Red Silk Carpet Magazine #30 Dec

RSC#30 Dec 2018

Debbie Permoda D’Jean Collection Brian Boynton

Connie Tobias E d Mo r al e s

Shaun Brett

D a n i e l K n uds e n Creed of Gold Christmas Coupon

Debbie Permoda D’Jean Collections

Cover Model: Debbie Permoda Red Gown : Alyce Model: Debbie Permoda White Gown Designer: Debbie Permoda D’ Jean Collections

Chicago Media Follows the Oscars p r e s e n t e d

b y

Sandra Smith-Doghmi Shelley Jernigan Pekala A n d t h e Te a m of Red Silk Carpet Magazine

We have a spot RESERVED for you!

Red Carpet Concierge of Chicago .com An Oscars Related Award

P h o t o by ATOC

ACADEMY MUSEUM OF MOTION PICTURES Museum Fact Sheet The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will be the world’s premier institution devoted to exploring the art and science of movies and moviemaking. Visitors to the museum will experience the magic of cinema and the creative, collaborative process of filmmaking through the lens of those who make it. Built in Los Angeles, the movie capital of the world, the museum will be housed in the renovated and expanded May Company—now the Saban Building—on Wilshire Boulevard and a distinctive spherical addition designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano with Renzo Piano Building Workshop. The 300,000-square-foot museum will feature more than 50,000 square feet of gallery space for both a highly immersive permanent exhibition and a schedule of diverse temporary exhibitions, two film and performance theaters, a state-of-the-art education studio, and dynamic spaces for public and special events.

The Academy Museum has actively been acquiring three-dimensional motion picture objects since 2008. Its holdings now number approximately 2,500 items representing motion picture technology, costume design, production design, makeup and hairstyling, and promotional materials. The Museum will also draw from the unparalleled collection of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which contains a vast range of motion picture production and history related objects and technology, works on paper, and still and moving images covering the history of motion pictures in the United States and throughout the world. The collections include more than 12 million photographs, 190,000 film and video assets, 80,000 screenplays, 61,000 posters, and 104,000 pieces of production art. Highlights feature more than 1,600 special collections of film legends such as Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, Alfred Hitchcock, and John Huston.

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will be the world’s premier institution devoted to exploring the a r t a n d s c i e n c e o f m o v i e s a n d m o v i e m a k i n g.

The Academy Museum has been acquiring three dimensional motion picture objects since 2008. Its holdings now number approximately 2,500 items

r e p r e s e n t i n g m o t i o n p i c t u r e t e c h n o l o g y, c o s t u m e design, production design, makeup and hairstyling, and promotional materials.

Letter From the Founder Ho, Ho, Ho! Bet you thought Santa was a guy! I think all of us ladies are a tad bit qualified also.

We cook, clean, wrap, shop, decorate and on and on for this wonderful time of the year. Our stocking cap is off to you all!

We are welcoming Lucia Capri as our new Editor of Red Silk Carpet from Italy!

Lucia is a fashion designer with lots of great talent in the industry. Watch for her first article in January 2018.

Thank you to Dr. Quinton de’Alexander for sharing his new event coming in Spring 2019. Photographer- Shaun Brett (Shaughnessy B. Photography) and his wonderful team of fashion imagery. Ed Morales, artist, friend and storyteller! Aviation’s Captain Connie Tobias with tales in the sky and a special on The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures who is the world’s premier institution devoted to exploring the art and science of movies and moviemaking.

And, of course, our back cover with the enchanting Amayah Grace from New Orleans!

Your Concierge,

Sandy

Outstanding Personal Documentary

Aaron Noble

Letter from Editorial Director, Editor-in-Chief

Merry Christmas Everyone!

There is certainly a feeling of Christmas in the air! It’s the feeling of love in your heart for your family and friends. It can be wrapped up with a free smile to those we care about.

A special thank you to all the incredibly talented individuals that we have shared over the year of 2018! And we look forward to building even more in 2019. Lots of surprises and news lie ahead.

The Red Silk Carpet Award event is rolling of the press as we speak, lots of ideas will roll out and we encourage you all to network with the wonderful team we have.

Our best to Debbie Permoda of D’Jean Collection, a fashion designer with a passionate eye for the red carpet. Brian Boynton, actor, model and writer from Michigan. A 2019 special for the film Christmas Coupon. Daniel Knudsen who is an American film director, actor and film producer. He is also a co-founder of Crystal Creek Media.

