Actor Todd Johnson

Todd got bit by the acting and show biz bug at a very early age, pre-pubescent, actually. His most memorable performance was his first. “I was in 2nd grade, and I was a Noun. In fact, I was going to be an Adjective, but the kid who was the Noun originally couldn’t say the word “plural”… so since I already knew his lines, I took it and was the star of the show!” That got him hooked and he has been an actor ever since.

The most fun Todd had in a performance was a sketch comedy show that he acted in, directed and produced in a small theater called “The Black Box” on the Westside of Los Angeles. “On opening night, we had 17 people in the audience. The second night, we were half-full and by the time the show closed, we were turning people away because we were going to violate the fire laws!” Todd stopped acting from age 23 through 34 to raise his kids. He also used to own a high-tech business. Currently, he balances being an Engineering Fellow at an aerospace giant where he builds weather satellites with taking on important acting roles while spending time and money to make movies which make a difference.

Johnson was a graduate from Colorado State University with a dual major. He received a Bachelor of Science in Physics and a Bachelor of Arts in Theater. He went on to receive his Masters of Science in Optics from the University of Rochester. He has trained with some of the most world renowned acting coaches and schools today including Stephen Book, Ivana Chubbuck, Margie Haber and The Groundlings.

For more information about Todd and his work please visit http://www.toddjohnson.tv/

What is the current project you are working on? 

I am producing, directing and have co-written a horror feature film called “The Rental” (http://www.facebook.com/therentalmovie) The story is about four girls who move into their first off- campus house only to find that the owner of the house is a soul eater. It stars Katherine Browning, Mike Campbell, Leah Verrill, Ashley Love, Tiffany Walker and Bianca Lopez. Our Director of Photography is Rick Greenwood who I have worked with recently on “Hinnon Valley”-another horror film. Amazingly,  I’m not acting in this project because the energy I have had to devote to the behind-the-camera work. It has been fairly intense!

How do you define success? 

I truly believe that success is what you make it. You can be successful at anything as long as it satisfies what you feel you have contributed to society. When I first got my driver’s license, I pulled it out of the mailbox and opened right in front of the mailman. I hooted, hollered and screamed because I had gotten my driver’s license at the ripe age of 16! But the success was the mailman’s. He looked at me with a really big smile and said “That’s what I like about my job.” Then he drove off and high-fived the air. THAT was success for him. For me, if I can contribute knowledge, or enjoyment or any small thing to make the world better, I have been successful. And I have.

How do you handle rejection? 

Just let it go. That’s easy to say and not always easy to do. If you get rejected by your girlfriend of several years, that’s different than getting rejected by a casting director or a producer. I let it go externally, but those rejections usually put me in that state of mind to ask: “What could I have done better?” The beauty of that question is that 99% of the time, you couldn’t have done anything better. That helps me really let it go. But that 1% usually makes me change my tactics. If that producer, director, etc. doesn’t want me for his next feature, then maybe my best route is to go into competition with him. THAT changes your life.

Did you always want to be an actor? 

My first acting experience was when I was a Noun when I was in second grade in my first play. I was originally cast as an Adverb, but the kid they cast as the Noun couldn’t say the word “plural”. So I took over. Since then, I was hooked. It was not without its starts and stops though. I got married in my mid- 20s and had two kids, then got divorced and, well, let’s just say that “Todd was on a nine year acting hiatus.” Unfortunately those were some of my prime years for roles, so it has been an uphill battle to get where I am now. And the hard work has paid off. I have two great kids!

What inspired you to become an actor? 

What is funny to me is that I never really needed the inspiration that everyone talks about. Acting is all about collaborating, creating, changing and making little pieces of magic happen. Just entertaining is entertaining to me! If I make someone laugh, cry, scream-that’s my inspiration.

What is the best thing about being an actor? 

When people tell me that a piece that I have worked on has moved them in some way, in public, you have to keep your cool and politely say “thank you”. But sometimes I go home and cry because I’m so happy that they were so moved. I did a stage play in West Los Angeles about five years ago and when it was over, a woman came up to me in tears to tell me how much she loved my performance. She said it reminded her of her husband (who had passed away not more than a year prior). I stood with her for almost 20 minutes pretty much ignoring everything else going on around us. That’s the kind of thing I live for: To affect people (hopefully) in a positive way.

What’s the worst thing about being an actor? 

It is funny how acting mimics real life and vice versa. The stories that you hear about studios, power grabs, etc. are all unfortunately true. If the waiter job in that upscale restaurant is between you and the owner’s son, who do you think is going to get the job? If the two line role in that next big screen film production is between you and the Producer’s daughter’s husband, who do you think is going to get the job? Most folks do try to be fair and there are some phenomenal casting directors out there who insist on new talent all the time (look at Criminal Minds!). The politics can be daunting. It’s just something you have to deal with.

What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on? 

Somewhere in my files I actually have a list of every role that I have ever done including radio, commercials, voice overs, not to mention stage, film and television. I know it is over 200 roles-probably over 300, but I haven’t checked in a couple of years.

Who is your favorite actor? 

I had hired a PR guy once who asked me this question and I said, without hesitation, Kevin Spacey. Here’s the thing: Have you seen Kevin Spacey in a flashy role or in some Tabloid recently? No, but he is definitely still working. He is the actor’s actor. I don’t usually get star struck, but he would be one person who I might get star struck with if I had to play across from him. He doesn’t have to say anything to get his point across. He doesn’t have to rub his success in your face. He just does it.

How has life changed since you became an actor? 

Oh, you mean aside from the marriage, divorce, two kids, etc.? Hahahaha! SOOOO many things have changed. When I was a little kid, there was nothing called a PC, much less a cell phone, or and iPAD. Over the years, I have definitely mellowed. If you had met me 20 years ago, I was a bouncing superball of energy. Most of my newer friends still think that I am, but people who have known me for a long time say that I’ve become more relaxed and at-ease with everything. I tend to let things bounce off of me.

What piece of advice can you give someone who also wants to make it in the acting business? 

Give up now! So if you get past that line, be ready to work and network. You may not be pretty (and goodness knows I’m not), but if you walk into a casting director’s office with 7 pages of dialog that you got last night and you blow them away with a full performance that is fully off book, do you think you have a shot at booking that role? You have a much better shot than if you don’t have any training, and you haven’t even read the lines before you walk in. Who have you contacted in the industry recently? When is the last time you sent out a post card to every casting director and agent in town? When is the last time you did a follow up call with your agent or a new agent? What kind of industry parties do you go to? Is there anyone at those parties that you go to that can REALLY help you make your career happen or do they just want your clothes off? If it’s the clothes, you are going to the wrong parties.

What do you like besides filmmaking? 

Ha ha! Okay that is funny to me because I have a dual degree in Physics and Theater. I build weather satellites for a day job. If there’s a hurricane on its way to you, and you have been told to evacuate, I can tell you that my weather satellite is probably why they are telling you to evacuate. Of course, I actually LIKE skiing and playing in the snow whenever I can. Scuba diving is fun too. I have found that doing nothing can be inspiring too, but not for too long.

Have you had any other jobs before you decided to become an actor? 

I have had so many jobs in my life, but I have to tell you that acting is the one I have stayed with. If I were to get hit by a Mack Truck tomorrow (don’t get any ideas, folks) I would be okay because I have made a difference. I am very content with what I have done so far. That said, there is no way I’m stopping any time soon. The laundry list goes something like this: Full time Mom-Dad, engineer, owner of my own high tech company, salesman, dishwasher, cook, carpenter, ditch digger, chief technologist, film maker, script writer, and film editor. I’m sure I left something out, but that’s a good start.

How would you describe your film education? 

I double majored as an undergrad in theater and physics. The beauty (and curse) of that theater degree is that it was the first year they offered it when I was in college. So I got a lot of lead roles in their plays. I have continued training to this day having trained with some of today’s greatest acting coached like Ivana Chubbuck, Stephen Book and Margie Haber. On the film production side, I have learned from the school of hard knocks. I edit films because ten years ago I decided that I would rather pay $1,000 for a fancy film editing program to do my own demo reels than pay someone else $500 to do it for me. I have produced about 25 different films because I’m just good at it. I know how to fill out paperwork (it’s that science background). I direct films because if I wanted to hire a director, I would have to pay them. I write scripts because I want people to buy them (and I’m one dissertation away from an MFA in writing), but I have come to realize that NO ONE buys feature scripts off the street. They DO buy spec scripts for TV shows, so I’m working on that next.

What are some of your favorite American Films? Foreign Films? Television shows? 

American Beauty; Lord of the Rings Trilogy (I actually liked them all); Drive; Star Trek (the latest one). No foreign films that are commercially famous come to mind, but I have to say that I’ve seen a couple in film festivals that have really rocked my world. TV shows: Crime dramas like CSI:, NCIS, and well written/well made Sci-Fi shows like Firefly, Star Trek, etc.  Sci-fi in plain English folks-if it’s too wrapped up, I don’t get it.

How would you describe the film “scene” where you live? 

