Your two new movies Quad X: Rise of the Beaver Slayer and
Quad X: The Porn Movie Massacre - in a few words, what are they about,
and what can you tell us about your character Ginger Snap?
Well,
both movies are mockumentaries!
Quad X: Rise of the Beaver Slayer
follows the Adult Film company XXXX (Quad X) as they deal with
interpersonal relationships on set, outside-of-work relationships, and
face being shut down by various outside forces. It’s a satirical piece
that revolves around issues like free speech and equality. Ginger Snap is
a veteran adult film star who is trying to also balance being a mom. She
deals with a lot of rejection and opposition throughout the movie as she
tries to get past the stigma of being a, well, porn star.
Quad X: The Porn Movie Massacre follows
that same company, but this time the genre skews to comedy slasher horror.
Crazy killer goes after porn stars. Lots of hilarious deaths! Ginger Snap
is the head honcho this time around, having taken a more behind-the-scenes
role in the Quad X company. She juggles trying to make the next greatest
adult film and figuring why all her actors are keeling over.
What
did you draw upon to bring your character to life, and how much Terissa
Kelton can we find in Ginger Snap?
I
watched tons of porn. JUST KIDDING! But I did watch a lot of interviews
with adult film actresses. Since the focus of the film was on the everyday
lives of adult film stars, I wanted to get a good idea of how they
operated off-set. How they carried themselves, etc. I’ve actually
watched interviews with some of these ladies in the past and thought they
were really interesting, so I definitely wanted to channel that for
Ginger. I also had a few conversations with women I know who are exotic
dancers. When I went back to the script, all of this helped me to focus on
Ginger Snap as a person just trying to handle her work-life balance. That
is a struggle we ALL have, and can all relate to, which is something
really important to find in a character.
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There
is definitely a lot of Terissa going on with Ginger Snap. I’m extremely
blunt and sometimes oblivious that my forwardness can be somewhat awkward.
I wanted to really drive home that Ginger Snap at many points, has no
concept of how odd she is compared to people around her, especially people
who aren’t in the adult film industry. Essentially, I tried to really
bring my own personal awkward to the role.
To what extent could
you identify with the film's humour, and also its approach to sex and
violence?
I’m
a big fan of satire. I watch a lot of strange British comedies that are
really awesome at capturing the hilarious in situations, while also
presenting a statement about the topic at hand, SO I was really thrilled
to be a part of something in the same vein.
I
think the approach is done well. The subjects of sex and violence are both
treated very hyperbolically via the dialogue. I think it basically creates
a caricature of the whole situation and I think that speaks to people in a
way that makes it more relatable. A mockumentary style is meant to do just
that and Quad
X is spot on with it.
How did you get involved with the project in
the first place, and how did you end up on the producing side of things as
well? And honestly, what were the first thoughts that went through your
head when you heard the titles?
with Mallory Larson |
I’ve
been on the Twitchy
Dolphin Flix team since early 2009. I stayed on the
acting side through the first few. In 2011, they produced a movie called
Goin' Guerrilla. It
had been cast well before I had come along, so the director asked if I’d
like to come on and help produce. I had very little experience, but I
jumped in! I ended up being surprised and cast in the movie about 2 days
before principal shooting, so that was even better! Based
on that experience I decided to produce anything they’d let me - which
has turned out to be every feature since!
Quad
X had been in the works for a while before we actually produced it, and
actually, before I even entered the picture. Over the first few years, I
kept hearing about this premise of Quad
X, and I loved it. I knew the
story before I knew the titles, so I wasn’t shocked by them like some
people are. I knew I was going in to a mockumentary and that, while
graphic in dialogue and the blood and gore factor, this wasn’t going to
be about getting girls naked on set. I think people tend to jump to that
conclusion without doing their research and it sells the entire thing
short.
Lauren Shelton, James Christopher, Chris
Copple, Terissa |
What can you tell us
about your director James Christopher [James
Christopher interview - click here], and how did you two first
hook up? And what can you tell us about your past collaborations, and your
collaboration on this one?
Jim’s
great. I’ve known him for years now and his interest on telling a great
story is refreshing.
We
met on set of Look
At Me Again,
my first feature with the company. I showed up several times to be an
extra in the movie and I think he saw that I was in it to win it. I was
studying acting in school, actively seeking out roles beyond college, and
about to study Shakespearean acting in England. I was really dedicated and
professional, even when my role was small. I think that can be
difficult to find, especially on an indie level.
I’ve
had a role in every Twitchy
Dolphin movie since! Once I had produced on
Goin’ Guerrilla,
I started being involved in deciding what projects Twitchy
Dolphin should focus on
next, the social media strategies, and script reviews.
That’s
basically what happened with Quad
X. Twitchy
Dolphin went over the pros and cons
of making this kind of movie. Weighing in on the film festival aspect,
marketing, etc. We go through a pretty thorough process when deciding on
which projects to proceed on.
What can you tell us about
the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere? Very
fun, very laid back. A lot of the cast and crew had worked together
before, so it was easy to be on set. Sometimes it was difficult to not
just stop shooting for a few minutes while everyone got their laughs out
on certain scenes.
Any future
projects you'd like to share?
Well,
I’ll be making my feature film directorial debut in November!! I’ll be
directing Sorority
Slumberparty Slaughter,
a horror anthology that will include several other Twitchy
Dolphin short films.
