The "Upfront" Truth About Ad Sales (Big Zack TV Preview)

As my mentor says often, the real purpose of television is to sell advertising. I learned that lesson when I worked as a P.A. in ad sales at a major TV network. Three years after being laid off, I still see the real "truth in advertising" and why most networks profit off stereotypes. 

In my new TV series, "The Upfronts", I plan to chronicle the misadventures of an African-American ad sales executive who tries to influence better programming-- with disappointing but hilarious results. The show's protagonist, Damien Hartford, is a newly promoted VP of ad sales who gets tired of selling spots on terrible shows. To achieve this goal, he forms an undercover relationship with the VP of Programming-- an African-American woman-- who has no problems with the station's current strategy.

Will Damien succeed? Find out in January 2016 when "The Upfronts" premieres on YouTube and Vimeo. 

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Devin S. James "Sells His Soul" (In Book Format)

Devin Sean James has moved on-- figuratively and literally. 

Last year, he was known as the spokesperson for Ferguson, Missouri, with a dark secret; now, he shares secrets to success via LinkedIn and his new website.

His latest post, "Tradeshow Tips Part 1- Reasons Why Your Booth Ain't Poppin'", gives tips to convention and trade show representatives who find themselves people watching instead of networking.  

Mr. James' latest project, Inside Ferguson: A Voice For The Voiceless, is an exclusive account to what he witnessed during his time in the embattled Midwestern town.  For this 33-year-old father of two, it is important to shed light on the injustices that millions of Americans face everyday. 

With all of his knowledge, Mr. James could become a teacher or a politician. 

Stay tuned..

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Eat Like Fitness Guru Dolvett Quince!

Dolvett Quince has "the juice". 

The popular fitness expert has trained celebrities like Boris Kodjoe and everyday people on NBC's "The Biggest Loser".

Now, he's sharing some tips on eating healthy while you pursue your work out goals.

We're not sure of his exact age but he should be in his early 40s-- given the age of his son, Isiah. 

Whatever the case may be, he's someone you should and try to emulate in your eating habits.

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Time For A U-Turn: Where "Empire" Went Wrong

The thrill is gone.

Inflated TV ratings aside, Empire fans are not showing love for the Lyon family like they did last season.

In fact, that's where the show went wrong: the "plot twist" of Lucious revealing that he didn't have ALS. From there, the show has been transforming into a cheap gospel stage play. (Cookie is now Karen Clark Sheard; Lucious is Sinbad; and Jamal is one of Steve Harvey's children.) 

All in all, the characters' road map is leading the show down the road to cancellation.  

What Can The Writers Do?
* Beg Fox Executives To Ditch Demographics And Pursue Stories
Fox executives are busy trying to cater to a multicultural audience instead of tell good stories. I don't watch "Empire" for the diversity; I watch "Empire" for the story of an American family which happens to be diverse.

The celebrity cameos are distracting and the storyline seems disjointed. We are 4 episodes into Season 2 and they are just getting around to Vernon's disappearance? Did Tyler Perry join the writing staff?

*Lay Back On The Flashbacks 
Too much backstory is not a good story.  Writers tend to go off on a tangent instead of dealing with the issues at hand. I don't need to know the family history of mental illness to understand Lucious and Andre's relationship.

Less is more. 

*Be Humble
Arrogance caused the writing team to lose its mojo. You are only as good as your last show. The writers need to go back to basics and outline a great story. Now, it seems as if they are writing anything to pander to viewers with low intelligence.

Unfortunately, it doesn't take much to entertain people these days. That's why the writers probably won't change.

 

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Looking For Work In Chicago? Try These Places

Contrary to popular belief, you can make it in Chicago! 

The job market is fine; job seekers are looking for work in all the wrong places.

If you want to find quick employment, try the following options.

CONVENTION & TRADE SHOW STAFFING

Staffing agencies that specialize with conventions and trade shows are the best bets for people looking to secure relatively easy work and solid pay within 3 weeks of sending resumes.
(Some exceptions may apply.) 

Summer is very slow but the fall, spring, and winter are great times to find consistent work. 

Chicago's minimum wage is 10.00/hr for 2015 and will increase in increments until 2019 when it will be 13.00/hr.

* Convention Connection (Website)

Kate Zeitvogel, Director of Sales & Staffing
- Technology, Education, Retail focused shows
(Occasional medical shows)
- Wardrobe: White shirt, Black jacket and pants
Locations: Hyatt, Swissotel, Sheraton, McCormick Place

*Action Figures-Chicago (Website)

Lori Jaffe, Manager
- Medical and Government focused shows
- Wardrobe: Blue shirt, Black jacket and pants 
Locations: McCormick Place

*ShiftGig (Website)
Eddie Lou, CEO 
- Bartenders, servers, brand ambassadors 
Locations: Various 


EXTRAS CASTING

Chicago's TV and film industry is getting stronger every year. Extras can find work quickly without little hassle.
The only items to remember are: 1) Be ON TIME; 2) Bring 3 changes of clothes; 3) Bring 2 forms of ID; and 4) Be patient

Anthony White Casting
*Independent films and TV shows
("Southside With You", "The Blexicans") 

Joan Philo Casting
("Chicago Med"/ "Chicago Fire")


Tail Sticks Casting
("Chicago PD) 

(Google these places or find them on Facebook) 

Extras casting pays about 80 dollars for 8 hours with time and a half. You can get a pay bump for wardrobe fittings, vehicle uses (25 dollars) and a higher pay grade if you are a stand-in. (Stand-ins are test dummies to help light the scene for actors with similar physical features). 

