Dear Toni,

I am enjoying your column.  Thank you.  I am an actress and vocalist.  My CD, "Is This Desire?” is being released to jazz radio stations in the U.S. and Canada this January.  I have just returned from performing in Hong Kong and China where I sang for Rolls Royce's 100th Anniversary party.  I performed a concert and also some jazz dates.
I have some film and television credits and would like to incorporate these two things more.  I have some original tunes on my C.D. My question for you is: How do I get my songs and me into films?

Thanks,
Carrie Landsgaar

Dear Carrie,

I sometimes think it is more difficult in this town to find your niche when you are too talented.  You end up multi- tasking in all these different art forms and each one can be totally absorbing in their energy drains.  I encourage you to do everything that you love to do.  You sound like you really have put your act together.  I think China right now is very exciting.  I performed in Beijing four years ago and the climate was really open to Americans.  The first thing I would suggest is for you to pick which of your many talents you wish to be the one you push for love and which talent you push to make your monies.  You obviously are making monies with your live shows and singing gigs.  Acting is all fine and great but you have to give away a lot of your power to other people’s taste, like directors, producers, agents, casting directors who may not see the same glow that a live audience can spot and respond to quickly.  I think live performers such as you need to keep their live performance jobs.  I would suggest you take all your stories and songs and rent a Theatre in Los Angeles, Toluca Lake, No Ho or Studio City and do a one woman show.  Invite agents and casting directors and producers to the show.  Get your good reviews, tape the show and package all of it and shop it to the networks or production

Companies.  Many one-person shows have sparked TV shows.  Let me know when you perform in town and I will call my friends to come and see you.

Thank you for taking the time to write.
Toni Attell

Toni Attell is a hypnotherapist and acting coach. For people interested in her acting classes please call (818) 787-8685. For hypnotherapy go to www.hypnosis4you.net