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Interview with D.J. Qualls

D.J. Qualls is known best for his roles in the films like “Road Trip” and “The New Guy”. D.J. is currently starring opposite Jason Lee in TNT’s hit show “Memphis Beat”. Movie Mikes had a chance to attend a conference call to chat about the show with D.J. and how his character, Davey Sutton, is stepping up in season two.

Mike Smith: In the recent episode “Flesh and Blood”, you find an abandoned baby in your car, how does that shape Sutton for the future of this show? Will the baby experience stick with him?
D.J. Qualls: It definitely does. I mean it changes who he is as a man. Sutton has some realizations about himself and about what he wants for his future based on this experience with the baby. Actually, it kind of changed me a little bit as well. It changed how I feel about myself. I started making me think maybe it’s the time to start thinking about moving in a different direction in my life and settling down. So maybe that’s something that I’m going to start looking at soon.

MS: How has it been working with Jason Lee?
DJQ: Well, I think it helps a lot, the fact that this is the third job I’ve had with Jason. I think it was my second or third movie with Jason, and then I was on “Earl” for a few episodes, and then, now, this show. So I’ve known him a long time. He was a friend before I did the show, which I think it makes chemistry easier. What I like about working with him most is that he keeps the mood on the set light. We work very long hours. We shoot in a lot of our show on location outside in New Orleans in the summer time and that’s brutal. You’re pretty gnarly and he still always has a smile on his face. He’s number 1 on the call sheet. He’s you know our hero, essentially, on the show. So working with him and when he’s in a good mood, we can’t help but be infected by that.

Q: What challenges you about playing as a police officer on “Memphis Beat”?
A: Well, this year the show has totally changed. We shifted more to a more serious, procedural kind of show. We’re still trying to fix the quirks that we had last season but this year we are focusing more on the crime, a little less on the quirk of being in the south. Also last year my character was sort of, finding his footing, you know as a brand new cop. So this year, I’m actually getting to do more cop work. I find that more interesting because I don’t often get to play a lot of serious roles. Especially with the episode “Flesh and Blood”, which is, every year, I get one episode that’s a Sutton episode on my character. So in episode four you see I find a baby. It’s probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do, but it was beautiful. I have seen it and I’m so excited for the audience to see it.

Q: Why do you think people keep tuning in to watch Memphis Beat?
A: Well, I think that we have become more of a standard procedural this year, but also we have maintained that character focus kind of show. We really try to create a show where people just want to tune in an hour with these people. I think that there is a lot of heart in our show. I read the message boards. Some people don’t but if you don’t read your message boards, I think you’re stupid because you want to know what’s working and what’s not working about your show. People just seem to respond to the heart of it.

Q: Can you talk about filming the shooting range scenes with Whitehead and are we going to see more Sutton helping them out in the future?
A: Those were really fun to shoot. Those shooting range scenes were awesome. Yes, this year, you see Sutton and Whitehead – because last year, Sutton and White Head really didn’t have a lot of interaction. Whitehead just sort of didn’t like how green he was. This year, Sutton really starts to prove himself and Whitehead responds to it. The actual shooting of the scenes were great. We had several days of prep. I don’t know why they were so nervous about me shooting a gun. I’m from the South and I got a gun when I was 12 years old. But we got to shoot in an actual police shooting range where all of the New Orleans Police Department trained. It took about, maybe 6 hours and I shot probably 150 rounds during the filming of that. I’ve got to say, personally, I don’t really like guns. But it made me think, maybe I could own a gun. But then I walk away from it going, “You do not need a gun in your house.”

Q: I wanted to ask about the music on this show. It’s such a big part of creating the feeling. I’m wondering if you could just talk a little bit about how that fits in and your feelings about the music?
A: Yes, it definitely is a component. The music is a big component to this show because Memphis, if you’ve ever been there, the city is all music, all the time. You have these people who have been performing for 30 years on Beal Street in these barbecue joints and blues clubs. They are doing it for the pure love of it. They aren’t doing it thinking cause they are going to get famous for doing it. That is a big difference from what you see in cities like L.A., where you come here and if you’re good at something, you want to be famous for it. These people just do it for the love of it. I think that’s been a Memphis tradition you know from the birth. We actually don’t do the show in Memphis – we shoot it in New Orleans – I think that that music is a really important component to the show to make it have a more authentic feel.

Q: I was wondering if your character would see any romance on the show any time soon.
A: I do have a little bit of a romantic interest this season. We have a crime later in the season where somebody is doing identity theft and the person from the bank who’s brought on to help us solve the crime and I have a little bit of a romantic situation. It is sort of left open, but it was really sweet to play. The actress, Jennifer Masala, who plays the lady from the bank, was wonderful and sweet and cute. It was really fun.

Q: So you have been involved in a lot of different projects. What would you say you’ve learned and taken away from Sutton and “Memphis Beat”, in particular?
A: Well, when I first got the script sent to me, I was like, “There’s no way I can pull this off. There’s no way I can play a cop.” So much so that – and I’ve spoken about this before – but so much so that I didn’t even – I turned down the initial audition for this show. I just walked away from it. I had a crisis of confidence and said, “No.” But luckily, the producers pursued me. So I went in and I did my initial reading and they offered the show to me because they believed that I could do it. So what I’m taking away from this is keeping myself open and that I’m only limited by my own imagination. And we all are. So that’s what I’ll take away from this show. I have great relationships from this show as well. I get to work with Alfre Woodard, who I have known for 10 years. Jason, who like I said have known for about the same amount of time. It is the best show I have ever had. It’s a feeling of a family like I have never known professionally. When you do a movie, you know there is an end. The show is open-ended and going for a very long time. So you let your guard down in a different way than you do in a film. People really do become very close to you; I mean, your crew, also. I think that I’m going to take away from this experience just how wonderful it was to have that feeling of belonging.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews Tagged With: dj, interview, qualls, with

Interview with Mateo Messina

Mateo Messina is the composer behind the film “Juno” and the TV series “Fairly Legal”. His score can also recently be heard in the film “Life Happens”. Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Mateo on his scores and what he has planned upcoming.

Mike Gencarelli: What is the first process you take as composer when coming on a project?
Mateo Messina: I like to before we even look at the picture to discuss the story and the emotional content and what they want to get across. It is really just trying to find out what they want to say with their movie, without even talking about the context of the picture. Basically its what they want people to come in feeling and what they want them to be leaving feeling. From there we would move into a spotting session. I always tell them my job is just to help you tell your story. We then discuss style, instrumentation and whether we are using an orchestra…things like that. I am big on discussing the emotion of each scene. Once I understand that story, the characters that is kind of our starting point.

MG: Do you have a genre that you like to work most in?
MM: I have done drama, I have done comedy but the three things I look forward to is it smart, is it funny and does it have a heart. That is like my three points of criteria for doing a film. If a film has that, I am in. I sadly just had to turn down a horror film due to another film which I couldn’t turn down. But I know when people are going to walk out of that theaters, they are going to feel really good.

MG: You composed for two TV series this year “Fairly Legal” & Perfect Couples”, tell us about working on those?
MM: “Fairly Legal” was simply a blast. It has really smart writers. Setting the tone for that show was really fun because here is this character who they want to show as the rebel of the group. But you don’t just want to play rebellious music, that is too on the nose. The character is very smart and sexy. So the approach for her was how do I innovatively get across something that is sexy, fun and sometimes raunchy. What does that sound like? So setting the tone for that so, I swear, took just as long as writing every episode. It was really fun too, there is another character named Leo and he is super nerdy. He was a “Dungeons and Dragons” kind of guy, so I took an old Casio 8-bit and sampled the crap out of that. I also always made sure to include some really 8-bit sounds especially in the rhythm structure. With “Perfect Couples”, that was another really fun show, just America did not like it as much [laughs]. The show was a little more buttoned up. They wanted it to feel more loose. One of the things I did was went out and got a drum set. I put it in my studio in this room that has like 25-30 foot high ceiling and wood floors. It is like you are just sitting in the room listening to someone play. It felt like a garage band that had experience but were still in the garage playing. I gave it a real human feel and that is what I like doing most with my scores.

