Celebrating Diversity In The Entertainment Industry
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Allison Sky FOR THE STARS LATEST TALENT
RCGD Honoured
JAMES & SUZY AMIS CAMERON RECEIVES AWARD
acob J
For The Stars
22 Years of Creative Fashion
Letter from the Editor T
his month, we’re rolling out the red carpet as For The Stars celebrates their 22nd anniversary.
This Hollywood based fashion treasure has been serving up hand made, one of a kind, show stopping looks for over two decades, and leaves many wondering how they continue to create masterpieces that send shockwaves down the runway. For The Stars is a unique, high-end fashion house run by creative director, and fashion legend, Jacob alongside fashion designer Carlos Pretelin. With their team, they create incredible, unmatchable runway shows and editorials that leave viewers in awe. Jacob’s looks can also be seen on hundreds of various platforms such as music videos, TV shows, and feature films. Also we are pleased to feature Red Carpet Green Dress founder Suzy Amis Cameron, & James Cameron were recently awarded with the 2021 Kea World Class Friend of New Zealand Award. Every year, at the World Class Awards, Kea recognizes a diverse range of Kiwi and friends of New Zealand who through the impact of their work, leadership and philanthropy raise New Zealand’s mana globally. Speaking of our international coverage Southern England offers breathtaking beaches and coastal paths aplenty, while up North you’ll find serene lakes, cottages and rolling hills. But what’s to be expected on your trip to Central England? Steeped in culture and history, Central England and the Midlands is home to some of the nation’s most famous cities - making it the perfect trip to please every type of traveler. And most importantly in our coverage of India, the roadmap offered by the Modi administration concedes so little that it seems grudging at best and a diktat at worst. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir was understandably hyped, given that it came after almost two years, during which most of the then state’s political leaders were imprisoned by his administration. That the meeting was cordial and each of the 14 participants spoke freely is another plus. Enjoy,
Prather Jackson Publisher
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RCGD FOUNDER HONOURED 2021 Kea World Class Friend of New Zealand Award winner – James and Suzy Amis Cameron RED CARPET Green Dress founder Suzy Amis Cameron, & James Cameron were recently awarded with the 2021 Kea World Class Friend of New Zealand Award. Every year, at the World Class Awards, Kea recognises a diverse range of Kiwi and friends of New Zealand who through the impact of their work, leadership and philanthropy raise New Zealand’s mana globally. Renowned filmmaker James Cameron and Suzy Amis Cameron weren’t born in New Zealand, but nonetheless, epitomise its mana and our Kiwi values. With a real passion for New Zealand, the Camerons have helped facilitate and grown New Zealand’s global connectedness and have used their international networks for the betterment of the land and its people – advocating for the country with passion and pride. James Cameron and Suzy Amis Cameron’s connection with New Zealand goes back to 1994 when James first visited the South Island while waiting to catch a delayed flight from Christchurch down to the Antarctic. “I rented a car and just started driving around the South Island and it was just amazing. I had such a wonderful time driving around by myself, talking to people and meeting people” James said to NZ Story. “I came away 10 days later saying I’m going to come and live here someday. I had never felt that connection to a place that strongly before. And I never really lost that dream,” he says. Son of an engineer, Canada-born James Cameron majored in physics at California State University before switching to English, eventually dropping out. He then drove a truck to support his screenwriting ambition, until he landed his first professional film job as art director, miniature-set builder, and process-projection supervisor on Roger Corman’s Battle Beyond the Stars (1980). 4 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY
Kea World Class Friend of New Zealand Award winners James and Suzy Amis Cameron
In 1990, Cameron formed his own production company, Lightstorm Entertainment. He then wrote and directed Titanic (1997), a epic that became the highest-grossing movie of all time… for 12 years, until Cameron beat his own incredible personal best with Avatar (2009), grossing an astounding USD two billion dollars at the box office. “People call me a perfectionist, but I’m not. I’m a rightist. I do something until it’s right, and then I move on to the next thing,” James says. Despite being one of the most sought-after directors in Hollywood, Cameron is also an explorer with a huge passion for the planet. In 2012 he reached the bottom of the Mariana Trench, the deepest known point on Earth, 11 km below the ocean surface, becoming the first person to do so in a oneman craft. He later famously commented, “Hitting rock bottom never felt so good”. In 2000, he married Suzy Amis, an actress who’d appeared in Titanic. Suzy is a powerhouse in her own right and has an impressive CV as an educator and environmentalist, as well as actor. “My personal journey is all about the environment,” Suzy tells. “It’s what wakes me up in the morning with a pit in my
stomach – what kind of planet are our children going to grow up in?” The Cameron family – James, Suzy, and their family – live on a 5000-hectare farm in the South Wairarapa, where they grow organic fruit, nuts and vegetables. And from the farm, it’s an easy commute to Wellington’s Miramar film hub where Avatar has been filmed and production continues. Both James and Suzy are incredibly passionate about New Zealand, its geography and its people. Recalling his first visit and unexpected discovery of New Zealand in the mid-1990s, James describes New Zealand as “my kind of country”, because of the “sensory stimulation” of the natural environment and “making real connections with people”. “I came as a stranger. I knew very little about New Zealand and I left in love with it. Not just the land, the beauty of the land, obviously, is very seductive but there’s something about the dynamic spirit of the people.” “If you enjoy the outdoors and a sense of adventure, you’re not going to be able to beat this place anywhere in the world,” James says.
Find your GREAT Britain Tourism and Travel Update in Britain THE NEWLY formed ‘Atlantic Taskforce,’ created during the G7 Summit last month, will work to reopen travel between the United States and Britain. While there is no set time frame in place, a Number 10 statement said the Prime Minister and President would “work to relaunch UK-US travel as soon as possible.”
Why visit Central England? SOUTHERN ENGLAND offers breathtaking beaches and coastal paths aplenty, while up North you’ll find serene lakes, cottages and rolling hills. But what’s to be expected on your trip to Central England? Steeped in culture and history, Central England and the Midlands is home to some of the nation’s most famous cities - making it the perfect trip to please every type of traveler. With more miles of canals than Venice, Birmingham’s waterfront is one of our favorite places to get lost for the day. You even have your choice of travel - maybe a narrowboat tour along the canals or choose a walk or bike ride along the canal paths to discover hidden gems along the way. In Oxford, the Botanic Garden and nearby Arboretum are a must-do. With glasshouses containing species from all over the world, Britain’s oldest botanic garden is celebrating its 400th anniversary this July. Keep an eye out for news on events, lectures and exhibitions for visitors to enjoy. Check out the link below to see why Central England is the perfect crowd-pleasing destination. From climbing and hiking in the Peak District to historic Cathedrals in Lincoln, this ‘road’ less traveled leads to many unexpected places.
In England, stage 3 of the ‘roadmap,’ designed to lead Britain out of all lockdown restrictions, has been extended by another four weeks. After two weeks, the government will review the data and it is expected that England will move to Step 4 on July 19. Scotland has also delayed its full ‘unlocking.’ Currently, the Traffic Light System - which is being used to reintroduce international travel in Britain - has the United States categorized as ‘amber,’ requiring a 10-day quarantine upon arrival. The June 24 update included minor changes, but also included plans to remove the self-isolation period for fully vaccinated travelers from amber countries.
