Artist of the month: Salome Mulugeta

Ava Duvernay, Shonda Rhimes, Courtney Kemp-Abogh, Gina Prince-Bythewood to Stephanie Allain and Oprah Winfrey; black women in Hollywood have shaped the industry with their amazing talents of filmmaking, storytelling and more, both in TV and films. A new name shall soon be added to that list, and that name is Salome Mulugeta.

This young talented lady is an American storyteller, filmmaker, director, writer, producer, actor, and journalist, a master-of-all-trades. She’s known for her film "WOVEN". which is a 2016 LA Film Festival World Premiere film. Her multitalented portfolio supports a very broad spectrum of film industry experience, internationally. And recently, Salome was awarded the Women’s Journey Foundation Achievement Award.

She’s our first “myNewYorkeye: Artist Of The Month”, for the month of September. She’s a New Yorker, currently based in midtown New York for several years. And before she heads off to LA, to collect her award this month, we had an opportunity to get some exclusive words from her:

Q. What's the most rewarding thing about being a filmmaker and storyteller?

A. I would say the most rewarding thing about being a filmmaker and a storyteller is that films are accessible and are a way to have some kind of voice or platform to say something and while doing that you are able to get the chance to entertain people first and foremost. And if out of that one single person gets touched by your work that is rewarding and also very humbling at the same time!

Q. And what's your message to aspiring storytellers?

A. I would tell an aspiring storytellers to not give up no matter how hard the road gets a head. At times it might feel like you are on a battleground.....but keep on moving and do not give up...before you know it you will be in production.

Q. What role has New York City played in your project and professional life as a actor, writer and filmmaker?

A. NYC played a huge part on the film. We did our first fundraising in NYC. A lot of the NYC neighborhood communities were very sportive....especially LES, (the lower east side neighborhood, the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan) played a great part in the fundraising we held. We also shot the film in NYC which is a great backdrop to have aesthetically.

Q. So what's your least favorite thing about NYC?

A. I would say that the least favorite thing about NYC is that space is very limited in every sense of the word.

Q. And what's your most favorite and least favorite thing about NYC?

A. Wow...........my most favorite thing about NYC?..........too hard to pin down one thing, but my favorite thing I would say is the diversity of its people. People come from all over the world to live in NYC. The culture, the vibrancy, the theaters and the food. NYC is where it's perfectly okay to get up around five-ish in the morning because you're jet-lagged or working through the night, go out and find somewhere to have an early breakfast while your friends are sleeping. I love Central Park, Radio city, Christmas spectacular and the fact that it is a pedestrian town is amazing.

Many congratulations to this very talented storyteller and master-of-all-trades. We shall catch-up with her with a full interview, after her return from the award ceremony. We will find out what other excitement is going on with her (and we can tell you that, there’s a lot more excitement to come wink-wink!). You should also keep an eye for her movie WOVEN. We shall update here, of any screenings and events etc. And we shall also put a review of the film here soon. You can keep yourself updated on the film here:

https://www.facebook.com/WovenFilm
https://twitter.com/WovenMovie

Congratulations again to Salome Mulugeta, “myNewYorkeye: Artist of the Month”!

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More about Salome Mulugeta:

Salome was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. At an early age, she left Ethiopia to attend a boarding school for girls in Bedford, England, where she won many prestigious acting competitions – including receiving Outstanding Performer of the Year. She was hailed as a “forceful talent.”

As an undergraduate at Mid-America Nazarene University in Olathe, Kansas, she studied Broadcasting Communication and Journalism, and graduated with honors. Post baccalaureate, Salome was an intern reporter at the local TV station, a temporary position that became permanent very quickly.

Salome moved to Los Angeles, California, to pursue her film industry dreams, where she co-wrote her first screenplay "Woven". “Woven”, a narrative feature film, was completed in 2016, and has followers and support from fans around the world.

