The Future of Animation and Video Games Will Blow You Away

Each and every year video games get more robust, the software gets better, and the games get more intense and appear to be more real. This trend will continue, along with the artificially intelligent software that runs the games. All this coupled with the new hardware that will be involved will surely change the future of video games.
In fact, it might be so real, so cool, and so fun that it will be your number one leisure activity. The video games of the future will get to know your personality, and what you enjoy, thus, it will make your virtual world, your perfect world.
Are you ready to enter a new world specially designed for just you? Are you willing to turn on the virtual reality living room of the future; a room with holographic displays, surround-a-sound, 3-D images, fragrance enhancement, brainwave modification software, and artificially intelligent back-end software that modifies your game, during each subsequent play to your liking?
If you had such a system would you dare to play at? Could you prevent yourself from being addicted to that matrix? The reality is the future of video games and computer gaming will literally blow you away, they will be so real and so robust that you won't want to do anything else, you will not want to get up to eat, or go to bed and go to sleep.
Why would you if you are playing in your perfect dream world, a world where you can be anything, do anything, or achieve anything. A game where you can set yourself up to be the perpetual winner, to conquer all your fears, to challenge yourself to go beyond anything we've ever dreamed of. That is the future of video games. My only question to you is; "can you handle the future?" Please consider all this.

How Many Years Does it Take to Be an Antique?

How many years does it take a piece to be an antique? If you have some old pieces in your collection you should consider the potential value, you may be sitting on a fortune. Carry on reading this article and we will tell you how many years it takes to be an antique plus how to get the best price for your collection.
How Many Years Is Antique?
The dictionary describes an antique as "a piece of furniture, tableware or the like, made at a much earlier period than the present." It is commonplace to recognize an antique as over 100 years but this timescale is sometimes disputed by experts with items aged between 50 and 80 years often being classified as antique.
What Do People Want?
Before trying to price an antique you need to know about it, otherwise you may fall foul of an astute buyer or dealer. You should find out as much as you can so you are aware of a realistic selling price by answering the following questions:
Is your piece desirable? Is it commonplace or rare? Is it well looked after? What is the history of the piece? Where was it made? And by who? Are they desirable manufacturers?
To find out this information look for manufacturers markings and then research the piece in books from your local library or increasingly on the internet. Also speak to the person you got the piece from as they may have clues as to its history.
If you can't find any information you can always visit a local antiques roadshow or take it to a local dealer. Often here you will be able to get a free price estimate, but be aware that upon auction prices can vary wildly.
How To Get The Best Price For Your Antiques
Of course the condition and rarity are the main factors with antiques but a smart seller can increase his chances of getting a good price by being proactive.
Gain as much information about the item as this will help you in two ways:
it will appear you are knowledgeable in antiques so you are less likely to be bamboozled by dealers
you can 'sell' the item to a potential buyer by being able to 'paint a picture' of it.Buyers are not just after something that will look nice in their house they are trying to find something unique and with a history, that they can tell their friends about.
Now you have the sales patter you should try to find your own buyers. Of course a local auction is a good start or better still eBay is great place to get an immediate worldwide audience. Why not list your antique on ebay and then visit the internet forums and social groups and chat to people. You will be able to find groups dedicated to your exact style of antique.
This will greatly increase your chances of finding a buyer and teach you more about antiques into the bargain. You can then add a link to your listing, but remember direct selling in forums is frowned upon so join in the discussion and people will quickly start to check out your link.
Now you know how many years does it take to be an antique, you can get the best price for your items and start to become and expert in this vibrant and exciting hobby of antiques. You may even decide that you want to start trading antiques to make a tidy income.

How to Find the Best CD Duplication Services

There are several ways with the help of which you can get quality CD duplication. This is a process of copying the content of a CD onto many others. However, some of the methods are illegal. Thereby, it is necessary to make sure that the CDs you will be duplicating are legally allowable. There are many companies that offer such services.
The following are some tips that will help you to find the best available CD duplication service provider:
It is better to go for a CD duplication company that comes with a guarantee. This will help you to protect your CD and its content from plagiarism. Also make sure that the CD copies are formatted correctly and there are no discrepancies or errors. In fact, a guaranteed service also ensures the quality the product. In addition, make sure that the company provides a guaranteed time frame as time is one of the essences of such services.
Technology is another important factor of such services. Thereby, go for such a duplication service provider that offers the newest and latest CD duplication technologies. Some of these technologies can be operated by computers and some can even be operated without computers. While checking around for companies, you can ask their staff about the technology that they are likely to use. In case, the staff cannot satisfy your quarries, it is better to look for another service provider.
As said earlier, there are many companies that offer CD duplication services. Thereby, searching for such companies will not be a problem. You can even find such companies online. Your local yellow pages are also a great resource for finding CD duplication companies. However, you should take some time before opting for a particular company. You can shop around or call a few service providers to compare rates. It is better to opt for a company who seems to be the most knowledgeable.
CD duplication also helps in protecting your data. With this process, you can make copies of your CDs for backup purposes. There are many inexpensive software programs, which you can download from the Internet. Many of them also offer trial periods. Also, there are computers that come with a CD burner and other add-on software. They are quite helpful for making copies of your CDs. However, it is better to opt for a service provider in case you need bulk CD duplications. Some of the companies can also design labels for the CDs.

List of Female Comedians By Kenny Leones

Males are not the only ones who have the talent to make people laugh. There are a lot of females who also have a knack for comedy. Here is a list of some of the famous female comedians:

WHOOPI GOLDBERG
Whoopi Golderg was born on November 13, 1955 and is not only a comedian but is a versatile female celebrity. Whoopi Goldberg is also known as an author, a game show host, a television personality, a radio host, and an American actress. Among the awards that this female comedian has received are a Daytime Emmy Award, a Tony Award, an Oscar Award, a Grammy Award, and an Emmy Award. Whoopi Goldberg also received an Academy Award and is considered as the second female African-American to have received such an award.

ROSEANNE BARR
Roseanne Barr is also considered as one of the best female comedians. Born on November 3, 1952 and just like Whoopi Goldberg, Roseanne Barr is also known not only as a female comedian but also as a talk show host, write, and American actress. Through her career in the entertainment industry, Roseanne Barr became known to have used different names. During her first years in the industry, she was known as Roseanne Thomas and also as Roseanne Arnold. There was even a time when she used the name Roseanne Barr Pentland Arnold Thomas. There was also a time when she simply used "Roseanne" until she decided to use Roseanne Barr, which is her original name.

KATHY GRIFFIN
Kathy Griffin is another female comedian also born in November. Aside from being a female comedian, she is also a popularly known producer and good actress. Kathy Griffin has been in the entertainment industry for a long time now that she even experienced being a voice actress and even a commentator of the red carpet. Kathy Griffin, born on November 4, 1960, will always be known by many for her role on the television program Suddenly Susan, aired on NBC. Kathy Griffin also co-hosts the television program The View and has a reality television program called Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List.

SARAH KATE SILVERMAN
Sarah Kate Silverman was born on December 1, 1970 and is also considered as one of the best female comedians. Just like the other female comedians, Sarah Kate Silverman is also a well-known writer, and actress. Sarah Kate Silverman has been using her name Sarah Silverman in the entertainment industry. However, she is also known as Big S. Sarah Kate Silverman is a female comedian with a style of her own. She tackles controversial topics when she performs such as religion, sexism, and racism.

There is actually a long list of female comedians but these four form part of the best female comedians in the entire entertainment industry.

Miss USA Universe - Fascinating Facts! By Alejandro Guevara Onofre

Did you know...

Alabama - Camellia State

In July 1967, Sylvia Hitchcok, defeated Miss Venezuela, Mariela Balaguer, and was named Miss Universe in Miami, FL. She was the first American to win a MU title since 1960. Alabama's Miss Universe Sylvia Hitchcok visited South America in late 1967.

Alaska - The Last Frontier

In 1990, Miss Alaska, Karin Elizabeth Meyer made the top six in the American contest in Wichita, Kansas. Alaska -- the biggest State in America -- has never won a national beauty pageant.

Arkansas - The Razorback State

In May 1982, Terri Utley brought the Miss USA title to Arkansas for the first time. Shortly thereafter, Peru's magazine "Gente" had put Miss USA 1982 ,a voracious reader, in the top of its list of favorites to win the Miss Universe 1982 in Lima, Peru. Miss Utley, one of the world's most intelligent beauty queens, placed fifth in the global competition. In Peru, Utley was one of the two finalists from North America.

California - Golden State

The state of California is home to a number of world-famous beautiful girls, among them Lucie Arnaz, Tyra Banks, Christie Brinkley, and Linda Gray, but Miss California did not even make the semi-finals in 1952 and 1956. In the late 50s and 60s, it won two American awards. In the mid-70s, Summer Robin Bartholomew, Miss California earned the national title. During Miss Universe 1975, she and Colombia's Lucia Echeverry were jointly award the Miss Photogenic title. In addition to the Photogenic Prize, Miss USA 1975, 23-year-old, made the top five in San Salvador,El Salvador.

District of Columbia - American Rose

DC -- the smallest territory in America - has won more Miss USA awards than Florida, Maryland, Arizona and New Mexico. In 1964, Bobbie Johnson became Miss United States and then competed in the Miss Universe contest in Florida, where she made the top 15. In the early 2000s, Shauntay Hinton won the national title in Gary (Indiana), but she did not make even the semi-finals in the Miss Universe competition in San Juan de Puerto Rico.

Hawaii -Aloha State

Between 1962 and 1997, Hawaiian representatives picked up a total of four Miss U.S. titles: 1962 (Macel Wilson), 1972 (Tanya Wilson), 1978 (Judy Anderson) and 1997 (Brook Mahealani Lee).

Iowa - Hawkeye State

Thanks to Carol Morris, Miss Iowa, the States won the internationally-recognized Miss Universe Contest in 1956, the second time an American woman had triumphed there.

Maryland - Old Line State

America's swimmer Michael Phelps, a sports icon on Earth, was one of the judges of the Miss U.S.A Universe Competition in Baltimore (Maryland) in 2005.

Minnesota - Gopher State

Miss United States 1976, Barbara Peterson, a native of Edina (Minnesota), did not advance past the first round in the MU competition in Hong Kong. Minnesota's Peterson was the first American to be eliminated in the preliminaries at the Miss Universe Pageant. She won the American title in Niagara Falls, NY.

Missouri -Show Me State

Shandi Finnessey placed first in the global event in Quito, Ecuador. Before that event, she had been crowned Miss U. S. Universe in Los Angeles, CA.

New York - Empire State

In the late 70s, New York's contestant Mary Therese Friel earned the national beauty pageant, but in May 1981,New York, Miss Universe City 1981, could not compete in the Miss USA Universe in Biloxi, MS. Miss New York, Deborah Fountain, had been disqualified in the Miss United States Pageant. Why? She had padded her swimsuit top in the preliminaries. It was one of the most embarrassing episodes of the Miss New York Pageant. For the first time, a Miss Universe City did not take part in the national beauty pageant.

