Let’s say you’re a soccer fan, or maybe you know someone who’s a big soccer fan, or you just like watching sports on television. There’s so much more to watching a sport on television - or in person - than the actual game being played. In today’s information age, we want to know more. More is more. That means when you’re watching a game of soccer on television, in between plays, you want to see numbers. You want to see statistics, and a player’s history.

            That’s where Nikola Todorovic comes in. He’s the guy who makes the dazzling graphics that light up your television screen when your favorite player’s headshot shows up, along with his statistics. Nikola is the guy who creates the beautiful graphics that keep you entertained when the referees are arguing with each other over a call. He makes the timeouts go by quicker and fulfills the audiences desire for more information.

            Nikola was the lead Visual Effects Artist on the television series MLB Presents Japan Confidential, which followed U.S. Major League Baseball athletes, primarily Japanese players, reporting on their lives and showing clips of their most notable plays and career highlights. The show’s producer has often said that Nikola’s part in the production was so crucial that without him the show would not have been complete. Not even if the game-winning goal was scored in the last second. That’s because Nikola’s the guy who hustles after that last goal to put up the graphics to inform audiences about the winning team’s record, and who they’re playing next.

            The Fox Sports Channel is home to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Soccer tournament, which it proudly broadcasts every year to over 52 million households. The tournament’s official production company, Tourbeau Sports Group LLC, says Nikola’s work was “instrumental” to the company’s success.

            The next time you’re watching a game of soccer, and there’s an amazing play, pay attention to something else. Forget about the guy who’s screaming his head off in delight, as he’s high-fived by his teammates. Forget the goalie cringing in shame at the missed block. Look at the graphics lighting up your television screen like fireworks. That’s the true game-winning goal right there.

Mac Arellano’s career as an actor began in the theater in Mexico. His versatility and natural ease with the craft landed him roles in some of Mexico’s biggest productions, including the plays Criaturas Salvajes, Que Planton!, Tastoanes, Quien anda Ahi?, and many others. Criaturas Salvajes is a play about the changing times of the 60s and the rebellious hearts of the youth of a generation.

As Americans, when we think about the 60s, we often generalize the time with thoughts of flower children, Timothy Leary, and protests over the war in Vietnam. However, the power of these changing times were not limited to the U.S., instead they had powerful effects across the world, and Criaturas Salvajes takes a look at the way these times affected the life of the youth in Mexico.

The play, which was chosen out of several hundred submissions, was performed at the VI Festival of Theater in Guadalajara.  Mac played the leading role of ‘The Professor’, a progressive thinker who, despite the judgments of his contemporaries, remained faithful to his students offering them fervent support during the confusing times brought on by both the 60s, and the transition from adolescence to adulthood.

In the play Tastoanes, which was created by Martin de la Torre Vega and directed by Enrique Martinez, Mac plays the starring role of ‘Santo Santiago’, who is known outside of Spanish speaking countries as ‘Saint James’, the historical icon who spread Christianity across Spain, Mexico, and several other surrounding countries in South America. The production, which was held at two of the most celebrated and renowned theaters in Jalisco, the ‘Teatro Degollado’ and the ‘Teatro Galerias’, was performed in front of more than 2,000 people during a major historical celebration organized by the US/Mexico Sister Cities Association (USMSCA).

Aside from Mac’s work in the theater, he has also been in numerous films in the U.S., including the The Call, Graduation, and The Hunted. He also recently completed a pilot called The Failures, which was produced for HBO Access by Joe Ferris Films Inc.

For someone so young, Mac has quite an extensive repertoire under his belt and shows no sign of stopping.

PL: Where are you from? 
LE: I was born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden. At age 19 I moved to Gothenburg, Sweden, but my family still lives in Stockholm.


PL: How and when did you first get into performing?
LE: My first acting role was in a musical that was based on "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe." I played the leading role of Edmund. When I moved to Gothenburg I got involved with the improv company Rattle which tours regularly and is well known throughout Sweden for putting on hilarious shows. I was one of the original members.