We’re running an IndieGoGo for it until November 6th, and we’ll be
going in to principal shooting shortly there after. Very excited!
http://igg.me/at/sororityslumberpartyslaughter/x/25936
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sorority-Slumberparty-Slaughter/648685875179081
I’ll
personally be starting to work more on the West Coast toward the end of
the year. Splitting my time between Los Angeles and Austin! I’m really
excited!
I’ll
be working on the next Twitchy
Dolphin project in the next year and I’ll
definitely be attending the Austin Revolution Film Festival 2015 to see
the latest indie films on the festival circuit!
What got you into acting
in the first place, and did you receive any formal training on the
subject?
Well,
I was a very shy kid. I was home-schooled up until 11th grade, but I was 2
years younger than my peers. Soon I found out I was pretty good at public
speaking. As I went through my first year in public high school, I was
really fascinated with people and society. I took what I had learned in my
speech classes and applied it to acting. While there were a lot of
differences, I began to really enjoy telling stories through other points
of view. I auditioned for a show my last year in high school, got a role,
and I haven’t stopped since.
I
trained in Stratford-Upon-Avon, England with the Royal Shakespeare Company
and I received my BFA in Acting and a BA in Mass Communications from Texas
State University. While I don’t think you HAVE to go to a 4-year college
for training, I definitely enjoyed my time there and without it, it would
have been a lot more difficult to break into the industry.
Can you still remember your first time in front
of a movie camera, and what was that experience like? Terrifying.
I did a couple filmed skits in high school and felt completely unequipped.
In college, I did my first short film, which was a great flick, but I
cringe when I watch myself now. I remember it being really nerve-racking.
While I still get weird about watching myself on screen, I think that with
enough practice, you get used to the dynamic that is being on camera.
Those few first times though, I know I felt like I had to move like I was
in a 2x2 glass case of emotion. What
can you tell us about your filmwork prior to
Quad X: Rise of the Beaver Slayer
and Quad
X: The Porn Movie Massacre?
Comparatively,
I hadn’t done anything quite like these. I had done several films, but
they all were drama, horror, or rom-com. This was a whole new ballgame.
The Quad
X movies were my 8th & 9th feature. I’ve been really fortunate
to get the experience and the versatility from them all. I’ve been able
to play a wide range of characters. Learning how to relate to all of them
has been a growing experience for me, even just as a human being. People
aren’t just promiscuous or awkward or evil or altruistic, etc. for no
reason. Portraying that person whole-y is the hardest part of bringing a
character to life. My previous filmwork has been an exercise in learning
how to do that and I’m very excited to see what that lends me in the
future.
How would you
describe yourself as an actress, and some of your techniques to bring your
characters to life?
I’d
like to say that I’m a thoughtful actress. I try to go into different
roles in different ways that I think are better suited for the character
I’m playing. For my role in Turkey Day, for
example, I play a college student who goes on a semester long study abroad
trip and comes back a very different person. After really digesting what
information was given to me through the script, I went in and applied my
own experiences I had in college, studying abroad, coming home to change,
etc. I drew from those experiences and played with that throughout her
story. Some choices were tweaked by the director eventually, but I felt
like that particular exercise was my doorway into that character and that
story.
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In Quad
X, I did a lot of research. Public perception of the adult film
industry wasn’t something I was interested in diving into. You can’t
judge the characters you portray. Cruella DeVille doesn’t think she’s
evil, she’s just who she is because of various factors. She just wants
that Dalmatian coat. The minute you play her as simply evil, you sell that
character short.
I
wanted to hear real women talk about their experiences in this particular
industry. Or just about their lives. What they aspired to be when they
were young, how they got into the industry, what they thought of the
industry, their personal struggles and achievements. I wanted to hear
their stories. Eventually, after applying what I learned from that to the
character of Ginger, I moved on to more public discussions of the industry
and the people in it, since that is part of their world.
I’m
constantly changing and learning as a person and I really try to carry
that into my professional work.
Actresses (or indeed actors) who
inspire you? So
many, some well-known, and some not.
Inspiration
for me comes from knowing that not only did these artists work hard to
gain the momentum in their careers, but paid forward the help they had to
have gotten to succeed. No one gets anywhere alone.
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I
hear so many stories of the famous and well-known being completely rude
and ungrateful to people for no reason. And while I can’t imagine the
pressure of being a celebrity, I don’t know that it ever should
overpower your ability to be a compassionate person. And there are a few
out there that exhibit that it doesn’t have to.
Your favourite movies?
Again,
too many to name!
I
go through periods of time when I really love horror, then rom-coms, etc.
It just changes.
...
and of course, films you really deplore? I
mean, there are some weird ones out there. Really, if you can tell a good
story, I’m in no matter what. But even if I hear a film is bad, I’ll
watch. Someone took the time to make it, so why not give it a shot? Your/your
movies' website, Facebook, whatever else?
My
personal pages:
IMDb:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3344404/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/terissalkelton
Twitter:
@TerissaKelton
Instagram:
TerissaKelton
Twitchy
Dolphin:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/twitchydolphin
Twitter:
@TwitchyDolphin
Instagram:
TwitchyDolphin
Sorority
Slumberparty Slaughter:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sorority-Slumberparty-Slaughter/648685875179081
Anything else
you are dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask?
You
covered it! Thanks again for having me!
Thanks
for the interview!
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