You star in a segment of the upcoming film Theatre of the Deranged. In a
few words, what is it about, and what can you tell us about your character in
it?
Have you ever played out a conversation in your head. You think about what you're
going to say and what they'll say. You think of clever things, and get exactly
what you want. Have you ever then had that conversation, and find it turns
into a bloody mess? Well, that kinda is this short.
What drew you to the film's story, and how did you approach your
character? I usually play funny character roles, it was a
chance to do a more bruiting type of role. I can't give too much away, but
I built him on a single belief he has. He has no proof. It doesn't matter
what the other person said, he will not sway.
How did you get involved with the project in
the first place? James called me about a week before, he
said that the current actor for his short was unavailable, and if I could
jump in. I said yes, he sent me the script and that weekend we filmed. As far as I know, you go back with Theatre of the Deranged's director James Cullen Bressack [James
Cullen Bressack interview - click here] a very long way. How did
you two first meet up, and what are your collaborations usually like? We
meet in the backstage of our highschool theater. What kept our friendship
strong throughout the years was our love of film. We would see one film,
talk about it, then see another. No movie was out of bounds: action,
comedy, horror, romance, foreign, we saw everything. It was only a matter
of time before we started doing shorts. They where anything but great, but
we kept at it, and still are. You've
also been in James Cullen Bressack's My Pure Joy. What can you tell
us about that one? James hit me up out the blue one day
saying he was doing auditions for a movie. He asked if I wanted to
audition. Well I got the part. It was a role that James needed to know
could be done, he cast me cause he knew I could do it.
My Pure Joy was your feature
film debut, right? For you as an actor, how does going the long distance
differ from making shorts? A short is everything at once,
you have very little time to develop characters cause the plot needs to
keep moving. In a film you get those slowed down scenes to build character
and drama. Getting in character day after day is challenging, you can't be
full of energy the first week then slow down intensity. When the scenes
are cut together it may just be an hour has gone by in movie time, when in
reality it's the third week and second day shooting the same scene on take
twelve. Any other films of yours
you'd like to talk about, any future projects? James and I
are collaborating on something really cool, I hope to say more soon. Life
as an actor is anything but set in stone. I keep busy writing,
auditioning, and projects with friends to keep myself sharp. Till then I'm
working at a bike shop, living the dream.
How did
you get into acting in the first place, and did you receive any formal
training on the subject? My father was an actor, and in
fact taught film at Georgia University in the seventies, before coming to
LA. I'd be lying if i said: having tons of plays and books on acting and
my father's knowledge didn't affect me. I went to Alexander Hamilton Music
Academy for highschool. By fifteen I knew what I wanted to do. I was
in the musicals, the dramas, the workshop classes, and tech. I did so much
theater, I had to go to adult school to check off all the silly
requirements to graduate. I had good teachers, I felt sorry that they gave
such great classes to kids who couldn't appreciate it. After I got out of
school I went out to get life experience, five years later I
realize that takes a lifetime. But that's another story. How would you describe your
approach to acting as such? One reason I act is for that
brief moment when I am someone else. Have you ever seen a
pretty person across the room at a party. You think wow! I want to know
that person. You start to talk. Things come out: Where are they from, what
do they like, little mannerisms, funny phrases they say. You get excited
by then, you want to see them naked, want them tell you their secrets, and
let them completely express themselves to you. When I read a character
that's what I'm doing, the job part is both investigating through the
lines and creating the character at the same time. James has made some
truly interesting characters, they definitely made me go wow. Actors (or indeed actresses)
who inspire you? It's a big list. Burt Lancaster (The
Train, Elmer Gantry, Trapeze, see them all), Peter
Sellers, Christian Bale (Velvet Goldmine [not he best movie but
just see it]), Gregory Peck, De Niro, Pacino, Hackman, Malcolm Mcdowall (If,
a must see), Steve McQueen (The Getaway, Papillon), Dustin
Hoffman (Kramer vs Kramer), Jason Gordon-Levitt (Mysterious Skin,
that's a daring role), Brando, Gene Kelly, DDL (Daniel Day Lewis), Michael
Cain, Sean Connery, Mel Gibson. I could list more, but there is a fine
line between actors I just respect and those who inspire me to act. Your favourite movies?
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Archie's
Final Project (originally My Suicide, love that movie), Star
Wars (all six, the pod race was awesome!!), The 400 Blows, Brazil,
Lethal Weapon, The Matrix, Taxi
Driver, The Lion King, Inglourious Basterds, A
Single Man, Jurassic Park (pretty much every Steven Spielbreg
movie, I grew up on him), Giant, Singing in the Rain, and
more, I could fill a book with how many movies I truly love. ...
and of course, films you really deplore? Let me just say
that it's okay to not like a movie, that doesn't mean it's bad, it's just
not communicating to you. But when it comes to watching bad movies, they
make you appreciate how difficult it is to make a good movie. Your website,
Facebook, whatever else? I do the Facebook, but nothing
really public. I like photoshop and post graphic designs on my Tumblr. Anything else you are dying to
mention that I have merely forgotten to ask? Ride a bike,
and kiss someone before they change, thanks for letting me explain myself
a bit. Thanks for
the interview!
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