I live in Los Angeles, and the scene is scary. Doors are closing fast. Film and TV production is moving out of town to places like Wilmington, NC, Atlanta, GA, and Toronto. Why do this stuff in LA where they make it so hard to make a film or a TV show? And for the stuff that stays here: Let’s just say that I was not invited to dinner recently by Mr. Spielberg.

How has social media changed the film industry? 

Oh, huge changes. In fact, our initial marketing plan for “The Rental” is all based on social media. Did you know that Blair Witch was also based totally on social media? And that social media can make a film happen? Let’s put it this way, if I have a quarter million people liking my www.facebook.com/therentalmovie page, I can get theatrical release. If I have a half a million followers on my @TheRentalMovie Twitter page, I can get theatrical release. That’s only 250,000-500,000 people who have to hit one button and it’s a complete theatrical success! Talk about a difference! Distributors beg for it. Big films use it everywhere. Does it actually get you more ticket sales or DVD rentals? I don’t know. But us indie film guys want people to “Like” our pages and follow us on Twitter because, believe me, it helps!

What’s your opinion on crowdfunding? 

If you can get money to fund your project on Kickstarter or some other internet based funding method, you are smarter than I am! I did try to do this for “The Rental” and got nowhere fast. Then I started doing things the old fashioned way: I called people I knew. I had much better results there than I did on the web. I probably just don’t have the right intro line. Or people just don’t like to fund horror flicks when there is no return.

How does independent film differ from the mainstream? 

Money, time, star power, time, money, money, money. I love indie films because everyone knows it has to be done cheap and fast. And if they don’t know that then why are they there? Still, it is always good to have time, stars (who don’t act like them off camera) and, of course, money...

If you could go back in time and see a film being made, which film would it be and why? 

I don’t want to go back in time. I want to go forward in time! I want to see what the future holds. I want to know the lottery numbers so I can go back to normal time so I can fund that big budget picture that I want to star in.

Do you believe in life on other planets? 

Yes, there is at least slime mold on other planets. Intelligent life? I’m waiting on phone call from NASA before I make that decision, but it certainly can’t be ruled out because the odds are in favor of it!

What’s your favorite movie quote and why? 

“WASSSSUUUUUUP!” One word. Stupid. Silly. Perfectly played.

Would you ever consider owning a pet monkey? 

I have a cat and that’s too much for me to take care of these days.  Now a robot sounds pretty good to me.  ;-)

What is your opinion on remakes and sequels? 

With very few exceptions, I think sequels are great for the guys making money and horrible for the folks spending money. I make it a rule to never ever go see a sequel. I made that rule after Transformers II came out and I’m much better for it. If the feature film I am making is a success, do you think I’m going to make a sequel? You bet! For once the little guy wins!

What is your opinion on book to movie adaptations? 

Again, with a few notable exceptions, this is not my favorite way to make a film. Here’s the thing: You have a book that’s popular and that means that the film will be popular even if the film is not that good. A lot of money changes hands to do that adaptation because everyone knows it is a born success. More power to the little folks making money. Wait, they aren’t little folks anymore because they already have a successful book. But, if the film is actually good and we can all understand what is going if we don’t want to read the book, I give complete kudos to the Screenwriter and the Director!

Is there anything else you want to add? 

What? 6 pages isn’t enough?  ;-)  Thanks folks!

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Thanks Todd for doing the interview. I'm a fan of all the cast and crew who worked on "Hinnon Valley" I think it's a  great flick. I'll  will be checking our "The Rental" Facebook page.

Filmmaker Jay Beck

Jay Beck is currently a graduate student in film at Columbia College Chicago. He has been directing short films since 2003. He is primarily concerned with themes of alienation and displacement and how this affects the individual and their psychology. His goal is to create cinema that combines the issues and depth of art films and the accessibility of Hollywood movies, such as the works of Jean-Pierre Melville and Wes Anderson.

What is the current project you are working on?

Man on Mars, which is about one of the first men to Mar’s return home.  It’s based on a feature I want to do, and has been challenging figuring out how to make it work as a short.

How do you measure success?

I try to think of success in terms of what I can control.  Fame and fortune would be great, but there are better ways to go about it than filmmaking, so I try to keep this definition in terms of why I chose movies.  So first off it’s getting to make the movies I want to make.  Second, taking risks and challenging myself and learning and developing.  Third, collaborating with people that challenge and engage me.  Fourth, helping others achieve their visions.

How do you handle rejection?

Very poorly.  I have gotten better over the years, but I have a sensitive personality type so I shut down easily or internally justify myself by thinking "oh they don't understand my work" or "their jealous."  This is rarely the case, but often when people critique my work they can tell something is not working but can’t put their finger on it.  Outright rejection is easier to bear because you don’t know the terms.

Did you always want to be a filmmaker?

Not by a long shot.  I wanted to be a farmer and then a policeman and then a basketball player, from middle school on I wanted to be a playwright, and then around the time of college an architect or a computer programmer.

What inspired you to become filmmaker?

When I was 20, I was really searching for what I was passionate about and had started studying graphic design.  A lot of graphic design’s language comes from cinema so I started watching a lot of movies.  I took a digital cinema class and tried to replicate the shot from Amelie where she is skipping stones.  There was something about how the cinematography, music, and color all came together in that moment in the movie that made me realize I wanted to be filmmaker.

What is the best thing about being one?

Films are kind of like music, society should be able to live without them but somehow it gives life purpose and contributes to our experience.  To put it into words, at least for me is how Bruno Schulz described the Age of Genius in Sanitarium Under the Sign of the Hourglass, “There are things that cannot ever occur with any precision.  They are too big and too magnificent to be contained in mere facts…they quickly withdraw, fearing to lose their integrity in the frailty of realization.”

So now that I’ve given you my esoteric answer, I think it’s that film contains all the arts and can’t be done alone.  I get to explore all mediums without having to have mastered them.  So I can I work with a musician and have insight and ideas but don’t have to know how to play an instrument.  You also have a community fighting for the same end, and from that common struggle an honest and deep intimacy emerges.

What is the worst thing about being one?

Films are kind of like music…just kidding.

I think one of the biggest struggles is making what you are saying compelling to others.  So what makes the medium great also makes it daunting.

Also money and time, most of the people I work with are okay with not getting paid but it’s always in the back of your mind that they are doing this for free.  I always tend to feel like I am asking to much of people, but then you have to remember that they are just as committed to the project as you are, or at least you hope so.  It also gets really difficult to schedule everything around other people’s work and life schedules.

Who is your favorite filmmaker?

Andrei Tarkovsky

Bela Tarr

Jean Pierre Melville

Hiroshi Teshigahara

Alexander Dovzhenko

How has your life changed since you became a filmmaker?

Hectic and anxious, filmmaking is really tough and a struggle, but so is anything worth doing.  Also writing is really hard because you come up against yourself, I always bang head on walls while trying to knock out a script.  There’s always the fear that people will think your best efforts are crap.

What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who also wants to make it in the movie business?

I don’t know about making it in the movie business, but I always encourage people to watch movies and make movies.

A lot of people have hard time with the more obscure and slower films like Tarkovsky and Bergman, but you really have to learn to appreciate them.  It can be a real challenge on your patience and focus, but I tell people not to worry about getting it just keep watching them, because it eventually starts making sense.  When I first started watching a lot of stuff I couldn’t see why the critics praised certain stuff as masterpieces or why they were so important, but eventually starts to make sense.  So I really encourage people to challenge themselves with what they watch and seek out a lot international and more obscure work.

I also encourage my friends to make the movies only they can make it instead of making good movies.  I think it’s most important to find what you have to say and how to say it, the craft and technical stuff comes later and develops while your making stuff.  The best way to break out with limited resources and money is to be unique.  Hollywood can do Hollywood better because their better equipped for that, so do something different.  The independent breakthroughs generally offer something Hollywood doesn’t and even often times have many flaws.  Flaws can be overlooked if the story and characters are engaging.

What do you like to do besides filmmaking?

I have three cats so I try to spend some time with them.  I also watch a lot of movies and spend a lot of time reading stuff that can influence my filmmaking.  My life is pretty centered on making films so most everything I do is somehow geared toward that.  I am also really interested in film history and theory, so I spend a lot of time reading about that when I get a chance.

Have you had any other jobs before you decided to become a filmmaker?

Unfortunately, I’m not really an employed at as a filmmaker yet, so I work at Whole Foods in the bakery.  I’ve worked there in several positions off an on while I’ve been in grad school.  I finish taking classes for my MFA this spring, so then I will be teaching at Columbia College Chicago and trying to put my thesis film together.

What are some of your favorite American films? Foreign films? Television shows?

Umm, Houseguest…You’ll have to forgive me for being indulgent because there are so many good ones.

My favorite childhood film was The Neverending Story, because it just haunted and enchanted me.

