Thursday, March 29, 2012

Some Tips for Male Model Casting

Male modeling is a career that most people dream of mainly because of the glamour involved and the money as well. It is however important for one to know that this is a very competitive industry so adequate preparation is mandatory. During the auditions, it is significant to ensure that you have an added advantage over your competitors so that your chances of getting picked are raised significantly. In other interviews, the interviewer normally goes for the candidate that is appropriately dressed and fits the party perfectly. On that regard, it is therefore important for you to know what is required on your part in order to ace the male modeling castings that you want to attend.

The most important thing that you should make sure is that you are well prepared for the casting. This means that it is mandatory for you to bring the required supplies such as your resume and modeling portfolio. Your prospective clients will be able to understand more about you from the information that they will acquire from such supplies. In addition to this, your ability will also be gauged accordingly since these are essentially your business cards. It is nonetheless important to ensure that you research adequately before showing up for the casting because it is the only way of knowing the specifics involved. For instance, it is advisable to go for an audition that is looking for a basketball player dressed in a similar manner since this will raise your chances of getting picked by the client.

Courtesy is an important virtue. This is mainly why you need to exercise it throughout the audition process. You need to meet other male models and know them as well since you will be competing against them plus in the event that you get chose, you will be working with some of them. On the other hand, you can establish some useful contacts that may come in handy the next time that you will require some help or when another opportunity sprouts up. Models are extremely fit so ensure that you are in perfect shape. Generally, you need to be slim but you should nonetheless avoid being too thin since this will portray you as famished.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

How to Dress for Talent Casting Calls?

The modeling industry is quite glamorous but what most people usually over look is the difficulty in penetrating it. The fashion industry goes hand in hand with modeling and is as tough to break even as well. This is mainly why it is mandatory for one to possess all of the qualities that the agencies are searching for before contemplating on attending the casting calls. It is advisable to work on your look so that you may be able to come across as unique while fitting the part perfectly as well. You must create a portfolio that has professional pictures before going for interviews because this is the only way that the potential can be able to tell the potential that you have. Another important thing is to dress appropriately so that your chances of getting chosen can be raised significantly.

The most important part of dressing involves your skin's tone and hair as well. Ensure that your skin looks natural but radiant at the same time which is why you need to use a moisturizer that will complement your skin type. Most agents normally prefer no makeup so avoid putting any because this can greatly affect your chances of getting hired. Eye shadow is okay but exercise caution while using it but avoid foundation at all cost. The point here is to present yourself as natural as possible so that the agent can be able to tell what you really look like beneath the massive makeup that most actors and models usually wear. When it comes to your hair, wearing it down is the best option that you have. Leave it the hair as it is naturally but eliminate any frizzles.

Now, when you come to the outfits always keep it clean and simple. Distracting clothes will not work in your favor since the agents will be focusing on your large earrings for instance instead of focusing on you. Do not wear over-sized clothes and this actually means that you need to put on nice fitting clothes that will compliment the shape of your body. Denim jeans with a simple top can work wonders especially when you pick cool colors while matching them as required. The type of shoes that you will wear will depend on the clothes but go for casual ones since they are the best in such situations.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

What to Do For Vacation Entertainment?

While on vacation, it's always fun to find unique local entertainment mediums to keep you busy and give you a taste of the city or small town's atmosphere. Entertainment comes in a wide variety of experiences from staged performances to local dining to area-specific museums to musical performance venues. You're sure to find plenty of activities to keep you busy during your vacation!

If you enjoy staged plays or Broadway shows and musicals, look into local theatres. Some of these offer performances by professional traveling performance groups, but others feature local talent in a variety of performances. For those who have the travel flexibility, you may even want to plan your vacation around a specific performance. For instance, if you enjoy musicals, find out if the theatre will be doing a performance like Beauty and the Beast, Annie, My Fair Lady, or another musical performance. That way you'll know you can enjoy a musical during your vacation!

For those who would enjoy browsing through local history, a visit to one (or several!) of the many historic museums is in order! Most large cities offer a variety of museums providing information on how the city developed, the major industries it's supported over the years, and biographical information on prominent people who lived and worked there. Other museums may feature specific historical events in which the city and its citizens were involved. Do you enjoy sports like racing, baseball, football, or many others? Find museums which feature some of these topics! And if you enjoy studying about the development of the modern railroad, cars, airplanes or other transportation options, you can even find museums detailing these developments! As you research your vacation location, be sure to find out what types of museums are located in the area. Even small towns and country areas have some fascinating museum entertainment options.