PL: Can you tell us a little bit about the television and film projects you’ve done?
LE: While I was still in Sweden I was cast in the lead role of Jonas in the film "Something Begins, Something Ends." The film was written and directed by Mikael Bundsen and it took over a year to complete, but at the end of the day it was worth it because it turned out to be an incredible story. After that I was approached by Fanni Metelius to audition for her film "Unruly". The film debuted at the Gothenburg Film Festival in 2011, and was also shown at the Berlin Film Festival, as well as aired on SVT, which is Sweden’s national television network. Both of the films were included on a DVD released by the Swedish film magazine FLM.

PL: What made you choose to participate in these projects?
LE: I love when young people get to tell stories about young people. Metelius and Bundsen both know how to tell honest stories with very human characters. Although they are two very different directors, they are both very trusting and generous, and they know how to evoke natural emotion in their actors.

PL: You get approached all the time to work on projects with people, what makes you pick one role over another?
LE: Character and story. Exploring and building a character is one of the exciting parts of this profession. To be able to tell a story honestly, no matter how absurd it may seem, is one of the most important things in film. It is very important to me to be surrounded by people who are both passionate and positive, so I definitely consider whether they have good energy or not.

PL: Can you list some of the theatre projects you've participated in up until now, and the roles you’ve played?
LE: Since moving to LA I have played Martin in Theresa Rebeck's "Seminar," Williamson in "Glengarry Glen Ross" and Eddie in "Hurlyburly." Most recently, I played Trent Conway in "Six Degrees of Separation" directed by Academy Award winner Milton Justice.

PL: What has been your favorite role so far and why?
LE: Playing Eddie in David Rabe's "Hurlyburly" was incredibly challenging, but extremely rewarding. It was such an intense journey, and a long play, so each show felt like running a marathon.

PL: As for genre, what is your favorite? (Comedy, Drama, Horror, etc.)
LE: I have a background in improv and I love comedy. Drama is a whole other kind of experience! Like I said it's about character, and you can find great one's in all genres.

PL: What projects do you have coming up?
LE: I am currently working on a pilot that will be pitched to Swedish TV. I also play one of the leads in an upcoming web series called "Gur Talk".

PL: What are your plans for the future?
LE: Right now I am focusing on the projects I mentioned above, but I would love to do another play this year as well.

PL: What is your advice to other aspiring artists?
LE: Work on your craft. Take classes, read, learn, and be nice, you never know who is going to be your next boss. It’s pretty easy to get a job purely based on talent, but if you are hard to work with or simply a dick to be around, you can pretty much bet those people won’t hire you again.

PL: What kind of training have you done?
LE: I majored in Theater in high school, and after that I relocated to Gothenburg where I mainly focused on improv. I performed with Rattle for over 3 years before moving to Los Angeles where I enrolled in the two-year program at the Stella Adler Academy of Acting in Hollywood.

PL: Why did you choose this profession?
LE: I chose to be an actor because of the endless stories. To me acting is like a strange and beautiful mix of escapism and self-exploration. The least pretentious answer is because it is so much fun!

An artist to the core, Bosnian multi-talent Nina Ljeti is not only an incredible actress, but an inspirational director, and skilled screenwriter as well.

A contemporary of the incomparable actor/director James Franco, Nina has starred alongside some of Hollywood’s biggest actors, including Golden Globe winners Winona Ryder and Jessica Chastain, Emmy winner Josh Hamilton, Lily Taylor, Heather Graham, Mila Kunis, Zach Braff and a long list of others. For someone who is only 23-years-old, Nina has accomplished more in the film industry than most people ever will. Some of her titles as an actress include the award-winning film Child of God, The Letter, About Cherry, Tar, and many more.

In addition to being an incredible actress, Nina is also a talented director with a unique vision. In 2013 Nina wrote and directed the film Jeffrey, which explores the lesser-known and more mundane aspects of the life of Jeffrey Dahmer, one of America’s most infamous serial killers. However, her most notable directorial title to date is the feature film Memoria, which stars Golden Globe winner James Franco and is scheduled to be released early next year.

Nina co-directed, as well as co-wrote the screenplay for the film with longtime collaborator and friend, Vladimir de Fontenay. The duo met while attending NYU’s Tisch School of Arts, one of the most prestigious film schools in the world, which boasts an alumni list that reads like a film industry who’s-who, including luminaries like Woody Allen, Oliver Stone, Joel Cohen, Martin Scorsese, Marcia Gay Harden, James Franco, and Angelina Jolie.

