WILL SMITH ... My Encounter With a Superstar - Flash Back Post

Years ago, when I was living in the beautiful city of Vancouver, I made two conscious choices that I rarely ever share.

It was a sunny afternoon, and I was standing at the security booth on the Lions Gate studio lot. I was early as usual, dressed in a red halter dress and tall black boots. That afternoon, I was supposed to be auditioning for Scooby Doo the movie, and didn't know in which studio the auditions were being held. The security guard told me to wait by his booth while he went to find out where I was meant to be. I guess nobody was answering the radio.

As I was standing there, waiting for the security guard to get back, the studio gates opened, and in drove this big, black, tinted SUV. Like out of a movie, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. As the SUV drove by, a window rolled down, visibly showing the driver, who lowered his big, black sunglasses as he stared at me. The SUV left, and all I could think was, "I wonder who that is?"

Five Minutes later, I was still standing in the same spot. I hadn't moved, because the security guard told me not to. All of a sudden, the same SUV came speeding backwards, just to stop right in front of me. Again, the window rolled down, and the same face from 5 minutes before, was visible. This time, still with his sunglasses on, he spoke in his deep voice, "Would you like to meet Will Smith?" Unsure whether I heard him correctly, I didn't answer. Again, in his deep voice he asked, "Would you like to meet Will Smith?" This time I heard him, and shyly, shook my head "Yes". The back of the SUV swung open, and the next thing I heard was, "Hop in." As I began walking towards the SUV, the security guard came back. Seeing me leaving, he shouted, "Your audition is in stage 2." I thanked him, and continued walking towards the big, black, truck. Little did I know, stage 2 was exactly where I'd be headed.

Inside the truck were 3 large black men. They drove me to the other side of the lot, where Stage 2 stared back at me in bright red. The driver helped me out of the truck, and then said to follow him. We entered the stage door, and right in front of me were a flight of concrete stairs. With my eyes, I followed the stairs upwards, until I reached the top. When my eyes got to the top, I noticed a man standing there. Could it be Will Smith? No? But it was. It was like he was waiting for me the entire time. Nervous, though pretending to be cool, I climbed the stairs to meet him. He introduced himself, but all I could pay attention to was how many grey hairs he had on the top of his head. I coyly introduced myself, after which he told me why he was there. They were interviewing mature female actors to play his mother in the film
I, Robot.

Will asked me if I lived in Vancouver. I said, "Yes." He then mentioned, that if I had the time, I should wait for him in the truck with his guys, and that after he was finished with the auditions, maybe I could show him around the city. Excitedly, (come on...this is Will Smith), I shook my head "Yes." Of course I had my own audition, and didn't know how long he would take, but like I said, I was early, so why not wait for Mr. Smith.

While waiting for Will Smith in the back of the SUV, I was officially introduced to his entourage. The only name I remember was the driver who introduced himself as "Charlie Mack" Alston. Charlie was Will's best friend, bodyguard and business partner. They grew up together in Philadelphia. We had a great time chatting and listening to the music he, Will and Jazzy Jeff made back in the day.

I am not sure how much time passed, but I do remember I had my own audition to attend. I told Charlie I needed to go, and almost as if he knew, instantly handed me over a white envelope. He said that it was a formal invite to a dinner Will was throwing that night, and that I should come. I thanked them, then re- entered stage 2, for my audition.

Secretly, I was hoping to run into Will again that afternoon, but never did.

Later that evening, back in my small, downtown studio apartment, I opened the invite to Will Smith's dinner party. It took me the full journey home, before I opened the letter, as I knew I had a predicament. You see, I had a date planned for that night with a guy I really, really liked. For most, this wouldn't be a dilemma, but for me it was. Will Smith vs Guy I Like. I was in a pickle.

Admirably, yes, but also stupidly, I chose not to go to the dinner party, and went on the date with the guy I liked. Needless to say, even after my decision to choose him first, we didn't work out.

In a weird twist of fate, I ended up working on the movie I, Robot, and of course spent the day hanging out near Will's trailer. I met the guys from the SUV again, his makeup artist, and his longtime hairstylist Pierce Austin (still his hairstylist today). Pierce Austen and I hit it off immediately. Let's just say the guy even spoke to my mother. Pierce was, well... this blog post is getting quite long, so let's leave it here, and continue my next post with the next chapter: My date with Pierce.

Till My Date With Pierce

Love

Melissa "HunnyB" Veszi

Women...YOU can have it all!

As women, I believe we are able to have both a family and a thriving career. There are many reasons women sometimes only choose to focus on one. Amongst those many reasons, is guilt.

I hear many mothers mention that they would love to go back to work, but the guilt of leaving their child keeps them home. Guilt that the child will miss out on having that bond with them, or that the mother will miss out on important growing milestones.

On the other hand, I also hear women speak about their fear that if they have children, it will affect their career and potentially their ability to move up in the company.

When it comes to finding a work life balance, it's important to remember that guilt should never be involved.

