Tag: author

October 9, 2019 ~ Marco Perella

Posted onAuthorGary WimmerLeave a comment

Marco Perella

Marco Perella

 

Many of our attendees are actors, so we will be inviting more highly-credited actors and acting coaches as our guest speakers, continuing with the amazing actor, author, acting teacher, and musician Marco Perella on Wednesday October 9th @ Opal Divine’s Austin Grill! Known well in our industry as a prolific working actor with credits spanning 3 decades, and highly admired and respected, Marco may be best known for his role playing an abusive alcoholic second husband, Professor Bill Welbrock, in Boyhood (2014), as well as for penning his bestselling book, Adventures of A No Name Actor (2001), a humorous autobiography recounting his struggles in the acting arena.

Marco studied at Stanford University, then worked as a construction worker, firefighter, and musician before auditioning for a role in West Side Story. He’s been working steadily in film and television, adding to his professionalism, popularity, and numerous credits, since the mid-1980s.

Marco lives in Onion Creek with his wife, Diane. Besides acting themselves, they offer on-camera acting classes and audition workshops here in Austin at Marco Perella’s Film Actor Workshop. Many actors hire Marco to video their auditions and benefit from his expertise at delivery, covering everything from comedy to intense drama.

The Veteran’s Teddy Bear Project kicks off at this month’s mixer, too, so if you have a stuffed lovie to donate, we’ll be collecting them this night!

 

Last Month

We want to extend our sincerest thanks to the panelists from Austin Film Festival (AFF) for guest speakering in September. The iconic annual Austin Film Festival & Conference known ’round the world transpires here in Austin later this month, and we are extremely grateful that the panel so clearly explained many aspects of AFF, the panels, the films, the screenwriting competition, volunteering, and more. So thanks to all of you!

The annual Austin Film Festival & Conference takes place October 24 – October 31, 2019. Use our special promo code for a $25 discount off any badge:
NAM25

See photos here, and more mixer photos here.

 

Come on the 9th and bring a friend to network and enjoy the show. While there enjoy Opal Divine’s Happy Hour which lasts until 7, then $3 “Three for Texas” beers the rest of the evening. And don’t cook or go anywhere else for a meal or snacks because Opal’s offers a tasty and largely locally-sourced menu of goodies.

Beware both rush hour traffic and any current construction!

Pass along our website and check it for details about each month’s speaker(s)!
Find this month’s mixer on Facebook and invite your friends.
Get on our mailing list and keep up with us on social media:
Like our page & join our group on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

Mixing & Networking @ 6:00PM, Announcements @ 6:30, Program @ 6:45
Followed by More Mixing & Mingling and Networking

October 10, 2018 ~ Gary Wimmer

Posted onAuthorGary WimmerLeave a comment

Gary L. Wimmer
Musician, Actor, Author, Psychic, Speaker

 

This month we’ll be treated to a program by the man behind the sound at our monthly mixers, Network Austin Mixer Co-founder & Core Member Gary L. Wimmer on Wednesday, October 10th at Opal Divine’s Austin Grill!

Gary looks back on his 50 years as a self-employed and often struggling musician and his last 15 years as a writer, psychic, and actor with more pride now than he felt going through those challenging but fun-filled decades. He has come to realize that it’s all about attitude, what we learn along the way, our decision to gain insight from the past and move on, and our determination to focus on what we can do and change rather than what we cannot do or change.

Gary began playing lead guitar in 1963, studied psychic phenomena in the late 60s, graduated from Texas Tech in 1970 (BS Electrical Engineering), and soon started traveling as a professional musician, knowing it would be more fun than working as an engineer. In 1973, he started giving psychic readings and still does to this day. And in 1977, Gary had an intense revelatory “near-death experience” (NDE) that still profoundly affects him, which he wrote about in his book, A Second in Eternity, and speaks about at NDE events and in interviews.

In 1980, Gary began teaching himself piano, and by 1985 he was performing solo at piano bars. He moved to Copenhagen in 1994, and went on to perform throughout Scandinavia. In 2000, he moved back to Austin where he ventured into acting, as well as writing screenplays and books. Then Doran Ingrham founded the Network Austin Mixer in 2005, joined by Gary a year later, and subsequently honored to be joined by Donise L. Hardy, CSA. Together they made the mixer what it has become today.

All in all, Gary has led a diverse and eventful life, passionately pursued his dreams creatively, and made a living as a self-employed artist for decades. He has discovered how to make his eccentric dots connect, and will be offering empowering insights about how and what we can make happen when we take chances, imagine and realize our dreams, think outside the box, and exercise our creativity in all areas of life.

Wisdom comes with experience, and experience comes because we take chances and put ourselves through challenges. No challenges, no growth. And we are all package deals with unique fears, limitations and weaknesses, but we are also gifted with unique creativity, ability and paths toward success and happiness. We create our reality by how we percieve our lives at the moment and then act. Perception is the one aspect of life that we (and we alone) can always change. And by changing our perception, making decisions and following through we create our reality, just as baseball players who believe they can hit a home run indeed do hit more than the doubters do. And Gary learned how to believe, trust, and have faith more than doubt.

Read more about Gary here, and watch more of him here. Find his books (which he’ll happily sign at the mixer!): A Second in Eternity & Lithomancy. And for more about Gary’s NDE:
A Second in Eternity
INACS Meeting
Big Daddy G Show
IANDS Meeting

 

Last Month:
We extend our deepest thanks to Carrie Elsass and her son, actor Jordan Elsass, along with Casting Director Donise L. Hardy, CSA for being our guest speakers on Wednesday, September 12th. Jordan discussed the hurdles young actors face, and revealed his intelligence, dedication, and passion, highlighting how one must not worry about the roles one does not get. Carrie explained the challenges of mothering and managing a “rising star” son, and Donise kept the conversation going by asking great questions and providing input from her many years’ experience teaching & casting actors of all ages. It was an informative and enlightening evening, and we all thank you, Carrie, Jordan, and Donise, for such a great presentation!
See photos here, and more mixer photos here.

 

Come and bring a friend to Opal Divine’s on Wednesday the 10th for laughing & learning and of course, networking. Bring a friend, and while there enjoy Opal Divine’s Happy Hour which lasts until 7, then $3 “Three for Texas” beers the rest of the evening. And don’t cook or go anywhere else for a meal or snacks because Opal’s offers a tasty and largely locally-sourced menu of goodies.

Pass along our website and check it for details about each month’s speaker(s)!
Find this month’s mixer on Facebook and invite your friends.
Get on our mailing list and keep up with us on social media:
Like our page & join our group on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

Mixing & Networking @ 6:00PM, Announcements @ 6:30, Speakers @ 6:45
Followed by More Mixing & Mingling and Networking