Vidas Pliodzinskas: Assistant director, camera operator and director in Cleveland, Ohio.

Hi Everybody! My name is Michelle and I am an actor from Cleveland. I also am a writer and director. In May I directed my first short film, Prognosis, which has played at festivals around the U.S. Currently I am working on building up my resume and creating a reel. I would love to meet and work with as many people as I can!

Hey all, just looking for some input. I was contacted about being an extra in a "major scene" for a movie that is filming right now. They are telling me to expect 12-hour days, possibly more than one day, and a pay of $102 for each 12-hour day. In your experience, is it worth it? I'm not overly concerned about the pay, but I admit it was less than I was expecting. I currently have NO imdb credits, or any experience acting, but I have been trying to get some and this has been my first opportunity thus far. Thanks guys, Tiffany

Hi Vidas - Nice to meet you. I used to live a little ways from Cleveland - in a little town called West Farmington, close to Warren, Ohio.

I know the headline sounds harsh. Get over it. ​To succeed in today's entertainment/biz market it is not enough to be beautiful, cool or young. You must make something. For actors this means make a video series, a movie, a screenplay that can be pitched to production companies. The screenplay includes a role that nails who you are. ​For filmmakers, the 'make stuff' edict means creating a project, which obviously begins with a screenplay. (Check out the HBO documentary "Becoming Mike Nichols." Listen as he describes how he developed THE GRADUATE screenplay.) ​YOU CANNOT WAIT TO BE HIRED. That's so 20th Century. ​You must create SOMETHING that makes people want to hire you. In the 1990s it was not so easy to put some money and equipment together to make a movie. ​Yet, that's what Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn did. They shot a film, and they are such wonderful , candid talents that they fully admit they did not know what they were doing. ​Regardless, "Swingers" made them. WIKIPEDIA: "Swingers is a 1996 American comedy-drama film about the lives of single, unemployed actors living on the 'eastside' of Hollywood, California during the 1990s swing revival. Written by Jon Favreau and directed by Doug Liman, the film starred Favreau and Vince Vaughn, and also featured performances by Ron Livingston and Heather Graham. a critical and commercial hit, the film helped propel Favreau, Livingston, and Vaughn to stardom while also launching Doug Liman's directing career as he won the MTV award for Best New Filmmaker." SPIKE LEE understood this concept decades ago. He made a film called SHE'S GOTTA HAVE IT. Mostly recently he made CHI-RAQ. ​Has Spike been hired by Hollywood and many product brands to create movies and television commercials? OH YEAH. But he didn't wait to be wanted. He made his own stuff first.​ ​It doesn't stop with film. Bestselling author JOHN GRISHAM is a brand now, but his first novel could not find a publisher. Did he want to be discovered? ​No. He self-published his first book and sold it out of the trunk of his car. This was long before Amazon and Kindle made it so simple to create your own book. “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.” ​— Henry David Thoreau NIKE prospered with the pointed question, "Is it in you?" WELL ... is it? ​Make Stuff. And then share your book, screenplay, song, dance, painting with an audience that may need you. Douglas Glenn Clark Multiplatform Artist

Hi, Vidas! Thank you for the connection, much appreciated. I hope life is treating you well?

Hi I am in Cleveland and I am looking for a Director for My PILOT please contact me to discuss in detail

If you are in or around the Cleveland, Ohio area there will be a 48 Hour Film Competition in two weeks. I joined an already formed group and will be sound mixing! For more information check out this link. http://www.48hourfilm.com/cleveland-oh I'm sure this will be a lot of fun!

Its kind of a multiple question in one but Just wondering what everyone's thoughts were and how they approached keeping the energy level consistent throughout those long 12 to 14 hour days. What are some of your simple tips and tricks or all out strategies how to keep the productivity & momentum of crew morale high, fun & engaged even when unexpected downtime occurs?

Check out the Doctor Who fan film T.R.A.C.E. Episode 2. http://youtu.be/FBaR4HR3SfM

Hey Vidas, thanks a lot for connecting with me! Jacob

Looking for actors for a YouTube mini series I'm trying to start

Welcome to stage 32!

Hi Vidas, thanks for the invite. It's wonderful to connect with local talent!

I was searching the internet for hours for rental of emergency vehicles for a movie, but many are in California. Does anyone know of a company that rents here in Montreal?

Check out the Cleveland Asian Festival May 16-17th 11 am - 7 pm Payne Ave. & E.30th St. - E.27th St. http://clevelandasianfestival.org/2015/ https://vimeo.com/124318108

Is it okay to post information about or links to local industry meet-up opportunities here that are not necessarily exclusive to Stage 32 members? (i.e., MCA-I, PVN, MAOOC, etc)