Sitting in thought

• Sitting in thought

That was some left hook! I've always wondered why people take hits with worry. A problem comes up and they lay on the floor adding weight to the situation. Knowing what is holding you back is one thing. Concentrating on problems that are out of your control is another. When people speak their mind to “help” a situation it seems almost impossible to move forward when everything out of their mouths is about the problem.

I'm a man of solutions. Yes, I want to know what the issue is. Yes, I want to figure out what must happen to resolve said issues. Yes, I enjoy thinking forward while staying away from what is holding me back. How do I break free, over, all the bad that is or could come to me. Information is more powerful than anything else in this world. Take it in and utilize it. Any sign of weakness and you'll find your soldiers running for the hills.

Be a leader. That's who I am. Take control. When I have no control I feel weakest. I do have control in every situation. Why? Because I take control so things get done. There is always something to be done, that's how I look at it. If you have time to lean you have time to clean. My job is to find ways to bring in work, delegate it, and ensure things are getting done on time. My other job is to be a professional me.

Make things happen by making things happen...

www.MakeARightLeftHere.com
www.BBRProductions.com
www.Altayon.com

Sleepy

• Sleepy

Everyone hears me say this as much as possible; You must work 365 days a year. What you don't hear me say is, make sure you get enough sleep. Working everyday can consist of an hour or more, to just completing one simple task. This whole week I've been breaking the rule of getting enough sleep. I have chosen to sacrifice a lot of my personal time, sleep time and friends time so I can get this new 6,200 square foot theater up and running.

We have an opening show this Sunday, and the Theater is just about done. A little more paint, some nails, maybe even a bit more trim. I still need sleep, but hey, the things we do for our dreams to come true. I know I will be sleeping most of the day on Monday just to catch back up. Lesson learned body, lesson learned. So, since Monday I've been working from around 10am to 3am the following day. I think it is time for a nap.

What have I learned from all of this? Owning your dream is a lot of work. It is also a lot of fun. Surviving in entertainment is hard enough, but growing your career and success is almost impossible. For every hundred people who attempt to make something happen only one of them will get a shot. For every ten people ever got a shot, only one of them actual make a career out of it. Think about that next time you notice the same 20 actors in every movie you see. Just sayin'.

Make things happen by making things happen, but also get the right amount of sleep. Sleep recharges you so you can keep going! Become the energizer bunny, or at least act like one.

www.MakeARightLeftHere.com
www.BBRProductions.com
www.Altayon.com

A stormy beginning

• A stormy beginning

I was asked about what my thoughts on the number 3 was. I really wanted to write that blog, but it occurred to me that a storm just hit NY Long Island, among other places. So, I was in the storm, and I am an entertainer. I will get to the number 3 at another time. For now, let's talk about being resilient. What hit NY was pretty bad but nothing compared to other states that were destroyed. For NY City, there was a flood, and subways were filled to the top. You can't use the subway trains if they are submarines. Due to the storm, people lost their lives, less people lost power and every production in TV and Film was shut down.

Obviously that list is in the order of importance. The storm is gone and in the past now. So everything is slowly going back to normal. Expect for this small gas problem plaguing the Island of Long in NY. So, now anyone who wants to get to NY City can't take a train, or drive to the city to work on movies or TV productions. Worse yet, I am opening up a theater which was suppose to be open by the first of November. It's the fifth now. Which means, we are behind schedule. So, no lives, power, gas, productions, or theater... What can one do? Should we get upset, aggravated, or flipped out on everything and one? Nah, there is a better way.

The storm create opportunity. How? I only have my opinion of the situation. People being taken away, I can't answer that. That's for A God, or something, or nothing else to answer. For those who have survived, maybe I can add a little clarity to your lives. There are no walls only solutions. It's beautiful how so many people are helping one another through this event. Even famous people, and those with nothing themselves, are stepping up to give a hand to those in need. I knew the world had it in her. Except when it comes to people pulling out guns at gas stations... But, they were waiting for three hours on a line to filler up on their cars.

