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Your new movie Massacre
at Femur Creek - in a few words, what's it about, and what can you
tell us about your character in it?
Massacre at Femur Creek
is a tale about friendship, loss & growth.
At its heart, it is about people attempting to find out who they are by
moving on from the past - or by holding on to it.
My character, Teddy, is passionate about three things: the good ol’
days, smokin’ pot & his Venus ping pong ball collection. He holds tightly on to his friendship with Patrick because
it reminds
him of an easier time. A more fun time. A time where he would be
considered ‘The Man’. He still hasn’t found his way in life yet,
but at his core, he is a man who believes in the power of love &
friendship - and a good brewski with the boys. What did you draw
upon to bring your character to life, and how much Eric De Santis can we
find in Teddy? It actually took me quite a while to find Teddy’s nuances. I knew from
the beginning that I didn’t want to portray Teddy as just some generic
stoner dude. I wanted him to have depth and more to him than just his
affinity for the Mary Jane. The problem was, I don’t partake. So I
looked at my surroundings - I observed those who smoked a ton of
pot but still seemed to be well-adjusted members of society. and I used
them to inform my portrayal of the character.
As for how much of me you can find in him - there’s very little. I am a
little more serious than Teddy and I tend to think more critically about
my decisions. Where Teddy lacks in anxiety, I more than make up for it,
haha. The main thing that I align with Teddy on is his passion for his friends
& his desire to curate a good time for those around him.
How did you get involved with the project
in the first place, what drew you to it?
I had heard about the casting call through a friend who frequently works
in the props department on film sets. She has a pretty good pulse on the
indie scene and thought I’d be perfect for the role of Teddy. I loved the character description as well as the plot summary, so I took
a chance and sent in a tape thinking it would be a small role but after
reading Kyle’s script, I was (pleasantly) surprised to see how
important Teddy was to the story.
I grew up watching these types of films with my dad - and the idea of
being in one just like my favourites excited the hell out of me. I was
even more excited when I read the script and saw how well it was
written. To what extent
could you identify with the film's approach to both horror and comedy?
I’ve always been a fan of horror comedy films - when I saw Shaun
of the Dead & Arny
of Darkness as a kid, they blew me away. That
love of horror comedy deepened as the genre got better and better, so
being a part of it in this way meant a lot. What
can you tell us about Massacre
at Femur Creek's director Kyle Hytonen [Kyle
Hytonen interview, click here], and what was your collaboration
like? Humble. Down to earth. Empathetic. Talented. Some of the adjectives I
can use to describe him. He is a wonderful human being and a wicked
artist. It’s great to work with a director like him because he has no
ego. He’s there to make the best film he can make.
Our collaboration was really organic. We chatted a few times about the
character and the overall themes of the film, and he let me kinda run
with it. He was one of those directors that REALLY let you have a say in
who your character is and not just what's written on the page. I was
grateful for his openness to my experimenting.
A few words about the shoot as such, and the
on-set atmosphere?
One of the best times of my life. It was hard but rewarding work. Seven
straight days of running around Hamilton and its surroundings forests to
tell this story. The on-set atmosphere was a blast. It was a small crew so we got to know
each other quite well, and we shot the shit between takes - as well as
on camera with all of the improvisation we did. I found it particularly
interesting that none of us in the cast had a chance to meet before
filming, but the chemistry was still incredible.
Any future projects you'd like to share?
You can catch me in History Channel’s upcoming season of Food
That Build Ameica, and I’m currently in pre-production of a dramatic
horror film about two brothers that I will be writing, directing and
starring in. What got you into acting in the first place, and
did you receive any formal training on the subject?
I actually never wanted to become an actor. My interest was always
heavily vested in screenwriting, but I had a drama teacher who REALLY
wanted me to try acting and eventually forced me into a show. Little
did I know it would change my life. I ended up studying screenwriting at York University and then studied
acting at the Toronto Film School for a few terms. Other than that, I
trained at private studios and of course watched a shit ton of movies. What
can you tell us about your filmwork prior to Massacre
at Femur Creek? Massacre
at Femur Creek is actually my first feature film. Prior to this, I had done
some commercial work and a few short films. How would you describe yourself
as an actor, and some of your techniques to bring your character to life?
I am extremely technical, an inside-out type of actor. I work really
hard at breaking down my character's role in the story, as well as the
role they play in their society. Once I’ve figured that out, I try to
internalize them and figure out a lot of their inner thoughts. The
things they might think about the other characters, what they say, their
actions etc. And once I’ve completed all of that, I throw it all away, show up to set
and allow myself to be free. Actors
(and indeed actresses) who inspire you?
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Ahhh! There are so many. At the moment, I’m really into Michael C. Hall, Ryan Gosling,
David Howard Thornton, Margaret Qualley, Audrey Hepburn. Your favourite movies?
I) Pulp Fiction II) The Godfather II
III) The 400 Blows IV) Cannibal Holocaust
V) Empire Strikes Back ... and of course, films you really deplore? Inception
(sorry film bros). Your
website, social media, whatever else?
You can find me on Instagram at @ericdesantis Anything else
you're dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask?
I would loveeeeee to work on more films like this (and work in general)
so hit me up if you wanna collaborate :) I’m represented by Jenn Lue at
Creative Drive Artists. Thanks
for the interview! Thanks for the interview Mike!
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