Holiday Entertaining with Ceci Carmichael

Exclusive interview: Producer Berenika Bailey on film school and her career in Hollywood

Polish born filmmaker Berenika Bailey has produced over ten films since 2009, including Jaguar, R.A.D.I.C.A.L.S., and The Down Home Alien Blues which is currently in post-production. Her insights on filmmaking and the lessons she’s learned over the years are a valuable resource for anyone considering a career in Hollywood’s competitive film industry.

Candy Washington: When did you decide to pursue a career in filmmaking?
Berenika Bailey: I was pursuing a masters in philosophy at the University of Warsaw and realized that I was craving more “life” in my life. My parents came up with the idea of filmmaking. So I enrolled in film school, fell in love with it and have been at it ever since.

CW: At what point in your career did filmmaking cross from being a hobby to something more serious?
BB: When it started involving other people's money. During film school we were making films for fun, to improve our craft, to experiment. There was that need to express ourselves. People would critique your work and have opinions about it and it didn't matter as long as you knew that you did your best.

It became serious when people started investing in my films. When people expect a return, I had to start thinking in terms of what genres sell, about targeting and demographics, about distribution and marketing. It was no longer just about art.

CW: What film school did you attend?
BB: I went to two film schools in Warsaw, Poland: WSR and AFIT (Academy of Film and Television). I stayed in school for 6 years together with philosophy studies and would advice filmmakers: skip it. Put the money into your few film budgets instead. Learn practically. The only big advantage of attending film schools is that you get to know other filmmakers to create with you. Yet there are many websites these days that connect crews with projects so your team could be way more knowledgeable than your classmates. Filmmaking schools are like soft pillows, they give you few safe years to think over what you are really looking for. If you don't need these few years of protection from life jump into the real deal and start making films, even if its just assisting others at first but on real sets.

CW: How would you define the actual role of a producer?
BB: The producer makes sure that the movie has a touching and sellable story. She watches for any “virus” in the team that might pose a problem to overall production.

A good producer ensures that a movie is completed on time and within budget and that a successful marketing and distribution strategy is in place.

CW: In your view, what are some of the qualities that make someone a good film producer?
BB: Persistence—sticking with your plan no matter what. Because you can count on things happening that will keep your project from becoming a reality. Film production is the art of compromise, between your vision for the film and the real life circumstances that you encounter along the way.

You have to think like a business person. A producer knows how to strategize, plan and prioritize. You have to know which tasks to assign to yourself and which ones to give to others. And who do you assign those other jobs to? That is key.

CW: What advice would you give someone new to filmmaking?
BB: Keep making films. Stay in the game. And don't repeat your mistakes.

Dana-Maxx Spring/Summer 2013 Preview Collection

I had the honor of attending the Dana-Maxx Spring/Summer 2013 Preview Collection. See below for top trends and pics from the beautiful collection.

Color: Mint

Color: Hot pink

 

Look: Day-to-night sequins

Print: Floral (with the designer)

Length: Maxi

Must-have: Statement coat

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Hurricane Sandy Causes HUGE Explosion NYC at Con Ed: Footage by John Mattiuzzi

Diary of an actress #19: Sarah Louise Lilley - new girl on Twitter

Candy Washington: How did you get your start in the entertainment industry? What led you toward acting?
Sarah Louise Lilley: I found my love of performing when I was pretty young. I grew up in England where I did elocution lessons and speech competitions in school from an early age; when I was 8 or 9, I won a prize reciting A.A. Milne’s poem Forgiven about a boy who loses his beetle, and I can still remember most of the poem! We would see pantomimes (quintessentially British, over-the-top fairytale-inspired musicals) every Christmas; and we lived in Chichester, one of the UK ’s premier theater towns – so I was exposed to great shows from an early age. I can still visualize the production of Ionesco’s Rhinoceros that my mum took me to; I was way too young to understand it all but I’d never seen anything like it. People turned into giant puppet rhinoceroses, and it blew my mind!

After moving to the US, I went to UCLA and got a BA in Theater, Film and Television. I drove cross-country to NYC after graduating to intern for the avant-garde director Richard Foreman. A few months later he asked me if I’d be interested in performing in his next show. I auditioned and got the role of the Child in Bad Boy Nietzsche. It was my first AEA show, we opened in NYC and than took it to Belgium, Holland and Tokyo – it was amazing!
CW: You have a very impressive reel! What are some bodies of work that you are particularly proud?
SLL: Thanks so much! My latest short film Nothing Happened, which I produced and starred in, has screened at over 30+ festivals including Cinequest, Berkshires, Bend, Woodstock and London BFI; we’re now talking to distributors. When you produce a low-budget movie you wear so many hats. I can see my fingerprints all over the film – from the choice of director and location, to the artwork in the background (almost a character itself) and the costumes. I’m really proud of the film we created and of its success. I’m also very grateful to all the people who collaborated on the film and donated money so we could make it!
 
