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www.triggerstreet.com Kevin Spacey 
 Derra (middle) at the June 26, 07 ACTRA Conference...
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So, you want to be an actor? Do you realise the type of business you are entering? Of course, you don't. David Bowie once called L.A. the armpit of the earth although, everyone knows it is the mecca of film-making. You are filled with passion and a desire to act. You literally wake up one day, and it dawns on you that nothing, and I mean nothing will make you happy, unless you act. Everything else you have ever done is for money, to pay those bills, but nothing makes you feel alive and a reason to be on this earth as acting. If that has happened to you, then you must act. It is as simple as that. Now, how do you start? What do you do to make contacts? There is an endless stream of questions going through your head. Being resourceful, you start by taking an acting class. Yeah, that is a good start, I'll learn how to act. School is familiar to me, and hence, taking classes. But, where do I find out where to take these classes? Well, I started at a place called Theatre Ontario because they had a board that listed acting auditions, classes, agents etc. and they were listed in the telephone book under "theatre". Sounds simple enough. After making many notes, I started calling some of the numbers related to acting classes on that board. I ran into a place at the time taught by a teacher named Eli Rill. I heard through the grapevine he is now in Los Angeles and I would like to thank him for being my first teacher! Okay, you did the class, now, you want to work. Isn't that how it works? Yes, and no in this business. Yes, because work is a natural succession to training, but no, because in this crazy business it is a little more political than that. It is not just what you know, but it also, can be who you know. Of course, you can luck out and land a professional theatre gig, a series, film or commercial like some actors with very little or no training, but it is more rare. Or you may have landed that series and had a few great years and never worked again. Or maybe your family is connected to persons that can get you work...well, that works too. Ask Tori Spelling! And then, there are actors who are members of the casting couch club. That's right, it still exists in this day and age of hiv. Take it from someone who has been hit on more times than I care to count. I have been asked to exchange sex for roles in their office, out of their office, at parties, you name it...with one person, more than one person, their wife. No joke. It is disheartening, to say the least, that it is almost impossible to work unless you put out! My belief was and still is, to obtain work based upon merit and achievement; the old fashioned way. Of course, it takes longer this way, but when you do work, it feels like nothing else. It is euphoric. If you are attractive, it always is and always will be difficult to fend off the wolves (and I do not mean just the men). Why do I bring this up and hit you with hard reality facts right of the bat? Because that was my experience and it happened to me right off the bat. I even decided to cut my hair off to be taken more seriously. It has been effective, and I work more with short hair then I ever did with long hair. Keep in mind that everyone's experience in this biz is different. My interests gravitated more to film & TV and this is a visual medium. Hair counts...ask Julianne Moore (in L'Oreal hair ads), Rene Zelleweger, Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts or Reese Witherspoon seen lately sporting darker hair. Also, read this true story at...Aussi, lire cette vraie histoire a Check out Femina...  Kabiza - African Directory Then, I was working on Ambition, the Donald Trump story. The actor who played Donald really looked like him, but the actor who played Ivana
beside him, looked as if she could have been Ivana's daughter! Why does Hollywoord always put a middle-aged guy or older with someone who could
realistically, be his daughter? In some films they look like they could even be their granddaughter (remember the scene with Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta Jones
making out?) It is so sexist, and sad for female actors. Hollywood seems to paint the picture that it is okay for men to age, but not women. Please!
