JC aka Triple Threat, Behind the Scenes Interview with The Artist

Listen to JC  aka Triple Threat's latest single - Don't Stop

Arizona's open and spacious scenery along with (mostly) fantastic weather offers perfect venues to hold concerts, plays in the park, paddle boating on Tempe Town Lake, or just taking a stroll through one of the many greenbelts throughout the Valley of the Sun.

From time to time we here at Film and Fashion Futures like to give you a sneak peak into the lives of artist outside of the fashion realm. Although we LOVE our fashion and film family we want you to be right here with us in all aspects of entertainment. Remarkably, there is a tremendous amount of talent right here in the valley. 

I would like to introduce you to an East Valley young man that comes to us on a blossoming music career. He goes by the name JC also to be known as JC aka Triple Threat. 

He brings an urban pop vibe infused with his personality of voice acting showing just how skilled this young man is. A classic sound intermixed with today's pop culture lends to his unique sound. 

Since the release of his latest singles "Light Switch", "Don't Stop" and "I Know",  JC's recognition has reached international airspace. How wonderful it is to see one of our very own Phoenix-based rising star realize their dreams.

I was thrilled when we finally caught up with JC for some one on one conversating...

For some of those who don’t know already, why Triple Threat?
"There are a few reasons behind the name, but the biggest reason is that I brought it on field, in the classroom and on the stage as a student athlete & performer. In reference to football,  I played on Offence, Defense, as well as special teams. In the classroom, my grade point average was 3.7 & above. Finally, on stage, I can sing, rap & dance. These are the three main categories that led to the nickname “Triple Threat.”  My philosophy was to never cheat the drills, perfect practice makes perfect & always give a hundred percent in the game. I take that same discipline from football and put it into every practice and performance. I left it all on the field and in correlation I leave it all on the stage."

Do you write your own lyrics?

"Yes, I do. I write all my lyrics. If you listen to my lyrics, carefully, you’ll notice that I have a little  fun and create my own words and sometimes “juxtapose” phrases together. You’ll also notice that I’m heavily influenced Shakespeare.  I‘ve written a song for an all female punk band and intro’s for animated series and machinimas (this is the use of real time computer graphic engines to create a cinematic productions) too."

What else differentiates you from other artists?
"I don’t just spit rhymes on stage.  I come to perform and give you a show. I’m always thinking of ways to take my performances to the next level. A few months ago, to increase entertainment value, we added dancers to the production.  Based on the crowd’s response I can tell  they definitely love it.  Big shout out to Jenzi Russell (#Jenzi #JenziTaughtMe) for the amazing choreography and hours of rehearsal."

Have you always been a music enthusiast?

"From day 1, I have always love music. My first love was classical - composers like Beethoven and Vivaldi. From there, my parents exposed me to an eclectic range of music genres from old school hip-hop, jazz, rock, rap, to even country. I had love for all music in all its expressions then and now."

Any other musical interest? Instrument?

"I used to play the Alto sax and I really want to learn the piano."

Describe your sound.

"My sound is my voice, my thoughts, my emotions, my experiences in life. What I mean is on some days I feel more rock than pop, or more hip-hop than rap. My sound IS music. I want my sound to be ever changing and always improving."

Any particular genre that influences your sound? Or even another artist?

"All music influenced me, from classical to classic rock, and from R&B to even 90's grunge. Growing up in my household music was always playing. From singing Carmen (Opera) to rapping 2pac, we all share a love for music."

I noticed that you do not use curse words or any sort of degrading lyrics that offend. Do you find that to be a struggle on stage NOT conforming to the style of the rap game?

Disclaimer {OPINION ALERT}, "I feel that I should fill a song with real content instead of all this cursing filler. If you hear my song on the radio, I don’t want a parent have to turn off the song. On the other hand, there are some songs that wouldn’t be the same without the curse words. I get it!  Some people refer to me as a conscious rapper and it’s probably because I think words matter. I choose to use the best words to convey a thought or an idea. I rather help people up and have more peers, than put people down to feel special. Sorry, but this “Rap Game” thing to me is sooo played out. I don’t want to promote violence, perpetuate stereotypes and put people down. I’ve been through a lot in my short time of being alive. I don’t want anyone to experience or feel the despair that I’ve felt and faced. Is it hard being different? Yes, it would it be easier to conform to the Rap game standards? Again,Yes. See I don’t make music because it’s easy, in fact, I don’t want it to be easy because what wouldn't challenge me to become better."

