SPECIAL THANKSGIVING OFFER: 20% Off Friars Roasts Until Dec 1st!

You might not think Thanksgiving is very funny, but once you get past the stress of cooking, crazy relatives, and shopping until you drop, you really should take some time to sit back with your family and laugh at some of the best comedy roasts of all time from Classic Friars Club Roasts.

The Friars started in New York City in the early 1900s. Eventually they organized dinners to celebrate a member, which eventually evolved (or devolved) into what we have come to know and love as a Friars Club roast. Over time, these events took on legendary proportions with speakers taking to the dais to present some of their rowdiest and most outlandish material in a no-holds-barred attempt to outdo and outperform each other. Fortunately some of these epic celebrity roasts have been preserved and are now available for your viewing pleasure.

Start the holiday shopping early, or order the DVDs yourself so you can watch them over and over again. Save over 10% when you purchase a five-volume special edition box set of the Classic Friars Club Roasts for only $89.95 plus $11.95 S&H. You’ll receive the Johnny Carson DVD, Milton Berle roast, and so much more. Plus, you’ll also receive the Don Rickles and Don Adams Classic Outtakes DVD containing hilarious comedy sketches never before seen on TV.

SPECIAL THANKSGIVING OFFER:  20% OFF THE COST OF DVD’S UNTIL DEC 1st!

• Don Rickles: Well-known for doling out insults and trouncing egos of anyone within earshot, Don Rickles has regaled millions with his sweeping barbs. Early in his career, he was brave enough to take a swipe at Frank Sinatra by dead-panning, “Make yourself at home Frank. Hit somebody.” Fortunately Sinatra found him hilarious, and Rickles went on to become the worst nightmare for any guest of honor at a roast. Our Don Rickles videos feature some of his best take-downs.
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• Johnny Carson: Better known as the king of late-night television, Johnny Carson was also a tremendous comedian in his own right. Viewers loved his banter with Ed McMahon and guests as much as the incredible characters he created like Art Fern and Carnac the Magnificent. When it comes to roasting, though, the Johnny Carson videos will show that he relied on a quick wit and sophisticated sense of humor to get the job done.
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• Jerry Lewis: Renowned worldwide for his movies and strangely beloved in France, Jerry Lewis turned a partnership with Dean Martin into comedy gold. After their acrimonious break-up he went on to solo in movies such as “The Bellboy,” “The Nutty Professor,” “The Errand Boy,” and “The Patsy.” He won critical acclaim in serious films such as “The King of Comedy” and “Funny Bones,” while his work for the Muscular Dystrophy Association raised millions for the organization. He has also earned the title of Abbot of the Friars Club and was the object of several celebrations. Our DVD of the Jerry Lewis roast is a true comedy gem.
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• Milton Berle: Before becoming known to a generation of television-addled youth in the Golden Era of TV, Milton Berle honed his comedic talents in the Borscht Belt of the Northeast. He perfected the double take, the spit take, and the take down as well as a visual and physical form of slapstick that were sure to elicit howls of delight from his audience. His popular variety show, NBC’s “Texaco Star Theater” helped sell more TV sets in the early days of the medium than any other individual. During his tenure as head of the Friars Club he was a master of the Roast. Nobody was safe from his skewering – or his legendary wit.
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• Jack Benny: Old “Mister Cheapskate” himself was one of the leading entertainers of the 20th century and a comedy legend. His signature pregnant pause or exasperated “WELL!” made audiences fall instantly in love with his patter. His radio and television family included Eddie Anderson as Rochester, Mel Blanc, Dennis Day, Phil Harris, and his real life wife Mary Livingston. Together they formed the precursor for today’s sitcom ensemble format. They were his foils for laughter, while his deadpan expressions spoke volumes. Eternally 39, Benny was immortalized forever in his very own Friars Club Roast.
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A: What a strange question – wouldn’t you run, too, if there was somebody looking longingly in your direction and calling you “dinner?”

A: In fact they do, but it took quite some time to get to that point. Phyllis Diller once dressed as a man to get inside and see what the fuss was all about. Lauren Bacall sent an audio tape when they honored Humphrey Bogart. Since then, some of the women roastees have included Phyllis Diller, Sophie Tucker, Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett.

 

Q: Which roast is the funniest?

A: They all crack us up, but the DVD where Dean Martin roasts Don Rickles is one of our all-time favorites. Old Dino played the part of the lovable lush to perfection but he could certainly get serious when it came to delivering a punch line.