Gearing up for COP26 Last month, we hosted the G7 Summit in Cornwall, England, and the destination’s picture-perfect coastline, innovative attractions and first-rate food were all in the spotlight. Next, we have the United Nations Climate Change Conference (also called COP26), which will be hosted in Glasgow from Nov 1-12, 2021. The conference will focus heavily on getting runaway climate change under control with over 190 world leaders, govt. officials and businesses present. As sustainability and environmental awareness remain at the forefront of our priorities, we are happy to continue highlighting some of Britain’s most sustainable businesses in the tourism industry. We’ve rounded up a list of new and most-loved sustainable accommodations across the UK: - The Zetter, London: Eco-friendly packaging on their toiletries and perks like a £10 food and drink voucher for forgoing housekeeping make the Zetter a perfect place to travel greener. - Eagle Brae, Scottish Highlands: This carbonneutral log cabin village has their own microhydro scheme that provides electricity and hot water to each cabin. - The Crashpad Lodges, Snowdonia: Powered by its own renewable energy source, this property is reliant on their on-site solar panels, wind turbine and water pump. HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 5
MODI ADMINISTRATION APPROACH TO PEACE IN KASHMIR The roadmap offered by the Modi administration concedes so little that it seems grudging at best and a diktat at worst. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir was understandably hyped, given that it came after almost two years, during which most of the then state’s political leaders were imprisoned by his administration. That the meeting was cordial and each of the 14 participants spoke freely is another plus.
Yet, the broad framework presented by the Prime Minister is disturbing. By saying delimitation rst, elections next and then statehood to follow, he has, in essence, asked Kashmir’s political leaders to give up their opposition to the acts of August 2019, accept the reading down of Article 370 and the division of the state, and contest assembly elections under a Union territory status. In return, Home Minister Amit Shah offers a restoration of statehood “at the appropriate time”. When that will be is anyone’s guess, though logic suggests it is unlikely to be soon, else why hold elections to a “Union territory” assembly? Less veiled is the implicit threat in the use of the word “appropriate”. For the past two years, the Modi administration has argued that its 2019 policy choices were required for security reasons. But the security situation has changed rapidly since the India-Pakistan ceasere was agreed on this February. The ceasere is holding, inltration has reduced signicantly and militancy has dropped by 50 per cent, according to Lieutenant-General D P Pandey, General Ofcer Commanding (GOC) of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps. The army’s role, he added, was diminishing, and more and more tasks were being handled by civilian authorities So, if security concerns are no longer pressing reasons for withholding statehood, what is? The only sense to be made of the indenite delay is that the Modi administration is still unsure of the Valley’s political leaders. In this reading, statehood will be contingent on the good behaviour of the Valley’s political leaders, as judged by the BJP. 6 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY
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First responses from the Valley’s political leaders, however, were relatively optimistic. They were, of course, being statesmanlike. Even so, it appears that the majority are ready to make signicant concessions. The most vocal opponents of Modi’s Kashmir policy, the six-party People’s Alliance for the Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), for example, indicated that they would be willing to delink statehood from Article 370, so long as the statehood on offer is identical to all other states in its powers.
In other words, the PAGD will continue to challenge the reading down of Article 370 but will not make its return a condition. Indeed, according to Omar Abdullah, his party recognizes that regaining special status is a long haul. That is a huge concession. It is too early to say whether these comments indicate that the PAGD will participate in Union-territory-level assembly elections. If we take Modi’s roadmap literally, my guess is that the answer must be no. The PAGD parties will lose much of what little is left of their credibility if they agree to participate on these terms. True, by not participating they leave the eld
open to BJP and allied parties to be elected unopposed, as happened with many of the panchayat seats in 2018. In this devil’s choice, they may choose what appears to be a lesser evil. But whichever way the PAGD goes, the Modi administration’s roadmap is fraught with risk. It does not matter how much money is thrown at the Valley parties, or how many defections are engineered, the PAGD parties are likely to win the bulk of assembly seats. What happens after? Under the watchful eye of the Home Minister, and with most powers vested in the Lieutenant-Governor, an elected Union territory government will have little to offer its constituencies, other than development aid, that is, moneyGiven the enormous economic loss suffered by Jammu and Kashmir due to the military lockdown of 2019-2020, followed by the Covid-19 pandemic, money may work for a short while, though even that is doubtful. Like its predecessors, the Modi administration has tried throwing money at Kashmir in the hope of blunting political aspirations. Like them, it has failed.
The June 24 meeting, by all accounts, was about getting the regional parties of J&K to endorse and participate in the delimitation exercise. The task of redrawing electoral boundaries is a fraught exercise anywhere in the democratic world. In J&K, it carries the additional burden of a communal divide between the two regions and a powerful national party that belongs to an ideological stream that wants to see a “Hindu” chief minister in the Muslim-majority former state. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019 provides for an increase in the number of assembly seats in the Union territory from 107 to 114. Jammu, which counted for 37 seats before the 2019 changes — 46 were in Kashmir, four in Ladakh, plus 20 symbolically reserved for PoK — may gain more constituencies through delimitation. There has been no delimitation in J&K since 1995. In the intervening years, as election after election has shown, including the District Development Council election in 2020, Jammu and Kashmir have become increasingly polarized into religiously identied regions. When the Prime Minister invited the mainstream regional parties for talks, what stood out was the walk-back from his earlier stand that the parties were irrelevant to the “Naya Kashmir” that had been inaugurated in August 2019. It was an out-of-character move. Most observers of the Modi-Shah BJP agree that the party does not do U-turns. These tend to be perceived by both supporters and detractors as admissions of failure. From demonetization in 2016 to the farm laws that triggered the stillongoing farmers’ agitation, there have been no U-turns by this government.
Why successive Indian administrations repeatedly seek to use money to avoid granting political freedoms in Jammu and Kashmir is a conundrum to which I have yet to nd an answer. Yes, it buys them time, but it also entrenches the politics of contention; indeed, allows contention to spread in tentacles across society. Prime Ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh recognized the problem and had the courage to initiate a political process that yielded rich dividends in the decade 2003-2013. The Modi administration overturned those gains with their unilateral actions in August 2019. Today, alienation in the Valley stands at a point of no return. In such a situation, what is required is a bold and imaginative political initiative, such as the one Vajpayee took in 1999, when he started talks with Kashmiri dissidents and Pakistan. He persisted even in the face of failed summits and mounting violence and his persistence paid off, with Singh’s follow-through. Jammu and Kashmir gained a decade of peace. The Modi administration is currently in back-channel talks with the Khan administration and the Pakistani army. That Kashmir is on the agenda is a no-brainer, as is the deduction that the talks provide a context for the Prime Minister’s meeting with Kashmiri leaders. But Modi’s roadmap offers so few concessions that it seems grudging at best and a diktat at worst. A clear commitment to statehood followed by elections might begin a process of condence-building. A Union territory assembly will not. The one potentially positive outcome to this meeting is that the Home Minister will set up a panel for the release of political prisoners. Even here, though, the concession is grudging. Indications are the panel will not discuss the release of dissidents such as Hurriyat members, though L K Advani did so when he was the Home Minister. Modi can still adopt the roadmap developed by Vajpayee and Singh. It would boost the ongoing India-Pakistan talks. More importantly, perhaps, India could then re-win some of the Kashmiri hearts and minds that were so wantonly tossed aside in 2019.
