News of the Week

Next Actor Students in Movies, Festivals, Contests and Stage

	TWO NEXT ACTOR FILMS TO SCREEN AT BAYOU CITY INSPIRATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL IN HOUSTON The Feature film "A Federal Case" will premiere at the Bayou City Inspirational Film Festival on August 8 @ 12:50 PM at the Sheraton North IAH. To view trailer of the film, click here >> Click for details of the premiere at the BCIFF San Banarje's short film "The Enemy Inside" will screen at the same festival on August 9 @ 10 AM. This 14 minutes film deals with two dads - A US soldier and an Arab civilian at the time of war and terrorism. Click for screening details at BCIFF
	A FEDERAL CASE GETS ITS FIRST FEATHER The Feature film "A Federal Case" that was shot in Richmond and Brownsville, Texas and Mexico with only Next Actor cast won a remi award in the dramatic category of Worldfest Houston International Film Festival 2008. The film sends a strong message about teen pregnancy, drugs and alcohol abuse and abortion issues. Written by Brian Stewart and directed by Trisha Ray, the film was shot by San Banarje and starred only Next Actors - Kelley Nesper, Catherine Burdett, Lance Stodghill, Jordan Jaffe, Brandon Belknap, Dave Amyx, Tom Combs, Fabrizia Faustinella, Mark Menn, Aaren Wheeler, Jason Bell, Joseph Cintron to name but a few. Most actors faced the camera for the first time in this feature. We at Next Actor Studio are extremely proud of this feat and would like to congratulate our team of cast and crew who made this film a beautiful memory. For info, visit Lake Camp Productions and Worldfest Houston.
	CLOSURE IN CLERMONT-FERRAND Trisha Ray's short film 'Closure' that deals with a divorced couple's dinner rendezvous was recently played at the Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival, held in France. Film Festival and is now available in the festival's archive. Clermont-Ferrand Film festival is known as the Cannes of Short Film and boasts an international viewership from several countries including the USA. You may watch the film online
	A FEDERAL CASE WRAPS Action Thriller "A Federal Case" wraps in Mexico and Texas. The entire cast and crew was hired from Next Actor Studio. For more info, visit www.imdb.com View Trailer
	Actor Ryan Donowho (OC, Imaginary Heroes) has a new role in Trisha Ray's feature film Bleep Love. Ryan is the music composer of the 105 minutes comedy about artists and their struggle. The film features Ryan's songs along with background scores that are highly eclectic with an ethnic fusion and hip hop tracks, thereby showing once again that this teen icon is not only one of the most prominent young actors but also a talented musician with a huge range of composition that fits any mood. Donowho is member of the band called PAGODA with actor Michael Pitt. Bleep Love also features Ryan's father Wayne in a supporting role as Donald Kaufhold.
	Model-actress Jennifer Sciole has several movies under her belt this season, among which the most anticipated one is Political Engagement where she plays the lead role. Although she resides in Los Angeles, California, Jennifer often travels to Houston to take class with San Banarje whenever she has auditions and gigs to follow through. An immensely dedicated actress, Jennifer has been in several TV shows including Nip Tuck, Everybody Loves Raymond among others.
	Editing Student Wayne Slaten won three awards at the recently held 48-hour film festival in Houston. Wayne produced the film THE ERASER which went on to win the best cinematography, graphic edit and musical score in this highly competitive film festival.
	Next Actor Studio short-to-feature film MONEY was shot in Paris, France after it was screened at the Cannes Film Festival Short Film Corner in May 2007. The short has now been turned into a feature and is currently being submitted to festivals all around the world.
	Screenwriting Student SIBYL AVERY JACKSON has just sold her screenplay A Degree of Caution to a major Hollywood Studio. The screenplay was adapted from Jackson's own book by the same name. "A Degree of Caution" won several literary awards and rave reviews and is available in every bookstore including Barnes and Noble, Border as well as through Amazon.com and other literary sources. A Degree of Caution anecdotes the adventures of special agent Monica Sinclair, who fights the corruption of a Houston based giant cellphone company which is using the cellular wavelength to cause terrorist activities worldwide. Production of this motion picture will start shortly. Sibyl has more than twenty years experience as a writer, editor, publicist for television and radio, as well as a researcher/writer/editor for corporate executives and a local politician.
	BEN WARNER, who played the lead role of Travis in the upcoming Trisha Ray comedy feature *Bleep Love, has grabbed the lead role of Pat Warden in the New York feature film "Follow Your Heart" to be shot in New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Jamaica and Mumbai. "Follow your Heart" is going to be released worldwide end of 2007. Ben was cast by the director and producer without an audition after they saw him in the trailer of Bleep Love* online and realized he was the actor they wanted. Ben will be traveling with the film all over USA and abroad.
	Acting and Screenwriting Student KYM MOSLEY has won the best screenplay award for her full length feature film script "Let the Good Times Roll" at the SAIFF Filmand Screenplay Festival 2007. A native of New Orleans, Kym currently lives in New York and has written the script about a love story set in the time of Hurricane Katrina.
10-year old Erika Marks cleared the auditions of NBC's *America's Got Talents*. NBC will air the show this summer as America votes for winners. Erika had earlier won the Best New Talents contests in Los Angeles and then went on to be featured in the Mo'nique show.