So, to all of you children out there, “Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse, The Stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there……

See You soon!

Shelley Pekala Red Silk Carpet Editorial Director Editor -in-Chief shelley@redcarpetconciergeofchicago.com

RED Silk Carpet Magazine We are proud to have a dedicated Team to bring you a variety of stories and information within our industry. We look forward to serving you.

SANDRA SMITH- DOGHMI Founder and President SHELLEY PEKALA Editorial Director ~ Editor in Chief shelley@redcarpetconciergeofchicago.com

C RY S TA L AT WO O D Assistant Editor in Chief AARON NOBLE Managing Editor LORRELEI NATKE Editor SOPHIA CIN S e n i o r E d i t o r i a l Wr i t e r Rosie Esquivel E d i t o r i a l Wr i t e r M I K AY L A P E K A L A Advisory Board EMER GOMEZ Creative Director MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ Vice President Sales & Marketing S A N TA N A C R U Z Marketing Director JOLENE KUNDE RCCI Photo Journalist M E G H A N WA L S H Fashion & Lifestyle Advisor GUTHRIE BONNÉTT ATOC Media Director Celebrity Photographer C O N C I E R G E

M E D I A

G R O U P

Daniel Knudsen Crystal Creek Media www.crystalcreekmedia.com Facebook.com/Daniel KnudsenDK

Daniel Knudsen Daniel Knudsen is an American film director, actor and film producer. He is also a cofounder of Crystal Creek Media .

Detroit’s Daniel

fortunate to be alive and pursue something he was passionate about.

Very few directors in Hollywood are producing or directing their tenth feature film. While that feat is uncommon even in the hub of the film industry, it is an anomaly in the Midwest. One Michigan-based director is finding a niche being that anomaly, his name is Daniel Knudsen.

While you probably are not familiar with his name, his movies have been widely viewed online. In fact, two of them made it into the top 50 movies on Amazon Prime during 2017.

While no one in his family was formally involved in the arts or creative fields, he had a lifelong dream of being involved in cinema.

Beginning in high school Daniel worked very hard to find opportunities to get involved with film and media. Those efforts landed him an internship on his first set when he was seventeen and he has been involved with media production ever since.

Daniel was raised in southwest Detroit in a simple working-class home. He grew up with his maternal grandfather, a Polish POW who was a Nazi concentration camp survivor. At an early age Daniel knew he was

In 2009 Daniel began working on his first feature film “Creed of Gold.�

Using digital SLR cameras for filmmaking was a new technology that entered the market weeks prior to his schedule for principal photography.

Daniel was an early and immediate adopter of this technology and chose to shoot his film with a Canon 5D Mark II digital SLR camera. After running around and gathering all his friends, he began filming a script his dad wrote.

Production presented many tough challenges for Daniel. He started this project at 21 years old and was brand new to leadership. After many trials, the movie was eventually finished.

However, upon finishing the movie, the difficult journey only became steeper. Every distributor in Hollywood turned the movie down for distribution. Major edits, sound revisions and reshoots were required to get the movie up to par for distribution. The rest of the cast and crew had moved on and were no longer interested in working on the project. Daniel struggled nearly alone for a few years to make it all happen by re-filming and re-editing the project himself. After putting a substantial amount of time and effort into the film, it finally had several distributions offers on the table. While not a smash hit, “Creed of Gold” did enjoy respectable U.S. and international distribution, hitting the new release rack at Walmart and eventually making it into Amazon Prime’s top fifty most watched movies. The success was short lived

though as the distributor for “Creed of Gold” violated the contract and left Daniel hung out to dry.

“Creed of Gold” did not catch the studio’s attention, but it did catch the attention of a most powerful script consultant. The movie put Daniel in touch with one of Will Smith’s script consultants, Dr. Stan Williams. Over the next few years Dr. Williams taught Daniel many secrets to effective storytelling. As a result of “Creed of Gold,” many other producing and directing opportunities presented themselves.

Being from Detroit, Daniel is used to hard work and severe winters. Challenges are an inevitable part of the filmmaking journey. People are drawn to this industry for a variety of reasons, but for Daniel it is very simple - he loves it. If you see him on set, you see a human being doing exactly what they were created to do. He is running around non-stop, working long hours, day and night, success, or failure, to him it really doesn’t matter. Down to the smallest detail, Daniel is a dreamer and artist.

