 |
FADE
IN - ISSUE NO. 5, VOL. 1  28th
April' 2003 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
EST. REVENUE: |
#1
$17.0m |
#2
$16.0m |
#3
$13.0m |
#4
$7.7m |
#5
$4.8m |
|
|
|
 |
 |
Imagine
being stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on a hot summer
day. Horns are blowing. Tempers are rising. Patience is
like the thread in a garment. Not a single car has moved
for the past ten minutes. Frustration is at its peak.
You are screaming for something to tame the emotional
dilemma of road rage. You tune in to different radio stations
for soothing and comfort. Suddenly, an angelic, but strong
voice grasps your attention. It is Nina Simone's "Don't
Smoke In Bed." A smile slowly beams as her voice
eases the traffic blues.
Sadly, we lost Dr. Nina Simone, one of the greatest forerunners
of jazz music, on April 21, 2003 in Carry-le-Rouet, France
at the age of 70. Born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in Tryon,
North Carolina in 1933, as the sixth of seven children,
she learned piano at the age of four. Young Eunice grew
up in a poor family. In order to support her family, she
worked as an accomplice in an Irish bar in the summer
of 1954. The fate of her destiny changed when the bar's
owner told her she had to sing. Eunice Kathleen Waymon
changed her name to Nina (meaning "little one")
Simone after French actress Simone Signoret. The rest
is history.
The pianist/singer/arranger/composer combined the elements
of jazz, opera, blues, and gospel, to capture the soul
of human emotion. She used music as a voice to express
her passion for her culture and social injustices such
as prejudice and racism. Simone's music was an instrumental
voice during the Civil Rights Movement. When four little
girls were killed in the church bombing in Birmingham,
AL in 1963, Simone wrote the treasured "Mississippi
Goddam" in their honor. However, the pinnacle of
her musical genius during the Civil Rights Movement was
probably "The King of Love is Dead" an anthem
to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Although gone, her spirit lives through the harmonious
work of her music. Simone didn't record hits to maintain
album sales or record music to be the "it girl"
for today and gone tomorrow. But she recorded music that
can be stitched into our hearts and souls for generations
to come. With notable tunes such as "I Want A Little
Sugar In My Bowl" and "Backlash Blues, birthed
from a poem written for her by Langston Hughes, Simone
has achieved what many artists struggle to maintain- a
legacy.
A woman of class and elegance, words could not describe
a musician of her international stature. Artistic and
brilliant, creating a style of her own. This is an ode
to Nina Simone. |
 |
 |
...an
inside look at the style, the stars and the beauty stuff
that's street & sweet...
The Jumpoff!
It's warming up and that means people are coming out. The spring look
is au naturel, fresh and femme. For girls on the go, Femme Arsenal's
"Wild for the Night" all in one compact fits perfectly into
a mini hobo bag. The sleek compact contains all the essentials: 2
lip glosses, 2 powder eye shadows, 1 creme eye shadow, and 1 highlighter.
Be
armed. Be sexy. Add a "Wild for the Night" all in one
compact to your cosmetics arsenal in "Wild Out" Earth
Tones or "Free Style" Spring Pinks.
For
the chicas that keep it simple, FA offers four fly lip bombs that
go on clear and soften lips.
She's gotta have it: Pink, Mariah Carey, Lil' Kim, Kimora Lee Simmons
and Foxy Brown keep their lips moisturized with these yummy flavors.
--- T. Bernie
Grab bag giveaway - Hit us up with your thoughts and one lucky winner
will receive the featured product.
To win, send a note to:
producer@urbanfilmpremiere.com
Order
products at www.femme-arsenal.com
|
 |
|
|
Verizon
knows how you like it. Check out the sounds
of FLOETRY and BLACKALICIOUS at the 9:30 CLUB
on Thursday, MAY 1.
WHEN: Thursday, May 1, 8:30 p.m.
WHERE: The 9:30 Club - 815 V Street,
NW Washington, DC.
TICKETS: Obtain tickets at the 9:30
Club box-office at 815 V Street, N.W. Or,
call 703-218-6500 and 800-955-5566 or online
at tickets.com and at all Olsson's Books and
Records locations. This show will be HOT...Get
your tickets TODAY.
