Executive Director Kim Klingler talks about working with the Ian Somerhalder Foundation

Kim Klingler talks is the Executive Director with the Ian Somerhalder Foundation.  Over the the last 12 years, she has worked with a variety of for profits and non profits, in a variety of industries, focusing on strategic mission, start up, product, brand and team development. Kim took out some time to chat with Media Mikes to tell us how she got started with ISF and what they have planned upcoming.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you take on the role of Executive Director of the Ian Somerhalder Foundation?
Kim Klingler: I was watching Ian on the Larry King Gulf Oil Spill Telethon, and was struck with Ian’s authenticity.. and wanted to connect with him to see if there were potentials to collaborate with Well World, a project I was working on with Deepak Chopra. Ian and I spoke on the phone and clicked…we felt the same way about the current state of the planet, and had the same vibe about the types of solutions we wished to see… the rest as they say is history.

MG: Tell us about the foundation’s mission and goals?
KK: Our mission statement is: “The Ian Somerhalder Foundation aims to empower, educate and collaborate with people and projects to positively impact the planet and its creatures.” The underlying energy of the foundation enables our mission and vision. There are more than 650 ISF community groups world wide. ISF is more than an organization, it’s a family of people who wish to see great change for all
living beings on this planet. We thrive off of the collaborative nature of everyone from volunteers to corporate bodies. We welcome out of the box thinkers and encourage people to share their innate talents with change makers creating opportunities for the best of many worlds to come together.

MG: How has it been working with Ian to accomplish these goals?
KK: If you can believe it, I’m not asked this question often. Which is truly crazy! I’ve seen Ian inspired, happy, very sad and even angry – I’ve got all the goods! I wish people would ask this question more, because it gives me an opportunity to share a little more about him and why I’m grateful to be working towards change with him.Ian is a very creative being, in too many forms to list. He’s also exceptionally intelligent and quite strategic. If he could he would try to solve every problem, because it’s in his genuine nature to heal. He’s very sensitive to the energy in a room, and can pick up things most people miss. He’s also a naturally grateful person which makes working with him a delight. He’s one of my more favourite human beings on this planet but keeping up with him is not an easy task! Im almost convinced the man has perfected teleporation and mastered sleep deprivation!

MG: How did ISF get involved with Best Friends Animal Society’s Strut Your Mutt?
KK: We are huge fans of Best Friends it was just natural to get involved withthis awesome project. We all work virtually, and I love the way I can work in tandem with people all over the world but there is something to be said about connecting in person. It renews that human connection all social animals crave, so having the opportunity to walk with and power up with people who care in person was to hard to resist!

MG: What can people do to get involved even if that can’t attend?
KK: If you can’t be in Lafayette, LA on September 22nd, you can still Strut Your Mutt by becoming a “virtual” member of the ISF Dog Pack. Every ISF Dog Pack member creates their own personal SYM page, sets there own fundraising goal and raises funds via sponsors like family and friends. For the virtual walkers, we are encouraging them to set aside a day and take their pet on a special walk. Then share their walk with their sponsors and others on the SYM Facebook page through pictures and a story.

MG: What does ISF have planned next after this event?
KK: We have a stack of to do’s a bunch of creative directions and a whole lot of work ahead of us! We are VERY excited about moving forward with the Animal Sancturary and it’s bully program- keep your eyes posted!

 

Related Content

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: director, executive, foundation, ian, kim, klingler, ...

Tracey Gold and Bug Hall and Director Griff Furst talk about Syfy’s “Arachnoquake”

If you are a fan of SyFy, they you must be a fan of their original movies. This summer, the month of June is packed with new great films. “Arachnoquake”, Syfy’s Saturday original movie, premiered on Saturday, June 23 and is one hell of a fun ride. It stars Tracey Gold (“Growing Pains”) and Bug Hall (“The Little Rascals”) and is directed by Griff Furst (“Swamp Shark”, “Lake Placid 3”). Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Tracey, Bug and Griff to discuss the film and their experience working on it.