The King's Messengers David Sutherland 2018

“Many people dismiss this industry as a fantasy world of make-believe, but I disagree.

Stories can give us something that I believe is one of the most powerful forces in the world - hope.

That’s what I want to authentically share with the audience.” - Daniel Knudsen He is also the star of the PureFlix exclusive mini-series “The King’s Messengers,” coming March 2019.

Daniel’s most recent film is the romantic drama “Christmas Coupon” which should be released during the 2019 holiday season.

Courageous Love Jason Kwilos 2017

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Ya s m e e n S u r i , S h e e n a M o n n i n , J u s t i n M a n e , on set filming Christmas Coupon.

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C ount r y sing er D r ew Ja cobs fil ming on t he set of Christmas Coupon coming in 2019.

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Bobby Laenen, Courtney Matthews, Aaron Noble

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Past President of Washington D.C. based advisory group Women in Film and Video, Rebecca Bustamante (on right), and guest (in dazzling silver) hangout on the red carpet.

Designer Nolan Dean Le (second from right) matching outfits with some of his latest creations

Ta m a r a S c h n a r r , w h o r e p r e s e n t e d B r e n t A d a m ' s

"The Beauty of Reverso", and entourage giving out free hugs.

We a c t u a l l y d i d s e e q u i t e a b i t o f h u gg i n g g o i n g o n !

K a nye We s t w i t h t h e “Philosopher King of Fashion” K ar l La gerfeild

Director Daniel Kunz, looking ver y cool in his pilot's outfit and Humphrey Bogar t cigarette, is looking for a card game.

Poker anyone?

Inspired by the writings of Virginia Woolf, director Justin Coupe conceptualized a film shot in Iceland and set to a poem, “ The Fool�, that he wrote himself. An awesome location combined with a strong narrative in this world premiere film deduting at the 10th La Jolla.

Meet La Jolla's Official Cause Partner, The Ethical Fashion Initiative of the International Trade Centre, a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.

The EFI connects artisans from the developing world to the international value chain of fashion. In doing so, the Ethical Fashion Initiative harnesses fashion as a vehicle for development.

One of the UN's most effective programs!

Meet La Jolla's Official Cause Partner, The Ethical Fashion Initiative of the International Trade Centre, a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. The EFI connects artisans from the developing world to the international value chain of fashion. In doing so, the Ethical Fashion Initiative harnesses fashion as a vehicle for development.

One of the UN's most effective programs!

Kees van Dongen, Les bras vides, early 20th century

Ed Morales

Photo by:

Mike Uller y

Connie Tobias “ Yo u

never know who you are going to influence … or who will influence you.”

“For decades, I've been painting this portrait or that portrait for clients or for my personal collection.

About 5 years ago I wanted to paint a portrait of Harriet Quimby. Harriet Quimby was an early American aviator and a movie screenwriter.

In 1911, she was awarded a U.S. pilot's certificate by the Aero Club of America, becoming the first woman to gain a pilot's license in the United States. I am thinking if I paint her portrait then perhaps it could be made a part of the Washington DC, National Air and Space museum.

I already had a few paintings in various museums, however the Air and Space Museum was the real biggie Something to tell my kids and impress my clients plain and simple. I got in touch with Walter J. Boyne. He is a former director of the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution and a former Chairman of the National Aeronautic Association.

I asked him about the possibility of my pressing on with my Harriet Quimby project. He suggested that perhaps I pursue another avenue regarding Harriet Quimby. He told me about Connie Tobias. She does

reenactments of Harriet Quimby flying the circa 1911 Bleriot monoplane. Along with Walter Boyne, Connie became my friend via Facebook. Over the years, via Facebook, I have kept track of her career and retirement as a Captain for a major Airline.

On the 5th of August of this year I came to abrupt halt with the realization that I needed a greater challenge than just painting portraits.

Enter Connie Tobias.

That day I asked her, via Facebook, if she was up for me painting her portrait and her doing her bio and publishing it in Red Silk Carpet magazine for all the world to see? A resounding yes was her reply. Now I had a challenge, how should I paint her.