The Usual Suspects:  Annie Hall, The Graduate, Harold and Maude, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic, Edward Scissorhands, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Godfather, Casablanca, Bicycle Thieves, The Virgin Suicides, Lost In Translation, Memento, Amelie, Rebel Without a Cause, Breathless, The Big Sleep, North by Northwest, Vertigo, 2001, The Shining, Dr. Strangelove, Seven Samurai, The Shawshank Redemption, Eternal Sunshine, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

Independents:  David and Lisa, The Lost Skelton of Cadavra, Man on Wire, La Jetee, Primer, Moon

International:  Ali Zoua – Morocco, Avalon – Poland, Battle Royal, Takeshis’, Kikujiro  – Japan, Yi Yi – Taiwan, The Host and Old Boy – Korea, The Power of One – South Aftrica, The Lonliness of the Long Distance Runner – Great Britain, The Cremator – Czechoslovakia, The Return – Russia, Touchez Pas Au Grisbi and The Red Balloon – France, 13 Tzameti – Georgia, Tuvalu and Dead Snow – Germany, Infernal Affairs and Intial D – Hong Kong, The Band’s Visit – Israel, The Cow – Iran, Apu Trilogy – India (Bengal), Insomnia and The Bothersome Man – Norway, The Celebration and Reconstruction – Denmark, Werkmeister Harmonies – Hungary

Masters: Hour of the Wolf – Bergman, The Conformist – Bertolucci, Viridiana and The Exterminating Angel – Bunuel, The Great Dictator, The Goldrush, and City Lights – Chaplin, A Nous La Liberte – Clair, Diabolique and The Wages of Fear – Clouzot, Orpheus – Cocteau, The Conversation – Coppola, Joan of Arc – Dreyer, 81/2 – Fellini, The Grapes of Wrath – Ford, The Fireman’s Ball – Forman, Alphaville and Band of Outsiders – Godard, Ball of Fire – Hawks, Encounters at the End of the World – Herzog, The Asphalt Jungle – Huston, The General – Keaton, Three Colors Trilogy – Kieslowski, Dr. Mabuse, Spiones, and Woman on the Moon – Lang, Duck, You Sucker – Leone, Eraserhead and Lost Highway – Lynch, Le Doulos – Melville, Sunrise and Nosferatu – Murnau, Rosemary’s Baby and Chinatown – Polanski, Grand Illusion and Rules of the Game – Renoir, Rome, Open City – Rossellini, Earth and Arsenal – Dovezchenko, Stalker and Solaris - Tarkovsky

The U.S:  The Bourne Identity, Quiz Show, Awakenings, The Chocolate War, Explorers, The Princess Bride, You Can’t Take it with You, The Party, Searching for Bobby Fischer, Where The Wild Things Are, Sweet Smell of Success, Kronos

TV:  The Adventures of Pete and Pete

I’ll stop, but there’s so many great movies out there.

How would you describe your film education?

I received my Bachelors of Science in film and television from the University of Texas and am getting my MFA in Writing and Directing from Columbia College Chicago, but I’d have to say I learned the most from watching and making movies.  I made a few shorts between undergrad and grad school, which weren’t very good, but I learned a lot.  From making these shorts I learned how to pull together resources like how to find actors, seeking out friends that were musicians, getting or stealing locations, etc.  You really have to learn how to ask for favors as an independent filmmaker.

How would you describe the film "scene" where you live?

Chicago is mostly commercials with some big stuff coming through from time to time, although there is a developing independent scene and a lot of stuff from Columbia College.

I really love Chicago though for the plethora a strong actors.  There is such a big theatre scene here that there is plenty of talent.

How has social media changed the independent film industry?

I think we are beginning to see the collapse of Hollywood.  They will hold out for a quite a while longer, but filmmakers can directly reach their audiences much easier now.  Especially Facebook has been amazing for a lot of this stuff.  Streaming has been really problematic for a lot of the industry and I think will level the playing field for independents.

What's your opinion on crowdfunding?

It’s really great because it gives you access to your audience before you begin making your movie.  It also allows you to begin marketing before you have even shot a frame of the film.  It also gives audiences a say in what they want to see.

How does independent film differ from the mainstream?

This is becoming more and more of a grey area with Focus Features, Fox Searchlight and many of the other off shoot companies.  A movie with a budget of 20 million or less is now often considered “independent.”  I think true independent film focuses on producing movies on smarter budgets and are more creative about constraints.  There is also less concern about the commercial success so there is more freedom.  I really believe people just want to see new and engaging work and this is where independent film is really finding its success.  Hollywood really doesn’t know what people want anymore and even though they still have a large hold the market you can see it beginning to slip.  It really doesn’t make sense to put 50 to a 100 million dollars into one movie.

You could go back in time and see any film being made. Which film would it be and why?

The Rules of the Game or Grand Illusion by Renoir, there is just a great energy that you feel from the cast.  Even though work isn’t always fun or happy the creative commitment of everyone was captured on the screen.

What's your favorite movie quote and why?

“You don't like my rice? What's wrong with with it? It's beautiful to me, but to you, rice is nothing... to us, it's just like my father and mother. Don't fuck with my family. If you have any dignity, apologize to the rice RIGHT NOW!” – Ken, A Better Tomorrow II

I don’t know why, I just think its really funny to make a gangster thug apologize to his rice.

What is your opinion on movie remakes and sequels?

It irritates me that there are so many great films internationally that are remade to be marketed to American audiences.

If you dig into film history you also find that a lot of recent movies are just remakes, and not nearly as good as the original.  I’m not against remakes if they have their own merit, but if they don’t contribute something new and fall short of the original then what’s the point.  Although there are some remakes that take a good idea and execute it better, such as Quarantine was better then [Rec] and the Soderberg’s Oceans 11 was far superior to the original.

Sequels are fine but I think often suffer from trying to explain the ambiguities of the first movie.  This has a tendency to ruin the first because it’s the questions that are left that can the film powerful.  A lot of movies are afraid to ask questions or leave questions unanswered which is actually ruining cinema.  The best kind of storytelling engages the audience through questions.

What is your opinion on book to movie adaptions?

Cinema has a rich history of drawing from literature.  All of Kubrick’s stories came from books.  Although I think the idea of transposing a book to screen just so we can see it play out visually with real people is a bad idea.  The novel and movies are two totally different mediums and have different requirements, so to stay true to the book I think you have to actually steer away from it to some extent.  I don’t like it when people say, “that wasn’t in the book” or “they skipped or cut out all this stuff.”  The book has to be the beginning and then the movie needs to seek out its own requirements.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Nope, except for keep an eye out for Americanitis, which is my first feature that I have in development.

Filmmaker Ben Stark

Benjamin Stark was born in Heilbronn, Germany, before his family emigrated to Huntsville, Alabama in 1987. Stark graduated from the University of Alabama in 2006, formed Wonder Mill Films with Lee Fanning in 2007, and has directed seven shorts and one feature film (The Nocturnal Third).

What is the current project you are working on?

All of my film work is done through Wonder Mill Films, which I co-founded with Lee Fanning, who wrote and directed our first feature film, A Genesis Found (http://www.agenesisfound.com). Right now, I am trying to get our second feature (The Nocturnal Third) out beyond our local area. It has screened here in North Alabama, and is available to purchase and stream online (http://www.thenocturnalthird.com). I wrote, directed, and edited the film.

Both it and A Genesis Found (which I produced), are regionally specific films, so our goal for the next 9 months or so is to screen them as a double feature throughout the Southeast. We'll also try to find a home for both films on a reputable streaming app, like Hulu or Netflix. We're also developing a science fiction film for me to direct in late 2012. Lee is writing that.

I've decided to take a break from aggressively writing for the foreseeable future, as the process of directing a feature film has shown me where I excel, where I find the most satisfaction, and where I have the most fun. I'm constantly jotting ideas down for another project, but I'm working hard to zone in on taking care of our past two films, while preparing for our third.

What is the casting process like?

Casting is quite possibly the most enjoyable part of production. It's an extremely important process. Every mistake at the end of a film project probably points back to an issue in casting, whether it involve performers or technicians or artists. It's always a good idea to take as much time as possible to carefully consider and choose the people you surround yourself with. For actors, flexible and down-to-earth people with a good sense of humor tend to collaborate well. In regards to crew, the less drama they bring onto the set, the better.

In our productions, we try to make auditions and casting as comfortable as possible. For each of our feature films, we auditioned about 100 people, but we wanted to make sure the experience was a positive one for everyone that came out. With The Nocturnal Third, we cast Luke Weaver several months before everyone else, because he was an actor I trusted and he was great for the part of Jeffrey. We had him read for the part and gave it to him a few minutes later. It was easy. For the lead role of Eli, we were more meticulous. We narrowed down our options to three actors, and had each read with Luke, who had already been cast. All three were great, and brought a different texture to the character. We finally decided on Kevin, and he proved to be an extremely surprising and curious guy.

Again, I can't stress enough how early casting starts and how important it is. Selecting which story to tell is casting. Deciding that an iteration of the script will be the shooting draft is casting. Deciding which cinematographer, sound man, costume designer, production designer to work with… These are all casting decisions, and a thoughtless move in pre-production will cause a severe headache for everyone involved.

How do you measure success?