MG: How do you find that working on TV differs from movies, if at all?
MM: The timelines are sure different [laughs]. Honestly I think there used to be this big difference between TV and film. There is a different feel in the act structure with films you work in three and TV you work in five. They are definitely differences in the arc for the shows and stuff like that. In film, you don’t really have that much time to flush something out. There might be a character in television that you write a theme for them, you may be only able to catch that motif for like 10-15 seconds an episode. It doesn’t matter though because you have 13 episodes to flush it out. Then you will start relating the motif to the character when you watch each episode. Like Lauren from “Fairly Legal” is a good example of that. She was this drop dead sexy but also domineering boss, her stuff is more hip hop. It didn’t really fit the rest of the score per se but it worked. So whenever we get into her the music gets swanky, in a good way though [laughs]. I just doing love both mediums.

MG: You have also done a lot of short films, is it more challenging to create a score for a short film?
MM: Yes and no, it is more challenging that people do not have as much experience. If someone is doing their third feature, they already know the drill. Sometimes when people are just doing their first film, they want their score to be more on the nose and hit all these different points that don’t really need to be hit. I have done some shorts that were so awe inspiring. I just did one earlier this year called “Starsucker”, it won some festival awards. The director, Nathan Skulnik, did an incredible job telling a story. It is compelling and captures you and you just want more. We even recorded with an orchestra for it. People think that that doesn’t happen with shorts but it definitely can. From a creative stand point, I love doing shorts.

MG: What was your inspiration for the score to “Juno”?
MM: There was a few things, one I was just blown away by the script. My oldest brother and his wife were adopting their second child, I knew that side of it from the Lorings characters. It was such a fun process. I remember meeting with Ellen Page and we asked her what does Juno listen to and she said “Oh, The Moldy Peaches”. Then I found myself on a plane going to meet Kimya Dawson while she was out on tour. We went into the studio and we were recording stuff. Actually a really funny story about Kimya, when she was younger she didn’t want her mom to know what she was doing playing guitar and writing songs. So she would take a bed sheet hold it over her head and play the guitar and she had a cheap Radio Shack microphone. She would sing very quietly into this microphone and that became her style. So when we were recording her she ended up being so quite, I had to set up, no joke, the death-star array of mics in front of her. It was a little intimating, so we turned off all the lights and it was pitch black and just started recording. Then I did a ton of recording back in my studio and we were just playing guitar and we never let it go to the click. We were working really hard to make it sound really simple. I had a real emotional investment with the story. I loved the idea of doing something that wasn’t a typical Hollywood score.

MG: You are actually working with Diablo Cody again, in her latest film “Young Adults”, tell us about that?
MM: Basically I got a call to do some very interesting tracks that I probably can’t share much about. I basically did additional music on there, probably about a half a dozen samples for it that fit really well in the story. All I can say is I have been given the gift of taking really great rock hits of the 90’s and turning them on their eyes and it will hurt a little when you hear it [laughs]. That is all I can say.

MG: Tell us about composing the upcoming film “Butter”
MM: What I can say so far is that it is a great story. It has been so much fun. It has an incredible cast. We went with a full orchestral for it and also have been exploring some Motown sound. This is being recorded some in New York, some in Detroit. It is a really good project and it is really strong. Musically it has been a challenge but also very fun as well. It is really about capturing nuance in this one. Such a great team and I am happy to be on board.

MG: Any other projects you currently working on?
MM: We just released a film called “Life Happens”. We just premiered it at the LA Film Festival and I sat through two screenings with audiences. I love listening to people laugh, I think it is so fun. I watched it 85 times and still forget where you are suppose to laugh at. It is a really good film. I did another called “Frankie Goes Boom” with Charlie Hunnam and Ron Perlman, that is a really good raunchy comedy. I just signed another project as well that I cannot talk about yet and I start working on that in about a month. So yeah keeping really busy.

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Interview with Teck Holmes

Teck Holmes got his start on MTV’s hit reality series “Real World: Hawaii”. Teck has also appeared alongside Hollywood heavy weights Ryan Reynolds and Forrest Whitaker, to name just a few. Teck is currently hosting the popular television show “Hole in the Wall”. Movie Mikes had a chance to speak with Teck about his current projects and about his role in the upcoming film “Douglas U”.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about working on “Hole in the Wall” and how you got the job as host?
Teck Holmes: “Hole on the Wall” is a fun fast paced family show where contestants have to contort their bodies to fit into different shapes in order to fit through a moving wall. If they aren’t able to fit through the different shaped openings the contestants get knocked into a pool. How I got the job was I went on an interview just like any other job. I auditioned and the casting people liked me and offered me the job.

AL: Can you tell us about the addition of Aaron Gingrich?
TH: Aaron is the life guard on the show and he’s a great guy. If you look at us as Laurel and Hardy, Aaron is my Hardy. Aaron is a really great and funny guy and I am excited to have him be a part of the show this season. Aaron brings a really great energy to the show and we have good chemistry together.

AL: As a host what’s the most challenging aspect of the show?
TH: Smiling! I always have to make sure that I am smiling enough. To me this job is second nature and I don’t even really see it as hosting. I am very comfortable with the crew and the cameras. I just always have to remember to smile more.

AL: Can you tell us how you got involved with “Real World: Hawaii”?
TH: I am so happy that I was a part of that show. We had a great time. I was in my early twenties at the time getting to live in Hawaii with no cares in the world. It was really great to have the ocean as my back yard.

AL: Did you go through the traditional casting process for that show?
TH: I had sent in a tape which I had shot and somewhat edited to look like I was already on the show. Jason from “Real World: Boston” had found my tape and told the MTV people that it was really good. After that I was asked to be on the show. I think doing my tape the way I did really helped.

AL: Can you tell us about working on “Van Wilder”
TH: The original script called for a blonde hair guy who dressed like Lenny Kravitz. I had thought I was having a joke played on me because the character description was just like me. I thought to myself that if I don’t get this role then that’s my sign to go home. Thankfully I got the role. I got to work with Ryan Reynolds and Kal Penn which was really great.

AL: Do you have a role of yours that sticks out as a favorite?
TH: My whole career is my favorite! It has been just one big fast paced roller coaster ride that I am enjoying. It’s a good time.

AL: Can you tell us about your upcoming film “Douglas U”?
TH: The film has a great script written by Hari Williams. It’s a fun fictional story about the first black college west of Texas and the process of attending. I actually attended a similar college so I felt I had a close tie to the script. The film also stars Wanita ‘D.Woods’ Woodgett and Thomas Mikal Ford. The film should be coming out this fall.

AL: Do you have any other upcoming projects you can tell us about?
TH: I am actually going to the Bahamas with “Hole in the Wall” for the summer where we will be taping at the Atlantis resort. When I get back from that I will be doing more “Hole in the Wall” and hopefully auditioning for some movies.

Interview with Kevin Pike

It’s said that there is no such thing as fate. Don’t tell Kevin Pike that. As a 22 year old living in New England he had a choice to make as spring approached – head down to Florida to resume a previous job or take the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard, where a friend offered to get him a job as a waiter. It was early 1974 and the country was in the middle of an oil crisis (for those readers not old enough to remember, in 1973/74 gasoline was in short supply. If your license plate ended in an even number you could only fill your tank on certain days. The other days were reserved for those with an odd number. It got so bad that the government printed ration tickets, though they were never used). Because of the cost involved, Mr. Pike headed to the Vineyard. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Since his first foray into Hollywood via the film “Jaws,” Mr. Pike has worked on some of the most popular films of all time. They include “Back to the Future,” which earned him a BAFTA nomination for Best Special Effects, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Return of the Jedi,” “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” “Ed Wood” and “Fight Club.” For his work as the special effects supervisor for the television series “Earth 2” Mr. Pike received the Emmy Award for
Outstanding Individual Achievement in Special Visual Effects.