So where does this inspiration to write your own songs come from? You are way too young to have any real-life issues.

"Everything I see can be a song. Anything you feel can be a song. I see it like this, the life you live is real. You can speak on your life experiences and make it a song. Age is not a true qualifier for a song’s value. I’ve experienced the following:

Racism - racism from both sides - Some Black people hating me for my whiteness and some White people hating me for my blackness. As a kid, I thought I would be loved twice as much and not half as less. The unfortunate thing about this is that each side feels that I don’t have a valid opinion on racial issues that absolutely affect me. So basically, on one side...I was the white friend who happened to be the “black.” At times, racial slurs were said in front of me regarding black people and I was expected to agree or go along with it. On the other side... I, simply, wasn’t black enough to hang out with the black kids. Through my travels with sports, education and performances, I’ve seen and been around many different types of people and the thing that I noticed the most is that there are no different races. You have the human race, different levels of melanin and different ethnicities. We all love the same. We all cry the same...We all hate the same. The tears we cry are the same regardless of ethnicity. The pain we feel is the same regardless of the level of melanin. The wanting of love and compassion is universal among all species. As Shakespeare wrote, “if you prick us, do we not bleed?” “If you tickle us, do we not laugh?” “If you poison us, do we not die?”

Sexism and learning disability - being treated differently in an educational environment, because of being a male. Instead of feeling nurtured and encouraged, I often felt humiliated. It was easy to see that certain teachers preferred girl students over boys. Being a boy who had dyslexia made me an easier target. For example First Grade Teacher: “JC, go to the front board and answer this question.” I replied, “I don’t know the answer.” Teacher says, “I know.” “Go to the board.” “Now class, anyone who scores lower than JC, no recess for any of you.” Needless to say, my spirit was broken"

Is there a juicy story behind ‘Lightswitch”?

"I don’t kiss and tell, but yes."

So a little birdy told me you used to play football. How was that?

"It’s really hard for me to talk about so I will say this...Football was a great experience for me. I made new friends and got to be apart of something bigger than me. Some would say there was a time when Football was all I lived for. Not like I watched it on TV or knew a statistic of some guy that doesn't even know I existed. I mean... I would train every day before my practice started, I ran a mile after each game. I loved football and that was my goal in life. To play college? Maybe even go Pro? Possible, but I will never know what all my practice, training, and all my sacrifices would have added up on the field. When I broke my back I could not play ball again. It hurt me, but I found a new passion that allowed my thoughts to become words, words to lyrics and  lyrics to songs. Music was my saving grace and ironically, I can thank my injury for that. All the hard work and dedication brought me to this point in my life. I would not change it for one moment, even if I could."

How far would you like to take your career?

"You ask as if there is an end for me. I want to do it all. Life's too short to pigeon hole yourself in just one thing. I want to make hit songs, make movies, act, voice act, I want to live life to the fullest."

Were was your coolest performance?

"SXSW was one of the coolest places I had performed. There were so many people. It was almost overwhelming. I’ve never experienced anything like it. The people...the characters...the music...the performances were over the top. We heard there were over 300,000 people in attendance. I will never forget the many experiences and people I met there. I have to give a shout out to Quincy “Big Heff” Taylor & DJ Jonny’O  of Nerve DJ’s Radio for the opportunity to perform at one of the biggest music festivals in the nation."

To keep up with all JC's success we will be following him with new music releases, local and national interviews, and tour dates. Film and Fashion Futures strives to keep the community informed of the success of talented performers such as JC aka Triple Threat.

Remember to Read.Like.Share.Follow JC on
Twitter-@akatriplethreat
Instagram-@jc_akatriplethreat
Facebook-JC aka Triple Threat Fan Page
Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/jc-aka-triple-threat/sets/jc-aka-triple-threat-playlist

Stay tuned for Part II with JC aka Triple Threat...