North Carolina - Old North State

NC has won two titles in Miss USA history: 2005 (Chelsea Cooley) & 2009 (Kristen Dalton).

Pennsylvania - Keystone State

On May 22, 1971, Pennsylvania's delegate Michelle MacDonald, a blonde girl, earned the American prize in Miami Beach, FL. Meanwhile, Miss Texas, Benda Lyn Box, was first runner-up and Miss Arizona, Susan Elizabeth Pottenger, finished third. Miss Missouri, Nancy Rebecca Rich, and Miss Kentucky, Patricia Barnstable, also were finalists. MacDonald, a native of Buttler, was one of the 15 semi-finalists in the MU contest.

South Carolina -Palmetto State

South Carolina has produced many top beauty queens: In 1954,Miriam Stevenson was crowned MU in Long Beach, California, and then, 26 years later, Shawn Weatherly, who studied at South Carolina State University, became the fifth American citizen to win the universal award in Seoul, South Korea. Miss South Carolina 1980, a blue-eyed girl, qualified to compete for the Miss Universe title by defeating Miss Arizona, Jineane Ford, in the Miss United States finals.

Utah -Beehive State

Linda Bement, former Miss Utah, made unexpected international headlines in 1960 when she won the universal title. In addition to this, Utah has won two Miss USA trophies.

Virginia - Old Dominion

In the late 60s and early 70s, Virginia won the Miss U.S. Universe title two years in succession. Miss USA 1970, Deborah Shelton, was runner-up to Miss Universe in Miami, FL.

Alejandro Guevara Onofre: Freelance writer. Alejandro is of Italian, African and Peruvian ancestry. He's studied political science and journalism. 'I have a passion for Third World countries', he says.'Little information has been published in the world about Third World's sports, democracy, education and heroes. I am especially proud to be an advocate for Third World''.

He has written several online articles and essays on countries ('Fascinating Facts About Vietnam'), Olympic Games ('Olympic Games-Basic Facts', 'Olympic Nations-Who's Who'', 'Olympic Facts-Female Athletes'), humanities ('Amazing Facts About Mexico & Mexicans'), foreign affairs ('Fidel Castro is not Augusto Pinochet', 'Haitian History'), and sports ('Facts About China's Sports', 'Interesting Facts About Qatar's Sports'). Futhermore, Alejandro is the first author who has published a world-book encyclopedia in Latin America.

Different Types of Entertainment By Felipe Bazon

Before we look into different types of entertainment, first let's define what entertainment is. Entertainment is any kind of activity that provides amusement for people in a passive way, other entertaining activities that involve participating are considered recreation or hobbies.

There are many types of entertainment for particular tastes, for example we have cinema, theatre, sports, games, social dance, concert, comedy shows, animations, impressionists, clowns and the list goes on and on.

These form of entertainment can than be divided into groups according to the age and interest of the people being entertained. For instance we have child , adult , live action , public and corporate entertainment. In this article we'll give a brief explanation to some of these forms.

Child Entertainment

Kids need to be entertained and some times the entertainer or the entertainment agency needs to find a balance between mental and physical activities. Clowns, puppets, pantomimes and cartoons tend to appeal to children, though adult might find it enjoyable too.

Adult Entertainment

Adult Entertainment many times is related to the sex industry, but this form of entertainment can not be related only with the sex industry and its branches. Adult Entertainment involves things like music concerts, live sports, opera and a hand full of other activities that kids might not find so appealing.

Live Entertainment

This form of entertainment is broadened to all ages as there are a variety of activities that can labelled as live entertainment. For instance music concerts, live TV shows, live sports, theatres and any other activity that you could think of that is aimed to amuse people.

Public Entertainment

Nowadays probably one of the forms of entertainment that have grown the most, thanks to the economic downturn. When you walk around any major city around Europe you will notice a wide range of public entertainers working for any amount of money the public decides to give them. There are public entertainers of all sorts from mimes to Peruvian Flute bands all working with the uncertainty of how much money they will make, that is why they tend to be more common in major cities where there are more tourists.

Corporate Entertainment

Aimed for corporate events, private parties, award ceremonies, product launches and it is better organized by a professional entertainment agency as most of time these events involve hundreds maybe thousands of people and no one better than the professionals to take care of these form of entertainment.

With these we cover the major forms of entertainment n the following article I'll explain in depth each one of them with more details and examples.

How to Become a Bikini Model By Sonya Peterson

A lot of girls have always wanted to appear on famous fashion spreads in magazines, to strut the runway, or to strike a pose in those commercials. However, magazines usually portray one type of modeling that both men and women covet (in their own different ways of course). Enter the world of bikini modeling, where models strut their stuff in the skimpiest outfits for all the world to see. Though it looks as easy as posing and having someone take the picture, becoming a bikini model entails a lot of preparation. Here are just a few tips to prepare you for a potential career in modeling the most glamorous of female swimwear, the bikini.

Tone your body: In order to be worthy of that spread in Sports Illustrated or the local magazine, you must possess a toned body. Though many men preferred barely there outfits on womanly curves in the past, nowadays, it's all about fitness and looking like one was born with that micro thong bikini or Brazilian micro bikini.

Groom yourself: Of course, after toning the body and keeping it in tip-top shape, you can take the next step to becoming a bikini model: grooming yourself. Keeping a clean appearance never did anyone wrong and getting rid of unsightly hair in certain areas can only contribute to your chances of making it to the cut. A clean look radiates health and freshness that most swimwear companies and fashion magazines look for in models.

Eat a healthy diet: Eating a healthy diet lets would-be models fit nicely into a micro bikini swimwear set or a super micro bikini. Eating the proper food combined with getting enough rest and exercise can help keep you in shape not only on the outside, but also on the inside.

Get yourself out there: Before hitting it big time, you should always start small. You can start with posing for local swimwear and swimgear establishments. Choose projects carefully, taking care to pick out offers that are in-sync with what you want to achieve. You can also consider compiling a portfolio of accomplishments such as print ads, videos, and other media. Those who are serious in making a career out of bikini modeling can get an agent who can help them get more opportunities.

5 Places to Put Sexy Tattoos on Women By R. Dercks Platinum Quality Author

Ok, you have finally decided that you want a tattoo, now before you can choose your design it would be best to choose your area first. Sexy tattoo on woman are all about location, location. Some woman prefer going about it the long way by finding what you like first and then sorting out where you are going to put it.

This isn't a good idea, you will end having something you don't really like on an area you don't really like. I have seen loads of [sexy tattoo on woman] and I have seen plenty of not so attractive tattoos all because they rushed into the process. Here are the 5 place I have seen sexy tattoos on woman.

Foot: Some woman have amazing feet and some woman don't think they do, but what does it hurt just to put a design to your foot and see what it looks like. The design should flow with your foot and not run against the grain as it were.

Ankle: A majority of guys just don't know why but ankle tattoos are a very sexy place to have one. Remember though it's your ankle not your waist so the lines need to be smooth and small, going with the flow of your ankle. Your skin isn't as thick at your ankle, so make sure the artist you go to knows his bells and whistles.

Lower back: The lower back is a fantastic spot for a tattoo, don't get something too small. It should fit in with your dimension at least 1/6 the size of your lower back and it shouldn't be over big or bold, unless that is the look you want. Following your contours is a big must don't just get a straight forward rectangle sticker on your lower back, I think that is called a tramp. Yours need to be elegant with detail and fineness. This drives guy's nuts when they see a little glimpse of it. All want to see what the rest of it and don't forget about the color.

Hip: Your hip is a great spot for a tattoo especially in a bikini or just showing a little above low rider jeans. All the guys won't be able to keep their eye off of you. Just remember to keep with your contours and high light your features.

Navel: With the popularity of belly button ring and short shirts to flaunt it. Navel tattoos have become very popular and is an instant focal point when you have one. In this instance less is more, don't get something to big or out rages. With belly rings and cut off shirts becoming very popular, it is a given that navel tattoos are a sexy technique to accessorize. It's an instant piece of 'jewelry' that's always on your body and receiving attention.

Those are my five areas I would recommend any sexy tattoos on women, just remember choose your area first then choose your design.

Cool Tattoo Ideas - How to Get Them By Michael Trott

Still don't know what tattoo design to get?

There you are, excited to get your tattoo. But, here comes your problem, you have no idea what tattoo design to have. Getting a tattoo is like getting your most personal trademark. It's what reflects your personality or what you stand for or your belief. In short, it symbolizes who you are.

There are a lot of ways where you can find cool tattoo ideas. You can visit tattoo shops. You can also choose to look at books and make use of your imagination to make the design more interesting. And the most convenient and most comprehensive way to look for a design it through browsing the internet anytime you feel like it.

Tattoo Shops

In visiting a tattoo shop to get cool tattoo ideas, you can ask questions and be personal with the tattoo artists. You can also find some actual tattooing there. Tattoo shops mostly provide images of tattoos through books or from a collection of their own creations. If you are to have your first tattoo experience, then stopping by a shop is a great idea for you. It would allow you to be familiarized with the place and get to know the artists so that when you're ready for your tattooing, you'll be ready and comfortable with it.

Tattoo Books

If you are not yet ready even to take a step into a tattoo shop, then you can always find cool tattoo ideas from books or magazines. It may not be as informative as when you are visiting a tattoo shop, but for the time being, it could be enough to give you ideas.

Web Site Tattoo ideas

The easiest way there is would be finding cool tattoo ideas through the net. There are several tattoo web sites to choose from but then you just have to be a bit specific in browsing to get you faster to what you are looking for. One more advantage in using the net is you get to have a comprehensive collection of tattoo designs. You may even encounter tattoo ideas you may not have thought of but you'll like. You can always choose to browse for free or with minimal payment for tattoo designs.

Here are some ideas which could help you picture out what you want:

• Take a look at other people's tattoos. Sometimes the designs of their tattoos may also fit you or even look better on you.
• You can look everywhere or at anything that catches your attention, and you can start building your tattoo ideas from there.
• If you want to have more personal designs, you can create your own tattoo ideas. Trust your instinct, no one can tell you better what will suit you.

Finding cool tattoo ideas can be confusing as when you decide to actually get one. But if you really want it, there's nothing difficult to get it done. Once you have decided on the design, think about it because it can be with you forever. It is not that easy but it's definitely cool to have one.

How to Play Guitar Good - 4 Easy Ways to Play in Front of a Live Audience By Jeremiah La Follette Platinum Quality Author

If public speaking is considered to be one of the most terrifying things someone can do in there lifetime, then it's no surprise that playing your instrument in front of someone can be just as nerve racking. Playing in front of a live audience is an exciting part of guitar playing, and can be very rewarding for all of the hard work you have accomplished in practicing your six string.