Salome is busy directing and producing commercials, and several independent short stories. Her Ethiopian Airlines commercial (for the Number 1 airline in Africa) went viral after its release. She contributes content for the US-based Africa Channel. The Africa Channel showcases outstanding travel, lifestyle, and cultural series, specials, bios and documentaries about the modern lives of people of African descent, and developing nations, with western culture. She has produced and directed shows for "The African Restaurant Week”, “Muziki Ni”, and currently directs and hosts a debut show called, “A Day in the Life of”. Current productions with Coke Studios, Coca Cola, extends her multifaceted media and production experience, professionally and internationally, and includes a Coca Cola, Africa, Commercial.

Her travels have provided the opportunities to learn how extraordinary and inspiring the human experience is, through the stories of real people. Whether the stories are serious, funny, live, action, animation, scripted or documentary, she enjoys the challenge, loves what she does, and the intricate connectivity of human beings. This makes working with her as exceptional as the quality of the results.

Salome received a coveted role in the acclaimed film, “Baby of the Family”; a film based on the New York Times bestseller book "Baby of the Family." The film was directed by the award winning Jonee’ Ansa. Other film roles include “He’s Way More Famous Than You”. Salome also serves as an online reporter for an online TV magazine.

WEBSITE: http://www.limaproduction.com/

Suicide Squad: David Ayer brings you most DIVERSE & FUN film from DC universe!

Who knew super-villains can be so much fun? David Ayer & Warner Bros did, as they bring you a colourful, funny & action-packed adventure for this summer. And there are some superheroes too, which'll definitely leave you hungry for Justice! (wink-wink)

Highly awaited DC superhero/anti-hero/supervillain film, Suicide Squad released today. Art Shrian talked David Ayer, writer-director of the film. Although a very established Holywood name with films such as End of Watch (2012),Sabotage (2014), and Fury (2014) under his belt; he’s a very cool, sincere and humble man. And very smart too. Here are the excerpts from the conversation :
 

Art Shrian: Congratulations on the film, i truly enjoyed it. Great action, really funny and lotta fun!

David Ayer: Thanks a lot!

AS: You are known for your gritty, realistic films. As a storyteller, how was it working on a comic-book fantasy film?

DA: I got a lot of help, from some very smart people. Great production designer, a great team. The way I came at it was, what if it was real? How can I make it believable? There are all these crazy fantastical and magical things that happen, in the film. But even the wardrobe and way people look and everything, I wanted to make it as realistic as possible. I wanted it to feel, if people driving through the city see Suicide Squad in an alley, doing their business. To put them in our world. Same thing with joker. You go back to the very first joker comic in the 40s. He’s like this insane gangster. And if it’s that simple, what would an insane gangster look like today? You know. I just try to make it as real as possible. The best way to make it real, is to make characters real people, with lives, and hearts. Make them live and breathe on that screen. And that’s what the actors did.

AS: That’s wonderful. You do have a great cast. And I have to congratulate you on diversity of the film. People make it a “talk”, but you truly made a diverse movie with all colors, genders represented. Congratulations on that. So was that a conscious effort?

DA: Yes, the cast is amazing. But as far as diversity, it’s not that I sit and go, oh gee, I’m gonna cast a diverse movie. I just want the world on screen to look like the world I live in, and the world I grew up in. These are the faces I saw growing up. I grew up in downtown LA, and this is the world I know. I know how important it is. When you’re a kid, and you go to these movie, and nobody looks like you, it’s kinda not fair. It’s not cool!

AS: Well said. Totally agreed. So how was it bringing this amazing cast together. You got big stars, and big names. How did you make it happen?

DA: It was scary, because I really wanted these people. And I didn’t know if I’ll get them. I started seeing the movie in my head, with Will, with Margo, with Jared, and it was lil scary until you get the deal closed. And there was no script. So, they signed up, and there’s still no script. So not only I had to get them to commit to movie, but also to commit, without any script to read. So, I am making a lot of promises to them, “hey, it’s gonna be good, i promise”, but I haven’t written it yet. So, there was a lot of pressure on me, to live up to my promises to them. But I can’t imagine the movie with any other cast.

AS: Yeah, you have totally nailed it with the casting. It’s amazing. You’re also writer of the film. And directing as well, which is completely different process. So, talk to me about the writing process, this being a comic book film and all that.