See you on the runway,
Toy Taylor

Photography provided by Artistry by Holly Lyn

Presented by www.chronicbehavior.com/   @chronicbehavior

www.facebook.com/FilmFashionFutures.com.

Thanks to the Chronic Behavior team. We appreciate you for your continued support.

THE EXPERIENCE – JC AKA TRIPLE THREAT IS READY TO TURN YOUR SWITCH ON

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THE EXPERIENCE – 

JC AKA TRIPLE THREAT IS READY TO TURN YOUR SWITCH ON

August 21, 2016 (Phoenix, AZ) – JC aka Triple Threat, up and coming Hip-Hop and R & B singer artist, is set to perform his latest singles at the Arizona Event Center on Saturday, August 27^th with other artists from the local area as part of the IKON Radio Pool Party Challenge.  Show time begins at 7:00 pm and goes until 12:00 midnight. 

This is just one of a series of events that have been created to help support the efforts to bring and highlight Hip-Hop under a new light to Arizona.  Earlier this year, Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton declared Hip Hop Day on Nov. 19 to celebrate the third annual Arizona Hip Hop Festival, which takes place that same day at Comerica Theatre in downtown Phoenix (Article Link here ==> http://bit.ly/2bH26jE)

JC aka Triple Threat is expected to perform these singles - “Way Too Slow”, “Run It Back”, and “Things You Do (That Drive Me Crazy)”.  

You can hear more of his music and find out about his latest performance/event schedule here at http://www.jcakatriplethreat.com under the dates section of the website.

You can obtain tickets for the event by sending your request to info@3threatpro.com.  Ticket costs are $15.00 each. 

Event Details:

IKON Radio Pool Party Challenge – hosted by iKON Radio and Respect The Underground

Time:           7:00 PM

Location:     AZ Event Center

Address:      1300 S Country Club #105

                    Mesa, AZ  85210:

About The Artist:

JC aka Triple Threat is a 19 yr. old Singer/Songwriter, Dancer, Voice Actor and Rapper based out of Phoenix Arizona. His lyrical aptitude and flair is simultaneously ahead of his time and yet a throwback of the old school Hip-Hop style.  He is managed by Triple Threat Productions located in Mesa, AZ.  Website:  http://www.jcakatriplethreat.com

About Triple Threat Productions:

Triple Threat Productions is a full service artist management company that launched in 2012 in the Greater Phoenix area. We pride ourselves on being a small boutique management company that can give our artists the high priority they need in order to succeed. Artists are provided with the necessary tools in order to take charge of their careers.  Website:  http://www.3threatpro.com

For more information, contact:

Eva Louis, Marketing & PR Publicist                                     Triple Threat Productions

Phone: (602) 492-4843                                                            Email: info@3threatpro.com

Email: eva.louis@chronicbehavior.com

The Money Side of Film Fundraising

So you think you want to make a film?  But you don’t have a budget or any money.   What is your next step?  Building your brand and your following…STOP…what do you mean you don’t have a website or a fan page or a group or anything related to your film?  You don’t even have business cards or a flyer or a story you can talk about related to your film.  First and foremost does anyone know who you are?  If not, then that is where you would begin.  In the world of business, there is an order to doing business, running a company, growing your company and building revenue.  The same can be said for making a film or actually wanting to build anything.  If you truly want to be successful and you want to obtain the resources to create what you want, you have to know what you need, how much it will take to create your idea, a timeline around it and then the potential audience or support to help make it happen.  This essentially can be translated into a plan.

I sat down recently with an organization that specializes in using other people’s money to help establish business activities.  The first words out of his mouth were, “do you have a website and what’s your marketing plan look like.”  This particular resource deals with foreign money and investors entirely, however is building businesses in the US.  The lowest level of revenue generating companies he deals with is $55 million with a range up to $500 million.  As someone in marketing who has often preached about marketing in general, those words were music to my ears.  Only because in the most basic of all business training and schools and entrepreneurial training, the number one thing you will spend money on to make money is the marketing at the beginning of any business started.  When you are first launching a business the rule of thumb is that 75% of what you spend on your business should be marketing.