Mike Gencarelli: First question is for Tracey and Bug. What did you guys like most about taking on a role in a movie like this?
Tracey Gold: I’ll start. Well, I would just have to say working with the cast and crew on the movie. I think it was just one of the better productions I’ve done. It was easy. It was fun. It was well organized. Everybody got along. It was a subject matter that was obviously, liked, I mean it has albino spiders…and it was just a lot of fun and a really great group of people.
Bug Hall: Yes, I think that was definitely perk number one for me as well, you know. The cast, crew and Griff and everyone at Syfy was great. And I liked that we were all on the same page going into it. My very first question to Griff was, how funny is this thing? He was right there with me saying “We’re going to hit every moment for comedy that we have”. This thing is comedy at heart and that was to me the most exciting part was really getting to be funny and getting to just sort of run with jokes and have a lot of fun with it.

MG: Can you talk about the scene that you had the most fun with while shooting?
TG: Yes, I think the scene I had the most fun with was when we got to jump off the big boat and into the water. Then we all had to scramble up onto the ground. There were also some funny moments with it and Ethan Phillips which were hysterical and made us laugh. I like doing stuff like that when they say okay we’re not going to use stunt doubles or something, you guys can do it and I think that’s always like, just kind of so fun. Brings out the kid in us.
BH: Yes. Exactly, I’m a big kid at heart and any moment that I have to fire guns or, you know, tuck and roll, I’m a kid in a candy store and, you know, to me that is – that was the biggest appeal. A lot of the comedy stuff was – felt so good when we were finished though, you know. Like, going through it I’m always nervous because I don’t feel like I’m funny most of the time. But then as soon as it’s done, you know, you feel so good about it. I had a moment with Luck Johnson in a grocery store. I know when we were finished with the scene me and him were just elated, you know, we really felt like we nailed it and we were really happy with it and I felt like it was a big payoff. So, the comedy was a big appeal.

MG: Bug, do you feel that your nickname was factor into being cast int this film?
BH: As far as it factoring into me being cast, yes, I like to think that, it definitely played a part, right. I mean, Bug’s doing a movie about bugs. It certainly can’t hurt.

MG: Griff, you’ve been working, quite a bit with these creature features, like “Lake Placid 3” and “Swamp Shark”. What do you enjoy most about this genre?
Griff Furst: Well, I’ve always been a fan of creature and horror and sci-fi. What I’m enjoying most about is that these movies don’t take themselves too seriously. So, as long as you have actors who are down to experiment and to play with the humor in it and to kind of almost be aware of the situations that they’re in but still playing it for keeps and playing it seriously. That’s always really fun because you still get to do what you love to do but it’s all about having a good time and making sure that the audience in turn has a good time watching it as well. There’s not millions and trillions of dollars at stake and but that’s part of the fun with it.

MG: Tracey and Bug, as your co-stars in the film are huge giant bugs, what would you say is your biggest challenge working on this film?
TG: Sure, for me I had never done anything like this. So I remember when I read the script I was like, okay this is like funny, right? So it was an adjustment for me, we’re really like reacting to something that’s not there. But then that’s true acting. You get to use your imagination and that’s what made it so fun. So we had an idea of what the spiders looked like and probably in all of our heads it was slightly different. So, it’ll be interesting to actually see the way it really is. But it was a challenge and it was fun.
BH: Yes, I think the challenge of not having them there was probably more difficult than I expected going into it and it was just a lot of talking, you know. There was a lot of talking from scene to scene about what we were seeing and where it was and how big it was and what it was doing. You know, just to really kind of have that placeholder locked down and make sure we were all on the same page.
TG: To make sure we’re looking at the same thing.
BH: Right, A lot of Xs on apple boxed. But again, that was part of the appeal. It was a lot of fun just kind of letting the imagination run and really having fun with it. I can’t stress the having fun with it aspect of it enough. I mean, that was goal number one and we accomplished that.

MG: You guys have any room for any improv during the production?
BH: The cast and Griff there was, you know, it was always, you know, always open to whatever, you know, we wanted to throw out, especially with comedy, you know, you kind of have to just go with what, you know, what you’re feeling and what feels funny at the moment. And a lot of times what’s funny on the page, you know, doesn’t quite read and so you tweak it and you, you know, you bend it a little bit and you make, you know, you make the funny happen. So there was a lot of great moments where we just kind of ran and just played off each other.
GF: And also the character types that were listed in screenplays were actually quite different than a lot of the folks we ended up casting on purpose because it’s just interesting to go opposite. So we found out that, you know, there was some differences between Bug’s character and Lucky Johnson’s character so then that allowed more of this improve and kind of experimenting with their personalities and it’s not in the script, which didn’t originally call for that kind of personality. So, definitely a lot of improv.

