More Than A Model: Becoming Model Citizens!

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LANE KENNDY AND MORE THAN A MODEL... SUPPORTS THE OLD FASHION COUPON

As many of you know I love being Green, I support Green habits whether they be food items, fashion, or environmental services/products.  Then every once in a while I realize that not everything can be and is Green.  I work with many moms and families who attempt to be as Green or as healthy as they can; a lot of my moms now shop at Whole Foods when they can or opt for the Organic brands on a shelf.  This is awesome!  We have to do what we can when we can. 

I was recently introduced to an effort which I will pass along as it could generate financial assistance to your school.  Now I'm not exactly a coupon fanatic but hey why not if it's going to help generate some cash.  I'm not also a fan of highly processed foods, but again I do realize that there are a ton of families out there that  purchase what is on the shelf and is inexpensive, especially in these times! 

It's not exactly green but it is about Educating kids...  check it out, they have been helping schools since 1996!

greening things

Lane Kennedy and More Than A Model go a little more Green today!

Does More Than A Model care? VOTE NO on the AFTRA Exhibit A contract.

More Than A Model cares about people earning what they deserve!  Here is some interesting news that was just sent to me...  and I pass it along to you if you are indeed serious about this business... It is changing, yes, quickly. 

AFTRA is urging its broadcaster members to vote in favor of the Theatrical/TV contract because of the benefit they will get from contributions made to the AFTRA Pension and Health Plan. This exposes the real motives for AFTRA's rabid encroachment on SAG jurisdiction. Institutional preservation at the expense of actors. Here's an example of what is happening.

The AFTRA Pension and Health Plan is heavily weighted against actors. Because of the way it is structured, contributions made for actors work may never actually benefit those actors but they will still enrich the AFTRA Plan.
Even worse, every show that goes to AFTRA means that those contributions are not going into the SAG Plan so those actors could be kept from qualifying in the SAG Plan for health care and pensions.
The same people who are urging a "Yes" vote on the AFTRA deal are also promoting qualified voting for SAG. They want to deprive actors of a vote but don't mind broadcasters voting even though they don't work a day on our contract. If you need more convincing about how AFTRA treats actors just read this letter from Bruce Thomas, Series Regular on "Kyle XY".

Dear Fellow Members of S.A.G. and AFTRA: My conscience is killing me, and I can’t stay silent any longer. I can tell you from personal experience that it is in the best interest of all actors to Vote No on the AFTRA Exhibit A deal. Voting No is the only way to ensure that S.A.G. gets a better deal at the bargaining table and the best way for AFTRA to improve its own contract terms.

Last year, during the S.A.G/AFTRA Basic Cable conflicts, members of my show, KYLE XY, and I drafted an open letter that regrettably we never released. In it we complained about AFTRA’s Basic Cable contracts, and as importantly, detailed our experiences with AFTRA. The history of this experience is still relevant and bears repeating. So, bear with me while I quote from that letter:

“…we never agreed to the contract terms that AFTRA negotiated after we had signed our deals; in fact, we didn’t even know the show would be covered by AFTRA. When our own union pieces together a contract using the worst parts of the standard cable series contracts from both SAG and AFTRA to make one document that most benefits producers, it is injuring its own members. Something is really wrong. We suffered long workdays without overtime pay, forced calls without compensation for having very little turn around time to get to work the next day, and worked through scheduled lunch breaks with no penalties whatsoever.
This is a breach of its responsibility to protect its members. But this is only part of the reason for this letter. KYLE XY is shot in Canada, and produced for The ABC Family Channel. When it began airing in the summer of 2006, our ratings numbers were substantial enough for the network to be proud of them. ABC then decided to promote their cable affiliate by running Kyle during ABC primetime, Friday nights at 9pm. We were all excited at the news. Wow, we now have two airings a week in prime time, on two networks. But we began hearing that there is a provision in our contract that allows a network to run a show a number of times for promotion. Well, ok, so we don’t make residuals after all, but we’ll run a few times on network, and we’ll get lots of attention that will be good for everyone. Then, we found out that the ratings numbers on ABC were not only good enough to stay on the network, but we actually began winning our time slot. ABC decided to air the entire season. Great, we thought. We’ll surely take home some residual checks now. We have to, right? Surely they can’t run all ten episodes as promotion and thereby tally up all that ad revenue with no compensation to us, right? Wrong. They can because AFTRA gave them the right to.
We asked an entertainment lawyer how this could be, and on our behalf he began calling AFTRA for some clarification and to get a look at the contract that none of us had seen. There were numerous unreturned calls and emails to the contracts department. We weren’t sure what to do. Soon enough, we were into shooting season two. Summer of 2007 saw season two airing once again on both networks in exactly the same way but this time, it lasted only through the first four episodes, then, ABC decided to replace us with a different ABC Family show called Greek during that same ABC time slot. In total Kyle XY ran a total of fourteen times on ABC without paying a single dollar in residuals of any kind. And because of the “free exhibition days” clauses in the contract, we apparently may never receive any residuals for its runs on cable.
We feel that AFTRA as a union has fiduciary responsibilities to look after, protect, and fight for our rights as members. In our case it has failed miserably to do that. It is responsible for taking money directly out of our pockets. After all, it was not the producers or the network of our show that crossed out provisions in our contracts. It was our own union. Furthermore, no one from AFTRA at any time contacted any of the cast to get our permission to make these changes (even though they claim otherwise).
We have learned the hard way that you certainly can’t count on AFTRA to protect you. On the contrary, for whatever reason, our union is clearly out to sabotage all the hard work that SAG has done over the years. We are clearly the losers. And we are not happy.” 

For a long time last year we got no satisfaction from AFTRA. They failed to respond to our phone calls or emails, and even to the phone calls and emails of our attorneys. We talked to fellow actors and they encouraged us to make public our complaints. We never did, but we had to threaten AFTRA with the notion that we would go public before we finally got a meeting. Early this year, members of the cast of KYLE XY met with AFTRA officials on two occasions to air our complaints. AFTRA never brought a copy of the contract to any of those meetings, although our attorneys finally got one. Since our union contract was up for renegotiation, some thought it would be smartest to take the show S.A.G., but AFTRA insisted they could get us equal terms and conditions. They said we could be part of the negotiation. Oh, AFTRA renegotiated the contract, but we weren’t a part of it. They called us after the fact to say it was done. We still haven’t seen a copy of that contract, and I’ve been told not to expect residuals until “overscale payment” caps are reached, but AFTRA insists they did a bang up job on the renegotiation.

Actors deserve better.

They also claimed they were filing grievances for workplace violations, but six months later we have not heard word one from AFTRA about these, nor received a penny in penalty payments.
I can tell you, I am still disappointed in AFTRA’s handling of our complaints. I am disappointed in how it responds to actors’ issues and needs. I do not feel it properly or honestly represents actors at the bargaining table. I feel it purposely keeps actors confused about the process of contract negotiations and the results, and I am deeply suspicious that its recent behavior is all about serving the institution, and not actors, its largest constituency.
It has definitely let me down. I would prefer the Screen Actors Guild have a decent shot at improving wages and working conditions for actors, and I and a lot of other actors don’t believe that’s possible unless we VOTE NO on the AFTRA Exhibit A contract.

Thank you.
Bruce Thomas
FORWARD THIS TO EVERY ACTOR OR MEMBER OF S.A.G. AND AFTRA YOU KNOW.

VOTE "NO" TO THE AFTRA DEAL

Think More, Be More.  More Than A Model: Become A Model Citizen!

