Dina Sherman is putting her mouth where the money is by donating 50% of her voice over earnings for the next year to the Alzheimer’s Association.  I’m so inspired by her commitment and determination to make a difference by using her talent to raise awareness and funds simultaneously.  Her sincere dedication and positive attitude has reminded me how it’s possible for one person to help create everlasting changes.

To follow Dina’s journey, I have been talking with her and reading her blog on a regular basis to celebrate and support her efforts.  Last night, AFTRA Member Education and the Alzheimer’s Association presented a panel discussion on how to portray people living with Alzheimer’s Disease, their caregivers, medical experts and others who are impacted or advocate to end Alzheimer’s Disease.

Panelists were: David Hyde Pierce, Alzheimer’s Association National Board Member from the hit show “Frasier,” Don Hayen, Alzheimer’s Association Early Stage Advisor, Jane Hayen, Don’s Wife and Care Partner, and Claudia Kawas, M.D., Alzheimer’s Association Medical and Scientific Advisory Council Member.

One of the big misconceptions about Alzheimer’s is that it only affects the elderly.  David Hyde Pierce quoted Cynda Rennie, a resource specialist at the Alzheimer’s Aid Society, “if you’ve met one Alzheimer’s patient, you have met one Alzheimer’s patient.”   This sentiment summed up how diversely this disease can manifest itself.

Dr. Kawas was able to tell actors about some of the physical aspects of the disease and explain some of the criteria used in proper diagnosis.  She was clear in pointing out that many of the physical characteristics we associate with Alzhiemer’s can actually be side-effects caused by medication used in treatment.  Being able to get an overview of this complex disease, from a neurologist who is so established in the medical field, was really enlightening.

Jane and Don Hayen gave us perspective of what it is to be living with Alzheimer’s as well as how that has an affect on a family and caregivers.  Don was able to describe his emotional experiences and how being diagnosed has resulted in life changes.  Jane was able to talk about how the change in responsibilities has had an impact on her as she took on the primary caregiver role.  As a couple, they expressed their mutual appreciation of the life that they have together and their choice to focus on living life daily – or as many actors would say focus on “living in the moment”.

Tags: AFTRA, Alzheimer's Association, Dina Sherman

In my opinion, when you are not working on a show you admire, the next best thing is being able to see that show from a production standpoint.   The style and popularity of a television show is always the result of the collaborative efforts of the cast and crew who bring the characters to life.

Karl Sonnenberg is the Technical Advisor for the popular TV show, “The Mentalist” and made it possible for me to observe a shoot in progress.  Karl is uniquely qualified as a Technical Advisor, since he has 3 areas of expertise; Police, Forensics and Medical Technical Advising.  He also offers private coaching to actors and script research for writers and producers.

In addition to learning a lot by just watching Karl work with the cast, some of the crew that were both kind and insightful were: Charlie Goldstein, (Producer), Erika Green (Writer) Paul Holahan (Director), Geary McLeod (Cinematographer) and Paula Hunziker (Script Supervisor).

Producers have the faith and tenacity to push the ideas into getting financing by supporting and promoting the creative vision of the story being told.  Or they have the challenge of keeping a show on budget once the show is in production as well as keeping the cast and crew well balanced.  Anyone observing Charlie would notice his boundless energy and upbeat attitude.  Although we met only briefly, it was clear that he’s someone who is quick thinking and has a great sense of humor.  Being skilled at multi-tasking seems to be a requirement for any successful producer.

The whole process really begins with writers, since they are literally creating the dialogue, the perspective from which a story is told and also giving the story a setting in both time and location.  I didn’t meet Bruno Heller, the creator of “The Mentalist”.  The episode that was being filmed was written by Erika Green.  She gave me some insight into the writing process by telling me about the turnaround time she had with this particular story idea.  Once I heard a little bit about Erika’s own writing background, it became obvious why her style makes her a wonderful asset to the writing staff of this show.

