6% of the gross proceeds if the webisode continues to stream for over six months.
A performer friend of mine recently discussed with me his plans to enhance his weekly live performance by creating a series of webisodes; simply by taping the performances and posting them. I thought that was a great idea, and forwarded to him plenty of information about the new media contracts that both SAG and AFTRA have made available to him. He has decided to move forward with the project without union affiliations, yet asked me to take part in his inaugural performance/ webisode taping. I said no.
And you should too. The only people who can force new media content producers to utilize the guild contracts are the guild members themselves. Regardless of your affiliation: SAG, AFTRA, AGMA (musicians,) AGVA (variety performers,) AEA, (even GIAA, the Guild of Italian American Actors,) it is your responsibility to say NO to producers who do not want to play by the rules. If you are a member of any one of the performer unions, it is your duty to work only under union contracts REGARDLESS of what union has jurisdiction over the project. The concept is called reciprocal jurisdiction, and is written in to the union work rules of each guild/ union.
If we continue to allow our work to move more and more in to a non-union production model, it will never escape the vortex of the ever cheapening of productions. Movie and Television productions are already held hijack by the widening divide of the above the line talent and producers, who rake in enormous sums of cash for their work, and the day players, below the line, and no-name talent who feel blessed to receive union minimums which do not provide enough to support a family, let alone health care minimums and pension vesting.
If this topic interests you, I strongly recommend you take a look at a great article from Brains of Minerva, where multiple web content producers were asked about their decisions to work with or without union signatory contracts.
As audience eyeballs continue to disperse from the cinema, to television, then to cable, and now to the infinite choices that the Internet provides, it is only up to us, the performers, to ensure our needs and rights are protected, and that we are seen and respected as the talented artists we are- not interchangeable playthings at the mercy of the whims of content producers.
Yes, our guilds are bloated monsters in need of reform; but they are there to protect us, and offer their power, weight, and muscle when we need someone to fight on our side. Together we stand mightily. Separate, we make easy pickings for the sharks.

Tags » AEA AFTRA AGMA AGVA Brains of Minerva Funny or Die GIAA Internet New Media SAG Vimeo Webisodes Youtube guild union
- 23 July 2010
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Gearing up for more FERAL FOOD TRUCK FOOD OF LOS ANGELES

Sure, Summer is here for most of America, but here in Southern California, our Summer weather has not quite arrived. And the hottest months always seem to be September and October.

This actor has been busy- auditions booked by my team at talentoLA, continued work on the performance review/ pr site Thomas Hampton Reviews, and a huge birthday party for my support staff, Mrs. Featherston.

But now is the time to look back on the one off of FERAL FOOD TRUCK FOOD OF LOS ANGELES, re-write, make changes, add new segments, build new puppets, and set up a new run for the show. I have a firm belief that The French Naturalist is a winner, and I will continue to produce shows for him.

Goals:

Establish co-production status w/ a 501c-3.

Build new puppets/ write new segments of show.

Book series of (or at least one) food truck to be a part of the show.

Book musicians for run of show.

It is my hope to complete an Ovation eligable run of FERAL FOOD TRUCK FOOD OF LOS ANGELES before November. We shall see...
- 29 June 2010
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What Google TV and Toyota's $50 million investment mean to me

Two important announcements from the week...
and how they will work to my favor...

GOOGLE TV

The announcement of GOOGLE TV this week has brought out the expected range of reaction- everything from "ho hum" to "revolutionary." (Some nice thoughts by various people are available here, on EngadgetHD)
My take? I believe that the real ramifications of this device/ technology are still a bit far off, but here is what I think it can do…
Once the majority of viewers are either watching on their p.c., have a Google TV powered disc player/ set top box hooked up, or watch on a TV with Google TV embedded, this has the possible ability to democratize the playing field on which all content providers play.
Imagine if my short film/ webisode series is able to be searched for, found, and played in the same way, with the same hardware, as Disney or Sony or Fox's latest offerings. This will not, however, be an easy thing to accomplish. The marketing budgets of the established content producers and providers are, and will continue to be, enormous.