DA: When you write, you have to shut the world out. I just lock the door and turn off the phone. And you have to ignore everything. Because if you’re thinking about all these things, it’ll kill you. You’ll never make progress. You’ll never start typing. And when you write, you have to be free to make mistakes, cuz you’re not gonna get it right the first time. We started making the movie, before we had the script. We had the sets getting designed etc. It’s scary. But you have to ignore all that. Ignore all the pressure, all the calls, and just write. But it’s also the most important part. Because script is the story. Shooting the movie is the funnest part. I enjoy that the most. But this was a journey. Every step was hard, but every step was rewarding.

AS: I enjoyed it. There’s lot of characters, and a lot going on, but it’s fun. Really funny dialogues, and several great scenes too. As a writer-director, do you write as you direct, or direct as you write? Or you keep it completely separate?

DA: I try and keep them separate. Because to write you have to think a certain way, and to direct, you have to think a different way. And one is totally alone, and one is with people. And it’s really hard for me to go back and forth. But I have gone into my trailer, and written a scene, in middle of lunch. You have to do, when you have to do it. But being a writer-director, is a blessing too, because I can make changes on the set, I can improve things on set, and know how it’ll affect everything. It’s like being able to see the whole map at once.

AS: Cool. I really enjoyed the batman scenes. I would love to see you doing a BATMAN film, or a JUSTICE LEAGUE film. So, what’s next for you?

DA: I’m working on a  movie called BRIGHT with Will Smith, and Joel Edgerton. Noomi Rapace is in it too. It’s gonna be pretty crazy, that’s gonna be pretty different.

AS: And the sequel to Suicide Squad

DA: Let’s see how it does (laughs). If people go to see it.

AS: Last question - What’s your least favorite and most favorite thing about New York?

DA: I love being able to walk around. I walked from Brooklyn to midtown yesterday. I love just walking around the city. I love the diversity, and I love seeing all the people, and I love hearing the conversations. But tourists (laughs). You’re trying to walk, and it’s like, they are in your way.

AS: Haha, I’ll have to agree to that. Thanks for talking to us. Congratulations again on the film, and all the best!

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ABOUT SUICIDE SQUAD

From director David Ayer (“Fury,” “End of Watch”) comes “Suicide Squad,” starring Oscar nominee Will Smith (“Ali,” “The Pursuit of Happyness”), Oscar winner Jared Leto (“Dallas Buyers Club”), Margot Robbie (“The Wolf of Wall Street,” “Focus”), Joel Kinnaman (Netflix’s “House of Cards”) and Oscar nominee Viola Davis (“The Help,” “Doubt”).

It feels good to be bad… Assemble a team of the world’s most dangerous, incarcerated Super Villains, provide them with the most powerful arsenal at the government’s disposal, and send them off on a mission to defeat an enigmatic, insuperable entity.  U.S. intelligence officer Amanda Waller has determined only a secretly convened group of disparate, despicable individuals with next to nothing to lose will do.  However, once they realize they weren’t picked to succeed but chosen for their patent culpability when they inevitably fail, will the SuicideSquad resolve to die trying, or decide it’s every man for himself?

Written and directed by Ayer based on the characters from DC Comics, the film also stars Jai Courtney (“Insurgent”), Jay Hernandez (“Takers”), Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (“Thor: The Dark World”), Ike Barinholtz (“Neighbors”), Scott Eastwood (“Fury”), Cara Delevingne (“Paper Towns”), Adam Beach (“Cowboys & Aliens”), and Karen Fukuhara in her feature film debut. It is produced by Charles Roven and Richard Suckle, with Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder, Colin Wilson and Geoff Johns serving as executive producers.

Worst. Heroes. Ever. See SUICIDE SQUAD in theaters August 5th. http://www.suicidesquad.com http://facebook.com/SuicideSquad http://instagram.com/SuicideSquadMovie http://twitter.com/SuicideSquadWB Pre-order "Suicide Squad: The Album" and receive instant downloads of twenty one pilots' "Heathens", Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa & Imagine Dragons with Logic & Ty Dolla $ign ft.