Mr. Pike is featured in the new book “Jaws: Memories from Martha’s Vineyard.” To help celebrate the books’ release, Mr. Pike graciously took time out to sit down with MovieMikes:

Mike Smith: How did you end up working on “Jaws?”
Kevin Pike: I started working on “Jaws” quite by accident. I had gone to Martha’s Vineyard to work at the Harborside Restaurant. I was a friend of the bartender and I had worked with him at a restaurant in Florida. He told me to come on up. At the time (1974) President Nixon had frozen prices and you couldn’t readily get gasoline on the highway to get to Florida so it caused me to re-direct and head off to Martha’s Vineyard early so I could get in on the summer season. On the reference of my friend the bartender I got a job at the Harborside Restaurant. I was a waiter but they had waitresses in mind so I ended up being a bus boy. One Saturday night a party of six men came in. They were having a great time. I could tell because normally our customers were very reserved. It’s like going to Las Vegas and the people playing cards are very reserved while the ones over at the craps table seem to have a party going on all the time. So I kind of paid attention to what they were talking about and deduced it had something to do with showbiz…with a film. The important part is that when they left to head back to the Kelley House where they were staying, when I bussed their table I found they had left behind a satchel…a valise. So I ran outside after them and found them still in the parking lot. I hollered, “Hey, did anybody leave this?” One of them turned to me and said, “Yes! Oh my gosh, are you kidding me? Do you know what’s in there?” I told him “no.” “They’re storyboards. You know what storyboards are, don’t you?” “No sir, I don’t” He explained that they were like a comic strip. When you make a movie you draw the whole thing out in pictures. So I asked him if he was making a movie. He said yes and I asked him what it was about. He said “it’s about a shark that’s going to eat your whole island!” That guy was Joe Alves, the production designer. Shortly thereafter, in a few days, I was hired on by the construction coordinator, Jimmy Woods. We started working on April 18, 1974. Jimmy gave us a pep talk before we started. He said that he knew some of us were finished carpenters that had helped build mansions. But we had to understand the way things were done in Hollywood. We throw walls together, slap some paint on them, shoot them and tear them down and throw them in the dump. He said that when he looked out at us he wanted to see two things and two things only: assholes or elbows!” He asked if there were any questions and I raised my hand. When he looked at me I asked him if I could be one of the elbows. He laughed and said “you’re with me.” After that we became close friends. I ended up being sort of his office coordinator. I would sweep the dirt floor and clean up after the guys who were working on the ORCA. I helped do all of the paperwork for the petty cash…buying everything from materials to snacks. I was basically locally hired labor that started from the bottom. I have a picture in my office. When we had 400 extras on the beach we only had (4) outhouses. And nobody would offer to clean them but me. So my friend snapped a picture of me at the right time, with me rinsing out a toilet. And it reminds me that I started at the bottom. I saw that movie from the unique perspective of a 22 year old on an island who was cleaning outhouses. I then started doing some work with the carpenters but it was obvious I wasn’t a carpenter so Ward Welton, the painter, grabbed me. And we painted everything they were building, from the ORCA to the sets being made for the production. Then in mid-May I was sent to meet a man named Roy Arbogast. I was going to help him unload the sharks. We had a winch system with a gin pole that went out through the top of the barn. They used the barn to store boats in the winter but we were going to use the upper floor as a workshop to work on the sharks. We stood in the open door of the barn and I could see the Edgartown Lighthouse on the Atlantic Ocean from our vantage point and sure enough one by one three trucks drove up with a shark on each truck, their tales sticking out. And with all the naiveté’ of a baby deer I asked “so you did all of the testing in the Pacific Ocean before you brought them here to the Atlantic Ocean?” And Roy said “no. Oh no. We haven’t had them in the ocean at all.” In fact, they hadn’t even taken the third shark out of the mold yet. I’m sure he couldn’t see the dollar signs that flashed in my eyes because I was only supposed to work on the crew for six weeks and I ended up working six months. And that is my beginning on working on “Jaws.”

MS: You also worked on “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “1941,” “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and “Jurassic Park,” As he grew more successful – confident is probably a better word – did you notice any differences in the way Steven Spielberg worked on set.
KP: Not at all. The closest I worked with him was on “Close Encounters and Indy 2.” On “Jaws” I was very much in the background, but I got to do a lot of things because of my capabilities and my energy and my interest. And having that , I got to learn a lot. My life was changed forever. I got to work with Steven again on “Close Encounters” because Roy Arbogast was going to supervise the Special Effects. I ended up doing six or seven pictures with Roy. He was my mentor and taught me everything I needed to learn from the very beginning. He helped me become an Effects Supervisor in my own rite. On “Close Encounters” we were very close to Steven on many levels from the very beginning of his ideas because this was really his dream project. Some of the other films you mentioned – “1941,” “Jurassic Park” – I didn’t have a lot of interaction with Steven because I didn’t have a lot to do. Mostly prop building. Same on “Hook.” “Indy 2” we did a lot together with the 2nd Unit, doing a lot of insert work at ILM. We also spent a lot of time doing the blue screen work for the mine shaft car and the raft coming out of the airplane. I also did his “Twilight Zone” episode. But there’s nothing that stands out as far as what became different. Nothing I can put my finger on. I can definitely say that he became much more confident having the hits he did under his belt. But he knows he has to make each film as good as he can make it. And I believe that’s what he internally strives to do.

MS: You’ve worked both on the “Star Trek” and “Star Wars” series. Did you consciously avoid one effect or prop on one film because it was similar to one from the other?
KP: When I worked on “Star Wars” it was on “Return of the Jedi.” The look of the films had already been established. The new parts for us were the full size Scout-walker and the Sarlac pit. Essentially we already had a production design element that was driven from George Lucas right from the beginning. “Star Trek” had derived a lot of it’s style from the television show. So the choice you ask about is usually not mine to make. And I’ve also found, by working on both “Jaws” and “Jaws 2,” that the second time it’s not the same kind of feeling. It’s not fresh…it’s not novel. So I desperately tried not to work on sequels or on the same television show I had worked on the month before. I wanted things to be new and fresh as long as I could be that selective. Of course sometimes you need a job and you need to make money. That’s part of the reality for everybody in this town. But I always try to avoid doing something that’s along the same lines I’ve done before.

MS: You’ve done both film and television. Do you have a preferred medium?
KP: Well the feature work is very creative. You can feel the joy from a solid story arc in the script…you get the beginning, middle and end. You put your good work into it and then you get to go see it at the premiere, which is a wonderful and rewarding feeling. It takes you a couple of viewings before you begin to start enjoying the film because you’re seeing your work and remembering your contributions and the work of others. It’s a different kind of feeling watching a film that you’ve worked on as opposed to seeing one you haven’t. But there’s also a great benefit in television. I remember when I was asked to work on “Earth 2,” which was a series. We literally packed up and went to Santa Fe for a year. We took our families and everything else and it became a big commitment. Because you’re prepping one show while you’re shooting another. There’s always a constant cycle of activity. You’re meeting new directors and reading new stories and meeting new actors. Sometimes there’s a new crew person rotating in. We did 22 hours on “Earth II.” It became a serious commitment. And the beauty of Santa Fe, New Mexico made it all rewarding. And I have to tell you, I made good money on that show. And I’ve always remembered that. So if you can get on a show you can actually do very well. And you become family. It’s an entirely different situation. It’s a different medium. I got a lot of reward from doing sit-com work. I did five or six projects with James Burrows, who is the guru of sit-coms. (NOTE: James Burrows, a 10-time Emmy winner, directed such classic television series as “TAXI,” “Cheers” and “Frasier”) Watching him work is like watching a genius in action. The cadence is entirely different for that medium and you have a live audience. So you get a spontaneous reward from the laughter. You’re the only other person on the crew that gets to put in a joke. The actor says a line and the audience laughs because it’s funny. I make the dishwasher overflow and they start laughing again. So there’s an entirely different reward between sit-coms and dramatic television to feature films. I also spend a lot of time on commercials. I might get a storyboard with seventeen shots on it, some of them are incredibly creative because they have a good budget. I cut my teeth on a lot of those commercials. So each medium itself has its own special place in my heart.

