The SteadiCam Smoothee...

I was just taking a look on the Web for some pictures of the Owle Bubo when I stumbled across a Video of the SteadiCam Smoothee by Teffen from Taz Goldstein at HHH - Hand Held Hollywood.

I'm really excited and look forward to getting my hands on the Smoothee, but I though I should share the Video with everyone, so here it is.

Enjoy!

Mike.

Owle Bubo and the iPhone 4

I just came across an iPhone 4 HD Video shot using the Owle Bubo.

The footage looks amazing. I can't wait to get my hands on a couple of iPhone 4's to begin shooting BECOMING MAGNUM with.

Enjoy!

Mike.

Theme Song - I Know I Can...Be What I Wanna Be!

Just came across this great Video which shares the overall theme for my Life and Goals.

Enjoy!

Mike.

Wisdom from Will Smith

Just came across this great video in which Will Smith shares his wisdom about success.

It pretty much sums everything up.

I think I'm gonna go and re-read THINK & GROW RICH and John Kehoe's MIND POWERS.

Keep having fun,

Mike.

Doing it for Money.

DOING IT FOR MONEY

by Bob Fraser

Let's start with an underlying truth behind all the info and advice I'll be passing along to

you in these weekly newsletters:

People who depend on talent, training, looks, age, or their 'connections' - have a smaller

chance of achieving a dream of success in show business than those who depend on

making a living doing what they love.

In fact, it is a misplaced emphasis on the 'craft' elements that causes most people to fail

and eventually quit trying.

The people who succeed are those who determine early on that what they are engaged

in is a ... BUSINESS.

One of my hobbies, during my active career, was watching the results of other show

biz folks. I kept journals for about 5 years, then I noticed that I didn't need to keep a

journal because it was becoming redundant. The fact is, that all the successful people

I met over 50 years, (and when I say ALL, I mean 100%) were capitalists.

I don't mean 'capitalist' in a political way - I'm talking about a kind of store-keeper

capitalism. All the successful people I've known in the show business are successful

because they are good business people ... good 'store-keepers.'

The other side of the coin is the unsuccessful actor, writer, director, producer, etc.

Believe me, most of them are not untalented, or untrained, or unconnected. Generally,

their real problem is that they are just lackadaisical business people.

The biggest mistake I see is the total time and energy those poor unsuccessful folks put

into the business side of their careers.

This amount of time can be called: NOT ENOUGH.

IMPROVE YOUR PRODUCT

If we are not working at our career to keep things running smoothly on a daily basis, if

we ever sit back and wait for things to happen, stop marketing and promoting, or quit

trying new ideas to get people into our store (to buy our product) well, every business

around us will say a big 'thank you' - and grab our customers.

If we don't devote enough time to our business, if we don't plan what we're doing, if we

don't put in a lot of thought and energy, if we don't have vision, if we're not excited by it

all, then the sad truth is that we're just not going to get very far. We are going to be

crawling along, while all around us, hard working capitalists will be charging past us to

the red carpet.

What can you do to become a better business person?

A good start is to understand the difference between being in business and just having the

store open.

The number one way to improve your business is to improve your product. The best

product is not always what the customer buys - but it's always the product the customer

wants. Your odds improve as your product gets better.

ADVERTISE

You will undoubtedly notice that I include a lot of ads in everything I do - website,

newsletter, giveaway items, etc. ... and I do that for a very important reason: I want to

be successful.

To be successful in business (any business) you must be willing to 'market' your product

or services.

A lot of folks don't like to do this part. The focus on the art and ignore the advertising

and marketing. That's why a lot of folks are not very successful. Be warned, if you want

to be in business, you must advertise.

If one kind of advertising isn't working - try something else. (Get new headshots until

you get one that works.)

You also must engage in 'selling.' If you don't like selling, then you are unfit to run a

business. Every business is all about selling. (Even acting, writing and directing - and,

in fact, the underlying idea of putting on a show is to convince the audience to 'buy' it.)

