Logan Sekulow – Page 13

The Top 7 Best Dog Movies of The 1990’s

The Top 7 Best Dog Movies of The 1990's

If you are a dog lover, you probably watch most of the dog movies that you come across. The 1990s were a period when there were a lot of good dog movies coming to the screen. Seven of the dog movies of the 90s are worth watching again and again.

Balto

Balto is an animated film that is based on the true story of the dog teams that delivered the lifesaving vaccine that was needed to stem the diphtheria outbreak occurring in Nome, Alaska in 1925. Balto is a wolf-dog that has to come to the rescue when the average sled dog just won’t do.

101 Dalmatians

This movie is a live-action version of the classic animated film. The dogs in the movie are very cute, but they don’t turn out to be the best part of the film. Glenn Close turns in a great performance as Cruella de Vil.

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey

This film is a remake of a film from the 1960s. In this version, the animals talk. A golden retriever, a cat and a large bulldog must find their way back to their family. Voice work is provided by Sally Field, Michael J. Fox and Don Ameche.

Air Bud

This is the movie that started the “Air Bud” franchise of films. This is the best of the lot. This film stars the original dog who gained fame before the film for being able to shoot baskets. It is a story about a boy and a dog who need each other, and they become more than they were through their new relationship.

Beethoven

This is another movie that has spawned a number of sequels. Beethoven is the story of a massive St. Bernard that causes mayhem in the life of the family he comes to live with. Charles Grodin puts in a humorous performance as the father of the family, and Dean Jones plays an evil veterinarian out to get Beethoven.

Lassie

There have been many movies and television programs starring Lassie, but this movie from the 1990s is a little bit different. In this film, Lassie helps a troubled boy cope with the death of his mother, and Lassie help the boy’s family keep the family farm when sinister neighbors try to pry it away.

Shiloh

Shiloh is the story of an abused beagle that comes into the life of a boy named Marty. Shiloh’s owner wants the dog back, and the movie deals with how Marty and Shiloh can find the way back to one another.

These seven movies are sure to please children and adults. They are well worth viewing on family movie night.

Logan Sekulow is a renowned producer and director.

The Top 5 Performances of Denzel Washington’s Acting Career

Denzel Washington is one of the most well-known actors working in Hollywood today. In his career, Washington has won two Academy Awards, a Tony Award, and three Golden Globes, and been nominated for dozens of other distinctions. In this article, we’ll look at some of the most important roles Washington has played in his career, analyzing why each one is so memorable.

Glory

Washington won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in the 1989 Civil War epic Glory, his first Academy Award win. In the film, Washington plays Private Silas Tripp, a soldier in the famed 54th Massachusetts, the first black regiment in the history of the United States Army. In one of the most stirring scenes in the film, Washington’s Private Tripp is punished for being absent without leave by being flogged by one of the regiments white soldiers. In an act of defiance, Tripp spits on the ground as a single tear rolls down his cheek.

Malcolm X

Directed by Spike Lee, 1992’s Malcolm X is regarded as the most iconic performance of Washington’s career. In the film, Washington plays the fiery civil rights leader. By far the most important part of Washington’s performance is how he shows the evolution of Malcolm X’s idea on race relations. After a trip to Mecca, Malcolm X preaches racial harmony, with the film showing the importance of the Muslim religion in Malcolm X’s change of heart. Washington was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance, losing to Al Pacino. Audiences were shocked by the results of the ceremony, with Lee claiming that Washington was “robbed” of the honor.

Training Day

2004’s Training Day saw Washington win the Academy Award for Best Actor. In the film, Washington plays Alonzo Harris, a corrupt LAPD narcotics detective. As Harris and his partner explore the gangland culture of the city, Harris’ corruption gets the better of him as the whole world witnesses his fall from grace. Training Day is by far one of the most important movies in Washington’s filmography. Not only did he win his second Academy Award for the film, it also shows his versatility as an actor. Known for playing good guy roles, Washington’s role as a corrupt police officer showed how he could play complex characters.