I think it's very important for an individual to have a strong personal definition of what success. You need to share your goals and be accountable to your family and close friends, but not the entire world. I set goals on a large and small scale. I usually try to only have one item a day that I absolutely have to get done, and then count extra accomplishments as bonuses. I also have a five year plan for Wonder Mill, and for my personal life- family, finances, and so forth.

Speaking strictly about filmmaking, I feel like I've done my job when there are no walls between myself and the movie.  "Success" in filmmaking is completely subjective, and should be decided by the filmmaker, his loved ones, and his close collaborators.

How do you handle rejection?

I put a lot of hard work and time into the projects I take on, but I always try to keep my identity out of them. If I pour my entire being into a project, it hurts the project. Consider a mother that roots her identity in her child. When that child leaves the nest, the mother is crushed, and the child is stunted. In more enlightened moments I remember that Jesus is God. When I put my hope in something much bigger than me, I can embrace failure.

Failure will happen. I should emphasize that, I suppose. We will fail. We will fail often. The key is to fail early, as they say in prototyping. Your reaction to your various failures will depend on your motivations, and your reaction to failure will determine how quickly you recover.

 

Did you always want to be a filmmaker?

When I was very young, I wanted to be a detective, a pilot, and - after seeing Jurassic Park - a paleontologist. It took an astute friend of mine to point out that when we talked about paleontology (which he also had a newfound interest in), all I talked about was Jurassic Park. I was about ten years old then, and realized that everything I wanted in life was a reflection of movies. That's when I became interested in how they work, and was soon overwhelmed by the frightful realization that they cost a lot of money, were created far away, and took a long time to finish. I loved movies, but was deathly afraid of moviemaking. After some failed attempts at shooting car chases in miniature and recreating John Woo action scenes with bottle rockets, I abandoned the goal. Throughout high school, I got very lazy and spent a lot of time watching television and reading comics.

After graduation, I rediscovered cinema and the spark ignited. I studied marketing at home for a year before switching majors and transferring to the University of Alabama's Telecommunications & Film department in Tuscaloosa. Things really took off there, as I consumed a ridiculous amount of history, technique, and theory in a very condensed period. It was really very thrilling, and sometimes I wish I had the time now to be as ravenous as I was back then. Eventually, I met up with Lee and we began producing short films with a group of friends.

What inspired you to become a filmmaker?

Again, Jurassic Park was a big part of it. I think Tim Burton's Batman was the first movie I saw as a kid. We only went to the movie theater on our birthdays, so seeing a movie on the big screen was a huge deal. My dad watched a ton of James Bond films when my siblings and I were little, as well as Clint Eastwood westerns, Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, and superhero stuff. On my own, I watched Looney Tunes endlessly and read a lot of Calvin & Hobbes.

I've always drawn comic strips, but I've never had the talent to really imbue them with any sense of perspective. Cinema allows for that, and I think that's the fulcrum of my romance with it. Perspective, either in a character sense or in a visual sense, is a film's greatest power.

What is the best thing about being a filmmaker?

What's amazing about directing a film in the year 2011 is that there is a codified set of visual rules that, when wielded with a deft hand, can tell a story more potent and dynamic and reflective than any written work. Film grammar has not really developed or become much more complex in the 60 years since its culmination, and things like trendiness and gloss constantly threaten erode it, but the fact still stands that it works. Novelists rarely bend the language drastically to tell a story, and yet the medium survives and flourishes (I assume). I certainly love to experiment and bend the medium, but I appreciate the fact that I can experiment with a fall-back, and with easily accessible tools. In our day and age, the printing press of film has been invented. For less than $5,000, which anyone can scrape together over the course of a year or so, you can have all the tools you need to tell a story using the grammar of cinema. That is absolutely amazing.

What is the worst thing about being one?

The absolute worst part of the filmmaking process, the part that makes me feel like a completely lecherous fool, is looking for money, and in turn, looking for an audience. Those are the two elements of the process that I not only hate, but that I am absolutely horrible at. I am a bad salesman and I would prefer the films do the work for me. Lee, one of the other cogs in Wonder Mill, most likely agrees with me. We do our homework, we perform the due diligence, but it never really clicks, and I'm not sure why. I fully admit that this is a weakness of Wonder Mill's, and I think both of us would love to collaborate with someone who is as passionate about audience-building as we are passionate about narrative film.

What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on?

I've worked on two feature films, and over twelve short films. That doesn't count for-hire work on commercials and corporate videos. It also does not include failed experiments, like the Vietnam spaghetti western I made when I was much too old for that kind of insanity. I've directed seven short films and one feature film.

Who is your favorite filmmaker?

My ultimate triumvirate of directors is made up of Steven Spielberg, Akira Kurosawa, and Orson Welles. Their films were essential to my film education and development, and their approaches to visual grammar just kind of set off fireworks in my brain. The stories they choose all combine skepticism of the human spirit with a hope for improvement. I also love the Coen Brothers, Michael Curtiz, Alfonso Cuaron, Francois Truffaut, Martin Scorsese, and Werner Herzog, all of which deal well with the “agitation” of the male mind (as Herzog himself might put it).

How has your life changed since you became a filmmaker?

I have very little free time. Ten years ago, I was a pro at wasting an entire afternoon watching The Simpsons or playing Nintendo 64 or reading movie-related message boards. Now, I can't sit for more than twenty minutes without getting anxious and looking for something to work on.

What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who also wants to become a filmmaker?

First, I would recommend that any prospective filmmakers figure out if they want to generate their own projects or focus on a particular craft. I'd encourage a sharp focus on a certain skill, but at the end of the day, any broad experience is good for your tool kit, as long as you're learning.

If you want to be a project-generating writer/director, you're probably not going to get paid for it, and that's okay.

Let's be honest: You, the aspiring independent filmmaker, have two options. You can go to Hollywood, struggle to get a P.A. job, and battle your way up the industry food chain to generate a single project that has a very narrow chance of actually getting made. That's option one. Option two is to make what you can, with what you have, where you are.

Second, if you’re going at it outside of the “system”, I recommend you get a day job. Find some sort of steady work and make sure your groceries are paid for, because your decision-making on a given project is always going to suffer if you're worried about paying the bills.

In the case of a part-time filmmaker, your worst enemy isn't your well-connected friend with the similar goal in the competitive industry town. Having a day job and being self-sustaining takes you into the big battle. The great enemy of the independent artist is comfort. Your worst enemy isn't comprised of your doubting mother or nagging girlfriend or irritated boss. Your worst enemy is comprised of video games. Your worst enemy is comprised of good television shows and movies. Your worst enemy is comprised of parties, food, alcohol, pets, and vacations. These are all wonderful and amazing things, but it is up to you, the artist, to temper them.

Third - and this is the tricky thing - is that you need a greater motivation to create than just to fulfill your own dreams. If all of my motivation comes from within myself, then I have no reason not to let comfort win. However, if I am working for a greater sense of mission, or if my work serves a cultural, spiritual or societal purpose outside of myself and my paper dreams, comfort will be a quaint prize rather than an enemy. For me, I think a well-crafted scene of suspense or humanity is beautiful to God, the way a good bottle of wine or a well-sung song or well-built automobile are.

On an organizational level, Wonder Mill's mission is to show that regions can produce evocative, intelligent, and entertaining cinema. I personally think Kelly Reichardt is doing this beautifully right now with her Oregon-set films. The tools are available for film to flourish in the United States, outside of Hollywood, the same way it has flourished out in the rest of the world. So that’s the biggest thing I would tell someone looking to get into filmmaking: Don't do it for money or to fulfill some vague dream. My generation has been fed this lie our entire lives: If we work hard enough, we’ll achieve our dreams. That’s just not true. Shoot for something bigger.

The second biggest piece of advice I would give is - above all - do NOT go off on some maniacal rant about your personal convictions in an interview on some gracious gentleman's blog. Hell's bells, that'd be suicide!

What do you like to do besides filmmaking?

I try to watch a lot of movies, which rarely actually happens. I'd like to be able to watch one highly regarded movie a week. I try to read a book a month, often non-fiction. I try to run and lift weights several times a week. Other than that, I just kind of eat food and drive around with my wife.

Have you had any other jobs before you decided to become a filmmaker?

To be honest, filmmaking has never actually been my job. I have a full-time gig as a video editor and videographer at a local company. It's fantastic, supportive, and completely contrary to the clichéd nightmare of the soul-sucking "day job". Before this, I worked some retail, but spent most of my childhood and adolescence working at my parents’ tile company. Our film The Nocturnal Third was actually filmed at their shop.

What are some of your favorite American films? Foreign films? Television shows?

American: Raiders of the Lost Ark, Rear Window, The Big Lebowski, The Sea Hawk, The Dark Knight, The Palm Beach Story, Jurassic Park, Children of Men, Frankenstein (1931), Unforgiven

Foreign: Seven Samurai, Shoot the Piano Player, Fitzcarraldo, Knife in the Water. I'm watching The Decalogue soon, and am very excited. I’m also anxious to get into some Melville, and have the Le Cercle Rouge blu ray sitting on my shelf, waiting to be watched.