Of course, you'll need to try the local cuisine! Try and stay away from chain restaurants which serve the same menu from coast to coast. You'll want to find some unique local cafés featuring food that's grown in the area and menu choices which are uniquely designed to appeal to the local citizens. For a true taste of the city or country, visit local family-run restaurants!

While you're enjoying the local tastes and smells, ask your waiter about local shops that are unique to the area. You may want to stroll down the main streets and browse some of the shops that are hallmarks to the citizens.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Different Ways to Learn Magic Tricks

Magic is a treat for the eyes and a wonder for the mind. People of all ages learn magic tricks and use these to impress others. Whether they perform these tricks for hobby or profit, they have fun. Anyone can learn how to do magic and there are hundreds of different tricks to master, making the learning process both interesting and exciting. Regardless of their learning style, would-be magicians can find a tutorial that helps them master the art.

Magic Books

Books are the traditional way to learn magic and continue to be popular resources. These cover principles, techniques, and application and provide inspiration for anyone wishing to be a magician. There are books on hypnosis, mentalism, close-up, street, and stage magic and much more. Close-up magic is particularly popular with newcomers. Books reveal the secrets behind the best performances, teaching readers how to entertain, surprise, and even amaze onlookers with slights of the hand.

Those who favor the occult will be drawn to books explaining how to use tarot cards, Voodoo dolls, and Santeria. The goriest tricks are not for the faint of heart, as many involve chemicals, knives, lighters, and other harmful objects. Only experienced adults should read books illustrating these effects and they should take precautions when using the items involved.

Magic DVDs

DVDs are designed for people who learn best by seeing the tricks in action. Instructional DVDs are available from the best magicians in the world including David Blaine, Criss Angel, and Paul Harris. These walk viewers through each step involved in a variety of magic tricks. With some practice, anyone can perform the tricks these magicians use to impress huge crowds.

Card tricks are used to delight others and DVDs that reveal the secrets behind them turn an average person into the next David Solomon. Everyone from a beginner to an advanced level card artist can learn something from these DVDs. In addition to learning card tricks, viewers will understand the problem solving and creating thinking behind them. This is a great way to sharpen the mind while having fun.

Magic Kits

Magic kits provide everything needed to amaze a crowd. These are especially popular with children who want to become amateur magicians. Kids can learn easy magic tricks while developing their skills and increasing their confidence. Adults have their own selection of kits that include instructional booklets and all the supplies needed to perform time-tested tricks that are still popular with audiences.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

When a Customer Complains What Our Do?

Unfortunately, while customers have been quick to embrace social platforms to complain and share feedback, many business owners have been slow to respond to their cries for help. This is surprising when you think about how much you spend to get a new customer.

In our 2012 Small Business Social Media Survey, only 11% of the companies responding indicated they use social media to resolve customer service issues. This is a huge mistake since today's customer wants to talk about your service, and they will either talk to you or about you. Here are just a few examples:

A Bank charges a $50 service fee when you close your account. Personally, I think this is ridiculous and told them so when I closed my account. They didn't see my point, so I took the debate online to both my Twitter and Facebook communities. I copied them on my comments, and even posted a link on their Facebook page.

They did eventually agree the fee was unreasonable.  And I posted a thank you. Unfortunately the firestorm created by my first comments had taken on a life of their own as more and more people share the link and their own experiences. If the bank had been paying attention and jumped into the conversation quickly, most of the negatives could have been avoided.

A Local Service Company left a basement a mess after installing a new water heater.  Phone calls to their support line did not resolve the issue, so the customer put a comment on her fan page. They deleted it. So  she put the comment on her page, and linked to the company page.  Her friends were more than happy to share the link.

As a consumer, I use social media to express my views and I appreciate it when a company responds. While I am comfortable complaining I am also quick to recognize great customer service and responsiveness.

How should you handle customer service issues and complaints which arise on social media? Alex Hisaka, writing for Social Media Today. boiled the process down to four steps:  Listen, Create, Engage and Measure. Here are a few more ideas to get you started:

Add feedback forms to your website or Facebook page. This makes business owners nervous - what if someone says something bad about me? My response: Get over the fear. Angry customers are going to talk about you.  The only choice you have is whether they tell you they are unhappy so you can address it, or they simply complain to their friends.

Be responsive:  There are some great tips in this post by the Social Media Examiner on how to use Twitter to provide timely responses.

Acknowledge Concerns: If you get feedback from an unsatisfied customer, acknowledge their concern.  I am sorry goes a long way. Invite the customer to contact you directly and privately.

Do Not Battle Publicly: You do not have to resolve the issue publicly. Take the conversation offline so you can dig into the details and make take appropriate steps. Also, you may not agree with the customer. That should be a private, not public, conversation.

