WELCOME NEW AND RETURNING MEMBERS - MARCH AND APRIL 2013

Below is a list of new (and returning) HOLA members who joined between March 1, 2013 and April 30, 2013. (Note that "returning members" refer to those members who have returned to HOLA after having their memberships expire for some time and do not include renewing members.)

(Top row, left to right): Alberto Bonilla, Grettel Carbó; (second row, left to right): Telba Cavero, Noel Colón; (third row, left to right): Cristina Dacosta Lens, Alexis Díaz; (fourth row, left to right): Emanuel García Villavicencio, Fabrice Ginnette; (fifth row, left to right): Darío Gómez, Roger González; (sixth row, left to right): Angie Jerez, Daniela Jiménez; (seventh row, left to right): Vivienne Jurado, Roberto Larancuent; (eighth row, left to right): Joselyn Martínez, John Medina; (ninth row, left to right): José Antonio Melián, Nercido Mota; (tenth row, left to right): Ana Verónica Muñoz, Milagros Pacheco; (eleventh row, left to right): Zu Ralat, Malena Ramírez; (twelfth row, left to right): Ysmael Reyes, Lisette Silva; (thirteenth row, left to right): Steven Vega, Carlos Villar; (bottom row, left to right): Mariana Vily, Rebecca Zaher.

HOLA Member Bochinche

Bochinche refers to "gossip." In this sense, we use it to mention HOLA members or Friends of HOLA who are getting acting, performance or similarly artistic gigs and/or recognition in the media. The names of HOLA members and Friends of HOLA are listed below in boldface.

Marlene Forté, shown at right, was profiled in the blog Five-Dollar Shake. To read the interview with the film, television and stage star, where she talks of her roles on the television series "Dallas" (TNT) and "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" (ABC Family); and the films A Haunted House (directed by Marlon Wayans) and the upcoming Single Moms Club (directed by Tyler Perry), click here.

Jack Landrón sang and played guitar in ArtShare L.A. in (natch) Los Angeles, California as he played his original songs to mark the West Coast release of his new collection of music titled Curbside Cotillion (album cover shown at right). Described as a musical walk through the life of the eternally youthful singer-actor who was once known during the 1960s folk revival as Jackie Washington. To read more about the album, hear snippets and/or to buy songs or the entire album, click here.

Milteri Tucker danced with Don Omar at this year's Latin Billboard Music Awards in Miami, Florida.

The short film A Night in Shadows, starring Carlos A. González, Miguel Belmonte and Jasmith Marín is an official selection of the Cannes International Film Festival to take place in May in Cannes, France.

Kamar de los Reyes will be guest starring in an episode of "Blue Bloods" (CBS).

Félix Hiciano will present his self-penned solo show This is Me... Stripped in May at the Manhattan Repertory Theatre as part of the Spring One-Act Competition. For more information, click here.

If you are an HOLA member or a Friend of HOLA and want to submit a bochinche item, send us an e-mail. If you are not an HOLA member, why not join? If you are not a Friend of HOLA, why not become one? 

Report: Screening of LATINOS BEYOND REEL: CHALLENGING A MEDIA STEREOTYPE and Town Hall-Style Panel Discussion

On Sunday, April 28, 2013, the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA) and the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) hosted a screening of the documentary Latinos Beyond Reel: Challenging a Media Stereotype (produced by Edwin Pagán, Ronelle Rodríguez Torres and Lorena Manríquez and directed by Miguel Picker and Chyng Sun). The screening took place at the Museum of the Moving Image in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens.

Following the screening was a town hall-style panel discussion moderated by director-producer Warrington Hudlin. The panelists consisted of director-cinematographer-composer Miguel Picker, actress Liza Colón-Zayas, actor/producer Julia Ahumada Grob, NALIP chair María Agui Carter and cinematographer-producer Edwin Pagán.

The discussion, which got lively at times, started with moderator Hudlin acting as an agent provocateur. He also emphasized not rehashing the problems with Latinos and identity and the problem of stereotyping (which was specifically expressed in the documentary) and instead suggestions of potential solutions.


Among the many speakers at the town hall-style discussion included an employee of Fox News (who was soon to be leaving his job), a South African national (who mentioned that similar issues are still happening in her countries) and an Asian American actress (who mentioned the similarities between Latino and Asian American actors when it came to looking for roles).

