interview Archives - Page 10 of 35

Interview with Sammy Boyarsky

Sammy Boyarsky appears in the new film “Rampart” staring Woody Harrelson. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Sammy about her role in the film as well as her voice over work.

Adam Lawton: What made you want to start acting at such a young age?
Sammy Boyarsky: Around the time I was 9 I was being bullied at school so I wanted to find something that would help boost my self confidence. I went to a few acting classes originally just for fun but I ended up realizing acting was something that I wanted to do professionally. I felt I really belong in acting.

AL: What did you initially think of the classes?
SB: I thought it was kind of crazy at first. I couldn’t believe people could put on a face that wasn’t their own. After awhile I realized just how much fun it was and how creative you could be.

AL: Can you tell us how you got involved with the film “Rampart”?
SB: My manager called me with this roll and I went into the first audition after breaking down the script with my coach. From there I was immediately sent to a director’s call back where I met Oren Moverman. A few weeks later I heard I had gotten the part. After I got off the phone I started screaming and fell on the floor crying.

AL: Can you tell us about your role in the film?
SB: I play Margaret Brown. Her father is a rogue cop in the rampart police division in 1999. Margaret is the youngest daughter and the only one who still has faith in her father. Over the course of the film Margaret starts to learn that her father is not really the man she thinks he is.

AL: What was it like working such a great cast?
SB: Everyone was really great to me. We had a lot of fun especially during the family scenes. We were allowed to improv and just talk during those takes. I learned a lot from working with everyone in this film.

AL: Do you have any great behind the scenes stories from the shoot?
SB: There was one scene that didn’t make it into the movie that we were able to do in one take. Afterwards Woody came up to me with flowers and complimented me on being able to do what I just did. That is something I will never forget. When I first met Woody I knew he and I were going to be great friends.

AL: Can you tell us about your voice work on “Diablo III”?
SB: My dad actually works for the company as he is game designer and helps with the voice work. I really like doing an English accent and I had heard they were in need of a kid with such an accent. I love voice acting as it’s the same thing as acting however you can go in you pajamas if you want to. (Laughs)

AL: What other plans do you have for 2012?
SB: Well I am turning 14 and I plan to have fun during my last year in middle school. I also will be auditioning throughout the year.

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Adult Swim’s “Delocated” Interview Series

Adult Swim’s “Delocated” is created by and starring Jon Glaser. The show is currently entering its third season and this season promises to be the sexiest season of “Delocated” yet. It is set to premiere Thursday Feb. 2nd at Midnight! Media Mikes had a chance to interview a few cast members from the show. Feel free to check out the interviews below and look forward to more as the season progresses. Don’t forget to tune in to this season Thursday nights!!

Eugene Mirman

Jon Glaser

Todd Barry

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Filed Under: Featured, TV Interviews Tagged With: adult, delocated, interview, series, swims

Interview with Jon Glaser

Jon Glaser is the star and creator of Adult Swim’s “Delocated”. The show’s third season is set to premiere on February 2, 2012. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Jon about his new season and what we can expect from the DVD of Season 1 & 2.

Mike Gencarelli: What can we expect from season 3 of the show?
Jon Glaser: Season 3 is going to feature a lot of new characters that Jon is dealing with. Janeane Garofalo has joined the cast and is playing the head of the network. Jon also has a new bodyguard and a life coach. There is also a new Chinese gang that Jon will be dealing with. With the addition of these characters there will be quite a few new story lines and plot points.

MG: How do you feel your character has evolved since season 1?
JG: I don’t know if the character has really evolved because he is still an asshole. (Laughs) Its fun doing the show and playing a character like this. You get to say some pretty interesting things.

MG: How do you think season 3 differs from past seasons?
JG: The biggest change/trick especially with the writing is keeping the show going. The first season was mostly about a mob family trying to kill Jon. With season 2 we knew that we couldn’t use the same premise so we came up with the idea of the mob killing everyone around Jon. With season 3 we couldn’t just keep killing people and we couldn’t have them kill Jon so there is some plot points inserted that allows us to continue the premise of the show.

MG: What was the biggest challenge switching from 11 min. episodes to 22 min. episodes?
JG: The most obvious thing is that we have to write a longer script and broaden the stories. It’s a challenge but it is also a lot of fun. We all were very excited when the show got extended. The longer stories seem to work better with the scripts as they are allowed to breathe more and feel less rushed.

MG: What can we expect from the DVD release of season 1 and 2?
JG: There are some deleted scenes and out takes included on the DVD’s as well as some flip books which features photos from season 1. Those are really fun to watch. We also were able to put the demo I used to sell the show on the DVD as well. There is a lot of cool stuff contained in that demo that I think the fans will really like.

MG: Is there a reason you have only directed one episode of the show?
JG: With the pilot episode I felt I knew exactly what I wanted to do to pitch the show. I thought the pilot episode was an easy enough shoot where I didn’t need to hire a director. We only shot for 3 days on the pilot. The later episodes were quite a bit more involved and I was already producing. I just didn’t want to end up exhausted. I also would much rather have someone behind the camera that is making sure we are getting the most out of each performance with mine included. I don’t think it would be as good if I was trying to act and direct.