MG: It sounded like you have a lot of fun with this obviously. Were there any times when you just kind of couldn’t keep a straightface because it’s something so silly?
TG: Many…
BH: Absolutely. Yes, especially those late nights when you’re starting to get delirious and it just really occurs to you what you’re doing. We definitely had quite a few moments of the giggle fits that had to be subsided.
GF: There’s a great blooper reel…
TG: I think that’s always fun.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: arachnoquake, bug, director, furst, gold, griff, ...

Director Tony Kaye talks about New Film “Detachment”

Multi-award nominated video director Tony Kaye, who has worked with such artists as Soul Asylum, Roger Waters and the late Johnny Cash, made a big splash with his first feature film, “American History X.” The film, about a white supremist gang member trying to keep his younger brother from following in his footsteps, featured Edward Norton in an Oscar nominated performance. The studio, New Line Cinema, asked Kaye to re-cut his original version, which he did. Unsatisfied, a third edit was done without Kaye’s approval. Outraged he asked the studio to remove his name from the credits and replace it with Alan Smithee, a common pseudonym for directors whose film was taken away from them and re-cut against their wishes. The name has appeared on such films as “Hellraiser: Bloodline” (directed by Kevin Yagher), “Catchfire” (directed by Dennis Hopper) and the television film “Riviera,” which was directed by the great John Frankemheimer. When the studio refused he asked that his credit be listed as “Humpty Dumpty.”

Despite the controversy, Kaye is still a talented and much sought after director. He has earned six Grammy award nominations for his video work, winning the award in 2006 for his video of Johnny Cash’s “God’s Gonna Cut You Down.” His second feature, an abortion documentary entitled “Lake of Fire,” was praised by critics and named to the short list (Best 15) of documentaries by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. His third and most recent film, “Detachment,” recently screened at the Tribeca Film Festival, again to high praise. During a long day promoting the film Mr. Kaye took the time to sit down with Media Mikes to talk about art, working with his daughter and the meaning of life!

Mike Smith: How has your day been?
Tony Kaye: Quite hectic, thank you. But I enjoy these different experiences in speaking about my work.

MS: “Detachment” is a very deep and dark film. How did you become attached to the project?
TK: I’ve always had an interest in being a teacher…maybe art school or film school or something. I’m very interested in social issues. So when my agent sent me the script and I saw what it was about I was immediately intrigued. It was really the wonderful writing of Carl Lund…it was so good that I wished I had written it. I felt it would give me a wonderful opportunity to get some great actors and some great performances.

MS: The film features some of Adrien Brody’s best work. How did you attract him to the film?
TK: Adrien’s father has been a public high school teacher for 30 years. And he reads a lot of the scripts that are sent to Adrien. And he said, “son, you have to do this one!” (laughs) It was really an incredible opportunity for me. I’ve got a teacher that wrote the movie and then I get the son of a teacher as the star of the movie. Plus I had the opportunity to cast an Oscar winning movie star. Adrien is such a cool guy and he brought that dynamic to the set. All of the other actors were saying, “well, Adrien seems to be listening to Tony so I might as well do the same!”

MS: Speaking of the other actors, you have a great supporting cast, including James Caan, Blythe Danner and Marcia Gay Harden. Were you involved in the casting? Were you able to pick and choose the actors you thought best for the roles?
TK: When you have a script that’s as good as the one Carl wrote it’s very easy…it’s certainly not difficult…for great actors to want to give their time.

MS: The animation sequences in the film are quite original. How did you come about the decision to include it?
TK: The idea of the animation came to me during editing. I wanted the school to be a character. I wanted the school to talk. And the way I thought it could talk would be if the blackboard became animated. And there was no texting in the movie…there was no “smart” board. There was a blackboard. There are no computers…in fact the teachers don’t have lap tops, they write in composition books.