She has been successful in many aspects of the flying world including being Captain and an Engineer. I asked her how she wanted to be depicted. She left that up to my imagination and these paintings are the result. I still have not done Harriet Quimby. “ Ed Morales"

When Opportunity Knocks, what do You do?

It takes more than an opportunity to achieve success, but an untapped opportunity is useless. When faced with choices, Connie Tobias is living proof of having taken chances and molded opportunities into achievement. She learned not only how to survive, but how to be successful in a risky business. It is significant that she recognized opportunities, took them, did the preparation and hard work, and pursued a path of excellence that stands her in good stead to this day.

In the very early 1970’s, it was only a pipe dream for a woman to aspire to reach the cockpits of an airline. So, when a female flight instructor, Joan Mace, who had been flying in general aviation since 1943, knew of Connie’s aspirations of becoming an airline pilot, she made some calls. Connie’s dream was soon no secret among Joan’s friends who were women pilots, all members of the Ninety Nines, licensed female pilot group, and who were ready to be supportive.

Each of us has had at least one someone to thank for having inspired us and urged us to succeed. Connie shared her thoughts on this by saying, “It astounded me that women who didn’t even know me would be so encouraging. Many of them were in no position to pursue the dream of an airline pilot career that I harbored, yet

they rallied around me with unsolicited words of moral support, such as, ‘You can do this!’ and ‘Go get them!’ I have never forgotten their voices or their enthusiasm for my dream. They believed in a young woman who might one day wear the four stripes of captain for the airlines.

Their moral support was freely and unselfishly given and very much appreciated.

There have been times throughout my career I revisited the resounding echoes of their positive reinforcement, because I needed to remember them for the challenges I faced. Their words of encouragement were gifts to me.

And, although it is true, we are all heir to the glorious courage, perseverance, and spirit of so many pioneer women pilots, it should also be recognized that influence and inspiration comes in a variety of forms. I will always remember and am so grateful for those who mentored and inspired me.”

Connie chose opportunity, worked hard, and not only became the Outstanding Aviation Student of the Year, but graduated Summa Cum Laude from a University. Within the next few years she completed the master’s degree coursework in Engineering.

Connie became a flight instructor, an aviation examiner, a pilot for charter, freight, fire patrol, commuter, regional, and major airlines, and an adjunct professor of aviation at Salem College. Connie was among the first wave of women hired by the airlines.

She has flown heavy jets, seaplanes, gliders, helicopters, turbo-props, fighters and hang gliders. Connie Tobias has flown 70+ different aircraft from a 1909 Bleriot to a F-4 Phantom to an Airbus 330-300. She has more than 22,000 flight hours, more than 1,300 trans-Atlantic crossings, and is type rated on 7 airliners. She recently retired as a senior captain from the major airlines.

But it is to Connie’s credit that her claim to Fame may be the airplanes she has flown that few others have even seen in the air, much less been solo pilot at the controls. Connie can claim flying several fascinating aircraft that make her accomplishments unique. Having logged some flight time in an original 1909 Bleriot, which gave her experience with wing warping techniques, Connie went on to fly airplanes that replicated test flights made only by the Wright Brothers themselves.

Since the first flight of the Wright Brothers in 1903, only one aviator has

equaled that feat in an exact replica.

On January 07, 2004, Connie Tobias flew an exact replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer for 11 seconds, covering 150 feet in controlled sustained flight.

With that she made history.

Altogether, she has flown that notoriously challenging flyer four times. Although a couple of other pilots have flown an exact replica, they have not equaled the Wright Brothers’ flights. Connie also successfully flew exact replicas of the 1902 Wright Glider, the modified 1902 Wright Glider, and she trained to fly the 1905 Wright Flyer III. Other opportunities have presented themselves and Connie has accepted immediately. The Collings Foundation owned a Bleriot and many other aircraft. They presented living history to encourage people to better understand their heritage.

They had been looking for a woman pilot to reenact the role of Harriet Quimby.

Harriet was the first licensed woman pilot in the US. She earned her pilot’s license, number 36, on August 01, 1911 from the Aero Club of America sanctioned by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale.

Harriet also became the first woman pilot to fly across the English Channel on April 16, 1912. Because of her physical likeness to Harriet Quimby, Connie was a natural. In Harriet, she met her alter ego. Like her, Connie is a tall, slender, beautiful brunette and, like her, Connie has the same daring and determination necessary to stretch her wings and achieve great things.