MG: Can you tell us about your book, “My Dead Dad Was in ZZ Top”?
JG: I was extremely excited to be able to do a book. It was fun but it was a bit of a weird process. I didn’t have a lot of time to work on it so I was fitting it in between other projects. I worked on the book over the course of 2010 and actually may have started some of it in 2009. There was quite a bit of work that went into it as there were a variety of arcs and ideas that needed to be included. Over all it was a really great project and I got to hang out with a friend of mine who did all of the illustrations so that was really great.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: glaser, interview, jon

Interview with Eugene Mirman

Eugene Mirman is know best for his role of Yvgeny Mirminsky on Adult Swim’s “Delocated’. The show returns for season three on February 2nd. Eugene also voices Gene Belcher on Fox’s “Bob’s Burgers”, which returns for season two in March. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Eugene about working on the show and what he has planned for 2012.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about season three of “Delocated”?
Eugene Mirman: Season three has been a lot of fun. We recently finished filming and the episodes are set to start airing February 2^nd. I have a girlfriend this season and the episodes are all very funny. There also is going to be a cross over with “Downton Abbey” that fans of both shows will want to watch for.

MG: How do you think your character has changed over the course of the 3 seasons?
EM: This season I am starting my own company, so the episodes aren’t going to be as much about stand-up per say. My character is a little more 3 dimensional. I am still however the wacky hit man of comedy.

MG: Is the reality television portion of the show still going to be used?
EM: Yes that will still be a part of the show. Janeane Garofalo will be playing the head executive this season. I didn’t really have any scenes with her but she is a nice person in general.

MG: How do you feel this season differs from the others?
EM: I don’t know if they are really different from one another. The really big thing is the cross over with “Downton Abbey”. We had some great guests on and I think I might possibly have more stuff in this season. We will have to wait and see.

MG: You are currently touring with your comedy act, tell us about that?
EM: I am doing a tour with Andrew Bird which starts in March. I am also doing the South by Southwest Festival and some shows in Seattle towards the end of March. I am going to be a part of the “Cabinet of Wonders” show which can be heard on NPR. The show will feature musicians, authors and comedians.

MG: What do you like about doing stand up compared to working on television?
EM: I like to do all of it. It helps break things up and I love splitting my time between the different projects.

MG: You voice Gene Belcher on “Bob’s Burgers, which returns for season two in March, tell us about that?
EM: We have recorded around 14 or 15 episodes since summer. There are going to be a lot of awesome guests and a lot more things will be happening outside of the restaurant. I feel we are starting to find our groove with everyone involved with the project.

MG: You’ve been working with Adult Swim since “Home Movies”, tell us about how you originally got working with them?
EM: I just texted them and told them to let me in. (Laughs) Brendan Small used to be my roommate when “Home Movies” was on UPN. Through that I did an episode and later did “Lucy: Daughter of the Devil”. The people who make these shows are the ones responsible for putting me in their future shows. It has been a great journey.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: eugene, interview, mirman

Interview with Todd Barry

Todd Barry is a co-star on Adult Swim’s “Delocated”. The show returns for season three on February 2nd. Todd also has worked with Louis C.K. and Darren Aronofsky. He is also co-starring in David Wain’s new film “Wanderlust” this Spring. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Todd about working on the show and what he has planned for 2012.

Mike Gencarelli: What can we expect from season three of “Delocated”?
Todd Barry: I think there is going to be a lot more prostitution and violence in it. Peace, Love, Prostitution and Violence. That’s always good.

MG: Any further issues developing between Todd and Sergei?
TB: There is always something going on between those two. However I don’t want to give too much away. We just finished shooting everything last month. Shooting was scattered over a few months. They would just call me when they needed me.

MG: Tell us about Todd Barry playing Todd Barry on the show?
TB: I am playing myself to a certain extent however it’s a little bit heightened. It’s always great to be on a show that you are not embarrassed about. The show is both smart and funny. It’s good to be part of something like this and it’s nice to have a job where you like everyone.

MG: You’ve worked a lot with Adult Swim, tell us about you originally got working with them?
TB: I don’t remember exactly how it started but, with animation it seems as though once you do a voice then you get called in to do some other things. I think my work on “Dr. Katz” may have started our lasting relationship.

MG: Tell us how you got started working with Darren Aronofsky?
TB: I have known him for a while through other people. I guess he saw me somewhere and thought I would be good for the wise ass/mean guy at the store in “The Wrestler”. We also worked on a fun short called “The Original Black Swan” for Funny or Die. That was ALOT of work but it turned out good and was worth it.

MG: Tell us about working with Louis C.K. on his show “Louis”?
TB: I have known Louis for a long time. I think that show is going to start up sometime in February. I tend to get quite a bit of acting through people who know me. This is a fun show to work on and I look forward to it.

MG: Tell us about working with the “The State”/”Wet Hot American Summer” crew in “Wanderlust”?
TB: That was another one where I have known David for some time. He is a really relaxed guy. Most people I work with are very similar as they want to have you stay loose and have a good time. It is a fun film. Everyone involved was just so great to work with.

MG: Due to your stand-up background, do you find yourself improving a lot when you are shooting?
TB: If they let me. Sometimes the script is very rigid but I think the better things I have done are less rigid. The ones I enjoy are when you just get an idea of what the director wants and you get to go from there.