After the discussion, people hung out in the museum lobby, and later, in front of the museum to continue the discussion, which was the intention of the filmmakers regarding the documentary, to elicit and continue the discourse in the hopes that it can effect a change.

HOLA would like to thank NALIP, David Schwartz (chief curator) and the staff of the Museum of the Moving Image, the filmmakers, the moderator, panelists and all those in attendance for helping make the event a great success.

For more information on the documentary, click here or click below to see its trailer.



All photographs in this blog are by Anthony Ruiz/ARuiz Photography. To see more photos, click here.

HOLA Member Bochinche

Bochinche refers to "gossip." In this sense, we use it to mention HOLA members or Friends of HOLA who are getting acting, performance or similarly artistic gigs and/or recognition in the media. The names of HOLA members and Friends of HOLA are listed below in boldface.

Anthony Ruiz, shown at right, reprised his role Mexican multibillionaire Carlos Slim (also known as "the world's richest man") in a skit for "The Late Show with David Letterman" (CBS). To see the skit, click here (the skit starts about 29:00 of the program).

Judy Torres recently sang her hits on a double bill with singer Coro at Don Coquí in Manhattan's Astoria neighborhood.

Jean-Marc Berne will be playing guitar and singing original material in both English and Spanish) at Circles Café in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn on Friday, May 3, 2013. For more information, click here.

INTAR is presenting Andrea Thome's play Pinkolandia. Directed by José Zayas, the show will be presented in May at INTAR's eponymous space located in Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen/Clinton area and star Carlo Alban, María Helan, Annie Henk, José Antonio Melián, Gabriel Sloyer and Heather Velásquez. For more information, click here.

Johary Ramos booked a voiceover for a Coors Light commercial.


If you are an HOLA member or a Friend of HOLA and want to submit a bochinche item, send us an e-mail. If you are not an HOLA member, why not join? If you are not a Friend of HOLA, why not become one? 

Report: Prime Latino Media Salon - LATINO DISTRIBUTION (April 2013)

On Thursday, April 25, 2013, NALIP New York, Tío Louie, the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA) and the New York chapter of the United Latino Professionals (ULP) presented the April edition of the Prime Latino Media Salon. This edition took place at New York University's Department of Social & Cultural Analysis/Latino Studies Program in Manhattan's NoHo neighborhood. The topic of the salon was "Latino Distribution: Alternatives & Channels for English- and Spanish-Language Multimedia".

Moderated by Louis Perego Moreno (Tío Louie), President of Skyline Features, the discussion featured panelists Cheryl Furjanic, award-winning filmmaker of documentary and fiction films; Carlos A. Gutiérrez, Co-Founding Director of Cinema Tropical, premier presenter of Latin American cinema in the USA; Rachel Lears, filmmaker & freelance shooter, producer and editor; and Mitch Teplitsky, independent producer & marketing consultant.

As is the custom of many a Prime Latino Media Salon, there was plenty of hobnobbing and networking before the panel. Once the panel started, the audience of multimedia-makers and actors were rapt with attention.

Gutiérrez spoke on the rapid changes in the last couple of years with regards to distribution (theatrical vs. online vs. other sources) and how it is often easier to attain funding outside the United States. Lears added to that by speaking of her experience of getting a film of hers made thanks to the support of the Uruguayan government (the film took place and was shot in Uruguay). Furjanic stressed the importance of knowing your personal and core audiences and appealing to them. She also highlighted the importance of crowdfunding for various aspects of getting your film made and distributed and social media for promoting it. Teplitsky spoke on the lucrative educational market where universities (through their libraries) often buy films for their various departments (e.g. Latino/Hispanic studies, anthropology, women's studies).

All of the panelists stressed the importance of getting the buzz going about your film before it is even finished, some going as far as to say it should be thought about during your pre-production phase.





A spirited question and answer session with those in attendance occurred at the end of the panel, which was subsequently followed by a wine reception and more networking. HOLA would like to thank so many people for the success of the event– NYU and Arlene Dávila, the panelists and especially those in attendance.


[Photos in this blog by Alphabeta Photography. To see more photos, click here.]

HOLA Member Bochinche

Bochinche refers to "gossip." In this sense, we use it to mention HOLA members or Friends of HOLA who are getting acting, performance or similarly artistic gigs and/or recognition in the media. The names of HOLA members and Friends of HOLA are listed below in boldface.