The screenplay for Memoria was adapted from three short stories found in James Franco’s book Palo Alto, and explores how the spirit of a once honest and kind-natured person can be completely destroyed as a result of living in an environment that is devoid of love.

Based in Palo Alto, California, Memoria centers on the life of Ivan Cohen (played by James Franco), an anti-social boy whose turbulent relationship with his mother and stepfather lead him to retreat into an imaginary world where he is able to connect with his real father, a member of the Russian military.

Personally, I am very excited about the release of the film, and am looking forward to seeing more of Nina’s work as an actress and director in the future. She is undoubtedly a one-of-a-kind talent who has created a solid place for her self in the film industry.

From the sound of his voice you would never guess that the multi-talented actor Ray Emodi grew up in Nigeria. His ease with the American dialect is only one of his many talents, but it is a feature that makes him highly sought after in the United States film industry. While Ray’s work spans many genres, he excels at them all. 

His role as Parker Stone in the film You Don’t Say is one that puts his incredible comedic skills on display for the masses. A film which Ray also wrote and directed, You Don’t Say follows two stoned kids in the hood who, after failing to pay back a heavy-hitting drug dealer named Big Mac are given the option of dying for their debt, or taking on a day of errands on behalf of the ruthless dealer. They choose the errands obviously, and as a result they find themselves in a long list of unusual situations that lend for a great comedy.

Ray plays a much heavier role as the lead in God’s Own Villa, a film by award-winning director Omar Monge. Ray’s character, a depressed agoraphobic who spends most of his time alone in a dark apartment browsing the internet and making artsy scribbles on the walls, is coerced to leave his house after meeting a girl on the world wide web. Ray’s portrayal of the struggle one faces when dealing with a phobia most outsiders do not understand was so impeccable that the film was chosen as an Official Selection at the Los Angeles International Underground Film Festival. 

Ray is a highly skilled and well-trained performer whose ability to play a myriad of characters exists without limitation. In the action-packed thriller Lies Hidden in the Truth Ray plays Mr. K, a methodical leader of an assassin’s organization who gets the job done every time. The film, which was written and directed by famous Beverly Hills 90210 director Gilbert Shilton, is a masterpiece that pits action alongside mental manipulation and deceit. 

Ray has several upcoming films including Jake Armbruster’s film Animus, which will premiere at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival in September. In the film Ray plays the leading role of Officer Wright, a godly man who is left questioning his faith and integrity after he has everything taken from him. 

One of America’s hottest new additions, Ray Emodi is a one-of-a-kind talent who has wowed audiences from both stage and screen, and shows no signs of stopping!

Caracas, Venezuela-based Octopustudio has announced that it’s head Creative DirectorEduardo Whaite is gearing up to move from the company’s Venezuela headquarters to their Miami office. Octopustudio is a leading advertising, branding and production house in Venezuela.

As a visionary creative director and music video director Eduardo has put countless stars and brands on the map with his incredible talent. As a creative director his credits include the award-winning video for Venezuelan rock group Calameros de Cianuro’s hit song “Verano”, which wonBest Rock Video at the Pepsi Music Awards 2013, Venezuela’s largest music event, and topped charts as the longest running #1 music video in HTV history; as well as the music video for Grammy award winning duo Chino y Nacho hit song “Dame Un Besito” which received over 10 million views on YouTube. Eduardo has also been the creative director of countless international advertising campaigns for innovative fashion companies like REEVA and Linea Roma, as well as for Ron Santa Teresa, Venezuela’s oldest and most successful rum company.

When it comes to directing music videos, it's his ability to seamlessly create story-telling imagery that perfectly compliments the sound of the artist that has made him such a highly sought after name across Latin America. Some of the his best known music videos include Ninah Mars’ hit"F%$@ Yourself", Jack Bundy’s “I Don’t Want to Lose You”, Ricardo Malfetti’s “Suerte” and “Y Es Por Eso”, Terrance Hunt’s “Girls Talk”, Ana & Maye’s “You, Myself and Time”, Daniel Huen’s “Manana”, and many more.

In Miami, Mr. Whaite will lead Octopustudio’s creative team alongside acting director Mike Tang.