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An Interview with Andrew Pierson, Star and Executive Producer of A Soldier's Descent

by Mike Haberfelner

January 2025

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Your upcoming movie A Soldier's Descent - in a few words, what's it going to be about, and what can you tell us about your character in it?

 

A reclusive war vet's solitary life is upended when his sole friend dies in a tragic accident. Overwhelmed by loss and anger, he embarks on a brutal quest for vengeance against those he holds responsible. I play Sergeant Barney Griffith in the movie. He’s a former war vet who spent a year as a prisoner of war and, because of everything he’s been through, has decided to live off the grid in the deep woods, away from the world that left him behind. He’s struggling with PTSD and is pretty disconnected from his family. The only person he really has left is Daniel, his old friend and lawyer, who visits now and then to offer some support and keep him company. But when a group of reckless teens stumbles into the wilderness and accidentally kills Daniel, everything Barney’s worked so hard to keep together starts falling apart.

 

How do you prepare for your role, what will you draw upon to bring your character to life, and how much Andrew Pierson can we find in Sergeant Barney Griffith?

 

Even though this is a fictional slasher movie, we’ve heard from veterans that the topic of PTSD and suicide really hits home for them. So, we’ve been doing a lot of research on military PTSD, watching everything we can to get a better understanding of what it’s like. This research has inspired a lot of scenes in the film that are based on real-life experiences, which we think will bring more depth to the story. While it’s a horror movie with some pretty brutal death scenes, we wanted to make sure there’s a sense of realism throughout. And at the end of the film, we’ll also be sharing resources for anyone who’s struggling with mental health issues or PTSD, or knows someone who is. To make the character as real as possible, I really dive deep into character development. Even though I haven’t served in the military, I’ve done some training that’s helped me bring the character to life. Like him, we all have our own dark demons to face, and I think that really connects to the depth of the role.

 

How did you get involved with the project in the first place, and how did you end up on the production side of things as well?

 

Carissa Pierson and I had just wrapped up filming a scene for Jacker 3: Ways to Hell with our production team when Phil Herman [Phil Herman interview - click here] came up to me with two scripts he was really passionate about and wanted to develop on a bigger scale. After talking it over with Carissa, we decided to start with A Soldier’s Descent. At the time, we had no clue how big this project was going to turn out to be! I’ve actually produced 41 movies in different roles, from funding producer to executive producer. We had a clear vision for how we wanted this film to come together, and we knew it was the right time to make it happen!

 

What are the challenges of bringing A Soldier's Descent to the screen from a producer's point of view?

 

The toughest part has definitely been giving the theme the justice it deserves. It’s not a documentary, but we quickly realized the kind of impact this movie could have. The character development we’re diving into is something Hollywood often avoids these days. While the indie film world gives us more freedom, we still felt it was crucial to handle these sensitive topics responsibly. This film is going to address military PTSD, suicide, and domestic violence, and we’re making sure to touch on these issues before the movie starts and provide resources at the end. Even a horror movie can be done responsibly. The veterans and healthcare professionals we’ve spoken to have been incredibly supportive of the slasher element, saying anything that sparks conversation about these issues is a good thing. Sometimes, a fictional movie meant for entertainment can raise more awareness around these topics than a documentary can.

 

What can you tell us about A Soldier's Descent's writer/producer Phil Herman, and what's your collaboration like so far?

 

Phil is truly amazing. First and foremost, we think of him as a close friend. When you partner with someone, trust is key, and we have that with him. He’s been writing and producing movies for over 30 years, so we were really excited to bring this story to life just the way he envisioned it. For the most part, Carissa Pierson works closely with our director Guthrie Lowe and Phil every week to make sure the script is ready to go. Phil brings a level of creativity to his work that you don’t see every day.

 

With Phil Herman, you've previously also made Jacker 3: Road to Hell - so do talk about your involvement in that movie for a bit!

 

So, we first talked with Michael Moutsatsos [Michael Moutsatsos interview - click here], the director of Once Upon a Killing Time, and he invited me to join the cast. He also suggested that Carissa Pierson and I come on as executive producers and production partners with our company, Deathstalker Productions. Then, Phil reached out and said, “You know Michael, right?” He asked if we’d be interested in getting involved with Jacker 3. Not only were we on board, but we were sup-r excited, especially since I remember watching the original Jacker back in the 90s on VHS at a friend’s place. It brought back some great memories! So, Phil asked us to come on as executive producers, and then he threw in an extra request—he wanted us to create a scene for the movie. At first, I was a bit hesitant because I have pretty high expectations for the quality of everything I work on. Then, he suggested that Carissa should be in the scene with me. That was a first since Carissa has always been behind the scenes as a producer, never in front of the camera. But, we ended up bringing in my current team to help make the scene happen, and the rest is history! You’ll have to check out Jacker 3: Road to Hell to see us in action together. It’s honestly a piece of history in the making! 

 

Back to A Soldier's Descent - any idea when it will start filming yet, and when and where it might be released?

 

We’re planning to start filming in June 2025 in California. We’re exploring a few different routes, like premiering at film festivals, followed by a limited theater release, before it eventually hits Blu-ray and streaming. My dad always used to say “Go big or go home!” So we’re definitely aiming to make this as big as possible.

 

Any future projects beyond A Soldier's Descent you'd like to share?

 

Wow, I’m really lucky to be involved in so many indie film projects in 2025. Right now, though, Deathstalker Productions is putting all our focus on A Soldier’s Descent—it’s our top priority. On a personal note, I’ve got a lot of lead roles coming up. I’ll be playing Michael in Birthday Bash, Lawson in In Tenebras 2: Timelines, a lead role in the next production from Mahal Empire, and Hank in Chase Dudley’s The Desperate [Chase Dudley interview - click here]. And that’s not even counting a bunch of supporting roles, voiceover work, and small appearances in other films! It’s going to be a busy year!

