Several celebrities came together Saturday to mourn HEATH LEDGER on the Sony lot in Los Angeles, reports People. Among those in attendance: TOM CRUISE and KATIE HOLMES, ELLEN DeGENERES and Ledger's 'Casanova' co-star SIENNA MILLER. as well, with family and View the full article

While television and film roles are exciting, commercials are great opportunities for actors as well. In fact, commercials can be extremely lucrative, especially if you’ve booked a major, highly recognizable brand such as McDonalds, Apple or Target. Once you book a commercial, there are a number of fees that you must be paid. A session fee is the amount of money that you’re paid for the day or time that you work on the commercial. This amount is regulated by the unions (SAG, AFTRA, etc.) and varies based on your role in the commercial. You’ll also receive residual payments – this term is thrown around in the industry a lot. Every thirteen weeks that the commercial runs, you will receive a holding fee (or residual payment) equivalent to the session fee that you were originally paid. The idea of the holding fee originated when executives decided that they didn’t want actors in their commercials also appearing in competitors’ commercials. So by “holding” the actor with the holding fee, the actor in a Pizza Hut commercials could not simultaneously appear in a commercial for Dominos or Papa Johns. Additionally, residual payments are also made based on how often the commercial runs during those thirteen-week periods. This is referred to as a use fee. The use fee is determined based on how often the commercial airs, the markets (or cities) that it runs in and on which networks it appears. If your commercial is apart of a large campaign and runs often on network and cable stations nationwide during peak hours, like primetime, this can mean a huge payoff for you. For one or two days of work, you could eventually make several thousand dollars. Voiceovers for commercials for major brands alone can be a six-figure career. Often major brands choose one person to serve as the voice for all of their commercials.  This is a major opportunity and the audition process can be lengthy. After your first audition, you may be required to tape demo commercials (which you’ll be paid for) just so the decision makers can be certain that your voice is the right fit to advertise their brand. Want to make your big break in commercials? Visit http://www.EliteCastingNetwork.comcasting opportunities. today to search for television and commercial casting opportunities.

I guess those informal talks that the WGA and studios had last week paid off: we might have an end to the writers strike as early as next week. The New York Times is reporting that sources (who want to remain anonymous, for obvious reasons) say that one of View the full article

modeling

If you’ve decided that you want to be a model, but don’t think your parents will be thrilled – you’re not alone. It can be difficult to tell your parents that you want to pursue a career in the entertainment industry, especially if you think they’d rather you embark on a more traditional career path. Here are a few tips for sharing your new dream with your parents and getting their support! Come up with a list of reasons why you’d make a great model. And don’t just focus on the physical. Height and a strong looks are great reasons, but a desire to travel, cultivate contacts in the fashion industry and be on the cutting edge of industry trends are good too. Really spend some time brainstorming and be creative! Research the industry so that you’ll be prepared to answer any questions your parents may have. It’s important that you’re able to discuss both the pros and the cons of the industry so that they know you’ve looked at your chosen career from every angle – not just the most glamorous aspects of it. Come up with a plan for how you intend to break into the industry to illustrate your ambition and initiative. For example, joining Star Search Casting is a great way to begin getting exposure and start regularly researching opportunities in fashion and entertainment. That shows genuine interest and dedication. Set up a day and time to talk to your parents and present the information to them professionally and maturely. And don’t do all of the talking. Be sure to give them an opportunity to voice their concerns and ask questions. Don’t worry! By being prepared, you can help to steer them away from any negative perceptions they may have about the industry, or your chosen career path. Ready to explore some really great casting opportunities for models? Visit http://www.StarSearchCasting.com. By making a list of all of the opportunities you find that would be perfect for you will also show your parents that you have a really great chance at succeeding in the industry!

Have you checked out the auditions posted on www.StarSearchCasting.com? Did you know that we’ve got lots of casting notices from major networks and with our help, you could get a paid role on one of your favorite shows? We’re not the #1 website ...

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Rotten Tomatoes, the online movie site that aggregates critics' reviews, tossed out its ninth annual Golden Tomato Awards on Monday, hailing "Ratatouille" as its best-reviewed wide-release movie of 2007. View the full article