Making Stars
By: Brian Cannone

If you look at strongman events, boxing, professional wrestling years ago they all started in the fairs and carnivals - then while still in fairs the announcers went on the radio to the listening audience gave people larger than life personalities and the crowds grew larger - then TV changed it all. People are now household names due to television and the events draw huge crowds of thousands. Video is the marketing source that will make people the most popular as big name stars - much more than print in magazines because it gives people personalities.

Think of this: If Football had no Teams and just guys playing who would watch it - same is true with bodybuilding / fitness if you don't know who people are competing in the show only friends and family attend.

How many big name bodybuilders and fitness athletes do you really know? You see them in a magazine but did you ever hear them speak? Maybe Arnold - he was in Pumping Iron and acted in many movies - he is the bodybuilder most admired by many. Who else do you know Lou Ferringo - he was the Hulk but he didn't really speak. Okay well how about current athletes - can't think of too many you have heard speak can you?

What we have been doing with FitnessAtlantic.com is helping athletes write biographies, doing photo shoots, filming interviews and posting routines on the site. It works and we get a larger audience than most events - but what would happen if we produced an Internet video show on a consistent basis - what could we do for the athletes?

Other thing we want to do is put everything into perspective for these athletes when we work with them.

Example: One athlete was starting to feel as if more should have come out of his big national win - but after talking with him about we explained that it is up to him to make the effort to increase his popularity, look for sponsors, and take it to another level - he has the title but it is up to him to use it. (Work towards things instead of excepting them to happen)

1. We explain the importance of wearing a suit or dress and dressing to impress to be ready to be in front of people because if all athletes looks like everyone else in the crowd they will be sitting in the crowd with everyone else.

2. He needs to do photo shoots

3. He needs to write articles or have someone do him or her

4. He needs to have business cards

5. He needs to go after endorsement contracts with proposals

6. Get a Website and a MySpace page

7. He needs to get out there and talk to people at shows

8. Make a workout/lifestyle DVD

Don't wait for anyone to do anything for you

Everyone has ways to build him or her up - - to get a gimmick - and personality in front of a camera - to do and say things for a reason.

Helping these bodybuilder and Fitness athletes market themselves doesn't have to cost money producing movie quality videos for the internet and the content is key.

The content is valuable and it is marketing - without that it is just people doing bodybuilding.

We are tired of just letting some video companies and photographers come in for no reason at all - they tell people they have magazine connections - but little know the magazines don't pay anyone and very few can develop people into talent - they come in for their own reason and not to help people develop careers.

Sometimes you benefit but most times you don't - they should promote these people for a reason - to give them fans and make them larger-than-life - once they have fans they will get much better opportunities with paying jobs and appearances.

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