In 2001 Connie test flew the Collings Foundation 1909 original Bleriot. It was not an easy feat. Imagine the challenge of having to practice and prepare by flying much smaller light airplanes and a variety of taildraggers after having honed one’s skill on a modern, computerized, fly-by-wire large heavy jet. The slight pressures required by her familiar Airbus 330300 was in diametric opposition to the squirrely 1909 relic. It was Connie’s challenge to relearn techniques she had worked hard to leave behind.

After the test flights, Connie Tobias wore a replica of Harriet’s resplendent purple satin flying suit and flew the Bleriot for an educational video about Ms. Harriet Quimby.

Connie stated, “It was increasingly impressive to me that Harriet had safely crossed the Channel in this aero plane. Her mastery of a machine that modern aviators struggle to get aloft secures her status as a true and

fearless aviation pioneer.”

For the past 18 years Connie has performed on stage a first-person historical reenactment of Harriet Quimby. She has inspired countless students and adult audiences with the story of this pioneering aviatrix. To further the chances of young people who, like her, have their heads and hearts in the sky, Connie has established and endowed The Harriet Quimby Scholarship Fund, a gift awarded to young aviators who exemplify Harriet’s attitude and drive.

Connie has repeatedly and successfully pursued motivational speaking to help fund the scholarship.

She is a vivacious and commanding speaker whose passion for her subject is readily apparent.

In 2002, Connie received the Medal of Merit from Ohio University and was inducted into the International Forest of Friendship. The following year, as a civilian pilot volunteer, she flew troops and supplies to and from the Middle East during the Iraq War. In 2004, when Harriet Quimby was enshrined in the National Aviation Hall of Fame, it was apropos that Connie accept the honor on behalf of Quimby.

Again in 2004, thanks to her tireless efforts to educate and inspire,

Connie received a Certificate of Recognition from the National Aeronautic Association for her generous and continued support and, in 2006, was the first woman inducted into Ohio University’s Russ College of Engineering and Technology Academy of Distinguished Graduates, the highest honor the college can bestow.

In 2008, Connie presented her paper, Rewriting Safety’s Future, to the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and Test Engineers at their Safety Conference. Never one to balk at an opportunity, she completed the fixedwing course at National Test Pilot School in October 2008.

Demonstrating her own philosophy of recognizing and acting on opportunities, Connie described readying for a transatlantic flight to Paris. She wrote, “While engaging in my preflight prep, I noted further paperwork was needed. Everyone was busy, so I decided to retrieve the documents myself. I donned my captain’s hat and coat and proceeded to operations, walking out the jetway and through the gate area. Almost immediately a young lady rushed up to me and breathlessly questioned, ‘Are you a pilot?’

I replied, ‘Well, yes I am.’ She said she had wanted to be a pilot ever since she was little and proceeded to ask me rapid fire questions, which I was happy to have the time to answer. I

followed up with some positive reinforcement and then, asked her current age.

She exclaimed, ‘Five and a half !’

It struck me. You never know who you are going to influence … or who will influence you.”

As Captain Connie Tobias strides through airport terminals the world over, she exudes the confidence and competence she has gained and is simultaneously humbled by those who encouraged her career path through the years. She is grateful to many.

She is also proof that opportunities are ours for the pursuit, if we recognize their existence. She is further proof that we can best express our gratitude for help we have received by reaching out to encourage those that might need a nudge toward their futures today.

Ann Lewis Cooper, a pilot and flight instructor, has continued to pursue her love of aviation through writing, authoring over 700 magazine articles on flying and 11 books. She highlights ordinary people doing extraordinary things in aviation.

Written by.

Ann Lewis Cooper with Connie Tobias

www.shelleypekala.monat.com Email: Spekala01@gmail.com

monatglobal.com

Brian Boynton I’m 26 years old and I’m an up and coming actor, model, and writer based in Waterford Michigan. I spent the first few years of my life living in Westland Michigan with my father, mother, and siblings. My story isn’t some epic Beowulf-like story of slaying dragons and other fiends, but rather a story of an average person stepping out of their comfort zone to find their passion. From a very young age I was painfully shy and suffered from crippling anxiety. Furthermore I grew up as the middle child (sort of) to a group of siblings that I always felt outshined me. I was the second of four children, and while mathematically I wasn’t technically the middle child, I always seemed to have a bit of a “Jan Brady” complex.