Let's take a look at 4 easy ways that you can prepare yourself to play in front of a live audience.

1. Mentally prepare. 2. Have a dress rehearsal/sound check. 3. Make sure your guitar gear is in working order. 4. Get some fresh air.

1. Mentally prepare: One of the greatest things you can do is to practice the art of visualization before you play live in front of an audience. If you are able to see where you're going to play live, this is even better because, you can visualize where you're going to play much more easily. Whatever song or songs you are playing, imagine yourself playing in front of your audience. More specifically, go beyond just picturing yourself as a rock star, and use your imagination to visually watch yourself play each and every guitar note, chord and solo on your imaginative guitar.

2. Have a dress rehearsal/sound check: You'll be more prepared to play live if you have an opportunity to actually set up and practice a few songs where you will be performing. Sound checks will also help you to sound better allowing you to play more confidently.

3. Make sure your guitar gear is in working order: Making sure that everything is in working order before you play live will help build your confidence before you play live. There's nothing more tragic than practicing for many months, only to have something go terribly wrong such as forgetting to tune your guitar strings, or, having no sound come out of your guitar amplifier due to a faulty guitar cable. Mysterious musical glitches in gear sometimes can occur for no apparent reason whatsoever. Take control of as many mysterious musical glitches as possible by making sure all of your guitar gear is in the best possible working order.

4. Get some fresh air: 5-10 minutes before you play in front of an audience try to go outside and get some fresh air. Fresh air, for so many reasons, will do wonders for allowing you to play better, and think more clearly. Getting away from where you are performing briefly will also help you to distract any nervous feelings you may be having towards playing live.

Benefits of a Software Program If You Want to Make Your Own Beats Online By Raghav Mitra

It is very irresistible for many rap wannabes to make music out of their own talent and skills. This is precisely because the main ingredient for getting popular is originality. The problem is, only very few people can afford to buy the right tools to make rap beats. However, this should not be a problem now since you can make your own beats online nowadays.

The Internet has become a source of almost everything that even recording tools come for free. However, you should be aware also that most of these rap making programs in the Internet are only free for a certain period of time. One of these days, your trial version will expire and you will have to buy the real stuff.

One of the benefits if you will make your own beats online is the cost. Producers spend thousands of dollars for their equipments that are of high caliber and yet you only have to spend less than a hundred bucks for a rap beat making software program. You will easily learn the techniques in making rap beat without having to shell out that much.

Another thing that will make you buy a software program if you want to make your own beats online is the warranty. Even if it is just a software program that you can download, some companies offer warranty because they know very well that computers crash and there might be severe loss of data.

Always make sure that if you buy a software program to make your own beats online, keep yourself protected by understanding the refund policy. You might not like the software and you should have protection to get your money back. Many websites that sell software programs such as this have money back guarantee and you are ensure that you can try the product for about 30 or 60 days.

White Balancing and Color Temperature For Video Production By Lorraine Grula

Two things a bit on the technical side when it comes to making video are color temperature and white balancing. They are related. This post tells you everything you need to know from a practical level about these terms and how they affect the way you shoot video.

White balancing is an adjustment you make to the camera that tells it what kind of light you are recording in so that the camera records video the correct color.

(Small, automatic cameras always have automatic white balancing so you do not need to worry about it, but larger video cameras have manual white balance control which gives you better quality. )

WHY DO YOU NEED TO WHITE BALANCE?

Different types of light are different colors. The camera needs to adjust itself in order to shoot proper color. This might seem strange, because light generally looks white to us humans, regardless of its source. We do not see sunlight as blue, florescent light as green, or incandescent as orange, but they are.

Cameras see the light as it is truly colored but our brains and eyes sort them all out as white or else we'd feel like we were on a permanent LSD trip. (Wow man, everything is soooo colorful.)

Color temperature is the technical term for measuring the color of light. The Kelvin Temperature scale is used. Standard sunlight is about 5,400 degrees Kelvin. Shadowy sunlight is "colder," about 7,400 degrees. Tungsten halogen TV lights are orange and come in at 3200 degrees kelvin.

You do not really have to know these exact values to adjust your camera. Most cameras white balance by pointing them at a white card that is reflecting the light being shot under. Then a button is pushed and the camera reads the white and adjusts all other colors relative to it.

One advanced tip is to white balance on a card with a slight blue tint and you will get a nice warm orange. Not orange enough to look distorted, just orange enough to look inviting.

You can do the reverse by balancing on a slightly orange card. This gives you a blue tint, which might just be what you need to make that Christmas scene shot in July look cold.

To play it safe and get the truest color, it is best to shoot in one type of light. Mixtures can throw a camera off. For example, if you shoot inside under incandescent light your windows will look overly blue. Sometimes that can actually look nice, but often it looks horrible.

If you go outside to shoot without changing your white balance setting from taping indoors, your video is likely to be very blue.

If your camera has a manual white balance, use it every single time you change light. Also change it as the day lingers, because sunlight in the evening is much bluer than sunlight at noon.

One great feature to look for in more advanced video cameras is the ability to set white balance presets. They can help you change your white balance quickly, without having to go through the typical routine with the white card.

I hope this information helps you make better videos!

Lorraine Grula

Internet Video Gal

Seven Tips to Kill Boredom By Padmanabha Vyasamoorthy

Many senior citizens have a lot of time on their hand and do not know how to kill time. Loneliness and having nothing specific to do are main factors leading to boredom and perhaps depression. We must avoid being bored at any point of time, even for a few hours. It is self defeating attitude and 'entertaining' boredom may ultimately leave us highly frustrated. Here are some tips to ward off boredom.

1. Play some Word game or number games. Even newspapers offer Sudoku, Crossword puzzles, Scramble, jumble and the like. Have a go at it - whatever you are good at. No age is old for learning new things. I have known my friends swear that Sudoku keeps them occupied.

2. Go for a brisk walk. Do some mild exercise. Just stretch your self, feet and arms. Laugh aloud if you are alone. Learn about acupressure points in your body and massage them.
Any physical activity which gives a break for 20 to 30 minutes will also break boredom.

3. Dust your old tape recorder, CD Player, Radio or World Space unit. Start listening to any music you in which you are interested. When I took to Internet in early Nineties I thought that people Search the Net for Sex mostly. No, I was wrong. Music is most searched for, even today. As they say, music is the soul of life. Listen to some soul stirring music to forget yourself.

4. Pick up your pen and paper and write a letter to a friend whom you have forgotten. Or open your laptop and compose a few messages. They could even be 'official' complaints to civic authorities on local colony problems. Why wait for the Resident Welfare Association to take action? You will be twice blessed for such pro active social work.

5. Pick up a book that have read and would not mind donating it. Write your Name & address and leave a note that anyone that picks ac read and circulate the book again. Leave the book stealthily in a park bench and see furtively who picks it up. If this works for you, read more about "Book Crossing" and do this activity systematically.

6. Go to a nearby park. Seek out another lonely senior. A total stranger is better. Strike a friendship. Then listen to him without any interruption for at least thirty minutes. Once you know the myriad ways in which people keep them selves happy / unhappy, your loneliness will vanish.

7. Meditate. It is the incessant stream of thoughts that are meaningless that bore you. Cease to think. Just sit quietly observing your breath. Wait eagerly and watchfully for a thought to occur. Ignore it. Don't let your mind chain it with something else and extend the process of meaningless wandering. Try to be in thoughtless state for a few minutes. Boredom flies.

All the tips given above are simple and practicable. No money is involved. They will take care of your body mind and soul. Just try and see.

Halle Berry in the Miss World 1986 - The Unknown Story! By Alejandro Guevara Onofre

By early 2000s Halle Berry set precedent and made Miss World history when she became the first former beauty queen to win an Academy Award. Since 1995 Berry, who won the 1986 Miss USA World, has had a strong influence on beauty contestants as well as black performers on both sides of Atlantic. In addition to being one of the great actresses of the 21st century, Berry will be remembered as one of the most beautiful black representatives in Miss World history, alongside Aretha Rocke (Trinidad & Tobago's delegate in 1982) and Jennifer Hosten (Miss World 1970) as well as Kayonga "Benita" Mureka (Zaire's contestant in 1985) and Veronique Caloc (Miss France 1998). In 1998, the Miss USA Organization conferred Halle Berry the "Distinguished Achievement Award"; it is awarded to a former beauty queen who distinguishes herself by performance and influence in America.

Miss United States of America

Halle Berry first attracted attention at the beginning of 1986 when she reached the finals of Miss USA Universe -- one of the world's top beauty contest awards -- in Miami,Florida. But before she could do that in this year, she had won two beauty pageant awards : Miss Teen All American Pageant 1985 and then Miss Ohio USA. In Miami, former host to the Miss Universe Pageant, the young Berry, who served as her own manager, finished second, ahead of 49 of America's most beautiful and talented candidates. Each delegate was judged in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown, and interview. The judges were Rene Enriquez (Nicaraguan-born actor), Michael Young (performer), Kimberly Tomes (Miss Texas and Miss USA Universe 1977), Dave Robinson (singer), Waymon Tisdale (former basketball player), Mai Shanley (Miss New Mexico and Miss USA 1984), John Callahan (actor), Maria Remenyi (Miss California and Miss USA 1966), Christopher Hewett (actor), Miriam Stevenson (Miss South Carolina & Miss Universe 1954), Carol Connors (singer), and John Bolger (actor).

Results:

Preliminaries

1-Texas 9.076 points

2-Halle Berry (Ohio) 8.640

3-Mississippi 8.530

4-Illinois 8.493

5-South Carolina 8.443

6-Georgia 8.440

7-California 8.436

8-North Carolina 8.426

9-Oklahoma 8.356

10-Wyoming 8.301

Results: Second Round

Interview..................Swimsuit.................Evening Gown

1.Ohio 9.230....................1.Texas 9.610............1.Texas 9.510

2.Mississippi 9.215..........2.Ohio 9.240...............2.Ohio 9.360

3.Texas 9.100...................3.Califor. 8.970.........3.Califor. 9.177

4.Georgia 8.780................4.Georgia 8.910........4.Geor. 8.760

5.SCarolina 8.744.............5.SC 8.870...................5.NC 8.820

6.Illinois 8.588...................6.NC 8.770...................6.SC 8.760

7.Oklahoma 8.480.............7.Okla. 8.730..............7.Miss. 8.660

8.Califor. 8.266..............8.Illinois 8.580.............8.Illinois 8.610

9.NC 8.280........................9.Mississippi 8.570......9.Okla. 8.490

10.Wyoming 7.890.........10.Wyo. 8.370.............10.Wyo. 8.190

Average:

1.Texas 9.406

2. Halle Berry, Miss Ohio 9.226

3.Georgia 8.853

4.Mississippi 8.815

5.California 8.804

6.South Carolina 8.791

7.North Carolina 8.597

8.Illinois 8.593

9.Oklahoma 8.567

10.Wyoming 8.150

Final Results:

Miss USA Universe 1986: Christy Fichtner (Dallas, Texas)

First Runner-up: Halle Berry (Ohio)

Second Runner-up: Tammi Tesh (Georgia)

Third Runner-up: Cindy Williams (Mississippi)

Fourth Runner-up: Kelly Parsons (California)

Special Awards

Miss Photogenic: Beth King (Miss Wyoming)

Miss Congeniality:Lisa Summerour-Perry (Miss New Jersey)

Because of her outstanding performance, Berry competed in Miss World 1986 in England. She was named delegate to the States to replace Brenda Denton, Miss New Mexico and Miss USA World, who had placed third in Britain in late 1985. Berry's performance at the 35Th Miss United States comes as little surprise to the people who have followed the American contest; a result that had seemed almost impossible a few decades earlier. In the 70s and early 80s, three beauty pageant organizations had had black queens, but the Miss USA Organization did not make it until 1990, when the statuesque Carole Gist, who stands 1.82m tall, won the national trophy.