THE SHOW: Opening the show will be
Blackalicious, the innovative rap group whose
style blends cutting edge hip-hop with spiritually
moving lyrics. Lyricist Gift of Gab and a
DJ/Producer Chief Xcel make up the two-man
group. Headlining the evening will be South
London's Floetry whose debut album Floetic
has received much critical praise. Floetry
consists of songstress Marsha Ambrosius and
spoken-word "floacist" Natalie Stewart,
who describes their music as "poetic
delivery with musical intent."
Verizon. Make progress every day!
NEXT STOP - New York City. |
|
|
 |
 |
 Whitney
Houston, no matter what, is still a leading
Diva and you know this maaaan. Ya know you
can't get enough of
Whitney. The Squad wishes her the best as
she has battled the media and other issues
that seem to have hampered her
career. The producers of BOSTON PUBLIC believe
in the Diva as she will guest star and perform
on the season finale episode of BOSTON PUBLIC
airing Monday, May 12 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT)
on FOX. Can
you imagine having Whitney perform at your
prom? The band at my prom consisted of the
school janitor (custodial engineer) and this
dude named Curtis that lived on my block.
True story.
In the final episode, a student writes a ten-page
letter to Houston asking her to attend the
prom with him, and faculty and students are
amazed when she accepts. At the sight of Houston,
Aisha (Tamyra Gray) gets stage fright about
singing in front of her idol. To help re-inspire
her, Houston gives a surprise performance
of "Try It On My Own," her current
single from her new album "Just Whitney." |
|
|
Everything
You Ever Wanted To Know About Being A Background Performer
in Film And Television
Contributed
to FADE IN by Cynthia Webb-Manly and the SAGAPAC Committee
|
Whether
this is your first time working as a background
performer or your thousandth time, here are
some BASIC FACTS to help you get through the
shoot.
You
have been hired, as a background performer
for something the Director wants the audience
to see; no one should notice you at all.
This also means:
|
| • |
Do
not engage the principal performers in idle
conversation, ask for their autograph or ask
to take pictures of them or with them unless
clearly offered. In fact, you should not have
a camera with you unless you were instructed
to bring one.
|
| • |
Breakfast
is not a given. When in doubt, always eat
a small meal at home before you report on
the job. Breakfast is often a courtesy meal.
|
| • |
Non-Deductible
Meals (aka the NDM) might be breakfast, a
mid-day or a midnight meal. The time period
before the NDM must be announced and must
be fifteen (15) minutes long. During this
period, you should not be asked to do anything
else such as go to make-up or be seen by wardrobe.
It should be an uninterrupted meal period.
The NDM resets the clock for your next meal.
In other words if given properly, an NDM defers
your next required meal break time to six
hours from the conclusion of the NDM. A non-deductible
meal is on the clock time and it must be given
within 2 hours of your call time in order
to count.
|
| • |
Meal
Penalties. According to our contract, your
first meal should occur 6 hours from your
original call time if you do not have an NDM.
The production company is given a 12-minute
grace period. The violations are set in half-hour
increments. Example: your call time is 6:00AM,
you have a non-deductible breakfast from 6:45AM
- 7:00AM. This means you should be broken
for lunch around 1:00PM. You're still working
at 1:30PM and lunch is finally called at 2:00PM.
You have incurred 2 meal period violations
(make a note so that you can note this on
your voucher). If the company had broken for
lunch by 1:12PM in this example, no meal period
violations would have been incurred. If there
is ever a doubt, DO NOT argue with the PA
on the set, file a written claim with the
AFTRA-SAG office.
|
| • |
Be
ready to work long hours or sit for long stretches
of time. The prepared actor is ready to stay
the duration of the shoot. The SAG or AFTRA
member is required to stay until he/she is
released. You might work 2 hours or 15 hours;
be prepared to stay until wrapped. By accepting
the job, you've agreed to stay until you're
wrapped, however long (or short) a time that
may be. Don't accept work on a movie if you
have a performance or rehearsal that might
interfere with the movie shoot. Also, be aware
that there is a clause in our contract that
gives the production company the right to
require you work the following day as well
should they need you. This does not mean they
can require you to come back several days
or weeks later. (Bring some reading material
or cards for idle time.)
|
| • |
Overtime.
Everyone wants to know about the bottom line.