Photographer: Sam Sefton

My social inabilities concerned my parents, and even at a young age I can remember overhearing talks of taking me to counseling, getting me medicated, and even having me hypnotized.

One weekend when I was twelve I remember going to my grandmother’s house. It was always a pleasant experience when my siblings and I would spend a weekend at my grandma’s. There would always be adventures to the mall, beaches, and

every morning we’d wake up to powder sugar-covered homemade paczkis. This weekend felt different though, my grandmother seemed uptight and stressed. One late night that weekend my mother came to visit us at my grandma’s, I was shocked to see her as she would typically leave us for the whole weekend and return to pick us up at the end of the weekend. Something seemed off about her and she soon explained to us that she had divorced my father.

Shortly after the divorce, my mother moved my siblings and I out to a new city. Being the shy kid that I was, this was terrifying for me. I had finally found a group of neighborhood kids that I felt comfortable with, and now I felt that I would have to start all over.

To complicate thing further, I was moving in the middle of a school year.

It was sixth grade for me and at my previous school district middle school didn’t begin until seventh grade; however, at this new school district middle school began in sixth grade. I remember entering my new school on the first day, I felt like I had entered a new realm, rows of lockers (of which I had never used) were lined with kids talking about stealing their parents booze and “making out” in the bathrooms. The painfully shy elementary kid that I was mortified.

I seemed to get a good deal of attention at this new school, the other kids seemed to have a misguided perception of me. The popular kids attempted to bring me into their social circle, but it wasn’t long before they realized that they’re perceptions were off, I was just a shy terrified pre-teen.

When it came time for sixth grade camp I was too afraid to go, the idea of spending the night with strangers shook me to my core. My teachers all tried to convince me to go and eventually our schools wrestling coach offered to drive me to and from camp everyday so that I would not have to spend the night. I took him up on that offer. One day at camp some of the

guys (myself included) were wrestling in the dorms. The wrestling coach walked in and instead of scolding us, asked us to join the wrestling team. I was interested, but the idea of wearing spandex in middle school seemed like social-suicide.

The summer before seventh grade I spent mostly with my father who always stayed involved in the lives of my siblings and I. He did his best to entertain us, which usually meant taking us to the movies and feeding us ice cream and chocolate chip pancakes. I remember him buying a Play Station 2 and “Kingdom Hearts,” I spent most of that summer playing that game. By the time school rolled around that Fall I had gained a significant amount of weight.

Seventh grade was hell for me, I was shy chubby kid that became a target for a number of the school bullies. I remember limiting myself to one bathroom trip per day because every trip to the bathroom was treacherous for me. I would often run into bullies who would threaten me and tell me to get out of their bathroom. I spent most of middle school trying to keep my head down. Eventually, in eighth grade, I was once again approached by the wrestling coach, this time he successfully convinced me to join the team, I figured that since I didn’t have a social life to begin with, I didn’t really have to concern myself with social suicide.

Photographer: Jessica Bacon

Wrestling helped me to lose weight and gain a bit of confidence, which I was severely lacking.

The summer before seventh grade I spent mostly with my father who always stayed involved in the lives of my siblings and I. He did his best to entertain us, which usually meant taking us to the movies and feeding us ice cream and chocolate chip pancakes. I remember him buying a Play Station 2 and “Kingdom Hearts,” I spent most of that summer playing that game. By the time school rolled around that Fall I had gained a significant amount of weight.

Seventh grade was hell for me, I was shy chubby kid that became a target for a number of the school bullies. I remember limiting myself to one bathroom trip per day because every trip to the bathroom was treacherous for me. I would often run into bullies who would threaten me and tell me to get out of their bathroom. I spent most of middle school trying to keep my head down.

Eventually, in eighth grade, I was once again approached by the wrestling coach, this time he successfully convinced me to join the team, I figured that since I didn’t have a social life to begin with, I didn’t really have to concern myself with social suicide.

Wrestling helped me to lose weight and gain a bit of confidence, which I was severely lacking.

Mid-way through my senior year, my friends and I decided to audition for a school play. Performing on stage is the last thing that anyone (myself included) would have expected me to do. My friends and I were terrified to audition, but I oddly enough was the one to push us forward into the theater.