Jason Bourne has a new star, Ato Essandoh

Braver, bolder and badder than ever before, #BourneIsBack with a vengeance! AtoEssandoh is adding his flavor to a new cast that is more diverse than the previous BOURNE installments, as he has joined Matt Damon in this summer’s action-packed film, JASON BOURNE.  Ato has starred in quite a few films such as, ‘Django Unchained’, ‘Blood Diamond’ and ‘Hitch’.  

We had a chance to talk with Ato. Here are the excerpts:

Art Shrian: Congratulations from another boy of Mr James Price of Acting Studio.

Ato Essandoh: Wow, awesome. I love James. Great talking to you. That’s so cool!

AS: It’s a personal honor talking to you. Let’s talk about the film. It’s wonderful. Lotta action. Relevant to current times. How did you land this gig?

AE: It was another audition like 1000s I have done over years. I have done so many, that I forgot about it. When I got the call, I didn’t even remember, what the part was. Suddenly I was on a plane to ENgland. Met Paul Greengrass. And it slowly started sinking in. It’s one of my favorite franchise. ANd it’s only project I mentioned to my dad.

AS: So he’s like, now you have made it son.

AE: yeah. He doesn’t even watch movies much. But he knew Jason Bourne. It’s that popular. It’s that movie!

AS: Talk to me about the role. It’s very interesting. He’s not bad, but he’s working with bad guy. It makes it so interesting. And you make it so believable.

AE: The first thing I remember was, being in a role like that, I never think of it as bad or good person. Because everyone believes they are behaving in good way, for good reason. So what I kept coming for, is that he’s loyal, true patriot and believes in his boss, played by Tommy Lee Jones. Now, this is my first big action movie. I have done lot of very emotional, dramatic role. But advice I got from Matt Damon, that don’t think too much about what You’re doing. Just go as fast you can. And it works! It was very interesting acting note, and exercise. All the acting stuff we learnt, as you remember, from James, goes out. There’s a bomb ticking, and you have to keep going.

AS: How was working with Matt Damon, Alicia Vikander and this wonderful cast?

AE: Many. Matt Damon is extremely, really-really famous. You don’t realise it unless you are around someone like that. And he’s very laid back cool guy. He’s also Jason BOurne, who can disappear in a second. But Matt Damon is different. Now Matt, Alicia Vikander and I were shooting a scene for the movie in a casino in Las Vegas. There were few extras and stuff, but rest were all regular people. While Matt is playing Bourne, hiding in a corner, people were taking his video. It was so funny. A great juxtaposition of reality and virtuality. Bourne can hide, but you cannot hide Matt Damon. Everyone in the world knows who Jason is.

Another story is about Alicia who almost got us killed. We all went for hiking, and Alicia decided to go this way, where we all almost fell into a cliff. But we thankfully we survived. That was fun!

AS: How was your experience with the wonderful director Paul Greengrass?

AE: I had never met him before. So looking at his body of work, all this gritty action stuff, intense, violent stuff. I thought I would be meeting this Clint Eastwoody dangerous person. But he’s such a kind laid back guy. He loves soccer, and watching games. He knows exactly what he wants, and once done, he’ll go grab a beer and watch a soccer match. It was wonderful. I hope one day, I’ll be able to work with him in a larger capacity.

AS: Absolutely. You do great job in the film. You set great precedent to be next Bourne, or James BOnd or leading guy in an action movie. You are amazing in the film.

AE: Thanks a lot. I would love that!

AS: So, SPOILER: Are you alive after the movie or dead? I hope not.

AE: I don’t know. I hope so too. Although Matt reminded me, that I’m the 2nd guy in BOurne franchise to get a shot at Bourne and wound him. So even if I die, Craig Jeffers will be legendary in Bourne franchise.

AS: You have background in engineering. And now you are an actor. It’s a brutal field. But you decided to be an actor. WHY?

