Prague, Prague, and more Prague!

Did you know I am in Prague?  This country is amazing, gritty, majestic, and lovely.  I think I will let the photos today speak for themselves.  Enjoy!

For more photos and updates throughout the day, follow me on Twitter or Instagram:  @KristynBurtt.

Still In Munich!

Wow, I just checked and saw that the last time I posted was on Friday.  The last five days have been a complete blur of work and food and fun here in Munich.  My quiz show hosting gig is officially over, but here are two photos of my station.  I played over 200 rounds of this quiz during my days here at ESC.  Holy cow!  The best part is meeting people from all over the world and trying a few of my Spanish and French phrases on everyone.  Hey, a girl has to practice her languages somehow!  It's also fun to compare the trade shows of the U.S. versus the congresses in Europe.  In Europe, they are more formal and the hostesses (known as "booth babes" in the U.S.) are all dressed up in suits.  I actually like the formality of it versus the khakis and golf shirts approach.  It is somehow more dignified.

Now that my Munich journey is wrapping up, I am hopping a train to the Czech Republic.  Yep, I am off to Prague.  Let the vacation and the shopping begin!  I will be able to post more now that I am on vacation, so join me for more photos this week.  My poor mom was worried when I stopped posting over the last five days, so I gave her this photo bomb on Facebook.

I am also posting more photos on Instagram:  @KristynBurtt and Twitter if you want to follow along!

An Olympic-Sized Munich Photo

As you can see it was kind of a stormy day in Munich. I loved every minute of the 65 degree weather since it has been so hot in Los Angeles the past few weeks.  It was welcome relief to just enjoy "fall" weather.  If you know me well, then you know my first stop would be Olympic Park, site of the 1972 Games.  I was so excited to be here and sit in the Olympic Stadium which is now used for soccer....er, football, you get the idea.  The grounds are beautiful and lush and I even managed to see the site where Mark Spitz set the record on 7 races coming home with gold in each event.  That is kind of awesome.  I also went through the maze of Olympic Village and Building 31 where the Israeli athletes were kidnapped.  Not so awesome.  I was kind of disappointed that the memorial to the fallen athletes was small.  I guess I expected something beautiful and majestic in their honor.  It was more of an afterthought on the grounds. (But given the recent controversy surrounding the IOC's reluctance to honor the 40th anniversary at this year's London Games, it really should be no surprise to me.)

The stadium is still bedecked in 1970's avocado green and the rake is so steep and without rails, it would never be up to code today, at least in the US.  I had sweaty palms as I walked through the upper deck praying I wouldn't trip and tumble down the steps.  If you notice on the roofline, you can see people up top.  They offer climbing tours and zip lining through the stadium.  How very touristy, but it was fun to watch them swinging over the workers prepping the soccer/football field below.  The other odd thing is that the Olympic rings are not really on display.  I thought it would be decorated in rings, but I couldn't grab a photo anywhere.  I took tons of photos, but I figure the stadium was enough to focus on for my photos today.  Tomorrow, I shop and I work.  Auf Wiedenshen

Munich: Photo Of The Day

I have safely arrived in Munich after a 13-hour trip from LA to Chicago to Munich.  I am a big fan of public transportation, so I looked up my hotel to see how easy it would be to get from the airport to the neighborhood I am staying in. Since the Munich Airport is farther out compared to most European cities, I had to hit the train and a bus.  A girl came up to me in the airport and handed me a free bus and train pass for the day and told me to "pay it forward" since she was heading home back to the States. Score!  My first ride through Munich was going to be free.

I have to admit I have been a bit intimidated by the German language since I only know how to say "hello", "thank you", and "awesome".  It's much easier in the romance language countries since I know enough Spanish and French to have a conversation, not so much here.  I was worried I was going to wind up in the German countryside versus my hotel, but I am happy to report that their signage was perfect and I made it safely to my home for the next week.