Which is why you shouldn't worry about hiring a salesman (an agent) until you've done

a lot of advertising and selling, yourself.

That's because you want a good salesman - and a good salesman knows better than to

try to sell an untested and unproven product.

An agent cannot afford to sell one of his customers (studios and producers) a sub-par

product. Keep in mind that your salesman will probably represent a lot of different

"lines" and she will give more attention to the ones who work hard at their business.

Always show the product (you) in the best possible way.

The key to good business is to accentuate the benefits of the product and work hard to

eliminate any reasons for the customer not to buy. This requires a lot of thought.

After all, your product is a human being and we all have flaws - which sometimes (after

some thought) - turn out to be benefits.

WORKING HARD AND SMART

That's what capitalism is: Taking your product out into the marketplace, defining your

customer base, doing good product testing and research, hiring good salespeople,

advertising well, and keeping the store open late.

Watch the capitalists around you. You know, the folks who run their own dry cleaning

store, sandwich shop, or quick print center. If they are successful, study them carefully

and find out how they run their businesses.

Believe me, you will discover that most of them ... WORK VERY HARD.

Is it worth working very hard?

Well, their dream is probably just financial success. Our dream, on the other hand, is

fame, fortune, respect and a bit of immortality. AND financial success.

Don't kid yourself, it's a capitalist's dream ... with a twist and a cherry on top.

The question is: how hard are you really willing to work to achieve your dream?

Keep in mind that the number one benefit of capitalism is the money - and money

equals freedom.

Freedom. I think that's a dream we can all get behind.

"Reprinted from The Show Biz How-To Newsletter. Get your own
free subscription here: http://www.showbizhowto.com
Copyright © 2010 Bob Fraser Productions All Rights Reserved"

Celebrities With Big Dreams That Paid Off

When you set out to find a career, it seems there are two warring camps you have to decide between: doing something you love or doing something that pays well. The dream, of course, is to find something that fulfills both goals, and it is possible. Here are five big names that made it by following their hearts, and ended up filling their wallets.

1. Jillian Michaels

The ferocious trainer from NBC's The Biggest Loser went from (in her words) fat kid to fit kid. She revealed at an eDiets.com conference that she left high school at age 17 to start training others. At age 24, she decided she needed a "real job" and went to work as a motion picture packaging agent, a job she says made her wake up every morning and "wish for death." At 27, she went back to training and considers her job now what gives her life meaning. Since leaving her "real job", Jillian has created a fitness empire under the company name Empowered Media.

2. Stephenie Meyer

Now a household name for her authorial debut, Stephenie Meyer was a stay-at-home mother of three until a dream on June 2, 2003 changed her life forever. Over the course of three months, that dream became her first novel, "Twilight", which debuted at #5 on The New York Times bestseller list. Since then, the first book alone has sold over 47 million copies worldwide and the subsequent novels in the series fared even better, with "New Moon" hitting #1 on the Times' list and "Breaking Dawn" reaching 69 million copies sold.

3. Matt Stone

Trey Parker and Matt Stone are best known as co-creators of the Comedy Central show South Park. Matt Stone graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder as the first student to hold the double major of film and mathematics. Their passion for film, music and entertainment led them to create the Comedy Central's highest-rated and longest-running program.

4. Mark Zuckerberg

The founder of social networking site Facebook.com, Mark Zuckerberg began the site when he was a student at Harvard with the help of fellow students and roommates. In 2004, after dropping out of college, he went to Palo Alto with nothing but his fledgling site to his name. With the help of $12.7 million in venture capital, Facebook became the number one social networking site in terms of monthly visits with over 1.19 billion hits in January 2009 according to compete.com.

Now take what you've learned, and start working on your Acting, Directing, Writing, or Producing Business. As an Artist, it's important to keep in mind that you are the Product that you are selling to the Buyers in Hollywood. Let go of the 'starving Artist' Mindset, and embrace the Entrepreneur/Artist Mindset.

