Congrats to Anna and Brett Baird (comml '97). Their son, Caeden Robert Baird, was born, July 1, 1999 at Samaritan Hospital at 3:06pm. Brett reports that Caeden is the handsomest and most intelligent baby ever born.

HOOKS STUDENTS WORKING
MARCELO TUBERT (scene study, comml -- circa '80) portrayed the painter Salvador Dali in "Lobster Alice" by Kira Obolensky in a staged reading at the Ojai Playwrights Conference last month. HARRY FARMER (all classes -- '97-'98) is Egeus in "A Midsummer's Night Dream." The production plays in Sebastopol and then moves to Santa Rosa. For ticket info call Sonoma County Repertory Theatre at (707)544-7278. Harry also recently shot an industrial for Global Star. PAUL MCKINNEY (all classes '96-'98) has a role in "Rude Awakening" which stars Lynn Redgrave and Sherilyn Fenn. It airs September 11th on Showtime, and he plays a process server serving a summons to Lynn Redgrave's character in her house. Paul also recently shot an anti-Texaco PSA. MITSI OKAMOTO (comml & f/tv - '92) shot an industrial for Visa USA. APARNA MALLADI (scene study '98) has received a STAND grant from the Film Arts Foundation in San Francisco. This award, given to support and train new film directors, includes financial support ($1500) from FAF and mentorship from a professional film maker to complete a 6 minute film by May 2000. MARK VANSLOW (all classes '92-'93) shot a commercial for First Union. JEFFREY DEAN (f/tv '99) shot a regional commercial for Plantronics Headsets, an industrial for Cisco Systems and recorded a radio spot for Netcentives. DANIELLE ZEGHBIB (comml - '99) reports that she will be acting in a couple of 10-minute plays at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (read: Scotland!) in September with the California Travel Troupe. LAURA JEAN ANDERSON (comm'l and f/tv '95) shot an industrial for the Internet for the company seeitfirst .com and recorded v/o's for Lateral Communications and Global English. RALPH FELICE (all classes '98-'99) has been cast in an independent film, "Pizza." JEAN MAZZEI (scene study - current) shot industrials for Ernst & Young and Global Star. BRIDGET ENGEL (scene study - '99) is hosting a television show in Sedona, Arizona. It's about "Inspiring Women". PHIL SHERIDAN (comml & f/tv - '97) recorded radio ad in which he portrays a Bishop who furtively worships the Oakland Raiders. LISA WISEMAN (scene stdy '94-'97) appears in "Joined at the Head" at the Bus Barn Stage Company, through August 14th. Call (650)941-0551 for tickets. SHIRLEY BENNETT (f/tv -'97) has a supporting role in the independent film "Recoil". KEVIN LASIT(f/tv - '91) has moved up the ladder at the Kaiser Permanente Educational Theatre Program. Now he's Program Manager for "Nightmare on Puberty Street." Among other duties, he'll be directing shows and building web sites. "The promotion comes at a perfect time", sez Kevin, "with my wife and I being pregnant!" (I'll bet your wife will be surprised to learn that you're both pregnant, big guy. Congrats!)

CRAFT NOTES
PRODUCE YOUR OWN FILM!

The other day I received an e-mail from a discouraged Asian-American actor who learned from news reports that the Fall '99 network television season features a sea of white faces in the lead roles of new show. No actors of color. I advised him to continue fighting the good fight and not to be too discouraged That's constructive advice but, after I clicked the "send" button, his letter kept nagging at me.

Network television is a sales medium, not an art medium. Television shows exist in order to deliver good humored consumers to the commercials. And the cable networks are hacking away at the historic supremacy of the Big Three Networks -- NBC, CBS, ABC. Programming which features ethnic minority performers is being segmented off (or should I say "segregated"?) to the off-networks, such as UPN, Fox, Time-Warner. One way to look at the evolution is to compare television programming to Broadway. Increasingly, the Big Three networks are catering to the lowest common denominator -- in this case, white, middle class America -- same as Broadway does. The really inventive and cutting edge stuff is produced off-Broadway and out in regional theatre.

The advice I gave this actor was insufficient. It is important for him to realize that a shake-out is going on, that this is maybe the most exciting time to be an actor in America since television was first invented. The Internet and television are merging, the cost of producing programs is decreasing and it is becoming more feasible to produce for smaller audiences, which is what the cable networks are doing.

Maybe now is a good time to think about producing your own show! You can do it. Write a script, rent a digital camera and get to it. Some years ago, a Hollywood director/producer named Henry Jaglom encouraged me to do that precise thing ("Why are you banging your head up against the casting directors' doors, Ed? You're a bright guy, make your own movie!"), and I didn't take him seriously enough. He was right. You CAN make your own project happen. Get it made and, if nothing else, toss it up on the Internet where people can download it.

Please do not be discouraged by money-grubbing network execs. This is America for God's sake, a place where entrepreneurship is worshipped. So be an entrepreneur. Produce your own! And write me in a role.

Return to Top