I performed “Come and Have a Chicky Meal, Cuz You’re Gonna Love This Deal” with JMandle Performance (http://juliamandle.com/) in various venues around NYC including Exit Art, The Art Directors Club and the Alexander Kasser Theater. Julia is an amazing performance artist/activist and it was so inspiring to work with her. I also really enjoyed being able to use my experience with dance and contact improvisation, because there was a lot of movement and choreography. After performing with Julia, I worked with her as a producer; I facilitated a 5-week residency in the Chelsea LAB School that culminated in a large-scale street performance with 60 students; we also created pieces in Pittsburgh together, and traveled to New Orleans to create a performance with students there for the opening of Prospect 1 - the New Orleans Art Biennale. Sadly, Julia moved the company to Amsterdam a couple of years ago.

I played the female lead in the feature Blue Road a few years ago. It was a road trip/love story shot in 12 national parks over 2+ months. I’m very proud of my work and my collaborators’, and really wish the film was out there in a bigger way. It played some festivals but never got the recognition I felt it deserved!

CW: What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as an actress? How did you over come then?
SLL: I’m also a mom to an awesome 2 year old! Balancing motherhood and acting has definitely been a huge challenge. When my son was tiny, Nothing Happened was on the festival circuit, and I’m proud to say he attended his first film festival at 7 weeks! At first it was easy; they are so portable at that age. Then there was a difficult period of adjustment - both logistically and financially. It was a struggle to find time for auditions and to focus on my career, and also to give my son some focus and stability. I initially had a strange misconception that sharing about my son would harm my career – but I have found the opposite to be true. I used to be told I wasn’t old enough to be a young mom, but suddenly “young mom” became one of my types. I have had some great conversations with casting directors and agents about kids; I even had someone tell me that they remembered me because we have children the same age. Being a mom is such a huge part of who I am: so I think talking about it shows the real me, and people can connect with me more easily. I also think it has made me a better actor because I am more vulnerable… I teared up just reading my son a Curious George story about a kid who gets lost at a baseball game!

CW: You have dual citizenship of the US and the UK – has that every played to your advantage in the acting world?
SLL: I have many American friends who can do a perfect British accent, but I’ve booked some commercials because the producers wanted to guarantee authenticity by hiring only British nationals. I do go out for British roles so I’m sure having my citizenship on my resume helps. I was also just featured in Jason Bell’s book “An Englishman in New York” about British people living in NYC. It also features Sting, Kate Winslet, Stephen Daldry, Sir Peter Shaffer and Chef April Bloomfield - so that was pretty cool!

CW: My reader’s are dying to know, you have a very unique and attractive look, what are you favorite roles to play and why?
SLL: I always want well-written material, but I really tend to gravitate to people rather than to specific roles. My ideal career is finding people I love to work with – writers, producers or directors – and collaborating with them over and over again. I love the creativity and shorthand you get when that happens. I’m lucky enough to have already found a few of those people. I’ve worked many times with Jessica Provenz, who wrote Nothing Happened, and I’d sign on anytime without even reading the script because I trust her so implicitly. I worked on Late Night with Conan O’Brien a lot when he shot in NYC, and his writers are brilliant; when I’d get the call I’d just say “You don’t have to tell me what the sketch is: I’ll do it.”

Someone once told me my roles have a theme in common – characters that are torn and struggling between two choices – whether it be two worlds, two men, two cultures or two personalities. That wasn’t something that I sought out but oddly it is somewhat true. Even my favorite films often have that theme too.

CW: What’s one piece of advice do you have for other actors that are just starting out?
SLL: Search out Dallas Travers! (http://www.dallastravers.com/) I recently discovered Dallas, who is a creative career coach and actors’ advocate. She has a book, a free newsletter and a Facebook page as well as numerous classes and seminars. I think she offers an amazing blend of practical actor tools as well as spiritual/mental tools to deal with the ups and downs of this business, and I highly recommend connecting with her.