MG: You also have a role in the upcoming film “Vamps”, tell us about that?
TB: That film is sort of a vampire version of “Clueless”, in its most simplistic description. Alicia Silverstone is in it along with Malcolm MacDowell and a whole bunch of other people. I play Sigourney Weaver’s right hand vampire. It was a fun picture to work on.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: barry, interview, todd

Interview with Jill Andresevic

Jill Andresevic is the director and producer of the film “Love Etc.” The film will premier on Oprah Winfrey’s Own Network February 2^nd at 8pm EST. The film will also replay as part of the networks Super Soul Sunday line up on February 12^th at 11am EST.. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Jill recently about the film and the idea behind it.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about the documentary, “Love Etc.”?
Jill Andresevic: The film is five stories based in one city and told over 365 days. The film is a real life love story told from people age 18-89. The film examines love in all different stages. The stages of love I think cross time and weather you lived in the 18^th century or are living now the themes of love are the same. Love is very universal and part of our being so I found it very interesting to explore. I had no idea where we were going to end up on this journey. It has been an interesting ride.

AL: What was the initial thought behind the film?
JA: The concept was Jonathan Tisch’s who also funded the film. He was at City Hall waiting to get a marriage license and noticed that all the people waiting in this one small room were there for the transaction of love. That room was really a snapshot of the world. Jonathan was inspired to do something about love in New York from that experience.

AL: How did you go about selecting the couples in the film?
JA: It was a very intensive process that always started with research. We wanted to get an interesting cross section of people that reflected different lifestyles and socio-economical conditions. We examined people across all 5 boroughs of New York City. We were able to get representation from just about every section of the city. We did a really massive casting outreach that was based on categories such as types of people and ages. We thought it would be really interesting to find young love from a couple still in high school all the way to a couple celebrating their 50^th wedding anniversary. There is an interesting story arc related to love in high school that the film will show. We did quite a bit of casting through networks of people as I didn’t really have any success using things like Craigslist or other postings. We were able to pretty much hand pick the people wanted.

AL: What do you feel was the hardest part about putting the project together?
JA: I had to take 600 hrs. of footage and edit it down to 90 minutes. I thought I was going to injure someone during that process. (Laughs) The prep days and all the shooting were nothing compared to the process of taking all that footage down to just 90 minutes. I found it quite fascinating though because people have accused us of scripting the film. If I could script this type of stuff I would be a genius. The reality of it is we just shot a lot and got lucky when we cut it down.

AL: Do you have any other projects we can be watching for?
JA: I have some different television projects that I am working on currently. I also am working on my next film which will be a scripted feature.

Interview with John P. Locke

John P. Locke is the 1st self-published author to sell a million eBooks on Amazon Kindle. He is among one of the fourteen authors have sold more than a million eBooks on Kindle. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with John about his success and his plans to release his Donovan Creed series into print media.

Mike Gencarelli: First off how does it feel to be one of the fourteen authors have sold more than a million eBooks on Kindle?
John P. Locke: Well the first answer of course is that it feels great. You thought it would…and it does [laughs]. It feels great. Then the next step is what is important for me, I hit that goal and now I am focusing on the next which is to be successful in print media.

MG: When you became the 1st self-published author to sell a million eBooks on Amazon Kindle; have you since been contacted by publishers?
JPL: Oh absolutely. I had an opportunity to have a bidding with some publishers, who were interested in bidding on the next four book in the series. I worked differently and I didn’t want to go with a traditional publisher. For them the first step is to maximize profits and I would most likely have to tone my character down or tame him to make him more widely accepted. If I was under pressure to do that, I am afraid that I would lose the audience that I worked hard to build up so far.

MG: You placing above authors like Stephenie Meyer and George R.R. Martin, tell us what that feel like?
JPL: It is lofty company…it really is, of course. Without having any publishers or dollars behind me, it startled a lot of those people. The funny thing is that until I hit number 1 with my book “Saving Rachel” and “Wish List” at number 2 at the same time, I didn’t really get any attention. The day “Saving Rachel” hit number 1, I got 24 offers over two days from very well-respected literary agents. I just chose the first one Jane Dystel from Dystel & Goderich in New York, since they were the first to ask.

MG: Almost selling two million eBooks in 2011, what can we expect for 2012?
JPL: We are getting ready to launch a big collaboration with Simon & Schuster. I am using them as a distribution arm to get the books into mainstream retailers. They are going to be in Barnes & Noble, Wal-Mart, grocery stores and pretty much anywhere books are sold in retail markets. The first print run authorized by Simon & Schuster is 750,000 in mass market paperback. As far as I know this is the first time anything like this has ever been done. I am working with a major publisher and the content belongs to me and the distribution belongs to them. I am hoping that the public is going to discover my Donovan Creed character and embrace the series the way they have in the e-books.

MG: What suggestions do you have for inspiring authors out there to achieve the same success?
JPL: I would say to have confidence. In self-publishing, if you believe in yourself and willing to put up your own money, you can compete against the big publishers and even the playing field where you can make deals with these people. I think that this is the start of that. Also I do not do any editing until I am completely finished. Then I go back and edit that way you are fixing something that you had instead of fixing something along the way. So it takes confidence and patience.

