Interview with:Yolanda Vanveen [yolandavanveen]
ACTING
 | How did you begin acting? Acting classes at Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon |
| At what stage in your career did you realise that acting could be something you do professionally? I have always considered it part of the package with doing instructional gardening videos or any other career. Acting classes helped me with so many skills. |
| Please list an Internet address where one can see something about you. http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=141627895895334 |
| Please list the most important or defining jobs of your career. How to Garden Videos-Youtube.com-Lead 2000 videos/2,000,000 views
Demand Media/About.com
The Hunted -Featured Pregnant Train Hostage Paramount
Escape Your Shape -Supporting Cone Exercise Video Exude NY
Gardentime.tv - Interviewed/Gardening Television Show Gustin Productions
Smart Gardening - Interviewed/Gardening Television Show PBS/Chambers
We the Jury -Lead Defendant, School Principal Chambers
The Mike Show-Lead Geek-off Spray Commercial Portland Cable
Switched at Birth -Featured TV Reporter Lifetime
When the Truth Lies -Featured TV Reporter Lifetime |
| Please list any famous performances that have helped you in reference to your evolution in acting. Catherine in Wuthering Heights, the Carol Burnett Show-Comedy.. |
| Please list three actors and three actresses that you like. Actors: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Simon Baker
Actresses: Sandra Bullock, Susan Sarandon, Glen Close |
| Please list three actors and three actresses that you like. Actors: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Simon Baker
Actresses: Sandra Bullock, Susan Sarandon, Glen Close |
| What type of psychological, physical, and emotional preparation do you do before a performance? Read the script over and over again, then read out loud over and over again..Then walk away for a day |
| What is your criteria in determining which projects you select? No nudity or politically incorrect subjects. |
| What type of communication do you normally establish with directors? Always good relationship. Directors always speak to me first because I greet with a smile and know better than to interrupt or discuss issues in front of others. Very open to suggestions. |
| What is the archetypal character in which you tend to be typecast? News Reporter |
| Has there been a role that has been especially difficult for you? Playing a Soviet woman with an accent. It was hard to get the accent down in a very short time. |
| Do you see yourself working in this field in twenty years? It has been part of my life for the last twenty years so yes!!! |
| What do you do to kill time during waiting periods at casting calls? Read books, make lists of things to do, write letters, Facebook, Twitter on my phone, phone calls if alone, visit with others that I usually know from other casting calls, relax, read the paper, read magazines, |
| Are you continuing to educate yourself through acting classes, seminars, or other courses? Do you combine this with your normal job? Right now I am working on taking paralegal classes so that I can understand and prepare entertainment contracts since that is such a big part of acting. Have taken many acting classes and continue to do so.. |
| Is there any fetish role you haven't interpreted yet, but that you have in your head to do one day? Comedy! Comedy! Like Absolutely Fabulous!
And always the dream of playing Brad Pitt, Simon Baker or George Clooney's love interest in any movie! |
| According to your experience, please describe the best and worst of each medium: cinema, theatre, television. Cinema-Best-Remakes of classics like Wuthering Heights
Worst-Any movies with violence against women, children
Theatre-Best-Classics Shakespeare, Bronte
Worst-As long as people are performing, I don't think there is a worst
Television-Best-Public Television Masterpiece Theater, SNL, Mad TV
Worst-Reality Shows like Teen Mom, Jersey Shore, Real Housewives |
| Is there any scene or role that you would never interpret due to personal morals, principles, or taboos? Any scenes with nudity-For example, I wouldn't play a porn star... |
| Could you say that your tools as an actress pertain to a certain school or concrete method? I have a broadcasting background so I memorize as though I am reading the news so I can memorize easily and can use a teleprompter and sound as though I am speaking naturally. I have found by including the points and leaving room for ad-lib if possible in the script works best. |
| Which director would you like to read this interview? What type of role would you like for him/her to offer you? Sorry, but I can not pick one. I have so many favorites: Parts I would love to play:
Famous women in history and movies, time periods-Spartacus, Remake of Paint Your Wagon,
Wuthering Heights, other classics
Mom/Business/Spy/UN worker/Environmentalist/Executive/Reporter/Nurse/Wild West Woman
My favorite directors:
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu- A movie like Babylon, playing opposite Brad Pitt
David Lynch-Love Twin Peak, Would love to play a part like Laura Palmer as a Mom
Quentin Tarantino-Emma Peel type part
Gus Van Sant-I am from the Portland area so would love to play a part in his movies.
David Cronenberg-Love the cyber world and Nicholas cage |
| Have you ever thought of giving up on the profession? If yes, when and why? Acting will always be part of my life |
| One personal reason why to keep doing this work I love pretending to be someone else or reporting on issues I am passionate about.