CW: When you’re not acting, how else do you like to spend your time?
SLL: Acting and horseback riding have always been my two passions, and I wrote and produced my first short Raising the Bar (which premiered at the Palm Springs International Short Film Festival) just so I could ride a horse on film. A couple of years ago I rode across the Namib Desert on horseback: 10 days on a horse that had unbelievable stamina, and with no civilization in sight, flying across the desert at breathtaking speed – pure joy and freedom!

CW: Where do you draw inspiration from when preparing for a role?
SLL: I love that stage of the process. I always start with myself and find some common ground with the character. Sometime just my experiences and imagination are enough; other times the role is very removed from my world and it takes a lot of research for me to understand and feel connected with the character. I’ve done everything from spending the night on Hollywood Boulevard as a homeless girl, to reading endlessly about being the child of an alcoholic, to spending hours doing improvs of events in a character’s back story, to interviewing hookers, to sinking into art and music that my character would love. Then the challenge becomes trusting yourself, letting all your homework go and just being present in the moment.

CW: What’s your top 3 favorite films of all time and why?
SLL: Such a hard question – I have so many favorites! Steve Martin’s Shopgirl is definitely in my top 3. It is visually beautiful as well as funny and heartbreaking. It has a wonderfully insightful, subtle, poetic quality. I think his latest book An Object of Beauty is in development for a feature, I would LOVE to work on that project.

Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden’s Sugar is beautifully done. It has everything - it is topical and raises really interesting/problematic questions yet is also funny and deeply moving.

The Woodsman made a huge impression on me. Kevin Bacon is amazing in it. Great storytelling and you leave feeling such empathy for his struggle, which is a huge feat considering the topic of pedophilia. It is not a perfect film but a very brave one.

I’m sneaking some more in…
Honorary Mention – The Visitor
Fav Rom Com – Waitress
Fav Foreign movie – The Lives of Others.
Fav Laugh out loud movie - Shaun of the Dead
Fav recent genius low budget filmmaking award – Compliance
Fav guilty pleasure – The Notebook

CW: What’s one thing that only my readers can find out here about you?
SLL: I resisted social media for so long but am a recent convert. I started a Facebook page a little while ago but have yet to open a twitter account. The day this blog goes live, so does my twitter account! You heard it here first!! Be the first to follow me @SarahLLilley

CONTACT:
Monthly newsletter – http://eepurl.com/phXLH
Website – http://www.sarahlouiselilley.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Sarahlouiselilleyactor
NEW Twitter - @SarahLLilley

Click here for the next entry: Diary of an actress #20: Santana Dempsey - Actress with an empire


Click here for the last entry: Diary of an actress #18: Renaissance woman, Anna Van Valin

Best comeback: Mischa Barton

My fav look of the day: Olivia Palermo

That New Black Magic Hedi Slimane chronicles the making of his debut Saint Laurent collection.

H&M ANNOUNCES AN EXCLUSIVE “FASHION FAMILY” CAPSULE COLLECTION FOR STYLISH HOLIDAY DRESSING

H&M takes the modern family to a new level of style with the launch of the “Fashion Family” Collection on October 22nd, 2012, focusing on complementary pieces with just enough edge to kick off Holiday dressing for the whole gang.

The new collection embraces coordinated dressing for parents and kids, without compromising individual style. Patterns and structures of rich burgundies, soft creams, pinks, and blacks, coupled with modern silhouettes, offer slick luxe looks to wear now through the Holidays.

For mom, it’s about looking chic and feeling cool in graphic textured jackets with sleek skinny trousers or a metallic mini. A collarless faux-fur jacket over a modern structured dress, accessorized with a clutch, oversized jeweled earrings, and the essential black sunglasses create a great look for any autumn outing. Girls can complement their moms with blush-pink party dresses and graphic textured jackets. There’s even a faux-fur vest for the little fashionistas.

H&M didn’t forget the guys. Dad can step into cool with a refined rock n roll look. A sharp black suit, zip-up leather jacket, soft knit sweaters, and washed shirts make looking good easy. Finish the look with sunglasses, a knit beanie, or a washed linen scarf. The boys will look just as clever as dad in elbow-patch sweaters and long-sleeve tees. A black fedora and matching sunglasses polish off these little rock stars.

The “Fashion Family” collection will be available in store beginning October 22nd at 36 H&M locations in the United States.

An exclusive video featuring the “Fashion Family” Collection is available via http://www.youtube.com/user/hennesandmauritz

Visit hm.com for more information and for store locations that carry the H&M “Fashion Family” collection.

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