My friends and I auditioned for “Rebel Without a Cause.” I remember feeling defeated when I was the only one who did not get casted for a role in the show. Regardless of feeling defeated, I supported my friends 100% throughout the run of the show. When it came time for the next play, I auditioned along with my friends once again and this time we all received roles. I was both excited and terrified to finally perform live in front of an audience, something that nobody would have ever expected me to do.

By the time the play came out, I was addicted to acting and the feeling that performing brought me. I wrote a sketch that I performed at a school talent show along with a few friends; the feeling of people laughing at the comedic work that I wrote and performed had me on cloud nine. I graduated high school in 2010, which was a very ideal time for the film industry in Michigan. At the time, Michigan had a tax incentive that was bringing a number of big film projects to Michigan. One weekend I attended an acting event downtown, a number of casting agencies were there scouting Michigan talent.

Photographer: Jessica Bacon

A friend and I talked to an agent from Curt’s Talent Agency (which to my knowledge is now only tied to music) and we got signed.

From there, I was getting occasional auditions and roles in commercials, local TV shows, and music videos. Occasional roles would come my way but nothing was really sticking. Furthermore, it wasn’t long before the Michigan Film Incentive was cut and productions began to move out of Michigan again. I never had plans to attend college but at this point I felt that I should probably have some sort of backup plan.

at the Waterford Township Police Department. I worked a number of jobs in the criminal justice field, including detention officer, reserve police officer, and even a probation officer. I finally decided that the criminal justice field just wasn’t for me and I changed my major to English and Sociology. I graduated from Oakland University with a BA in 2016. The last few years of college I buckled down with school and work and took a hiatus from acting.

I originally began studying criminal justice, I remember a school counselor once asking me what I dreamed of being as a child, the only thing that ever came to mind was a superhero, so I figured working in the criminal justice field would probably be the closest that I’d ever come to being a superhero.

While attending college, I began working a security job at a drug and alcohol rehab. The job was very laid back and had a good deal of downtime, it was there that I discovered my love for reading/writing. I would spend most of my days at work exploring books and my own mind, I loved pulling ideas from my own mind and getting them down on paper.

I worked that security job for a few years before getting a job as a detention officer Photographer: Sam Sefton

It was in 2017 when acting/modeling began to snowball for me. An actress that I had once worked with years ago tagged me in a Facebook post. A photographer was looking for a blonde male model for a romance shoot. The photographer reached out to me and asked if I’d be interested in modeling.

At the time I had never done any modeling but I was open to the idea. I ended up doing the shoot and I loved the experience and worked with that photographer on a number of occasions. All the while, I had sent in an audition for a local feature film.

This was the first audition that I had sent in in years and I was fortunate enough to get a lead role. While working on the feature film, I met a number of people that had similar aspirations as myself.

writing on film for the first time.

Currently I’m working as an Intake Coordinator at a drug and alcohol rehab. The job gives me some flexibility to pursue the acting/modeling/writing. I feel that I’ve built a good deal of momentum in the entertainment industry, and I believe that this momentum will only grow. I’m determined to make my dreams of inspiring others through acting/modeling/writing a reality. A director once told me to “strike while the iron is hot,” and that is exactly what I intend to do.

Through networking on this film, I got a number of additional projects.

Additionally, a film friend talked to me about signing with another agency. I signed with the I Group and have been fortunate to get a good deal of roles from them. I loved my experiences in front of the camera and wanted to begin to get my feet wet behind the camera. I wrote a pilot episode for a series that I’ve had floating around in my mind, and in May of 2018 I produced and acted in the pilot that I had written. The “film family” that I had made throughout the past year or so of being immersed back in the acting world, helped me to get my Photographer: Greg Aubry

Artwork by Matthew Pryce Thompson @MPT graphics

Photographer: Greg Aubry

Photographer: Jon Polombo

My name is Shaun Brett. I am the owner/operator of Shaughnessy B. Photography. I work in many different genres and enjoy shooting a variety of subjects. I am a firm believer of expanding my skillset, trying new things, and developing my skills as an artist and photographer. Some of my personal favorites include Portraiture, High Fashion, Astrophotography, and Nature. I was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, ventured to the Southern United States, and have now established myself in Las Vegas, NV. I truly love this city more than anywhere else I have lived. This is the city in which I have found myself and pursued my purpose. Below, I have listed a brief summary of my journey with photography. Thank you for taking the time to learn about what photography means to me!