Stand-ins get about 140 a day. But you have to pray that you look like the actor who needs one. It's like playing the lottery.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Native Chicagoans can try Uber as well. I have a few friends who are making big bucks from Uber. 

Just steer clear of places like ATN (Across The Nation) Promotions. They offer high paying jobs but take almost 2 months to pay for certain gigs. 

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Dear Periscope Users: Strategize, Then Monetize!

Before you start that Periscope account, please read this blog carefully!

Periscope is the latest live streaming video phenomenon. The sleek design and pop-up style chat makes it a great way to interact with current friends and make new ones. In addition to that, the app can help content creators generate buzz and monetize their brands.

Unfortunately, the average Periscope user is trying to generate attention with pointless streams. Instead of using the app to create amazing contents, most folks stream stupid stuff like picking out outfits, getting ready for bed, and criminal plots. (Yes, two idiots streamed their plans to commit crimes!) 

If you want to make money from Periscope, try the following tactics:

*Plan Your Broadcasts
It appears to be an obvious statement but very few appear to grasp this concept! 

If you must do something spur of the moment, turn your Twitter rants into a video discussion. 

*Engage With Your Audience
Don't just read the comments; use the comments to improve what you do.  

After each broadcast, stay in touch with your viewers and create customized content for their liking. When you build a following, you can merchandise your content (like the Hell To Naw video) or plan meetups at your local coffee shop. 

Big Zack TV will be using Periscope soon to create an amazing event that will get media buzz!

Stay tuned! 

*Keep It Clean
You can partner with businesses by presenting content they can post for a large audience. Try not to use vulgar language if you can help it. You can be funny without cursing. 

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Note To Working Actors: Take It; Don't Leave It!

As Leith Burke told us before, he's got mouths to feed. 

For over 20 years, Mr. Burke has been a "working actor"; he's not an A-lister who can survive on one project's multi-million dollar earnings for years at a time. Therefore, he uses his versatility as an actor his advantage. He acts in front of a camera for TV and film, behind a microphone for video game characters, and live on stage. 

Currently, the youthful Burke is balancing his time as a full-time husband and father with a project dear to his heart: "Citizen: An American Lyric". The new performance --recently extended to September 14 at the Fountain Theatre-- has been gaining rave reviews for being a "provocative mediation on race in America". Written by Claudia Rankine, the show is actually Rankine's poetry/prose project that was adapted for stage by Stephen Sachs. In the age of interactive theater, working actors like Burke must push envelopes further and connect with audiences on a deeper level. 

While Burke's film projects remain in post-production, he has found a way to stay busy. Unlike actors who gave up on Hollywood, Burke keeps knocking until the door of opportunity opens. He is not picky about roles; he challenges himself to try new things for each project. 

Working actors can definitely learn from Burke. In the competitive industry of entertainment, it is important to be versatile, patient, and professional for a long and successful career.
  

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Brian J. White Joins The Cast of "Chicago Fire"

Before the days of Instagram and Facebook, new cast members were typically held "under wraps". Now, fans can get peeks of #SetLife by following their favorite stars on social media.

Actor Brian J. White ("Scandal") is now on the hit NBC show "Chicago Fire". While his IMDB page lacks updates, Deadline Hollywood reports that he will play a recurring character named "Capt. Dallas Patterson".    

Chicago Fire returns on October 13.  

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Straight Outta Compton 's Real MVPs? (The Marketing Team)

After making $60 million in its first weekend, Straight Outta Compton is America's "surprise" summer hit. For me, the most surprising thing is that critics are ignoring what really buoyed the film's success: a spectacular integrated marketing campaign.

I know integrated marketing very well; I have a Master's degree in the field. From what I've learned so far, integration is the only way to promote a brand. If the messages become inconsistent, consumers get confused and disinterested. 

To the benefit of this film, the heads of marketing and publicity worked together. All promotions of this film--from television interviews to the hugely successful Straight Outta Somewhere meme generator-- gave "one voice" to this film. 
In addition to that, the interactive aspect of the meme generator allowed users to engage in "subliminal" marketing. 

Simply put, the film's marketing team consisted of the viewers. While cutting marketing expenses, they boosted revenue. (More money and less expenses equals HUGE profits). 