Eventually, however, the majority of content viewers will be accustomed to pulling any and all video content in to their TV, and will also be accustomed to choosing their content through search, as opposed to checking their TV listings or DVR cache. This will take a massive shift in the way people think about, and actually watch, TV. But I believe that as our younger, more technologically savvy generations become the kings and queens of American living rooms, this change will occur. Check out this article from The Economist on how people ACTUALLY watch TV.

So, it seems to me that self produced videos, with decent audio visual standards, may be the key to audience penetration and public notoriety. Not to mention actual ad revenue on a pay per view basis.
And now, the second big piece of news (which I believe is pretty fantastic…)

Toyota and Tesla team up for electric sedan production

Toyota has made a major investment in Tesla Motors, the upstart 100% electric car company that has produced a ridiculously expensive two seater, and will soon produce a (still overpriced, yet more reasonable) sedan, pictured above. Toyota and Tesla will be producing these cars together in a California plant. Toyota's $50 million investment in Tesla can only be a good thing. This is the first step in the production of a mass market, brand name, 100% electric car.
Every time I have an audition in Santa Monica, and I have to drive 30+ miles just to spend 4 minutes in front of a camera, I find myself frustrated that the only way I can be a responsible performer and ensure I make my time is to drive a combustion engine car. My hope is that the release of the Volt later this year, and the eventual Toyota/ Tesla economy products will drive prices down on alternatively fueled cars.
I just want to be able to buy one when I have to replace my loyal beater. I'm looking to hit 300,000 on the odometer.
- 23 May 2010
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Meagan Boyd added to Feral Food Truck Food of Los Angeles!

Meagan Boyd, local artist and puppeteer, has been confirmed as the opening act for Feral Food Truck Food of Los Angeles.

Fresh off of her show last night (Friday, April 16th) at Echo Curio, Meagan will be performing a special pre-show show at Echo Park Lake. Meagan's show will take place just after 1pm.

Don't miss her show! Be on time! Meet where the Lotus flowers used to bloom. Look for a lady with a "Food Truck" puppet...

FERAL FOOD TRUCK FOOD OF LOS ANGELES

The French Naturalist

This Sunday offers an opportunity to witness the premiere of a rather interesting show, FERAL FOOD TRUCK FOOD OF LOS ANGELES. This fake nature tour, led by The French Naturalist, is a piece of site specific performance art taking place in Echo Park, in and around Echo Lake, where the Lotus flowers used to bloom each summer.

This guided walking tour of Feral Food Truck Food (food that has escaped off of food trucks) is a kid-friendly event. Participants on the tour "Feral Food Truck Food of Los Angeles" will feel the wall of "theatricality" collapse around them as they become fully engrossed participants in the event.

Full event information is available on the FERAL FOOD TRUCK FOOD OF LOS ANGELES website.

Unfortunately, this is not a wheelchair accessible event. The walk takes the participants up roughly three flights of stairs. The producers have created an interactive map with detailed explanations of the distance of the walk, the locations where the action takes place, and recommended locations for public parking:
INTERACTIVE MAP OF WALKING TOUR
If you feel you or one of your companions (ahem, young children) may not be "in shape" for an easy walk around Echo Park, the producers strongly recommended that you check the map to ensure you can handle the terrain.

Joining The French Naturalist as musical guests are AK and her Kalashnikovs*, assembled by Musical Director Alissa Kueker.

FERAL FOOD TRUCK FOOD OF LOS ANGELES
Sunday, April 18th, 1:15pm $10 Adults $5 Children
Meet at Echo Park Lake, where the Lotus flowers die
Interactive Map of the guided walking tour
Pre-show ticketing and full information is available on the
FERAL FOOD TRUCK FOOD OF LOS ANGELES website
*AK and her Kalashnikovs are made up of members of (yet unaffiliated with) Killsonic
- 17 April 2010
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Fancy Food Truck...

Check out some of my latest work for my new world premeire this Sunday, April 18th!

Full info on the event's web page: http://mrmrs.pingg.com/FeralFoodTruckFood

More details under the pics...

FERAL FOOD TRUCK FOOD OF LOS ANGELES

The French Naturalist

This Sunday offers an opportunity to witness the premiere of a rather interesting show, FERAL FOOD TRUCK FOOD OF LOS ANGELES. This fake nature tour, led by The French Naturalist, is a piece of site specific performance art taking place in Echo Park, in and around Echo Lake, where the Lotus flowers used to bloom each summer.

