Backstage
How a German Master Chef Conquers Los Angeles Farmers’ Markets
If you’re a regular on Los Angeles Farmers’ Markets, you might have noticed a produce stand that stands out (yes, pun intended!). Instead of the general variety of local California veggies and fruits, this stand presents an outstanding variety of freshly harvested mushrooms. Did I say mushrooms? Yes! Name anything from Chanterelle to Morels to Porcini to Black Trumpet to Shiitake – and the list goes on – and you can almost be sure that LA FungHi has it. LA FungHi offers the widest selection of mushrooms in Southern...
read moreA Valuable Lesson About Success
Germany’s Lena Meyer-Landrut jubilated when she was announced the winner of the 2010 European Song Contest. For those outside of Europe who are not familiar with the contest – the Eurovision Song Contest is one of the longest running television shows worldwide. Since 1956, each year performers from various European countries participate in the contest, and the winning song is decided in an exciting final watched by millions on TV across Europe. Lena Wins the Eurovision Song Contest with Satellite In 2010, Lena’s song...
read moreInterview with German Composer Lars Deutsch
German native Lars Deutsch has been working successfully as a music composer for film and business projects in Berlin for years. While he was working in Berlin, the Hollywood industry started noticing him. Film music as well as audio branding are Lars’ specialties. In just a few months, Lars seems to have conquered the Hollywood crowd and is busy working for top names in the business. What are Lars’ ambitions when it comes to a German composer working in Los Angeles? And does living in the Californian metropolis affect his sound?...
read moreHow Two German Filmmmakers Conquered Los Angeles
Not only for businesses, but also for filmmakers the cultural differences between the USA and Germany can stand for opportunities. Whether you’re an American doing business in Germany, or a German artist creating your work in the US – the other culture might inspire you to see beyond what you know. Open Doors to New Creativity Anna-Maria Hora and her husband Markus Adrian are up-and-coming German filmmakers who learned first-hand that a scholarship at a Los Angeles’ cultural institution can open doors to new creativity....
read moreWant Better Communication? What We Can Learn from Olympic Athletes
If you’ve been watching the Winter Olympics in Vancouver like me, you may have been impressed at the level of performance and the triumphs of these top athletes. And no matter what nation, every single Olympic athlete seems to have that same dedication and that mental strength that makes them reach for the gold medal. I believe that we can learn from the Olympians and apply these strengths to become a better communicator. No matter what language you speak, what country you’re from and what communications goal you want to...
read moreInterview with Austrian Designer Emil Gampe, Expert Winner of BRAVO TV’s “Launch My Line”
Just recently, I reported about 2 successful Austrians in Hollywood: actor Christoph Waltz and filmmaker Michael Haneke. Now, Hollywood honors another talented Austrian: On Feb 3rd 2010, BRAVO TV announced that fashion designer Emil Gampe and his show partner Kathy Rose are the Season One’s winners of “Launch My Line”. Together, Emil and Kathy collaborated on the successful fashion line titled ‘Native Rose’ which beat out nine other contestants marking them the first ever winners of ‘Launch My Line’. Emil and Kathy created the...
read moreA Word on PR Spam
I just learned about the Inconvenient PR Truth campaign, a PR industry initiative launched by Realwire’s CEO Adam Parker. The campaign aims at initiating a debate on PR irrelevance and how it’s polluting our online environment. According to research by news release distribution service Realwire, each year US and UK journalists receive an estimated total of 1.7 billion irrelevant press release emails. That’s a lot! My initial reaction to the campaign was: Yes! That’s right. We PR people should work on honoring and...
read moreExclusive Interview with German Director Marc Rensing
Ever thought about watching a movie that deals with Parkour, the physical discipline of training in which the traceur has to overcome obstacles within his or her path? Well, German director Marc Rensing made a film that not only captures breathtaking Parkour scenes; the movie also tells a captivating story of friendship, love, and jealousy. The talented young German filmmaker takes the audience into a world of physical and psychological challenges that continue to heat up over the course of the film and end in a dramatic test of...
read moreEuropean Golden Globe 2010 Winners
It was a successful night for German and Austrian filmmakers and actors at the Golden Globes 2010! Viennese actor Christoph Waltz won Best Supporting Actor Motion Picture for Inglorious Basterds. Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke was happy that his film The White Ribbon was awarded Best Foreign Language Film. And Sandra Bullock, who is half German, won Best Actress Motion Picture, Drama for The Blind Side. If this is an indication for what’s to come at the Academy Awards, then European filmmakers have all reason to celebrate. But...
read moreExclusive Interview with Austrian Comedian Alice Frick
I recently had the privilege and the pleasure to interview Austrian comedian and actress Alice Frick. The funny performer is not only a rising comedy star in Austria and Germany. As of recently, she’s also standing in the spotlight on Hollywood’s big comedy stages. Reasons enough for me to ask her about her work on 2 continents. The full interview (2 videos on YouTube’s Indie Entertainment TV) is available to watch online – however, for those who prefer the written word, here are some of Alice’s highly...
read more