The Hurricane

The Hurricane saw Washington portray Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, a boxer wrongfully convicted of triple murder. The film excels as Washington shows a man come to accept his unjust fate. In one of the more difficult moments of the film, Carter declares, “I’m dead. Just bury me.” Receiving universal acclaim, Washington was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his work.

He Got Game

Washington once again joined with Spike Lee for 1998’s He Got Game. Washington portrays Jake Shuttlesworth, a man imprisoned for killing his wife. The film centers around Jake trying to convince his son, Jesus, a top high school basketball player, to accept a position at the state governor’s alma mater. In exchange for getting his son to play for the governor’s school, Jake will get a reduced sentence. An underappreciated film, Washington’s performance shines through as he is one of the few established actors in the movie.

Logan Sekulow is a producer and director who’s known for relaunching Laugh-O-Gram studios.

7 Must Read Books For Aspiring Actors

If you are an aspiring actor, but are unable to take training lessons, reading about the art form is a great alternative. There are many books currently available to help aspiring actors develop their craft. Here is a look at several books that can help aspiring actors achieve their dreams.

Respect For Acting (Uta Hagen)

For many years, Uta Hagen was asked if she would be interested in writing a book. When the time was right, Hagen accepted and the result is Respect for Acting. In the book, Hagen talks about her struggles with different acting techniques. The book has been used as a textbook for many acting classes. Hagen uses examples to help guide readers through different acting scenarios such as talking to the audience and continuing to find passion in their work. Hagen relies on using substitution to help shape the actions of the character that the actor is portraying.

An Actor Prepares (Constantin Stanislavski)

An Actor Prepares is one of the most famous acting training books of all time. The book stimulates the diary of a student named Kostya during their training in Stanislavski’s famous system. Kostya has no experience in acting. Stanislavski teaches both the reader and Kostya the system through different examples. Stanislavski’s system strives to help actors master their craft while finding their creativity and imagination. Readers will learn about emotion memory, the subconscious mind, and the unbroken line, among other acting skills.

Audition (Michael Shurtleff)

Michael Shurtleff is a famous casting director who helped cast for The Sound of Music, Chicago, and Jesus Christ Superstar. Audition offers insight into how an audition is evaluated. Actors can learn important information about how to deal with the audition site, room relationships, and their peers.

The Actor And The Target (Declan Donnellan)

Declan Donnellan says that acting is a mechanism for development and survival. The Actor and The Target is unique because it is written from a director’s perspective. Actors can learn how to deal with their fears and show the World their talent. The book has been publicly endorsed by Alan Rickman and Joseph Fiennes.

A Life In Parts (Bryan Cranston)

A Life In Parts is the autobiography of Emmy and Tony award winning actor Bryan Cranston. Cranston re-tales the story of his troubled childhood and how he lost, then re-found his love of acting.

In-Depth Acting (Dee Cannon)

Dee Cannon is a full time freelance acting coach. In-Depth Acting helps guide readers through the Stanislavski technique. Cannon helps readers learn about rehearsal guidelines, how to prepare for different auditions, and how to develop a multi-dimensional character. Cannon also provides actors with different preparation exercises.

True And False: Heresy And Common Sense For The Actor (David Mamet)

Pulitzer prize winning playwright and director David Mamet helps actors learn how to judge a role and figure out if its the right fit for them. Mamet advises actors to focus on a few basic principles.

Logan Sekulow is a renowned producer and director.

The 10 Greatest Special Effects Movies of All Time

Every few months, not often enough, a film is released with visual special effects so stunning that they stop us cold, grab our attention, and set our imaginations on fire. Sometimes the effects pull the worlds within the movie apart with grand explosions and monumental shifts. At other times, the subtle artistry of the effects isn’t immediately obvious to the viewer.

One thing the 10 films on this list have in common is the masterful use of CGI and practical effects to create scenes so realistic and life-like that we never forget them.

A Trip To The Moon (1902)

Cinema hadn’t been around for a decade when filmmaker Georges Méliès began creating amazing effects. He dazzled his audience with simple techniques that produced astonishing transitions and transformations. He was among the first to discover that when different scenes were tied together, the human eye would fill in the gaps. His amazing illusions were the first generation of cinematic special effects.