Sixteen years to the day before Miss USA 1986 Jennifer Hosten, a native from Grenada -an English-speaking Island on the Caribbean Sea - became the first black entrant to be crowned Miss World. But she was not the only one. By the end of the 1970s, Gina Ann Casandra Swaisson of Bermuda, another "Caribbean Queen", won the global award in Great Britain. Two years ago, on July 26, 1977 Janelle Commissiong, Miss Trinidad Tobago -- according to the New York Times "the black bombshell" - had become the first black winner in the 26-year history of Miss Universe. Then, in 1984, Vanessa Williams became the first black Miss America in Atlantic City, but her reign ended prematurely and was replaced by Suzette Charles, another black beauty.

Halle Berry in the Miss World 1986!

The final ceremony on 13 November, 1986, was held at the Royal Albert Hall in London before a crowd 8,000 spectators. About 77 countries and dependencies took part in this contest, including Gambia, Tonga and Isle of Man. In November 1986 Berry broke precedents by taking part in the global contest, where she finished among the top sixth. It was the first time in Miss World's history that America sent a black entrant to London, home to the Miss World Organization.

There were some interesting anecdotes: Miss Bolivia, Claudia Arevalo Ayala, was a member of one of the most important Bolivian Volleyball clubs; Miss Ecuador was an English-teacher and a fashion model in her homeland; and Gibraltar, a tiny British dependency in Europe, became the smallest territory on the planet to send a representative to London. Curiously Maria Juarist Mateo Begoña, Miss Venezuela, had the most expensive evening gown in the event. Valued at no less than US$ 16,000! On the other hand, Poland sent a delegate to the global contest -- in a land where the beauty contests had been traditionally forbidden by the Communist regimes. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka, a nation in crisis for years, also participated.There were 17 black entries from Africa, Europe and the Americas. It was the first time that France had sent a black delegate to the Miss World Pageant.

However the British pageant should not be left without making mention of Halle Berry. She was also the first black woman from an industrialized nation to make the semi-finals in the Miss World Pageant. Ohio's Berry became the 36th American delegate to compete in Miss World, a contest where the USA did not have a great performance. In 1972, Lynda Carter - a famous entertainer in the late 70s and early 80s - was semi-finalist. On November 23, 1973, Miss USA, Marjorie Wallace, defeated Miss Philippines, Evangeline Pascual, and became Miss World. In the mid-70s, the States had suffered a serious setback when Annelise Ilschenko and Kimberly Marre Foley failed to make it into the semi-finals. Then, in the following years America could not win the title.

Since the start of the global event, Halle Berry was considered a leading candidate for the international title, along with Linda Marie McManus of New Zealand, Giselle Jeanne-Marie Laronde of Trinidad & Tobago, Maria Juarist Begoña of Venezuela, Alison Louise Slack of the United Kingdom, Roberta Pereira of Brazil, and Margot Montt of Chile.

Two and half weeks prior to the global contest, Berry and other 76 entries made a swimming photo shoot in Macao, a former Portuguese colony in Asia. At her arrival in Macao she was welcomed by a crowd of about 200 cheering well-wishers who saluted her with the traditional blessing: "Ni hao" (hello in Chinese).

In the first round, Miss USA World 1986 finished third in scoring, after Venezuela's Maria Juarist Mateo Begoña and New Zealand's Linda Marie McManus. Berry received 42 points to 46 Miss Venezuela and 44 for Miss New Zealand. South America's delegate, Berry's main rival, had been well-prepared for over a year by Osmel Sousa, the world's most successful beauty pageant director in the latter half of the 20th century.

In the second round, Halle Berry had 27 points in the Swimsuit Competition.

Results:

1-Miss Ireland 39 points

2-Miss Trinidad & Tobago 34 points

3-Miss Austria 33 points

4-Miss Venezuela 30 points

5-United Kingdom 30 points

6-Miss Denmark 29 points

7-Miss New Zealand points

8-Miss USA Halle Berry : 27 points

9-Miss Ecuador 27 points

10-Miss Panama 22 points

11-Miss Yugoslavia (present-day Serbia) 21 points

12-Miss Philippines 20 points

13- Miss Costa Rica 20 points

14-Miss Colombia 20 points

15-Miss Swaziland 20 points

Final Results:

Miss World 1986: Giselle Laronde (Trinidad & Tobago)

First Runner-up: Pia Rosenberg Larsen (Denmark)

Second Runner-up: Chantal Schreiber (Austria)

Finalists:

Miss New Zealand

Miss Venezuela

Miss USA

Miss Ecuador

Special Awards:

Miss Photogenic: Rosemary Elizabeth Thompson (Ireland)

Miss Personality: Dominique Martinez (Gibraltar)

Continental Queens

Miss Africa: Illana Faye Lapidos (Miss Swaziland)

Miss Asia: Sherry Rose Byrne (Miss Philippines)

Miss Europe: Pia Rosenberg Larsen (Denmark)

Miss Americas: Giselle Laronde (Trinidad & Tobago)

Miss Oceania: Lynda Marie McManus (New Zealand)

Alejandro Guevara Onofre: He is a freelance writer. Alejandro is of Italian, African and Peruvian ancestry. He has published more than seventy-five research paper in English, and more than twenty in Spanish, concerning the world issues, olympic sports, countries, and tourism. His next essay is called "The Dictator and Alicia Alonso". He is an expert on foreign affairs. Alejandro is the first author who has published a world-book encyclopedia in Latin America.

He admires Frida Kahlo (Mexican painter), Jose Gamarra (former president of the Bolivian Olympic Committee, 1970- 1982), Hillary Clinton (ex-First Lady of the USA), and Jimmy Carter (former President of the USA). Alejandro said: "The person who I admire the most is Jos?amarra . He devoted his professional and personal life to sport. Jos?layed an important role in the promotion of Olympism in Bolivia -it is one of the Third World`s poorest countries- and Latin America. His biography is interesting". The sportspeople he most admire is Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman. "This African-American sportswoman is my idol... "

Michael Jackson's Affair With Animation By Aldric Chang

We've seen the moonwalk, the one-handed glove, the anti-gravity lean, and that's just to mention a few of the innovations introduced by the late Michael Jackson. Sometimes people even forget how MJ reinvented himself from a child prodigy into a global pop sensation. But he has this sense of creativity and showmanship that is hard to match which leads him to try many things - one of which is cartoon animation for his music videos.

Michael Jackson's song "Leave Me Alone" in the 1987 album Bad prominently featured 2D cartoon animation as its motif. Throughout the entire video, Jackson was super-imposed as a scaled real-life character.

The song talks about the personal and public turmoil encountered by Michael after the success of his 1982 album Thriller. At this time, the tabloids and other gossip columns were targeting him with different rumors about his lifestyle. Among these were Michael's obsession with purchasing the bones of the Elephant Man and sleeping inside a hyperbaric chamber to counter the effects of aging.

The cartoon animated video was used by Michael Jackson as a rebuttal for all these charges. The narrative of the video starts with an amusement park with a collage of images attributing to his success, along with certain images such as a shrine to his popular friend Elizabeth Taylor (who gave him the moniker King of Pop). In the end, it is revealed that Michael Jackson is the amusement park and he struggles away, destroying the park in the process.

Leave Me Alone was directed by Jim Blashfield and it was most notable for winning the Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video at the Grammy Awards of 1990. It was also shown in the feature entitled Moonwalker. Here is the animated video of Leave Me Alone:

Michael Jackson helped popularize the utilization of music videos as a promotional piece and as an art form. Another of his videos which prominently used computer animation effects was Black or White, a strongly worded song contradicting racial discrimination - but was more known for its scenes of violence and sexualized dancing. The most recognizable animation effect used in this video was morphing.

Morphing is a special effect which tries to change one image into another seamlessly. The music video Black or White used this concept in the tail-end part of the video where people of different ethnicities, gender and ages were shot in a bust shot point of view and was made to appear like it is morphing while moving its neck from left to right. Here is the video:

This was another revolutionary touch from Michael Jackson and, together with Terminator 2: Judgment Day in 1991, the video helped set a trend in special effects and computer animation. Now, advanced computer software is available to create realistic simulations - but nothing will surpass that level of genius when it was first introduced by Black or White.

I'll list some of his most special awards here as a tribute to Jacko:

World Music Awards' Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium

American Music Award's Artist of the Century Award

Bambi Pop Artist of the Millennium Award.

Double-inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (The Jackson 5, 1997; solo, 2001)

Multiple Guinness World Records (eight in 2006 alone),

13 Grammy Awards,

13 number one singles in his solo career-more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era

sale of over 750 million records worldwide

Rest in peace, MJ.

Introduction to Character Rigging - How to Prepare Your 3D Models For Animation! By Martin Schmidt

Give your character a healthy foundation for his life. This Article covers the basic ideas of adding a rig to your model. The underlying bone structure enables you to animate a 3D figure.

Start with drawing

As with any step in 3D, begin with planning your rig in 2D. Sketch out the skeleton on a piece of paper and try to determine where to place the joints. Look at yourself or find some pictures of a skeleton on the internet. For any character, especially for cartoon figures, sketch the most extreme poses he needs to make during animation. This will give you a solid understanding of the joint placement. It is important to know that poses oftentimes might look too extreme in a still frame, but work great in the animation.

Add bones

Now go into your 3D program. Use the drawings as a guide to put bones into your character. This step requires some testing to find the right position. For example if you put the shoulder joint in the wrong place, you won't be able to rest the arm against the body. If it is too close to the neck, the arm will disappear into the body when rotating downwards. If you put it too far away, there will be a gap between arm and body.

IK or FK?

There are two ways of animating a rig. Let's say you want to animate your arm. In forward kinematics mode you rotate the upper arm bone, then the lower arm bone and then the hand to achieve a certain pose. With inverse kinematics, you may grab the characters hand, move it around and the whole arm will follow.

