Gummy Money, Airplane Navigator, Nerium, Suburban Underground, NY Casting, and SAG AFTRA are keeping

There isn’t one special event I want to chat about this week but rather a few different things. I want to talk about products I’ve heard about, photography equipment I’ve been trying out, my latest gig showcased on YouTube and a fun new adventure on Brooklyn TV. I’ll also introduce you to the beginnings of a series of articles I’m focusing on demystifying SAG-AFTRA and a class I attended at NY Castings.

To begin with there’s been a lot of buzz about a product called NeriumAD. There are a number of people who swear by this anti-aging product. My sister tried it out for a week and said she noticed that her skin felt softer.

Even men can use the product and one such man is Sam Adedeji, who was the one who told me about the product and now uses it regularly. “I noticed those dark spots on my face gradually diminished in 2-3 weeks. Also, the dryness on my face was totally gone and my skin feels very hydrated. I just love the fact that is easy to use and the simplicity is phenomenal,” he told me.

Anything to do with the anti-aging process is something most of us think about so if you want to check out NeriumAD the real results are backed by a third-party clinical trial that proves NeriumAD is a breakthrough product. The best way to learn about this product is straight from the clinical trial participants themselves! For more information, go to www.dermsified.nerium.com or e-mail: dermsified@gmail.com.

Another product of a different sort that I’ve been testing relates to the fact that I am a professional photographer. My photography takes me to family celebrations, small and large functions, coverage assignments in New York City and events around the world. I’ve already covered seven summer Olympic Games. This year I’ll be covering my seventh Alltech World Equestrian Games in Normandy France where I’ll be from August 23 to September 8th.

Photography is not just about the cameras and lenses but also about the bags you transport them in. So, I’m going to be testing a few of the Think Tank bags to see how they hold up. I’ve got the Airport Navigator now which is good for when you do or don’t have to carry a lot of equipment. So far, my New York City coverage assignments seem to be a good fit for this bag. I’ll talk more in detail about it at a later time but if you are a photographer I’d like to hear about some of the things you want to see in a good photo bag.

A couple of things I really love about the Navigator is that you can reach your equipment from the top. So often if you are in a setting where you need to be discreet or there’s not a lot of room that’s a real plus. I can quietly unzip the top of the bag and pull out my camera and flash, capture a few pics and then return it to the bag.

The bag also has a bunch of sections that you can reach by unzipping the front. This works out in multiple ways. If you have more lenses or bodies you need to carry you have the room. However, if you don’t but have other things you want to use that space for (like a snack or sandwich) then you’ve got a place to put it so you can fit everything neatly in one zipped up bag. Plus there is a front pocket that unzips where you can put a laptop (or two) or an iPad and some reading material.

To see pics and for more details visit their web site at www.thinktankphoto.com. And if you are a photographer I really want to hear from you as does Think Tank because they make bags for all levels of photographers and because of that they need us to tell them what works and what doesn’t.

So now let's change gears and move on to some of the fun stuff I am doing. A few months back I took part in a music video with Nicholas Megalis called Gummy Money. Initially I wondered what had I gotten myself into but I have to say it was such a fun day. The group of 14 people did their own silly things. There was a jogger, a magician, a santa like character, a farmer, and others. I was the dancer dressed in a crazy leopard outfit. I’m seen mostly at the end of this video (which I have posted along with some of the pics).

Nicolas, an American singer-songwriter, artist and comedian, gained instant fame for his works on Vine that went viral and so from that he created this Gummy Money video. You’re either going to love it or hate it but with over 62,000 hits by the time I’m writing this (after only three days of being released) his song is something you just might want to take note of.

Dancing has always been my thing so anytime I can dance I’m game. So, if anyone out there needs a dancer for their video here I am. I’ve already been in the Useless Beauty Video called Agnes and in a Naughty Boys video as well as danced with Coco on Entertainment Tonight.

Now, moving on to my next adventure. I along with a couple hundred others tried out for a program that will air on Brooklyn TV called SubUrban Underground. It’s the creation of Brian Wade and it was something I really wanted because it has to do with a few things I really like. There will be Brian’s band (which is soul, r&b and jazz oriented that does both covers and originals), some comedy sketches, a panel (similar to The View concept) and some street journalists. I’m going to be part of the panelists and will also do some interviewing.

The first show is just a few weeks away as we’ll be taping that on Monday, March 31. So, stay tuned. For more about Brian and his band go to: http://www.djstereotypemusic.com.

The next topic I want to focus on is SAG-AFTRA. I’m a part time actress and also a fairly new member to SAG-AFTRA. Once I joined the Union I immediately noticed that not only was the pay better but so was the way I was handled on set.

While that was all clear to me I never realized how much more SAG-AFTRA offers its Union members.Then one day I went to a New Member Orientation and was blown away with the wealth of information. I left that meeting feeling re-energized and overwhelmed at the same time.

It was hard for me to absorb all that this organization offers its SAG-AFTRA members. So, I’ve started to wear my journalist hat as I begin a series of articles which I have titled “Demystifying SAG-AFTRA.” I’ll probably add that as a separate series on this site or a link to it when I run it on my other column, as I also have an Examiner.com column called the NY Acting Scene.

With that said, my first meeting was with the NY National President Mike Hodge and the Executive Director Jae Je Simmons, who both made it clear that their goal is to make sure the members are being served. So, if you have something you’d like to ask them or request feel free to do that and I’ll work on getting the answers for you.

My final thought for this column is about a session I attended at NY Castings which went over all the things you should know about taking advantage of their online casting site. It was time well spent because the presenter, Phillip gave some really good insight on setting up your profile, responding to gigs and preparing yourself for auditions.

This was all free but if you want to sign up as a member it’s only $10 a month and that includes up to three videos, three audio tapes, 20 photos and your profile information. As Phillip indicated it’s all inclusive and they don’t nickel and dime you. They do also offer creating a reel or headshots for an additional fee. For more information visit their web site at: www.nycastings.com.

So, that’s it for this month. If you have something you want me to try out that I can actually do or try or cover and write about then send me your suggestion at dderosa1@optonline.net. I want this column to be about viewing the entertainment world from the inside out.