Interview with Doug Lussenhop

Doug Lussenhop is the co-writer and editor of the new film “Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie”. He has worked with Tim Heidecker & Eric Wareheim on various projects starting from “Tom Goes to the Mayor”. Doug also goes by the name DJ Douggpound. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Doug about the movie and also what he has planned for 2012.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get started working with Tim Heidecker & Eric Wareheim?
Doug Lussenhop: I got an internship with them when they were making “Tom Goes to the Mayor”. I had been wanting to break into the television/comedy business and happened to see an add on Craigslist for a comedy show wanting an intern. This was the only ad that I had ever answered and they called me back. So, I have been working with them since 2004. I started out as an intern but they were understaffed, so I started helping out with Photoshop and Final Cut. After a while I started getting into the animation stuff as well.

MG: Tell us about your involvement with “Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie”?
DL: I was one of the editors on the project and I also had a writing session with them. A bunch of us got in a room and talked about what we thought was going to work and what wasn’t. I added some funny bits to it.

MG: How does the film differ from the TV series “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!”
DL: It’s a lot different because with TV there wasn’t as much polishing. It is a lot smaller and things are faster. With the movie we had to make the story work. The television show is more of a sketch show where you don’t have to worry as much about putting all the pieces together.

MG: Tell us about your experience at Sundance this year?
DL: That was really fun. Just to see the film in a real theater was awesome. The crowd laughed at all the right moments and I think they got it. I think some of the people were there just because and they didn’t really have a clue what was going on.

MG: You are also known as DJ Douggpound, tell us about that side of you?
DL: While I was in college, I was in a few bands but nothing was very successful. I always knew I had some sort of idea of what would work. I had also messed around with stand-up but I wasn’t too good at that either. So at the first Tim and Eric live show, I mixed them together with telling jokes and adding in samples. Things seemed to work out ok with that.

MG: Any plans for releasing a CD of your music?
DL: I do have a CD and we have made a bunch of them. I don’t really know how to work my website but I need to figure out how to make that work. It’s one of the things on my list do.

MG: What else do you have planned for 2012?
DL: Right now I am working on season 2 of “Check It Out! With Dr. Steve Brule”. I am also working on another show for Adult Swim called “The Eric and Andre Show” and that should be out later this year. I have a podcast up as well that I do with Neal Brennan and Moshe Kasher called “The Champs”. You can find it on iTunes, it is really fun.

Interview with Will Keenan

Will Keenan is the star of the new horror/comedy “Chop”, in which he delivered a great performance. He is also starring in a new film called “The Ghastly Love of Johnny X”. He started his film career with Troma film’s like “Tromeo and Juliet” and “Terror Firmer”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Will on his various recent and upcoming projects.

Mike Gencarelli: I thought you channeled your inner Bruce Campell in “Chop”, how did you prepare for the role?
Will Keenan: The Bruce Campbell will stop after “Johnny X”. First it was Richard Grieco, after that it was Tim Curry, then Robert Downey, and now Bruce Campbell? Why can’t I just be me, ppl? What/Who’s next? Kidding aside, I’ve only recently starting watching a lot of movies and I haven’t seen most of the films that people often cite when discussing my performances. Some day a star may be told he channeled his inner Will Keenan. When that happens, I suspect they’ll mean the way he “made odd look cool” (a quote from a fan).

MG: How was it reuniting with Trent Haaga on this project?
WK: Trent and I have a love/hate relationship. I love him and he hates me. But I gave him his first job in movies and since I’m a genius performer he weighed the pros and cons carefully for his directorial debut. (It was his wife Lynh who actually proposed I play the lead in Chop. And they’re still happily married, so, go figs.) Trent hasn’t gone so far as to block me on twitter (Will’s twitter: http://twitter.com/nuclearmango) but we just may be the new, funnier version of the relationship that director Werner Herzog had with star Klaus Kinksi.

MG: What was the most challenging aspect of working on “Chop”?
WK: The schmacting. Making it crazy-funny but with real feeling. The hardest part was memorizing (and Will Keenan-ifying) my lines of dialogue the night before the shoot days. I had just finished shooting another film, Politics of Love, on which I was a producer as well as performer (under the pseudonym Trillionaire) when we started shooting Chop so there wasn’t any rehearsal time before the shoot. Directly after Chop I starred in The Ghastly Love of Johnny X. I wasn’t able to work on the Johnny X role at all, but for that particular character it was probably a good thing.

MG: Why did you take the credit of Billy Bakshi on “Chop”
WK: It’s been reported that I announced on Facebook my official retirement from acting (Will’s fb: http://www.facebook.com/WilliamSeesKeenan) but alleged I continued performing in films under pseudonyms, and I won’t deny that. I think Trent believes I was credited as Billy Bakshi in his directorial debut Chop because I thought it may turn out bad and wouldn’t want my name on it. I have other reasons which I won’t go into because although I star in films and am considered famous, I highly value my eccentric privacy. When I look back, though, it might give me pleasure to see my filmography with a few movies under fake names. I’m that prolific.