 

What got you into acting in the first place, and did your receive any formal training on the subject?

 

Oh wow, this is kind of a long story. It all started back in high school. I always knew I wanted to do something in entertainment, but I wasn’t sure which path to take. I signed up for every acting, improv, and theater class I could fit into my schedule. Growing up wasn’t the easiest for me—I was an introvert and didn’t always feel confident in my skills. But one of my teachers, Stan Deen, really pushed me to go for it in entertainment. He was one of the few people who truly believed in me. After high school, I decided to dive into radio, and I ended up spending over a decade running radio stations across the US. I actually met Carissa when I was starting out in radio, and we’ve been together ever since. It wasn’t until about a year ago that I decided to take the skills I developed in radio and start pursuing acting. Carissa Pierson actually pointed out that there aren’t a lot of guys with my build—kind of like The Rock—who are available for indie films. That really made me realize I could carve out a niche for myself. What’s crazy is thinking about how my teacher, the one who believed in me all those years ago, just had a movie about his life called Brave the Dark hit theaters. I know Mr. Deen is looking down and smiling right now.

 

Besides acting in them, you also act as a producer on many of your movies - so what prompted that step?

 

Being a producer means wearing a lot of hats. For me, I mostly handle the PR, promotions and marketing, along with the sales side of things for the film. My background is in marketing—I was a former CMO for an Allianz subsidiary. So, I figured I’d put those skills to good use in the film industry!

 

What can you tell us about your filmwork prior to A Soldier's Descent, in whatever position?

 

Before A Soldier’s Descent, acting was my main focus. I’ve been in all sorts of films—horror, action, sci-fi—you name it. Acting will always be my first love. I’ve been lucky to take on a variety of roles in the movie industry, from actor to stunt coordinator to producer. So far, I’ve been a part of over 80 movies!

 

I've read that before going into the filmworld, you did a lot of radio - so what can you tell us about that aspect of your career, and how has that informed you as an actor/producer?

 

Oh yeah, radio! I started out as an on-air DJ and worked my way up to program director—kind of like starting out as an actor and eventually moving into directing. During my time in radio, I got to interview big celebrities from all kinds of music genres—rock, country, top 40—you name it. I also covered major award shows and concerts. And on the side, I hosted Lehigh Valley Love Songs part-time on WLEV in Pennsylvania. It was a wild ride but a lot of fun! I’d already had some voice training from radio, which is perfect for voiceover work in movies. Plus, it helps a lot when I’m on set—I'm pretty quick to take direction from the director and adapt to changes in scenes.

 

How would you describe yourself as an actor, and some of your techniques to bring your characters to life?

 

I really love method acting—getting fully immersed in a character. When I prepare for a role, I try to learn as much as I can about the character’s background. For A Soldier’s Descent, I watched tons of news stories about Desert Storm, as well as documentaries and footage on PTSD and veteran suicide. Even though it’s a fictional story, we wanted to give it a real feel. Diving deep into every aspect of the character and the emotions helps make it feel authentic for the audience. I’ve even had times on set where people would call me by my character’s name instead of my real name during filming. At first, it felt a little strange, but then I realized they were seeing me as the character, which is a pretty cool feeling.

 

Actors, producers, filmmakers who inspire you?

 

Oh wow… I have so much respect for every indie producer who’s ever made a movie! It really takes everything you’ve got to do this, and each one of them deserves a ton of respect. Outside of the indie world, I’ve always been a huge fan of Walt Disney. The way he put everything on the line for what he believed in is inspiring. I remember hearing how he actually slept in his studio in Kansas City. A lot of people mocked him for his cartoons, but look at what happened! It just goes to show that anything is possible. He really proved that to us.

 

Your favourite movies?

 

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The one movie that really feels like it was made about my life is Spinning Gold. I watched it and thought "Wow, this could totally be my story!" Other than that, I’m a big fan of Tron Legacy, Never Back Down (the first one), Lilo and Stitch, Snow Dogs, Eight Below and of course the original Fast and Furious.

 

... and of course, films you really deplore?

 

Honestly, outside of the Christmas movies on Hallmark Channel, I find it pretty hard to get into the movies on Hallmark or Lifetime. They just don’t grab me the way I’d like.

 

Your website, social media, whatever else?

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/407Andrew/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealandrewpierson/

IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm16222350/

A Soldier’s Descent IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt34683318/

A Soldier’s Descent Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/164ja1Tq4z/

 

Thanks for the interview!

 

© by Mike Haberfelner


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Thanks for watching !!!



 

 

In times of uncertainty of a possible zombie outbreak, a woman has to decide between two men - only one of them's one of the undead.

 

There's No Such Thing as Zombies
starring
Luana Ribeira, Rudy Barrow and Rami Hilmi
special appearances by
Debra Lamb and Lynn Lowry

 

directed by
Eddie Bammeke

written by
Michael Haberfelner

produced by
Michael Haberfelner, Luana Ribeira and Eddie Bammeke

 

now streaming at

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Robots and rats,
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Tales to Chill
Your Bones to

is all of that.

 

Tales to Chill
Your Bones to
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a collection of short stories and mini-plays
ranging from the horrific to the darkly humourous,
from the post-apocalyptic
to the weirdly romantic,
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the twisted mind of
screenwriter and film reviewer
Michael Haberfelner.

 

Tales to Chill
Your Bones to

the new anthology by
Michael Haberfelner

 

Out now from
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