More Than A Model and RK Magazine leap

My friend Valeria called what I was doing this weekend a "Soft Launch" well okay I'll take it as that.  But, we had an amazing "SL" turn out of people join us in celebrating our success. 
The run down on the event:
People arrived, early.  Everyone pitched in to help.  The grill began.  The kids/teens gathered and chatted.  The parent's mingled.  Pictures were taken.  Laughter was heard.  Jokes were told, and an assignment was given. We ate. We viewed. We talked. There were questions, there were answers.  There was a moment of, "Oh I forgot to tell them this... ".  There were hugs, high-fives, and then there were the thank you's.   It was quite an evening!
In my tiny little opinion the pages of RK Magazine looked awesome projected onto the wall for everyone to view.  I was also amazed at how everyone brought great tasting food, no junk food!  GuS Soda featured these adorable  5.75 oz. size sodas for everyone to enjoy.  GO GuS  We love them!  We were also lucky enough to enjoy Edible Love chocolate, I think the moms loved, LOVED it... everyone commented on how CHOCOLATEY good they were.
After the last people left I felt accomplished, not in the "I'm so great Look at what I just did, no it was more, like WOW what a great group of people that I, Lane Kennedy get to hang out with and do cool things with!  AMAZING. 
I think that is why I'm so excited about the process of RK Magazine I figure if I was just with 150+ people at the Soft Launch, I wonder how many more will be joining us as we grow and include others with similar values and clear kid/teen green driven missions. 
More Than A Model is evolving and that is COOL!  I hope to work and spend many more hours on this project with other as the days come and go... and that I may never be bored by helping others learn about and how to be seen and heard in today's fast paced world.

Thank you to all of you who showed up, participated and have given me hope to carry on with what I do... I Love it!

Become More, More Than A Model!

And then there were two...

This is why I do what I do... I am able to be a part of really cool kids lives!

ReaL Kids in the creation... the beginning.

The first issue...

Tyra Banks Becoming Less -- Not MORE.

Just keeping us all informed about Top Model, Talk Show Host, and Business Executive Tyra Banks…
It has been a continuous evolvement of Tyra Banks, getting herself into more and more trouble with her viewers, fans and most importantly, herself.  On top of that, Banks is not getting along with photo shoot creative director Jay Manuel, and her days on the show could be numbered.  Tyra barely interacts with the contestants and only wants to show up on judging day.  What is this about, wouldn’t you think that she would want to show up to help these young ladies who aspire to what she has lived and raves about?  On the other hand maybe she thinks she has better things to do than work with the girls and Top Model show that has changed the hundred of thousands young teen girls who strive to be apart of the modeling industry. Not only that but she has flipped out on many of the girls, one episode sticks out in my mind:  She threw a tantrum at contestant Tiffany, a former Top Model 3 semifinalist who had managed to make the finals of the show's fourth season, she launched into a lengthy, unnecessary explosive tirade against her. Wow, is being rude and mean in the book of modeling, and professionalism?

Many report, “She is really throwing all her weight behind the talk show” (msnbc.com). 
“Why” is my question because at face value she is really:
A) NO OPRAH and
B) NOT so well spoken.  

The Tyra Banks Show, while highly successful in the ratings, has to be easily the most annoying, pointless, it's all about me (as in Tyra) talk show on the air. Banks was caught grabbing some woman’s breast and this is not the only time Tyra has done so.  This shows both her intelligence and class level if she is doing this on public television.  There is no need to get noticed in this manner and be remembered for degrading occasions.  Being a Top Model, she sure does not prove TOP prerequisites to fulfill or meaningful qualities to possess.   Remember the Rosie O’Donnell cop-a-feel?  Who knows what the deal is behind the fascination with the grabbing.
   
Hands down, the best clip from the 'Tyra Banks Show' in the last eight months or so is Tyra falling out of her chair at the sight of a little black creature. If she is that afraid of animals, how about not scheduling them for her show? (It’s her show she can do what she wants to…) This really portrays the lack of organization behind what is being produced and no real regard or thought process on her part, the “Producer”.  The fact that she invites guest, in this case it is was a porcupine to gain ratings from her own fear factor is just sad.  Think about that for a moment. 
   