Marlene Forté, shown at left, was the subject of a profile by business confidence coach Tamara Medina Sapovalova in the Huffington Post/HuffPost Voces, where she talked of her career and ten tips she had for her success. To read the blog and the ten tips (which are in Spanish), click here.

Vanessa Verduga, shown at right, was profiled by Judyth Piazza in The S.O.P., where the actress/producer talked of her two projects: the webseries "Justice Woman" (in which she stars, wrote, directed and produced) and the film H.O.M.E. (in which she stars and is producing). To read the article, click here.

Francisco Ramos booked a role in the television series "Monumental Mysteries" (The Travel Channel).

Abraham Makany will be performing in the Dan O'Brien play Kandahar to Canada (directed by Mark Armstrong) for the Ensemble Studio Theatre (EST) Marathon. The marathon of plays will run in May and June at EST's namesake theater space in the Hell's Kitchen/Clinton area of Manhattan For more information, click here.

Sosa James, Jr. recently filmed an episode of "All My Children" (TOLN), where he shared a scene with Matthew Cowles.

If you are an HOLA member or a Friend of HOLA and want to submit a bochinche item, send us an e-mail. If you are not an HOLA member, why not join? If you are not a Friend of HOLA, why not become one? 

HOLA Member Bochinche

Bochinche refers to "gossip." In this sense, we use it to mention HOLA members or Friends of HOLA who are getting acting, performance or similarly artistic gigs and/or recognition in the media. The names of HOLA members and Friends of HOLA are listed below in boldface.

Iván Camilo, shown at left, was interviewed in a profile in the CineMovida blog, where he was asked of his work in his recent film Under My Nails (written by Kisha Tikina Burgos and directed by Ari Maniel Cruz). To read the interview (which is in Spanish), click here.

José Roldán, Jr., shown at right, booked a role in a public service announcement after he read about the casting notice in the e-mail announcements HOLA sends to its members and submitting his headshot and resume to the casting director.

Thalía Spanish Theatre will be presenting the world bilingual premiere of the Íñigo Ramírez de Haro play tu arma secreta contra la CELULITUS REBELDE (secret weapons of FAT DESTRUCTION). Produced, directed and designed by Ángel Gil Orrios (and with an English translation by Sarah Thomas), the production will take place in May and June in Thalía's eponymous space in the Sunnyside area of Queens and star Soledad López, Francisco Fuertes, William Saquicela and Jesús E. Martínez. For more information, click here.

Andy Pérez and Jessi Campo hosted the Indies Unite-Unidos music showcase in April at The Hoxton Hotel in Miami.

Vanessa Verduga was interviewed by Ramón Hierro on the television program "La Revista Semanal" (MundoFox). To see the interview (which is in Spanish), click on the video below.



If you are an HOLA member or a Friend of HOLA and want to submit a bochinche item, send us an e-mail. If you are not an HOLA member, why not join? If you are not a Friend of HOLA, why not become one? 

Upcoming Events and Workshops for HOLA in April and May (Bicoastal - NY and LA)

HOLA is having a flurry of activity in the next couple of months. To keep track of our numerous events and workshops, we have organized it all for you below.

EVENTS

• Thursday, April 25, 2013 at 5:30pm ET
PRIME LATINO MEDIA SALON (April 2013) – LATINO DISTRIBUTION
(Presented in collaboration with NALIP-New York, Tío Louie and United Latino Professionals-New York)
To take place at New York University's Department of Social & Cultural Analysis Latino Studies Program in New York, New York
For more information, click here.


• Sunday, April 28, 2013 at 5:30pm ET
Screening of the documentary LATINOS BEYOND REEL: Challenging a Media Stereotype
(Presented in collaboration with NALIP and the Museum of the Modern Image)
To take place at the Museum of the Modern Image in Astoria, New York
For more information, click here.

• Thursday, May 16, 2013 at 8pm PT
HOLAtalks: MARLENE FORTÉ (interviewed by Bel Hernández)
(Presented in collaboration with NALIP and Hollywood Casting and Film)
To take place at Hollywood Casting and Film in Hollywood, California
For more information, click here.