MS: What is your proudest special effect moment?
KP: Without a doubt I’d have to say it’s the work I did on “Back to the Future.” It was a tough road to get there. The demands of (director) Bob Zemeckis…he knew what he wanted and we had to make good on his idea. And when I read the script I knew that the car, and we didn’t yet know what kind of car it would be, I knew that the car would be iconic and I’m very happy and proud of my contributions. In fact I’d have to say that the majority of my fan base is because of the car. Kids that saw the movie are now at the age where they can try to make one. They want to know where they can find one or just want to share their interest in Delorean Motors. I’m impressed with the perpetuity of the film. I’m pleased with the fact that it’s as popular as it is. And I can tell you that everybody on the crew that read that script knew that it was really a great story. Bob Gale and Bob Zemeckis just wrote the heck out of that. And that’s why the film holds up as well as it does today…because the story is so strong all the way across the board.

MS: Where do you keep your Emmy?
KP: I keep my Emmy on a small, rolling Art Deco cocktail bar. When it’s time for a martini or a Pinot Noir, it’s there to remind me life can be sweet at times.

MS: What are you working on now?
KP: For the past two years I have been an agent. I formed The Filmtrix Agency and have a roster of about 45 clients right now. I service what they call “below the line”…I get crew person’s work. I also handle some writers and directors. We have a large literary side that we do. I have clients from all over the world. Italy. Spain. I have clients currently working in India. It’s turning out to be very busy for us and I’m very happy about the direction we’re going in.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews Tagged With: interview, kevin, pike, with

Interview with Josh Shelov

Josh Shelov is the director of the recently released film, “The Best and the Brightest”. The film is currently in theaters now and will be on DVD later in August. MovieMikes had a chance to chat with Josh about working on his second feature and also what is planned next.

Mike Smith: “The Best and The Brightest” is your second feature film, How did your experiences as a filmmaker differ from the your first film?
Josh Shelov: I was only the writer on “Green Street Hooligans” so as the director of “The Best and The Brightest” there was a world of difference. It was obviously very exciting to see “Green Street Hooligans” get made but to actually direct and take the film all the way home is incomparable. It was the greatest creative experience I’ve ever had.

MS: As the director do you think you had more creative input as to what showed up on screen? Maybe there was something you wanted to fight for on “Green Street Hooligans” that was left out because of the director’s decision?
JS: Significantly, yes. When you’re directing you can really ruin the whole thing! (laughs)

MS: You also co-wrote the film with Michael Jaeger. How did this story come about?
JS: We were living it. Both Michael and I have young kids and we were dealing with how to get them into private school. It’s a huge and competitive pain in the ass! We were really stressing it. The pressure was on. And there are lots of, shall we say, anxieties of just how far reaching the consequences would be if we didn’t get out kids into a good school. You wouldn’t be able to stay in the same neighborhood…your child will never amount to anything…they’ll become meth dealers. So we were sitting there sweating. And you hear about the “favors” and political weaseling that people go through and we thought it was a really, really good and fertile ground for a farce…making fun of the big city folks.

MS: You assembled a great cast, including Neil Patrick Harris, Amy Sedaris & Christopher McDonald. How did that come about? Were they easy to attract to the project?
JS: I wouldn’t say easy. The key is to get a little bit of money behind you and for that I have to credit our (2) first producers, Rob and Patty Weiser, who put up our start up cash. When we had that initial start up cash, it enabled us to go into Hollywood and make what is known as “pay or play” offers. They certainly weren’t offers of a lot of money by any stretch of the imagination. And the key was that we got Amy Sedaris. Amy loved the script and I had a meeting with her and she agreed to do it. And then the other actors started to come like wild fire. Neil really wanted to work with Amy. We got Chris McDonald after that. Kate Mulgrew and on and on. Amy was really the tipping point.

MS: We actually just featured an interview with Christopher McDonald and he had great things to say about the project.
JS: Michael and I wrote the part FOR Chris. He’s amazing in the film. There is a certain voice to the film and it’s uniquely Chris. We’re just so thrilled that, after writing a part for him, he would agree to do it. It was one of the highlights of the whole project.

MS: What would you say was the most difficult park of working on the film?
Was it wearing the two hats of both director and writer?
JS: The shooting itself was a really joyful experience. I would say that raising the money and getting the film distributed…that was the most difficult. The actual filming itself was like eating dessert. It was wonderful. We had an exceptionally good crew. We had an extraordinary producer named Declan Baldwin, who kept all of the trains running on time. We never had a calamity. None of the actors were divas. It was pretty remarkable.

MS: When can we expect to see this film in theaters and DVD?
JS: It was theatrically released, literally, right now. We’re playing in New York and Los Angeles and Coral Gables, Florida. We have two distributors who are working on the picture. Our home video distributor is a company called New Video and they’re terrific. And they have partnered with another company called Emerging Pictures, which is run by a guy named Ira Deutchman. And he has started supplementing a release all over the country. We’re opening up in Michigan. We’re opening up in Delaware. And there’s a third company, owned by one of our producers, Declan Baldwin, called Big Indie. He’s organized over 200 sneak previews of the film this past film. So the film has really got a lot of theatre exposure even though we don’t have a big studio behind us.

MS: What are you working on next?
JS: There’s a drama that I hope to do called “The Inheritance.” Darren Aronofsky likes it…he’s really helping to shepard it along. Ideally I would love to start casting it this year or next.

MS: What is the story?
JS: It’s about three generations of Irish-American writers who find out that they have a deadly disease in their bloodline. I’ve worked on it a long time. I actually wrote it before we wrote “The Best and The Brightest.” It’s very near and dear to my heart.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews Tagged With: interview, josh, shelov, with

Interview with Sybil Danning

Sybil Danning played the scantily clad blond werewolf Stirba in “Howling II Your Sister Is a Werewolf”. Sybil has also appeared in a variety of sci-fi and other genre films. Most recently Sybil appeared in Rob Zombie’s “Halloween”. Sybil took time out of her busy schedule to speak with Movie Mikes about her career and her upcoming projects.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us how you became involved with “Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf”?
Sybil Danning: It had gone through my manager at the time. My manager was talking with a casting lady that had cast me in a previous project and she was the one who actually brought my manager the role. She had also suggested me to John Daly who was a producer on the film. John thought it was a great idea and before I knew it I was doing costume fittings with Peter Mitchell who also did the wardrobe for the “Mad Max” movies.

AL: What were your first thoughts when you saw the costumes or lack there off for the film?
SD: I was asked previously as to how I would see my costume. I asked Peter what our parameters were going to be and he told me that whatever we thought was right we were going to do! The script for “Howling II” was not trying to outdo the first film. “Howling II” was going to be more fantasy based and the fact that I was going to be the first blonde werewolf. Peter said let’s get sexy and creative. I gave it to him at that point and everything he later showed me was amazing. As a side note probably my most famous costume from that film being the leather and brass outfit is going to be auctioned off at a huge convention this fall in Los Angeles called Comikaze Expo. They had asked me to come as a guest and because it’s going to be such a huge deal they also asked if I had something to auction off. I had never thought of auctioning off that costume until now.

AL: Can you tell us what it was like working with Christopher Lee?
SD: I have done four movies with Christopher prior to “Howling II” so we knew each other well. We would have dinner each night together as he really has just the best stories. We filmed that movie in Czechoslovakia at the time of the “Iron Curtain”. One night during dinner, we discovered a little guy sitting in a corner where we ate with horn rimmed glasses and a dead squirrel on his head watching us. He must have been appointed by the KGB to watch what us crazy Americans were doing. (Laughs) We had a wonderful time as always.

AL: Can you tell us how you got involved with Rob Zombie?
SD: I was watching “Devil’s Rejects” one day and decided that I wanted to re-enter the business after being gone for some time. I called up a good friend of mine Ken Foree who has been in most of Rob’s films and I told him I wanted to work for Rob. Ken talked to Rob and told him that I was looking to work with him. Within about a week of me talking with Ken I received a call from Rob’s office asking if I would like to be in “Werewolf Women of the SS”. It was great timing. When I called his office Rob had told them to tell me to come right in. When I got there they had wigs for me to try on with Sheri to see if we could look alike for the project. While we were shooting “Werewolf Woman of the SS”, I told Rob I wanted to be in “Halloween”. He told me that it had already been cast but he would give it a thought. By the end of that day he came to my trailer and told me he was going to have me be the last person that little Mikey was going to kill and that it was a very important role. I told him anything he wanted to me to play I would. Rob is a very creative guy.