A: Why didn’t we think of that sooner? Seriously, though, who doesn’t love a good laugh? And these are some of the best jokes that you and the lucky recipient will ever hear.

GREAT NEWS: You can now watch Friars Club Roasts online anytime, anywhere on your laptop, TV, phone and tablet! Streaming memberships are available for $11.66/month, $28.74/quarter or a best value of only $95.52/year. Call us today at 866-987-3678 to order your Friars Club Roast DVDs or start your membership, and then pull up a turkey leg and get ready for some side-splitting viewing fun.

Thanksgiving Morsels About Friars Club Roast Stars

We’re not pulling your leg – here are some great tidbits about some of the celebrity stars who appear in the Classic Friars Club Roasts DVDs:

Thanksgiving Q&A with Friars Club Roasts

Q: So why did the turkey cross the road?

Q: Don’t they ever roast women?

Q: Would these make a good holiday gift?

About Classic Friars Club Roasts: Classic Friars Roasts is a DVD collection of the best comedy roasts of all time. The Jerry Lewis roast features incredible barbs from comedy legends. The Johnny Carson DVD is just as hilarious as the skits you remember from The Tonight Show. Visit the website at http://classicfriarsroasts.com now to order your celebrity roast videos in time for Thanksgiving. “Like” the Facebook page for links to some classic comedy sketches. Call 866-987-3678 to order your very own collection of Johnny Carson videos and Don Rickles videos.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM ERIC EDSON AND THE STORY SOLUTION

It has been an exciting year for us, working with screenplay writers from around the world and providing screenwriting tips.  Eric’s book The Story Solution: 23 Actions All Great Heroes Must Take, continues to instruct and inspire.  He has been busy mentoring and advising his graduate MFA students, other up-and-coming screenwriters, and industry pros on their screenwriting projects. This Thanksgiving we want to take a moment to thank everyone who helped spread the word about The Story Solution as one of the best books on screenwriting, and thank all the writers we’ve met while doing presentations and seminars, new friends who have helped to make 2015 so special.

Here are just some of the highlights from this year:

• Facebook: The Story Solution Facebook page crossed a major threshold when it achieved 2000 “Likes” recently – and we are now already up to 2200!  We are thankful so many of you want to expand your skills and make your screenplay writing more successful and effective.  Eric will keep providing tips, if you keep sharing!
• Pre-Oscars Panel: In February Eric spoke at the Annual Writers Store Pre-Oscar Panel with other Michael Wiese Productions authors. He drew from his experience as a screenplay writer, author and professor to discuss the scripting and directing of the year’s Oscar-nominated films.  Thanks to the Writer’s Store this annual event is always lively and fun!
  
• Best Seller: Eric was thrilled that The Story Solution became one of the best screenwriting books in China just one short year after being translated. Eric views this as proof that the ability to tell a captivating story transcends language and culture, and he looks forward to sharing his insights on writing screenplays with many other countries.
• New Website: To continue providing a passport for your next scriptwriting adventure, we gave our website a completely new design. Take a look at some of the added features and listen to a few of Eric’s audio clips on how to create better characters for your story.
• Story Expo 2015: Once again, Eric joined an illustrious roster of speakers at this year’s Story Expo, which took place September 11-13 in Los Angeles, where he presented three seminars. He especially enjoyed speaking about screenplay writing with so many new friends and wants to thank the show’s producer, Derrick Christopher, for the opportunity to share powerful tools for improving screenplays. Story Expo is a must-attend conference for anyone involved in writing a movie script. Plan now to attend Story Expo 2016, which will be held September 9-11, 2016 at the Westin LAX Hotel in Los Angeles.

Eric continues to provide monthly blogs and posts on screenwriting topics that we hope you find of interest. Thank you to everyone who helped make all of this possible, and to those who continue to rely on The Story Solution to help hone their scriptwriting craft.

Happy Thanksgiving and keep writing!

About The Story Solution: Eric Edson’s The Story Solution provides screenwriting tips for those interested in writing a screenplay. Often acclaimed as one of the best screenwriting books, Edson outlines 23 actions used in screenplay writing to create three dimensional heroes. Visit the website at http://www.TheStorySolution.com to listen to audio clips about creating characters.“Like” the Facebook page to receive tips on scriptwriting. Call 818-677-3192 for more information about writing a movie script.

Singing Techniques, Heavy Metal Singers - "Vocal Health Tips for Heavy Rock Singers"

"What can you teach a heavy metal singer?"

