My Word with Douglas E. Welch

Our 6th Annual LIVE Reading of Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol will take place on Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 6pm EST/3pm PST.

Our annual holiday reading of this classic Dickens’ story. We bring together frends and family to read sections from a condensed version of the story — said to be made by Charles Dickens himself — for his own live, public readings. Follow Scrooge, Bob Crachit, Tiny Tim and all the familiar characters as they both teach and learn what Christmas is all about.

Tune in while you prepare your Christmas cookies or wrap your Christmas presents. Join the “spirits” of the season!

Click Here to Watch/Listen Live to A Christmas Carol

Consider having your own reading of A Christmas Carol, or other favorite story, as a way to gather friends together and share a unique experience. You don’t have to broadcast it like we do, but why not share it with the world!

This year’s show is sponsored by WelchWrite.com, Eclipse-1 Media and New Media Interchange.

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Enjoy more Christmas Carol in your own home!

Free download of “A Christmas Carol” – Text/ePub/HTML/Kindle versions available

The audio CD of Patrick Stewart’s one man version of A Christmas Carol is absolutely amazing. We saw the show several times here in LA and met Patrick one evening. His version of “A Christmas Carol” was the driving factor in starting our own yearly reading of the story.

More “A Christmas Carol” on Amazon.com

LOS ANGELES SONGSALIVE! SONGWRITER’S WORKSHOP

GUEST SPEAKER – JOHN BRAHENY
Author of The Craft and Business of Songwriting

TOPIC:  Are Song Structures Flexible, or Set In Stone?

WHEN: THIRD SUNDAY OF THE MONTH
NEXT: Sunday, November 20, 2011
TIME: Starts 12:00 am SHARP. Ends at 3 pm. Please be on time.
WHERE: THE FINNISH CENTER10701 Magnolia Blvd.North Hollywood, CA 

COST: Free for Songsalive! Pro Members. Non-members pay a donation of $10.

John Braheny is a top consultant for songwriters and writer/artists. He was one of 5 nominees for “Best Music/Performer/Artist Development Executive” in the National Association of Record Industry Professionals (NARIP) “Best In The Biz” list for 2011.

The author of The Craft and Business of Songwriting, which has sold over 80,000 copies (now in its 3rd edition), he co-founded and ran the Los Angeles Songwriters Showcase  - a non-profit organization that for 25 years provided a weekly showcase and early exposure for writers including Diane Warren, Warren Zevon, Wendy Waldman, Stevie Nicks and thousands  more. He’s a consultant and screener for Taxi, the worlds leading indie A&R company and has interviewed more than 600 songwriters and industry pros. A unique perspective!  More info at www.johnbraheny.com.

TOPIC: “Are Song Structures Flexible, or Set in Stone?”

What’s the value of song structures? Are they really rules? Are they the same in every style?  Can you break the rules if you’re an artist? Can you stretch them in live performance? Though an understanding of song structures can make or break the commercial potential of a song, if you learned there were only 3 or 4 structures that are acceptable, you may have more creative latitude than you think!

I won’t be able to make it to this event, but I will certainly keep a watch on when they do it again. — Douglas

Homebrew demo: This Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., learn how to make your own beer at Eagle Rock Brewery. Spruce up your brewing skills and acquire new techniques and recipes as co-owner and brewer Steve Raub demonstrates homebrewing with his very own Full Moon Bock. The cost is $10 per person and includes lunch and a pint of one of Eagle Rock Brewery’s house beers. 3056 Roswell St., L.A., (323) 257-7866, eaglerockbrewery.com.

Read entire article from Daily Dish

It is that time of year again and my friend, Ric, has set up his annual Halloween light show. As in year’s past, this is an interactive video game you play on the Halloween lights of the house. Punkin’ Chunkin’ pits the player against flying pumpkins as they try to catch as many as they can in their characters mouth. The show plays through Halloween night on Philbrook Street in Santa Clarita.

Check out Ric’s past shows and games on his YouTube Channel

Liam John (@editorLiam) got this nice shot of me during the Techmunch Food Blogger conference.

This started to roll out here in the US yesterday, but I see today that the LA Public Library now has the ability to check out Kindle format books via its online eBook Catalog.

Even if you don’t have a Kindle, you can download free software to read Kindle books on almost any device including Windows and Mac computers, iPhone, iPod Touch and Android device. I have “checked out” several eBooks via the existing methods, but I think this Kindle method will open up the number of titles available and also make them easier to download and read.

Hello all!

This is a busy week for me — surprisingly busy for December and you can join me at 3 different events. Two are focused on your career and one on blogging and New Media.

Here is the info and links for all of them.