Both IK and FK have their strengths and weaknesses, so you want to be able to switch between them. IK is a great time saver, because you need to animate fewer controls. It also allows you to plant the hand firmly on the table while the rest of the body is moving. A downfall of IK is that a circular motion - such as an arm swing in a walk cycle - is hard to create. With FK you only need to rotate the shoulder joint back and forth and voila, the arm is moving in an arc!

After making bones and creating IK and FK controls, it is time to assign the rig to your 3D model.

What is weight painting?

Each point in the geometry of your 3D model may be assigned to one or more bones. By painting the weights of a point, you can specify to what extent it follows different bones. This way you may control the sharpness of the bend between two or more bones. For the bending or twisting motion of the back or neck, you might have to paint a very soft gradient, so that one point follows up to three or four bones. When painting the weights for an elbow, you want to have a very sharp bend, so a point at the crease might be assigned ninety percent to the lower arm and just ten percent to the upper arm.

Create facial expressions

This is a fun process, because you get to do some modeling again. Sketch a couple of drawings or take photographs as a reference for your characters facial expressions.

In 3D add a shape key to your characters head. Then modify the face until you are satisfied with the expression. Your can now morph between the blendshapes with a slider for each target.

Additional Thoughts

I don't care what people say about rigging, never place restrictions on the animation controls! During animation you will be doing things with your character that are anatomically impossible, just to make it look anatomically correct in a certain camera angle and lighting situation.

Same with movement automation: don't use it! People tend to put things like an automated foot roll or automated shoulder movement into their rigs. The latter example automatically raises the shoulder when you raise the arm. In the end this kind of stuff is a pain in the ass for the animator, because it is nothing else than a restriction. Some might argue that automation is great, if you can turn it off at times. I say, for a small production it is not worth the effort, you are faster and more precise by hand.

The Hottest Literary, Word, and Letter Tattoo Designs For Men and Women By Chris Ryerson

There are a bunch of different names or ways to call these tattoos but one thing is for sure the trends for lettering tattoos are hot. More and more people are getting tattoos of words. In the old days of tattoo designs the words were a simple embellishment of the design. For example the classic heart tattoo design with a banner that says mom. The heart is the main feature of the tattoo and the visual part that people see and recognize first.

The script and written part that says mom is what is noticed second. For the longest time in the history of tattoo designs words, sayings and writing were an integral part of the overall tattoo design but often it was related to a backseat and done after the main part of the design was though out. Well, that is not so these days.

Tattoo trends are always changing and people are always looking for new ideas and new ways to stand out as an individual and be different from what has been done before. One of the core parts of body art is to do something unique and different and express yourself. People today are finding that one of the best ways to express yourself instead of through a visual symbol is through a written letter tattoo design. Thus they have grown popular. Below you will find some of the most popular forms of literary or word tattoo designs.

Foreign Languages: Arabic, Sanskrit, Latin And More

The most popular trend among written and word tattoos is the foreign language types of designs. These starting back at least 5 to ten years ago with the popular Chinese and Japanese symbols. This in fact is still a very popular trend. The lure of a foreign script makes that overall design something of a mystery and it looks beautiful. People started getting Japanese Kanji or Chinese symbols or words as a tattoo design due to the beauty of the script and the mysteriousness of if. Thus lead to others seeking other foreign languages to get written on their body. Today there is probably not a written language that has not been permanently tattooed to someone out there in the world. Sanskrit which is writing form Ancient India became very popular recently partially inspired perhaps by Angelina Jolie's lower back tattoo design which is in Sanskrit and features a huge tiger. Latin is also a popular option since it is such a beautiful language and also adds the mystery to the design.

Graffiti Style Tattoos

Another very popular style of word tattoos are graffiti tattoos. If you think about it graffiti and tattoo really go hand in hand. They are often both straight from the streets and feature the gritty daily life side of art. Graffiti as well as tattoos is all about line and color in design and therefore graffiti tattoo designs are a natural combination. These can be done in a variety of ways and styles and even thought he overall look is of graffiti there are a lot of different variations that can really affect the final look of the tattoo design.

Ambigrams

Ambigrams are pretty new to the scene of tattoos and just becoming popular. Yet they are also a very beautiful art form of writing that works incredibly well for a tattoo design. Ambigrams are two words written together to make one word when viewing the tattoo design from one angle and then when it is flipped upside down you can read another word. These work really well for opposite things in a persons life such as the devil and angel that influence all of us. The ambigram tattoo might read Angel when read one direction and then when it is flipped upside down it will read devil. These tattoos are very creative and beautiful and also hold a great deal of mystery and fascination for people since they can have an almost hidden message in them.

Heart, Butterfly and Star Tattoos - Small and Cute Feminine Tattoo For Girls By Peter Brat

Heart, butterfly and star tattoos are great designs to start with if you are a girl, a tattoo newbie or both. For one, tattoos are permanent so a simple way to test whether you can live with it or not is to begin with these cute and small ink styles that are beautiful and attractive as well.

Small tattoos like heart, butterfly and stars are usually found inked on the wrist, foot, lower back, ankle, back of neck or ear. Considering the fact that they are tattooed on a smaller scale, a cleaner and simpler look typically works best as it will leave enough space for everything to be seen clearly. Intricate look and lots of details might not be appropriate for small tattoos like these.

Heart, butterfly and star tattoos look wonderful and are universally cool symbols. They can be very feminine both in their appearance and the symbolical meaning attached to them. The heart is a symbol of the females that is often used as an expression of romantic love. Butterfly represents change or transformation and rebirth while star is considered a symbol of truth, of the spirit and of hope.

Another favorable thing about small tattoos with miniature designs is the fact that they are inexpensive to get done. Just remember to go to a reputable tattoo studio to make sure that you will go through the proper tattooing process. There are lots of risks involved such as infections so make sure you do your research of a good tattoo artist before you decide on getting one.

Heart, Butterfly and Star Tattoos - Small and Cute Feminine Tattoo For Girls By Peter Brat

Heart, butterfly and star tattoos are great designs to start with if you are a girl, a tattoo newbie or both. For one, tattoos are permanent so a simple way to test whether you can live with it or not is to begin with these cute and small ink styles that are beautiful and attractive as well.

Small tattoos like heart, butterfly and stars are usually found inked on the wrist, foot, lower back, ankle, back of neck or ear. Considering the fact that they are tattooed on a smaller scale, a cleaner and simpler look typically works best as it will leave enough space for everything to be seen clearly. Intricate look and lots of details might not be appropriate for small tattoos like these.

Heart, butterfly and star tattoos look wonderful and are universally cool symbols. They can be very feminine both in their appearance and the symbolical meaning attached to them. The heart is a symbol of the females that is often used as an expression of romantic love. Butterfly represents change or transformation and rebirth while star is considered a symbol of truth, of the spirit and of hope.

Another favorable thing about small tattoos with miniature designs is the fact that they are inexpensive to get done. Just remember to go to a reputable tattoo studio to make sure that you will go through the proper tattooing process. There are lots of risks involved such as infections so make sure you do your research of a good tattoo artist before you decide on getting one.

Search For The Best Tattoo Designs Through an Online Tattoo Finder By Ricky Lim

Finding the perfect tattoo design can be very challenging. You'll have to check out numerous websites and see hundreds of models and all that will take you a lot of time.

Most free sites usually present the same models and after a while that can be more than unpleasant. That's why you shouldn't settle on a certain design only because you're too tired and stressed.

You'll wear the tattoo for the rest of your life and you'll see it everyday and that's why finding the perfect tattoo is very important and a satisfactory model just won't do the trick.

The long search for quality designs can be discouraging and frustrating if you're not using a tattoo finder. This special tool will help you find excellent tattoo designs in just a few moments out of which you can select the one that suits you best.

This tool is available on several tattoo galleries that comprise the works of professional tattoo artists. Usually these pro models are hosted on paid websites but that's a small price to pay compared to the proud of wearing a beautiful design on your skin.

Once again the Internet jumps in to help offering the fastest access to a good tattoo finder. Many professional tattoo galleries comprise models signed by famous tattoo artists and what better way to showcase their models than the internet.

These websites have large databases of great tattoo designs waiting for you to check them out. In exchange for a small fee you'll get access to all the designs hosted there.

Just think that your nerves and your free time deserves every single penny spend on that fee. Don't you think it's much easier to have thousands of models at your fingertips instead of searching online for hours?
Also, there are some websites that won't charge you any access fee but instead you'll have to pay for the stencil and the design.

If you like a certain tattoo you'll just have to pay its fee and you can print out the stencil and the design. When you go to the tattoo saloon and show the model to the artist he'll know exactly what to do next.

When searching for the perfect tattoo you should keep only one thing in mind: the individuality is very important.

That's why you might want to add a personal touch to the model in order to be original. The tattoo artist can help you very easily find a way to personalize the design.

The tattoo finder provides the best help when you're searching for the best tattoo design. All you have to do is to pay a small fee and become a member of a pro tattoo gallery and without any doubt you'll find your beloved model.

The Beginner's Guide to Computer Animation - 3D Animation Software By Cody Landon Platinum Quality Author

Anyone that enjoys art and loves cartoons will most likely be intrigued with animation and find computer animation fascinating. Animation came alive with 2D animation then moved on into 3D, which has now become the way of the animation world. It would never have evolved to this point without the success of the 2D. In fact, it is still dependant on the skills required for 2D to be applied to 3D animation. Therefore, where you hear someone say the 2D animation is mundane then do not give it a second thought.

In modern technology where almost everyone is on computers at some point of time it is unlikely they will not be exposed to some type of animation . It must not be forgotten that animation is not just restricted to cartoon characters.

To put it simply any moving image that has been made to do so by the computer is computer animation. The technique used is a way to create the illusion of movement one image on the screen quickly is replaced by another one that is almost identical to the first one but not exact. It happens this same way with other media such as television and movies. Most often, this is accomplished with 3D computer graphics and the results are directed to the computer, but it could be for movies as well. You may hear this referred to as CGI meaning computer generated imagery.

Computer animation is just another method of creating animation by way of automation or computer technology. The principals are the same as when they are done by hand, it is just the computer is able to do much of the preparation work and rendering of the finished version. It duplicates the stop motion techniques of 3D and framing by 2D.

Using the computer for animation is a systematic process. To begin with, the object is built on the computer monitor. These are the models. Then the 3D figures have to have a virtual skeleton. To get the major movements such as for the eyes, mouth or clothing for example then the computer will create an action called tweening or morphing.

When dealing with 3D animations it is important to remember that all of the same fundamentals and basics of animation are utilized. In this case, though modeling must be complete prior to rendering. The rendering in tweened frame is done as needed.

As you can see with 3D animation, the majority of the work is done through the computer. Although the computer does the work it has to receive the instructions to do so, and that is where the 3D animator's job comes in. This means besides the fundamentals keen computer skills and a thorough knowledge of the capabilities of the software are a necessity.