It is a break from my real world that I cherish. |
| How do you feel when people recognise you on the street? You are that woman that is on Youtube doing gardening videos! You look so much shorter and smaller than I expected...
I love when people recognize me but also like the fact that in the small town I live in very few people recognize me from Youtube. If I go to Tacoma or Seattle I get recognized much more. It is nice. |
| What advice would you give to someone just starting out in acting? Do it for fun and don't take it seriously. You will have times when you are it and other times when you don't exist. Always be nice to everyone even if you don't get the part. Many times the contacts you make now will come back in five or ten years so remember you are building for the future. Brand yourself. Put videos on youtube and make yourself famous. You are the director of the ship. |
MULTIMEDIA
| What is your specialty in multimedia? Environmental speaker and WSU Master Gardening graduate Yolanda Vanveen has produced a staggering two thousand garden videos for ehow.com and about.com with over two million views. She has a friendly, easy approach to sustainable gardening and living naturally.
As the diva of internet gardening, Yolanda Vanveen has created over two thousand gardening videos teaching people how they can garden the natural way without using chemicals for nearly twenty years. As a Master Gardener and garden host of www.ehow.com , www.gardenguides.com and www.about.com , she has saturated the gardening video internet market and is the most recognized gardening expert with over a million views on the internet.
She has taught Master Gardening classes, hosted a weekly gardening radio show (“You Can Garden With Yolanda” on OPB's Golden Hours Program) and has managed her own flower bulb company, www.Vanveenbulbs.com . Yolanda has appeared on Garden Time Television, Shirley Bovshow's "Garden World Report" and the PBS show "Smart Gardening."
With her large library of short videos, she can teach viewers and audience members how to be a sustainable gardener in a very short time. Her fans are found all over the world from small villages in Africa to penthouses in New York City. She is a popular green garden speaker covering eco-friendly methods of growing flowers, herbs, vegetables, lawns, trees, bulbs and perennials.
Audiences love to learn how to save money by using inexpensive natural household products for organic pest and weed control. Her talks on "Inviting birds and butterflies to the garden," and "Ten household products you can use to garden naturally," always draw a great crowd.
Facebook Garden Naturally Page http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Garden-Naturally-Group/245120832263?ref=mf
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1264395417
Twitter page: http://twitter.com/yolandavanveen |
BLOGGING
| What is your blog address? What subjects do you deal with? A blog dedicated to sharing information on natural alternatives to chemicals in the garden and providing natural habitats for wildlife.
http://gardennaturally.wordpress.com/
Moderator Yolanda Vanveen
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1264395417& |
| What was it that made you create your blog? On what date did you start it? http://gardennaturally.wordpress.com/
Moderator Yolanda Vanveen
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1264395417&
The interest in my Facebook Garden Naturally Group and the posts led me to start a blog.
Internet group started November 2009. Blog started January 2011. |
| What blogging system have you adopted and why? Wordpress.com. Seems to be easiest and I like the pictures and lay-outs. |
| How many visits a day do you get? What type of comments do you receive? I have garden videos on youtube with thousands of hits a day with over two million views.
My Facebook Garden Naturally Group has five thousand members. My blog gets about a hundred views a day when articles are posted. The comments are very positive:
Wonderful post on natural items to use in the garden I’ll tweet it up great info to share Annie
Great tips. Thanks!
Beautiful, Yolanda! Love the concept and the lush photos…
Love your article and I am in total agreement! This is exactly what I preach to my clients!
Nice piece! Awareness building is key…there *are* alternatives! Thank you.
Thank you so much for this article, it means the world to me to see garden centers offering alternative natural products to the easy to push chemicals Annie |
| How has 'having a blog' contributed to your life? It has given me a platform to teach people about issues and solutions concerning chemicals in the garden. |
| Have you created relationships with other bloggers or readers of your blog? By posting on Facebook, I have been able to network with others. |
| How often do you post? Does regular posting of your blog require a lot of effort on your part? Once to twice a week and it takes effort to finish each blog post. I finish late at night when I have the time about once a week. |
| Does blogging bring in income for you? Can one make a living from posting? It gives me credibility and contacts which in turn make me an income. |
| How do you promote your blog? Facebook/Twitter |
| How would you define your readers? Have you got a faithful audience? 35-55 60 percent men/ 40 percent women
Mostly USA |
| Have you ever received gifts for blogging about your opinion of products or services? What do you think of bloggers who do that? I think that is the key to supporting yourself with blog posts. If you support organic gardening, for example, you should support organic products and promote them so that you can teach others to transition to organic. It is a win win for everyone. |
| How do you see your blog evolving in the future? More sponsors. Important issues and interviews. |
| What advice would you give to someone who wishes to begin a blog? Don't expect to make money. Use it to brand yourself and share your passions whatever they may be. It will evolve as needed. |
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Yolanda Vanveen
Kalama, WA USA
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