That is why BJP camp followers, who had bought into the vitriolic rhetoric against the “Gupkar Gang”, are aghast that the party is doing business with the same politicians they thought had been cast into the dustbin of history. Those outside this circle of believers believe the walk-back signals the BJP’s Kashmir policy has hit a wall, and the government is looking for a way out against the larger backdrop of the turmoil in Afghanistan and a hostile neighbourhood. What the government made clear was the chronology. Elections and statehood may follow delimitation. The J&K leaders, who wanted statehood restored rst, did not agree with this sequencing, but Prime Minister Modi tweeted that “delimitation has to happen at a quick pace so that polls can happen and J&K gets an elected government that gives strength to J&K’s development trajectory”. Shah tweeted that “the delimitation exercise and peaceful elections are important milestones in restoring statehood as promised in Parliament”. The renewed attention to J&K, and the emphasis on a process that is likely to create more bad blood, more polarisation along Hindu-Muslim lines, more suspicion in the Valley, could carry a wider resonance in the run-up to a string of assembly elections. Indeed, the compelling reason for a big move by the government could be a result of its single-minded focus at this point — how to ensure a BJP victory in the upcoming elections in crucial states, vital to its prospects for a third term in 2024. HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 7
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COVID-19 SECOND WAVE: INDIA BATTLE AGAINST THE PANDEMIC The ferocious second wave of Covid-19 saw a very large number of hospitalizations, a crippling shortage of oxygen, and many more deaths than in the rst wave last year in 2020. The Government of India and its people were taken by surprise and the administration was ill prepared. Unlike the rst wave, the second wave caused, created havoc in India’s biggest cities and resulted in a massive loss of life. The latest Covid-19 wave ravaged rural areas across the world’s second-most populous country. It was naturally difcult to see beyond one's worries. Most villages had no way to ght the virus. But the fact remained , the second wave wasSome villages just few hours from the capital New Delhi, about three-quarters of the village’s 5,400 people fell sick and more than 30 had died in the rst three weeks of the second wave. It has no health-care facilities, no doctors and no oxygen canisters. And unlike India’s socialmedia literate urban population, residents could not appeal on Twitter and to an army of strangers willing to help just as devastating, if not more, for the
loose motions was the rst symptom, after the second or third day… The other thing was anosmia and ageusia, the loss of smell and the loss of taste. In the last wave it was seen on the seventh, eighth, or ninth day. This time, they had anosmia on the third, fourth, day. So, symptoms were getting fast forwarded to the earlier part of the disease The spectrum remained the same, there may have been minor differences in percentages, but the importance was that symptoms were occurring at a much earlier phase in the disease than in the previous wave. Again, the virus was far more effective, far more contagious and aggressive in the second wave. In the last wave, one member, or at worst two members, in
the family were infected; in the second wave, every member, including maybe the help and the driver in upper-class homes, was affected.
On creating awareness about effective home isolation, the protocols were based on ‘mild’, ‘moderate’, and ‘severe’. For
Some villages just few hours from the capital New Delhi, about threequarters of the village’s 5,400 people fell sick and more than 30 had died in the rst three weeks of the second wave. It has no health-care facilities, no doctors and no oxygen canisters. And unlike India’s social-media literate urban population, residents could not appeal on Twitter and to an army of strangers willing to help migrant workers. On the widespread fall in oxygen levels in the second wave,a large number of people were infected and in this, the subset of people who needed oxygenation was bigger as expected. At the peak of the surge it was difcult to get an appointment for testing, so there were delays… The numbers were way beyond the capacity for testing and for handling in hospitals, so the numbers that came up, most had a selection bias of cases that needed oxygenation. These statistics could be accurate only if they did the population-based surveys, house-to-house surveys, and nd out how many of them had Covid, how many of them had breathlessness, and then if they compare that percentage with the previous wave’s percentage, there could be an accurate data. But that is was a matter of detail, it didn’t matter; breathlessness was the most important symptom and it conrmed the fact that this virus lead to a problem in the lungs, that was the number one problem, that was the baseline and needed to be addressed. Also, over 350 cases that was followed in the earlier wave, loose motions were happening usually on the ninth or tenth day; in that phase,
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moderate disease, the criteria was respiratory rate more than 24 per minute, but how to count the respiratory rate? There needed to have an education campaign for people how to count, or a healthcare volunteer who could be trained to do that. The other criteria was looking at the oxygen saturation, based on that they had their mild- moderate disease criteria. The disease had clear timeline patterns, so to keep people at home based purely on breathlessness — you stay at home until your breathlessness reaches the level where the oxygen saturation drops to such-and-such level — is wanting people to have a digital censor or wanting people to know how to count your breaths… Most people didn’t know how to count, they needed to train people how to do it, they needed to train the family members how to do that. They had real time research by clinicians and clinical research workers, but here the entire system was overwhelmed and because the numbers were so overwhelming, they had no choice but to take care of it in such a way that they limited the number of patients coming in… To keep patients at home based on breathlessness or saturation was, not scientic enough, because for a person to have a drop in saturation to 92 per cent, your lungs have to be compromised by between 50 per cent and two-thirds… That is the time you denitely one needed hospitalization and denitely needed to be having oxygenation.
On the absence of consensus on when to administer repurposed antivirals. A drug which has been invented for a particular disease, if it is investigated for another disease it’ll be a repurposed drug, and if it is being allowed to be used in another disease it is called ‘off-label’ use. Both these have been done in the case of
coronavirus. The problem in the proof generation in any of these activities is, when to start the medicine? At what stage? Remdesivir is an antiviral, it modies virus-replication or virus-entry or virus in the body circulation, so that phase was a very narrow window of opportunity of ve or six days; if you waited beyond that, your primary problem in Covid is the auto-immune reaction triggered by the virus. So if you gave remdesivir after the auto-immune reaction had been triggered, it’s was not going to work; before the triggering, maybe it could work, but to prove that was difcult… You had to have a very large sample size and very large studies of various phases of the disease; very difcult to do especially in the situation of a pandemic, very difcult to manage and document. If one looked at the guidelines (by CDC, etc.), there was insufcient evidence to show that remdesivir is benecial in changing the outcome to categorically say that it is useful and that too when it is such an expensive drug and there was the problem. By doing these unreachable things and telling people to get these unreachable, unprocurable drugs and deliverables, people in the system were creating guilt in a large number of people’s minds.
done right in the beginning. Help was needed from states that were not affected, because the upswing of the graph was clearly telling that the country was in for big trouble… Every hospital, every doctor, every ward should have a tablet or similar device with real-time connectivity… There needed to create systems that were dynamic, which could capture data in real time across the city, and there should be a nodal control centre. There was a need to have a system correction through system
ON THE LEARNINGS FROM USE OF OXYGEN:
evaluation. Intelligent system evaluation could come from people who know how to gather and analyze large data… Some of the best clinical departments in the West don’t just have clinicians, they have clinical research professors associated with them. The data was not available as to how many research professors are there in India’s medical colleges and healthcare infrastructure who do only research? This is what could have been done, the country could have leapfrogged to the next level of medical record-keeping in the last one and a half years.