The Internet has shifted power back to the Artist's who take responsibility for their own careers, for marketing and promoting themselves and their product.

See you at the top,

Mike.

THE ABILITY TO OVERCOME ANY OBSTACLE IN LIFE!

My friend Darren Jacklin (The Mega-Manifestor) has just sent me a link to an awesome and inspiring Video.

After you watch this Video, take a look at yourself, and ask yourself what 'Limits' have you set on yourself, and your ability to accomplish what you really want to in life. What more do I need to say? To your success, Mike

What more do I need to say?

To your success,

Mike

2010 LEO AWARDS - RED CARPET INTERVIEWS

Yesterday, (Saturday June 5th, 2010) my friend Lisa Ciniglio and I did some Red Carpet Interviews at the 2010 LEO AWARDS which is BC's equivalent of The Oscars where all of the elite people in the BC TV & Film Industry come together and celebrate everyone's accomplishments.

We shot the Interviews using the iPhone equipped with the Owle Bubo, and streamed the Interviews LIVE onto the Internet at www.Qik.com

I got my hands on the Owle Bubo at 3pm yesterday, and I had ZERO TIME to learn about using shooting Video with the Owle on the iPhone and/or about streaming the Video. I called Harold at Owle Bubo, and he gave me a brief walk through - he told me to get the Qik.com LIVE App for streaming video directly onto the Internet.

When I signed up, and just before shooting it said that the Video Quality wasn't going to because it was going to stream directly onto the Internet. (Had I known what the actual quality was going to look and sound like versus the quality of the Video's I've seen on YouTube, I would have just recorded and saved them to the iPhone, and then later uploaded them directly onto my Website, but I didn't have the luxury of time.)

We actually did about 12 Interviews. I'm going to have to contact the people at Qik.com to find out why the other Video's aren't visible/working.

At the top of the www.Qik.com/becomingmagnum page, there's an Interview with LOU DIAMOND PHILLIPS who was one of the Presenters, followed by an Interview with DREW SCOTT & JONATHAN SILVER SCOTT who Co-Produced the 2010 LEO AWARDS and at the bottom of the page is an Interview with the Creators of SANCTUARY which started off as a Web Series with 8 Webisodes and got picked up as a TV Series.

I am going to follow up with everyone that we interviewed to do more in-depth interviews over the next week.

It was great to be on the Red Carpet. Amanda Tapping (Sanctuary) and others had moments where they geeked out and got all excited about the fact that we were shooting the Interviews on the iPhone with the Owle Bubo.

That was my goal. We were unique and memorable. I heard from a friend late last night while I was at work, and saw him walking by, that Liz Levine (Executive in Charge of Development at BrightLight Pictures) who is also a friend, was shocked when I sent her the text right after the Interviews that they were already Online.

I know that several of the people we interviewed are going to be talking about us from their reactions, which is another goal accomplished.

Being on the Red Carpet and seeing so many people doing what I want, and am going to be doing FT was inspiring. It was also great to be around the energy of the Red Carpet, and to talk to several different Celebrities.

I also realized that there really is no difference between the Celebrities and myself. They are no different than me, other than their level of success, which I am well on my way towards achieving.

It feels great to have achieved this major goal. This past week was also a great learning experience for me. I emailed Drew Scott, one of the Co-Producers of the Event a week ago with an idea for doing Red Carpet Interviews and shooting them on the iPhone with the Owle Bubo.

He forwarded it to Colette, one of the Publicists managing the Red Carpet, and she gave me the thumbs up.

I sent an email to the guys at Owle Bubo (who prior to then I was nervous/scared about contacting - part of my subconscious conditioning of NOT BEING GOOD ENOUGH). Graham, the C.O.O. from Owle called me on Tuesday.

We were back and forth on the phone and through email for the next few days. On Thursday they shipped me an Owle Bubo which was supposed to arrive Friday by 12pm.

