Entertainment
Exclusive Interview With James Pratt, an Award Winning Actor, and Director From Australia
We came across a distinguished actor, director, and x3 Australian Auctioneer of the Year Winner. James Pratt is an x2 finalist of Australian Thought Leader of the Year (2018),(2021), and is a founding member of Mogul Productions in Hollywood. He also sits on numerous advisory films boards including the SP Film Awards in New York, Mogul Productions in Los Angeles, and the Hollywood Film Festival in Los Angeles. He is the recipient of various international awards including Winning, Australia’s Top 5 under 35, 2021 Best Actor at the American International Film Festival, Best Presenter at the 2021 Hollywood Film festival, Winner of the 2021 Hollywood Gold Award for Directing, and Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the 2020 Europe Film Festival.
In Auctioneering James has won the prestigious REB Australian Auctioneer of the Year award 3 times and in 2019 he set a world record, becoming the first person in the world to auction real estate via live auction with Cryptocurrency. James’s latest feature film Malibu Crush is set for release in 2022 and has a worldwide distribution, James plays the lead role of Michael Chase. He also appears as a series regular in the TV new series, Hollywood Unexpected (2022) and is the host of Mogul Live, a weekly show whose previous guests include, Ja Rule, David Keochner, ( The Office ) Nicole Aniston ( 3.5m IG Followers ) and Pier Tempest (Oscar).
Here we have a brief interview with James Pratt;
Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
James Pratt: In my very early 20s I ended up living in a small country town in the middle of nowhere and before I left there ( 12 months later ) I decided to make a short film, with very limited resources but incredible backdrops I made a $200 film called New York Model Agent which was selected into the 2012 NBC Universal Shorts Fest in California, this opened a lot of doors and was the first time I had directed something.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started this career?
James Pratt: James Pratt: That’s a tough one there are a lot of great stories. One that stands out is meeting this incredible 61-Year-old lady driving uber at night about 6 years ago, she told me she had been driving uber for 12 months to save up enough money to start her own catering business (her dream she always wanted to do ), she only could drive at night because in the day the roads were too busy for her, I looked her up 5 years later to see she was in charge of 159 people and had her own catering empire. I’m so inspired by her.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
James Pratt: Out of acting school, I was fortunate to land a recurring role on Wonderland, a TV show in Australia, on my first day I did some vocal exercises in my trailer not aware of the thin walls. I just remember a knock on my trailer door, when I opened, it the lead actress on the show was outside looking concerned and said in a worried tone, are you alright? It sounded like someone was having a heart attack.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
James Pratt: I’m excited about Malibu Crush coming out, it will premiere in July 2022 in USA and Canada and in June in Australia and New Zealand. I’m also just about to start on two back-to-back feature films which I should be able to talk more about soon. Mogul Productions also has some exciting projects coming up.
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
James Pratt: I remember seeing Leonardo DiCaprio acting on the set of The Great Gatsby, he was incredible and just locked in on every take. Otherwise, some of the most interesting people I have met have been chasing big dreams, living with passion and a mindset of ambition not weighed down by age, or the fear of failure.
Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?
James Pratt: I think it’s so important to have an outlet and other interests away from work so that you can balance out the highs and lows of your career. It’s a great home base as well to be able to think clearly if you know you can detach from work.
You have been blessed with success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?
James Pratt: I think it’s so important to not compare yourself to other people and do what makes you happy., At the end of your life, you want to look back and see you ran your own race and not someone else’s. The other thing I will say is, that failure leads to success, every single person who dominates an industry has learned more from failure than success.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
James Pratt: Be Thankful and enjoy the ride, even having the opportunity to audition for something is a blessing because so many people don’t even get a chance to do it.
• Remember to help others around you, If you are focused on yourself and forget about others you’re missing one of the best parts of being in a creative industry which is helping people bring dreams to life. Cindy Cowan once told me a great quote on this, “Don’t just be nice to the people on top, be good to everyone because people on the bottom quickly find themselves on the way up and the people on top quickly find themselves on the way down.
• Take a risk. Look at what movies and artists inspire you and be in the location. If you love French Films find a way to work in France, if you love American Films go to Hollywood, but don’t just stay where it’s safe and hope someone does all the work for you.
• Write your own content. As an actor or director, if you’re not getting the work, you want then you need to start making your own.
• Agents are fireable, not all agents and managers are going to work hard for you. If it’s not working, then be prepared to go elsewhere. It’s a business relationship and not personal to move on.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person you are grateful for who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
James Pratt: I was very lucky, my Mum and my sister Lisa would be the people who helped me the most on this planet. They were my biggest supporters and encouraged me to think big and never to worry about failure. I was so lucky to have them.
How can our readers follow you online?