It is important for anyone interested in a career in 3D animation to research all of the different areas of expertise that are required. Without doing so it is most difficult to make an informed decision as to whether this would be an appropriate career for you.

How to Sell Art Online By Jimmy Kelly

Affirming, over and over, "I am now creating a successful career (or whatever) in an easy and relaxed manner, in a healthy and positive way" will over time overcome a huge number of your doubts and fears.

Marc Allen

I have never sold a painting online, or anything online for that matter, not even a tube of superman toothpaste on eBay. I have very little experience of selling full stop. But as the song goes, there are certain inalienable truths that do not change and the purpose of this article is to remind you, and me of them, and how they relate specifically to how to sell art online. I will keep them short and to the point.

First Inalienable truth, people like to buy things from people they like. To like a person you have to know the person on some level. So placing your art up on a website and carefully centering the prices underneath is not going to sell your work to an online interested party. There are just too many brochure sites up there. People are bombarded with images, constantly.

You need to interest and engage the buyer. You do this in the same way you would in a non-virtual situation - you talk about your work, your inspiration, you talk about you and your story in a genuine manner. If the work speaks to them, they'll be interested enough to take the potential purchase further, if not, there is nothing lost. But you need to open your mouth, virtually speaking. Which leads to the second truth.

There no such thing as an undiscovered genius. Either online or off-line. It just doesn't happen. If your waiting for your work to be discovered and the money to start rolling in, let me save you time and tell you now that's not going to happen. Marketing is a dirty word but someone has got to do it, and that's your job. The only person who can really sell your work is you, no matter how mono-syllabic you feel your sales pitch to be. You're the one who created it, only you have the real inside story. You have to share it. Which ties in with the above truth.

Find a way, online, that suits your personality to promote your work. For some its twitter, or for others it could be Face book or blogging. If you're the mono-syllabic type described above, make a you-tube video of you producing your work and mime. There's always an avenue, you just have to find the one that best suits your strengths.

Final inalienable truth (for now). If you believe that the internet is chock-a-block full of frustrated artists hawking mediocre work, and you are not going to succeed in the same way they are not succeeding. You are right.

If you believe that the internet is a great opportunity to present your work to a large audience, and that lots of artists are doing it very very successfully and you too are going to be very very successful. You are right.

The problem is you can't be right on both trains of thought, choose the correct one and move in the right direction.

How to Paint Flowers Like You Really Mean It! By Delmus Phelps

So, you've gone out and bought a huge fresh bouquet from your favorite florist. You're really pumped up and excited by the time you get them home. You cut off their ends under water, place them in the vase and head out to the studio.

By now the excitement of painting these beauties have your heart racing with anticipation. You set them down on your favorite side table, turn on your clip on spot light and adjust it just right. You then view the start of your creation and drink in the gorgeousness that sits before you,...
but then suddenly, you freeze.

All these flowers, all these pedals, all these stems and leaves, on no!

You feel the first wave of fear and anxiety creeping in.

Your breath becomes short and shallow.

How could you have even thought of trying to tackle such a difficult painting? You worry that they're already wilting from the heat of the lamp. They appear to begin to droop and fade right before your eyes!......

Relax, it's just a story..

Take a deep breath, in with the good....out with the bad...Now, read on and enjoy!

I will explain to you in an easily understood approach on how to eat this elephant. One little bite at a time!

So lets get started, and don't worry about the bouquet, just keep that water mister close by and every few minutes give 'em a good spray and we'll start how to paint flowers like you mean it.

While viewing your beautiful bouquet in front of you, remember to:

* Learn to see the underlying structure of your flowers. Each blossom will have a basic structure!

Train yourself to see these underlying structures, flowers will usually conform to 4 basic shapes!

• The disk shaped, like the Daisy. Just remember a tea saucer that is round and the pedals will radiate from the center of the saucer. When viewed on an angle, the saucer then becomes elliptical. An exception to this rule would be the closed or early partially opened disk-shaped blossom. It will tend to be coned shaped.

• The cone-shaped flower. Blossoms that grow on a long, single stem, (like Lilies, Lilacs, Hyacinth's) are conical in shape. Some flowers have many mini-blossoms that are cone shaped but their entire mass combined will form a sphere.

• Sphere-shaped, these are my favorites, why? Because the rose is part of this group, as are peonies, carnations and hydrangeas. When viewing these blossoms, most will have a multitude of pedals (each an individual treasure) but their collective groupings will form a beautiful sphere. Lots of artists are afraid to attempt them, but stick with me for some tricks to make them a little more easy.

• Your largest group will be the combination shape (combination of the 1st three shapes in one single flower). Lets look at the Daffodil. The daffodil has elements of the disk shape at its base, and the inverted cone shape protruding out of the base like a trumpet. All in one bloom!

So, from here on out, don't just look at your flowers as a mass of pedals, veins, and color. Break it down to its fundamental shapes, (disks, cones, spheres or a combination). Think of the blossom in its basic geometric form having a three dimensional depth and it will remove some of that fear to tackle these babies.

Speaking of three dimensional, let's talk a little about form, Illusionist Form. Within each of these shapes will be form. Each blossom will have its' own individual highlight, main light, half shadow, shadow, reflection, cast shadow.

Let's talk about the bouquet as a whole now.

Flowers in the back of the arrangement will have less intensity, more grey, less focus and sharpness. Flowers at the front of the arrangement will have more color, intensity and sharpness. Your focal blossoms will have the highest color intensity, sharpness and details. So don't sweat trying to copy each and every pedals on those back blossoms, they need to recede into the back of the picture plain anyway.

Some flowers just plain got a lot of fine details (carnations) so to get around some of that, select only about a 1 inch square of the blossom and get that right on, then allow for a slight blur to the rest. The human brain will fill in the blanks and your viewer will still understand what you are depicting.

Hopefully, you now have a few tools in your bag to tackle the task of a full bouquet of flowers for your next painting project.

Just remember, break it down to small steps. Visualize the basic geometric shapes of the blossoms. Stick to the rules of depicting form within each of those blossoms. Use the Flemish technique, and you too will know how to paint flowers like you mean it!

Best Online Jokes, Online Riddles, Have Fun By Plamen Ivanov

Why is six afraid of seven?

Because seven "ate" nine!

What time is it when you have to go the dentist?

Tooth Hurty!

Who likes to drink cocoa?

A Cocoanut!

What did one eye say to the other eye?

Between you and me, something smells.

What did the teacher say when it rained cats and dogs?

Be careful not to step on a poodle!

What is even smarter than a talking bird?

A Spelling Bee!

Who is the greatest underwater spy?

James POND!

What sickness does a martial artist have?

Kung FLU!

What happens if you take a one hundred foot dive into a glass of gingerale?

Nothing! It's a SOFT drink!

Why did the students eat their homework?

Because the teacher said it was a piece of cake!

What do you get if you mix a car, a fly, and a dog?

A flying carpet!

What do you call a worm with no teeth?

A gummy worm!

How did the telephone propose to the lady?

It gave her a ring!

What did the nut say when it sneezed?

"Cashew"!

What table can we eat?

A vegeTABLE!

What is a cannibal's favourite game?

Swallow the Leader!

Why didn't the skeleton dance?

Because he had nobody to dance with!

Why did the boy put lipstick on his head?

Because he wanted to make up his mind!

What happened to the dog that swallowed a watch?

It got ticks!

Who is the ruler of the beach?

The Sand-witch!

Which cat would you never play poker with?

A Cheetah!

Why did the kid cross the park?

To get to the other slide!

Why couldn't the pirates play cards?

Because the captain was sitting on the deck!

What do you call a fish without eyes?

A fsh!

Funny Top Ten Lists - Top 10 Signs That You're Getting Old By Don G. Asmus

- In the Spring, your fancy turns to thoughts of bringing up phlegm.

- You know how woolly mammoths did it.

- You only continue to work for the death benefits.

- Sun damage has turned more than 50% of your face into suede.

- You assume that "The Grateful Dead" were a bunch of women with oversexed husbands.

- Your favorite pickup joint has emergency pull chains in the rest rooms.

- More and more friends are dying in tongue scraper accidents.

- All your girlfriends are on the lookout for a good stool softener.

- Only a bulky diaper prevents you from pulling your pants all the way up to your armpits.

- Your skin temperature is roughly the same as a banana daiquiri.

Even if you don't have any of the foregoing signs of aging, it doesn't necessarily mean that you're out of the woods. You had better check to make sure you don't have any of the following lesser-known signs of impending geezerhood ...

- You choose your friends on their ability to serve as pallbearers.

- You have at least one stump.

- All your pets are on the endangered species list.

- An acupuncturist informs you that your Yin has left your Yang.

- The couple sitting behind you in the theatre ask you to "lower your hump."

- Your sperm refuse to swim uphill.

- You always consult a mortician before buying new clothes.

- -Viagra- is backing up into your truss.

- You only seek immediate medical attention for a sink hole that lasts longer than four hours.

- Spirited foreplay causes death rales.

If you would like to conduct some additional research about the aging process on your own, we highly recommend the following textbooks:

(1) "Who's Who in Prostate Enlargement"
(2) "Two on a Spinster: Shocking Report on Nursing Home Sex"
(3) "Consumers Guide to Environmentally Friendly Headstones"
(4) "The Joy of Moving Your Bowels"
(5) "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Sputum, But Were Afraid to Bring Up"

Actor Auditions - 3 Ways to Know How Many You Should Get By Melody Jackson

Ever been upset or confused about why you're not getting more auditions? Like many actors, you KNOW you could do the job. So why aren't you at least getting an audition? This article will help you understand how many auditions you should reasonably be getting, particularly if you are not earning more than "scale." And if you don't know what "scale" is, then this is especially for you. Here are 3 points to give you perspective on how much you should be going out for roles.

1. If you rely only on your agent for auditions, you will have very few.
2. How often you are putting yourself in a "space of opportunity," one that that could turn out to be "the right place at the right time?"

Actors often blame "luck" for success or lack of it. But that does you little good because it leaves you at the mercy of wherever "luck" comes from. You CAN create opportunities. The famous quote goes something like, "Luck is where hard work and opportunity meet." In other words, staying at home disappointed your friend got another audition that you didn't does you no good. You need to get out in the industry, attend screenings, join independent film groups, or go to networking events. Put yourself in a "space of opportunity" where things can happen. P.S. "scale" refers to the minimum wages that SAG actors must be compensated for their work.

3. How much of "The Fate of Your Acting Career" do you believe lies in your hands?

The more you believe the fate of your acting career lies outside of you, the less likely things will happen for you. Over 98% of the aspiring actors in Los Angeles believe that they have very little to do with the real fate of their careers. (I made the number up, but it sounds right!)