I've often been asked that question in various ways by "legitimate" singing teachers. What they are actually saying is "all heavy rock singers do is scream and yell and growl. They are beyond helping. What they do isn't music... it's noise." Of course that's not true. Although I work with singers in all genres of music, heavy rockers have always been some of my favorite students.

Too many singing teachers are limited by their knowledge of only a few types of music... usually classical, musical theatre and standard pop. They often try to discourage heavy rock singers by telling them that they are going to ruin their voices. That may occur if the singer is singing wrong, but learning good breathing techniques, the right way to hit the high notes, growl or scream and increase stamina will assure that their voices will last all their lives. Heavy metal or rock singing doesn't ruin a voice... faulty habits and techniques ruin a voice.

Several years ago I was in a phone conversation with Steven Tyler, and he told me that he still takes singing lessons every week. Often, more than one. And yet I hear rock singers often say "I don't need lessons." Tiger Woods has his teacher, as does Roger Federer. The top players have their coaches and boxers have their trainers. Google such singing teachers as Roger Love, Seth Riggs and Brett Manning, and you will be amazed at the lists of their professional students.

If you are a serious heavy metal-rock singer you should be working with a good teacher who understands your music and knows how to train you so you can continue to sing without fear of developing nodules or other problems. Singers of all genres of music can and do develop major vocal problems (John Mayer, Elton John, Adele), but heavy metal singers are especially vulnerable to such problems.

But... good teachers are expensive, and musicians are eternally broke. Here are some tips on preserving your voice when you can't afford a teacher or a recorded course:

1. Never perform or rehearse without having warmed up your voice with at least 5 minutes of light, scale-like humming and vowels. Don't use a song for this. Only scale-like melodies. A very effective warm up is to sing an "ah" on a medium high note, and then slide down to the lowest note you can sing. Try to keep a solid sound throughout the entire exercise (not loud, but consistent). Then move up a little higher and do it again. Continue this until you feel you're stressing your voice. It's OK to start in the head voice or falsetto... just change back to the main voice as soon as you can.

2. Learn to use your mic to preserve your voice. Let it provide the volume. You provide the attitude and energy. Too many rock singers believe that high volume is necessary to the genre. This just isn't true.

3. Pace your set lists so that you aren't doing too many extremely high or powerful songs in a row. If you have other singers in the band, use them.

4. Have a good monitor system. If you can't hear yourself you are going to try to sing louder, thinking that will help you be heard better. Chances are, the audience can hear you just fine through the mains.

5. Spend some alone time during your breaks. If you spend all your break time out talking with fans you are wearing your vocal cords down. The same vocal cords that speak for you, sing for you. Give them some rest.

6. Lay back on the alcohol. A little goes a long way when you are performing.

7. Remember that hoarseness and loss of high range tell us that something is going wrong with the vocal cords. Be aware, and be careful.

However... when you can afford it, find a good singing teacher.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6945301

Eye Acting - Clarifying Inner Thoughts and Feelings

In film and television, the eyes are the main focal point of the audience. More than any other facet of acting, they determine the internal workings of the character. They also determine the target of intentions and feelings. In addition, they help define the mental state of the character. With such immense importance, one would think instructors would spend more time addressing eye behavior. This lack of attention is largely because much of their training centers on theatre rather than for the camera. The camera adores the eyes while the theatre adores the words. One is behavior, the other verbal.

With the character's internal thoughts and feelings, the eyes delineate the areas of concerns. They place them into proper compartments or zones that relate to the audience. This is because in normal life people move or divert their eyes in set patterns that signify the topic or issue under discussion. When one studies and dissects the performances of award-winning and highly acclaimed actors one will find these eye behaviors prevalent. Observation and realization of these compartments is key to effective eye acting.

For instance, when we search for a word or attempt to solve a problem, our eyes go to an area where there are little distractions and away from the person to whom we are talking. In film, this is usually to the camera side or best-lit side and below eye level. With a difficult problem, it tends to be lower to avoid every distraction. The eyes slowly drift about unfocused in an undefined area. As a solution is realized, eye movements might become faster and more defined. This look-away area allows concentration on the problem.

The next category is the recall and is usually more a look-to than a look-away. This recall could be feelings, or events remembered. It might also be real experiences, dreams, or even envisioned expectations. The eye movements here, likewise, have certain defining characteristics. Here the eyes are more focused and drawn to unseen images. It's almost as if these images play out on a small TV screen suspended before the character just above eye level. These images are normally to the audience or camera side. Such eye behavior allows the audience to visualize these unseen images generated by dialogue or dramatic circumstances.