The Wizard Of Oz (1939)

Using four different flavors of gelatin powder on horses, a facsimile of a twister, and a sharp shift from sepia tones to amazing Technicolor, the musical adaptation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was MGM’s most expensive film production at the time. Eventually, the costly effects paid for themselves and allegedly, the entrepreneurial minds that created them had no regrets.

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi classic made space travel look amazingly authentic in 1968. Fifty years later, the film still impresses with the awe-inspiring surrealism of its final scenes.

Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)

The sequel to James Cameron’s career-launching The Terminator came along at a time when digital effects were in their infancy. Featuring a CGI shapeshifter as its primary villain, the body-morphing techniques used in this film kept copycats busy for several years.

Jurassic Park (1993)

Steven Spielberg kicked off what many see as the beginning of the computer era in special effects with Jurassic Park. A perfect blend of CGI and practical effects, the journey into the return of the dinosaurs was so realistic that audiences were dazzled and terrified at the same time.

Forrest Gump (1994)

Aside from placing the film’s titular character in several huge historical moments, it also convinced us that Gary Sinise’s Lt. Dan was a genuine double-amputee from the Vietnam era.

Pan’s Labyrinth (1996)

Guillermo Del Toro’s dark nightmare of a tale featured contortionist Doug Jones as two characters: the faceless monster Pale man and the bizarrely touching Faun. It featured the perfect blending of effects and sublime acting.

The Matrix (1999)

In a feast for the eyes that combined the best techniques of cinema and video games at the time, the Wachowski brothers developed the slow-motion tracking method that utilized complex multi-camera rigs for the truly unique shots used in the film.

Avatar (2009)

In this film, James Cameron created a world of stunning 3D digital characters that are among the very best of the era of computer effects. Three more Avatar films are planned to create a franchise.

Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes (2014)

Using innovative special effects, the franchise hero Caesar, brought to life by actor Andy Serkis, and his cohorts are polished, technical wonders that offer so many realistic nuances that it’s easy to get lost in the suspension of disbelief.

Logan Sekulow is a renowned producer and director.

5 Skills That Separate Novice Actors From Professionals

When you are trying to make it in the acting business, it is all about the audition. When you go in for a part, it is important that you look like a professional, even if you have never landed a part before. If you can blow the casting director away with a stellar performance and a professional demeanor, you are sure to get the part. Read on for five skills that separate novice actors from professionals.

Make Decisions

When you are reading for a part, you likely will not get the entire script. You will probably only get a small section. It may be difficult to know a lot about your character, so the best option is to make a choice and go with it. Glean what you can about the character, and fill in the blanks of what you don’t know. Casting directors will be more impressed if you play a well-developed character rather than trying to be too broad.

Choose a Scene That Lets You Be Active

You may be tempted to choose a monologue to really show off your acting chops, but you will be better served by a scene that shows some action. A character’s inner musings does not really give you a chance to show the casting director just what you can do. Choose a scene that allows you to move and shows your character in some sort of proactive position. This will allow you to show your range and prove that you are perfect for the part.

Don’t Forget to Act When You Are Not Speaking

One of the biggest factors that separates novice actors from professionals is what goes on between the actor’s lines of dialogue. If you only focus on what you are saying or what you are going to say next, casting directors will be reluctant to hire you. Remember that a big part of acting is reacting, and what you do when you are not speaking is just as important. Make sure to listen and react to other lines and situations.

Remember the Before and After

You may only be acting out a small scene, but you must remember that it is part of a larger work. Make sure to put your scene in the context of the rest of the work. When you start the scene, you should know where the character is mentally before the scene begins. The same goes for the ending. Even after you have spoken your last line, try to remain in character for a few moments more, signifying what your character would do next.

Be Confident

If you haven’t been on many auditions, you may be a bundle of nerves. If you let those nerves get to you, your audition is not going to go well. You must appear confident, even if you do not feel like it. However, you do not want to go too far and seem cocky. Casting directors want actors who are secure with themselves, but not those who seem like their egos will be an issue.