Directors, along with the actors who are performing, truly have the unique ability to transform the written word into a visually engaging experience. By the way they have interpreted the script, directors are able to set the tone of the story, determining how the audience will follow and relate to the characters.  One thing I noticed about Paul was that when the cameras were rolling he was on the set more often than in front of the monitors.  Being readily nearby meant he could immediately make creative decisions during the shooting process and make those changes happen quickly. He’s a real “actor’s director” and communicates well with the cast whenever it may be needed, but also allows a performance to unfold organically.

Cinematographers also set the tone and the style of the show by the way that the shots the director has planned are set up and completed.  Although Geary has many responsibilities, on set they are primarily focused on composing a shot and ensuring that all of the aspects of that scene are captured to create a quality image.

The Script Supervisor helps keep the shooting process on track for the director and actors, documenting the details of the shoot for the sake of coverage, timing, continuity and much more.  Paula gave me insight into how knowledge of the editing process can be a useful skill in her craft.  She’s got an incredible eye for detail and by having a positive and friendly disposition is able to make balancing so many tasks look effortless.

Technical Advisors help the story remain realistic, giving the story credibility by keeping the actor’s actions more authentic.  Karl works with the stars of the show, as well as the background players, to ensure that the process and procedures follow proper protocol and were being portrayed in an accurate manner.

Every actor has their own style of how they prepare for a scene when they are on set.  Respectfully, I decided it was more interesting to quietly observe how the actors regarded their work and their peers.  Thanks to Karl (and Charlie) I was able to sit back and watch the monitors, listening to perfect sound as they were rolling during each take.  This was a great way to see the show as it was happening and get perspective on the entire collaborative effort.

Like most people in Hollywood, once you have been working for some time, it’s likely that you will run into someone you know on set.  It was nice to see Cliff Lipson (Still Photographer) capturing images on this episode.  Cliff is one of the best in his field, having worked on numerous television shows, as well as having a wonderful diverse images in his own collection.

Attending the “What is Non-fiction” event at the Television Academy was a great way to get perspective on how non-fiction programming is evolving.  The panelists were: Steve Burns, Nancy Debuc, Susan Lacy, Sheila Nevins, Eileen O’Neill and Mark Samels.

As children, my sister and I watched primarily non-fiction programming on television.  We were, and continue to be, fans of that particular medium. During my recent visit to see my sister and her family in Denmark, we spent some time watching the HD documentary channels.  We often ended up seeing a travel or nature series that was on, since both of us love to learn about other cultures and species. It was easy recognize that these shows have had an impact on how we view the world and have also given us a way to relax and learn at the same time.

Technology certainly has had an impact on the style and content of current programming. Now more than ever, programs are being distributed on television, by DVD as well as the internet worldwide.  All of the panelists shared a common view of using non-fiction programs to tell real stories.  They all seemed keenly aware of their potential audience and the importance of documenting history and science, using this complex and highly visual form of television.

Mark Samels shared one of his favorite quotes attributed to philosopher David Hume, which seemed to sum up the general attitude of the panelists.   “A real idea is more profound that one that is imagined”.  At one point, Sheila Nevins, who has produced numerous programs for HBO said “non-fiction is a gift that people give you” and expressed her commitment to honesty in programming.

In some cases keeping a documentary authentic means documenting history as it happens.  Other techniques used in storytelling are reenactments or computer animation. Steve Burns said “non-fiction and documentaries are no longer documentaries, they are non-fiction entertainment”.  He talked about the use of current technology in programs such as “Nova;Welcome to Mars”, which used animation of rovers that explored Mars to give the audience the perspective of being present during that historic event.

Susan Lacy discussed the creation of “American Masters” and her philosophy about making these programs.  She also talked about the importance of legal rights and how that can enable access to the individuals who may have been involved in creating cultural history, in order to tell their stories more accurately.

Eileen O’Neill talked about the target audience demographics of TLC.  She said “we feel like we embrace the wonder of our world in a focus on people, our counter network is Discovery Channel who really embraces the entire world around us”.   Eileen also mentioned how production costs can effect the type of programming that gets produced.

Nancy Debuc talked about overseeing the branding of The History Channel and the commonality of the reality base in non-fiction programming that now appears across all of the different networks.   She summed up their view at the network as “History is certainly yesterday, history is made today and history informs the future and that can be what our programming is all about”.

Tags: Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, ATAS / TV Academy Events