Many actors believe that if they get a good headshot and resume, take a bunch of classes, do a few submissions, and simply want it really badly, then that's all they can do. But just like for Oedipus, believing this is what fulfills your fate. If you believe you have no control, you do nothing more, and nothing happens for you.

Want to exponentially multiply your chances of something big happening? Start by believing 100% that your actions can make something happen. When you are 100% clear about that, you will find new actions to take to make things happen.

So now, back to the original question: How many auditions should you be getting? You do the math. There are tens of thousands of actors and a few dozen roles each week. Depending on how much you set yourself apart from your competition, you could be going out for almost every role that you're right for or you could be going out for none of them. But first you must come to the whole audition process from a place where you are in control of and taking action with your career, not simply waiting and hoping for that next role to find you.

Never leave all the work of getting auditions up to your agent. Market yourself, build your own connections, and initiate work on your own. Get as many casting directors to know your work as possible. As you move up in your career, create new connections at the next level up, but not necessarily at the super high level. Contacts at really high levels can't help you when you're starting out because they don't know the middle people who can cast you, so connect to people at one or two levels up from where you are.

10 Ways to Improve Your Singing and Enhance Your Performance By Carolyn Anderson Platinum Quality Author

Singing is indeed a great talent but if you can learn to develop and improve it more and sing like a pro, for sure you will come a long, long way in entertaining a lot of people. If you have that great talent for singing, for sure, you can find many ways to improve your singing. Making good use of your voice can be very rewarding and it might give you a break in the music industry.

Aside from music schools where you can enhance your singing voice, you can also learn by yourself some ways to improve your singing. Here are some that you might find useful.

(1) Remember to sing with your diaphragm, not with your throat. This will help you in reaching big notes and give you the air supply needed to sustain long notes.

(2) Believe in yourself. Be confident. If you have the talent, believe that you can sing and you can deliver the song very well. You can deliver a good song and a good performance if you are confident about it.

(3) Practice proper posture. This will not only make you look pleasing onstage but it will also help you breathe properly, which is needed in your singing.

(4) Relax and take time to massage your face, your jaw and exercise your mouth before a performance to help you release tension on the muscles in those areas, which are needed in your singing.

(5) Practice singing in front of your family and friends. You can also start singing in front of smaller crowds to help you build the confidence and develop your stage presence.

(6) Find your vocal range. To be able to sing like a pro, you have to know which vocal range your are singing comfortably. This will help you prevent any attempts on bigger songs that may not fit for your voice. At least at the start, sing songs that are in your vocal range. You can try to develop others later.

(7) Do breathing exercises. Proper breathing is essential and this is also one of the effective ways to improve your singing. Being able to breath properly will help you reach higher and bigger notes and it will also give you enough air supply to sustain long notes.

(8) Learn to read music. Do not just sing. Learn to read music. Although there are singers who do not know how to read music, it is a big advantage for you if you know how to read. It is also one of the good ways to improve your singing and in training.

(9) Practice makes perfect. Probably the best of all ways to improve your singing is to practice. Sing whenever you can. Practice the skill of entertaining people. This will also help you build and perfect your style in singing, you stage presence, your connection to the audience and in enhancing your singing voice as well.

(10) Take care of your voice. Your efforts in improving your singing voice will all be put to waste if you are not taking care of it. Do not drink cold water after a performance. Refrain talking in noisy places that will make you yell, this can damage your voice.

Download Hip Hop Instrumental Beats

Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Your First Guitar

Buying your very first guitar can be a thrilling experience. As you make your way to the music store in anticipation of your new purchase, you begin to dream about the new adventure you are about to embark upon. Visions of being the next rising star begin filling your mind. You can just see yourself standing in the spotlight with thousands of fans cheering you on as you play their favorite songs.
Buy the time you enter into the store your adrenaline is surging through your body, as you await the ecstasy of holding that new glistening guitar in you hands. I know how you feel. In fact I remember it like it was yesterday. I commend you on your decision to step out and begin this fantastic journey. But before you step into that music store, I have some advice I would like to share with you that will save you time, heartache, and even some money. You see there are 4 common mistakes many make when buying their first guitar and I want to help you to avoid making them.
Don't buy the first guitar you pick up. Play several different models. Remember, every instrument is different. Find one that not only looks and sounds good, but one that feels good in your hands. Make sure all the strings ring out with no buzzing. Also shop around. Prices will vary from store to store.
Don't let the sales person pressure you into buying something you don't want. Remember most sales people work on commission. They want you to buy a high dollar item. So, go in knowing what you want to spend and don't spend anymore than that. Do your homework. Know what the guitar is selling for before you go into the store.
Don't buy all the extras. Again some sales people will try to get add on sales to up their commission. Hey they are trying to make a living. But, when you are just starting out you don't need a lot of extras. Besides the guitar, a cheap tuner, some picks and a strap are really all you need. Now if you are buying an electric guitar you will also need a cable and a small practice amp. That is really all you need to get started playing with the exception of the item below.
Do buy a case, preferably a hard shell case. This is a huge mistake many make, not buying a hard case. You want you new purchase to be protected when you are not playing, storing or even traveling with you guitar. Don't be cheap here. Now you don't have to buy a top of the line case, but do get one that will protect you guitar if something were to fall or it or you were to drop it. Case in point, I once saw a luggage handler at an airport in Chicago toss my guitar case onto the luggage cart. The worst of it was that his aim was bad and my guitar landed on the concrete next to the cart. Luckily I have a good travel case other wise my instrument would have been damaged. The moral of the story, buy a good case.

Digital Photography - How to Turn Your Hobby Into a Business

Business Cards Are Key to Promoting a Photography Business

Photography is a very popular hobby. It can also be extremely lucrative. Many photographers aspire to make money doing their life's passion. Some want only a side income while others want it to eventually their full time gig. Unfortunately, the field of photography services is extremely competitive. Like any business, building a client base comes down to proper promotion. Business cards are an excellent and cost-effective way to do this. Here are some things you should consider.
First of, be sure to get proper business cards. Some people do not feel the need and simply write down their contact information on a scrap of paper. While this can potentially work (especially if you have a good reputation) you will come across as not being very serious. Business cards make you look like a professional, while those without them seem like amateurs. Don't worry those as printing cards is not very expensive.
Once you have your cards designed, you need to get them out to prospective clients. Don't be the person constantly giving them out. This can get annoying, especially to friends and family. This doesn't work well because people in general do not like to be hustled. Take the time to get to know someone and learn about their needs. If you think you can help them, give them your card. This is a lot different than someone making some quick small talk and handing them a card. This doesn't come off as genuine.
Promotion is critical to the success of a photography business. Business cards are a key part of this. Be sure to properly hand them out.

How to Get an Agent - Five Tips For Actors By Kenneth Davenport

Recently, I got an email from one of my favorite and faithful actor readers who asked me to address the most common question I get from up-and-coming actors, which is, "How do I get an agent?". So this is for the actors out there, although, honestly, it could apply it to writers, composers, directors, and anyone looking for representation of any kind.

1. Got a friend? Get a Referral.
Word of mouth is what sells tickets and word of mouth is what sells anything. Getting a friend who is already with an agent to walk you in the door, send an introduction email, etc. and vouch for your talent is one of the best ways to get a meeting with an agent. Ask your actor friends who are already repped to do you a solid. And then ask your Directors, Casting Directors, General Managers, etc. They know all the agents very well, and often agents will do them a solid to get on their good side. Gentle reminder, if you ask someone to vouch for you and they tell you they'd rather not, don't push them. It's probably not a reflection of your talent. You can imagine how many requests like this Directors get, so some folks just don't do it. But it never hurts to ask. And it's your job to ask.

2. Play the Picture and Resume lottery!
Almost every actor I know has done a mailing to agents at some point in their career. It's not a bad idea, and I have seen it work, but you've got to manage your expectations. Sending out 100 pix and resumes in the mail is like playing the lottery. The odds of that pic/resume getting by the assistant and then to the agent and then opened and then it standing out and you getting a call are like the odds of someone doing a musical version of Jaws . . . with a real shark. It's also expensive and labor intensive. That said, sending pix and resumes are part of your "media mix". You're a product, and a picture and resume might not lead to an appointment, but it certainly is another impression. So maybe you got a referral from a friend, and then your picture shows up and reminds that agent to give you a call.
If you are going to play the lottery, do it smart. Get creative. Realize that 100s of these things show up every day (I worked for an agent for 3 months and it was my job to sort through these suckers and it was one of the reasons I quit), so you've got to get yours to stand out. Here are some ideas:

* Time it to arrive towards the end of the week, when the mail loads are lighter. * Put it in any color envelope just not a plain manila envelope. * Send a letter a week before the picture, introducing yourself. A letter sized envelope is much more likely to get to the agent, and maybe they'll keep an eye out for that soon to follow different colored envelope. * Don't send to the agent. Send to an assistant. They'll be flattered and much more likely to spend more time on you. * Include a short, personable and personality driven cover "note" (I recommend twice as large as post-it size). * Make sure your picture and resume are professionally done (and the same size and stapled together) * Do a mailing when you're in a show. Agents need to see you do your stuff. It's the first question they'll ask when you meet them, "When can I see you in something?" Have an answer. * If everyone else is mailing their stuff? Do it different. Messenger it. It'll seem urgent and may get through the secretarial gates. Sound expensive? Well, you're an actor, right? Do what I told my bike-riding friend to do . . . throw a messenger bag over your shoulder, get a clipboard and play messenger for a day. If they recognize you later when they're staring at your photo? Well, that would be awesome.

3. Pay to Play
There are lots of classes you can take around town on auditioning, acting for soaps, etc. that are taught by agents. Actors Connection and TVI are two of the most popular. Make no mistake, these are exactly what they seem to be. You are paying to get your A$$ in front of an agent. But hey, if you've got the goods, why not? If you're fantastic and what an agent is looking for, do you think an agent wouldn't want you to 'stay after class', just because you paid an admission fee? People in this town are always looking for the next big thing, and it doesn't matter where we find it, as long as we don't let it go when we do.

4. Work for one.
Agents are always looking for interns, assistants, etc. so offer to volunteer your administrative services a few days a week. While it would be awesome for that agent to pick you up and start sending you out on countless auditions, that's not why I recommend it as a tip for how to get an agent. Working for an agent will give you an inside perspective on what they are looking for in clients, mailings, etc. You'll see who stands out and who doesn't, so when you're ready to market yourself to an agent, you'll be highly educated. And if they do start sending you out, well that's a bonus. Word to the wise - don't push this either. You can let them know you're an actor, of course, but they won't want you anywhere near the office if they think you're only there in search of rep. Keep that on the DL and let it happen naturally. Be a smart and subtle salesman, not Crazy Eddie.