Logan Sekulow is a renowned producer and director.

The Top 10 Best Shark Movies of All Time

Long before global warming menaced the public on the big screen, there were sharks. Big and bad with flesh-ripping teeth and huge appetites, they swim to the tune of ominous music and stoke the primal fears that make watching these ultimate monster movies so much fun. Grab some popcorn and have a seat — these are the top ten you have to see.

Sharknado

In the tradition of movies like Lake Placid that we love to watch just to hear Betty White swear, a couple of drinks and a freak storm dropping sharks on Los Angeles is undeniable fun.

Open Water

Based on a true story of a couple trying to rekindle their romance with a scuba adventure, this low budget thriller has nothing special to offer but gut-gripping, sleep-defying fear. Watch it in the morning.

The Shallows

Blake Lively stars in this campy woman versus shark tale that’s both funny and futile on a personal level. It doesn’t have much to offer, but you’ll feel better about your life after.

The Reef

With water, blood and preppies demonstrating why they shouldn’t be given the keys to a yacht, The Reef takes itself way too seriously, but is still worth the ride.

Deep Blue Sea

This is the cruel and usual scientist-makes-breeding-blunder story that just won’t go away. Check your brain at the door and just revel in the blood and guts.

47 Meters Down

Mandy Moore and Clair Holt try to avoid being lunch in this low-budget flick. The ideas are high octane, but the execution isn’t. Still, it’s a great excuse to mow through a bucket of popcorn.

Bait

It’s Sharknado meets Lost as a group of tsunami survivors become part of the meat counter at a flooded grocery store. It’s embarrassingly cliché and utterly devoid of terror, but it’s shamelessly funny and won’t keep you up at night.

Ghost Shark

If you harbor any high school angst and want to see the kids you hated get shredded like pulled pork for sandwiches, it’s your turn. The severed body parts layered between the sexual innuendos is the foundation for a parade of endless horror movie stereotypes that like a train wreck, can’t help but hold your attention.

Mega Shark VS. Giant Octopus

If you wondered what Debbie Gibson did after her 80’s hits stopped generating revenue, she changed her named to Deborah and made a film so bad that it’s sure to be a bonding moment with someone at the asylum.

Jaws

This Spielberg-fueled nightmare is still the king of the hill after more than four decades. The cast was average and by today’s standards, so was the shark, but the simplicity of this man versus Great White story and directing second only to Hitchcock was enough to scare a whole generation out of the water. It’s the benchmark against which all other monster movies are measured.

Logan Sekulow is a producer and director who’s known for relaunching Laugh-O-Gram studios.

The Top 10 Movies of the 1980’s

The Top 10 Movies of the 1980's

Back to the Future

The 1980’s were filled with incredible movies including Back to the Future. Michael J. Fox played Marty McFly and the movie encompasses his friendship with Doc played by Christopher Lloyd. Marty is accidently sent to the future in a time machine and changes the past. He must reunite his future parents or he will cease to exist.

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

ET is both a salute to childhood and a science fiction adventure created by Steven Spielberg. This is the story of a homesick alien and a young boy named Elliott played by Henry Thomas. Elliot is trying to help ET get back home. He learns how to communicate with ET telepathically while learning how to be brave.

Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters stars Bill Murray as part of a team of paranormal investigators including Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson and Harold Ramis. They use electronic paraphernalia to eliminate ghosties and ghoulies from the Big Apple in a film filled with comedy and special effects.

Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back

This is George Lucas’s second entry in the Star Wars Trilogy. Mark Hamill is back as Luke Skywalker and he is now a seasoned space warrior. Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher return as Han Solo and Princess Leia to battle Darth Vader and the insidious Empire. The film goes from the Ice Plant Hoth to tropical Dagobah with consistent action and excitement.

Sixteen Candles

This is a teenage comedy starring Molly Ringwald as a suburban teenager. She is suffering angst during the night before her sisters wedding because her family forgot about her birthday. This is a compassionate movie with respect for the characters.