You Can't Please Everyone:  Sometimes, a customer is going to be unhappy. If you have tried and cannot resolve the issue, it is ok to move on. But if you have an active community on your fan page, you will see many of your clients and fans providing supporting comments to shift the focus from the negative.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

A Future of Independent Art

One change we are seeing is in the world of publishing. Countless unknowns are getting their books out there for customers to read, and even big name authors who have written for traditional publishers for years are breaking out on their own.

This is highly fascinating for many reasons, but what I want to focus on is where I see the future heading as things are going. To do that though, let's set the foundation for the title of this article.

Going full circle, or in other words coming back to where we started. A future of independent art, so art created by the individual rather than commercially. You may be saying "that's silly" or "there's no way" but consider this: Once upon a time ago, the economy man functioned under was the barter and trade system. Arts were no exception to this either. Many made their living by making works of art for others.

Fast forward to today though and commercial art holds a large grasp on the market. Books by the big publishers, movies out of Hollywood, and music from the big name labels. I could continue on with video games and other mediums of art, but I think you're getting the picture.

If these large groups have control, how would we ever end up in a future where we see independent art rising to the top once more? The answer is technology.

No one is safe in the world of business. The telegraph was phased out. VHS was replaced by the DVD. Cars became main forms of transportation. Even a market as big as energy production is destined to one day fall as technology finds cheaper and more efficient ways to produce energy. And the list goes on. When technology develops and becomes better, other things become obsolete.

So back to publishing now. Today, we see the rise of self-publishing because technology allows us to. Writing is a very basic art form. As such, it makes sense that it would be one of the first to witness the changes of technology. At first those changes allowed commercial entities to take control through massive print runs and a stranglehold on book sellers. Technology will also allow the individual to take it back though.

Since writing is basic, almost anyone can do it to some degree. We no longer find barriers in the way to publishing with all the self-publishing venues. If writers are willing to put in the work they are capable of doing, and freelance what they can't, a product virtually identical to what the big publishers are producing can be made, at a fraction of the cost. Naturally doing it yourself means you also take more of the profit, and can charge less, which is why we find big names also migrating in this direction. When it's more viable to publish yourself, other venues will become obsolete. In particular, depending on how the current ebook pricing fix lawsuit plays out, publishers may find it hard to compete with independent prices as time continues forward and the market continues evolving.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Birthday Banners Convey Heartfelt Wishes

Birthday banners are an important part of any birthday celebration. Not only do they add a lot of festivity and solidarity among the guests, they make you look good. Such banners show that you're thought of everything, in covering all your bases to make the birthday boy or girl a day they won't soon forget. Also, they inevitably become a sentimental party favor for the main guest - a take home prize to treasured, to remember the special event forever.

Birthday banners can be used for Job or Wedding Anniversaries, Retirees, Baby Showers, Congratulations Graduate, Happy Mother's Day or Happy Father's Day greetings, and so much more. No one can deny that a celebration is so much better when birthday banners are part of the balloons and decor.

These kinds of banners may be printed in long-lasting vinyl, fabric, or any other flexible material. The main thing is that the name of the person is listed plainly and clearly and that the colors are bright and festive. You can add pictures and designs, like balloons, flowers, suns and moons or whatever strikes your fancy. They should be long enough to provide space for lots of well wishers to sign their names and express their devoted birthday greetings if they so wish. It should not be too huge, but not too small either. Ideally, birthday banners can be hung from the back of a bar area, somewhere long and deep that will be a good backdrop for the appropriate banner dimensions.

A birthday banner doesn't have to cost a lot. Having one at your next party for a friend, family member or loved one shows you put some forethought into the planning of their successful birthday celebration. More and more corporate party planners wouldn't dream of celebrating a birthday without using these type of banners. It has become something of a standard for those who like do it up right.

So what makes a birthday banner attractive and festive? Well, color and durability. In the early days of computer programs, novelty birthday banners were printed on computer paper with a dot matrix printer. At that time computer X's would punch out a neat design, like a Teddy Bear or Happy Face images. How far technology has come in only a few years' time! Nowadays, most birthday printers use digital printing and can provide a quality banner that was only a figment of someone's imagination a decade or two ago.

Using dye sublimation or digital printing, the colors are printed with the latest print technology, with colors which are both strong and deep. They are considered the best available on the market today, though a 100% guarantee for exact color matching can't be made.

Like other banners, birthday banners can have pole pockets. They can be printed up to be single or double-sided, hung from a high place or stretched out on the horizontal. They can be as complex or as simple as you prefer. The main thing is that the name of the person and the Happy Birthday greeting is included in the message. No one wants to be forgotten on their birthday!