AL: Do you think we will ever see a full theatrical version of “Werewolf Women of the SS”?
SD: Rumor has it that Rob has shot around 30 minutes of the film. Rob was very busy shooting even after the actors had left for the day. We had such a great set and Rob really took advantage of everything he had on hand. So the rumor is that there is about 30 minutes of footage shot. Of course “Machete” was made and I really think this will be the next one to go full length.

AL: Do you have a favorite project you have worked on?
SD: “Battle Beyond the Stars” is one that sticks out and in more ways than one! (Laughs) I actually am going to be at the San Diego Comic Con in July for the release of the Blu-Ray. That project was great because I got to be the hero sort of and do all these different things like flying a space ship. I am a real fan of the sci-fi genre. I also really enjoyed working on “Operation Thunderbolt” because I played a character that was a different departure from my normal sexy type roles. The character I played in that film was much more serious. For that project I raised the money, brought the distribution and did the casting. We were actually nominated for best foreign picture.

AL: Can you tell us about your latest film “Virus X”
SD: After working with Rob Zombie and Quentin Tarantino…where do you go from there? I received a lot of film offers and “Virus X” was one of those. The film was directed by Ryan Steven Harris and it was one that I really enjoyed the screen play. I got to play the villain in the film and it was great fun. You can get it on DVD and digital download.

AL: Can you tell us about any upcoming projects?
SD: Where do I begin?…I am in the process of producing my own vampire movie but I don’t want to say too much because a lot of things are still in the process. I am currently writing an autobiography with the help of my editor Marshall Terrill. I also have a character that I own called “Ruger”. “Ruger” is a police officer turned bounty hunter character from the film I did called “ L.A. Bounty”. Along with my partner Les Thomas, we are developing a first person shooter cloud video game. I own the screen play for “Ruger” as well so we are also looking at that for a movie and or a movie with a pilot for a television series.

For more information on Sybil Danning you can go to:
www.Sybildanning.net, www.myspace.com/sybildanning, www.twitter.com/sybildanning, www.facebook.com/sybildanning

To bid on Sybil’s costume and information on Comikaze you can click here

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Filed Under: Film Interviews Tagged With: danning, interview, sybil

Interview with Maria Canals-Barrera

Maria Canals-Barrera is known best for playing Theresa Russo in Disney Channel’s “Wizard of Waverly Place”. Maria is also co-starring in the Tom Hanks directed film “Larry Crowne” this summer. Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Maria about working on “Wizard” and also her new film role.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about working with such a great cast in “Wizards of Waverly Place”?
Maria Canals-Barrera: It is wonderful. It is just wonderful because from the very beginning it just felt right, we clicked and there was great chemistry. All of the kids on the show at time, now they are young adults, they have always been prepared, professional, talent and wonderful. There has been wonderful writing and we just have a great time. Honestly it is best job I have ever had.

MG: What do you like most of playing Theresa Russo?
MCB: I like that she is a fun mom and a caring mom. She has a lot of passion. She gets to really be part of the story and isn’t just a parent role. The parents are really involved with the plot and caught up in the magic. It is a real family ensemble.

MG: How is playing a wife to David Deluise?
MCB: It is effortless to play his wife. I love him. He makes me laugh. He makes me angry. He is just a wonderful comedic actor. He is a lot of fun.

MG: With “Wizards” coming to an end, how do you feel to see the show end?
MCB: I feel really sad. Taking it all in slowly, looking at the sets. I notice I am looking at the kids and hugging them a lot more. I am starting my slow goodbye, like you are starting your slow decent when you lane in the plane [laughs]. You prepare yourself and that is what I have been doing. I have been taking it all in and tell people how much I loved working with them and how I feel about them. I am also grateful that it even happened and I don’t want to forget that because these kinds of jobs as an actor are very rare. It is a tremendous blessing, so I am very happy about it.

MG: Tell us about your upcoming film “Larry Crowne” with Tom Hanks & Julia Roberts?
MCB: Yeah, that was amazing. Tom is amazing, probably one of our greatest American actors. The man is full of energy. He is so funny off camera as well. It was a great experience. I just saw a screening of it and it is really good.

MG: Lastly I have to ask, how did you get involved voice She-Hulk in the video game “Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds”?
MCB: Well they offered it to me and I was thrilled. I didn’t have to audition for it which was really exciting. You know I am have done “Justice League” prior. I played Hawkgirl. I have done some other voice work and I guess they liked that. It is always great for an actor when you do not have to audition. It is nice to be offered something and I was thrilled to do it. She is such a tough character but she is funny too. I loved doing She-Hulk.

Interview with Oliver Muirhead

Oliver Muirhead started of his career in the voice over business and has since gone on to appeared in over 70 films such as “Austin Powers: The Spy who Shagged Me” and more recently the blockbuster hit “The Social Network”. Movie Mikes had a chance recently to speak with Oliver about his career, his projects and his pen name.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about your role in “The Social Network”
Oliver Muirhead: I was cast for that role in an interesting way. I had originally been sent in by my manager to audition for a role that I was clearly not right for. However, she knew there was another role that I was right for and hoped that casting would give me a shot. As it turns out she was right and I was perfect for this role. It was a very clever way to get the jump on things. I felt like a complete idiot when I went in for the first audition because I was just so wrong for that particular role. After my audition, casting told my manager that mine was the only audition tape that she sent to David Fincher for that role and I was hired. It felt kind of good to be noticed in that way. We shot the scene at two different locations in Los Angeles and during the first shoot they used a long tracking shot which featured eight principle characters and around 130 extras. The scene was a very large and ended up being shot 64 times. A lot of the scenes in that film were shot multiple times which allowed for the actors to really relax and take in the scene. I really enjoyed the script of the film and felt it had a very classic Hollywood feel. I think this film is one of the most classically scripted films I have been a part of. It was a really fun movie.

AL: During the time of shooting did you and the other actors have a sense that the movie was going to be such a hit?
OM: I don’t think so. Everyone had an idea that we were becoming a part of a really intense movie making process. I think everyone was happy that it was completed and had a good time doing it but I don’t think anyone predicted the success the film achieved.

AL: How was it working with Mike Myers on “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me”?
OM: [Laughs] I had met Director Jay Roach one day at my daughter’s schools, as he was there as a parent as well. It was one of those funny coincidences. I guess he had met Mike previously and one thing led to another and I ended up in the film. Jay is a really great guy. I think that film was actually his first film as a director.

AL: Are there any great behind the scenes stories from that shoot?
OM: Not that I can think of off the top of my head. I do remember during shooting we all had a sense that we were making a really funny film. I think that film has the best story of the three and is probably the funniest.

AL: How did you become involved with doing voice over work?
OM: I had gotten my union card by re-voicing movies so I have always had a toe in the water in the way of voice work. It’s really great doing that type of work because I can go to work in my pajamas. [Laughs] I have friends that work on the “Spongebob” show and I am extremely jealous. Who doesn’t want to live at the bottom of the sea! And who wouldn’t want those residuals [Laughs]. There are some really great and funny people in the voice over business.

AL: Do you have a project that stands out as a favorite?
OM: That’s like asking if I have a favorite child. Which I do, I only have one child so it’s easy to get away with that one [Laughs]. Generally I am always very into what is coming up. I did a small movie last year titled “Like Crazy” which won the Grand Prize at Sundance. I wasn’t a lead actor but I did have a large role in the film. The film had a great cast and we were all very happy to be working on the project. Paramount ended up buying the film for around $4 million dollars and I think they plan to release it on some sort of theatrical level. That film was such a pleasure.

AL: Can you tell us about your writing and your pen name George Mole?
OM: I started out as a museum journalist and writing under a different name as a way to protect my parents who were both in the museum world. I had met Steven Applebee who is a cartoonist in the UK while I was still living over there and we wrote our first book titled “No Honestly It Was Simply Delicious But I Couldn’t Eat Another Mouth Full”. The book was somewhat of a fake cooking book based on an idea for a series of books I had. The book did fairly well but we both felt it should have been a hit and were somewhat disappointed. That book did launch a career for us and we went on to write books such as “The Little Book of Parking Tickets”, “Negative Thinking” which was huge in Germany. We also wrote a book titled “Better Living Through Air Guitar” that was big in Italy. [Laughs] My pen name came about from my mother actually. There was a character in a spy novel called George Smart. George was always looking for the mole in various places or agencies, so my mother put the two together and felt it was a suitable pen name for me. She failed to check however that I actually have a cousin named George Mole [Laughs].