The qualities and characteristics that make up Tyra Banks and her popularity truly baffle me.  I am constantly surprised of how much attention is given to this woman and how she is held in such high regard by the young models who strive to gain access to this industry.  All of her bad habits and the attitude are comical to me she should be questioning herself and her motives.  Is she really trying to help young girls or to just build her bank account? 

There is so much more to modeling and how I wish she as a Top model would show that, we are more than just pretty a face and bad attitudes. 
We are smart, intelligent, beautiful people.  We are More.
More Than A Model.

   
-http://www.blackvoices.com/blogs/2007/06/21/five-more-reasons-why-tyra-banks-has-to-go/
-Realitytvworld.com
-Youtube.com

A Reason why YOU can  become MORE…than a Model

Become More! More Than A Model. Become a Model Citizen

More Than A Model and Lane Kennedy lend a hand with Teens for Safe Cosmetics

WOW, I have the opportunity to work with an awesome TEEN organization, "Teens for Safe Cosmetics" this weekend at Alice Summer Concert in Golden Gate Park.  One of the reasons I am so excited is that Erin Schrode, the founder of TFSC is only 17 years old and she is out there making a difference! Love that.

Working in the commercial, modeling, fashion industry will most likely bring you to many moments where you have to wear makeup.  The industry does not have a standard makeup company that they all work with.  The industry is full of makeup artist whom chose to work with products that they like for one reason or another, it could be the coverage, the color, maybe the texture of a product, it could even be price, it's on sale...  Who knows, only the make up artist can explain his/her reasoning.  I have so often left a shoot with what seemed like a good product on my face only to have my face break out soon after the days work.  Yuck!

I started using better products on my face about five years ago, and lucky for me I don't have to wear a lot of makeup, but I do use ALBA lip balms every day all day.  LOVE.  Check them out.  Some people may shake their head and say well better products cost a lot more...  well yes they may but in the long run I want my skin to look young and fresh.  I save my money, I sacrifice that extra frozen yogurt once a week.
I'm worth it!

The Essential Face workshop that More Than A Model holds on a monthly basis covers all of kinds of information, while working with licensed skin care professionals.  Kids and teens learn about whole foods, nutrition, and skin care; the best thing is that we are on set while looking at all the ingredients... 
Teens For Safe Cosmetics does a fabulous makeover session for teens which I am looking forward to being a part of this weekend.

As models, kids, teens, PEOPLE we don't need to place chemicals or junk on our faces, we only have one face... WHO wants to have plastic surgery?  I mean really...  not only is it overly expensive, but what if there is a mistake... this is your face we are talking about...

enjoy your skin, take care of it.

Become MORE.  More Than A Model

Become a Model Citizen today.

home is where the heart is...

Oh models, how I miss you all. 

Traveling is certainly great but boy does it take it out of you, well at least it has this trip... I have been sick for most of the trip. 
I have seen wonderful countryside with beautiful people.  A simple life. I stand with much gratitude for my life and what has been given to me purely by what I sometimes take advantage of: the color of my skin and where I fall asleep on a daily basis, San Francisco.

Modeling allows people to see the world, so if you happen to get lucky enough to find work in new places please take advantage of it.  Be mindful enough to watch, listen and learn.  You may be surprised by what you will learn from other cultures.  Fashion here in Cambodia is absolutely fabulous!  I will carry from this experience, a brightly orange colored silk scarf.  The women wear scarves and cover their heads in the heat of the day, vanity.  I learned that they want to remain beautiful therefore covering themselves, protecting themselves from the constant bombardment of the sun.  I would have never thought about this... them being vain... interesting.

Upon the end of this trip I am again reminded that simple is good, and if I take the time to breath I will see much more of this wonderful life I have.

Models, I look forward to seeing  you all soon!

Be More
but  more importantly be yourself.