TV: The Simpsons (Seasons 3-10), The animated DC shows from the 1990s, Lost, Twin Peaks, Star Trek (Original Series)

How would you describe your film education?

The University of Alabama doesn't have a strict "film school", but my time there was well-spent. I took plenty of film courses and, with Lee, was able to finagle a good bit of equipment to make shorts outside of class. I had some very helpful professors, one of them being an accomplished director that just launched a web series (http://www.gettingrowntv.com ). I spent as much extracurricular time as possible learning the history of film, and making my own short films. The Tuscaloosa Public Library has a staggeringly great selection of a wide array of cinema, so UA students have no excuse for being behind on the classics.

How would you describe the film "scene" where you live?

I'm not sure it exists. There are some very hard-working filmmakers that travel outside of our region to get paying work, and there is a contingent of scrappy DIY-ers like Wonder Mill, but we are pretty bad at communicating. One of our goals for 2012 is to make a stronger connection with other filmmakers in Huntsville and its surrounding areas.

 

How has social media changed the film industry?

Honestly, I'm not entirely sure just yet. I've made the mistake of keeping my productions very insular. In college, we tried to reach out to other filmmakers on campus, but nothing really stuck. After college, I immersed myself in the production of our two feature films, using the internet only to advertise auditions. It's only now that I've really found my footing on Twitter, and it's amazing. I've learned so much and gotten into a ton of great conversations with people I would have never met otherwise. I've yet to see it really impact one of our productions directly, but it can only be a good thing to connect with and learn from people in similar situations. Again, Wonder Mill Films’ big thing is regional filmmaking, and the potential for a region to be represented by its cinema. I think the internet, and social media in particular, is essential to visual media being spread and shared on a grass-roots level, and we're probably just seeing the beginning.

What's your opinion on crowdfunding?

I think it's a wonderful and intuitive development. We're planning on using crowdfunding to help us further distribute our first two films, as well as to raise cash for our third feature. That said, I think there's a large danger for filmmakers to become lost in the fundraising stage, and crowdfunding does allow for an overemphasis on money. Money is a delicate element of filmmaking. It's important and necessary, but if you give it too much attention, it'll pull you in and influence your visual style, your writing, your casting, and your editing decisions. It's a monster that should be attended to and fed, then ignored as much as possible.

I'm seeing filmmakers now that put so much thought into how they're going to crowdfund, and by extension how they're going to build an audience from which to crowdfund, that their films are becoming about that and are becoming shallow projects that aim to please. It's important to remember that the story at hand is much more important than the audience. The audience is not a customer, but they are an essential component of storytelling. I think Sheri Candler is quite wise in recommending that every DIY indie film crew include a "Producer of Marketing & Distribution". The screenwriter or director or editor or performer of a given piece should not be spending an awful lot of energy on fundraising if they can help it.

How does independent film differ from the mainstream?

I'm not sure that it really should. In a perfect world, I think that both would be telling stories, but mainstream films would be those that naturally attract a multi-cultural or inter-continental audience. The problem today is that "independent" has become a genre, and that's very sad and unhealthy. What's equally sad and unhealthy is that people use "mainstream" and "independent" film fandom as a kind of prideful merit badge. It's all become about why we like a movie, rather than what the movie is saying, whether it be produced for $2 or $2M.

You could go back in time and see any film being made. Which film would it be and why?

I would have to say Raiders of the Lost Ark, with the caveat that I'd bring some canned goods to avoid the stomach issues that plagued the production. I would get a huge kick out of seeing Harrison Ford work. At the time, he exuded an on-screen comfort that's only been rivaled by Jeff Bridges or someone like William Holden. Of course, it would be amazing to watch where Spielberg put the camera, how many takes he did, how the special effects team worked out gags, and how stunts were mapped out.

What's your favorite quote and why?

Right now? C.S. Lewis - “Our instincts are at war. Each instinct, if you listen to it, will claim to be gratified at the expense of the rest.”

I can’t really tell why I love that so much, so I’ll add my all-time back-up, from Indiana Jones -“I’m just making this up as I go.”

What is your opinion on movie remakes and sequels?

I am okay with remakes, reboots, and sequels, if they're good. I think it's only natural for a story to be continued, or re-purposed in a new context, like in the case of The Departed. I do wish they were not as en vogue as they are right now, but I suppose it's only a symptom of the short-sighted thinking in Hollywood. My ears do perk up when I hear about a completely original movie, but often those movies are just as bad as the "branded" ones.

What is your opinion on book to movie adaptations?

I think they're a great for visually-oriented filmmakers looking for a kernel of an idea. I'd consider Stanley Kubrick to be the master of book adaptations, as he took a book's basic central idea and developed everything around that. If a movie shows off a cinematic nature through a solid story and in an interesting context, it should be produced. If that story is grown out of a book, or a comic strip, or a video game, or a pre-existing movie, or a newspaper advertisement for dog shampoo, then so be it. A great movie can be grown out of anything if there is a story to be told with a measure of focus, discipline, and patience.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

We need more reviews for both of our films! If any film writers are reading this, we'd love to send them screeners to check out. We're always looking for honest, probing reviews that are open to engage in a dialogue with our movies. Folks can get in touch with us on Twitter (@WonderMillFilms) and through e-mail (wondermillfilms@yahoo.com).

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Thanks for doing the interview Ben. I've become a fan of the work you and Lee are doing over at Wonder Mill Films.

Author E.B. Black

E.B. Black is a dark fantasy writer who lives in Southern California with her boyfriend and two dogs.

You can follow her blog and/or twitter at the links below...

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/writerblack

Blog: http://deathauthor.blogspot.com

What is the current project you are working on?

- I’m finishing up a novel that I call  “Spirit Speaker.”

How do you define success?

- In writing? Well, I think even finishing a story is some form of a success that most people don’t achieve.

How do you handle rejection?

- I try not to take it personally. I’ve handled a lot of rejection in the past in various aspects of my life and it helped me prepare for it, but I think it’s unrealistic to believe that anyone can handle rejection with no emotion one hundred percent of the time. When it gets to me, I talk to people I trust about it privately and they encourage me enough that I bounce back from it within a few hours.

Did you always want to be a writer?

- Off and on I did. I used to write a fake local newspaper for my neighbor when I was a child and read it with her and her husband every day.

What inspired you to become a writer?

- It has been hard for me to know what I wanted to do with my life. I went to and graduated from a community college and got a liberal arts degree because I wasn’t sure what to do. Writing was the one thing I’ve been able to find that I can be motivated and fully dedicated to doing every day.

What is the best thing about being one?

- It helps me sort through my thoughts and feelings. Sometimes I have weird concepts and worries swimming around in my mind and it helps me understand them better. It let’s me express myself and also allows me to escape reality when I’m being overwhelmed by it.

What is the worst thing about being one?

- It’s easy to get trapped at home all the time and lonely.

What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on?

- A lot. This is my first novel I’ve completed and also my first short story (one about a ghost that I call “Forgotten”), but I have detailed outlines to several other novels all saved on my computer and several scenes from those stories written out.

 Who is is your favorite author?

- J.K. Rowling because Harry Potter began my love of fantasy.

How has your life changed since you became writer?

- I feel more hopeful about the future. I think if I could make a career out of this, I’d be really happy.

What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who also wants to be a writer?

- Write every day or at least several times a week. It’s what a real writer does. If it’s hard at first, it will become easier. Also, don’t worry if it doesn’t come out how you want to on the first try. It never does, but editing fixes all that as long as you keep writing.

What do you like to do besides writing?

-  I tabletop roleplay, like Dungeons and Dragons and stuff. I also watch girly television shows and movies. I read both novels and comics every chance I get.

Have you had any other jobs before you decided to become a writer?

- I’ve only worked in fast food.

How would you describe your education?

- I have a liberal arts degree. I would like to go back to college, but there’s a lot to sort out before I can do that.

What are some of your favorite American films? Foreign films? Television shows?

- My favorite television shows ever are Desperate Housewives and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The writers for those shows are amazing story tellers.

My favorite movie is probably Stardust because its equal parts romance and fantasy, not to mention that it was written by one of my favorite authors: Neil Gaiman.

How would you describe the writing "scene" where you live?

- There is none. I have to drive a long distance to get to any writing groups.

 How has social media changed the publishing industry?

- It has helped me immensely. It’s easier to get my name out there and also to receive help (so I make fewer mistakes) while writing.

Also, self-publishing has become a more viable option that I may consider some day in the future.

Do you believe in life on other planets?

- I believe it’s possible and that if there is life on other planets, I am very eager to interact with it.

 What is your opinion on movie remakes and sequels?

- They can be done really well if made right. I loved the remake of Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory for instance. Johnny Depp is a brilliant actor and I enjoyed it more than the original, even though I grew-up with the original.

What is your opinion on book to movie adaptions?

- It’s exciting to see characters come to life on the big screen.