Everything had a limit to its availability; when one is ready for capacity, full capacity, you may still get a surge beyond capacity. The whole idea of disaster preparation was that when the capacity was overwhelmed…there was several grades where the existing supplychain management could take care of reallocation, redeployment of
Although the Covid-19 pandemic has spared no one, the rst wave, as well as the associated nationwide lockdown in 2020, clearly hurt the migrant workers the most. There was a massive groundswell of concern for the well-being of migrant laborers. But the second Covid wave in 2021 seems to have lessened that concern for migrant welfare.
deliverables — that was one way. The other was when those supply chain logistics were overwhelmed, what was to be done? If one thought there is likely to be a third wave, then the nation have to be prepared for a capacity beyond what we saw even in this second wave. The preparation has to be robust enough.
ON THE MUCORMYCOSIS INFECTIONS SURGE: No one knew the full answer, one can only guess the possible reasons. An average doctor two years back wouldn’t have seen a case (of mucormycosis). The numbers were very few, and the critically ill even fewer. The patients were seen in tertiary care facilities who were diabetics and those who need the support system for ventilation or oxygenation. The broad spectrum antibiotics to correct their septicaemia who were in probably in renal shutdown, multi-organ failure, immunity was really down, and then they developed this (mucormycosis). The fungus was not from industrial oxygen or humidiers; it is ubiquitous, it is there in the soil, it is there in the plants, it is there in the air… A patient who is immune compromised because of diabetes, gets into acidosis and that is an ideal environment for the fungus to grow, the spores which are ubiquitous in the air, that’ll then multiply in the mucosa and that is wet and it is warm, and the fungus multiplies. In such a situation the decisionmaking protocols had to be dynamic. Many of these patients were brought in not by relatives — who were probably all positive too — but by some good Samaritan, and they would wait in the ambulance and the ambulance would be running out of oxygen. These were real-time things which needed real-time help lines, monitored, where the problem was and what was happening, how to deal with it. These should have been
For one, it forced migrants to return home for the second time within a year. The resulting loss of employment and disruption as well as the continued fall in incomes and savings had pushed them to the brink. This is not to mention the abject lack of social protection afforded to such a shifting population. The associated reduction in access to healthcare too has been under-reported. Moreover, even as India rolls out its vaccination efforts, migrants often suffer the most due to inequity and exclusions built into the policy. The silver lining in the dark cloud of last year's migrant crisis was the hope that it would trigger a genuine change in discourse and policy focus. But as the second Covid wave recedes, that hope is also fading. What has the nation learnt, and what should be done in the battle against the pandemic here onward. What can be done to mainstream the concerns of migrant workers? Many veteran medical practitioners, Consultants, Researchers along with the Health administration are trying to nd any innovative ways in which they can create awareness about migrants and their crucial role in our society and economy? Can the people build public opinion in such a manner that forces policies to be more sensitive towards migrants? There are a series of webinars being presented on the issue of internal migration in India that aims to have a solutions-oriented discussion between some of the brightest minds across academia, industry, civil society and, of course, government. In this edition, it is an example set by actor and philanthropist Sonu Sood, who has not only saved many thousands of lives but also won millions of Indian hearts by providing crucial and timely help to migrants during both the Covid waves. The Centre has taken back full control of vaccine procurement and will supply Covid-19 jabs to states free of cost to inoculate all above 18 years of age from June 21, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Monday,08 June 2021.No state would have to spend anything on
HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 9 24
ERI SILK CULTURE IN RI BHOI DISTRICTVENTURE INTO VILLAGE TOURISM A STORY WAITING TO BE WOVEN.
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n initiative by the Government of Meghalaya and the dynamic leadership of Deputy Commissioner in developing a small village called Umden and to explore the history and culture of the Bhoi people (a sub group amongst the Khasi’s). Umden is nestled in a serene and beautiful valley and located just about 55 kms from Guwahati City.This small hamlet is an ideal getaway .The quaint little village of Umden is famous for Eri silk production and weaving of traditional handlooms like ryndia, stoles in exquisite patterns etc.. The village takes pride in continuing the age old tradition of producing silk following the unique method of not killing the silk worm during the process of extracting silk from the cocoons. They call this the ‘ahimsa’ tradition of sericulture. Here one can witness all the steps in the sericulture value chain- starting from rearing of silk worms to spinning and reeling of silk to yarn production and dying and finally to weaving. One can even try a hand at weaving with a oneday course on weaving being offered for the tourists!
M s . R O S E T TA M KU R B A H DEPUTY COMMISSIONER R I B H O I D I S T R I C T, M E G H A L AYA INDIA Other than the silk tour, this village offers to enjoy the bounty of nature, with its many streams and diverse flora. Walking along the forest trails, you are led through an era gone-by. The monoliths, stone tombs, and ancient stone gateways each tell their own story in the sounds of the forest. The history and culture of the Bhoi people can be discovered through the guided Heritage Walks conducted by trained local youth. You could also go angling at the pond just behind the cottages and catch a fish for the evening meal or go mountain biking along the moderately challenging biking track around the village. After a long day spent outdoors, you could return to the comfort of the nest; sit by the campfire and soak yourself in the local music and folklore in company of village musicians. You can end your day with a sumptuous meal selected from a small but eclectic menu comprising of both local and popular cuisine options. Exotic dinner options like Silk Worm curry or the more famous silk worm Chutney are also available. 10 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY 27
The Umden Traveller’s Nest, comprises of two cottages and some common areas built amid a lush green space a kilometer away from the village. The nest is owned and managed by the Diwon Handloom Cotton Khadi and Village Industrial Cooperative Society Limited. The women of the society have been in the silk production and weaving business for many years and now decided to venture into Village Tourism as an additional livelihood activity to increase incomes and provide employment to the youth of the village. ERI-CULTURE: THE PRODUCTION OF ERI SILK FABRICS FROM ERI SILKWORM. Ri Bhoi District is the only district of Meghalaya where Eri-culture and Handloom Weaving is still practiced by the poorer section especially by womenfolk.It is a craft which remains as a part and parcel, culture and tradition of the Scheduled tribe since time immemorial. The culture
comprises of multifarious activities from plantation of host plants, rearing of Eri silkworms, production of cocoons, spinning, dyeing and weaving providing gain-full employment to the small and marginal farmers.
