Second City Photoshoot: Dreams Really Do Come True! (and other lies)
**First thing: The background on this post is messed up. I know. I hate it. Somethings going on with the blog section of my site and I havent been able to get a hold of my webmaster. Functionality is fine but I hate how it looks. Please forgive. Now with that out of the way…
I had the pleasure of shooting Second City’s new show, Dreams Really Do Come True! (and other lies). Its my third photoshoot for Second City and my favourite so far… Something to do with the fact that the poster shoot involved a healthy mix of chapel poses, sexy ridiculousness, and flying comedians. Also, simply because this is my favourite Second City show yet and is filled with a ridiculously talented and lovely group of people. These guys worked their tail off and it really shows… This is comedy for the masses but also for the real comedy fans. If you love comedy you need to see this show.
Find out how by clicking here
Mixed in here is a combination of untouched “behind the scene” sort of shots that were later used in the posters, and then a whole bunch of stills I took from the show. I made sure to not put anything up that might spoil a surprise… And there are many. Some of my favorite images will only come out after the show had its run.
To download the photos click on the thumbnail to bring it up, then right click “save as” to your computer.
Photo credit must appear as “Photography by www.CallbackHeadshots.com” wherever published or posted (even that face book the kids are going on about).
2011 Cream Of Comedy
**First thing: The background on this post is messed up. I know. I hate it. Somethings going on with the blog section of my site and I havent been able to get a hold of my webmaster. Functionality is fine but I hate how it looks. Please forgive. Now with that out of the way…
In September 2011, twenty promising comedic acts were invited to perform at this year’s Fresh Meat Showcase. From the twenty, five have been chosen by this year’s jury: Ed Sahely, Nikki Payne, Paul Snepsts, Mike Rita (2010 Cream of Comedy Winner) and Andy Boorman. The 5 Nominees will perform at the Cream of Comedy showcase for the coveted Tim Sims Encouragement Award. The Tim Sims Award which comes with a $5,000 cash prize, plus a scholarship to study at The Second City Training Centre.
The TSEF Jury is proud to announce the 2011 Tim Sims Award Nominees: BRITISH TEETH (Sketch duo), DJ DEMERS (Stand up), FRATWURST (Sketch troupe), KIRK JORGENSON (Stand up), and MARK EDWARDS (Stand up)
It will be a fantastic show. Get your tickets at www.secondcity.com
To download the photos click on the thumbnail to bring it up, then right click “save as” to your computer.
Photo credit must appear as “Photography by www.CallbackHeadshots.com” wherever published or posted (even that face book the kids are going on about).
Picture Set 1
MARK EDWARDS – STAND UP
Picture Set 2
KIRK JORGENSON – STAND UP
Picture Set 3
2011 CREAM OF COMEDY
Picture Set 4
FRATWURST – SKETCH
L-RF Jim Robinson, Eric Miinch, Evan Arppe and Josh Murray.
Picture Set 5
D.J. DEMERS – STAND UP
Picture Set 6
BRITISH TEETH – SKETCH
Filip Jeremic and Allana Reoch
For more information, interviews, photos please contact Daniel Shehori
(e) daniel@sweatequity.ca (t) 647-213-5151
Colours, Lights, Places: A Dan Abramovici Exhibit for Contact Photography Festival
Award winning film maker Dan Abramovici’s Colors, Lights, Places debuts at Contact 2011
TORONTO, ON APRIL 6, 2011 — Award winning short film maker Dan Abramovici freeze frames his world view into an expansive exhibition for this year’s Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival in Toronto.
His films have been featured and honoured in 12 international film festivals. He has created powerful portraits of celebrated Canadian comedians, and, after years of developing a body of photographic landscapes, Dan Abramovici presents Colours, Lights, Places: A Journey in Photographs in Toronto’s famed Queen West Gallery District.
Colours, Lights, Places: A Journey in Photographs unfolds like an epic film – each shot more expansive and heightening than the next, yet there is an intimacy that connects us with the subject of every frame – be it the texture of a rail board next to a mountain range or a raver cocooned in a spiral of glow stick light.
As Abramovici traversed the globe from Argentina to Croatia, his collection of stories through images has transformed into this series of visual gems on offer at this year’s Festival. Viewers are treated to a celebration of magnificent vistas and offered many insights into the inner vision that has contributed to this man’s success as a film maker.
Whether crossing borders or traversing art forms, Abramovici’s work has no boundaries. “As a photographer, comedian, and film maker one of my greatest joys is finding the subtle nuances in our world that many people may overlook. It’s those little details we all recognize and connect with that I want to share.”
An important detail is his choice of venue for his exhibition: “I feel a special connection with South American narrative. The energy of the continent has been a muse for me, and I wanted to re-pay that gift in some way.” El Almacen is a South American owned gallery/cafe, which is a secret source of inspiration for many local artists.
This detail within the context of the large scale of Contact speaks to Abramovici’s ability to see the blade of grass under the mighty oak tree. Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival is the world’s largest festival of photographic images with over 1.5 million visitors annually.