	The new dialogue promo of our very independent comedy feature is now available online as well as on you tube. The film deals with the lives and love of artists who are trying to make it as superstars but are finding it hard to overcome the different obstacles that keep popping up. The film, produced by Next Actor Studio and written, directed and edited by Trisha Ray, casts several Next Actors including San Banarje, Mikhail Sebastian, Ifeoma Onugbo, Ben Warner, Joy Delafose, Ryan Williams, James Coate, Fabrizia Faustinella, Maria Belyaeva, Katerina Pasat, Erik Foster, Genaro Deanda among others.
	Striking Range, (earlier titled Bloodlines) distributed by Sony Pictures is now available nationwide. The film is directed by Dallas based Daniel Millican and stars Lou Diamond Phillips. San Banarje of Next Actor Studio is cast in a cameo role as a mafia leader in the film. Rent your copy from hollywood, blockbuster or netflix video store. For more info, visit www.imdb.com
	Evil Behind You, a film by Jim Carroll and Jason Kerr will open nationwide in Feb 2007. The film stars San Banarje of Next Actor Studio as one of the lead actors.you can rent your copy from any Hollywood, Blockbuster, or Netflix video store
"THE MISSION" IS NOW "THE ENEMY INSIDE" Next Actor Studio's Feature THE MISSION has been renamed as THE ENEMY INSIDE. The film stars J. D. Hawkins, Joey Malouf, Trisha Ray, Jerry Redmond, Jordan Graham, Edward Bradley, Samar Karna.

Sharon McNerney played the role of Bree's friend in the Mother's Day episode of "Desperate Housewives." Sharon moved to Los Angeles in 2005 after working in the Next Actor feature film "The Mission" where she played the ditsy wife of a porsche- man and got herself several gigs on MTV which were broadcast nationwide.
MUSEUM OF MODERN ARTS, NEW YORK chose Bong Connection as the closing night film of its festival in New York. The film was screened at the Museum of Modern Arts on Monday, April 30 @ 8 PM. Next Actor Studio's talented cast and crew made the film possible by working day and night at a very little pay. Without the cooperation of the Houston team, this film would not have been complete. To read reviews about this film on Variety, click here

*STARBUCKS COFFEE COMPANY ENDORSES BLEEP* LOVE - THE INDIE COMEDY FEATURE** STARBUCKS COFFEE COMPANY has endorsed the production of the comedy feature Bleep Love, which is being produced by Tidus Films and Next Actor Studio. Directed by Trisha Ray, the film stars several students of Next Actor Studio including Ben Warner, Mikhail Sebastian, Ifeoma & Air Sritiraj of Next Actor Studio.
"THE MISSION" SCREENS IN HOUSTON Feature Film "The Mission" produced by Next Actor Studio screens at the City Hall on September 8th. The film casts several Next Actor Students who will make their screen debut with this feature.

JUAN VAZQUEZ DONATES TIME TO VOLUNTEER WITH HURRICANE VICTIMS We are proud to share with everyone that Juan Vazquez of Next Actor Studio is volunteering his time in Louisiana, helping the victims of Hurricane Kattrina and Rita. Juan has taken a vacation from his regular job to selflessly donate his entire time to do this for the last few weeks. After working in New Orleans for a while, Juan is currently in Lake Charles, LA, where he is working with the victims of Hurricane Rita.
ERICA MARKS WINS THE GRAND FINALE OF TALENT SHOW IN LOS ANGELES Erica Marks is a 9-year old singer who ventured into acting this summer when she participated in the Talent Contest called Best New Talent, that spends all of spring and summer traveling to major cities all over the US and Alaska auditioning for contestants for their show. They came to Houston last April and Erica auditioned and made it. Erica started preparing with her private tutor at Next Actor, Trish, right after she got selected to be on the national show. ERICA WON THE GRAND FINALE IN THE EVENT AMONG KIDS, TEENS AND ADULTS after making the finals in Comedic acting, Contemporary singing, and Broadway singing. Erica won the BEST OVERALL TALENT AWARD for winning the most categories and getting the highest rank score in every category including kids, teens and adults. The prizes Erica won are trophies, cash and a finder guitar. Erica's mom Sandy Marks quoted "Even more exciting han the prizes were the endless callbacks of many people wanting to represent her. People have been known to become very successful after attending this event, getting record deals, major movies etc. We are not ready to move to LA so we would like to have her represented in Houston. We thank you Next Actor/Trish for helping Erica prepare for this event. She has learned so much from you and we would love to continue being involved with Next Actor."
REBECCA ON THE PHONE ENTERS FILM FESTIVAL IN SOUTH AFRICA/SWAZILAND Trisha Ray's Rebecca on the Phone was screened at the Golden Lion Film Festival on October 16th and after that played twice due to popular demand. The film stars Falin Proffitt, Julianne Christoffel and Amy Warren of Next Actor Studio and is written, directed and edited by Trisha Ray. The film is the first story of the feature A BLACK CHRISTMAS which deals with three people on a White Christmas. TREVOR PARSONS' WORK REVIEWED IN HOLLYWOOD'S BACKSTAGE - WEST Trevor Parsons garners a great review in Hollywood's Backstage West for his performance as Jesus Christ in the play "Jimmy Christ". According to the popular publication 'Backstage-West', "A wonderfully clever humor energizes Nicholas Monohan's play [Jimmy Christ] immediately picked up in two exceptional performances by Jonah Wanicur as the title character and Trevor Parsons as his future - challenged surfer-dude redeemer brother who's unsure if his personal oracle told him to "go east" or "go eat." Parsons, whose Jesus looks and sounds a bit like an early Nordic Keanu Reeves, is a master of the deadpan while tossing away Monohan's paraphrased biblical gems, wholly comfortable with lines such as, "Hey, I want to try out a new parable on you guys if that's cool with you," then following with, "There's no use cryin' over spilt milk," which he proudly admits he thought up in a trance. Trevor moved to L.A. in May 2005 and is currently making rounds as leads in both plays and films and getting noticed by several agents and casting directors. Trevor's recent screen performance includes the lead role in MTV's new pilot "Snitched"