Dyeing process is usually done with triple dyeing technique producing light, medium and deep shades. In addition to that, combinations of two or more colours are mixed to get different shades depending upon concentration of the ingredients like the mixture of iron ore and lac to get chocolate or coffee colour. The design pattern of fabric are mostly in checks and stripes using a combination of these vegetable dyed colours, to get a wide range of designs. Traditional motifs signifying the different clans and sub tribes are used by weavers of these various clans. Geometrical patterns, Floral and Animals motifs which are prevalent in the area and which form part of the culture are often used. The Eri silk which is produced in the district since time immemorial till date can indeed be certified as an organic product that has a market especially in the environmentally conscious world. Preserving the forest eco-system and augmenting the growing of these dyed plants and herbs and creating awareness on the value of vegetable dyeing with an eye to explore more options of other colours is the need of the hour.
RECENT SUCCESSFUL PROJECT ORGANIZED The self-hand spun silk yarn is either woven directly in grey form or dyed using indigenous natural dye stuffs derived from various plants and minerals. The whole process has a significant and unique system of activities where starting from yarn production till weaving is done locally.
The office of the Deputy Commissioner Ri-Bhoi District along with the Office of the District Sericulture Office was able to conduct a program on ‘Skill Development Programme’ emphasizing the upliftment of weavers in the District. The training included 16 nos of weavers and these weavers were able to enhance their skills producing different products:
VISION & MISSION There are about 7000 nos of Eri farmers in the district practicing Rearing, Spinning, Weaving and other Seri cultural based activities. The District Administration along with the inline department are trying hard to upgrade and promote this culture through limited schemes available but still lacks to cater the ever growing culture. Some of the activities like Grainage (The production of Egg Laying), Spinning of yarn, Dyeing still needs to improve which provides not just jobs and livelihood but as value added chain for the whole organic and traditional process. Therefore, the main objective is to promote the unique traditional process on a higher commercial level starting from the plantation of the food plants till Fabrics which provides livelihood for the people in the area.
VEGETABLE DYES FOR ERI SILK YARN Dyeing of Eri silk is done at yarn stage using natural dyes. The dyeing leaves, flower, barks, fruits and roots are collected from remote areas of forest producing several colours such as Black, Yellow, Red, Brown and steel Grey. Iron-ore along with leaves of Local name :Sla-Nuli, SlaSohtungand bark of OroxylumIndicum tree (Waitlam Pyrthat) are also use to produce Black colour. LaciferLaca or Lacare used to produce Red and colour with the addition of Sla-Sohkhu while Turmeric Berberiswallichiana (Dieng-rnong) gives Yellow and Camellia sinensis (Tea leaves) for Brown.
Any visitor interested on Indian silks or Fashion Designers, can explore and experience lessons in silk weaving from traditional artisans. Experience Heritage Walk through the forests and stone monoliths. You can try out traditional Khasi and Bhoi cuisine. In a village environment, experience listening to music by local musicians in the evening around the camp fire . Also mountain biking through village trials is made available to all adventure enthusiasts. Cottages are made available by the Tourist Nest providing hospitality services with basic amenities. There are common areas for dining and relaxation, camp site and souvenir shops. This Silk Village is also expected to contribute to capacity building, design upscaling, financial assistance, promotion, selling & marketing integrating the sector with the latest technology to enable the village to further develop as a self-reliant, vibrant village, adding strength to women empowerment. If you love travelling to hill stations and stand amidst misty mountains, Meghalaya will never disappoint you and for a place like Umden, trust me you are going to enjoy the calmness and serenity of the surroundings HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 11 28
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Fashion For The Stars By Hailey Ashley
22 Years of Creative Genius with For The Stars Fashion House THIS MONTH, we’re rolling out the red carpet as For The Stars celebrates their 22nd anniversary. This Hollywood based fashion treasure has been serving up hand made, one of a kind, show stopping looks for over two decades, and leaves many wondering how they continue to create masterpieces that send shockwaves down the runway. For The Stars is a unique, high end fashion house run by creative director, and fashion legend, Jacob alongside fashion designer Carlos Pretelin. With their team, they create incredible, unmatchable runway shows and editorials that leave viewers in awe. Jacob’s looks can also be seen on hundreds of various platforms such as music videos, TV shows, and feature films. The mega enterprise that has been making an extreme difference in the fashion industry has been seen on A-list celebrities such as Nicki Minaj, Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, Tyra Banks, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Lopez, Carrie Underwood, Beyonce, Prince,
Akon, Michael Jackson and most recently, R&B superstar Ashanti. In June, we saw epic looks on stars who crossed the red carpet, and stage, of the 2021 BET Awards. The stunningly surreal looks continuously turn heads in any country they are showcased in, and seem to transform any model that’s lucky enough to be able to wear their looks into an absolute masterpiece. Although many celebrities with high end taste are dying to get into their designs, For The Stars also works with a multitude of aspiring models. They see the potential in women and men who remain undiscovered, and put them in their art-like fashion pieces. Oftentimes, this is the only platform needed to launch the next superstar, as the looks being worn truly seem to belong in a museum. Jacob tells us, “It’s like we have our own museum, right here in Hollywood”.
Photographer: Jerry Ghionis
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For the lucky members of the public who get the luxury of touring For The Stars fashion house, the epic looks literally bring them to tears. The outrageously fabulous looks certainly come from a far away world of deep creativity. Some may call it mad, but in reality, Jacob, Carlos, and For The Stars have been creating new, never before seen looks that consistently triumph their competition for 22 years and counting. For many years, Jacob worked on all of the seasons of Tyra Banks’ hit show America’s Next Top Model. He also worked with Heidi Klum on her series, Project Runway, among many other creative accomplishments. However, along with making an impact on the fashion world, Jacob and For The Stars fashion house also support various charities locally, and internationally, such as Make A Wish Foundation. They are also a loud voice as die hard advocates for the fight against breast cancer, greatly supported by Phoenix Fashion Week, and it’s producer Brian Hill, for the last 8 years. For Jacob, fashion is a way of life and his dedication, genius, and passion are clearly seen in his hand made, one of a kind designs. With the Alice in Wonderland-like looks that come out of For The Stars magical workshop, it’s no wonder they’ve been at the top of the fashion game for over 2 decades, and we look forward to seeing the creations that are yet to come.
Model: Emma Golijanin Photographer: Rosalind Guder
TESTIMONIALS Similar to their designs, their testimonials speak for themselves:
Kelly Anne A, from Chino, Ca raves “I walked in and almost fainted with awwww. This place takes you from Hollywood into a cloud of High end Fashion. Then I met Jacob and knew that this house was real. 5 stars to this amazing twilight of fashion”. Pamela T., from Beverly Hills lets onlookers know “This is my all time favorite place to get my gowns for special events . I love Jacob and
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everyone at the For The Stars Fashion House . They have the best selection. It’s one of a kind . An exquisite gem in Melrose”. And lastly, fashion guru Chen Z. In Los Angeles tells the public, “If you’re a Fashion figure like me, you want a personal and professional treat from the best in the business when you want to make a Fashion statement. That’s why you call Jacob for his excellent Service. By appointment only, Hand picked. They can make anything you want, just bring your idea and let the experts do their magic!”.