The Shining

This horror film was based on a Stephen King novel. Shelly Duval and Jack Nicholson are acting as caretakers for the Overlook Hotel along with their son. The hotel is inaccessible due to the snow in the mountains. Jack Nicholson slowly descends into madness in this ghastly haunted hotel.

Raging Bull

This is a Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro film about middleweight boxing champion Jake LaMotta. The film covers LaMotta’s troubled personal life and the jealousy, suspicion and rage towards his manager and wife. He is eventually left alone looking for redemption.

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Harrison Ford portrays an extraordinary archeologist called Indiana Jones in this Steven Spielberg and George Lucas adventure. He is searching for the Ark of the Covenant which has long since been lost. This leads to non-stop action from snakes in the Well of Souls to finally unearthing the Ark.

Do the Right Thing

This Spike Lee film is a combination comedy and drama set in Brooklyn about a pizza parlor. The focus is on the Wall of Fame because it only contains famous Italian-American pictures and does not represent the blacks in the neighborhood. The result is tragedy and violence.

The Princess Bride

Rob Reiner directed this sensational fairy tale that is a play on the damsel in distress concept. This is the story of a gallant hero who rescues the beautiful princess.

Logan Sekulow is a renowned producer and director.

3 Social Media Tips For Aspiring Actors

Social media comes with its own set of rules. Engage, don’t sell. Be present, but not too present. Interact, but don’t complain or get too political. This doesn’t scratch the surface of where to be present or when either. While this article discusses actors, keep in mind these tips can help anyone attempting to market themselves, reach fans, and maintain a positive social media presence.

The Famous 80/20 Rule

For actors, especially aspiring actors, social media is about fan connections and professional networking more than shouting the loudest about your new movie, role, audition, or show. The 80/20 rule puts emphasis on forming relationships, sharing interesting ideas, and actively communicating 80% of the time. This includes responding to others.

Why Only 20% Promotion?

Imagine your followers. Now imagine you’re one of them and following yourself. Would you want to see promotion all day? After a while, wouldn’t it become white noise amid all the other uproar? Would you unfollow or silence yourself?

Switch gears now. Instead of constantly promoting, ask your followers questions or share relative information that doesn’t scream “Buy me.” Do you notice a difference?

By keeping promotion limited, your posts will no longer seem like white noise or be lost in the folds of other promoters. You’ll also leave a better lasting impression on your fans so that when the time comes for you to promote they might be more receptive to purchasing, viewing, or celebrating your success.

Be Respectful, Always

Whether it is another celebrity or a fan, please remember your manners. You are a professional. While you should be yourself online, you should be your best self with your best manners. It’s easy these days to be swept up in debates, flame wars, and to call people out for XYZ. You are an actor. You are not a keyboard warrior, hiding behind a screen, hammering your device and saying things you would never say to a person’s face. The other person who is egging you on is still a human, even if their behavior is trolling you.

Keep Dirty Laundry Where it Belongs

You wouldn’t attend a dinner party and scream at the host or guests because they were too slow with your food. So your manners should extend to more than your career and social media. Respond to negativity with grace or silence, and if laws have been broken, take the information to the proper authorities. Don’t plaster it on your social media accounts. This applies to pictures and screenshots meant to hurt or disarm others too.

One final tip is to be reachable. The more you’re actively engaging fans about their lives and non-promotional topics, the more fans you will gather. Talk about your passions, hobbies, and the smallest details that will make followers want to speak with you. Respond to your fans when you can and make them a priority. Build relationships online, and when it comes time to promote, your campaigns can be more successful.

Logan Sekulow is a renowned producer and director known for relaunching the popular studio known as Laugh-O-Gram studios.

6 Ways to Improve Your On-Camera Acting

While acting for the stage and acting for a camera contain many similarities, major differences exist in the techniques that should be used for each respectively. Think about it: in the theater, actors have to convey the same story to people in the back row as the people in the front row, and so the story must be shared in a big, loud way. On camera, however, actors tend to have smaller spaces to convey similar stories, and so nuance can come into play. Here are six ways to improve your on-camera acting technique, particularly if you grew up as a theater kid.