In a two-character scene, you will also be looking at the person to whom you are talking or listening. The eyes will reveal the level of engagement, whether you're actually listening or just hearing them. The eyes will also reveal key thoughts like recognition, reflections, realizations, and expectations. They also reflect comprehension and questions. A dialogue scene can become highly dynamic because of the visual exchanges.

The eyes display an emotional connection, i.e., curiosity, compassion, desire, lust, fear, contempt, jealousy, etc. When there is a non-verbal give and take, the characters define better their wants, feelings and attitudes. Relationships can also be established or revealed through eye behavior.

Where does one look when conversing? For the most part, you will look at their eyes. To keep your eyes from darting back a forth between the two eyes, concentrate on one eye. Normally this is the camera-side eye. The lips and mouth area should also receive some attention and less remote are the clothes they wear. There may be some discomfort looking into someone's eyes and this can be overcome by directing your gaze at a particular detail; say an eyelash or a flaw in the iris. By doing so, you overcome the discomfort of being the observer while being observed. It also moves you into patterns and habits whereby your eye behavior supports your character and does not betray you as an actor.

In a dialogue scene, the eyes will also drift to a comfort zone, an area up camera slightly below eye level. This area is used to digest or reflect on an issue in the conversation. It is also be used to prepare a phase or rebuttal or gather one's thoughts. The comfort zone is smaller and higher than the problem area and the time spent there is brief. Eyes are unfocused and movements limited.

There is another area I call avoidance. This eye behavior conveys an inability to confront certain thoughts, images, or feelings. Feelings such as fear, embarrassment, shame, or guilt. An avoidance-look-away reveals the vulnerability of the character and is most dramatic when directed to the dark side, the side away from the audience or camera. This look-away avoids the traditional focal zones, especially those of other characters, and is thus extreme in direction and spatially undefined. The eyes dart about, evade connecting and the angular alignment of the eyes and nose (angle between the eye direction and where the nose points) is more acute.

It helps to visualize these eye behavior focal zones and this illustration will aid in locating them. This link depicts the most common arrangement. There are many other arrangements of these focal zones.

There are other facets of eye acting. Eye movements can either lead or lag behind head movements. This subtle difference determines which is more important, the new image or the one be left behind. It can imply the difference between the emotions such as suspicion and envy. Suspicion would linger and lag while envy would lead the head movement.

Speed is also a factor in eye movements and can help portray the mental state of the character. Slow fluid movements might be associated with a relaxed person while a hyperactive one would likely have rapid eye movements.

The relative size of the eyelid opening reflects the emotional state of the character. For instance, astonishment might be portrayed with open eyes while contentment would be slightly less than normal. When we are engaged in a conversation, the eyelids are slightly expanded while excitement is express by brighter eyes.

Eye blinks are also an expressive tool. One who cornered in their own lies may blink incessantly while a stern character disciplining a subordinate may only blink as a way of punctuating the consequences. The lack of blinks in a love scene could be a way of implying sincerity and desire. Blinks are often used to end a strong statement and are ideal cutting points for editors.

The eyes are also instrumental in reflecting one's emotions. For instance, fierce anger is a tense, coiled for action emotion. The focus is highly concentrated. The eyes become constricted with a slight squint and the pupils widen. Another emotion, joy, has a wide range of physical traits: misty eyes, tears, laughter and high emotional energy. It's an out-pouring of feelings, of being fully one's real self. The eyes depict joy as if it were a surprise, a celebration of life. Tears and misty eyes give credibility to this emotion. When emotions are not enough, by not blinking your eyes the pollutants in the air will soon irritate the eyes enough to tear up.

Eye-nose non-alignment is often used in scenes where the character is critical or questioning the issue at hand. The more acute the angle between the nose and eye direction the more adverse the critique. Do not confuse this angle with the actor cheating toward the camera or into the key light.

Head turns allow the eyes to comment on a situation. Let's say the character hears someone enter behind him. Most actors would turn their head to see who it is. But if the eyes first comment on who it is or who it might be we allow a revealing dramatic moment to exist. Highly acclaimed actors use this two-step recognition to build up their characterization.

Eves dropping is another area where the eyes can depict a listening action. The eyes and head turn slightly in the direction of the voice and the eyes find a comfort zone for complete acquisition. The same behavior is evident in side-by-side conversations. The eyes listen and acknowledge the dialogue. All too often, young actors feel they have to connect eye to eye. Instead, the conversation becomes more powerful when we see them listening and commenting in a non-verbal way. Small eye movements signify this connection.