I wish people would be kind all the time, instead of when something horrible happen. That's another blog... This is about finding clarity in something so destructive. For me, I found time to breathe. What else could I do? There are moments when you have no control for a reason. Life is saying, “It's okay. Sit down while I help you stop running around.” I feel that's true. The storm has done enough damage, allow yourself a moment to breathe in it's abscess. Once you have given yourself a moment, write down what needs to be done. Mark that list off one by one as time passes. For me, my life needed things to slow down. I work every day. This storm taught me one thing...

I have loved ones around, people to listen to, and my life to live. I work, in one form or another, everyday. I had no choice but to slow down. A stormy beginning to my venture, and a beautiful calm after. To all those who had a rough time in this event, my heart goes out to you. May peace find your lives, and strength where you may feel weak and destroyed. All the world to life...

www.MakeARightLeftHere.com
www.BBRProductions.com
www.Altayon.com

Taking control of the uncontrollable

• Taking control of the uncontrollable

When I first began playing an instrument I wanted to learn piano. My brother took over both my piano and my music teacher. This lead me to play the guitar. Again, my brother took over my guitar and my guitar teacher. So I gave up. Silly me, one should never give up. So when I was a little older I took up guitar again. Had two lessons with a teacher and quit lessons after the second session, because he wasn't teaching me what I wanted to know. I wanted to understand theory. Why certain notes worked with one another. I wanted the power to create. Turns out, I didn't need a teacher. I needed the will.

I taught myself music, guitar, bass, piano and even drums. I wanted to play, I took away the walls. Now my brother could no longer take away my instruments, or my teachers. I lived away from him. The point is, I took control of my uncontrollable situation. Later on in life my band TENEbRAE was playing shows. We were at the mercy of promoters, bookers, and venues. I took away my walls. I started booking, promoting and yes renting venues for our own shows. It's all about creating opportunity. We also started playing festivals and touring. Taking control away from local situations and opening up a national style of play!

I also started acting, and doing comedy. Comedy I just placed my music background into it and rented venues, or clubs. Promoted the hell out of it and bam. Acting is a little different but not by much. I worked with a wonderful acting troupe, went into the city for TV, extra work and other auditions. Someone told me my look had to change... you'll never get work. So I opened a 6200 square foot theater... Need I say more? Take control of your situation. You want something you go out and just get it. You need people for things to happen, but it always starts with you and your will power. Become your creation, invent your opportunities!

www.MakeARightLeftHere.com
www.BBRProductions.com
www.Altayon.com

Relationships Pros and Cons

• Relationships Pros and Cons

Your personal life is very important in maintaining sanity. So keep it separate from your business life. Many entertainers do this well, others actually are very bad at it. Who you are dating, hanging out with or maybe just banging, are things only you and that person(s) must know. What's so important about keeping your relationships (friendly or romantic) private? Because they are private. Your “Brand” (business) has nothing to do with what you do behind closed doors. Selling your Brand to the public takes a lot of work.

Vince Neil is not Vince Neil all the time. He shuts it off when he is off stage and not selling his Brand. Actors have Brands too. The point is, when you let the fan-base into your private life you are taking away two things and adding one immensely bad thing; 1) The illusion of what your Brand represents (think of a politician or better yet a Wrestler – The Undertaker is not throwing his child around like the walking dead guy), 2) Your limited control over what people see into your Brand. (Think James Hetfield in shorts).

One immensely bad thing : You are adding an open doorway into your privacy. More accurately, your peace of mind. Allowing your fan-base to feel like a friend will overwhelm you in the long run. An entertainer may seem like they are on all the time but trust me, an entertainer needs a moment to rest their act. Everyone does. I am sure people who work 9 – 5 come home with a need to just crash, while zoning out on nonsensical TV for an hour or two. After dealing with their work day ALL day, it can take some sickly toll on you.

Keep your relationships private. That includes your friendships and romantic relationships. Your audience is an audience for a reason. You are working, selling your Brand, and growing a business to make a living. When you are around your friends, family and loved ones you don't sell to them. You may work with them, but that's a business relationship you keep professional as they help grow your business too. Maybe you are helping them grow their business.

