Barzhini! Tonya's Brainchild

I've been lucky enough to meet with brilliant and beautiful Tonya Hall a few times lately for talk and yummy food.  It's about time I wrote about it. Besides many, many (many, many, many) other topics, we discussed Whole Wheat Treats, LLC (i.e. Sean and Marshall), teenage prodigies of the video world.  (See past blog entries on Barzhini commercials).  I was educated on the fact that Sean and Marshall are part of Barzhini and actually work for Tonya.  Lucky guys! 

Barzhini, a company based on the idea that social media such as Twitter and Facebook possess the power to pass along information and ideas at a more rapid rate than traditional mediums and therefore make for a fabulous way to promote, is not afraid to take gifted young people and give them an opportunity to prove themselves.  That might seem like a gamble, but in Tonya's case, she feels the odds are very much in her favor when it comes to her hand-picked team.  I agree!

Another quality of Tonya's is the personal touch.  Meetings with Tonya are never boring and they always begin and end with a hug.  You have to love that.  In my opinion, they are how all meetings should be.  How much more productive would you be if your boss began each meeting with a truly genuine inquiry into your life and passions, passed along a little praise, then got down to business while you both enjoyed something delicious?  This method should be passed along...  Spread the word.

I'm adding Tonya to my list of people I both admire and consider my friend.  I've linked her website to this blog, so check it out!  Click here.  Yes, now!  And no, she didn't ask or pay me to say any of this.  :) 

        

P.S. Tonya, I hope you don't mind that I swiped the photo from your website.  Want to do lunch?  

Barzhini Commercial Shoot, Part Deux

I have no excuse for the length of time it has taken me to post this. Sorry!  With that out of the way, I'll tell you about our fearless leaders (pictured above with Troy).  Whole Wheat Treats, LLC is the dynamic duo of Sean and Marshall.  They are EIGHTEEN.  I know I was surprised!  I believe it was their professionalism on set that led me to believe they had to be in their late 20s.

As they day progressed, we all got to know each other a little bit better--possibly too well.  It was about the time I mentioned I write a blog about my modeling (and apparently now acting) and writing experiences while we were all helping ourselves to the free pizza that questions about exactly WHAT I put in the blog came up.  It was about that time that Mark Bittle, fellow actor and all-around fun guy started asking me for his business card back.  I counted at least five other requests after that one.  You're not getting it back, Mark!  Hopefully you've come to terms with that.  :)  No worries, guys.  Your secrets (and random bits of personal information) are safe with me.

Mark

I was a little jealous of Troy who didn't originally have a single line.  His impromptu line may or may not be in the final cut.  We'll all soon see.  I'm all about the acting, if only memorization didn't come into play so often...  It takes a great actor to pull off a screen presence with sheer movements and facial expressions.  Hats off to Troy.

I also has the chance to meet the lovely women of Barzhini.  Tonya and friends were fantastically supportive, although nearly invisible as they stayed out of Marshall and Sean's way.  As some of our scenes were all over the place, that move was probably a very wise one. 

What a great experience--I don't regret for a minute answering that casting call.  I miss you guys!

Note:  My aplogizes to Troy, whom I've been calling Eric.  Not really sure why... I'm sure there were deep psychological reasons.   :)     

  

    

Filming Day for Barzhini or A Day in the Life of Celebrities

I can't say I was expecting filming day to be quite so... entertaining.  I always expect to make new friends and hopefully do a good job, but I actually miss my pretend company of incompetent indiots.  We all arrived a couple hours early to allow the beautiful Kelly to make us all pretty with her ten pound case of Mac.  It's quite fun to watch men get their makeup on--they look so uncomfortable.  Except for AC and Denim, that is--our seasoned actors who act like having someone put makeup on them is what they do every day.  Maybe it is.