Such a technical approach to eye behavior is often looked upon as mechanical acting and that the performance will lack credibility. One must remember that acting is a language of behavior and that its articulation is as important as that of diction. As one acquires these behaviors, they will soon become an instinctive and a natural part of your acting repertoire. They become organic through constant use.

Eye behavior tells us something about the character's intentions, attitudes, aspirations, and problems. It can spotlight moments of realization as well as areas of interest and avoidance. It's a gauge by which we can measure the level of involvement or lack there of, and appraise the integrity of the character. It also allows the drama to play out in the mind of the audience as they question, speculate, and reflect on the character's predicament.

The potential of the eyes to communicate is often overlooked and seldom given its due consideration when training actors. Yet, when you analyze the performances of the great actors in their award-winning roles, you'll find a consistent behavior with regard to the eyes. And to know and understand this part of one's acting craft opens the door to effectively articulating the character's inner thoughts and feelings.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6841577

Fun Facts About "Life of Pi"

The movie "Life of Pi" is based on a novel of the same name written by Yann Martell. Although the book and movie revolve mostly around characters that are from India, Martell himself is Canadian. During his childhood and teenage years, Martell lived in Spain, Costa Rica, Mexico, France, and Canada. He writes in English, but French is his first language. Other books by Martell include "We Ate the Children Last" and "Beatrice and Virgil."

The story in both the novel and movie centers on the life of Piscine Molitor, an Indian boy who was named for a swimming pool in Paris. Because his name draws jeers from boys at school, Piscine takes on the nickname Pi. "Life of Pi" is told in a framed story format, which means an older Pi is telling the story to a reporter. The story is mainly about how the younger Pi survived a shipwreck and spent time on a lifeboat with wild animals, including a fully-grown Bengal tiger.

In addition to drawing a lot of attention from moviegoers of all ages, "Life of Pi" also has quite a bit of interesting trivia associated with it. The film is directed by Ang Lee, but numerous other popular directors were attached to the film at some point in development, including M. Night Shyamalan.

"Life of Pi" also has several fun connections to the Spider-Man franchise of movies, including links to the trilogy starring Tobey Maguire as well as the reboot film "The Amazing Spider-Man." The first link involves Maguire and Andrew Garfield, who played Peter Parker in the newest film. Maguire was originally cast as the reporter who interviews the older Pi, but Garfield was also considered for the role. Although Maguire filmed some scenes, Ang Lee made a decision to replace him before editing. According to reports, Lee felt Maguire was too big an actor for the role.

Another link to Spider-Man can be found in actor Irrfan Khan. Khan, who plays the adult version of Pi, played the role of Dr. Rajit Ratha in "The Amazing Spider-Man." The name of the tiger in "Life of Pi" is Richard Parker, which is also the name of Peter Parker's father in "The Amazing Spider-Man."

Martel did not get the name Richard Parker from the Spider-Man stories, however. He got the name from an English law case from 1884. The case, known as R. v. Dudley and Stephens, centered on an argument about whether necessity could be used as a defense in a murder trial. Specifically, the argument was about cannibalism in a castaway situation. Four men, including a seventeen-year-old cabin boy named Richard Parker, were shipwrecked. After days of hunger, the three other men killed a possibly dying Parker and ate him. Martel's choice of this name for a shipwrecked tiger that could, at any moment, eat Pi is full of dark comedy.

The name of the ship from the 1884 court case was the Mignonette. In a scene in "Life of Pi" where the older Pi is being interviewed, a ship called the Mignonette passes in the background.

An interesting fact about the film's creation has to do with the tiger. Suraj Sharma, the actor that plays Pi, was reportedly never in contact with an actual tiger. In fact, all scenes depicting Sharma and the tiger within the lifeboat were computerized. Although the CGI is very well done, there is at least one moment in the movie where it is apparent to viewers. The tiger jumps from an island to the boat, but there is no movement on the surface of the boat. When Pi makes the same move a moment later, the surface of the boat flexes under his weight.

Sharma was almost not seen on the lifeboat at all, though. He didn't even mean to audition for the film. He was with his brother, who was responding to a casting call, when the casting team spotted him. With more than 3,000 other young men showing up for the role, the team chose Sharma as the lead. "Life of Pi" was Sharma's first movie and, as of January 2013, he has not appeared as an actor in any other film.

"Life of Pi" is a fun and thoughtful film that examines topics like survival and religion in an offbeat and unique manner. It is fitting that the movie is also associated with so much fun and odd trivia.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7453002