AL: Do you have any other upcoming projects?
OM: I just finished doing a few episodes for the upcoming season of “The Secret Life of an American Teenager”, which is great show. I had done one episode on the show last season and got some really great Christmas presents from the show. [Laughs] I did a “Hot Wheels” promo piece for this year’s Indianapolis 500, which was a little odd but fun. I also have a film in post-production titled “Son of Morning” which has a good story and an interesting cast. I also just completed three episodes on the TV series “Switched at Birth”. I have a recurring role as the character “Geraldo”…good fun!

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Filed Under: Film Interviews Tagged With: interview, muirhead, oliver

Interview with Lisa Ann Walter

Lisa Ann Walter just released her first book titled “The Best Thing About My Ass is That It’s Behind Me”. Lisa has also appeared in films such as “”Bruce Almighty”, “The Parent Trap” and “War of the Worlds” to name just a few. Movie Mikes had a chance to speak with Lisa about her book and what it was like working with Richard Gere and Tom Cruise.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about your book that came out recently?
Lisa Ann Walter: The book is called “The Best Thing About My Ass is That It’s Behind Me” and it’s been described to me as kind of the best girls night out with the widest conversation you could ever have. It’s not any kind of self help book or anything its’ much more of a self maintenance type book. (Laughs) The attitude I had behind the book was that I had not only experienced but also witnessed among every American woman that it seemed like their birth right was a life time of self loathing. It seems as though woman have to be sexy until they are dead! Now you not only have to be a member of the PTA but you also have to be a pole dancer! (Laughs)

AL: What made you decide to write the book?
LAW: I live in a town I like to call “the land where prom queens go to die”. Beauty is very skewed where I live as it seems once a girl has a crown popped on her head she moves out here to become an actress. Maybe 3 out 5 make it and the rest end up in Hugh Heffner’s grotto swimming with the diseases or they are working at Denny’s. There are really just a bunch of gorgeous people out here and that is what is presented to women in America as to what they are supposed to look like. I wanted to show how hard it is to keep up with this type of thinking while still being ok with yourself.

AL: What was it like working on “War of the Worlds”?
LAW: That was probably production wise the biggest movie I have ever done. It was extremely exciting! The first day on set I got to meet Steven Spielberg and he was giving me direction for my scene and referencing Tom Cruise. I turn around and there was Tom with that “Risky Business” smile. Well after Steven was finished I told him he would have to tell me again what he wanted because I was just so taken back that I was on a set with him and Tom Cruise. (Laughs) Steven laughed and told me everything again. Tom Cruise was delightful! He was my own personal hero because Spielberg had asked me to bring one of my kids with me to be in the scene. During the scene there were so many people running and moving that my daughter got hit and had a bloody nose. Tom Cruise comes across the set after scaling this wall to check on my daughter. He was there in like 30 seconds. I don’t know how he got there so fast? He asked her what happened and then started taping it saying it was going to be for the lawsuit. (Laughs) He also let me video tape him for my daughter’s birthday and after we were finished he reached into my purse for the camera to reshoot himself because he thought it wasn’t good enough. Tom is really a great guy. I have been lucky and had some really great experiences with everyone I have been able to work with.

AL: You also worked with Richard Gere correct?
LAW: Richard was very helpful and kind to me. I worked with him for over 3 months and within like 30 seconds of meeting him we were touching naughty bits to naughty bits. (Laughs) I was blushing from head to toe and Richard was telling me to be relaxed as I had the gig, but I knew it wasn’t true because the job really hinged on whether or not he liked me. I couldn’t believe I was meeting an Officer and a Gigolo with the ass that ate Tokyo! They made me get fat for “Shall We Dance” and I had a scene where I would lose the bottom half of my skirt and I was mortified. I actually ran off set the first time we did that scene and it just so happened that Ben Affleck was there visiting Jennifer Lopez which made matters worse as I have a lifetime of ass issues! I must have been green when I got back as Richard asked me what was wrong. Now at the time I was having trouble with my husband which didn’t help matters. So I told Richard that not only do I have to show my ass to the same guy I had a poster of on my wall when I was in high school, but also Ben Affleck and the crew for Extra was there to interview Richard. I was thinking why don’t we get every hot leading actor guy in Hollywood to come and look at my gelatinous ass! Richard was great and told me he would take care of it. Within one minute everyone was gone. Richard is just really a great guy.

AL: You have done a lot of different role in the movie making business is there one that sticks out as a favorite?
LAW: I really enjoy directing. I think I have always been a director even though I used to get in trouble for it. From getting sent out of class when I was in school to when I had a sitcom, I just wanted to be part of the process. When you are directing you get to piece the movie together into the film you want to make. I also really love to do stand-up comedy and most recently I started doing a radio show two times a week which I am really enjoying. I just really like to work and to stay busy.

AL: Do you have any other projects in the works you can tell us about?
LAW: I can’t tell you too many specifics but there are 3 projects that I am working on as an executive producer that are reality driven. I also have another project we are setting up for that is very chick centric. I am really excited for this project!

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Filed Under: Author Interviews Tagged With: ann, interview, lisa, walter

Ruben Santiago-Hudson talks about his role in ABC’s “Castle”

Ruben Santiago-Hudson is know for his role of Captain Roy Montgomery in ABC hit show “Castle”, which is finished up its third season. Ruben is also a stage veteran and has performed in numerous shows including many of August Wilson’s plays. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Ruben about not only his love for working on “Castle” but also his love for the stage.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell about us how you got involved starring in “Castle” as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery?
Ruben Santiago-Hudson: After the writers strike, and being a writer things got tight. So, I decided to go out for some auditions, normally I do not audition for a lot of things that are not in New York. I am straight New Yorker and I love being here. At that point, I said I would be willing to do to California and relocate for a little while trying to get myself back on my feet. “Castle” was one of my auditions and actually as it turns out like three different shows were trying to book me also at same time. “Castle” fought for me very hard. They were in first position anyway, so they has the first shot. They made me an offer that showed me that they really wanted me there. Once I met Nathan (Fillion) though, it was over. I knew I had to be there.

MG: What is it like working with such a great cast on the show?
RSH: We have a real tight group and a real strong family. It extends even into our crew. It is not like the actors are one part and the crew is another. We are all in it together. It is a joy to come to work most days and have a good time. We are like any other family, we have our agreements and disagreements, but at the end of the day it is always cold beer time. We have enough energy to give each other person time and hang out. It is just such a great cast and crew and it is a real honor to be a part of it.

MG: Any cool behind the scenes stories?
RSH: Mike, that is everyday man! Everyday we end up pulling some some sort of high jinx and are having fun. They usually steer clear of me a lot of the times but then I will hit’em with a zinger. It is just too many stories to tell. I remember one time in an episode I put my badge out and said “What does it say on my badge? It says Captain and that means get your ass out there and solve the case”. What I did was I put a piece of gaffers tape and wrote “Superstar”. So I picked it up and said what does it say on my badge and Jon (Huertas) and Seamus (Dever) look at it and said “Superstar?” and I said “that is right, so get your ass out there…” [laughs]. That is one I really enjoyed. One day for an episode, I was telling Jon and Seamus that they were off a case or something. They went in and pulled their guns off and threw them on my desk, so I pulled my gun out and my badge and threw it on the desk too and we all walked out [laughs]. The crew was wondering what we were doing. We definitely have a lot of fun.

MG: What can you tell us about the upcoming episodes in season three?
RSH: I don’t want to give away anything. We just had a wonderful episode about a beauty pageant. Then we have the cliffhanger in the end, which our producers are going to decide which one of us or how many of us they are going to taken out of the show. I hope whatever they do it is for the best in the show. I believe it is important to keep this family together because it really it a special group. Taking anything out of that group, even to give the fans one great episode will damage the entire season. So I am hoping and praying we all stay together but knowing the powers that be, they might do something they shouldn’t do.