MG: We recently interviewed Mallika Sherawat, you produced “Hisss” and co-starred in “Poiltics of Love”, tell us how that came about?
WK: After the economy crashed in the U.S., I decided that to finance films I had to believe that “International” was the new “Independent” and working with stars in foreign based film industries was the new “foreign presales”. I worked with Mallika and other Indian (Bollywood and Tollywood) stars, producers, directors and composers for the past handful of years and have had incredible experiences. Because the finance was from India I was able to hire a lot of Americans which I called “reverse-outsourcing”. It made me feel very patriotic.

MG: You started off with Troma on “Tromeo and Juliet” and “Terror Firmer”, any memorable experience from those films?
WK: Whereas on most films the craziest drama happens behind the scenes/off-camera, it actually works the opposite with Troma. Those guys have put the most insane things in their movies under the guise of comedy. Starring as Tromeo I was able to perform Shakespeare on film (I studied at NYU, after all;) and for Terror Firmer I was the star and a producer who gave cinema its first hermaphrodite serial killer.

MG: Tell us about your upcoming film “The Ghastly Love of Johnny X”?
WK: Johnny X is a very fun film (PG) and I predict now I’ll be named as the star of the very last wide-screen feature film musical shot on black and white film stock. I also starred in the first fully digital feature film (Love God ’97). So, my career bookends modern American film history.

Tell us about the upcoming musical “Glease”?
WK: “Glease” is an online musical series I produced for Maker Studios for a new network I developed with them called PoliPop which launches March 2nd. Glease is the first time online stars Obama Girl and Alphacat (Obama on YouTube) appear together. And I get hit by a car at the end of it (my 23rd time getting hit by a car on camera. Will’s stunts: http://www.youtube.com/hoverground). Everyone is saying Glease is going to make viral video history but I’m just very happy with the way it turned out. It’s really gorgeous and a whole lot of fun.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: interview, keenan

Interview with Pollyanna McIntosh

Pollyanna McIntosh is the star of Lucky McKee’s new film “The Woman” based on a Jack Ketchum novel. This is her second time working on a novel turned film from Jack Ketchum after 2009’s “Offspring”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Pollyanna about her role and what we can expect from 2012.

Mike Gencarelli: What was it like revisiting your role of the woman in “The Woman”?
Pollyanna McIntosh: There was some trepidation because I wanted to make sure that I was going to be able to do justice to the script. It is such a supercalifragilistic version of the woman. It’s her in the most extreme circumstances that they could come up with. I started reading the script and it scared the shit out of me. Having spoken to Lucky (McKee) about the tricky parts, we realized we were both very much on the same page. It’s such a meaty role but what was most important to me was ensuring the right message was put across. I am very serious about that. I could really tell that we were going to work very well together as we both had the same ideas about what is important. After that I got really excited.

MG: What do you think was the most difficult part of working on this role?
PM: It was such a joy. I think the challenge was leaving everybody at the end of the movie. The rest of it was an absolute thrill. Meeting Angela (Bettis) and Sean (Bridgers) was like jelly beans in a jar. We were always joking around which was an extra plus. It was definitely harder leaving than the filming itself.

MG: How do you prepare for a role like this?
PM: I had to squash my mode of operating in our “modern” society basically. I went to the woods for a while and stayed on my own. I think that was the first time in my life I have ever been completely alone. That’s quite mental to think about. I didn’t go bananas as I really enjoyed it. I also did research on big cats, wolves and apes. I watched some documentaries about feral children as well as “First Blood”. (Laughs) I was absolutely appalled when I had to get that from the video store. But it was fantastic! I worked out a lot as well. It was a lot of fun working out specifically to create the kind of body I felt she would have. That was, once I got over the embarrassment of being in a Hollywood gym and having people in makeup and pink spandex watching you crawl around on the floor, leapfrog and hang off the bars like an ape!

MG: Did you have any trouble winding down from some of the intense scenes?
PM: I buggered off on a 10 day road trip after the shoot. I did 10 states in 10 days. I just packed up my kit bag and got back into civilization pretty fast. I had a lot of alone time while driving which allowed me to decompress too. I would recommend doing that to any actress after an intense shoot. It is sort of a weird thing to be dumped back into everyday life.

MG: What do you find most intriguing about working with Jack Ketchum?
PM: It’s really interesting to see how Lucky and Jack collaborated on this. It really is a true team as they managed to write the screenplay and the book together from different States. To get inside a feral woman’s brain the way Ketchum did in “Offspring” is incredible. Lucky and Jack both have a great love for the underdog and I think that is something that is clear in the writing but it’s not sentimentalized. I would have never read a Ketchum book if it hadn’t been put in front of me by Andrew van den Houten. I’m very grateful.