Photography saved my life. As I sit here and reflect on my journey, I cannot help but to be reminded of where it all started. As a kid growing up in foster homes and state mandated programs, I faced a lot of turmoil and adversity in my early years. Life was very difficult at times and I often found myself questioning what it all meant. I would be lying if I said the thought of leaving this earth never crossed my mind. I began searching for a solution to the negative emotions and situations I

found myself in. I tried just about everything, but still I was unable to feel true happiness and relief.

At the age of 14, I picked up my first camera and instantly fell in love. I discovered that photography allowed me to creatively express myself. It taught me about the power of imagination, patience, and envisioning what I want. Just how we stop and think about a photo before we take it, photography taught me to apply this to decisions I made in life.

Photography became a healthy outlet which ultimately taught me more about myself than anything else in this world. I honestly have no idea where I would be without it. When my world seemed to be hopeless, photography was the light that guided me out of the darkness.

Photography is truly my passion. A lot of people say this, but I mean that with every ounce of truth in my soul.

This is so much more than just taking pictures to me, this is literally what saved my life. There is nothing I would rather be doing, and I feel so blessed to call photography my career.

I am a full-time photographer, I am beyond happy to go to “work� every day.

Although there is a lot of effort and dedication involved, I have never felt any sense of drudgery. I enjoy every aspect of my job and I am constantly trying to improve and deliver top notch service to just know that when you step in front of my lens, you are receiving much more than a series of photos. You are receiving the blood, sweat, and tears that it took to turn my passion into a career. I am a constant work in progress and will forever be

learning. I plan to be a photographer for the remainder of my life. I can envision myself with a camera at the age of 85, just as passionate as I am now, at 28.

If you would like to check out some of my work, feel free to follow me on social media and visit my website. I am also happy to answer any questions you may have regarding services provided. Thank you for taking the time to learn a little about me and what I do!

Email: shaughnessy.b.photography@gmail.c om Instagram: @shaughnessy_b_photography Facebook: @shaughnessybphotography Website: www.shaughnessybphotography.com

Model- Jody Marie P h o t o g r a p h e r- S h a u n B re t t (Shaughnessy B. Photography) HMUA- Jody Marie Wa rd ro b e - S ave r ' s T h r i f t S p r a y Ta n - A s p r a y o f S u n s h i n e - L a s Ve g a s

M od el - Va n t Ca rr P h o t o g r a p h e r- S h a u n B re t t (Shaughnessy B. Photography) H M UA & Wa rd ro b e - Va n t C a rr

Model- Joseph Williams P h o t o g r a p h e r- S h a u n B re t t (Shaughnessy B. Photography) HMUA- Joseph Williams

Photographer Shaun Brett (Shaughnessy B Photography)

Photographer Shaun Brett (Shaughnessy B Photography)

Models- Jordan Hill (left) Shaun Brett (right) P h o t o g r a p h e r- S h a u n B re t t (Shaughnessy B. Photography)

Model- Jonathan Starnes P h o t o g r a p h e r- S h a u n B re t t (Shaughnessy B. Photography) HMUA- Jonathan Starnes

Model - Luci Lux P h o t o g r a p h e r- S h a u n B re t t (Shaughnessy B Photography) HMUA- Luci Lux of Heads Will Roll Beauty Salon

M od el - S a ra h Va m p P h o to g r a p h e r- S h a u n B re t t (Shaughnessy B. Photography)

H M UA - S a r a h Va m p Wa rd ro b e & A c c e s s o r i e s R o c k i n B e t t i e L a s Ve g a s

Photographer Shaun Brett (Shaughnessy B. Photography)

Photographer Shaun Brett (Shaughnessy B Photography)

Model Jordan Hill

Photographer Shaun Brett (Shaughnessy B. Photography) HMUA Jordan Hill

Photographer Shaun Brett (Shaughnessy B Photography)

Always be ready

Model Ishana Zoe Photographer Shaun Brett (Shaughnessy B. Photography) HMUA Angie Guzman Wa rd ro b e & A c c e s s o r i e s Ta t y a n a B o u t i q u e L a s Ve g a s

Model- Maura Plause P h o t o g r a p h e r- S h a u n B re t t (Shaughnessy B. Photography) HMUA- Johnnae Gee

Capture the moment

Photographer Shaun Brett (Shaughnessy B Photography)

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