Our fearless leaders had some impressive looking equipment and let me do the filming once they realized I had a natural talent for it.  (See photo for proof).  It was difficult to both film and act in the commercials, but I pulled it off.  Alright, Santa (AKA Denim), snapped a photo of me behind the camera when no one else was looking.  I could've done it though.

Denim Pete delivered his lines with gusto and looked like he was meant to sit at the head of the conference table.  I stayed focused and stopped laughing at all the men long enough to stumble through my two lines.  I'm going to blame the two and a half hours of sleep I got the night before for my absolute loss of the power of memory.  I'm lucky, actually, to be remembering enough to write this blog.  What was I saying?

AC and Austin were the perfect duo and fought like best friends in fifth grade.  They made acting dashingly juvenile look easy.  Oh, wait, maybe it is...  My BFF Tucker was BRILLIANT at sleeping on the job, but really shone during the scene when everyone tries to get away from posessed me.  It was the thumb-sucking that really brought the whole scene together.  I didn't get to actually see it all, as my eyes were rolling up in my head at that time, but I saw clips later.  Hilarious!!! 

I'll leave it there for now.  I'm off to Vail for a shoot and haven't actually finished packing yet.  I should do that.  Stay tuned for all about Troy, the strong and silent and Mark who keeps asking for his business card back....

  

Vegas Hotel #2--The Encore--ooooo, shiny

Hotel #2 is the Encore by Wynn.  Last time I was in Vegas, it didn't exist, so I am quite excited to explore somewhere brand-spanking new.  Any ideas for hotel #3?  I am presently leaning towards the Mirage or possibly Bellagio or Caesar's Palace.  The hotels that didn't make the list are:  Mandalay Bay for a subpar remodel, the Luxor, Excalibur and all those like it because although they are fine, they're not in the luxury category, and New York, New York for noise (or thin walls combined with constant screaming from the roller coaster outside).  I LOVE roller coasters, but not having a room next to one.  :)  I didn't include the Signature at MGM or the Venetian this time for my own reasons, but just an FYI if you don't already know--both of those hotels are absolutely wonderful and I highly recommend them.  If you have a favorite, please pass it along!    

Vegas, Baby!

I'm finalizing plans for a luxury in Las Vegas series due to be published in April for Examiner.com.  I will be reporting on Trump International Hotel and possibly the Mirage and MGM.  Erin McCleskey of SK+G has been my liason for Trump.  Her professionalism has been so very appreciated!  When I decide and make final arrangements for the other two hotels, you, Dear Reader, will be the first to know. 

Don't you just LOVE Vegas?  I don't think there is another place on earth that has so much to do in such a small geographical area.  I will definitely be reporting on at least one Cirque Du Soleil show, possibly O at the Bellagio.  If you are a Vegas-lover as well, write to me with your favorite hot spots/shows/cuisine and I will try my best to check them out.   

redwriteandedit@hotmail.com

Goodnight!

Script Reading Tonight

Tonight, all of us famous actors gathered to read through the Barzhini script for filming on Friday.  It was a fun group--very diverse.  Of course by diverse, I mean as diverse as a group of white males could be.  I am the only woman.  The filming is not one commercial, but sevenish thirty second spots.  My character, Janet, has only two lines (nice).  Janet, does, however:

*become possessed

*levitate

*fall drunkenly to the floor and

*die

I'm going to have fun with this. 

Upcoming Broadmoor Story/Getting Ready to Film

Ivy Canady (very nice and helpful) has just sent me my itinerary for my percursory stay to my upcoming series of stories on the Broadmoor, Colorado Springs.  I've always loved that hotel.  I stayed there once a long time ago, but not with an eye for a story.  I'm ready to discover it again!  I will be touring the hotel in the middle of next month, so please look for the stories at the end of March.

The mezzanine--Gorgeous!

In modeling/acting news, I have a script read tomorrow evening, then filming on Friday for my first commercial.  I plan on bringing my camera and if allowed, will post a behind-the-scenes look.  Should be fun!!!