5. Do great work.
Ahhh, and this is it, my friends. The ultimate and sure-fire way to get an agent lusting after your bod. Do what you do. Perform. And do it well, and with other great people, in great productions. Sooner or later, whether you like or not, people (and Agents) are going to take notice. It's the Field of Dreams "If you build it, they will come" theory applied to actors and it's as true here as it was for Costner. I know so many actors out there who put themselves on life-or-death missions to get an agent. Your mission should be get yourself out there - to perform - as often as you can. The agents will follow. Besides, what would you rather do . . . chase someone down, begging them to work with you? What kind of relationship is that going to bring? Would you ever beg someone to go out with you? No, you'd much rather them come a calling, right? Well, the same theory applies here as it does to dating. Be the chasee, not the chaser. I often tell people, when you're ready for an agent, one is going to be right there, in front of you, begging for you to sign with them.

There you are, my actor and artist friends. Five simple tips on how to get an agent.

But let me leave you with this. When I was coming out of acting school at NYU, I had this image that agents were like Wizards of Oz . . . all powerful and scary people that were hidden deep in office/fortresses all over the city who had more knowledge about the business than I ever could. I thought to myself, "If I could just get to them, my life will change." When I got out there and met a few of them (including one who had just left a job editing porn for pay-per-view), I realized I couldn't have been more wrong.

It's important to realize that an agent is not going to change your life. You are going to change your life. Agents can't get you the job. They can make it easier for you to be seen for a job, and negotiate a good deal for you when you get that job, but you're the guy in the room that's going to convince someone to give you that job. And you're the guy that's still going to have to market yourself when you do get one (and in this age, you can do a lot of that without an agent).

So don't give them God-like status and think they can change your career with a wave of their hand.
The good agents, and there are good ones out there, are your partners. And they can't be your partner when you've got 'em up on a pedestal.

How to Invest in a Broadway Show By Kenneth Davenport

I get a lot of questions from readers, all over the world, expressing interest in investing in a Broadway or an Off-Broadway show. Usually they are unsure about how to get involved and, more importantly, they want to know how to pick their first show. Since this seems to be such a hot topic, I thought I'd dispel a few of the nasty rumors associated with investing in Broadway or Off-Broadway shows, and also give you my checklist of how to choose shows to invest in. First let's tackle the rumors, and then the checklist.

Broadway Investment Rumor #1: Investing in Broadway Shows is Only for the Super-Rich.

Because Broadway capitalizations can range from $2 million for a Play up to $20 million for a Broadway Mega-Musical, many people fear that the "entry point," or the amount of money required for an initial individual investment, must be astronomically high. Not true. While the average small investment in a big Broadway show is probably about $25,000, I have seen many shows where investors were able to get in for as little as $10,000, and even a few where the entry point was only $5,000! There are a lot of publicly traded mutual funds that don't allow you to get in at that level. Lower investment thresholds are particularly common in the Off-Broadway arena. What determines the lowest investment level? Here's how it works.

Capitalizations are divided into 'units,' just like stock shares, and what defines each unit is up to the Producer. Some Producers like to have a round 100 units per show, regardless of the capitalization. Some like to pick the lowest amount they can accept as an investment (since some shows are limited to the number of investors they can have). And some just make it up arbitrarily. Regardless of how the unit is determined, here's a tip: If you're considering a show and get sticker shock when you hear the price of one unit, ask for a partial. Splitting units ain't like splitting an atom. It can be done with ease. Depending upon a variety of circumstances (including how hot the property is, who the producer is, and whether or not other investors took "round units"), it may be possible for you to invest in a smaller amount than the "ask." The key, of course, is to never be pressured into investing more than you're willing to lose. If the entry point on one project is too high, don't worry, there will be others.

Broadway Investment Rumor #2: Investing in Broadway Shows is Only for the Super-Crazy.

Many people think that it's bonkers to get involved with Broadway. The fact is, if you're an individual of a certain net worth, your traditional financial advisor will probably recommend that you allocate a certain amount of your investment portfolio (usually about 10%) to higher risk instruments, or so-called Alternative Investments, in order to diversify yourself. Most Alternative Investments require investors to be considered 'accredited,' which in the U.S. means a net worth of at least one million dollars, or having made at least $200,000 ($300,000 if joint-income) for the past two years. Although many Broadway shows also prefer accredited investors, this is not the case with every show.

Why would Broadway, with its high risk but potentially high return, be excluded from that list? In fact, it isn't. According to Wikipedia's entry for Alternative Investments, they are an "investment product other than traditional investments such as stocks, bonds, or cash" and that "wine, art and antiques, Broadway shows, movies, indeed any store of value, might also be considered an alternative investment." Alternative Investments, including Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, are undoubtedly high risk. The commonly quoted statistic is that only 1 out of 5 Broadway shows recoup their investment (that ratio is even lower for Off-Broadway shows). But this is not, by any means, the only high risk instrument on the market.

Investing in Broadway shows is a lot like investing in a restaurant or, frankly, in any entrepreneurial start-up. In fact, according to a recent article by Nick Malawskey in the Centre Daily Times: "For every 10 businesses that start, seven will cease to exist in 10 years. Two will break even. Only one will really succeed." This puts the success rate of start-ups at the exact same percentage as I just quoted above - 20%! See, it's not as bad as we thought. And, with proper due diligence you can increase those odds.

And remember, with big risk can also reap big rewards. Even if you do end up performing according to the stats, the goal and hope is that the 1 show out of 5 which does recoup, ends up paying for any other previous losses (it's a marathon not a sprint), and then some. Imagine what it would have been like to invest in "Annie," "West Side Story,""Cats" or "Wicked."

Broadway Investment Rumor #3: Investors in Broadway Shows Belong to an Exclusive 'Club' that Doesn't Accept New Members.

While it is true that there are a lot of Broadway investors that have been in the circle for a long time, it's not as closed door of a club as you think. While it can be hard for a new investor to get in on the hottest shows coming to town, it's not impossible. And, Producers will sometimes let you get in on a 'sure-thing' (which doesn't exist, by the way) if you also agree to come into something a bit more risky. However, it is a relationship business, and preferential treatment is often given to investors who have been doing it longer, and to those that have been faithful to the Producer. So what does a new investor do? Start the relationship. Call a Producer. Email them. Fax them. Simply state that you're looking to invest in a specific show (if you know one that they are about to do), or ask to be put on the list to be called about their next show. It's not a commitment for either party, and I don't know any Producer out there who would mind putting you on a "potential" list. Just make sure you are serious about your interest.

Now that we've overviewed the three biggest obstacles potential investors often tell me prevent them from taking the first step and joining the ranks of Broadway and Off-Broadway investor, just how do you choose a project to invest in? Once you've decided that investing in a Broadway or Off-Broadway show is something you definitely want to do, you should step through my checklist of how to decide whether or not to invest in a particular show.

Broadway Investing Rule #1: Have Passion for the Project.

Broadway shows are often referred to as the "children" of Producers and Investors. Shows need the same type of care, hand-holding, and unconditional love; so much love, that even when your kid F***s up royally, you (as the parent) will still love him, right? Unfortunately, the odds are that your "kid" is going to disappoint you, so you better make sure that your bond is so tight, you won't care either way. This theory is based a bit on famed investment guru Peter Lynch's theory of "invest in what you know." Peter believed you should put money into companies that make products which you see and use every day (and products that you can't live without). I believe this can, and should, be adapted to entertainment investments as well. Invest in shows that you can't see NOT happening. Invest in shows that you believe are important to be seen; whether that's because it has a socio-political message, whether that's because it features an amazing performance by an legendary actress, or whether that's because it's so much fun, that the audience's day will be better just by experiencing the show. Invest in shows that you love.

Broadway Investing Rule #2: It's All About Who's Driving the Boat.

Before investing in a mutual fund, Wall Street geeks will tell you to look at a variety of factors, one of the most important being who is managing the fund. You've got to know who is making the day-to-day decisions. What is their track record? Where did they learn to do what they do? How long have they been doing it? These are all questions you need to ask before investing in a Broadway show. Look at the Producer's resume (you can find them all on the Internet Broadway Database ibdb.com). Have they produced shows that have recouped? How many hits do they have? How many misses? Would you have produced similar shows? Do you have similar tastes? Choosing to invest with Producers with a proven track record is one of the best ways you can reduce your risk when investing in a Broadway or Off-Broadway show.

Broadway Investing Rule #3: Just Like an Actor, You Have to Know Your Objective.

What do you want out of investing in a Broadway show? Different objectives will greatly affect what projects you choose to do. Do you want to make money? Do you want to get access to opening night parties, etc. so you can network? Are you looking to get inside access to agreements and figures, etc., so you can learn more about how to produce your own show? Do you want to support the work of a specific playwright?

One of my favorite "objective" stories is about the investor who was thinking about graduate school as a way to learn how to produce. They decided against it, and took the money they were going to spend on tuition and invested it in several shows. They thought there was more to learn by playing the game. Last I heard, they were doing pretty well and beating the odds.There are a zillion reasons to invest in a Broadway show. Make sure you have at least one.

Broadway Investing Rule #4: Don't Try and Be a One-Hit Wonder.

We all want our first time to be perfect (I even wrote a show about it!), but often our first time out isn't what we hope it will be. Don't expect to knock one out of the park your first time up at bat. When signing up to invest in Broadway, imagine that you're a baseball player playing a full nine innings. If you strike out the first time (or even the second and the third) don't worry, you could hit a homer in the bottom of the 9th and win the game.

If your first show doesn't make it, have a post-mortem with yourself (and with the Producer) and try and determine why it didn't work. Learn from it, and apply those lessons to your next time up at bat. Your odds of success should get better each time. Just don't pull yourself out of the game.

Broadway Investing Rule #5: Examine the Lay of the Land.

It's impossible to time the market. But, in a playing field as small as Broadway, with its limited audience, it's important to take a look at your potential competition. Are you doing a new musical at a time when six other new musicals are opening? How do your stars match up against the other shows' stars? Are you the only classic play? Are you the only comedy? The big TV networks program their seasons so they can appeal to all of the appropriate demographics, without too much weight on one type of show. Since Producers are mostly independents, we can't program collaboratively, but as an investor you can look to see if your show is going to get lost in a sea of other similar shows, or if it will stand out amongst a lack of competition, without having to place $125k New York Times full page ads.

So there you have it! The above are the five basic questions I first ask myself when contemplating investing in a Broadway or Off-Broadway show. There are countless others you should ask when you get into the details of the production after you examine the budget, find out who's directing, etc., but these will get you started on the road to investing in a show.

You'll notice that a lot of the above rules and checklists are very similar to the rules and checklists for investing in the stock market or any market (invest for the long haul, know your objectives, risk tolerance, etc.). And that's the most important thing to remember. Too many people think investing in Broadway is a hobby ( which it can be), and in those cases you'll probably only hit a winner on the average 1 out of 5 times. But, Broadway is big business, and should be treated as such. And if you apply the same principles you'd apply to other investment vehicles and do the due diligence, there's no reason you can't turn that hobby into something that is fun, educational, and yes, even profitable.