I managed to grab drinks and food with my colleagues today and actually have a bit of a post-mortem meeting on the event I hosted last week in New Jersey.  It's kind of weird to meet up in Munich to talk about a NJ gig, but I am not complaining.  I am still amazed people are willing to fly me all over the world to host a show for them.  Tomorrow begins my first day of rehearsal with a bit of sightseeing mixed in.  I will be updating this site each day with a photo.  Today, I leave you with my travel outfit.  I honestly hate it when people take photos in the bathroom, so hopefully, this is my last, but I couldn't resist.......I looked like a homeless Olsen twin.

Where In The World Is KB?: Summer 2012

Many thanks to Roni B. for making sure I had my signature hat for my trip!

Around this time last year, I was off to Paris, thanks to a really amazing client who hired me to host a game show (Or a quiz show for you dignified Europeans.) for them.  They kindly also sent me to Orlando, Chicago, and New Jersey over the past year. (Don't knock NJ, I had the opportunity to meet this guy.)  This year, they are shipping me off to Munich which means I won't be drinking beer now that I am officially Gluten Free.  (Ah, better to miss the beer than to endure a migraine.) I plan on having a blast and posting a photo each day, so I hope you join me on this adventure.  I will also be hitting one other country after the job is over for a little R&R.  Gute Reise!

 

Hot Topic Tuesday: Working For Free

Last week, I saw a fellow host post this message on Twitter:

As you can see, I retweeted it with my own message and another host responded with her thoughts.  With the recent boom in online content, this has become a recurring theme and I thought it was one worthy of exploring.  When should you work for free?  When should you stop working for free?

Working for free is a good idea if.......
1.  Reel:  You need material for your reel whether it is for an acting, host, choreography, or directing reel.  If you need the footage and this project will add dimension to your portfolio of work, then get on that set and start working.

2.  Prestige:  The prestige project is an opportunity to jump at whether it is working with a mentor in the business, a celebrity, or a buzzworthy script. It might get you some great press, add new contacts to your address book, and give you some bragging rights that you worked on that piece.

3.  Charity:  From time to time, you may be asked to perform to benefit a charity.  Why would you ever say "no" to helping others?  I rest my case.

Image courtesy of Pink Elephant Academy

Working for free is a bad idea if......
1. Zero Return:  If you have already done a similar project, worked with the same people (and didn't enjoy the experience), or have enough of that genre on your reel.  It's time to ask for a paycheck.  You have proven your worth in this area, you should be paid for your time.

2.  On-Camera Talent:  Ah, the creative ones.  We are always afraid we will never work again, but it's time we put our foot down on this.  While many of the people behind the camera are getting paid, you agreed to work for free.  It's a business, people.  It's time to use your business acumen and get paid for your work.  Like the tweet above states, you are driving rates down for everyone because you are THAT person who will always work for free.

3. Brand:  It devalues your brand.  You become the always available, always willing to work, and always FREE talent. You cheapen your worth.  Don't be that person.

It's understandable in this era of start-ups and online budgets that you may not get your standard TV/Film rates, but it's time you stand up for your work and your worth.  Create a rate card with your standard rates to have handy when clients ask. I always believe that rates are negotiable based on the budget on a project to project basis. This is not about trying to make as much money as possible, this is about creating a career filled with meaning and worth that makes sense for your brand.

What are your thoughts on working for free?  Is it hurting the entertainment industry?  I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic, so comment below or on Twitter, Facebook, or Google +.  

Disclaimer:  Of course I have worked for free in my career, but I am noticing a trend in the entertainment industry that is a slippery slope to working for free all of the time.  Don't do it.  

Behind The Red Carpet Live: Yuri Lowenthal

A huge thanks to Yuri Lowenthal of Shelf Life and Ben-10 for stepping in at the last minute as a guest on Behind The Red Carpet Live today on Spreecast.  If you missed the show, you can watch it below.  We chatted about Tony Scott's iconic movies, Phyllis Diller, Lisa Whelchel on Survivor, and even the hypocrisy surrounding male and female celebs in the media......yep, Jennifer Aniston versus George Clooney.

What are your thoughts on today's hot topics?