You're currently working as casting director on the radio show Hall of Shadows -
so first of all, in a few words, what is the show about?
Hall of Shadows is an homage to old radio shows from the
1930's to early 1950's, where those creators were geniuses with really
scary stories, and amazing sound effects to scare the pants off people.
Our show is going back to that tradition of taking the listener into that
world. Taking them down the hall of shadows where anything can happen,
almost Twilight
Zone-like. How
did you get involved with Hall of Shadows in the first place?
Hall of Shadows started as a quick conversation, and Mike
Rocco and I did a dialogue test with something I wrote, and we realized
that even though we live miles away could it be possible with my equipment
that I can record. It worked perfectly. Then Kristina Rocco resurrected
some of her horror stories and I supplied a voiceover, it took me five
minutes. At that point I said, there is something to this and encouraged
the Roccos to do more. Do
talk about Hall of Shadows' showrunners Kristina Rocco [Kristina
Rocco interview - click here] and Michael J. Rocco [Michael
J. Rocco interview - click here], and what's
your collaboration like?
This is an amazing exciting process, to use a cliché, Hall
of Shadows can go anywhere and do everything. I have worked with the
Roccos previously in play I wrote and directed all the way back in 2002.
When
Hall of Shadows was in its infancy, the Roccos put an ad
on facebook looking for local voice actors to no avail. I jumped in and
asked them if they wanted my help to cast the show, and I put an ad up on
backstage and got 300 submissions.
To what extent can you identify
with Hall of Shadows' approach to horror?
Kristina's stories seem visual to begin with, which is hard
to translate to radio. Hall of Shadows is like reading a novel or a short
story, there is a lot of exposition because the tricky thing with Hall of
Shadows is, it's not visual, you have to explain everything.
Mike Rocco is the
other part of the heart of the show, if Kristina is the design of the show
he's the engine that drives the show with all the sound effects and voice
effects that are used, it is so cool.
Do take
us through your casting process, and how does one cast a radio show even?
I have a secret to casting Hall of Shadows, but I am going
to tell it right now, the secret to getting cast in the Hall of
Shadows (which are still taking submissions), IS TO FOLLOW DIRECTIONS AND
COMMUNICATE WITH ME DIRECTLY. I give instructions in my ad and
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS FOLLOW THEM
https://www.backstage.com/casting/hall-of-shadows-297729/
You also have to take your time and give me your best, if you don't
give me your best I'll thank you for your time anyway.
So
what can you tell us about Hall of Shadows' cast then?
I have a core twenty in the cast
with a core five in reserve right now. Some I have used over and over
again for little pieces in an episode or one may be the star of one
episode and in the next episode may have a smaller part. I myself
have a part in two of the episodes and I have a scary like cameo in
another one that I honestly I forgot I voiced until I asked Mike.
I am willing to give anybody a
shot and if you impress me, which is really hard to do, I will let you
know.
The
$64 question of course, where can Hall of Shadows be heard?
Everywhere! Our website has the episodes as well - go to
http://hallofshadowsradio.com/
Any
future projects, with and without the show, you'd like to share?
The future project for us is to take a nap for a week,
especially the Roccos, they worked so hard on this. But the first five
episodes are up right now, we're taking a break for the 4th of July week
and then we will be releasing a NEW episode every week. I have heard some
rough cuts of the upcoming ones and they are explosive!
The season ender, it's going to be longer and crazier.
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Your/the
series website, Facebook, whatever else?
You can check
us out the episodes right now at:
https://hallofshadows.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/hallofshadowsradio/
Anything else
you're dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask?
We
may be doing more radio show productions with New Frame, I have a podcast
for another company called Audiophiles, and I have been doing a lot of
short films right now, I worked with Melissa Butler in her film Suicide
Notes which I really enjoyed making.
Thank
you again Mike.
Thanks for the interview!
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