Lean Into Nuance

As mentioned above, having a smaller space in which to tell a story lends itself to smaller gestures. A small smile or a look downward may not read at all on a stage from a distance of fifty feet, but the camera can zoom in nice and close to catch all those little quirks. These are things humans see in each other on a daily basis, and is not only limited to body language, but extends to voice and tone as well.

Keep it Real

Though acting tends to be closer to real-life behavior in film than in theater, the big screen can still depict a fair amount of drama that doesn’t usually exist in our day to day lives. Even in these instances, try to draw on real feelings and memories for your performance. As mentioned in the nuance section, the camera gets much closer and hones in on specific emotions needed for a scene. Reactions that are too false will then seem much worse when put under such scrutiny. Make sure the actions are coming from a place of truth, wherever that can be found.

Most Work is Off-screen

In the theater, the entire show must be rehearsed multiple times before performance. For film, single scenes can be shot hundreds of times, and only the best take is used in the final cut. In order to portray these scenes, film actors prepare for them individually, because there won’t be tons of rehearsal. They must be ready the moment action is called, and then perform.

Blocking is Still Relevant

Blocking (your rehearsed placement and movements) is essential in theater, and surprisingly just as important in film. Though camera angles can often obtain shots which would be impossible on stage, and can break the bounds of placement common in stage acting, it’s still important to not block other actors from the camera view, or relevant pieces of set. Even walking across a room must be carefully considered in case the actor accidentally walks completely out of view.

No Projection

Things are often smaller and quieter in film. With the many bits and pieces of expensive sound equipment, no sound tech wants the actors to be shouting into the microphones. Use clear and purposeful tones, but there is no need to “speak to the back row.”

Less is More

Trust the cameras and microphones to pick up what is happening. Trust the technicians to guide their equipment in the right direction. Unlearn the performative qualities of stage acting and remember that you’re not the only one who has to get your point across; a village of people are waiting to help your volume and lighting along. Tell your story naturally.

Logan Sekulow is a renowned producer and director.

5 Quintessential Summer Movies to Watch

What is summer without movies? And especially classic summer movies that refresh and rejuvenate us with memories? Not sure which ones to choose? Try these five summer favorites that are sure to help you recharge and relax while you reminisce!

American Graffiti (1973)

This is the perfect coming-of-age film about a seemingly normal group of teenagers growing up in Modesto, California in 1962. The comedy unwinds as stars like Richard Dreyfus, Ron Howard, Cindy Williams, Harrison Ford and many others enjoy cruising and 60’s rock and roll. The stories of each of this group are told in brief vignettes throughout one average night giving a charming glimpse into teenage life during the 60’s.

Jaws (1975)

No 4th of July is complete without a summer thrill with the shark that started it all.
“Jaws” is the epitome of summer thrills and will definitely make you think twice about going in the water! Based on the novel by Peter Benchley and starring Richard Dreyfus, Roy Scheider and Robert Shaw, Jaws keeps you mesmerized as a 25 foot giant man-eating shark terrorizes a small New England summer resort town called Amity Island.

Meatballs (1979)

This hilarious spoof stars Bill Murray in his first major movie role. A second rate summer camp is the setting where camp counselors play pranks on unsuspecting young visitors. Lots of camp competition, adventures on the lake and songs around the campfire making it a perfect movie for summer and as Bill Murray’s character says throughout, realizing that “It just doesn’t matter.”

National Lampoons summer Vacation (1983)

This classic road trip vacation movie starring Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo will have you laughing hysterically as you watch the Griswold family trek across the country to enjoy a vacation at “Wally World”. You’ll laugh at the ridiculous things that they encounter and probably a little at yourself when you realize that it could be any one of us on that trip!

Dirty Dancing (1987)

Fall in love with Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in this “feel good” movie. Set in 1963 at a sultry summer resort in the mountains on a lake, the classic “good girl” falls for the “bad boy”. They discover a mutual love for dancing and ultimately find out much about each other that they didn’t know. You’ll have the “Time of Your Life” watching one of the best romantic comedy-dramas ever made.

Logan Sekulow is a renowned producer and director who’s responsible for relaunching Laugh-O-Gram studios.