MS: The film also features the screen debut of Ms. Betty Kaye, your daughter. What was the experience like, directing her?
TK: It was an incredible gift and opportunity for a father that’s a director to actually work with his oldest daughter on her first film. It was an incredibly challenging role for her and she’s so brave. It makes me cry…I weep…and I’ve seen the movie fifty times! And I still cry when I see what she’s exposed herself to. Really unbelievable. She’s a great artist and she’s finishing her education now at University. I should add that I had every intention of not giving her the role if she wasn’t the best. I saw a couple hundred girls for that role and she really was the best. I gave her the script two or three years before we made the film so she really knew the movie. She really knew that character from every single angle.

MS: You have a book coming out titled “Epicomedy.” Tell us a little bit about that project.
TK: I was originally an art student…I had to study filmmaking when I was in college. My initial calling was to pain. I’ve been painting all my life. I did a couple of conceptual shows in the late 1980s. I’m doing a book…a couple books…which will include all of my scribbling and paintings and things.

MS: IMDB lists your next project as “Attachment.” Any similarities in that film and this one or just in the titles?
TK: Well, nothing is an accident, you know? I believe that everything is predestined…worked out…in your life. But yet your choices are what your choices are. And it’s up to us how we deal with them….re-actively or proactively. Hopefully not re-actively, as I’ve learned in my own life. There is a similarity in the underlying theme. I didn’t write “Attachment.” I actually thought it was a joke when it was sent to me. The underlying theme of both movies is love. And that love beats death. So there is an underlying theme, but it’s buried eight million miles deep!

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: detachment, director, film, kaye, talks, tony, ...

“Tommy” director Ken Russell dead at 84

Ken Russell, the British filmmaker who successfully brought the Who’s rock opera “Tommy” to the big screen, died yesterday (November 27) in his sleep. At the time of his death he was beginning pre-production on a new film, a musical version of “Alice in Wonderland.”

Seen as both flamboyant and controversial, Russell dreamed as a child of being a ballet dancer. But after a stint in the Royal Air Force and the Merchant Navy, and unsuccessful attempts at dancing and photography, he got a job working in television. After many successful years creating documentaries for the BBC he directed his first feature film, a 1963 comedy called “French Dressing.” The film was a rousing failure and it wasn’t until 1967 that he was allowed a second feature. “Billion Dollar Brain,” featuring Michael Caine, was well received and led to the film that would be considered his breakthrough.

In 1969 Russell released “Women In Love,” an adaptation of the D.H. Lawrence novel. The film starred Glenda Jackson, Oliver Reed and Alan Bates. The film gained notoriety for a nude wrestling scene and was among the first films to show male genitalia on screen. The film was nominated for eleven BAFTA awards as well as four Academy Awards, including a nomination for Russell. This would be his only Oscar nomination for direction. Glenda Jackson won the Best Actress Academy Award for her performance in the film.

As the 1970s began, Russell found himself edited by the studios he worked for. His 1971 release “The Devils” was so upsetting that Warner Brothers refused to release it without some cuts. The film featured Oliver Reed (a Russell regular) as a priest who defies a corrupt church and state. Most of the brouhaha over the film came from the scenes featuring sexuality among nuns. Despite, or in spite of, the outrage the film led the British box office for eight straight weeks. In 1975 he released his vision of the Who’s “Tommy.” Featuring Ann Margaret, Jack Nicholson, Roger Daltrey and Elton John, the film earned Margaret an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. He teamed up with Daltrey for his next project, “Lisztomania,” He ended the 70’s with the biopic “Valentino.”

In 1980 Russell collaborated with writer Paddy Chayefsky for the film adaptation of Chayefsky’s novel, “Altered States.” Starring William Hurt, the film is better known for the many on-set arguments between director and writer. Blaming his many quarrels with Chayefsky for “blacklisting” him in Hollywood, Russell made one more film in America, the very kinky “Crimes of Passion” with Kathleen Turner and Anthony Perkins. Returning to England he directed such period films as “Gothic,” with Gabrielle Byrne and “The Lair of the White Worm.”