James Pratt: Check out my imdb.com or Instagram anytime
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3680341/
Instagram: @James_Pratt7
Twitter – https://twitter.com/james_pratt7
Youtube James Pratt Official
Entertainment
YouTube and Billboard will renew their streaming pact in January 2027.
YouTube streams will once again be counted toward the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200, after the platform removed itself from the charts at the start of 2026. The renewed partnership was announced by YouTube’s Lyor Cohen in a blog post and will commence on January 16, 2027.
The rollout ends a period when YouTube activity was not part of the Billboard chart calculations covered by the previous arrangement. The split was evident for artists whose music typically did well on the video platform, who were in a different chart landscape without those streams feeding into their Billboard numbers.
YouTube’s departure was tied to problems related to how streaming consumption was being measured. Under the system described in the supplied information, Billboard’s album consumption units counted 2,500 ad-supported streams as equivalent to one album unit, as opposed to 1,000 paid-subscription streams. YouTube said the weighting disadvantaged its ad-supported model and created an unfair situation for artists whose audience mostly listened through free, ad-supported streams.
Why does the row matter? Because streaming numbers feed into how music consumption is reflected in the major charts. Artists who had relied heavily on the platform no longer could claim the same chart contribution from those plays once YouTube was removed from Billboard’s calculations.
The new deal means the two companies have found a way to make it work together again. Cohen’s announcement said the revised arrangement would have a different calculation for album consumption units. New terms take effect January 16, 2027, under which 1,500 ad-supported streams will count as one album consumption unit.
That’s a change from the previous ratio of 2,500 ad-supported streams, responding to the concern YouTube raised about the value of its free listening model. The adjustment could be especially pertinent to artists who have audiences that create a lot of activity via ad-supported listening.
The return of YouTube streams to Billboard’s chart formulas will also restore an important link between one of the world’s largest video platforms and two of the music industry’s most closely tracked rankings. The Hot 100 tracks song performance, while the Billboard 200 measures album performance, making the renewed arrangement relevant to both singles and full-length releases.
The announcement offers a change in how artists’ YouTube audiences could be reflected in chart results once the new system is in place. For listeners, it means that activity on the platform will once again contribute to the Billboard rankings under the revised rules.
The announcement does not mean the change is immediate. The new partnership is set to go into effect on January 16, 2027, providing the industry with a definitive date for when YouTube streams will be included again in Billboard’s calculations.
The new agreement is a major change in the relationship between the two companies following a split that started at the beginning of 2026. The revised streaming ratio is central to the announcement, with YouTube and Billboard preparing to bring platform activity back into the chart conversation.
Entertainment
Wale Hosts Howard University For His Third Annual Gifted Week
Wale continues his commitment to creating opportunities for young people with the third annual Gifted Week Program, a four-day initiative designed to connect emerging talent with established figures in sports, music, media and culture. The program, scheduled for November 17-20, features panels, workshops and clinics designed to provide the next generation with access to people and experiences that can support their ambitions.
His management company, EQT, is helping him put together this year’s installment. Gifted Week has been built around the idea of opening doors for young people in his city, especially those who may not have easy access to the professional networks and guidance that can make the difference in a career path.
One of the featured events will take place on November 18, when Gifted Week partners with Howard University for the Sports, Media, Culture & Film workshop. The session will include six panelists from the music and sports industries, providing attendees an opportunity to hear from professionals in industries that often intersect, but can require very different career paths.
The workshop is designed to get participants to bring their ideas, meet others with similar aspirations, and get direct access to people already working in the industries they want to work in. The event description focuses on sharing a vision, meeting peers, and getting to know the people helping shape the business.
The point of Gifted Week is really that focus on access. The talent and ambition to get into an industry is one thing, but knowing how it works is just as important for aspiring sportspeople and sports professionals. When older and younger people are together in the same space, it creates opportunities for conversations that might be hard to arrange otherwise.
The Howard University partnership also provides the program a platform to explore the intersection of sports, media, culture and film. These areas are intersecting more and more, and the workshop format is to have a panel discussion bringing different professional perspectives into one discussion.
Additional panels, clinics, and workshops are part of the full schedule of Gifted Week, Nov. 17-20. It is a program for multiple cohorts of aspiring professionals, geared toward athletes as well as those interested in the business and creative industries surrounding sport.
For Wale, the initiative is about providing young people with access to opportunities that were not always easy to come by on his own journey. Instead of confining his role to his musical career, he’s using the program to bring established professionals into the conversation with the next generation.
As the third annual edition approaches, Gifted Week continues its mission of providing mentorship, networking and professional access. One of the marquee events on the calendar is the November 18 workshop with Howard University, which will have six industry panelists and will allow young participants to begin making connections that may help shape their futures.
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