Overtime kicks in after you have worked an
8 hour day. Remember your meal breaks are
deductible, (except of course the NDM). Example:
your call time was 6:00AM, you had lunch from
12-12:30; at 2:30 you will have worked eight
hours, but you're not wrapped until 6:00PM.
Let's do the math - you've worked a total
of 11.5 hours, the first two hours of overtime
are paid at time and a half, the next hour
and one half are paid at double time. Based
upon the rate of $108.00 for eight hours,
your base pay including overtime would be
$162.00. If you work more than 16 hours, including
your meal times, you're into "golden
time" and you make your daily salary
for each hour or portion thereof beyond 16
hours.
|
| • |
What's
reimbursable? Props (luggage, camera, golf
bag, tennis racket), wardrobe and vehicles.
Prices are established in the contract for
many props, but for anything else you are
asked to bring not stated in the contract,
the producer has an obligation to bargain
a reasonable reimbursement with you or the
Union office on your behalf. What's not reimbursable?
Anything you were not specifically instructed
to bring and the first wardrobe of the day.
Any additional changes you were asked to provide
beyond one are compensable. Be sure to put
it on a voucher!
|
| • |
What
to bring when you're working and what to leave
at home. The most important things to bring
are a pen and your identification: SAG/AFTRA
card(s) and either: 1) driver's license and
social security card or; 2) passport. The
first day you're working you may be asked
to show these items when filling out the employment
verification, or I-9 form. If you've been
booked as a driver, be sure to have a full
tank of gas. Bring the wardrobe items as requested
by the production company. The biggest complaint
from the wardrobe departments has been the
number of background performers who are not
complying with the wardrobe request. Another
frequent complaint from the production companies
is the number of actors bringing items not
requested. Although the production company
is responsible for providing security, don't
bring items not requested and don't bring
valuable or treasured personal items! Space
may be tight and it's really a hassle to lug
around things you're not going to be using.
|
| • |
Filing
a claim. If there is a deputy working that
day, the deputy will/should file a REPORT
with the office, but this is in no way meant
to be construed as a substitute for a claim
from the members affected. In order to guarantee
that you are paid correctly, you need to note
meal penalties, wardrobe allowances, auto
and prop reimbursement, call and dismissal
times and file your own claim if necessary.
|
| • |
A
final word about the set Deputies. The main
duties of the set deputies are to look out
for sanitary or safety problems, to communicate
concerns to the Union office and to act as
a liaison between the background performers
and the production company. There may not
be a deputy each time you work, because they
are volunteers who do not get extra workdays
or preference in hiring. Please do not try
to resolve any money matters on the set with
the PA's or the deputies. We do report violations
and problems to the office, but it is impossible
to remember everyone involved or to keep an
accurate list of those affected. We try to
notice all issues including the number of
non-union people working, and the time required
to get back cars at the end of the day, but
remember, we're working too and the Union
helps those who help themselves.
|
| • |
Cynthia
Webb-Manly has been a member of SAG for 5
years, and serves the Union as SAG Set Deputy
and Chair of the SAGAPAC Committee.
|
|
|
| The
Squad is programming the inside architecture of Urbanfilmpremiere.com
and we need your help. Please answer this question so that
our design team can serve you best. |
| Q)
When deciding on an entertainment web-community, what attracts
you most? |
|
| Last
weeks Poll Question - What influences you most in determining
which film to see on the weekend? It seems that IN THEATER movie
trailers influence you most. |
RESULTS
 |
In
Theater Trailers |
27% |
|
TV
Commercials |
21% |
|
Friends
(Word-of-Mouth) |
20% |
|
The
Movie Star |
15% |
|
Newsletters/Web-Sites/E-mails |
8% |
|
Music
Videos from the soundtrack |
3% |
|
Radio |
2.0% |
|
Magazines |
2.0% |
|
Newspapers |
1.0% |
The
Squad encourages you to vote in the POLL QUESTION each week. |
|
| IN
THE MATRIX OF LIFE, DONT FORGET THE SIMPLE PLEASURES. |
 |
Alex
and Jayden walking in puddles without remorse - just joy.
Photo by Amy Gonzales, Florida
Send us your BEST PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY - no headshots for this section.
Please do not send any photos by e-mail.
Send a note to editors@urbanfilmpremiere.com
for mailing info.
|
|