MG: What do you have planned for 2012?
PM: I just finished a film written and directed by Brian McGuire that I am very proud of called “Prevertere”. Brian is a nut job as he will write something in 10 days then shoot it in another10 days and have it edited in 8 days. He is mental and I love him. I am about to shoot a film called “Filth” which is an Irvine Welsh adaptation starring James McAvoy. We start shooting that in about a week in Scotland. I will be around my countrymen. I ‘m really looking forward to that. I’ll eat a creme egg (British chocolate) and visit the site of the Battle of Banockburn.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: interview, mcintosh, pollyanna

Interview about “Real Steel” with Legacy Effects’ John Rosengrant

John Rosengrant is co-owner of Legacy Effects (formerly known as Stan Winston Studios). He had worked with Stan Winston since 1983. He recently created the animatronics robots in the film “Real Steel”. In 2012, Legacy Effects has a bunch of major films in the works including, “The Hunger Games”, “The Amazing Spider-Man”, “Total Recall” and “The Avengers”. Media Mikes had a chance to ask John some questions about his work on the film “Real Steel”.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you end up working into the movies and in your particular field?
John Rosengrant: Ever since I was five years old, I wanted to make monsters. I was an art major in college but I really wanted to do this type of special effects. I moved out to California to pursue that dream and Stan Winston hired me on the first Terminator and gave me that opportunity. I worked for Stan for 25 years until his untimely passing. With my three other partners that ran Stan’s shop, we formed Legacy Effects in his honor and to carry on his legacy.

MG: What are the challenges of mixing CGI and animatronics?
JR: I think the challenges are you want to make it seamless. Shawn Levy, the Producers, and the team over at Digital Domain lead by Erik Nash, we all went into this with a team mentality that we are going to help each other and really make it believable, even in shots where it wasn’t going to be practical and was going to be CG. The practical robot gave it great lighting and size reference. In the shots that it was practical, it also helped the performance all around by giving the actors something to react to.

MG: How long does it take to make and prepare animatronics as the ones you see in this movie?
JR: The process took five months. Six weeks of it was designing and sculpting the robots digitally and breaking down all the pieces to be rapid prototypes. Each hero robot consisted of about 300 parts. The remaining time was the actual building of the robots.

MG: Was there any technology you had to force into existence to make the movements work?
JR: As far as new technology, we used what is called our stealth control system. We developed a special hydraulic pump that was very portable and light weight and, coupled with an intuitive control system, enabled us to set the robots up for shooting in about ten minutes.

MG: How different is to work with animatronics than to work with actors?
JR: The challenge with animatronics is to get a believable performance from something that is a machine. And our background, besides being artists and engineers, is that we’re puppeteers and performers too. So we sort of channel that energy to bring the characters to life.

MG: Which was the most complex sequence you had to face while making the movie?
JR: As with many special effects movies there are many. But one that jumps to mind is when they first power-up Atom when he is pulled from the junk yard. We had to cover the hero robot in mud, and make him sit up. There wasn’t as much prep time as one would like to have had but I think the scene turned out terrific. And I’m very proud of it.

MG: Can you explain your job as an Animatronic Supervisor?
JR: It’s building of the animatronic robots by sculpting, molding, engineering, selecting paint finishes, developing control systems and managing the overall performance of them on set.

MG: What are the robots made of?
JR: The panels and shells are made of fiberglass and custom blend of urethane. The mechanical structure inside is a combination of steel and aluminum and there are several of the robots that are machined aluminum parts. The Heroes are a combination of hydraulically powered and rod puppeted.

MG: Which robot was your favorite?
JR: They are all your babies. You put just as much time and energy into all of them. But I think Atom in this case displayed a lot of heart and soul for a robot. So I guess I lean towards Atom.

MG: What was the most challenging character to make?
JR: It was Atom. There are a lot more parts to him than others and more complicated scenes to do with him.

MG: How many people are involved in Atom`s creation?
JR: There was a couple from my team that were really imperative to brining Atom to life. Jason Matthews was the key artist in charge of Atom. Ian Joyner was the key digital sculptor that translated Tom Meyer’s production design artwork into 3D. Of course, there was a team here at Legacy of engineers, mechanics and model makers led by Dave Merritt. Mold makers, artists and painters were also involved in the total execution of Atom.

MG: Who got to keep the robots after the movie?
JR: We keep the robots at Legacy Effects.

MG: In your opinion, what did Stan Winston bring to the business and the art of cinema? What is the essence of his… legacy?
JR: The essence of Stan’s legacy is that he taught me what our job is to create characters. It’s not so much special effects but more so to create a memorable character. Stan was a makeup artist and a fine artist but he originally came to Hollywood to get into acting so I think he really stressed the performance aspect. Whether it was the queen alien or the Terminator, or the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, they always had an attitude and always seemed to be alive.

MG: In what way did your work change since “The Terminator”?
JR: On this movie, we built real robots and on the first Terminator we were pretending to build real robots. Also, the state of the art technology that has allowed us to sculpt robots and their parts digitally and rapid prototype them into the real world has allowed us to do things that were never possible back then

MG: For a person who dreams of wanting to get into your line of work, what advice would you give them?
JR: You have to be artistically rounded. Nowadays that includes knowing digital art programs as well as practical, and art techniques. If you’re coming at this more so from a mechanical side, you need machining skills, welding, and a sense of robots and computer control systems.

MG: What do you think is the future of animation and animatronics?
JR: It has a place because we figured out on “Real Steel” that it provides a fantastic reference for the CG robots and gave the actors something to really play off of and react to. Good acting comes from reacting. By having something real there, the actors can connect to something.