This guided walking tour of Feral Food Truck Food (food that has escaped off of food trucks) is a kid-friendly event. Participants on the tour "Feral Food Truck Food of Los Angeles" will feel the wall of "theatricality" collapse around them as they become fully engrossed participants in the event.

Full event information is available on the FERAL FOOD TRUCK FOOD OF LOS ANGELES website.

Unfortunately, this is not a wheelchair accessible event. The walk takes the participants up roughly three flights of stairs. The producers have created an interactive map with detailed explanations of the distance of the walk, the locations where the action takes place, and recommended locations for public parking:
INTERACTIVE MAP OF WALKING TOUR
If you feel you or one of your companions (ahem, young children) may not be "in shape" for an easy walk around Echo Park, the producers strongly recommended that you check the map to ensure you can handle the terrain.

Joining The French Naturalist as musical guests are AK and her Kalashnikovs*, assembled by Musical Director Alissa Kueker.

FERAL FOOD TRUCK FOOD OF LOS ANGELES
Sunday, April 18th, 1:15pm $10 Adults $5 Children
Meet at Echo Park Lake, where the Lotus flowers die
Interactive Map of the guided walking tour
Pre-show ticketing and full information is available on the
FERAL FOOD TRUCK FOOD OF LOS ANGELES website
*AK and her Kalashnikovs are made up of members of (yet unaffiliated with) Killsonic
- 16 April 2010
- Views
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- 0 responses
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- Edit
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Fancy Food Truck...

Check out some of my latest work for my new world premeire this Sunday, April 18th!

Full info on the event's web page: http://mrmrs.pingg.com/FeralFoodTruckFood

More details under the pics...[[posterous-content:kbGzDbqFpFpcumGkDHxt]]

[[posterous-content:HkepGJGBHrccwmGdJHgx]]

FERAL FOOD TRUCK FOOD OF LOS ANGELES

The French Naturalist

This Sunday offers an opportunity to witness the premiere of a rather interesting show, FERAL FOOD TRUCK FOOD OF LOS ANGELES. This fake nature tour, led by The French Naturalist, is a piece of site specific performance art taking place in Echo Park, in and around Echo Lake, where the Lotus flowers used to bloom each summer.

This guided walking tour of Feral Food Truck Food (food that has escaped off of food trucks) is a kid-friendly event. Participants on the tour "Feral Food Truck Food of Los Angeles" will feel the wall of "theatricality" collapse around them as they become fully engrossed participants in the event.

Full event information is available on the FERAL FOOD TRUCK FOOD OF LOS ANGELES website.

Unfortunately, this is not a wheelchair accessible event. The walk takes the participants up roughly three flights of stairs. The producers have created an interactive map with detailed explanations of the distance of the walk, the locations where the action takes place, and recommended locations for public parking:
INTERACTIVE MAP OF WALKING TOUR
If you feel you or one of your companions (ahem, young children) may not be "in shape" for an easy walk around Echo Park, the producers strongly recommended that you check the map to ensure you can handle the terrain.

Joining The French Naturalist as musical guests are AK and her Kalashnikovs*, assembled by Musical Director Alissa Kueker.

FERAL FOOD TRUCK FOOD OF LOS ANGELES
Sunday, April 18th, 1:15pm $10 Adults $5 Children
Meet at Echo Park Lake, where the Lotus flowers die
Interactive Map of the guided walking tour
Pre-show ticketing and full information is available on the
FERAL FOOD TRUCK FOOD OF LOS ANGELES website
*AK and her Kalashnikovs are made up of members of (yet unaffiliated with) Killsonic
- 16 April 2010
- Views
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- 0 responses
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Howard Seth Cohen's Space

My name is Howard Seth Cohen. I'm a performing artist living in Los Angeles. I have been performing since the age of four. This blog is my way to share with you my journey as an artist. I will promote upcoming shows, and talk about my work navigating the realm of on camera and voice over. Sign up as my fan on facebook:
http://bit.ly/41qYt

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