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Photographer: Angelo Bautista
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Models: Mykie & Anthony Padilla with Jacob’s pets Romeo & Juliet Photographer: Kobi Gulianni
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Model: Shani Saban & Photographer: Alvaro Nates HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 19
Models: Avi & Tali Edri | Vintage denim by: Dany Mizrachi Hair and make up:Avi Edri 20 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY
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Model: Nicolle Lagera Photographer: Richard McGonegal HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 23
Future Star Meet For The Stars Fashion House latest creative talent
Model and fashionista Allison Sky brings out her most sensual aspects with a charm that never fails to impress. Based in Hollywood, California, Allison Sky is now venturing on to the other side of the fashion world as a celebrity fashion designer. Represented by For the Stars Fashion House on the famous Melrose Avenue, Miss Sky is looking forward to debuting her first collection at LAFW in the fall of 2021. She has shared ample details about herself and her dreams on several radio shows which reveal her future ambitions. “My mother, who is also a fashion designer, has always been a big influence on me. She taught me how to sew and design. While living in Bali, I decided to venture into fashion and design as a career, and founded my fashion line, Boho Boujiee.” Allison shared in her latest interview. Boho Boujiee is a combination of glitzy and bohemian couture. featuring women’s apparel and accessories. Boho Boujiee, will be launching online soon and the countdown has begun. www.bohoboujiee.com | www.instagram.com/bohoboujiee
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Allison Sky
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10 THINGS TO DO TO BREAK INTO
HOLLYWOOD By Russell Lee Oquist
H
ollywood! The very name evokes visions of glamor, success and excitement. It is the dream of countless people to be able to have a career in the Movie and/or the TV industry. Most picture themselves being a famous movie star. Some are even drawn to the jobs which are behind the scenes; such as a writer, director, producer, director of photography, editor composer, etc. Whatever their individual goals and where they think that they will “fit in” they greatly desire to be in the entertainment industry. Everyday people are arriving in Hollywood with visions of a glamorous career. They are constantly looking for a way to break into show business. However, the competition is so great that even if you have considerable talent and are willing to dedicate yourself to this goal, making whatever sacrifices
are needed to succeed, it sometimes seems difficult, even impossible to make the dream come true. Everyone is looking for the “big break” and to “be discovered.” The trade magazines are full of opportunities to auditions for upcoming productions. But the things you have to do seem endless and frankly you start to wonder if it is worth it. I had the opportunity to meet up with Frederico Lapenda, a successful Hollywood Producer (producing numerous movies including the U.S.S. Indianapolis and Rage (Nicholas Cage, Danny Glover) and many other credits to his name. He is also the president of the Grand Jury for the Beverly Hills Film Festival and Tourism Ambassador to Brazil. I asked about how someone can get started in this exciting but difficult industry. The following is the result of this interview:
RLO: Greetings, Frederico. Thank you for granting this interview. FL: You are very welcome, Russ. It’s good to see you again. RLO: As you know, everyone wants to break into Hollywood, but it seems so difficult to do. But you started out to pursue your dream with a couple of extra obstacles. You were born in Recife, Brazil, about 11,000 miles from Hollywood.
Terry Dougas, Frederico Lapenda, Stan Lee, & Gabriel Chalita 28 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY
Frederico Lapenda(President of the Grand Jury)
Yet you came to Southern California as a high schooler. Did you specifically come to the USA with the dream of making it in Hollywood? FL: Yes, I did. RLO: That takes quite a bit of determination. People come from all over the USA with the same dream, but they grew up in the USA with many advantages of a fuller knowledge of English, the culture, etc. So, what did you do in your education to get caught up to speed? FL: First of all, I was blessed to have a gracious American family who hosted me, named the Hansens. Billy, Michael, Carol and Bob were all wonderful to me. I studied in High School and college, and completed a degree in Cinema and T.V. from UCLA. RLO: Since then. you have quite a career: You have produced over 40
films and documentaries, MMA events on T.V including many PPV (Pay Per View) events, video games and music concerts/ One of your most significant recent accomplishments was to produce a children’s book, along with Marvel Comics Founder, Stan Lee, the creation of Allies of the Amazon. This is a fascinating children’s book about the importance of the Amazon rainforest and teaches children many important moral lessons.
We all have a friend who can impersonate Al Pacino playing Scarface. “ Say Hello to My Little Friend” hahahah. In my case the passion was so great that I moved 11K Miles, work hard and got into the Entertainment Business. RLO: Yes, but it seems so hard to break into Hollywood.
FL: Actually, it has never been easier to break into Hollywood than now. When I graduated from film school in 1993, FL: Yes, I feel fortunate to see many of things were very expensive: it was hard my dreams come true. I am also excited to get into the University and movies about what the future may bring. were shot in 35mm. Now it has become super cheap and democratic. You can RLO: What drove you to work so hard to make a movie using your cellphone with bring all this about? your friends and edit it on your laptop. Then you can send the movie digitally, FL: There is no business like show compete in many film festivals around business!!! Anywhere, that I have been the world and promote your own film around the world, I have always felt an incredible love and passion for the seventh using social media. Now, if a person truly art. I know you probably have friends who wants to get into the movie business, has memorized lines from different movies. there is no excuse not to try. HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 29
Frederico Lapenda, Don King and John Daly RLO: So then, I think that you are a good person to ask this question: Frederico, what are the top 10 things needed to break into Hollywood?
1
LEARN YOUR CRAFT. I cannot stress enough how important it is to get proper training if you plan on getting in the business. You are talking about a business that attracts people from all corners of the world - they are full of drive and focus. And most of them have prepared themselves for many years. If you want to work in this business, you must go to school and learn the craft. The other great advantage of going to school is that you meet other people that are on the same path as you and you will likely work together in the future.
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MAKE SHORT FILMS. Short films are a great way to sharpen your skills, network
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4
NETWORK BY GOING TO PLACES WHERE PEOPLE FROM THE INDUSTRY HANG OUT. If you are super focused on your career, then go to the places where the people in the industry hang out. If you are in the right place, you are surrounded by opportunities. You just need to reach out. One time I was INTERN IN BOTH SMALL AND BIG PRODUCTION COMPANIES. in a meeting with a major Hollywood Interning in a production company Mogul, and learned a valuable lesson. He felt that one person in the meeting is a great way to elevate your game. You get to learn how to run a company, how to was wasting his time, so he asked him. If I gave you 10 Billion Dollars, but by negotiate, and most importantly you get accepting the money you would be 100 to hang out with people from the industry. years old, would you take the money? I am a strong believer in networking. It The man jumped up and said “NO” The is amazing how small this world really is. Mogul then said, ”You see how time is After working in the town for a few years too important, so don’t waste mine.” I you keep meeting the same people and took this lesson to heart. So, make sure you start to connect the dots. It is very that you are spending your time with important to build a good reputation. people with the same goals and work Build bridges, don’t burn them. Your reputation is everything and remember that ethic, so you can be of benefit to each other. You can’t afford any distractions; the ass you kick today, you might have because time passes so fast. to kiss tomorrow.
and participate in film festivals. In the beginning, try to keep the plot simple and use as few locations as possible. Every time you do a project you learn so much. if you were to redo this film, you would be able to do it better, faster and cheaper. Make as many movies as you can.