Douglas

Social Media and Your Career Panel

Panel: Social Media and Your Career – Registration now open! – Part of Social Media Week 2011

Registration is now open for this panel discussion, which is part of Social Media Week 2011 – taking place throughout the world! — Douglas

LOS ANGELES

Social Media and Your Career

Wednesday, September 21 at 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM

Congregational Church of Northridge

Building the career you deserve means becoming both director and promoter of it–No one cares as much about your career as you do. This means taking the lead in ‘Telling people what you do and how you do it!” Social media provides the tools needed to develop the jobs and projects that make one’s career unique and fulfilling.This panel will give practical information about how to use social media to build the career you desire. We’ll talk not only about the “why” of social media, but also about “how” it can, and should, be used, so that you are in control of all aspects of your career.

LOCATION
Congregational Church of Northridge, 9659 Balboa BoulevardNorthridge, 91325

Register for Free Today!

TECHmunch Food Blogger Conference

I  have just been asked to moderate at panel discussion at the TECHmunch Food Blogger Conference being held in Santa Monica, California on Friday, September 23, 2011.

TECHmunch is a series of conferences in cities across the U.S. designed to help food bloggers gain the hands-on digital media, marketing and business skills they need to make their blogs more personally and financially rewarding. Each conference features leading experts in a range of disciplines — from digital publishing and search engine optimization to public relations and online advertising. TECHmunch was created by BakeSpace.com Founder Babette Pepaj, who serves as its producer and host.

I will be moderating the session titled, “Tips on Creating and Distributing Mouthwatering Multimedia Content” with panel members Sara O’Donnell (@averagebetty), Producer and Host of AverageBetty.comDiane Cu (@whiteonrice), Photographer and Publisher of White on Rice Couple.comSandi McKenna (@McMedia), Host of Midlife Roadtrip.comJohn Trefry Video Producer, Docstoc.com (formerly Video Producer Mahalo.com creating videos for Recipe.com).

If you are a food blogger, or just thinking of becoming one, TECHmunch could be a great way to jumpstart your knowledge and connections. Join me on September 23, 2011!

Register for TECHmunch

TECHMunch Web Site

My wife, Rosanne Welch, will be attending a book signing on Thursday, October 13 at 7pm at Book Soup on Sunset Blvd for this book by Janet Wilcox that includes a chunk of scenes from one of her unproduced pilots. There will also be a reading held in New York City.

Rosanne and I met Janet while teaching at UCLA Extension and she asked if Rosanne had any unproduced work she could consider – and ended up really liking the one she sent.  So though Rosanne never saw the piece performed on film, she now knows tons of aspiring actors are using her words to polish their craft. Kind of fun.

I have also been a guest speaker on new media and podcasting at Janet’s UCLA Extension Voiceover class for the last 2 years.

Working voice actors, some our friends, will be reading scenes included in the book for a live demonstration of voice acting.

According to Amazon.com “Mastering Monologues and Acting Sides: How to Audition Successfully for Both Traditional and New Media” by Janet Wilcox teaches actors how to audition for anything from webisodes to Shakespeare. Scripts, acting technique tips, and exercises keep a performer toned and ready, while industry experts give advice on how to audition professionally.

Book Soup

October  13th - 7PM-9PM

1818 Sunset Blvd.W. Hollywood, CA 90069

 

Actors Connection

Sat. Oct. 22nd – 2:30-4:30

630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1410(between 44th & 45th)New York, NY 10036

Friday, August 26, 2011 from 7pm – 10pm

The Old Zoo, Griffith Park, Los Angeles, CA [Map]

RSVP by clicking “Leave a comment” above or

RSVP on Facebook

Coffee and Casual Conversation

This is NOT a technology event, although we sometimes talk tech, as the mood strikes us. We talk about books, movies, pet peeves, TV, coffee, wine — whatever strikes our fancy! (SMILE)

Join us at this FREE outdoors performance of Love’s Labor Lost by the Independent Shakespeare Company.

Bring your own chairs, food and drink. Dress warmly – the park can get quite cold at night.

Complete information and directions are available on the Independent Shakespeare Company’s web site at http://www.independentshakespeare.com/

Call 818-804-5049 if you need help locating us the evening of the event.

Joe attended the free Youth & Junior Training class today at the Encino Velodrome. They are held every Thursday evening at 530pm.

He got some great one-on-one time with the coaches and was up and riding the big track for the last hour or so of the session. Yet another great FREE thing to do with your kids in LA.

These are Fixed Gear (or fixie) bikes, so they are quite a bit different from your typical street bike.

Joe says, “It was the best time I have had in while. It was fun!”

Bring a good helmet. Bikes are provided for the Junior Sessions.

More info: Encino Velodrome