MG: On the Blu-ray, in the feature “Building the Bots,” director Shawn Levy talks about how Steven Spielberg emphasized that the use of practical effects was important to the film’s success. Do you feel as if filmmakers with that sort of insight into practical effects are a dying breed? Also, has Legacy Effects been approached to go back to robots for Spielberg’s upcoming “Robopocalypse”?
JR: Animatronic effects still have a very important place in this type of filmmaking. Some of the young filmmakers don’t have any experience with practical side of visual effects, but once they see what it can bring to their film, I think they embrace it. Spielberg’s “Roboapocalypse”, would be an amazing project to be part of.

MG: What’s a specific example of something you do that’s actually much harder than most people realize?
JR: In this movie we created 27, 8 foot tall robots. Some hero, stunt and background. But there were literally thousands of parts that had to all fit together and look like real metal and had to perform like a real robot. Noisyboy for example, had nearly 2,000 LED lights alone that were programmed with random sayings in Japanese which appeared on his forearm. That’s an example of one small complicated thing that may go unnoticed when you watch the film.

MG: John, any final thoughts on “Real Steel” before we close?
JR: It was a real pleasure to work on this film as it felt like a harmonious team effort from the start. Everybody understood their role, and everyone that is part of the film was treated with great importance. Shawn Levy, the Director, had a great energy that he brought to the film. The producers were very effects savvy. I’ve had a great history working with Producer Josh McLaglen who has worked on epic effects films from Titanic to Avatar and effects producer, Ron Ames was integral in bringing us together and organizing all of the visual effects on the film. My colleagues that I’ve been nominated with were outstanding in their contributions. My team here at Legacy worked tirelessly in creating the robots. I’d like to give a special nod to my right-hand man Jason Matthews who became Atom. Last but not least, thanks to my great mentor, Stan Winston, who gave me a great opportunity in this business.

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Filed Under: Film Headlines, Interviews Tagged With: effects, interview, john, legacy, real, rosengrant, ...

Interview with Alexia Anastasio

Alexia Anastasio is co-starring in the new independent film “Supernaturalz”. She is also currently working on a documentary on Bill Plympton called “Adventures in Plymptoons!” Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Alexia about her new film as well as her upcoming projects.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your role of Red Herring in “Supernaturalz”?
Alexia Anastasio: My role is one of the main gang girls in the campy horror film that is “Supernaturalz”. Red is kind of the little sister of the bunch and pretty naive yet she is a fighter which is probably to her benefit but I don’t want to give away why. You’ll have to see the film to figure that out.

MG: How did you start meet and start working with director Kevin Sean Michaels?
AA: I met Kevin Sean Michaels at a sci-fi convention called I-CON. We first collaborated on his first feature documentary project, “Vampira: The Movie” about horror host, Maila Nurmi.

MG: Tell us about the “Supernaturalz” production; what were the biggest challenges?
AA: Probably getting through a couple of scenes where a lot of blood was used. I am pretty squeamish and have a pretty vivid imagination. It kinda goes wild sometimes and by sometimes I mean all the time. When we were filming one scene I almost threw up because I was so grossed out and another scene I almost fainted… the blood was just
so real.

MG: What made you want to get into the film business and what is your inspiration?
AA: I knew I wanted to be an actor when I was 11 when my Mom enrolled me in acting classes because I was shy. When I was 16 I realized I wanted to do film. Having fun is my priority in the life. Being on set always had a very family feeling of teamwork to me. So I embraced the industry and now am in the thick of it.

MG: We interviewed Bill Plympton last year, tell us about your documentary “Adventures in Plymptoons!”
AA: “Adventures in Plymptoons!” is my first feature documentary on Oscar nominated animator, Bill Plympton. I spent 2 and half years working on the project which I put all my time, energy and resources into making. It really was a labour of love. It is now playing at about a zillion film festivals including some coming up at Spokane Intl. Film Festival, Boulder Intl. Film Festival, Big Sky Documentary Film Festival and Savannah Intl. Animation Film Festival. I am very proud of the film and I hope that it inspires as many people as possible to make their art no matter what.

MG: Tell us about the other film you are producing “Beyond the Noise: My Transcendental Meditation Journey”?
AA: I was very lucky to mentor young filmmaker, Dana Farley and co-produce a feature film, “Beyond the Noise” which just played its World Premiere at the Marbella Intl. Film Festival in Spain. It is about Dana’s journey learning meditation and how it helped her with David Lynch by her side to ask questions to. I have found that Transcendental Meditation has really helped me through the stresses of making and marketing a film and day to day life. I don’t think I could have finished 5 projects in 3 years without it.

MG: Tell us about your other upcoming project “Ginger Girls”?
AA: My next project which I am currently working on entitled, “Ginger Girls” is about growing up as a girl with red hair. I am interviewing girls around the world to sum up a conclusion about their trails and tribulations of love, youth and successes and showcase how cool, talented they really are. I have been filming lots of video updates
which you can check out on Kickstarter.com and search Ginger Girls. Our campaign starts on my birthday, January 31st, 2012 and will go on for 60 days.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: alexia, anastasio, interview

Interview with Debbie D

Debbie D is know as “The Ultimate Fantasy Queen”. She recently co-star in the independent film called “Supernaturalz”. Debbie D also has her own line of videos produced through New Faces Productions, which also produces her custom video work. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Debbie about the film and what she has planned for 2012.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your role in “Supernaturalz”?
Debbie D: When I read the script to “Supernaturalz” I loved it!! We shot in and around an old mansion in Long Island and it seemed like it was made for this movie. One of my favorite movies to film so far!