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FIND A MENTOR. After college I worked a decade in TV, promoting MMA fights. But, my ultimate goal was to move to films and I was super lucky to find a mentor. An acquaintance introduced me to a man who introduced me to two time Oscar winner, John Daly (Terminator, Last Emperor). Mr. Daly was a great guy, who produced over 200 films. We had one thing in common - the love for the Fight Game. He had financed the famous Match between Mohamad Ali vs George Foreman, the Rumble in the Jungle. Hanging out with John taught me so much; the right mind set, approach, how to pitch a project, etc. Terry Dougas, a successful producer friend of mine, told me that early in his career he said to his mentor, a famous producer, “Treat me like I’m your partner, but I will treat you like your my Boss.”
9
IT TAKES 10 YEARS TO SUCCEED. Be patient because it takes time for everything to fall in place. Sometimes we see younger people getting to higher places and it makes you feel that you are not moving fast enough. I learned that usually when you see an “overnight success,” they have actually been working on it for 10 years or more. Also, everybody’s fate is different.
10
NEVER STOP BELIEVING IN YOURSELF. This business is full of “naysayers.” it is very important that you don’t allow the outside force of negative people to destroy your faith in yourself.
RLO: This is a great list. How would you summarize your advice? FL: The business we chose is super fun and fulfilling, but remember that have to work hard and eat, breath and sleep the industry if you want to make it. RLO: Thank you for these valuable insights, Frederico. You are a talented man and you have worked hard, but I cannot help but believe that if you can make it, there are many other people out there who can as well. FL: Absolutely!
6
WORK ON SETS NONE STOP. Repetition is the mother of skill. The more you work, the better you become. The more quality relationships you make, quicker you will get to your goal. In the beginning of your career and even later on it, be willing to work for free, if the project is worth it to you.
7
MAKE CONTENT. I had a valuable lesson in film school that shaped my career. I took a class from Producer, John Lenox (Splash). He told us that content was king and whoever owned content in the future would be in a great place. When I graduated, I started to produce and finance Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) events. The fact that I owned my content put me in the driver seat. So, my advice to you is to create your own content during your free time. Find something you enjoy talking about and produce your own content.
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GET A JOB THAT GIVES YOU FLEXIBILITY. Before you get your break and can support yourself, take a job that does not get in the way of your career; like Bartender, Doorman or Uber driver. You must be available during the day to work on your craft, go to meetings, do whatever is needed.
Frederico Lapenda and Danny Glover HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 31
YOUR AUDIENCE
Put The Clothes Back On
The Naked Truth as to Why So Many Speakers Fail By Hailey Ashley
Can you guess the #1 fear of most Americans? If you guessed spiders, sharks, or maybe roller coasters, you’d be incorrect. It’s the daunting task we all fear, a task so stressful most of us would rather quit our job than take on – the terrifying monster of Public Speaking. But, before you question your ability, and give up your day job to avoid that upcoming speech or presentation, let me introduce you to Jill Jaysen. Our knight in shining armor, Jill Jaysen, is a Corporate Communications Coach and Strategist, as well as an Award-Winning Stockbroker, Award-Winning Playwright, Director, Producer, TV Actor, NeuroLinguistic Practitioner and Motivational Speaker. Jill not only talks the talk; she walks the walk. Her diverse background, which spans from corporate to creative, has allowed her to create major breakthroughs in the world of public speaking and corporate communications. Jill states, “Your fear of public speaking has absolutely nothing to do with you, and everything to do with the fact that you’ve been mistaught.”
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How many times have you heard, “Imagine your audience naked, Practice in front of a mirror, videotape yourself, or maybe just breathe, you’ll get through it”. Jill lets us know - “The sad truth is; these gimmicks don’t work. They are a desperate attempt to cover up a failing methodology, and will ultimately sabotage you as a speaker. Stripping away your confidence, and your power. Why settle for mediocre when you can be masterful?” Well, that certainly explains why we’re letting public speaking haunt our nightmares. We’ve been misinformed, and the bottom line is, we need some serious help. Which is precisely why this multitalented Guru has come up with a breakthrough approach that wins every time. Jill will take you by the hand, and coach you through her award winning process, all the way up to mastery. According to Jill. “One size never fits all. That’s why I created the B.E.S.T. approach. A highly customized template for each client which becomes their powerful launch pad.”
Jill Jaysen & Nancy Moon Photography Whether you’re standing behind a podium, sitting in a board room or being interviewed in front of a camera, Jill will transform you into the captivating, charismatic and compelling speaker you are meant to be. The results speak for themselves. Jill’s clients have received numerous awards and accolades, including Fortune Magazine’s 50 Most Powerful Leaders in The World, Time Magazines 100 Most Influential, Emmy awards, Tony awards and the list goes on.
MICHELLE CHARLESWORTH; Award-Winning, Anchor/ Reporter WABC-TV ‘Jill coaches like nobody’s business because she unlocks your best you! Her unique methodology continues to raise the bar, building focus and selfconfidence. Her listening is unmatched and her enthusiasm contagious’.