In 1990 Russell took a job in front of the camera, appearing in a pivotal role opposite Sean Connery, Michelle Pfeiffer and Roy Scheider in “The Russia House.” His last significant film as a director was the 1991 film “Whore,” which starred Theresa Russell (no relation). Slapped with an NC 17 rating, the film could not be advertised on television nor could posters be displayed. The studio re-titled the film, “If You Can’t Say It, Just See It.” Russell was vocally upset at the film’s rating, noting that the same year’s “Pretty Woman” was given an “R” rating, noting that his film dealt with the hardships of prostitution while the Julia Roberts film just glamorized the profession.

An accomplished author, Russell wrote six novels along with several books on filmmaking. In 1989 he released his autobiography.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Headlines Tagged With: 84, dead, director, ken, russell, tommy, ...

Interview with David R. Ellis

David R. Ellis is the director of the upcoming 3D thriller “Shark Night 3D”. He is no stranger to action as he directed the films “Snakes on a Plane” and “The Final Destination”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with David about working on “Shark Night 3D” and what we can expect from him next.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you originally become attached to “Shark Night 3D”?
David R. Ellis: I had done “The Final Destination”  in 3D which ended up doing really good. Those attached to the “Shark Night” project wanted to make this film in 3D as well. I had been attached to the project for some time prior to the film being made. I was the only person out there that had done a full live action 3D movie. They brought me in to meet with the producers and I pitched to them what my vision for the film was. They immediately attached me to the film and from there they started to pitch the film for funding with my name attached to it.

MG: What can we expect from the film?
DRE: There is a lot of comedy and fun in this film. It’s not a horror but it is a scary. The film is rated PG-13 however we really pushed the envelope with what we could get away with. The film plays like an R rated movie but we just don’t cuss or have boobs in it. We don’t really need that to make a scary movie. I don’t think boobs are that scary. Maybe some are. (Laughs) During our test screenings we made people jump and scared them but they also had a lot of fun with the movie. We spent time developing the characters and we have a great young cast. I like finding young actors and giving them a shot such as Chris Evans who I had in “Cellular”. I think everyone in this film are going to be big stars in their own right and I was very lucky to get them before they broke out.

MG: There has been rumors, can you tell us if Ving Rhames will be in this film reprising his role from “Piranha 3D”?
DRE: Ving Rhames is not in the movie. There have been a lot of rumors that he was going to be in the film but those are all not true.

MG: We have spoke to the whole cast and they have been telling us that you are one of the best directors to work with and you have this unique approach to directing; can you tell us about that approach?
DRE: Well I pay them to say that [laughs].  No seriously, when I cast actors I cast people who have the ability to adopt the part and who can get into the role. I like to then give them free reign in designing that character from what they want to wear and what props they may want to use. Making a movie is not brain surgery so my sets are a lot of fun to work on. I come very prepared and we have fun while getting our work done. At the end of a movie it’s sad because we made a new family and you have to leave that. Keeping everything light is key. Appreciating everyone working on the film for what they contribute and not yelling and or screaming is important as well because at times we were shooting in miserable conditions but by keeping it fun everyone stepped up to the plate and did a great job.

MG: How much of the film features animatronic sharks and how much was CGI?
DRE:  It’s probably 40% animatronics and 60% CGI. We used the animatronic sharks when they had to interact with people. When a scene was really difficult we used the CGI sharks.  The CGI has really come a long way and looked great, especially since I was directed the second unit on “Deep Blue Sea”.  The technology from then to now is amazing. The sharks look great!

MG: How do you “Shark Night 3D” differs from your other 3D film “The Final Destination”?
DRE: This one was more difficult because we were shooting on the water. When you are using 3D cameras you have one camera for the left eye and one for the right. They are very bulky and underwater they are very big so it’s technically tough for the crews. I think 3D films need to be shot in 3D nd not converted in post production, as I feel you don’t get the depth. I call that ‘2 and a half D’. What they have now that we didn’t have for “The Final Destination” are 3D monitors. You get to watch everything in 3D as its being shot. Before you had to shoot then put it into a computer and watch it in a trailer later on.

MG: Can you tell us the story behind the issues with the film’s title?
DRE: The working title of the film was “Shark Night 3D”. We were always hoping that we would come up with something that was catchier. On a weekly basis we had production meetings where I would try and get the crew to suggest different titles. Ultimately when the film was bought after we were done there was some research to change the title but in the end the film is what it is and the title was fitting.