What does marketing entail, it is a long list of things (not all inclusive or exclusive to these items listed only) – 1) Market Research, 2) Target Market, 3) Product – what is it?, 4) Competition – who are they?, 5) Mission Statement, 6) Market Strategies, 7) Pricing, Positioning and Branding, 8) Budget, 9) Marketing Goals, and 10) Performance Analysis – how are you doing?  Okay, you think your film is not a business so why would this apply?  Think again, every film can be and should be treated as a business.  The moment you bring a second body/person into your film dream, you have now enlisted someone else’s time, energy, and/or effort and there is a value exchange for that.  Don’t be mistaken to think that because others may do things out of the generosity of their hearts, volunteer, give away for nothing, or donate, that there is not some kind of value exchange expected.  This is business; henceforth, why understanding the marketing aspects can only help you with your endeavors to actually even dream of making anything with the film you want to produce.

I know you so want to get to the fundraising and forget the marketing.  The fundraising cannot happen without the marketing.  As creative types are usually at the forefront of film making, it makes sense that you should have someone included in your film making group that understands the business side.  No matter how much guerrilla filmmaking you’ve done if you want to be taken seriously by others, you have to have a plan and a formula for what you are doing, again, why the marketing plan for your film makes perfect sense.  It forces you to the reality of what you know about your film, what you don’t know about your film, and it identifies the gaps of what you need to find out and then what you need to essentially determine in order for you to believe you can actually make money.  The ROI – Return on Investment – often times will become evident as you look at your marketing.  Demographics (part of the market research and the target market portion) are absolutely critical to understand in order to know who your potential market audience is.  This extends beyond your inner circle, your family, your friends, your acquaintances, your co-workers, and anyone else who may know you.  Your target market and audience should be defined based on the genre of film, based on the locations related to mass appeal, the interest in the topic, and the monetary ability of that market to spend money on entertainment, because that is the business you are in…entertaining.


You are now screaming at the top of your lungs that you just want to make films because you love it.  We all get it.  As an artist, we live and die by our passion that is how we are made up.  Not everyone can survive by that alone however unless you have a hidden treasure chest or a “Daddy Warbucks” or whatever other “trust-fund” you might have inherited…most individuals don’t operate by those rules.   To be fair, at the beginning of your endeavor whatever it may be, you must decide if you intend to make money on the effort or not.  It will save yourself and everyone heartache to admit that upfront.  Once you have determined however you are taking the plunge to make a movie with the potential to have a profitable return, the work begins.  The basic business plan for a film that is expected to go into fundraising, look for investors, or even financing, requires the following components:

1) Project Overview
2) Executive Summary
3) Film/Movie Write Up – including expected budget
4) Marketing Plan – including projected revenues, and one or all of the next three sections
5) Investor Plan
6) Financing Plan, and/or
7) Fundraising Plan.

Now that the basics have been outlined, you must answer yourself, do you have the wherewithal to continue and pursue your dream to make a film that makes money.  This is where you must assess the risk involved based on your own personal time, effort, and monetary investment and determine if it’s worth it.  Regarding fundraising, and more specifically crowd fundraising or a mixture of investor/financing/crowd, there are so many websites that exist and have been launched, you must review and find what you are comfortable with managing as you will be managing this like it’s a real live baby, because it is something that you actually develop from your seed of an idea and bring to life and birth.  So this effort is not to be taken lightly.  This listing of crowd funding platforms is a short list as many are being launched continuously:  1) Indiegogo, 2) Kickstarter, 3) Peerbackers, 4) GoGetFunding, 5) Seed&Spark, 6) Junction, 7) Slated.  Repeatedly you will find Indiegogo, bubbles to the top even over Kickstarter as it relates to film as the team has the option to get a portion of what is raised even if the goal is not met.  The international money manager and start up entrepreneur I talked with earlier even stated Indiegogo as their number one recommended crowd funding go to for their clients.