MG: We interviewed Denzel Washington during his work on August Wilson’s “Fences” on Broadway, what was it like working with him on “American Gangster”?
RSH: It is funny you asked that question about August Wilson because I won my Tony Award from his play. August Wilson wrote four plays for me. Denzel and I often discussed August. I really loved working with Denzel he is a confident professional. He is very decided to his craft. He always comes in extremely prepared and he is very intellectualized. He is always researched and ready to role. When you come to the table with Denzel, you know you are going to have a good time because he is coming to play. He is going to be ready and if you are not ready your day is not going to be so good. When you come ready with Denzel it will be a joyful day. Any opportunity I get to work with Denzel is a blessed day for me. Denzel and I go way back, we’ve been friends since 1983.

MG: You made your stage directorial debut with August Wilson’s “Gem of the Ocean”, how did you find tacking such powerful play?
RSH: I didn’t really look at it as a daunting task because he is my favorite writer, a mentor, a brother and a friend…August Wilson. It was a play I had just completed doing on Broadway and I had different notions of how it should be done. I wanted to exercise my ideas on it. When I explained it to August, he was like “Please hurry up, when do you want to do it?” I responded to him “Whenever I get on the directors list” and he said “You are at the top of the list”. Within three months I was directing the place in Princeton, NJ at the McCarter Theater, which is an award winning theater. It was just such an amazing epiphany just to be in that work and let that work deliver me to another level as an artist, an actor and a human being.

MG: How do you prefer doing stage over film or TV?
RSH: Absolutely, I prefer being on stage. I want to be on stage every day of my life if I could. It is a certain trust that a writer and director have to let you to be the editor of that work. You are getting me deep now, we have to usually go to Columbia University to have this discussion [laughs]. They editor of that evening’s performance is you. It is not some guy you don’t know in a room taking your performance on film or digital and cutting and editing it around to make it a good performance. The editor is you. I absolutely cherish that trust because I know that is the way I prepared my whole life. I prepared not to go out and do my work with ego but with sincerity, trust and truth. So when you go out there and your trust your work with me as a writer, what you wrote is what you are going to get.

MG: Do you plan on returning to stage anytime soon?
RSH: Right now they are calling for me in a big way to direct. A big way. I am in negotiations to direct an August Wilson play, “Jitney” and hopefully get it to Broadway. Right now there are no plans. Just to be able to put it up and have people feel the magic of “Jitney” again. I am hoping it will create the buzz and get the producers talking about getting it to Broadway. In fact, it is the only August Wilson play that has hasn’t been to Broadway. I would love to get my energy behind it, a stellar cast and try and get it to Broadway. I am going to do it at the Two Rivers Theater in Red Bank, NJ, which is a beautiful new facility. Also I am going to direct a play from Fugard, they are celebrating his work in New York next season at The Signature. I am going to come in and direct one of Fugard’s play with him actually in house. In the meantime, I am also writing a pilot as we speak. I will be pitching it for the fall season. So just trying to keep busy and trying to share what talents I have with the world.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews Tagged With: interview, ruben, santiagohudson

Dave Willis talks about new Aqua Teen season “Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1″

Dave Willis is the one of the men behind Adult Swim’s hit show “Aqua Teen Hunger Force”. Dave is the voice of Meatwad / Carl and also director/writer and producer on each episode. Besides “Aqua Teen”, David also is currently working on a new season of “Squidbillies” and has worked on various other series including, “Space Ghost: Coast to Coast”, “Sealab 2021” and “12 oz. Mouse”. Dave took out some time to chat with us at Movie Mikes to discuss “Aqua Teen” return for season 9 and also its recent name change to “Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1” and also the upcoming season of “Squidbillies”.

Mike Gencarelli: When “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” started over 10 years ago, did you ever think you would be crossing the 100 episode mark with the series?
Dave Willis: Yes I did. I thought we thought we would be doing it in season 3 though not season 9. Yeah, there was no doubt in my mind and we are only a third of the way there. Let’s reconnect in 10 years when we are celebrating episode 250.

MG: Tell us about change of the name for the series starting season 9?
DW: It was more than a name change. We changed the show on a molecular level, everything about it is different. The only thing that is the same is that it is still 11 minutes long and we still use the characters names too. Other than that it is all about action, sex, mystery and intrigue [laughs].

MG: Since the series is going in a new direction, can we still expect cameos from some of favorite characters?
DW: There are new adventures and new villains also. In the opening, it has a number cameos of previous villains. It would be a fun thing to see if you could spot them all. Some of them are blatant. Frylok has a switchblade fight with Hand Banana [laughs]. Tonight….YOU! There are other characters that you see for a split second and then they are gone. I think it would be a fun game to see how many you can spot.

MG: You voice many characters but primarily Carl and Meatwad, do you find it difficult voicing them at same time?
DW: I don’t, no I really don’t. By that time anyway we have written the script and I have an idea how it is going to sound. I always do Meatwad before Carl because by the end of the Carl script he is either exploded or screaming at someone or just crying in agony. That just blows out my voice. I think Carl over the years has seriously dropped my voice like an octave and a half. There is always like shredded pieces of skin that I end of coughing up after doing Carl. So yeah, Meatwad is always first.

MG: What was the most bizarre plot you came up with for an episode that never was made?
DW: We wrote an outline for one episode that I thought was really funny and we couldn’t make it due to union issues. We know Seth Green through “Robot Chicken” and the premise was where Seth moved next door to the Aqua Teens and Shake was constantly trying to hang with him. We find out he moved next door to Aqua Teens to study Meatwad because he is going to be playing Meatwad in the live-action movie. It would have been great but it wouldn’t be as funny if we couldn’t actually get Seth to do it. We are not SAG, so that is why we couldn’t do it.

MG: Do you have a favorite episode that you have worked on?
DW: It is tough to say, they are all like my children. I think I read that Glenn Frey said when being interviewed about The Eagles “Well Tequila Sunrise…Desperado…there are so many of them, they are all like children to me”. I like Broodwich. I like Dickosode, due to the absurdity and the ridiculousness. I love the original Mooninites and of course Mc Pee Pants. The third episode this season is called “Intervention” and I think that is just as funny as anything we have ever done. There are a few in this batch that I think really stand up against the best stuff we done. I am really excited about the new season and the new episodes. They are really strong.

MG: Whatever ever happened to “Spacecataz” series?
DW: I don’t know. I think it would have been a good show, I think. The way we made it was using it as opens for “Aqua Teen”. We had to make them work as opens but also as a whole. I think it was a fun idea and I think it could have had a good life. We got too busy with other stuff and it never happened. But I always liked it.

MG: What can we expect from the new season of “Squidbillies” this year?
DW: We got 10 episodes coming out and they are all great. I feel that they are really strong. We just wrote an episode called “The Return of Ga Ga Pee Pap”, bringing that character back. I am not sure about guest starts yet. We have been slowly getting new theme songs. There has been talk of us get to record with George Jones to do a theme song. It hasn’t happened yet so I don’t want to jinx it. Rusty and Early compete over a woman [laughs]. Rusty gets his first girlfriend and Early wants her for his own. So their is an episode of that. Early gets a rare form of head cancer from wearing a hat made by the American Asbestos Association.

MG: Besides the narrator, you don’t led you voice to the show, why not?
DW: It is not really a calculated thing. I will go in there if they need an extra or something. I feel like we have such a strong cast of potential characters. I do occasionally play Early’s office co-worker Glen. We are trying to make ‘Have a good one’ a catch phrase, since he says it in every episode. Let’s see if America catches on like we have.