Actress Alexis Zibolis

A New Hampshire Native, Alexis was uprooted by her mother and stepfather at the age of 14 in a move to California. Here, Alexis’s talents and dreams of singing, dancing, and acting flourished with the opportunities surrounding her. She began studying acting in high school, and continued as she finished her bachelor’s degree in Communications and Broadcasting from California State University, Fullerton. Her professional acting career began in 2005 promptly upon graduation when she finally couldn’t deny her passion for performing.

Among her many performances, Alexis’ characters inspire strength through despair. Alexis is most recently known for her starring role as powerful and manipulative Lara DeVanity in the award nominated web soap DEVANITY.

Her role as Karen in Skypilot Theatre Company’s hit new annual play, TO THE NEW GIRL FROM THE FORMER MRS.___: SOUND ADVICE FOR MY HUSBAND’S NEW WIFE OR MISTRESS, brought fourth her ability to survive through the pain of her betrayals.

Alexis’ television appearances include THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS and THE WAR AT HOME, and her recent leading feature film roles include THE DAVINCI TREASURE, BREATH OF HATE, and CONSINSUAL.

Though she plays such strong characters, Alexis is a bright, contagiously happy woman with a heart of gold.

Besides performing, Alexis has a few other talents: shooting firearms and Krav Maga Hand-to-Hand Combat Training. She even owns a few guns of her own ( a CZ 75 .9mm to be exact). She loves the movie Scarface, photography, travelling, and her family and pets, and she supports No-Kill Animal Shelters.


What is the current project you are working on?


DeVanity Season 2. Just finished filming a little role on The Young and the Restless. About to start filming the feature 'Insider Trading'

How do you define success?

Mostly it's finding happiness in your life AS YOU ARE NOW, with all of the problems in your life. THAT is the ultimate hurdle in life is to find TRUE happiness. It cannot be bought or won. Every ounce of happiness is within you, and in your hands. That being said, my success is doing the things I love AND sometimes getting paid to do it :-) It's like my dreams come true, but it was never handed to me. I had to work years to get even this far. It took a lot of very difficult, emotional, and moneyless times to fight to get here, and I will have many ahead, but I had to enjoy every minute of my journey because it is not a guarantee that you will have tomorrow to make up for the happiness lost today. Life is too short. Ultimate success is getting to a place of happiness within yourself :-)

How do you handle rejection?

I brush it off. Other people's opinions of me are none of my business. I believe in my ability to do the job, and I put in my 100% into every audition and role, but if it's not the right time or role, it's just not the right time. You have to have a REALLY thick skin as an actor. You go on tons of auditions (interviews), put your heart an soul into every single one, and maybe you'll get a callback for one. Then MAYBE you'll book the gig, or maybe you won't. It's how fast you pick yourself up and brush yourself off that keeps your 'rejection barrier' from breaking down.

Did you always want to be an actress?

Yes. I always wanted to be on broadway singing, dancing, and acting. I played dress up and make-believe for longer into my childhood years than most kids. I moved around a lot, so I spend a lot of time alone until I made new friends, so I had to entertain my brain (which runs a million miles a minute). I was a dancer for 16 years, so I was very well trained in that aspect on stage, but never really believed I could make it as an actress. I was a bit of an ugly duckling, so I didn't even want to attempt to go up against other beautiful girls. I had to grow, and find my identity and confidence before I could really allow myself to follow my heart.

What inspired you to become an actress?

A building up of events: from the death of 3 friends in high school, a traumatic car accident with my boyfriend while in college, and topping it off with the death of my step-father when I had just finished recovering from my accident a few months later. My stepdad was only 58 when he died, and I found him after he had passed. It was very difficult to witness my friends dying, experience my own immortality, then see one of my parents' dead body. My stepdad had told a lot of big stories about himself while I was growing up, and after he died, we found out most of the stories were not true. My mother said that those were probably the things he really wanted to do but couldn't because he started a family at age 17, and really didnt' get to live his life as he had dreamed. I realized right when she said that, I needed to do EVERYTHING in my power to make sure my dreams came true. I started studying acting again immediately, moved to L.A., finished my last semester in college, and the rest is history.

What is the best thing about being one?

I get to play dress up and make believe like I did when I was a kid :-) I get to be someone else, and live and breath in their soul. In HINNON VALLEY, I get to be G.I. Jane. In DEVANITY, I'm drenched in jewels like a princess. It's like getting to change who you want to be that day if you're bored with your own life.

What is the worst thing about being one?

The politics of getting a gig. Pretty much how people get most jobs. Sometimes the best actor doesn't book the part. It could be a look, a friend, a favor, a feel, a name actor, etc. There is so much behind the scenes effort put into just getting called into audition: submitting, rehearsing your audition sides (sometimes for hours), sometimes a 3 hour turnaround on one audition depending on traffic and speed of the casting office, the wait for the phone call that you may never get, the cost of your headshots, etc. But that just makes you appreciate when you DO book a gig. It's just that much sweeter when you get the part :-)

What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on?

30 or so. Hard to remember all of them over the years. Not all of them make it onto the resume, demo reel, or IMdb, so it's easy to forget if it was years ago.

Who is is your favorite actress?

I have a few. Elenor Powell, Sharon Stone, Meryl Streep, Sharon Stone, Lauren Bacall, Judy Dench.

How has your life changed since you became an actress?

Hmmmm. I'm not sure my life has really changed except for the amount of attention I get and my extremely hectic and constantly changing schedule. I get these great letters from people who have seen me in a film or show I've done, and they are fans. I'm always so flattered and blown away to have a fan, so it really makes my day that someone else likes my work.

The other difference is that I get to go to set as my job, and get hair and makeup done for 2 hours before filming. I also do A LOT of running around LA for auditions, picking up publicity materials, rehearsals, filming, wardrobe fittings, basic errands (bank, groceries, gym) etc. And everything is scheduled back to back, so sometimes I don't get to bed until 4 AM, just because I didn't get home until 2:30, and still need to wind down. I don't have the typical 9-5 lifestyle that most people hate, but don't realize how lucky they are that they know their schedule ahead of time. Most of my auditions I find out about a day before, and it's usually sometime midday in the middle of plans I've made. I'm constantly having to drop my pre-made plans for last minute auditions. I also have my survival job in between bookings, so if I'm scheduled to work that day, I have to panic and get someone to hopefully cover my shift to make my audition. OR if I'm already filming I have to find a way to work the audition and filming schedules together. You can't ask the casting office to work around your schedule. They have sometimes hundreds of people they are seeing for mulitple roles, so they don't have time to help everyone. It's up to the actor to make time for the opportunity the casting office is presenting.

I otherwise live exactly the same way as I did before I started acting except I'm older and have more responsibilies. I still live in an apartment, drive an 8 year old car, play with my kitties, and make dinner for my amazing husband, Ian. Still clean the house, go to the bank, and save money to go on vacations with him. I live normally for the most part.

What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who also wants to make it in the movie business?

Don't just come to L.A. for a year or two and hope to make it that quickly or get 'discovered.' If you just want to be famous, go home. Don't waste your time because you won't be willing to put forth the effort it takes to train, hustle, and keep pushing year after year to have a long respected career. Be an actor because you TRULY want to act because it can be a painful and costly dream if you don't really want it. If you really want to act, get a good survival job, get into a good class, and submit to every acting gig you can find paid or not. This will build your resume, experience, strength, and confidence.

What do you like to do besides acting?

Dancing, taking pictures, road trips to nowhere and everywhere, road trips to find great photography opportunies, watching movies (especially really scarey realistic ones), running, hiking, sitting on the beach, shopping, lunch with my girlfriends, wine tasting, going to the firing range, playing with my cats and dog, learning new lyrics to tricky songs or raps, being silly stupid with my husband, friends, and family, traveling, etc.

Have you had any other jobs before you decided to become an actress?

Tons. My first job was at Pizza Hut, where I eventually became a shift manager at age 18. Worked at numerous restuarants as every job. Was a manager in retail clothing stores. Did bookkeeping, purchasing, sales, etc. Worked full-time all through high school, college, all the way into the beginning of my acting career.

How would you describe your film education?

It feels like not much, but when I look at it, it really is a lot. My degree was in broadcasting, so I learned how to use the camera, edit, use sound equipment, be an on-camera host, how to light a set, etc. The rest of my film eduction came from doing lots of student films in the beginning, writing and shooting my own films, helping on friends' projects, taking a few on-camera acting classes, and then straight up working on real union sets when I would book a gig. I took years of acting classes since high school, but that's just the acting education, not actual film education.

What are some of your favorite American films? Foreign films? Television shows?

I love Scarface. I'd say that's my favorite. It's about the American dream...gangster style. Al Pacino has been one of my idols since I saw The Godfather series and Scarface. As a female, there aren't a lot of roles like he plays. I mean, how badass would it be to be 'The Godmother?' There is a real Godmother, Griselda Blanco, who is legendary in Miami. That movie still has yet to be made. Most of my favorites are the classics: Wizard of Oz, Mary Poppins, Holiday Inn, Singing in the Rain, Goodfellas, The Godfather, Casino, Goonies, Labyrinth, Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, The Abyss, Dr. Zhivago. Then some others are: Sunshine Cleaning, Miss Congeniality, Billy Madison, Friday, Beavis and Butthead Do America, Deathproof, The King's Speech, Last of the Mohicans, Independence Day.