Turns out the FedEx plane the Bubo was on had mechanical problems, and it ended up in Memphis. FedEx wasn't going to deliver it until Monday by 12pm. I called them up, and told them that I needed it by Saturday at 3pm at the latest. After all, it was sent as a Priority Express Shipment. That's why it was supposed to be here Friday by 12pm.

I was on the phone back and forth with FedEx all of Friday, and again on Saturday from 10am until 2pm. At 2:15pm yesterday I got a call from FedEx that I could pick up the Bubo at their Richmond Facility.

There were a lot of hurdles and obstacles to overcome, but instead of giving into fear and doubt about not getting the Owle Bubo in time, I kept my thoughts and emotions in check, and kept them focused on the Owle Bubo arriving in time, and that I'd be on the Red Carpet doing Interviews with it.

I did have a Back Up Plan, of using my FLIP Ultra HD Camcorder to do the Interviews with. The FLIP shoots great quality HD Video, but it just doesn't quite have the Cool Factor that the iPhone and the Owle Bubo have together. Plus, I can't stream video directly onto the Internet with the FLIP.

I achieved my Goals, and took a huge step forward towards realizing my dream of being a Professional Working Actor, Producer, Director, and Writer in the TV/Film Industry.

Now, I just have to figure out, what is going to be my Reward for accomplishing my Goals?

My next major goal is to have a conversation with TOM SELLECK about BECOMING MAGNUM.

Thanks for all of your wonderful love and support,

Mike.

Karl Urban Interview about creating a younger version of BONES!

Earlier this week I was talking with Diane Fraser, my Editor for BECOMING MAGNUM about J.J. Abrams STAR TREK Movie and how awesome of a job Karl Urban did on capturing the essence of Deforest Kelly's BONES, as well as how good of a job he did sounding like Deforest Kelly.

I'm in the process of listening to Tom Selleck from a scene from an Episode of MAGNUM P.I. in which I've used iMovie on my Mac Book to import Video from an Episode of Magnum, P.I. and trimmed it down to footage of just Tom Selleck in the scenes.

Diane then converted it into an mp3 which I've been listening to on my Sony Walkman for the past week. I'm having a hard time matching how he sounds, but thanks to Karl, I think it's time to consult with a Dialect Coach and see what sort of things they will suggest for me to do in order to sound like Tom.

Unfortunately, I won't however be able to do that before I meet up with Diane tomorrow to record some Voice Over Narration for my 1st Episode, but hopefully as the Web Series progresses, by the end of the 6 months, I'll really be able to capture the essence of Tom.

Now, back to the Star of this post, KARL URBAN.

Karl, consider yourself Officially on my TOP 100 LIST of people to meet.

Mike.

Watchmen's Dave Gibbons: The Secret of My Success!

I just came across an Interview with Dave Gibbon's the legendary Illustrator and Co-Creator of the Watchmen talking about his success.

I found it to be a great source of inspiration as I keep chipping away at my success as an Actor and a Filmmaker. What really gripped me was

What really gripped me was when he talks about the Owl Ship, and how it was surreal for him to be on the Set of The Watchmen Movie and to be inside the Owl Ship which started off inside his head, and now he was physically inside of it.

I'm looking forward to the possibility of having a similar experience if BECOMING MAGNUM is successful in getting Tom Selleck and myself cast in the MAGNUM P.I. Movie.

All the best,

Mike.

The SteadiCam Smoothie...

I just came across video on YouTube about a SteadiCam for the iPhone called the SteadiCam Smoothie.

Take a look.

All the pieces are starting to come together for turning BECOMING MAGNUM into Reality.

Enjoy!

Mike.

Introducing the OWLE BUBO...

Just in case you were wondering, "What is the Owle Bubo?" I thought I'd make it easy, and insert a Video that answers that burning question for you.

What's in the Box?

Hand Held Hollywood

That should hopefully bring everyone up to speed about the Owle Bubo and give you a much stronger idea of what my

Reality Web Series, BECOMING MAGNUM is going to look like.

All the best,

Mike.