Next time you're buying something at 7-Eleven, ask the cashier if you can hangout with them after their shift... My point exactly!

www.MakeARightLeftHere.com
www.BBRProductions.com
www.Altayon.com

Let me splain, no, there is too much. Let me sum up.

Let me splain, no, there is too much. Let me sum up.

When I was younger I had a dream I want to accomplish. To own a venue. Before I get to that, I would like to mention the following. I hosted a comedy open mic night on Friday. Oh it was exciting. One of my good friends asked me to handle it for him and I was more than happy to oblige. Reading my adventures you already know I think open mic nights are last on my list (not for beginners – get out there and have fun). Even more so nowadays as the fun of entertaining has dwindled in the presence of other entertainers.

Let me splain. While I was hosting I had little control over who showed up. If I had to count on my hand the amount of comedians that appeared I'd say about twenty came out. Five minutes a spot plus bull-crap, twenty comedians, you do the math. I was hosting that show from 10:00pm (start time 10:41p) till 1am in the morning. Most comedians had been working hard on their material. Maybe they get one night a month to say it on stage. Fine I get that. I support the desire to say things on stage.

Keep in mind, I have no control over the fact that twenty comedians showed up. So being a douche to the host (me) and all other comedians is unacceptable networking. You want to make it in this business, respect the business. Needless to say when you get to comic number ten you are asking for trouble. In short, some douche comedian got called up nineteenth. He gets up to the mic and says some rude things. Fine. Great, you are a comedian. Let's hear it.

“You should never say anything other than here is the next comedian.”
“I'm the only comedian that has actually performed in a real club.”
“Let the funniest person her tell his jokes.”

Oh wait, after saying all that he had nothing to say. The guy walked off stage after two failed jokes and didn't even say good by to the person running the event. Which leads me to...

In three weeks my own theater will be opening up. Respect the industry. That's what I do, am doing and will continue to do. My place is opening on the first of November and I have three major rules: 1) No politics – you want to perform, you rent the time, run the show. 2) Behave – act rude or disrespect the business, audience, performs, or venue, you are gone. 3) No Alcohol – I want people to enjoy coming to see quality shows not come because it's a place to get drunk. Oh, and no TVs, radios, or pool table happening during performances!

www.MakeARightLeftHere.com
www.BBRProductions.com
www.Altayon.com

Help one, help all, helps yourself?

Help one, help all, helps yourself? :

I love entertainment. I love the business of entertainment too. What I am less found of are entertainers. This is a game of possibility. Most entertainers are in this game as if it were a competition. Let's be serious for a moment. The truth of it all is this game is not a competition. There is room for everyone. Maybe you are still learning, or the system of entertainment is looking for something different than you. It just means keep trying. Keep trying while working with other people in your field, outside your field, and learn to be helpful. This business grows on people working together.

A movie is made by more than 8 people. Those normal 8 are actors, a director, camera people, and a producer. Then those unsung heroes: grips, people who handle light, stand-ins, extras, etc. Stay after a movie is over and watch how long you'll wait around with credits going and going and going. It's beautiful to watch since it represents success in groups. If all people looked at a movie's behind the scenes workings you'll notice how to become successful. People searching for success all by their lonesome will take a lot longer getting there while others working with people will find themselves among success much quicker.

Take a comedian. They writer their own jokes, they perform their own jokes, they drive to their own gigs. Fine, that seems like it takes one person. Except, you need someone to run the show (The person who booked you)... Oh I am sorry, did you say you booked the show yourself? Okay, you need a person who owns a club to let you perform there. Oh, did you say you own the place too. Now you are getting annoying! Fine, you own the place, now you need people to run the door, the lights, the bar, the cleaning, etc. My point is, you are working hard for yourself while others are working hard to make it possibly for you to do it.

This is not a one person game. It is a group effort. Helping one, helps all to help yourself!

www.MakeARightLeftHere.com
www.BBRProductions.com
www.Altayon.com