There is some great news for those of you who want to finally speak your power. Jill is offering a free, one on one strategy session for our readers only. However, space is limited. To reserve your spot, e-mail Jill at info@jaysencommunications. com, and be sure to write ‘Hollywood Weekly’ in the subject line. It’s time for you to finally defeat the monster of public speaking, and Jill will stamp your ticket, by putting you on the fast track to your powerful transformation. HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 33
Second Chance at Success Show provides a spotlight to individuals deserving representation and opportunity for a Second Chance at Success
P
aul & Tiffany Nutall are a dynamic duo who are motivated and driven by God to serve humanity through their life-changing TV shows: 2nd Chance Saves Lives, Forgotten Prisoners & Radio TV show. Both are passionate in helping the struggling and less fortunate and have been persistent in achieving their goals despite the hardships they endured in both of their lives. PAUL K. NUTALL The world has proven time and time again to be a cruel place that drives people to act out in desperation and resort to decisions that put them in a more difficult situation. Once the act is done, it can be challenging for them to get back on their feet again. Paul Nutall understands the struggles of getting a second chance all too well and created the production 2nd Chance to help others get the opportunity to redeem themselves. Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Paul Nutall was born to a single mother of nine children. From the very beginning, he knew what it was like to
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struggle. Despite the large hurdle life placed before him, Paul was able to stand on his own two feet, becoming a renowned gang-unit officer and three-time kickboxing world champion. He would even oversee former NBA champion Sean Elliott’s karate training as his instructor. Although things were starting to look up, Paul’s family would wrongfully disown him. The situation drove him to leave San Antonio in 1994. Paul eventually moved to Michigan, earning two Master’s degrees in Criminal Justice and Political Science. He used his degrees to become the Regional Youth specialist director at Wolverine Human Services, where he thrived for seventeen years. Despite how busy he had been, Paul continued training boxers, even sparring with Hall of Famer professional Chris Byrd. Their training sessions were instrumental to Byrd’s victory over Evander Holyfield. Additionally, Paul has contributed as a sparring partner for Hasim Rahman, helping him earn the heavyweight championship in 2001. Once again, things were starting to look up, but by 2007, Paul Nutall would fall
victim to a wrongful conviction. Accused of a Nigerian scam, he would spend fourteen months in jail as he waited for his trial. When the time finally came, the judge dropped the charges upon reviewing his innocence. Although he was free, Paul had to be picked up again shortly for his inability to pay child support. After serving for six months, Paul would try to reconcile with his family. In the twenty-five years since he left, he discovered his mother had passed away in 2017. Life started to take a downhill turn as his father followed three months later. Tragedy continued to strike as Hurricane Harvey took his eldest twin daughters in Houston. Most people would have given up and fallen into a deep depression, but Paul managed to march through the gloom of his trials and tribulations. He would later film a reality show where he would run into a girl he dated in the past. Paul would
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be forced to let her go and encounter more troubles, as she wrote a false report about him in an attempt to ruin his career and reputation. When confronted, it was revealed that she was jealous of another castmate that Paul would eventually marry. Despite all the troubles he went through, Paul Nutall grew in faith, pushing forward to achieve his goals. Together with his wife, he would create the television program 2nd Chance Saves Lives and Forgotten Prisoners. Using their platforms, the couple has been helping people from Hollywood and all walks of life get the chance to redeem themselves. With the program gaining traction, Paul and his wife foresee their 2nd Chance generate spin-off shows. They also envision their franchise broadcasting to other countries to help other individuals. Regardless of what happens, Paul Nutall and his wife plan to use their platform to influence, motivate, and inspire the next generation. TIFFANY L. NUTALL Tiffany Louise Nutall was born in Zamboanga, Philippines and was raised in Los Angeles, California since the age of 3. Years later, she grew to become an ambitious businesswoman, entrepreneur, inventor, and singer. She grew up being a loner, and through this self-discovery, her gifts and talents developed and prospered. She was looked upon as the “black sheep” of the family, due to her unique character traits, mindset, and general misunderstanding of her drive and ambition. Not willing to settle for an average lifestyle, she has taken a departure into the unprecedented, diverging from the normal existence, her family had not accepted. With her sights set for greater things, the only option was to further develop herself mentally through constant networking, expanding her knowledge, and surrounding herself with like-minded individuals. While living with her family, Tiffany began to mature into a young adult and by the age of 18, supported herself financially and invested in her own business ventures. Relentless ambition led her to become the youngest at a prominent financial firm, where she received licensure at the age of 19. Shortly after she moved on from that field, realizing that her heart wanted to help individuals on a different platform. A product of beauty & brains, Tiffany then became a candidate for Miss Philippines-USA beauty pageant (pageant name changed) here in the states. Although she did not win the pageant due to patchy circumstances, her perspective is when one door closes, God has a greater one in store; a larger platform than what she had initially envisioned for herself. Tiffany strongly believes that the mindset is where true success lies and not by just one’s physical appearance. There was another opportunity waiting, the door she was destined to enter, in which she would share all of her efforts, talents & passions with the world. By transforming her pain into power, at age 22 her hard work, dedication, & passion of bettering the lives of others led her to become the CEO & Founder of the 2nd Chance Saves Lives TV show & years later, Founder of the 2ndChance TV show & Production company, Forgotten Prisoners & 2nd Chance Radio TV show with her business partner whom she later married, fellow entrepreneur, Paul Nutall. Their likemindedness, passion, dedication and love of helping those in-need joined them together on a divine mission to save the world by leading the way to producing their upcoming hit TV show airing on the FOX network.
Q&A What exactly does your company do? 2nd Chance TV shows & Production company focuses on lending a helping hand to those in need through their TV shows: 2nd Chance Saves Lives, Forgotten Prisoners, & 2nd Chance Radio show. Each platform providing a spotlight to the voices deserving representation or recognition. What were the biggest challenges you have faced and how did you overcome them? PAUL: “The biggest challenge that I have faced in my life was when I was wrongly incarcerated for a crime that was not my fault. I ran from the secret service for 2 years under a different name because I felt I was being targeted because I was a black, successful male running a juvenile facility as the regional director.” After serving 14 months until my trial date, with God’s grace and my prayers, the federal judge saw my innocence and dropped 2-40 charges. He left 1 charge on my record so that I could not come back to sue the government for wrongful imprisonment. Because of this incident I could not return as a regional director and my two Master’s degrees were no longer useful. The challenge continued after my release, becoming homeless, and finding a new path in my life.”
TIFFANY: “My biggest challenge in life was having to pursue my own dreams and path in business, when my parents wanted me to pursue the medical field as they felt it was a safe field financially. Because of this, I was left to financially support myself and following my heart to find the business niche that was the right fit for me. After meeting my husband and creating our 2nd Chance Saves
HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 35
Lives TV show, I was disowned by my family because he was not the same ethnicity or age group as I was. Being a family-oriented individual, that season of my life affected me emotionally, mentally, and at times in the workplace. Even today I am still healing from the traumatic truths of my past, but with constant prayer and my close relationship with God and the support of my husband, they have given me the strength I need to push forward in fulfilling the mission God has given me, to help people around the world.” What piece of advice do you wish someone had given you at the start of your career? * PAUL: “To not trust everyone you meet, to be careful when it comes down to choosing the right people to be a part of the organization, and most importantly to rely on God and not in man.” TIFFANY: “To see the best in people, but be prepared for the worst. Since the start of our journey, we have met and worked with people who in the end didn’t have the right motives or when they didn’t get their way, they spread toxicity to other members of the team. I can speak for myself that because I wanted everyone to succeed, finding out that they had said something negative about us without confronting us directly, really affected me. But now I have to see the best in people, but be prepared for the worst.” Who are your biggest influences and why? PAUL & TIFFANY: “Our biggest influence in our lives is God. He is the only one who made a way for us in our lives and has saved us from dangerous predicaments. When all doors seemed to have closed and we have reached the tipping point, He always sought us through and made a way when we saw there was no way. We wouldn’t be where we are today without His protection, grace, and mercy.” None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are. Paul & Tiffany: “Other than God, there has been a particular individual who has helped us in every area of our lives. We can’t mention just yet, but we wouldn’t be half the people we are today without this individual’s help.” What do you believe will be the greatest success in your life? PAUL: “Going global with our 2nd Chance Saves Lives & Forgotten Prisoners TV shows & uniting the world to help one another.” TIFFANY: “I believe the greatest success in the future will remain the same success as today. Being in the position that I am in to help people in any way they need.”
How can people follow your journey? WEBSITE: www.2ndchancesaveslives.org LINKTREE: https://linktr.ee/2ndChanceTVProduction FACEBOOK: @2ndChanceSavesLives INSTAGRAM: @2nd_Chance_Saves_Lives TWITTER: @2ndChanceSaves
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