This is hard to do. What women need to remember, however, is that our children are resilient. They will cope, even if you're not around 24 hours a day. If you have a demanding work schedule, be there weekends for your kids. Yes it's only 2 days, but those 2 days will be priceless, and a lot will be achieved.

Yes, you may miss out on certain milestones, but even though you may miss the first time, like your child's first step, the next time you see that first step, will be YOUR first time. Their first may not be your first, but you will still have a FIRST.

Being a stay at home mommy, is a full time job. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a full time mom. It is a difficult job, yet extremely rewarding. If you are a full time mom with dreams to also pursue other things, do it! YOU CAN!

Being a boss, or having a demanding career can be stressful. You may feel as though, having a child is out of the question due to your overwhelming timetable. You will be surprised how women can juggle both. Sacrifices will have to be made, but it can be done, so do it! YOU CAN!

Don't feel guilty for wanting to be a boss mommy, or a working mommy. We are capable of anything, and our children are stronger than we think.

Like Nike says, "JUST DO IT!"

Don't wait ...Go After It! 4 Ways I Help Myself!

The entertainment industry has a chain of command like most industries. Singers have managers/agents, and so do actors. Let's specifically focus on the actor for the sake of this blog. For actors to be considered a professional, they need to have an agent. It's the agent's job to help them find potential work, so the agents will submit their clients to casting directors for specific roles in projects. The casting directors are hired by the production companies, who are sometimes hired by networks if the projects are studio projects. The networks always have the last say on who gets hired or not. As an actor, we have to sit, and wait for our agents to call us, wait to audition, wait for the job. How do we stop waiting and start doing? Here are 4 ways I help move my career along, so that I am not dependent on my agent:

1. Network - Networking is so important in the entertainment industry. The best way to network, is to attend industry events, but if this is not your cup of tea, then that's okay. I have met all sorts of individuals in the most random places, who are very well connected, just by talking. You never know who's around you, so don't be shy and speak up. Be interested in people; they just might be able to help you.

2. Find a site where you are able to submit yourself for roles. If there are no such sites, then I suggest you do your research, and find out what's casting in your town. Once you have done this, find out who the casting directors are, and email them with your CV and showreel.

3. Attend workshops. This ties in with networking, but will also be a great way to share your talent with others and build experience on your CV.

4. Believe in yourself enough to promote yourself.

The other day, I was looking through casting breakdowns, and came across a role that I felt suited me, for a film being cast and shot in Bulgaria, starring Nicolas Cage. My agent didn't call me about it, so I emailed the casting director my showreel. The very next day I received a reply, with an attached scene and a request for a self tape.

If I waited around, I would never have had the opportunity to introduce myself to this casting director.

We work in a tough, tumultuous industry, but it's also an industry that can change your life in an instant. There is something exciting about the unknown when you are fighting for your dreams. Anything can happen, so keep putting yourself out there and don't wait anymore...go after it!

Nerves

Nerves can be such a drag. Personally, I hate them. Some performers can use nerves, turning them into adrenaline, which helps boost their performance. I was the complete opposite. I had varying degrees of nervousness depending on the situation. Somedays I'd get dry mouth, other days I'd shake, while other days I would not be able to move or say anything because my whole body felt paralysed. I have been performing professionally now for many years, and still get nervous. I used to find shame in this, trying to hide my fears the best I could.

Being on stage has never been challenging. It's always right before an audition or just before I step out on stage/set that does it, but once I start performing, I'm absolutely fine.


Now that I'm older, and more experienced, I am able to talk about this ongoing battle. Being in an industry where 90 percent of the time you are rejected can be extremely taxing on the soul, and can play with your self esteem. Nerves can develop for various reasons, however they all stem from the same place...the mind. I remember the day someone told me, the reason I am nervous is because I care so much. I carry this helpful piece of information with me to every casting, and every job. This person has helped me conquer step one of my battle, but what about my self conscious mind that tries to put negative thoughts into my head saying, "You're not the best. What if they hate your song? They're going to be bored. You are going to mess up your words. There are prettier girls." My biggest task of all is to silence these voices, and find my inner cheerleader.

The day this all turned around for me, was the day I read about Barbara Streisand and her stage fright. To learn that such a talent and superstar like Barbara Streisand had stage fright, made me feel more human, and less like a failure. I thought, if she can do it, so can I.

After my Barbara Streisand revelation, I was uplifted by more stories. Meryl Streep would throw up before filming a movie. Amy Adams feels paralysed before a performance. Adele suffers from anxiety on tour and has even puked on someone.

Everyone of these performers have discovered their personal way of coping, and I have found mine through meditation, deep breathing, internal self praise, and self belief. Once I relax, it's game time! I am not cured, and most likely will never be, however I can manage my nerves which to me is a win.

If you suffer from nerves or stage fright, don't be ashamed. It's absolutely normal and should not define your capabilities as a performer. The only way to conquer your fears are to face them dead on...so speak up, and don't give up! You are enough!