MG: What drew you on to this project?
DD: I was drawn to the project because of the story and the people involved. Good talented people make good movies. I was right since it ended up being a lot of fun to make.

MG: Tell us about working with director Kevin Sean Michaels again, after “Vampira: The Movie”?
DD: Working with Sean Michael’s is always such a good place to be. He is very laid back which allows you to bring what you in vision to the character. His calm ways and bright smile makes everything seem like it’s carefree and the magic of movie making simply flows. The writer Ben Paris was also on the set. Very encouraging when that much creative energy is right there as this is all coming together.

MG: You are known for your work in the horror genre, what do you enjoy most working on these films?
DD: I have to say I got really lucky in this business of horror movie making. I was plucked out from a magazine I was a model in and have not stopped working yet. I would have to say I love the travel. The excitement to become each character I do. To transform. It’s one of the coolest jobs there is!!

MG: What would you say has been your most challenging role to date?
DD: I don’t think I have done the most challenging role yet. I was asked to sign a contract in Japan and they said they would help me with the language. So I’m guessing this may be the most challenging role is yet to come.

MG: Tell us about you have planned upcoming?
DD: The calendar books up all year. I am most fortunate to love what I do and to be doing it!! My web site: www.DebbieD.com, I try to keep people posted there. I also do custom work for those who wish to see their short story’s come to life.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: debbie, interview

Interview with Bob Pantella

Bob Pantella is the drummer for Cycle of Pain, Monster Magnet, Riot God and Atomic Bitchwax. His band Riot God is set to release their second album at the end of January titled “Invisible Empire”. Media Mikes had a chance to catch up with Bob recently to discuss the new album and how he manages to juggle playing in four different bands.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about Riot God’s upcoming album titled “Invisible Empire”?
Bob Pantella: The album actually came out in Europe at the end of November and will be available here in the states starting January 31^st. This is the bands second record and I am really excited for it to be released. The album is a little bit heavier than the first album and I think it came out really good. We are very happy with it. At this point I am actually really looking forward to doing another one. (Laughs)

AL: How do you think it compares to the first album?
BP: The heavier approach was definitely on purpose. During the recording of the first record we were sort of scatter brained and didn’t know how it was going to come out. We have been around for a few years now and have worked on our sound. Things this time came together relatively easy.

AL: Did you try to incorporate any new beats or styles into you’re playing on the album?
BP: We all have our own styles which is something you don’t realize until you listen back to things. We decide is something cool or if it sucks and then put the pieces together. There is thought behind what we do but it is more related to editing ourselves. We spent a lot more time on this album and we were a lot more focused.

AL: Are there any tracks that stand out as favorites?
BP: Picking a track for me is pretty difficult as I am so close to the work. I wish I could hear the songs with fresh ears but that’s impossible. Each time I listen to the album I like something else. At this point I like the song “Tomorrows Today”. At first I liked “Firebrand” but then I kind of got sick of that one. I have listened to all of these songs around 500 times.

AL: Do you have any projects in the works with your other bands?
BP: Cycle of Pain has a few songs in the works. Between JD and me playing all the time we are away a lot so that album is going to take a little bit of time. Monster Magnet has plans to do a new record in the spring.

AL: Do you find it hard splitting your time between 4 bands?
BP: If I didn’t like it I would quit. Playing takes up about 95% of my time. I haven’t been out of the studio in 4 days as we are recording some Riot God material for a special tour release. Monster Magnet is recording a track for an upcoming tribute album and Atomic Bitchwax is recording and writing for an upcoming spring release.

AL: Do you have any other plans for 2012?
BP: Things are pretty well booked up but there are still things being filled in. I am going to be in Germany with Riot God playing the Wacken Festival and then I will be in Europe again with Monster Magnet sometime in June. Things are just nonstop.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: bob, interview, pantella

TNT’s “Southland” Interview Series

Head back to the streets of Los Angeles for the new, explosive season of Southland, the critically acclaimed drama series from Warner Bros. Television and Emmy-winning producer John Wells (ER, The West Wing). Chronicling the lives of LAPD officers and detectives like no other series on television, this powerful, intensely emotional drama stars Michael Cudlitz, Shawn Hatosy, Regina King and Ben McKenzie, along with special guest star Lucy Liu.

Since premiering in 2009, Southland has redefined the police drama with its raw, authentic look at the lives and work of Los Angeles detectives and beat cops. The show centers on four main characters: Officer John Cooper (Cudlitz), a seasoned cop who will have to prove himself again after recovering from surgery; Officer Ben Sherman (McKenzie), who still has much to learn after recently completing his training rotation; Detective Lydia Adams (King), whose unending caseload hits closer to home; and Sammy Bryant (Hatosy), a former detective who decided to go back to being a uniform cop after the traumatic death of his partner.

Media Mikes has had a chance to chat with various members of this great show including Michael Cudlitz, Shawn Hatosy, Regina King and Ben McKenzie, Dorian Missick and Lucy Liu. Feel free to leave comments below and make sure to check out season 4 of “Southland” on January 17th.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: interview, series, southland, tnts

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