Once you’ve decided what route you are going down, there are some specific tips and realities you must keep in mind when pursuing your campaign run at fund-raising.  These are highly recommended tips you should follow and should not be pursued without all of the other information shared being considered if you want to increase your odds of making a dent to find that money you need.  These will not have detailed explanations provided as if you really want to pursue the fundraising, I recommend bringing on board someone who has done it before, find training available (which is literally everyone online or even with your local film organizations), hire a consultant that is proven their ability to direct and execute, or take the time to educate and train your team on what it takes.

1) Prepare and plan your strategy (take at minimum 3 to 6 months to plan and build your base following, if you launch a campaign and have no followers, no website, no social media, and no one knows who you are, do you really think you will be able to get crowd funding when you don’t have a crowd??? Be for real…).

2) Develop a strategic social media blitz and maintenance campaign.

3) Produce a great video (but not just one, several for continued updates along the way).

4) Have an information website or central location everyone can gather all basic information – Media Page.

5) Educate/Inform/Publicize the project, the purpose and vision of the project (Don’t ask for MONEY first – everyone needs money – and no one likes hearing “give me what you have or I’ll take anything…even $1”…sad but true).

6) Continue to grow interest and following throughout the entire campaign.

7) Over-communicate – it will barely be enough – but don’t SPAM.

8) Be real and personal – share the journey with the fans and followers.

9) Have directed attention to your current fans.

10) Make sure you thank everyone for supporting, participating, for allowing you to share, and for whatever else you can think of and use their names when thanking them.  The number one word that most people love to hear is their name in writing.

Participants in fundraising can choose to do one of these items or all of them and what makes the biggest difference in the long run is the commitment by the filmmaker and the team involved.  If you are not committed to do the work which includes all the marketing your success will not be likely.  If you 100% in and your team is 100% too, you are way more likely to make headway not only on fundraising but making your film a reality.  The behind the scenes and the administrative side of the business are not fun and always mean lots of what most would consider boring stuff, but this is the foundation that will make the dream come true.

For consulting services, contract services, and or project service support for your filmmaking, contact www.chronicbehavior.com to set up an appointment to discuss your project or fund-raising needs.  Let's make films.

Passions burning through your pants!!!

What????!!! Did someone just hijack this blog...nooooooo waaaaaay!!! But that is the feeling of being high-strung on 2015 and everything that is going on.  It's hard to believe that May is just around the corner.  

What have you done so far this year?  

Starting the year off with the 'Big Game' in town, was just one of the highlights.  Five fashion shows before the end of January and supporting VIP parties that were in town could not start the year better for many businesses locally and in the surrounding areas.  While we don't focus on just local anything, that is how the year started here.  We talk with businesses and artists on a regular basis and one thing we have noticed this year is that it is nose to the grind stone and rock climbling of the steepest mountains.  More focus and dedication to the craft and the businesses processes is evident in what many individuals and projects are doing.  

We like to highlight some projects and individuals going next level...and it seems like there is not a better time than the present to take that moment to reflect on the good things happening.

Drea Magwood

Drea Magwood, the creator of film short "The Last Responders" is working on the next follow up to a solidly produced short, the film version, of course.  There is a long list of local Arizona talent that is cast as part of the original short.  Stop by their Facebook page to see pictures and highlights from their latest activities.  To learn more you can check out her Indiegogo campaign to see how you can be involved with this up and coming feature: http://igg.me/at/the-last-responders-feature/x.  Don't miss out on another way you can be involved with the film community by investing in it.

Davis in Church (character from The Last Responders)

James and Magdalena in character

Natasha Duran-Lynch, the founder/designer of the Hues of Ego clothing line has had a phenomenal 2015 so far.  This is after finishing up an incredible year in 2014 being one of the emerging designers for Phoenix Fashion Week.  Her schedule and her line has been in demand for runways across the US and her new collections are well underway.  To check out her fabulous line and learn what's happening next, be sure to stop by her website, Hues of Ego and stay connected to her on Facebook.

Kevin Phipps, the founder of The Artist's Box, along with instructors, Daniel Blunck and Jane Fendleman, who are also actors in the community, are all dominating their craft and sharing their knowledge with others through their unique and engaging approach with Meisner classes.  The Artist's Box offers a full year and half program for actors to get their foundation and techniques in line for acting at all levels.  If you wonder how successful they are, just look up their past graduating classes and find out all they have accomplished and you'll see why, if you have even the remotest desire to act, you must check out their programs.  They just started their latest class, on April 28th.  Don't miss out on a life changing opportunity if you ever needed one. 