My favorite foreign film is The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. What a beautiful story. It really teaches you how you shouldn't live your life and the consequences if you do.

My favorite TV Shows: Everybody Loves Raymond (of course), Beverly Hills 90210 (the original back in the day), anything on I.D. Network, Planet's Funniest Animals, Law & Order: SVU, Mad About You (when it was still on), Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Beavis and Butthead, Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, Chapelle Show, Big Love, The Wendy Williams Show.

How would you describe the film "scene" where you live?

Well, there's two parts the the "scene":

1. Those that just want to be seen. You know who they are: The 'Too-Cool-For-School' LA type actors. They wear sunglasses everywhere they go including in doors, and always look overly perfect except for the fact that they have lost their ability to smile for fear of not looking confident or cool. But they have no intention of really putting in the work and push it takes to make your career happen and continue to happen. These are the people who expect (and sometimes they get it) for it to be handed to them based on their good looks. FYI people: there are plenty of talented actors just as good-looking as you.

2. Then there's the scene where people genuinely just want to make a story come to life, just because they are passionate about telling a story and filmmaking. I gravitate towards those people. They are the good people in this business that will make it based on their talents and hard work, and whose careers will last. Sometimes these people just get to talking about stuff in their life, or incidents recently experienced, and they tell someone else, and boom! They're writing something and then collectively pulling the production together to get it made. Hinnon Valley and DeVanity came to be because of the love for telling a great story. Both were made on a shoe-string budget, and were shot beautifully because of the creators' true love of telling a story.

How has social media changed the independent film industry?

SO much. Nowadays we can promote ourselves and our projects on our Facebook and Twitter pages. I have my own website aside from Facebook. You can raise money for your project via Indie Go Go, and a few other websites. It's so much better and helps projects get more attention, advertising, and funding more than it ever would have in the past without studio backing. People can collaborate so much more quickly and efficiently too. You can post your trailer on all of your social media pages and on Facebook instead of paying a TV station for a commercial spot. You can spread the word about your project on Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, etc. There are endless possibilities. All in all, it's helping the little guys make truly beautiful films without waiting for a studio to give it money to produce. People are more in charge of their own careers now more than ever. I think it makes the studios and other indie film companies have to keep their storytelling abilities at the highest quality in order to compete. We all win in the end :-)
What's your opinion on crowdfunding?

It thinks it's fantastic. Why not? People have a right to spend money on whatever they want. If it keeps the filmaker from having to be held hostage by a production company or studio, this frees him or her up monetarily to make more decisions in favor of making a high quality film or show. This just helps creativity flourish because the creators are not bound by investors telling them what they want changed in the script, or who they want for a particular role. It gives the creator freedom to create as he pleases. This is pretty much exactly how my most recent project, DeVanity has done so well...freedom to create!

How does independent film differ from the mainstream?

It has way less boundaries. It's much more free, and the stories are much less mainstream, more relatable, and therefore more moving in many cases. I'm not saying the studios aren't making badass films. They really are. But some of these indies, are just truly beautiful and fascinating stories. Again: freedom to create.

If you could go back in time and see and film being made, which film would it be and why?

Casino. I would love to see Sharon Stone and Robert Deniro in action. What they were really like during the nasty argument scenes and then in between takes. Do they stay pissed and in character? Do they break completely? My guess is they stay in character, but how amazing powerful to watch that. And Sharon's wardrobe alone was beautiful.

Do you believe in life on other planets?

Absolutely. There can't just be us in that big infinite space. But I don't believe 'aliens' are about the same size or shape as us like most movies portray. They could be completely different. Maybe no limbs. Maybe much much larger or maybe microscopic. Skinless, boneless, no eyes etc. Life can exist in so many other ways besides what works for humans. Look at the vast amount of species just on planet earth including the biolumiscent deep sea creatures.

What's your favorite movie quote and why?

"Iss naughta too-mah," ("It's not a tumor"), Kindergarten Cop, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Because it's just so fun to say. LOL!

What is your opinion on movie remakes and sequels?

Sometimes they turn out great, sometimes they don't. I love the Star Wars  Prequels. Those were really cool. 3:10 to Yuma was terrible. I am Legend and Bad News Bears remakes were awsome. I think all in all, most remakes have turned out great, but some movies should not be remade too early. For instance, if they remake Goonies, I'll be highly disappointed. TV show remakes on the other hand, not so much.

What is your opinion on book to movie adaptions?

Love 'em. Though people need to understand that in order to tell the story in about 120 minutes, a lot of the information they read in the book has to be condensed, so a lot of information gets left out. Once they understand that, they won't be so dispappointed. Last of the Mohicans was very different from the book altogether, but still an epic move. The Lovely Bones was beautiful. That was my favorite book, and though the movie left out some things, it still had me crying all the way through. I'm excited to finally see The Help, but I need to finish the book first :-)

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Just that I am so grateful for your interest in what I have to say, and anyone else for reading this far. :-) All my best to anyone reading and taking interest! May all of your dreams come true :-)

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Thanks for doing the interview Alexis. I loved your performance in "Hinnon Valley".  I'm going to check out "DeVanity". I really enjoyed  reading and seeing "The Help".  Let me know what you think of the book and the movie :)

Katie Shannon: Director 617 The Series

Writer and Director Katie Shannon has been involved in many aspects of filmmaking. Katie, born in Massachusetts, graduated from Stonehill College in 2004 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications. Katie was also a member of Stonehill’s 2003 women’s lacrosse National Championship team and was named an All American Defender.  She then obtained her Master’s Degree in Visual Media Arts from Emerson College in 2009.  Her thesis project, A Square With Three Sides (2009), has been an official selection in several film festivals such as Chicago’s Reeling Film Festival, London’s Film Festival, and Santa Barbara’s OUTrageous Film Festival.

Realizing that Boston is where she wanted to have her film career, she created the web series 617 The Series, which follows six late twenty something’s as they try to navigate their lives through the city of Boston.  She wrote and directed the pilot episode, which can be seen at www.617theseries.com

Her next project is a documentary series that will be following the new generation of players from the 2012 Stonehill Women's Lacrosse Team in their quest for their own National Championship.

She is currently in development for two feature films. The Things Stolen is a story of a family that lives so far in denial, that they don’t even know what’s the truth anymore. This family drama takes place in Hingham, Massachusetts and follows the struggles of one household when they try to handle the patriarch of the family infidelities.

Her other feature film is A-Town which is based in the year of 2000 in Agawam, Massachusetts, and follows seniors in high school before they go their separate ways and venture off to college.

What current project are you working on?

It’s a webseries based in Boston, which follows six individuals as they navigate through their lives in the city. We just released the twenty-two minute pilot episode "One Nighters" which focuses on two of our characters as they deal with the aftermath of their most recent one night stand. I will also be shooting a documentary in the spring that will be following the Stonehill’s women’s lacrosse spring season.

What are some of your favorite independent films and shorts? 

I recently saw Like Crazy and absolutely loved it. The writers Drake Doremus and Ben York Jones depicted a love story in a way I've never seen before, and the actors' portrayal of the relationship was real and genuine. I think a lot of the improv that was done was the reason it came across so real.

What is the casting process like?

The casting process for Amy, the executive producer, and I was unique. At the time we started 617 I was living in Los Angeles, so I was only in town for the first round of auditions. Amy would hold the auditions and record them. She would then send them to me, and then we would discuss them. In my mind, our six main cast members are some of the best actors you will find in Boston. I feel lucky being able to work with them.

How do you measure success?

I don’t.

How do you handle rejection?

You can’t be in this business and not be able to handle rejection. It comes hand in hand. I do my best to take it in stride and remind myself that this is what I want to do with my life, and that it is a process.

Did you always want to be a filmmaker?

I would say I knew from an early age that I wanted to do something in film. I was always behind the camera in our family home movies and whenever I had the choice in school to write a paper or make a video, I always chose to make a video.

What inspired you to become a filmmaker?

When I first saw the movie Mulholland Drive, I knew becoming a filmmaker is what I wanted to do.

What is your opinion of a civil union vs gay marriage?

I believe everyone should have the right to marry no matter their sexuality. Civil unions are a great step for the gay community. However, they instill the notion of "separate but equal," when in reality there is no difference between the love that is shared by a man and a woman, two women, or two men.

What is the best thing about being a filmmaker?

To me the best thing about being a filmmaker is being able to create a world that came entirely from your own head.

What is the worst thing about being one?

When you are as impatient as me, the worst thing about being a filmmaker is how long it takes to get things made.

What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on?

Around 15.

Who is your favorite filmmaker?

Darren Aronofsky

How has your life changed since you became a filmmaker?

I’m much happier doing what I love, but much poorer.

What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who also wants to become a filmmaker?