AE: Haha. Everything is brutal. After college, I decided, I wanna find something that makes me happy. And acting is what makes me happy. So after college, I figured, I can be in a chemical engineering lab, and be miserable. Although I liked it, but there was something missing. So I had to find and do something, that makes me happy. Which is acting. For up & coming actors, I’ll be honest and tell this that it’s a marathon. I went to James school in 97-98, and now we are talking in 2016 that I’m in a Bourne movie. HBO Vinyl, Django, it all happened in last few years. So remember, there’s a lot ahead of you. If you are sprinting now, you won’t get to end. So take your time, live your life and act as much as you can.

AS: Awesome, thanks a lot for that. So, you are New Yorker. So tell us what’s your most favorite and least favorite thing about New York?

AE: My most favorite thing is not hot having to own a car. I absolutely love that. The least favorite thing is winter. When the winter hits, and you have to hit slushy snow in 30s, it’s my least favorite thing about New York. But I won’t change it for the world man. I love New York.

AS: Thanks so much for talking to us Ato. Congratulations for the film and all the best!

SYNOPSIS: Jason Bourne, now remembering who he truly is, tries to uncover hidden truths about his past.

Directed by: Paul Greengrass

Cast: Alicia Vikander, Matt Damon, Julia Stiles,  Tommy Lee Jones, Vincent Cassel, Ato Essandoh

Official website: http://www.jasonbournemovie.com

Like Jason Bourne on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBourneSeries

Follow Jason Bourne on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jasonbourne

Follow Jason Bourne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonbourne/

Jason Bourne - Official Trailer In Theaters July 29 http://www.jasonbournemovie.com Matt Damon returns to his most iconic role in Jason Bourne. Paul Greengrass, the director of The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum, once again joins Damon for the next chapter of Universal Pictures' Bournefranchise, which finds the CIA's most lethal former operative drawn out of the shadows.

STAR TREK BEYOND (4/4): It's awesome, and beyond!

What makes a movie good? I believe, if you're able to enjoy the movie, while you watch it. What makes it great? Is, you are able to enjoy it after you step out of the theater. STAR TREK BEYOND, has both. That's what makes it awesome!

***Spoilers***

The Enterprise is midway through its 5 year excursion. Captain Kirk is getting disillusioned with his monotonous journey in the unending universe. Spock wants to leave the ship, to go serve Vulcans, in the light of death of Ambassador Spock. Sulu, who's revealed to be gay, misses his partner and daughter. Others are suffering through the pain of this long long journey, in their own way. After a refill at Yorktown (New York), they are asked to head over for a rescue mission to a nearby nebula. Before Kirk can assure himself of this being a trap, they are attacked by a swarm of droid ships, destroying the Enterprise ship and capturing lot of crew. Kirk & Chekov, Scotty, and hurt Spock & McCoy are stranded on the planet. They eventually unite with the help of Jaylah, an alien scavenger and warrior, who has made home of the USS Franklin, an old starfleet ship. But now they have to search for and save the rest of the crew, along with Uhura and Hulu.

This whole thing was planned by Krall, a ruthless military commander, who's on the planet and wants an artifact that was aboard Enterprise. He eventually manages to get it, and is planning on attacking the Federation, Yorktown first. Kirk manages to save his crew, with help from his team. They they manage to fly Franklin, to save Yorktown from the attack by Krall. Turns out, Krall was once human captain of Franklin who went insane during his time stranded at the planet. Kirk battles Krall in life support hub, and eventually manages to defeat him, narrowly avoiding death himself.

***spoilers end***

Chris, Zachary, Karl, Zoe, Simon, John and Anton (may he RIP!) are great as usual. Idris Alba is a great villain, and does amazing job. Sofia Boutella as Jaylah is wonderful. The performances of entire cast are great. The action sequences are breathtakingly good. And the Star Trek Nostalgia is all there. Director Justin Lin does a wonderful job of making a wonderful film.

I went to watch the film with my dad, who doesn't know much about Star Trek. This was his first Star Trek project he saw. And tell you what, he really enjoyed it. I even saw him gasp through the film, with joy. And that says a lot about appeal of this film. Go, watch it!