The Woman of the Mountain

Another exciting film that will be coming out this May 20th is "The Woman of the Mountain", written by Will Hirsch and Ryan Henry Johnston of Art of War Pictures.  The brief synopsis of the film is as follows:  When mysterious gold shows up in the town, chaos quickly ensues, leaving it up to a sheriff to find the truth behind the Woman of the Mountain.  We've heard nothing but rave reviews about how the filming and production quality are anticipated to be.  It was filmed in Arizona with some amazing talent that will hopefully provide some strong performances to represent the industry well.  Looking forward to a spectacular premiere when it releases at the Scottsdale Community Film Festival. 

The Woman of the Mountain

The Woman of the Mountain

The Woman of the Mountain

The Woman of the Mountain

Several events are slated for May, June, and July which make it for an exciting spring into summer. We are excited to share more talents and projects with you and stories of transformation. Stay tuned for more.

Presented by www.chronicbehavior.com/@chronicbehavior and www.facebook.com/FilmFashionFutures.com

We appreciate you for your continued support.  

A Look Into a RAW Artists Show

by Toy Taylor - I decided to step out last Thursday night to attend the latest RAW natural born artists showing at the Monarch Theatre in downtown Phoenix.  The RAW event is a gateway for artists of various artistic avenues to showcase their unique talents and originality. Again, this was my first RAW Artists event so my curiosity was peaked. For some strange reason, I was expecting a hair makeup and fashion show. Well, silly me! It was so much more. 

The show got started with the band iAm Jones heating 

up the stage with a bumping performance. They got the 

crowd ready for a great show. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Cheryl Dent was a big 

hit with her Candi 

accessory line. I was really digging her material 

wrapped  beaded necklaces. I wanted one in every 

color. Each necktie is

Cheryl Dent

hand beaded specifically for you. Cheryl was

absolutely adorable sharing her passion with 

the crowd.

It was a nice surprise seeing Jenesis 

Laforcarde's Woman's Touch Apparel on the catwalk. This young lady is busy busy busy. WTA's constant strive to empower women everywhere through her dynamic clothing line is remarkable.

Jenesis Laforcarde

Rapper Beatnic brought down the house. His performance had the crowd so engaged you almost felt like you were at his concert. Another RAW musical performer who sees sky's the limit.

4 Given Love Clothing line gave a strong yet humbling exhibition in the art of forgiveness. This brand stands to inspire others in changing the way we affect one another.

4 Given Love hopes to teach all the "ability to

forgive...to love someone beyond hurt...".  This 

message is a powerful insight into healing oneself.

Cherice Love and her sultry sexy backup dancers 

sizzled on stage. She sounded fantastic! Cherice 

came to put on a true performance. Her entire set

Cherice Love

was very well choreographed and executed. Once again, I was blown away by the performing talent in the show.

Andrea Perez line was elegant with an old world feel. Dresses were full of movement (perfect for runway). 

 I really liked the Tradiciones Dance Company with their 

ornate costuming. The head pieces with long feathers 

sticking out were jaw-dropping.

I was impressed they could dance without losing the head

pieces. The Egyptian inspired performance was quite unique.

Jalia 'Lia' Pettis

I was most excited to see 

Jalia 'Lia' Pettis on the 

runway. Lia, aka 

the Hazel Eyed Queen is 

a freelance makeup artist who comes loaded with a 

wide range of talent. Her knowledge of all realms 

of makeup artistry is astounding.

Her thinking outside the box designs were just that. To 

see her on the RAW Artist stage was inspiring.

Seeing fresh raw talent like this is ever inspiring to

keep striving for your dreams and keep moving 

forward. Great show!

Presented by www.chronicbehavior.com / @chronicbehavior www.facebook.com/FilmFashionFutures.com

Thanks to the Chronic Behavior team for their excellent coverage of the event. They are the team helping to support and promote the brand. We appreciate you for your continued support.