To be confident and persistent when it comes to your work. You will get a million "no’s" before you will get a "yes". Work on any project that you can where you can get on set. I learned a lot by being in many different roles; from a production assistant, to an assistant director, to a script supervisor. Hands on is the best way to learn.

What do you like to do besides filmmaking?

I coached women’s lacrosse at the collegiate level for the last five years and I’m still coaching club lacrosse.

Have you had any other jobs before you decided to become a filmmaker?

I coached lacrosse as a way to make money so I could be a filmmaker. If I didn’t pursue this career path, then I’d probably be a head coach somewhere.

What are some of your favorite American films? Foreign films? Television shows?

American Films: Black Swan, Once, Boondock Saints, But I’m A Cheerleader, Boys Don’t Cry

Foreign Films: Aimee & Jaguar, Amelie, Ma Vie En Rose

TV Shows: Happy Endings, Sex and the City, Golden Girls, Queer As Folk, Parks & Recreation,  It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

How would you describe your film education?

I started taking film classes during my undergraduate education at Stonehill College. I then did several internships before attending Emerson College, where I obtained my masters degree in visual media arts.

How would you describe the film "scene" where you live?

I definitely think there has been an influx of film opportunities in Boston, and it seems to me that it just keeps growing which is very exciting. It’s a great place to start your career and I have found the people I work with here to be very genuine and happy to help out in any way possible.

What is your favorite Boston landmark and why?

The Garden. I’m a diehard Celtics fan.

Can you believe the show “Falling Skies” takes place in Massachusetts, but is filmed in Canada?

Doesn’t surprise me. Look at Rizzoli and Isles. With every exterior shot, you can tell that it is not shot in Boston. It’s disappointing because it would add so much more authenticity to the show.

How has social media changed the film industry?

The ways to promote, advertise, and even fundraise for a film has changed with social media. It allows films that may never have gotten made previously to have a chance.

What's your opinion on crowdfunding?

I think crowdfunding is a great concept. Again like social media, it gives people the chance to raise money for projects themselves and not necessarily always have to find investors. People can raise anything from $100 to over $100,000. Check out 617’s kickstarter campaign: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1909809246/617-the-series.

How does independent film differ from the mainstream?

I think independent has become more mainstream in the last few years. But to me true independent films would be films with a small crew, little money, and everyone who is there is truly passionate about the project. You eat, sleep, breathe the film.

Have you seen the webseries "Husbands"?

Nope, but I just googled it. It’s my new favorite webseries.

You could go back in time and see any film being made. Which film would it be and why?

I would have to say Rear Window. I love the film and it would be amazing to get to see Hitchcock direct.

What's your favorite quote and why?

“This too shall pass.” My dad always used to say it to me growing up when I was going through a tough time.

What is your opinion on movie remakes and sequels?

I think that remakes rarely live up to the original; same goes for sequels. However, I’m a big fan of Rocky IV.

What is your opinion on book to movie adaptations?

The movies are never as good as the books.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Life’s too short to not do what you love.

Bestseller For A Day January 6th Is The Mancode: Exposed

Readers can get a copy of Rachel's book today for 99 cents. Cash in on this great reading deal!  Anyone who buys Mancode and signs up for a newsletter on Bestseller for a Day website can qualify to have the purchase price refunded for any of the bonus buys that they purchase.  They will also have their name entered into a draw for Kindle. That's a great deal!  This month there are 5 bonus buys!!!  This means that in a nutshell, readers can get 6 books and potentially a Kindle for 99 cents this month! 

THE BOOK

Is it possible to truly expose men? 

Thompson explores controversial questions like:

• Can we outrun our DNA?


• Will we women always be slaves to our talkative nature (après sex)?


• Will men never be free of the chains of emotional withholding?


• Can we transfer man's paper towel changing abilities from garage to kitchen?

But more than that, it's about all the levels in which we communicate...viewed through Thompson's looking glass of humor and deconstructed with her special brand of snark.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Mancode-Exposed-ebook/dp/B006G5EMCK/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1325170990&sr=1-1

Reviews:

I absolutely just love the work of Rachel Thompson. Not only is she an amazing person, her writing is witty, humorous, and OMG Brilliant! Where the heck does she come up with this stuff?
~BK Walker, bkwalkerbooks.com

As a long time warrior in the Battle of the Sexes, I would have won a lot more skirmishes had I had a copy of the Mancode in my saddle. Reaching back towards my shotgun, I would have found this book instead. Instead of shooting the man, I could have said, "Stop acting like a man!"
Get smart: Buy the Mancode and stop wasting bullets.
~Beth Wareham, author Power of No

 

Here Are The Bonus Buys :)

 



Link: http://www.amazon.com/Pups-Tea-Cups-Littleness-ebook/dp/B006GROLTM/ref=sr_1_12?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1325169773&sr=1-12

Blurb:

Dr. Carolyn McCray has treated thousands of small dogs over the years and seen some big heroic acts from tiny dogs. And lots and lots of silliness. After years of simply telling her stories to friends and colleagues she was finally convinced to put these tender and playful stories into a collection.

Hence Pups in Tea Cups: Tales of "Littleness" overcoming BIG odds was born.

Reviews:

"Pups in Tea Cups is an amazing, heartfelt collection of stories sure to pull on the heartstrings of any dog lover. Truly an inspiring, touching, and immensely enjoyable read!"
Amber Scott
Author
"Irish Moon"

"Being a veterinarian, Dr. Carolyn McCray has been at the heart of many a true story where "Littleness" in the form of Chihuahuas, Yorkies, Poodles, Pugs, and many more, have changed people's lives, even saving a few. I re-read many tales just to be able to laugh and even cry again. I can't imagine a better book for any dog lover out there!"
Elena Gray
Author
"Widowmaker"

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Dee-View-Perfect-Martini-ebook/dp/B006O163AK/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1325170933&sr=1-1

Blurb:

Dee Dee is just a bitter mother, a chick with a potty mouth, who didn’t expect it to be this hard. She love Martinis (she swears, she didn’t drink before she had kids), parties (socially sanctioned places to gather and drink) and kids who are quiet. She is a full-figured girl, redefining Fat Chic while wearing very high heels or the world’s most expensive orthopedic shoes.

Dee Dee has an opinion on everything, and as you can probably tell already, she's dying to share it in "The Dee View!"

Reviews:

“The Dee View has got it all. The highs, the lows, and the sometime horrors of living, loving, and parenting in the 21st century. My snark hat goes off to her!”
Rachel Thompson
Author
The Mancode: Exposed – Kindle Bestseller

“This book was a riot! Profane at times, and poignant at others. Just like Dee Dee has an opinion about everything, you will have an opinion about this book!”
Amber Scott
Author
Irish Moon, #1 Kindle Historical Romance



Link: http://www.amazon.com/Muse-Food-Recipes-Creativity-ebook/dp/B00641SEH0/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1325171720&sr=1-1

Blurb:

Has a funk has been following you like a shadow ever since that last rejection letter showed up in your inbox?

Does just the thought of writing make your stomach hurt?

Your critique partner insists you should try an outline because it would help you so, so much yet the very idea makes you gag. Ugh.

Never fear! MUSE FOOD is here!
Reviews:

"I am a bit of a plotter, a lot of a panster. I have a general idea of where my plot will go, and the basis for my characters and why/how they will react in certain situations, but I allow my work to develop organically. That is the magic of writing for me."
-Kathryne Kennedy, author, The Fire Lord's Lover

"I am a total tortoise. I’m not a fast writer, I don’t do bursts where I write a book in a month or whatever…I can’t even imagine that!"
-Carolyn Crane, author, Double Cross



Link: http://www.amazon.com/Myth-Mr-Mom-Jeremy-Rodden/dp/0983425310/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1325171874&sr=1-1

Blurb:

The Myth of Mr. Mom is a collaborative non-fiction essay anthology written by stay-at-home dads that shares the personal stories of eight men from around the world.

The goal of the book is to help bring awareness to the fact that men are just as capable as women of being the primary caregiver, homemaker, and stay-at-home parent. We feel that there is a societal bias against stay-at-home dads that does not exist for stay-at-home mothers and seek to bring our stories to the public.

Filled with humorous anecdotes and eye-opening personal experiences, The Myth of Mr. Mom is simultaneously inspiring and entertaining.



Link: http://www.amazon.com/Indie-Experience-Collective-Anthology-ebook/dp/B006DK1PMS/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1325172014&sr=1-1

Blurb:

The trend is hot, being on the fence is difficult. Your wait is over.

How did Kindle bestselling authors like Carolyn McCray and Amber Scott get their indie start?

What trials and challenges have Rachel Thompson and George Sirois faced along the way?

Eleven indie authors share their indie experience with you, to learn from, laugh over and nod your head in agreement.
Reviews:

"There I was with a self-edited manuscript, no cover art, and not a lick of real knowledge about the publishing industry." -Jackie Chanel, Untitled

"Being in this game is fun, but understand, it’s a lot of work. More than any amount of work I envisioned at the beginning. It’s worth it." -Augusto Pinaud, The Writer