Your new movie Ellsworth
- in a few words, what is it about?
Ellsworth
is a film that follows Grayson Ellsworth (Preston Corbell) as he writes
his next novel.
While
on a train he is faced with his worst fears. Once the pen hits the paper
the results are
startling!
How did the project
fall together in the first place?
Ellsworth
is a product of many short films my sister Chelsea and I put together. We
received a lot
of positive feedback, in which we were constantly asked when will you make
a feature film. I
was
blessed with an awesome set for the film and great writing, so Ellsworth
kind of evolved into
the
different and artistic piece that is it. Do talk about your
directorial approach to your story at hand!
So
we had to stop and think about the approach because there was very little
dialogue in the
film.
This is a common thread of ours among other films. In this particular case
we have 42
minutes
to fill with little dialogue. That being said the story line is actually
very rich and plentiful if
you
will. There are a lot of twists and turns that make you constantly think
throughout the film. So
in
a nutshell our directorial approach was to draw the viewer into the
world of Grayson
Ellsworth.
Imagine the scenery, embrace New York City, let your imagination run wild
as
Grayson
takes steps into insanity. It's not the dialogue we wanted to push its
your imagination
and
full involvement into the character and life of Grayson we wanted to
explore. What can you
tell us about your writer and co-director Chelsea Corbell (any relation of
yours by the way?), and what was your collaboration like? And maybe you
could also talk about the previous collaborations between the two of you
for a bit?
Chelsea
Corbell is my sister. That being said we butt heads at times, but we also
connect on the
same
wavelength also. We can really flow quickly in the filming process
because we get each
other's
creativity. Chelsea is the writer, and as the writer she co-directs so she
can see her
words
come to life. I am the actor at heart and bring that script to the film.
Together we make
special
projects together. In referring to our projects I like to say that some
people love them,
and
others hate them. But at the end of the day we made you feel something and
that is what
film
is all about.
You also play the title role in Ellsworth
- so what do you draw upon to bring him to life, and how much of Preston
Corbell can we find in Grayson Ellsworth?
As
stated before I am an actor at heart. I really enjoy the filmmaking
process but acting is my
passion.
That moment when you hear "action" is the moment when the world
steps aside and
you
get to be whoever you what to be. I like to think there is a piece of me
in all my roles. I
always
draw from disparity and sadness in any role whether it's dramatic or
comedic. I am a
method
actor and I am known to get deep in the thought process of my characters.
I did a film
called The Name I Know, a mental health film. I got so into character
that I was in that frame of
mind
for weeks. Grayson Ellsworth is so many personalities, he has so many
angles to drawn
from.
Despite lack of dialogue Ellsworth as a character is completely
fascinating and if the
audience
becomes fully involved with him the film can be so powerful. You are also
the only actor in the whole movie - so how much of a strain was that?
None
at all actually. Ellsworth
is so multidimensional that I feel like I am
playing 4 different
characters.
Because there is only one character the audience can become fully engulfed
into
Grayson
and the world of Ellsworth.
You
just have to talk about the wonderful subway set for a bit, and was it
made especially for the movie?
The
subway set was such a dream come true for us. We where able
to
build it to what our vision was and it is the center piece of the film.
And in many ways the star
of
the film because the detail and effects it brings allows the audience's
mind to wander in so
many
ways. I knew we had something special with this set and I think Ellsworth
used it to its full
potential.
What can you tell us
about the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere?
The
filming process was a whirlwind in a sense. We got so caught up in the
story and
developing
the character, we just kept shooting and shooting and shooting until Ellsworth
was
completed.
It was a very orderly process, while we had fun doing it. The overall mood
on set
was
serious and purposeful. Ellsworth
is a dramatic concept and to keep in
line with my method
acting
and to be true to the character it was all business on set.
The
$64-question of course, when and where will the movie be released onto the
general public?
So
I wish I had an amazing answer to that but at this moment we are shopping
it around. We
right
now are setting our sights on getting onto a respectable streaming
service. Any future projects you'd like to share?
Right
now Chelsea and I just started grad school for psychology oddly enough.
While we love
film
and doing our best to get Ellsworth
to the general public ASAP, our focus
is on our
education
at the moment.
How
did you enter the filmworld to begin with, and did you receive any formal
training on the subject?
To
make a long story kinda short, I started film sorta ass backwards if you
will. I started out
working
on major productions off the bat without any formal training. I was
fortunate to be
blessed
with a great opportunity and I was thrown into the fire and learned very
quickly. I started
off
on a show called One Tree Hill for two seasons. One Tree Hill
was a spring board to
other projects
such
as Cabin Fever 2, IQ-145, NBC's
Surface, Eastbound & Down, a Ben
Stiller project and so
on.
So I am very lucky to go into filmmaking with a wealth of knowledge.
When it comes to filmmaking,
you've filled quite a few roles, from writer and director to actor to
quite a few crew positions - so what do you enjoy the most, what could you
do without?
I
got my start in film as Chad Michael Murray's stand-in & photo double
for 2 seasons on One Tree Hill. That led into a lot of other work as a stand-in which I loved
doing. Being a stand-in is a
position that I learned the most from because I worked directly with the
director of
photography,
director, and actors. I was able to see behind the camera of multi-million
dollar
productions.
Acting is my passion and I was able to act in some pretty cool projects as
well. A
job
I am not fond of in filmmaking would have to be lighting for sure. I am a
perfectionist and
freaking
lighting is an art-form. I will do it but I don't have to like it lol. What can you tell us about your filmwork
prior to Ellsworth?
As
a filmmaker I try to make meaningful projects that impact viewers. My
films bring out strong
emotions
to viewers that are both positive and negative and I live for that. Film
is what I love to
do
and I will continue to leave a piece of me on every project I do like a
stamp of passion that
shines
through the screen.
Filmmakers,
actors, writers, whoever else who inspire you?
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Filmmakers,
actors and so on are inspiring of course such as Eli Roth and Ti West. But
what
really
inspires me is art expression. Your
favourite movies? I
don't really have favorites, I love true stories though. ... and of course, films you really
deplore? I
will be nice here because those films have a filmmaker behind them who
believed in them. Your/your movie's website, Facebook, whatever
else?
www.facebook.com/prestoncorbell
Anything else you're dying to mention and I have
merely forgotten to ask?
You
did a great job with in-depth questions. My only addition is watch Ellsworth. It's different, it's
artistic,
it's strange and its unforgettable lose yourself into the world of Ellsworth. Thanks for the interview!
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