Social Media - Bee Active

If you are an artist, you are a brand, and if you don't have a social media presence, your brand does not exist. The success of one's business is rated through social media. The more followers you have, the more credible your brand becomes. This is true for all businesses trying to sell a product, and in this case, you the artist are the product.

I went to a twitter workshop on Sunday, run by StageFaves, and was taught how to maximise my twitter experience in order to really benefit from it. I learned that I don't spend enough time playing with all the features twitter offers, which will help boost my profile.

It's not easy to sell yourself. It can feel too pretentious or vain, and for those who try to live a humble life, can find this type of "bragging" exposure difficult. As a performer, you are subjected to rejection on a daily basis, so when you worry that no one will care about what you have to say on social media, you fear being rejected again, only this time by your peers. Many performers are adamant in keeping a level of privacy, which I support, but then struggle to find a fine line. Your personal life may sometimes spill into your professional life, which can be beneficial, allowing fans more access to the real you, as long as you stay diligent and be specific in what you choose to share.

The benefits of having a strong social media presence, is that you are not only building your fanbase, but allowing yourself to be seen by producers, casting directors, agents, writers, directors and anyone else who may be able to help drive your career forward.

My belief is that when you are offering a service, that service needs to be presented to the public in it's best light, and your best light is your true light. Your fans are your support and they will help drive your career more than anyone. In todays industry, entertainers are hired, based on their social media presence and follower count. Followers translate into dollar signs for investors and producers, so as a business person, you need to remember this when marketing yourself.

I am still learning the game, but have embraced the power of social media and so should you.

I Never Imagined...

When I started making music 5 years ago, I never imagined being on iTunes or making music videos that would end up on Vevo or Youtube with sometimes thousands of views. I also never expected my music to be played on the radio, whether it be internet radio, or on a FM station. The music industry was completely foreign to me.

I remember seeing my single Round & Round (Featuring Joe Budden) on SingersRoom and I couldn't help but think, 'Wow...this is amazing!'

http://singersroom.com/content/2013-09-03/hunnyb-round-round-ft-joe-budden/

Making up melodies and writing was something I was extremely passionate about, but how would I find a producer. My husband, who was just my friend at the time, so happened to be a music producer, and so it began.

I would write to his creations, and then we would find a studio to record in, or sometimes record at home in our make shift home studio. One hand would often 'stand' in as a mic stand, and I would hold the pop screen with the other. The mixing desk was my kitchen table, and having no speakers, we would rely on headphones.

I am so proud of where we have come today. I may not be Alicia Keys (yet), but we keep plugging away and moving in the right direction. We have immense support from our families and friends, as well as other music industry people who genuinely love what we do.

We have never had a label behind us, or a manager nor have we had distribution. Every article that has featured me, radio station that has played our music or interviewed me, blog that has written about our music, or show that has used our music, happened because 1) Passion 2) Drive 3) Belief 4) Support 5) Hard Work.

I don't know where our passion will lead us, however I do have a clear vision and that vision points up.

All of you reading this blog are supporting us now, and all of you reading this blog, who have done something extra to help our musical journey, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We are continuing to make music, for ourselves, and to share with the world. I still have a million things to learn, and the music industry keeps changing, however we are determined and will keep hustling, ready to embrace all the blessings that come our way.

www.hunnybentertainment.com

First Time Pulling Out Of A Job :(

Today was the first time I have ever pulled out of a television job, and this was terrifying to do. This was my first casting of 2017, and I was excited to see my other husband, the camera again.

On New Years Eve, my family was meant to celebrate at friends. After a brief nap, both Amari and I decided to head downstairs for a quick bite to eat before we got dressed to leave. Amari, having also just woken up from a nap, was clingy, so I carried him down the stairs. Big mistake! Half way down, I slipped, and landed flat on my back. Wanting to protect my son, I held him tight, leaving me with no hands to protect my fall. My back hit the edge of the bottom step, and that's when I realised that 2017 was not going to start the way I imagined. The good thing about this injury is that I have no choice but to start the bar low, so even the smallest good thing that happens to me this year, will be the most extraordinary thing ever. Like, "OMG I can go to the toilet now without the pain I get from sitting and standing. Life's amazing!"

I have never had a back injury this bad, and each day has become progressively worse. I woke up this morning, barely able to walk, and I thought, how on earth am I going to be able to get myself together, and then to London to shoot this job? This is when I made the extremely difficult decision to pull out. Making that phone call was almost as painful as my back; I hate letting anyone down. Normally I would put my health last, and others first, but this time I decided I was finally going to do the opposite. Production may hate me for it, but I love myself, and so the phone call was made.


This actress is out of commission for God knows how long, unless they of course want me to play an injured patient. I asked my agents if they've seen any casting breakdowns for injured characters, maybe someone with a broken back; I think I could play that believably, but nothing so far. At least my voice works, so I must turn lemons into lemonade, and make some more amazing music. I can also use this time to write more, and annoy you with longer blogs. Oh the joys he-he.

Stay positive, stay strong and know that not all pain lasts forever...I HOPE!