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Acting Opportunity

Posted by Steven Roddy on August 18th, 2010

A couple of weeks ago I had this random idea that I was going to try to get the girls inside The Pageant Planet family an acting opportunity in a new movie that I am marketing called, “Fishers of Men.” This is a multi-million dollar budgeted film that will be shot by Desert Wind Films, a production company out of Hollywood, with some BIG name actors.

In other words…the REAL DEAL!

So with the help of Candace Howard, one of our journalists, I pitched the idea and the CFO, producer, director and basically everyone else involved with Desert Wind Films, LOVED the idea of using some of you in the movie…

BUT there was one catch…

They would only commit to guarantee one girl a part in the, “Fishers of Men.” Now, that doesn’t mean that more of you will not be asked to be in the movie but only ONE girl will get the below benefits:

Winner of “Make Me Famous” will Receive

Sept. 19th- Arrive to Bainbridge, GA and sit in on dance rehearsal with some of the lead actors and actresses. (Cannot disclose names because contracts are being negotiated but trust me you would know the names if I said them)
Sept 20th- A private tour of some of the locations that are being used and dinner with the Directors and Executive Producers
Sept 21st- On set as an extra in the 1950s prom scene!

Lodging will be provided throughout your stay and you will also get to hang out with me for the day (not sure if that is a benefit or a deterrent so I thought I would let you know just in case).

Anyways this is a GREAT opportunity to get into the movie business, meet the producers and executive producers and to get your face seen by their casting department. And they are already talking about shooting another movie so you have no idea where this could lead.

All you have to do is tell me where to send your application by typing in your email address in the space below and then hit “submit”

Now, naturally the application process cannot remain open forever as they begin filming on September 12 so the application will only be available until Friday, August 27. So click on the link and fill in your email address and then fill out the application.

*This opportunity has been closed*

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Make Your Pageant Talent Entertaining

Posted by Steven Roddy on April 5th, 2010

Pageant Talent

An audience favorite during a pageant talent competition sometimes leaves contestants wondering, “What are the judges looking for?” Aside from the demonstrated ability in your talent of choice, the judges are looking for one thing… entertainment value.

As a two-time National Talent winner with National American Miss, I have spent many years trying to find the perfect “talent formula.” It took me a very long time to figure out that, when it comes to the talent competition, simply having talent is not enough. Ask yourself these questions, “What good is a fantastic vocalist who doesn’t entertain?” “What good is an amazing dancer who fails to connect and engage the judges?” Oftentimes, your presentation of your pageant talent truly makes the difference between a good talent and a winning talent.

Ingredients to a Winning Talent Performance

Making your talent performance THE winning talent includes the right combination of the following: costume, choreography, eye contact, and song choice. All of these factors are a part of your performance and should be paid as much attention as learning your pageant talent.

Pageant Talent Tips for Singers

For singers, first choose a song that suits your voice. Sopranos should not be singing belty Broadway songs… you need to work with your voice, not fight against it. Once you’ve settled on a song choice, think about what the message of the song. Can you emotionally connect with the storyline? And does your outfit, make-up and stage movement match the meaning of the song? Can you slide into the character of the song? Character is the persona you will take on while performing your pageant talent. If, for example, you were singing a song from “Phantom of the Opera” you might take on the character of Christine. If you’re singing a Hannah Montana song, you should be embodying Miley Cyrus while up on stage and have fun “rocking out.”

How to Win in Dance

For dancers, song choice is just as important. Your song should be entertaining if you’re doing an up-beat tap or jazz number. And “moving” if you’re performing a ballet of lyrical number. Again, listen to the lyrics and try to step into the story of the song while dancing. A lot of dancing is feeling the music… don’t be afraid to engage fully in your song as this will enable the audience and more importantly the pageant judges to be fully engaged with you.

How Instrumentalist Succeed in Pageant Talent

If you are an instrumentalist, don’t underestimate the power of choosing an entertaining song played with flair. While a well-played, technically difficult piece can do very well, I have also seen less difficult, contemporary pieces played well and with great fanfare score highly. A major pet peeve of mine when it comes to instrumentalists is when a contestant brings her sheet music with her during the performance. Vocalists are expected to know their notes and lyrics… dancers are expected to know their choreography… instrumentalists, too, should have their talent memorized. Furthermore, not being dependent on sheet music greatly opens up your ability engage the audience while you play.

Aside from the talents mentioned above, there are many other things I have seen: from the more common monologues and karate routines, to the more exotic hula hooping and roller-blading pieces. No matter the talent, the evaluation scale remains the same. Ask yourself:

“Is this entertaining?”
“Am I engaging the audience with my talent?”
“Am I interested in my talent to the point where my interest shines through in my performance?”

So long as your answer is “YES!” to these questions, you can’t go wrong! Remember… when it comes to the talent competition don’t just do… engage, perform, and entertain!

Maria-Teresa Grinneby, owner of Pageants 2 Go and a pageant consultant with The Pageant Dream Team, specializes in helping pageant contestants with speech and introduction writing, interview and platform development, and talent preparation. She has developed winning introductions for contestants at the state and national level, including two of the reigning National American Miss National Queens. Please direct any coaching inquires to Maria-Teresa at admin@egsites.net.

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