ARE YOU THE TALK OF ORLANDO

That passion is the foundation. Sacrifice, discipline, consistency, and commitment all come after that to create a successful company.

ARE YOU THE

by E$CO and Kristin Kinville

FlyerPromoNow & TalkofOrlando.com present this week’s Talk of Orlando, Hollywood East (HWE) is a team who collectively has 15 years of experience in the entertainment industry. They are innovative and believe in the concept of “unity” in which all promoters should be able to communicate; so all can benefit & be proud of the work accomplished. HWE is a multi-faceted company; producing shows such as Cedric the Entertainer, Leaders of the New Cool and working with artist Slim E and director Wuz Good (Slim-E’s first video “Here We Go” featuring Cam’ron).

Hollywood East is operated by humble people with a Hollywood mentality Think BIG and work SMART.

The word on the street is that Hollywood East is real hot. What would you say is the secret to the success of the company?

Chris: When you’re in it for the right reasons you are really motivated to pull the best qualities out of yourself to make things work. My partner and I both have a crazy passion for music and for creating experiences around music for people to enjoy.

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For those that don’t know, what is Hollywood East? What is the vision or goal of the Company?

Dominique: Hollywood East Entertainment is primarily known as an event and nightlife promotions company. We promote Fat Tuesdays at Antigua, the Leaders of the New Cool showcase series, and have done concerts with pretty much everyone at this point like Young Jeezy, Li’l Wayne, Busta Rhymes, and many more. We also manage talent and consult for various other projects and companies.

Chris: We also want to create a legacy where we become influential culturally important as a company, it’s not all just about making money…

Eventually we want to get involved with movies and more. Can’t fill you in on everything, but let’s just say that major things are in store!

How long have you guys been in the entertainment industry?

Dominique: It’s been five years with Hollywood East Entertainment and I was working in the industry for about two years before that. So, that’s seven years total!

Chris: I’m going on fifteen years now, but it feels like we’re just getting started!

You guys seem so humble in what you do.

How are you guys able to remain humble in a business where people “show off”?

Chris: Well, I just understand that just as fast as you can achieve success, you can lose it. No matter how much money or power you have, it can all be gone. I’ve been on both sides of the equation, personally. It’s impossible for me to forget where I come from. Most important, I’m also a spiritual person, so that gives me a true understanding that keeps me grounded.

Dominique: The ups and downs are inevitable.

I would also say that as much as Chris has accomplished with HWE, and 4Play Productions before that, and even though we’ve done a lot together, we still feel like we have so much more to do. We have to stay humble because we are still lower on the totem pole when it comes to our ultimate goals.

there be anything you would change about the scene in Orlando?

Dominique: Miami is Miami, Orlando is Orlando. You can’t turn one scene into the other.

There are cool elements of party scenes in other markets that we do want to try for Orlando, but we would tailor them to fit instead of trying to force a change Chris: At the end of the day, I think it’s important that we all start to appreciate Orlando for what it IS instead of what it isn’t. There are great people HERE who want to party so you have to create events that they will enjoy. Orlando has its own vibe and culture that can flourish even more if we made more effort to understand and develop it.

What advice would you give to someone that is interested in promotions?

Chris: First, figure out whether you want to promote parties, concerts, or events. Then, figure out exactly how much you need financially to make those things happen and times that by three. You don’t want to end up in a situation where one bad loss takes you completely out of the game. Really do your research and know your target audience so you don’t spend your dollars unwisely.

Dominique: Surround yourself with mentors, people who have experience and are willing to show you the ropes. That may mean you have to humble yourself and learn the value of listening. Also, find out what you uniquely have to offer the game and try to express that in everything you do. That becomes your brand.

What other current or upcoming events do you guys have in store for the city of Orlando?

Chris: In addition to the Cedric the Entertainer show on June 25th, we will also be bringing the Leaders of the New Cool concert series that has been in NYC, Chicago, LA, Atlanta, Austin and DC to Orlando at the end of July. More club nights in store, bigger hip-hop shows for the second half of the year. Just more “events” for Orlando that really make an impact.

Dominique: Our artist, Slim E is also going to be shooting his first video for his single “Here We Go” which features Cam’ron. The shoot will take place in various locations around Orlando and will be directed by Wuz Good. We will definitely be posting shooting locations for that very soon so that all of Orlando can come out!

hollywood east

How would you compare the club scene in Orlando to the club scene in Miami? Would

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What forms of promotion do

you guys use to promote your nights?

Dominique: Each campaign is different, but it’s important that every event have some presence on radio, internet and on the street with print materials. For special events like the Cedric the Entertainer show or other big concerts, we’ll also run a TV schedule.

Chris: The internet has been a great tool in the last few years, especially the social networks because there’s that interactive element. When you see an event that your friend wants to attend on Facebook or something everyone is talking about on Twitter, you get the feeling that it’s YOUR type of event and you want to be there, too. I’m definitely from an era before the internet was necessary and I still think some rely on it too much, but it is a great tool.

There are a couple of websites in Orlando dedicated to club/night life promotion.

Do you currently work closely with any of those companies and if so who?

Chris: We work very closely with the Event Junkies (http://www.eventjunkies.net), 407 Party Link (www.407partylink.com), and Culture Climax (http://cultureclimax.com). There are other sites we work with on and off, too. We hope to do more work with Talk of Orlando in the near future!

Slim E & Chris

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Melyssa Ford, Chris, & Gloria Velez

It seems as though there is some sort of segregation between promotional companies in the city. Would you guys agree with that statement?

Chris: We have a good market. I think everyone working in the industry here should improve communication. That helps us to take care of what we have and take care of the people here who want to come out. When one promoter gives a venue, a radio station, a local business or the fans a bad experience, it hurts the whole market for the future. Let’s keep the communication going and we can all win!

Do you guys have any shout outs at this time?

Chris: We just want to shout out all the people who attend our events. Without support from the people, we really would have no business. Anyone who we have worked with past and present, all the venues, everyone at radio, our marketing partners, sponsors, and anyone who has invested in Hollywood East is always greatly appreciated. We always let those folks know. That being said, I definitely want to give a great big shout-out to my boy Toneye Brown for always stayin’ down!

Dominique You know what it is!

If you think that you are the Talk of Orlando, you can submit your information to talkoforlando@gmail.com subject line “I am the Talk of Orlando”