Let's just hope that fans don't take a page from the Ice Cube playbook and try to seek "lost wages". :)  

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Why #StopSaggin Matters

There's nothing more disgusting than seeing a crunchy pair of boxer shorts exposed on a hot day. That's why I want to start a #StopSaggin movement across the country. As a grown man, I cringe at seeing young men expose their filthy underwear as a fashion statement. The only thing they are expressing is the lack of proper hygiene.

Here are some ways we can #StopSaggin :

1. Suggest Rather Than Correct
Young men are highly defiant already due to underdeveloped frontal lobes and overactive testosterone levels. You have to gently suggest a better way to attract women instead of humiliating them. Correction implies that we are telling them "what to do" rather than suggesting "what works better".

2. Present Better Role Models
Show men who wear their pants properly. For every rapper who shows his boxers, there is a basketball player who can't afford to grab his shorts while running down the court.

3. Show Dangers Of Saggin'
Present research about how multiple layers of clothing protect against dangerous kinds of bacteria. If young "saggers" can see correlation between painful infections and saggin' pants, they might think twice.  

4. Get Women To Sound Off
Almost every woman I know hates to see men who sag their pants. But most men who sag their pants do it to impress women. If we can get women to speak out and rebuke this practice, we might see a decline in this "fashion trend".

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Chicago Features Its Best at the 5th Anime Midwest

For its 5th year in the Chicagoland area, Anime Midwest focused on the more musical and dance side this year. On top of the great panels, awesome voice acting guests, and cosplay events, Anime Midwest continues to evolve and make itself more unique every year.

[Click on any of the following pics to see the videos]

Some of the things already that set Anime Midwest apart from most conventions include:
The Date Auction [where a portion of the proceeds go to the St. Jude's Children's Hospital]
The ConSweet (where attendees and guests can get an unlimited amount of free ramen, rice, soda pop, and now oatmeal throughout the weekend)
The recently added Fleur Maid Cafe (recently added last year and has been a regular at the AnimeCon.org conventions)


This year's focus shifted towards more music and dance this year.
Two Chicago bands were featured at this year's Anime Midwest including V is for Villains and Kid Yuki and the Otakus. Other Key music guests included Steam Powered Giraffe, The Pillowcases,  and Frenchy and The Punk just to name a few.

Dance was featured during the opening ceremonies and that was only a sample of what was to come. There were a lot of dance performances by the Fleur Maid Cafe throughout the convention to help advertise the limited time slots left available to experience the maid cafe. The Raves and Formal Ball were still key featured events at the convention as well.
The one special addition was the Nippon Academy Media hosted K-Pop Battle that took place Anime Midwest. With the huge K-Pop craze growing it was fitting to have a dance battle with some of the best talent in the area with the audience being the judges.

Only time will tell what to expect from Anime Midwest and what is to come in the following years, including their December sister convention Con+Alt+Delete. For more information, go to www.conaltdelete.com.

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Celebrity Birthday Whiz Jeremy Horn Turns 30!

The tables have finally turned on Jeremy Horn.

The pop culture fanatic--who remembers all of his favorite celebrities' birthdays-- is celebrating a milestone of his own today! 

Jeremy has finally turned 30 and he is celebrating with family and friends! Some of his celebrity acquaintances include members of the Jackson family-- many of whom follow him on Twitter. (One year, he had the opportunity to speak with Mrs. Rebbie Jackson Brown and her son, Austin, on the phone)
 

Austin Brown, Jeremy, & Prince Jackson

As a concerned resident of Chicago metropolitan area, Jeremy has worked tirelessly to make things safer. He has attended many anti-violence and mentoring events and created awareness for important issues on his social media pages. Through it all, Jeremy maintains a positive attitude which improves the spirits of all those around him.

Go Zack wishes Jeremy Horn a very happy 30th Birthday today! 

Check out his cake! 

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Church Members Mourn Shocking Loss Of Teen Musician

According to his Facebook profile, he called himself "Drummer Boy". To family and friends, the talented 17-year old was Vonzell Banks. 

Earlier today, Banks was fatally shot at Hadiyah Pendleton Park  in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood. (Ironically, Pendleton--for whom the park is named-- was a victim of the same violence 2 years earlier.) 

Banks was a member of Cosmopolitan Church of Prayer in the Woodlawn neighborhood where he played the drums for the choir. He was also a rising senior at Dunbar Vocational Career Academy.

Bro putting in some #SlightWork
Posted by Anthony SoundBased Benion on Thursday, September 11, 2014

In a Facebook thread, choir members from Cosmopolitan Church of Prayers shared memories from as recent as Thursday night-- the last time Banks rehearsed with them.

One choir member wrote "[Banks] danced and shouted" after the rehearsal during a moment of praise. Additionally, his friends posted special memories about him on his Facebook page.

On behalf of Zack's TV, we extend our condolences to The Banks family, Dunbar Career Academy, and the Cosmopolitan Church of Prayer. 

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