"The Fine Line Between Traditional Media and Online Media is Gone" Say Publicists At Entertainment Publicists Professional Society Workshop

EPPS media workshop outlines the life of a unit publicists. Also, EPPS members recognize one of their eldest entertainment publicists, who continues to win gold medals for running national marathons.

(PRWEB) November 15, 2006 -- "There was a man back in New York named Felipe Petit, who strung a wire between the two World Trade Center Towers and walked across it, and this is pretty much what a unit publicists has to do," said Michael Moses, executive vice president, Publicity, Universal Studios, at a West LA breakfast workshop sponsored by Business Wire and Entertainment Publicists Professional Society (EPPS), in partnership with ICG Publicists of Local 600, IATSE. "A unit publicist is responsible for a movie from the beginning to the end of production. There duties are many. You are writing all of the press materials, working with a set photographer and you're working hopefully with the actors to get them to approve the set pictures."

The event featured major studio, TV network, PR agency and unit publicists. Billed as to "get an inside look at how top entertainment PR professionals work...Tips on how to move ahead...What to do to stand out from the clutter and career opportunities."

The EPPS panel represented various aspects of film and television PR, ranging from studios and networks, to agency, corporate and unit publicity. Panelists each gave insight into their differing roles and responsibilities within their respective areas of public relations. Maria LaMagra of Nadia Bronson & Associates moderated.

Zabrina Horton, a publicist with Black Entertainment Television (BET), said, "I speak to as many journalists as I can in one day, and do some event management." Adding, "Radio is very influential and key to most of our efforts, but we place the most importance on print because print lasts forever." She can be reached by phone at (818) 655-6737, fax (818) 655-8426 or by email.

Unit publicist Michael Klastorin, who has worked in the industry for 28 years, explained that, "When you're on a film, you are walking tenuous line between production and distribution. Sometimes you help set the tone, other times you are the policeman keeping people away from the set. The unit publicist is traditionally a unit unto himself. It's just me." He can be reached by phone at (323) 251-1453 or by email.

Tony Angellotti, owner of the Angellotti Company, a boutique agency specializing in independent film campaigns, describes himself as "a small gun for hire." Over his career he has implemented, supervised and/or executed the publicity campaigns for more than 250 motion pictures, scores of television projects, dozens of entertainment companies, and actors. He can be reached by phone at (818) 506-7887, fax (818) 506-8822 or by email.

Laurel Whitcomb, VP Marketing, Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is a television public relations veteran. At the Academy, she oversees marketing for the Primetime Emmy Awards, as well as the marketing of Television Academy membership, monthly membership activities, benefits and services. "We are looking to get more qualified members into the organization," she said. She can be reached by phone at (818) 509-2214, fax (818) 761-2827 or by email.

Murray Weissman is President of Murray Weissman & Associates, a diversified public relations agency. "I look for quality clients and develop strategies that will help them." He can be reached by phone at (818) 760-8995, fax (818) 760-4847 or by email.

Michael Moses, EVP Motion Picture Publicity, Universal Pictures, refers to himself as, "a big studio publicist. We are basically responders. We take what they give us. We have eighteen films a year at Universal." He echoed Horton's comments about radio. "Universal likes radio and calls to action. Listeners have an intimate relationship with the people they tune into and believe what they say. We are big advocates of radio." He is responsible for overseeing strategy and execution of publicity campaigns for all the studio's titles. He can be reached by phone at (818) 777-5926 or by email.

The panel addressed the various distribution channels for publicity materials. Horton said, "Most of the press are now downloading our information from our website." Weissman added, "They can pull it off the website and there it is in hard copy." Moses, said, "As for distribution of these materials, we've just about done away with print."

They went on to share their experience with new media, internet and blogs. Horton said, "We are just starting to use blogs and are finding them very effective." Klastorin noted, "we've seen Peter Jackson and Bryan Singer use them to bring in the fans during production." Weissman said, "Some bloggers I would like to assassinate, others are friends." Angellotti added, "The issue for me with the internet is there is no fact checking." Moses confirmed, "As for bloggers you don't handle them, they handle you. The internet has finally matured to the point where the line between traditional media and new media is gone. It is no longer a trickle down. We do grass roots. We have to get people on their level. We find ourselves doing more defense than offense. They are no longer a kid in an alley, they are part of the mainstream conversation." Concluding, "The only thing we can really control is the content. Once you put your message out it is manipulated and either accepted or rejected by the world."

We've got a Winner! One of the Eldest Publicists In Hollywood Earns Six Medals

Julian Myers, Julian Myers Public Relations, received several medals for his athletic performance at the recent Huntsman World Senior Games in St. George, Utah. A PR legend, he is now making a name for himself, at 88, in track and field. At the event he participated in the 50, 60, 800, and 3000 meter, the long jump and the javelin competitions. He won two gold medals for placing first in the 50 and 3000 meter runs. He brought home silver medals in each of the other events, "I started, javelin at the age of 88, but only came in 2nd". His stellar performance however, was not beginners luck. Myers has participated in over 23 marathons in his life, and he states "Every morning of my life I run the jetty." A picture of health, he confirms, "I have no doctor, and I take no medicines." Myers was recognized by the EPPS LA chapter at their monthly meeting in November.

George McQuade, vice president, MAYO Communications, is a nationally recognized media writer and is currently serving as the President of Entertainment Publicists Professional Society (EPPS) www.EPPS-online.org.

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