Max is a powerful man. I'm not talking about his bench
press poundage or arm-wrestling technique. I am talking
about his power to make stars out of ordinary people!

If you don't know about Max then you need to find out!!
There's not enough room on this page to do justice to the
work he has done with hundreds and thousands of TV talent
over the years.

Max is well known within the industry as one of the leading
tutors of TV talent. He has been at the forefront of some
of TV's most famous names including Larry Emdur, Peter
Overton, Kylie Gillies, Ali Mutch, Karena Brown, Christine
Spiteri etc. (All Australia leading TV personalities)

You can find out more about Max and his services by
visiting his own personal website:

www.maxrowley.com

We recently sat with Max and asked him to spill the beans
on his TV presenting philosophies:

**********************************

1. What makes a good presenter?

**********************************

MAX: Well, I think a good voice is very important. You
should always train your voice. And you should also know
how to write, your creative skills need to be nurtured.

***********************************

2. How many days/weeks/years should an aspiring presenter
train for?

***********************************

MAX: You should train forever. There is no amount of
research, training or courses you can do that will be
enough. That said, you should train WHILE you actively
search for work.

Don't train or practice without making some attempt to
get work - to be forever training is fantastic. To be
forever training without looking for work is disastrous!


***********************************

3. What are new presenters MOST unprepared for?

***********************************

MAX: Definitely the live element. There is no real way
to replicate a LIVE broadcast and that takes people by
surprise. Most presenters do not realise how much they need
to practice! The best presenters are usually the ones who
will train more than anyone else!

www.maxrowley.com

An extended video interview with Max can be viewed on the
How To Be A TV Star product 'Your Big Break' - A Career
in Broadcasting DVD Series - out now!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright © 2007 by Nick Piper, Derrick Siu and Plop
Entertainment. All information, text, graphics, audio, design
and software are copyrighted works of Plop Entertainment.
All Rights Reserved.

It is of vital importance that you know who makes all the
big decisions in television.

If you are approaching a TV network, who should you speak
to?

Who is in charge of employment?

Who really has the final say when it comes to casting
decisions?

One person you should get to know rather quickly is Henrie
Stride - the TV Presenter Casting Director at Channel 9.
Henrie's position has been created simply due to the enormous
demand and growth potential of TV presentation as a career.

Channel NINE is the only commercial network in Australia
that has a casting director specifically employed to look
after TV Presenters.

Here is a quick look at her profile:

HENRIE STRIDE
With more than ten years experience in film and television,
Stride is responsible for sourcing and identifying new talent
to join Nine's on-air stable across all genres, including
lifestyle and infotainment, light entertainment and reality.
After completing a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Media and
Communication, Stride began her career in casting at Mullinar's
in the early 1990s.

Stride has worked on a wide range of television drama series
(including Water Rats, The Bill, White Collar Blue and Home
and Away) and reality programs (including The Mole, My
Restaurant Rules, Stooged), as well as film (including Idiot
Box, Dirty Deeds, Matrix II & III) and television commercials.
In the past decade Stride has also worked in a variety of
production roles both in Australia and the UK, including
Production Management and Coordination on International Films &
Documentaries.

Another important member of your team is your agent. The
number of agencies that concentrate their efforts on
television presenters is increasing. One of the leading talent
managers for Presenters in Australia is Mark Morrissey.
Here is his profile:

MARK MORRISSEY
Mark is the Head of Mark Morrissey and Associates (MMA) He
has a successful history of representing Australia's top
talent and celebrities. MMA represents extraordinary people
of varied creative pursuits. His team work hand in hand with
major agencies, production houses and management companies
in Australia and throughout the world. Mark has a client
list to be proud of:

Andrew O'Keefe, James Mathison, Bob Downe, Spencer McLaren,
Daniel MacPherson, Bianca Dye, Sophie Monk, Belinda Emmett
and Georgie Parker.

His approach to representation are reflected in his philosophy:
'Nothing encourages a potential agent or manager more than to
know that an enthused client is well read, self motivated and
accurately aware of what the industry is doing. Be prepared for
hard work. I have never represented a successful client who
wasn't prepared to work hard. Learn self motivation. Aim to
improve and above all, to retain your sense of humour -
(you'll need it!)'

www.markmorrissey.com.au

A comprehensive video interview with Henrie Stride appears on
the 'Your Big Break' - A Career in Broadcasting DVD Series -
Available Now!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Copyright © 2007 by Nick Piper, Derrick Siu and Plop
Entertainment. All information, text, graphics, audio, design
and software are copyrighted works of Plop Entertainment.
All Rights Reserved.

Here are a couple of scripts for you to practice - for
those of you who have forgotten the importance of training
all the time!

Print them out and rehearse them over the next few days!
Find a camera and shoot all of them - promise yourself to
learn one script per day.

SCRIPT 1:
'No matter what you're doing, where you're doing
it or whom you’re doing it with, it’s important
to keep your wallet close by!’ (5 seconds duration)

SCRIPT 2:
‘North, South, East or West. The choices you
have when you reach the crossroads in your
life. Nevertheless, there is a tendency to
pause here, instead of jumping in head first.’
(10 seconds duration)

SCRIPT 3:
Been searching for that weekend getaway, and
not afraid of a little exercise? Well why not
try cycling on the world famous Coast Road,
here in South Australia Most cycle tours run
during the autumn months, but this line of
road is so spectacular, anytime of year will
do it justice. (15 seconds duration)

More scripts can be found on the 'How To Be A TV Star' website
and contained within the product 'Audition Secrets Revealed' -
out now!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright © 2007 by Nick Piper, Derrick Siu and Plop
Entertainment. All information, text, graphics, audio, design
and software are copyrighted works of Plop Entertainment.
All Rights Reserved.

Getting Practical

*********************************************************

This practical exercise requires some creative scriptwriting.
You do not have the luxury of pre-written scripts in this
case. The parameters have now been extended however to enable
you to inject some personality and charisma into your
performance.

No talking robots - give it your own personal touch.

a. One Minute Piece

Prepare a 60 second piece on yourself. Make sure it is
concise and entertaining. Be sure to concentrate on formulating
a basic structure: an introduction, the main content, a
conclusion and then an outro.

Take at least 10 minutes to prepare the piece. Practice it
several times before performing it to camera. Then take the
time to watch it and make the following changes:

1. Perform it with no hand movements;
2. Perform it with 25% extra energy;
3. Perform it from a seated position.

Note how the different variations affect your performance.
Do not over-rehearse this piece as it will turn stale in its
delivery.

b. Two Minute Piece

Prepare a two-minute piece on SLEEP. You can talk about the
effect of sleep, how much you enjoy sleep, what makes you
sleep. Work the idea around entertainment and engagement.

Find ways in which to ‘tell a story’. This will engage the
audience.

You can make it humorous, factual, creative, positive or
confronting. Learn to make it compelling to last the full
two minutes – the attention span of the average viewer is
around 20-30 seconds, so you will need to work hard to keep
the flow and pace for 120 seconds.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright © 2007 by Nick Piper, Derrick Siu and Plop
Entertainment. All information, text, graphics, audio, design
and software are copyrighted works of Plop Entertainment.
All Rights Reserved.