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DERRA ST. DENISYou may have seen Derra St. Denis in several productions, looking contemporary, or costumed & wigged to accomodate the period. She has acted in several films and been featured in many! Her body of work is diverse ranging from principal actor in film to national spokesperson on TV. She also, sings in many corporate events, and plays piano. She even wrote a jingle for FOX NHL Hockey called "Sinbad the Sailor Man" which aired on one of their commercials, and she was the teacher in the spot. This work enabled her to join SAG (Screen Actors Guild), TMA (Toronto Musicians Association, in association with the AFM - American Federation of Musicians), and SOCAN (Foundation representing Canadian music creators and publishers). Please link to her Resume Derra has also, gained extensive experience working in promotions & sales (Life is truly a stage! ), although acting is her passion. Being a perfectionist, she understands that acting is a process, be it film, TV, or live, and brings to you truth for each and every character. For booking information or other inquiries, please contact denis384@rogers.com or her principle Agent: Gillian Byron of The Byron Agency 416-620-9295. www.imdb.com Check out...regarder www.imdb.com for some of my film listings, and www.portfolios.com/Derra Read some of my acting stories below...ou lire certaines de mes histoires interimaires au dessous. Resume Please see my...S'il vous plait voir mon Resume for...pour all...toutes productions. denis384@rogers.com Email me to work in film, TV, theatre, commercials, & corporate. I will then send you my on-line Portfolio including Reel and refer you to my Principle Agent The Byron Agency M'envoyer un email a pour travailler dans le film, le tele, le theatre, les publicites, & d'entreprise. Je vous enverrai alors mon Portefeuille connecte y compris la Bobine et vous refere a mon Agent de Principe. Events...page d'Evenements Please see my Events page...S'il vous plait voir ma page d'Evenements for information on more work... pour l'information sur plus de travail. Recently, I worked on a FSN (Fox Sports Network) hockey commercial, had a principal ACTRA role in it as the music teacher, and wrote the music and lyrics for the spot. It was so interesting to be part of this commercial and become a member of SAG (Screen Actors Guild) www.sag.org, SOCAN (Society of Music Creators & Publishers) www.socan.com, and the TMA www.torontomusicians.org and the AFM (American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada) www.afm.org. Our Fathers In 2004, had an actor role in Our Fathers, an American MOW based upon a true story about
Cardinal Law of Boston, Mass., U.S.A. And I have just learned that the entire day we shot was edited out of the movie! C'est la vie, as they say, the director,
Dan Curtis, gave me the thumbs up, the day we shot, I got paid, and became a Full Member of ACTRA through this role. So it was not a total loss,
although it would have been nice to have seen my particular footage on the screen. Who knows why production decided it was not a good fit for the final edit?
There will be more, and I say this to inspire other actors who have had this same experience.
At twelve years old I acted in a theatrical production at my school whereby four hundred students auditioned and five of us were selected. I will never forget that first audition! It was an amazing experience and that gave me the acting bug for certain. Previous to that I had performed numerous singing and piano shows since I was five years old in private recitals and school productions. When I came to Toronto, I found a talent agent and my professional career began. It was very difficult at first, as I did not know anyone in Toronto (being from Montreal). Acting classes took up most of my time with reputable coaches I found through Theatre Ontario such as Patricia Hamilton, Eli Rill, Diana Reis, Carol Rosenfeld, Rosemary Dunsmore, and Al Waxman. Also, to continually hone my acting craft, I created one woman shows for events in the corporate arena and have performed hundreds to date. My resume reflects a body of experience in film, television, theatre, commercials and corporate events. My life has been a true roller-coaster ride of numerous roles, working towards fulfilling that goal: Dreams come true. If you persevere they really do. Inspired by the acting work of the famous Mel Gibson, he is definitely an icon. Visit www.MelGibson.com and see his photo below! One of my acting coaches, and mentor is Diana Reis. She calls me the hopeful optimist with a grin. She is keenly perceptive and astute when directing actors. The other mentor is David Walden, my singing and piano tutor. He is also, an actor, a composer and gifted musician. *S'il vous plait excuser l'omission d'accents dans cette traduction, comme mon logiciel ne le permettra pas. Ma vie a ete un vrai tour de montagnes russes de roles nombreux, travaillant vers remplir ce but, les Reves se realisent. Si vous ils perseverez vraiment fait. Inspire par le travail interimaire du Mel Gibson celebre, il est sans aucun doute une icone. Un de mes entraineurs interimaires, et mentor est Diana Reis. Elle m'appelle l'optimiste optimiste avec un sourire. Elle est vivement perspicace et astucieuse en dirigant des acteurs. L'autre mentor est David Walden, mon professeur de chanter et piano. Il est aussi, un acteur, un compositeur et un musicien doue. And this spring past, played "Linda Lauzon" in Les Belles Soeurs, a Diana Reis & Celia McBride equity theatre play-reading.Other acting film credits include: principle voice-over "Operation Golden Phoenix with the late Al Waxman; actor - Inde. Series Pilot "Diverted, Weapons in the School" directed by Brenda Darling (also, appeared in a CBC short film she directed with L.A. producer Jim Pasternak; actor - Deja Vu Deja Vu - Rados Films listed at www.imdb.com www.torontopictures.com As Derra Eaton principle actor in film, Maybe www.torontopictures.com also, at www.imdb.com ; and principle actor in Let's Open The Champagne accepted in Spain & New York Film Festivals. Other work included *Boxing/Ring Announcer (See Events...page d'Evenements) aired on TSN ,FAN 590 Radio & CFTO News live at the Air Canada Centre for The Night of the Hurricane with Rubin "Hurricane" Carter and part of the presentation of the Honorary World Championship Belt; Singer/Actor on the Cooking Show Occasions; Singer on CFRB live to air, Happy Birthday to Burton Cummings (I met him recently, and long ago, when my brother, Mike St. Denis was lead guitarist for Bob Segarini & they all played at the El Macambo at the Imperial Room/Royal York Hotel with James B on CFRB". Some of the comedic Characters created for Corporate & TV: "Bad Girl" (take-off on Mel Lastman's Bad Boy Furniture), "Monica Lewinsky", "French Maid Madeline" (who really speaks French), "Marilyn Monroe": "4" different Character appearances on Open Mike with Mike Bullard and the Sean Tweedley Warm-Up Show; singing and performances in over 300 Corporate Shows as different characters including the launch of History Television, Grand openings and events with Mel Lastman, Mayor Hazel McCallium, Ed Mirvish, Eddie Greenspan, and Lloyd Robertson. Also, previously produced a live caberet Acts with Pizazzz which aired sporadically on several networks. Recemment, agi dans Nos Peres, un Americain FAUCHE base sur une vraie histoire de la Loi Cardinale de Boston, la Masse., les ETATS-UNIS. Et ce passe de printemps, joue Linda Lauzon dans Soeurs de Beautes Des, un Diana Reis & la piece-lecture de theatre d'equite de Celia McBride. Les autres credits de film interimaires incluent, la voix-off de principe Operation Golden Phoenix avec l'Al Waxman dernier, l'acteur - Inde. Le Pilote de feuilleton A Detourne, les Armes dans l'Ecole dirige par Brenda Darling aussi, apparu dans un CBC le film court qu'elle a dirige avec le producteur Jim Pasternak, l'acteur - Deja Vu Deja Vu - les Films de Rados, princ. l'acteur dans le film, Peut-etre http://www.torontopictures.com, princ. l'acteur - Ouvrons Le Champagne admis en Espagne & les Fetes de Film de New York. L'autre travail a inclus le Presentateur d'Emballant Anneau, Voit l'histoire OVERFLOW aere sur TSN, LE VENTILATEUR 590 Radio & les Nouvelles de CFTO habitent au Centre de Air Canada pour La Nuit de l'Ouragan avec le Charretier Rubin Hurricane Carter et a la partie de la presentation de la Ceinture de Championnat de Monde Honoraire, Chanteur Acteur sur les Occasions de Spectacle de Cuisine, Chanteur sur vie de CFRB pour aerer, Joyeux Anniversaire a Burton Cummings, notre icone de musique Canadienne, a l'Imperial Piece Royal avec le James B sur CFRB. Certains des Caracteres comiques crees pour d entreprise & le tele, la Mauvaise Fille le decollage sur Mel Lastman Bad Boy Furniture, Monica Lewinsky, Madeline de Bonne francais, qui vraiment parle le francais, Marilyn Monroe, quatre apparences de Caractere differentes sur Ouvre Mike avec Mike Bullard et le Spectacle d Echauffement de Sean Tweedley, chantant de le et les executions dans par-dessus 300 Spectacles d entreprise comme les caracteres differents y compris le lance de Television d'Histoire, les Grandioses ouvertures et les Grandioses evenements avec Mel Lastman, le Maire McCallium noisette, Ed Mirvish, Eddie Greenspan, et Lloyd Robertson, precedemment a produit aussi un Actes en Vie de Caberet avec Pizazzz qui a aere sporadiquement sur plusieurs reseaux.
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I am a huge fan of Mel...click for more! Marilyn photograph above by David Usher...
Please see www.businessownersideacafe.com INTERVIEW FROM IDEA CAFE Type of Business: What does your business do? When and why did you start the biz? How Many People are in your Company? Where's your office? What's the toughest part of running your biz? What's the most fun part? Anything you would have done differently? What's next on the horizon for your biz? What advice do you have for others? There will always be much too learn along the way, and pitfalls. You will not regret the enormous feeling of accomplishment you'll feel as results start to occur. Keep a positive attitude at all times, and the valleys will become hills, and eventually, you will climb to the top of the mountain! There is one guarantee about quitting...it will "not" happen. How do you use Idea Cafe to help your biz? One can never know too much as a self-starter. Even persons from other businesses can provide inspiration. Lastly, I wish to know info about grants, resources in Los Angeles, work permits etc. School (where, still in school, degree)? Prior jobs or business? Favorite Food? Do any of these pets help with your biz? Is there any one person or event in your life that led
you to go into business for yourself? However, it was always on my mind through other types of work. It helped too that I'd sang and played piano since I was five years old and I had all those performances and recitials to my credit. Anyone you publicly want to thank? www.imdb.com |
...Indian shot by make-up artist for film...photographie Indienne par l'artiste de maquillage pour le film "Black Robe"...
The scary pic above; I acted in a docu-drama about cocaine addiction on TVO called "Cracked". Le pic effrayant au-dessus, j'ai agi dans un docudrame de la dependance de cocaine sur TVO Appele Craque.