Over 1000 local, national and international artists are showcased each year at more than 200 venues throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Part of the Contact Festival’s cache is the chance to experience photography in unexpected locales, which, in this case, is as provocative as the exhibit itself.
Colours, Lights, Places will take place at El Almacen (1078 Queen St West, Toronto). The opening reception begins at 7pm on April 28, 2011 and will feature South American live music, refreshments and cuisine. Admission is free.
–
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
http://scotiabankcontactphoto.com/events/146
PS: On Facebook? Wanna easily share this with friends? Go to the event page HERE
Photoshoot for Second City: This Party’s a Riot!
We have an awesome comedy scene in Toronto. From standup to sketch to filmed comedy. But, for me, having grown up a fan of improv comedy and being a former Second City Conservatory student myself, there is nothing better than the stuff The Second City mainstage performers pull out of thin air night after night. Well, its actually even better when they put together a a written show from their very best improvised bits… Which they have for “This Party’s a Riot!”.
So, needless to say, that it was a very welcome surprise to get a phone call asking if I would want to come to the theatre and do a promotional photo shoot for the cast. It was a pleasure.
Argentina Photo Journal
Its December 26th and im on a 3 hour layover from Buenos Aires to Mendoza. Thought it would be a good time to upload some of the photos so far for all to see.
Anyway, this photo journal documents the first week and a bit of my trip. Much family fun was had, great food, and some beautiful sites. After this comes something brand new for me: Brazil. Will be ringing in the New Year in Rio De Janeiro. Very excited.
Enjoy the pics, and if you have any questions about backpacking in South America feel free to post and ill do my best to help.
Happy holidays,
Dan Abramovici
Laser Eye Surgery in Toronto
I am now two weeks removed from my surgery and am very happy. I have 20/20 vision and can see every wood chip on my ceiling first thing in the morning. Exciting stuff.
It went like this:
For years I have been going back and forth with the idea of signing up for laser eye surgery. On the one hand, it seemed like a very expensive and somewhat unnecessary expense… My prescription wasnt that bad and I could manage with contacts and glasses. But, on the other hand, not worrying about contacts or glasses, especially when traveling, is objectively awesome. It really is.
So, I promised myself that I would only book the procedure if I came upon some commercial money (I consider money I earn filming commercials to be pretty much fun bonus money… As its a ridiculous payday for the work put in). Commercials came in and still I pushed the surgery back (new camera toys seemed like a good idea, as did a trip to Coachella, plus that Street Fighter arcade stick wasnt gonna buy itself), and then in August, I booked a Bud 66 commercial and decided that as soon as my last round of contact lenses run out ill go ahead with it.
Research time:
Its your eyes. Scary already huh? Research is definitely required and here is mine…
I had consultations with Bochner, Herzig, and TLC. I decided against Lasik MD because I couldnt find a single reason for why they charge approximately $1000 more than the others, and I disqualified the cheap ones because they seemed to be using an older method, had a higher fail rate, or (and this might not be true) had an army of hamsters manning the machines.
Bochner, Herzig, and TLC were all saying pretty much the same thing. They were all around the same price point and had a ton of experience using custom Lasik. All said that I would make a great candidate. So really, what it came down to was the people and the overall feeling I had at the centres.
Both Herzig and Bochner were just a few hundered dollars more expensive than TLC and, after my consultations, I really felt like the only place that money went was image and location. Both are located in the downtown Yorkville area, and both have a spa-like feel… Lovely waiting room, extensive catalogue of magazines, snacks. All fun things, but not really what I cared about in making my decision. What TLC had, and why I went with them, was a very nice and knowledgable group of people at the centre who took the time to fully understand and answer each and every one of my questions. Bottom line was that I just felt more comfortable with them. I did feel like they cared about the individual clients and believed in their service. Also, they have their lifetime guarantee policy, where they will do a follow up operation years down the line if my vision regresses.
Another nice thing: After I signed up for the surgery they knocked off $100 because my one day followup would be in Mississauga and I didnt have a ride. They didnt have to do that for me. I would have taken a taxi and not given it much thought. But the fact they did again made me feel appreciated and taken care of.
Morning of the surgery came and I was feeling fine. Not really nervous at all. It didnt really hit me until I was in the operating room and then it all washed over me at once… With my eye pried and a team working around me it suddenly made me realize just how fragile this whole thing is. My eyes, the keys to my whole world, are just these gellatonous little balls filled with nerves and wires and things I dont understand… One wrong move and… Before I could really complete my panicked train of thought the thing was done. 10 minutes. 10 minutes of following around blinky lights, some blackness, and listening to fancy whirring sounds. No pain.
After the surgery my eyes were uncomfortable. They felt gritty, like I had a long expired pair of contacts in place. TLC gave me a stylish pair of sunglasses to wear out and told me to get home and get to bed (where I got to wear an even sexier pair of glasses, erm, “eye shields”). After waking, already my eyes were feeling better. Next day they were much much better still and I already had 20/20 vision. The slight grittiness lasted just a few days but after about a week I started feeling about %99 normal.