MG: Do you prefer shooting in 3D or do you find it more difficult?
DRE: I love 3D and its depth. I think a lot of films use the really gimmicky type 3D that throws stuff into the audience. We didn’t do that. We used the 3D to put the audience inside the world of the shark and to have the sharks in the audience. The gimmicks work for some movies as 3D is an interactive experience. I think 3D is a great application and it’s going to be around for a long time. It may not be for every film but for the right film if it’s used correctly it’s an awesome experience.

MG: You just cast Milla Jovovich in “Bad Luck”. Is this going to be your next project?
DRE: I don’t think that is going to be my next project. We had Milla on board at one point and she really loved the part however her schedule and my schedule didn’t line up so she doing some other things right now. I really like her and want to work with her in the future. I have several projects that I am attached to that are in various stages so I am waiting and taking a break for things to develop more. I have taken on a Universal film titled “R.I.P.D” which stands for Rest in Peace Department. I am going to direct all the action on that film and we are in Boston prepping for that film that starts shooting Sept. 9. I like going back and working on second unit because you don’t have all the headaches or pressure but you get to shoot all the fun stuff.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Interviews Tagged With: 3d, david, director, ellis, interview, night, ...

Interview with Robert Pattinson


Robert Pattinson is most known for his role as Edward Cullen in the “The Twilight Saga”. He recently sat down during a press junket to answer some questions about his role in the upcoming “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”.

Q: Now on the third “Twilight” movie, you’ve worked with three different directors, what have been the pluses or minuses for that change each time?
A: I thought Catherine (Hardwicke) and Chris (Weitz) were both great and I would have been happy if they have directed all of them afterward. Experiencing the change every time is great for me because it feels like you are doing a different movie every time. It would be very easy to think like you are literally doing a series and it is the same characters going through different events every time. Having a new director around does help you grow. The characters are growing and changing and its not just going through a new set of events. It feels like every movie is very different.

Q: Do you take opportunity to to look back at the earlier films and do this certain things different with your character?
A: Kind of, I definitely was thinking in “Eclipse”, what is the consistency from the previous two. But also you think how to improve your performance. The look of the character. The way they move. You normally do not have opportunities to do that. It is always the same cast, so you can bring your experience from the last film in the new film. It is not an entirely new set of circumstances.

Q: With the love triangle in “Eclipse” being so front and center, how was it working with Taylor during those scenes? Was it difficult?
A: For one thing, it was great to do scenes with other people. I have always got a long with Taylor (Lautner) very well. It is a lot easier when you like someone to do all this macho stuff because you could feel really silly. Taylor is a much better built guy than I am and if he was a complete idiot then it could very easily become an uncomfortable situation. If he was like “I am so buff, what do you have”, it would have been incredible annoying to do to work every day.

Q: The tent scene has everyone talking. Was that a tough scene to do?
A: It is a very strange scene, with Bella sleeping there. I like what has happened with the relationship that Edward has with Jacob now. In the first two, it is just this kind of ignorant hate which boring to play after a while, since all it is is just jealousy. If you do not know someone you can’t really hate them. Knowing someone and openly admitting “I am trying to steal your girlfriend”, and saying “What are you going to do about it? Try and stop me”. There is nothing he can do to stop him. He doesn’t want to be friends. He has to completely rely on Bella to make up her mind on it. It is kind of interesting to see things play out.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Interviews Tagged With: detachment, director, film, kaye, talks, tony, ...

Interview with Tate Ellington

Tate Ellington co-starred in this spring’s drama “Remember Me” opposite Robert Pattinson (“Twilight Saga”) and Emilie de Ravin (“Lost”). Movie Mikes had the chance to talk to Tate about his role in “Remember Me”, what it was like working with his cast and what’s in store for the future.

Click here to purchase Tate’s movies

Mike Gencarelli: What did you first think when you were going to audition for “Remember Me”?
Tate Ellington: I wasn’t aware of what the project was at first. I didn’t know it was a studio picture. I went in and didn’t feel I was right for it at first. I said “There is no way, they are going to cast me in this”. A few days later, they told me I did well but they were going to go to LA to look more and they would let me know. I said to myself that they are never going to call again. So a month goes by and they called and said the director wants to meet you. When I met Allen (Coulter), I thought i did awful. I left the room and thought this is definitely done now. I get another call a few days later and they wanted me to meet Rob (Pattinson). I never thought originally it was going to lead to me getting the job but it ended up being great.