WORKSHOPS
• Tuesdays and Thursdays, May 7-23, 2013 at 6:30pm
SPANISH LANGUAGE VOICEOVER WORKSHOP with Manuel Herrera
Six (6) sessions to take place at the HOLA office in New York, New York
For more information, click here or here.

• Tuesdays and Fridays, May 21-June 14, 2013 at 6:30pm
FILM ACTING COURSE with Charles Carroll and Tony Plana
Eight (8) sessions to take place at FELT space in New York, New York
For more information, click here or here.

HOLA is also conducting its annual spring fundraising and membership drives. HOLA is offering more flexible membership options, including a regional membership rate. For more information, click here, here, here, here and/or here.

Only with the support of its members and Friends can HOLA continue to provide all these offerings to our membership and community at large. If you are an actor, become an HOLA member. If you are not an actor, but believe in the mission of HOLA, become a Friend of HOLA.

To become an HOLA member or to donate to HOLA (and become a Friend of HOLA), call (212) 253-1015 or (888) 624-HOLA (4652), or e-mail us.

NALIP Accepting Applications for the Public Media/Documentary Lab

Deadline: Sunday, May 5, 2013

A NALIP National Signature Program in association with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, HBO and the UA Hanson Film Institute.

The Latino Producers Academy is an intensive 10-day course that provides one-on-one professional mentoring for Fellows in a laboratory environment in order to enhance the viability of their projects and make them more competitive for public media funding.

NALIP invites directors of feature documentaries or new media projects to apply to the Latino Producers Academy. Projects must be about a subject concerning Latinos and/or the director must be Latino.

For the documentary track, projects must be in the post-production phase, ranging from edited selects, a trailer, to a full rough cut.

For the new media track, we are looking for web-native projects (conceived, designed, and produced for online distribution) that take advantage of the unique properties of the internet and digital media: data, location, participation, co-creation, interactivity. Along with innovative modes of video storytelling, we are also open to innovations in form, format, genre, and use of technology within public media. Projects should be in the discovery/development stage, or early production, to get the most out of the academy.

If you have questions about your eligibility, please contact Richard Saiz, LPA Program Director at dlealsaiz@gmail.com.
 
This program is competitive and highly selective. It is open to NALIP members who have produced work on which they played a key creative role. All professional independent producers/directors are eligible to apply regardless of experience. All accepted Fellows are invited on full scholarship: materials, lodging, and meals provided by the LPA funders and sponsors

For all the details, please visit NALIP's website at www.nalip.org.

NALIP-NY, Tío Louie and HOLA present the Prime Latino Media Salon (April 2013)

and

invite you to attend the

PRIME LATINO MEDIA SALON

a monthly series for Latino multimedia-makers & actors in
the metropolitan New York area

A forum for Latinos and their supporters to connect and sustain one another in English- and Spanish-language media, as well as feature a conversation with a speaker, screening or panel discussion.

Thursday, April 25, 2013 from 5-7:30pm
LATINO DISTRIBUTION:
Alternatives & Channels for English- and Spanish-Language Multimedia

A number of Latino multimedia-makers make projects with their own money from inception to completion to accolades and then can't find a home for it through television or theatrical distribution. What alternative strategies should be adopted to gain some return on an investment? At what stage in project development should distribution be addressed?

     
Moderator
Louis E. Perego Moreno (Tío Louie)
President, Skyline Features

Panelists
Cheryl Furjanic
Award-winning filmmaker of documentary and fiction films

 Carlos A. Gutiérrez
Co-founding director of Cinema Tropical,
premier presenter of Latin American cinema in the USA

Rachel Lears
Filmmaker & freelance shooter, producer and editor

Mitch Teplitsky
Independent producer & marketing consultant
 
5pm: Arrival & Networking
5:30-7pm: Panel Discussion
7pm: Networking & Wine Reception


FREE ADMISSION BUT RSVP REQUIRED.
Go to http://primelatinomedia.eventbrite.com to reserve your spot.

For more information (including bios for
the panelists and moderator), click here.

Venue & Location

New York University
Department of Social & Cultural Analysis
Latino Studies Program
20 Cooper Square (at East 5th Street), 4th Floor (The Flex Space), NYC

(6 train to Astor Place, N or R to 8 Street-NYU;
M101/M102/M103/M8 buses)

To become a member of NALIP, click here.
To become a member of HOLA, click here.
To know more about United Latino Professionals, click here.