So thats it. So far so good. Now that ive done it it really does seem like the biggest no brainer. Before, Id wear glasses unless I went somewhere special. Some days, when nothing spectacular was happening, id just make do with long distance blurriness. Now, I can see everything all the time. The amazing and the mundane.
Hey, whats that piece of dust doing hanging way up there??? Gaaaahhhh I cant reach it!!!
Cream Of Comedy 2010 – Now with 100% more performance pictures!!
Last night I had the pleasure of attending and taking some shots at the Cream Of Comedy 2010 competition. The night was everything I hoped it would be, with each one of the comedians delivering a top notch set of comedy. In the end, it was Mike Rita who walked away with the big prize. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.
If you missed out on the show this year I highly recommend you keep an eye out for it next year. Its always an outstanding night and the very best way to see the cities most exciting comedians.
Alright, no more from me. Scroll on for the pics and the word on Cream of Comedy straight from their website:
Five of the funniest new acts in Toronto’s comedy scene will be featured in Cream of Comedy on Sunday November 21st , when one of them will be crowned the winner of the 2010 Tim Sim’s Award, and take home a $5,000 cash prize as well as a scholarship to The Second City Training Centre. The winner will also have an opportunity to write and star in a comedy short to air on The Comedy Network.
The evening will be hosted by Harry Doupe, whose has performed at major events and venues across the country, and whose “State of the Industry Address” is a highlight of the annual Canadian Comedy Awards.
Now in its 15th year, The Tim Sims Award is presented annual by The Tim Sims Encouragement Fund (www.timsims.com), which was established in memory of a beloved Second City alumnus to order to support and promote promising comedic performers in the early stages of their careers.
This year’s jury-selected nominees include sketch comedy troupe Big Tease, and stand-up comics Darryl Orr, Mike Rita, Georgea Brooks-Hancock, and Marco Bernardi. Come discover new talent, cheer on your favourite, and find out who will be selected as the 2010 Tim Sims Award recipient.
It should be a spectacular show. Think about it… The Very Best young talent of the year all on one stage. Ridiculous. Tell your friends and readers about the awesomeness that is Fresh Meat 2010 so that we can do it again every year.
Some useful links and advice for new actors
This is a post ive been wanting to put up for a while and one that will probably evolve from feedback. Lets start with the most important thing a fledgling actor (or his parent) can do:
Research
Sounds so simple right? But ive had countless actors walking through my studio door telling me horror stories of agencies that asked for a ridiculous up front cost, photographers who overcharged and under-delivered, and acting schools that didnt really, um, teach. Most, if not all of these nightmares, could have been avoided through some quick research. Where? ACTRA, our acting union, is a good start. They have a list of (legitimate) agents, message boards, and also some lovely people at the office who can answer questions. Why, here is their website:
That site is an excellent start and there are countless others that you can Google. In fact, thats a really cool thing about our time… You can quickly research anything… Photographers, schools, agencies… See what people have to say about them. Visit their website. Ask yourself:
“Does it make sense?”
I try to ask that of myself every now and again when conducting my own business. You see, one of the reasons I got into headshot photography is because I found that, oftentimes, it does not. Not from the actor’s perspective anyway. Years ago, when just starting out, I had gone one of the city’s big name headshot photographers. He was was my then-agent’s go to photographer, and I, like many young actors, took my agents word as gospel and booked a session, no questions asked. He was expensive (which I thought meant “better”), didnt let me keep my proofs, counted his exposures, and gave me no say over the shoot. I thought thats just how its done and didnt question it. About $1000 and some less than stellar headshots later, I learned my lesson. Now, I try to be as transparent and reasonable with my service as possible.
Whether they like it or not, anybody who is offering your acting career a service, needs to have a website which gives you a window into their business. Check it out.
If its acting teachers/schools, look into what name they have and what people have to say about them. If theyre photographers, check out their galleries and ask them questions before booking a session. If theyre agents, look at who they represent and make sure you interview them as much as they interview you. At the end of the day, some research, and some common sense, will steer you clear of most trouble.
Have feedback? Want more links? Disagree with me? Feel free to post in the comment section.
Cheers,
Dan
Shambhala 2010: Crazyness, DJs, and Camping in BC
This summer I was invited to photograph the Shambhala Music Festival in BC.
Over 10,000 music and art lovers gathered at Shambhala near Salmo, B.C. from Thursday, August 5th to Sunday the 8th. The festival grounds – a 500 acre cattle ranch deep in the lush Selkirk Mountains – were packed as the festival sold out for the first time.
Over 200 musicians and performance artists from around the world played at the festival’s six individually themed stages. Some highlights included A Skillz and The Plump DJ’s in the Fractal Forest and Dieselboy at the Village.
It was absolutely insane and wonderful and hard to put into words… So Ill let the pictures explain 
Guacamole
So a question ive never been asked and am now eager to reply to is: “Dan, based on your experience as an actor and photographer, what is the best recipe for guacamole?”
Guacamole Recipe:
- Avocado
- Tomato (take skin off, boil in water…make it soft…little pieces)
- Garlic (minced)
- Salt and Pepper
- Touch of Cumin
- Saffron
- Lime
- Optional: Yogurt
(You’re welcome)
