Dear colleagues, mentors, and friends,
A happy “hello!” to all of you, and I hope 2011 has been treating you like the Kings and Queens you are, thus far! Please join me as I recap some of the exciting professional goings-on (as well as thank those who made them possible) in my life from the summer of 2010 until now.
July began with a bang, as I was booked to host 4 new episodes of an exciting docu-series, Extreme Art Television (EAT), under executive producer Jacqueline Simon. EAT has since been broadcast on local channels all over NYC! Jacqueline was so pleased with me that she also booked me to host the opening and closing episodes of another project, Faces of New York. Meanwhile, international super-model Josie Maran (the former face of Maybelline Cosmetics, Sports Illustrated, etc) personally chose me as one of her models for her amazing new line of cosmetics on QVC networks. What a thrill to have been recognized by such a force in the industry!
August brought my very first trip to LA. Hooray! While I was there, my good friend and mentor Entourage writer/producer, Rob Weiss, generously showed me around the city while offering first-hand insight about the industry. It was a great trip with many more to come.
The start of Fall introduced a whirlwind of adventure. Via Robert Galinsky, I was featured on Fox News: CT for my work as the only combination U.S. Marine/NFL Cheerleader on record. He also conducted live, full-length interviews with me for the radio shows Valerie’s New York, with the lovely Valerie Smaldone, and Robert Galinsky’s Reality Wanted. As if Robert wasn’t instrumental enough, he also gave me the opportunity to perform several times at his Wreckless Idol Open Mic Night. It was during my first performance at Wreckless that I caught the attention of the legendary casting director/producer, Robert Russell, who has also become a trusted friend of mine. Hooray for guys named Robert!
The brilliant and incredible Glamour Magazine expert style blogger/TV host, Jess Zaino, played a huge role in my development in the Fall. Having gotten my feet wet in the world of hosting during the summer, Jess generously suggested I take a workshop with “The Queen of Hosting” herself, Marki Costello. Marki’s intensive proved to be a turning point in my career. I’ve since completed my hosting reel, started a blog at danielleguldin.tumblr.com, and even written my own hosted TV show, Helping Hand! To my amazement, Helping Hand has been met with great accolades from writer/producer/actor John Buffalo Mailer, writer/producer David Ambrose, and a former VP of Oxygen Network (and current bff) Ali Hossaini! Ali and I are working hard on the final treatment for Helping Hand, and hope to go to pilot in the late Spring. (pssst! Check out Ali’s Kickstarter for his upcoming interactive autism installation: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1832764133/neurodiversity-the-autism-project)
As winter approached, BMG/Avalon Artist Group agent Erica Moran sent me on a dance audition for C-Lo Green’s newest music video. 3 callbacks and 1,400 girls later, I was ecstatic to be in the top 5! Unfortunately this project was not meant to be, but I didn’t let it get me down. The very next week, I was featured on an episode of TV Guide’s Fashion Team, alongside the fab Jess Zaino. The episode has since been viewed by approximately 4 million people via TV Guide and Hulu.
The New Year brought the most valuable experience of my life to date as I jetted out to Park City, Utah, for the Sundance Film Festival! (Special thanks to director, Guy Shahar, for the invitation) Where do I begin? I met so many outstanding people, it’s impossible to name them all. Attorneys, CPAs, producers, and directors from all over gave me invaluable insight into the world of mayhem that is the entertainment industry. Notably, I made friends with editor extraordinaire and super cool human, Slater Dixon, who had 2 titles at Sundance, (Grand Jury Prize: Documentary – How to Die in Oregon), and 1 title at Slamdance. I also had a wonderful cup of coffee with the brave and gifted filmmaker, Danfung Dennis, whose documentary about the injury and recovery of one Marine in Afghanistan, Hell and Back Again, took home the World Cinema Jury Prize, among other accolades. As a veteran, Danfung’s message touched me deeply, and I’m so proud of his accomplishments! I also met an amazing young filmmaker, Justin Murphy, who has since become my writing partner and great friend. We are currently approaching the finish line on 1 feature film, and have plans for 2 short films to be shot in the summer. Hooray for Sundance!
February introduced a fantastic new comrade, model manager, Robert Thompson, of the Bae Group. Never has anyone taken me under their wing for my professional development and worked so hard on my behalf. Through Robert, I booked a fantastic gig hosting a segment at NYC Fashion Week, which also included a commercial for the Sprint HTC Evo 4G phone. Exciting! Shortly thereafter, my good friends, writers/producers David Ambrose and John Buffalo Mailer, invited me to participate in a reading for their upcoming project, alongside Tony Award winning actor, George Hearn, and a dozen other incredible people. It was an honor to be included in the process of this undertaking.
Throughout the year, I have continued to prepare for the role of Keran in writer/director Benedict Hadley’s upcoming feature, Boost. In acting class, with the legendary Sondra Lee, I have been working on plays by Chekhov and Norris Church Mailer, continuously learning more about the art of the actor’s process. I’ve also maintained involvement in charity work, including my upcoming endeavor, Operation Freefall, for which I will jump out of a plane to combat rape and sexual assault! By April 30, I will have raised $1,000 for this event and will participate in a nationwide skydive with thousands of other supporters. I can’t wait!
Thank you very much for allowing me the privilege to update you on my professional life. May 2011 bring tons of success and happiness your way, and I hope our paths cross again in the near future.
Until next time, many cheers, thanks, and love,
Danielle Guldin
Wendi Caplan-Carroll will speak at The 1st Annual NYC Woman’s Empowerment Summit. She is a Social Media and Digital Marketing expert with over 25 years experience in Marketing, Business Development and Event Marketing working for major media companies including CBS Radio, Infinity Broadcasting, and Emmis Broadcasting. Caplan-Carroll is currently Developement Director for Constant Contact, helping small businesses, associations, and nonprofits connect with their customers, clients, and members. Today, more than 200,000 customers worldwide trust Constant Contact to help them connect with their audience. Due to Caplan-Carroll’s efforts Constant Contact was ranked number 127 in Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 in 2007. Wendi uses her expertise to provide coaching for small businesses and organizations on best practices of email marketing, designing strategic marketing initiatives and developing creative approaches to marketing with the use of online tools. She is speaks regularly on the Power of Email Marketing and Social Networking.