Mike Gencarelli: What drew you to the role of Aidan Hall?
Tate Ellington: I only had a chance to read half of the script before I had gone in. I liked the guy but normally I am really shy. So I had to make myself chat a lot and not be shy. I knew Aidan was suppose to be there for some laughs and keep things a little more lighthearted when needed. But also whenever he was needed to be serious and really show his sincerity and that he can be there. That is what drew to the character. I think he actually has a huge part. He cares a lot for Tyler (Pattinson), he will do anything for him. Also Tyler family is also like Aidan’s adopted family and he loves them without contingent too. Even Emilie de Ravin’s character Ally, was the same way. Once Aidan realizes Tyler was in love with her, then my character was like well she is my best friend too then. That is what I really like about him. He is like a puppy dog and is very loyal to whomever he loves.

Mike Gencarelli: How was it like working with Robert Pattinson and Emilie de Ravin?
Tate Ellington: Yeah it was a blast. When I first officially found out I would be meeting Rob for screen tests, I was a little nervous. I hoped that he would be nice. Rob from the get-go was just as nice as can be. He is a very humble nice and sweet guy. He made me laugh and automatically I was knew this guy was going to be great. Same way with Emilie, during rehearsals before we started shooting it was me, her and Rob in a room and we all hit it off. We were all throwing out jokes. Emilie was hilarious. If I able to laugh with somebody they we are set. Every time getting to hang out with them on set was a blast. I looked forward to going to work everyday.

MG: The burning question, are you a “Twilight Saga” fan?
TE: When I found out a had a job, I hadn’t reach the books or seen the movies yet. I didn’t want to have any preconceived notations. I didn’t want to hate it and then lie to Rob and be like “Yeah you were great in that”. I was dating a girl way before this and she was a fan of the books. One afternoon I was given a synopsis of every single thing about all four books. I knew everything about it to some degree but I made sure not to watch the movies. Actually after we finished filming, I rented it and actually really enjoyed it. I thought it was really good. I wasn’t quite sure how I would feel, but I really liked it.

MG: I am sure your set was swamped everyday with “Twilight” fans, did you find that difficult to focus?
TE: Initially getting there the first day of shooting, I was like “Whoa man, this is insane!”. But I got used to it really quick. I was more worried about getting fired after the first day. We did the first take and after that it was all fine. We would see some of the same fans who were waiting and it actually was nice. We always felt like we had people around, like going to Grandma’s. I remember one shot we did, the crowd moved around the corner and we couldn’t see them till we came around. Once we came around, it was like a mass of people screaming. It was dead silence till we crossed the corner and then it was just insanity.

MG: Tell me about your film “The Elephant King”?
TE: That was my first paying movie gig. It was still one of the best times in my life. We got to shoot in Thailand for for six or seven weeks. The director, Seth Grossman and I are actually still as close as can be. We also get together if I am in LA or he is in NY. Thailand was absolutely amazing. Plus I also got to work with one of my favorite actresses Ellen Burstyn. I found out she was in it and I was like “Ok, let’s do this”. I am very critical of what I do but I think I did ok on that role. I am really happy and proud of that one.

MG: Ok so whats’s next? Can you tell us about “Silver Tongues”?
TE: Right now, they are just finishing up that movie. I am maybe in the first ten minutes at most. A couple good scenes in there though. It is just great. I got to work with Lee Tergesen, who is just one of the nicest guys ever. I just finished up another thing, right now it is called “New York”. I have no idea if that will be changed or not. Then I had like two scenes in a movie called “Breaking Upwards”, which I think is currently showing at the IFC Center in NYC and it should be on DVD soon. I am barely in it for 10 seconds but it is one of those movies I would recommend to anybody. The guys did it on a shoestring budget and it turned out amazing. I have to go to LA next week, but I can’t say for what but it is a nice TV show and we will see if that works out.

Click here to purchase Tate’s movies

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Interviews Tagged With: detachment, director, film, kaye, talks, tony, ...
« sdf
Previous
Page 2 of 2