MG: Comparing the two shows “ATHF” and “Squidbillies”, which is more fun to work on?
DW: They are both fun in their own way. It is a little more difficult with “Squidbillies” in respects just because, we are a little more story based in those and go back and do extensive rewrites. The animation is much more involved and is closer to a fully animated show that “Aqua Teen”. But “Aqua Teen” is still challenging and we are very much engaged. It is interesting since when we started with “Aqua Teen”, we had a core group of people who were all at the same place in their careers…just starting out. All these people have grown together and we tend to fill in the blanks for each other. We just have a great group of editors and After Effects artists and the same few animators from the beginning. So everybody knows their role a little bit more. We are still using the same animation from the year 2000 [laughs]. We add stuff obviously but we still go back to those same backgrounds and same shots. With “Squidbillies”, writer/producer Jim Fortier, and I came from the same home town and we can relate to the same sort of backwards dumb-ass redneck stories from our lives. “Aqua Teen” is maybe not as deep in that reality. It is though in another one, meaning whatever tends to be pissing me or Matt (Maiellaro) off that week will somehow find to make its way into the show.

MG: Anything you can tell us about the second “Aqua Teen” movie, “Death Fighter”?
DW: It is a mystery…surrounded in secrecy…surrounded by a cloud of intrigue. Let’s get this show reboot out of the way. We are going to change the title again after we are done with these 10 episodes. Then we will talk “Death Fighter”.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews Tagged With: dave, interview, willis

“Mortal Kombat: Legacy” Interview Series

“Mortal Kombat: Legacy” is a new web series created by Kevin Tancharoen. The series takes place before the events of the first game and dives into the back stories of several characters from the series. There will be 10 episodes in the series and each one runs between 9-12 minutes. The series is spawned from Kevin’s short film entitled “Mortal Kombat: Rebirth”, which was released last year. This web series will hopefully be the launching ground for a new film in the “Mortal Kombat” franchise.

“Mortal Kombat: Legacy” stars Michael Jai White as Detective Jackson “Jax” Briggs, Jeri Ryan as Lieutenant Sonya Blade, Darren Shahlavi as Kano, Tahmoh Penikett as Kurtis Stryker, Matt Mullins as Johnny Cage, Johnson Phan as Shang Tsung, Aleks Paunovic as Shao Kahn, Sam Tjhia as Kitana, Jolene Tran as Mileena, Beatrice Ilg, Fraser Aitcheson as Baraka, Shane Warren Jones as Cyrax, Ryan Robbins as Raiden, Ian Anthony Dale as Scorpion, Peter Shinkoda as Sektor, Kevan Ohtsji as Sub-Zero and Michael Rogers as Quan Chi.

Media Mikes has had a chance to chat with various cast members from this web series. If you are fan of the series, you NEED to check out this series and support the chance of this becoming a feature film.

You can view the series here at Machinima.com’s YouTube channel.

Maurissa Tancharoen Whedon

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Filed Under: Commentary, Film Headlines Tagged With: interview, kombat, legacy, mortal, series

“The Boondock Saints” Interview Series

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Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: boondock, interview, saints, series

“Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory” Interview Series

“Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory” was one of my favorite films growing up (and still is today). There is just something about this film that is so special and you can tell with certain movies how they get passed down generation to generation. It is surely a film that will never been forgotten.

2011 is a very special year for the film as it is the 40th anniversary. I wanted a chance to interview the cast and director from the film and get a chance to discuss the film with them. Not only did I have an amazing time doing so but also I made a few friends a long the way. I really hope you enjoy these interviews. We are still hoping to add a few more to this list…so stay tuned!

WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY INTERVIEWS:

Interview with Charles Martin Smith

Charles Martin Smith is probably best known to film fans for his role as Terry “the Toad” Fields, everybody’s favorite tag along in “American Graffiti.” The son of animator Frank Smith (“Mr. Magoo,” “A Charlie Brown Christmas”), Smith began his acting career appearing in school productions. His early work includes “The Culpepper Cattle Company,” starring Gary Grimes and his soon to be “Graffiti” co-star Bo Hopkins as well as an appearance as the young man who sells Greg Brady a lemon of a car on “The Brady Bunch.” But it was “American Graffiti” that made him an actor to remember. He spent the majority of the 1970s making guest appearances in most of the popular television series of the time. He also returned to the role of Terry the Toad in “More American Graffiti” and co-starred with Gary Busey and Don Stroud in the Oscar winning bio “The Buddy Holly Story.” In 1983 he starred in director Carroll Ballard’s acclaimed film “Never Cry Wolf.” It was on this film that Mr. Smith tried his hand at writing, composing his own narration for the film. He closed the decade with co-starring roles in “The Untouchables” and the under-rated John Travolta comedy “The Experts.”

In 1986 he entered the next phase of his career when he went behind the camera, directing Gene Simmons and Ozzy Osbourne in the horror-comedy “Trick or Treat.” He continued to direct episodic television programs, including “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Space: Above and Beyond” and “DaVinci’s Inquest” while still feeding the acting bug. In 2003 he wrote and directed the film “Snow Walker,” which starred Barry Pepper and James Cromwell. The film was a film festival success, earning Mr. Smith numerous nominations for Best Director and Best Screenplay. His follow up, “Stone of Destiny,” was equally acclaimed, earning Mr. Smith the Best Director award at the Palm Beach International Film Festival as well as a BAFTA Scotland Award nomination. His current project, “Dolphin Tale,” is set for release this fall.

It was while doing post-production work on “Dolphin Tale” that Mr. Smith spared a few minutes to talk with MovieMikes about his career.

Mike Smith: Your father was a very successful animator. Did his work inspire you to seek an acting career?
Charles Martin Smith: My father was a successful animator, so growing up in Los Angeles I was around films as a child. But not around live action films, so that world still seemed mysterious and inaccessible to me. It was a great benefit, though, to live in LA, and to go to University here, as I did, at CSUN. I had great acting and directing teachers and had access to an agent, etc. My father, more than anything, taught me about art, and his amazing creativity and perfectionism as an artist…he was a sculptor and designer, and did many things besides cartoons…he taught me a lot.

MS: Your first television role was as the young man who sold Greg Brady a junk car on “The Brady Bunch.” Have you ever thought about buying something and then thought “caveat emptor?”
CMS: Caveat emptor? Ha, no not really. That was technically my second TV role. My first was a special also involving the Brady Bunch. It was made by ABC to advertise their new season of Saturday morning cartoons. I got those roles right after my first professional acting job, “The Culpepper Cattle Company”, a western for 20th Century Fox.

MS: You and Ron Howard were the only two actors in “American Graffiti” that were actually close to high school age when it was filmed. Did you have any idea that this little film would strike such a chord with the public?
CMS: “Graffiti” was a low budget film but it had a good pedigree. Francis (Ford Coppola) was the producer, and Universal was behind the film, at least to a limited extent. And George Lucas had a lot of buzz and hype about him. After “THX-1138” he was considered a hot young director. All of the actors in the film (and you’re right, Ron and I were both 18), believed in the movie, and in George. We were thrilled to be part of such a good project, as the script was excellent, and, as I say, George was so talented. We thought the movie would be very good, we just weren’t sure it would get noticed as it was so low budget.

MS: Did you already know how to play bass when you took the role of Ray Bob in “The Buddy Holly Story?” And did you ever meet or speak with Joe B. Maudlin (NOTE: Maudlin was Buddy Holly’s bass player in the Crickets), on who the character was based?
CMS: Yes. I had been a musician since age 8 when I began learning piano, then guitar, and all during my teenage years I was in rock and roll bands, joining my older brother Dan’s band while in high school. We played gigs all around LA. I played guitar mostly in the band. Dan is a bass player, and a very good one, although his career since he got his Doctorate in Public Health has been as a research scientist for the California Health Department. I gave up thoughts of a music career when I began getting acting gigs, but “Buddy Holly” was a natural for me. I had played around with my brother’s bass many times, and as a guitar player, it wasn’t too hard to learn it. I got the stand up bass 2 months before we began filming and taught myself to play. I played all the music in the film live, and sang backup vocals live as well. Great fun. I did meet Joe B at the film’s premier in Dallas. He was very nice…shy, and it was a bit awkward as they had mixed feelings about the movie. They meaning himself and Jerry Allison (NOTE: Allison was the drummer for the Crickets). But it was great to meet him, and I even got his autograph!

MS: In my opinion, “More American Graffiti” is very under appreciated. Do you have any ideas why it wasn’t as well received as “American Graffiti?”
CMS: Well, I think it didn’t strike a chord with people the way “American Graffiti” did. I think George had a better story and grasp of the 50s than he did of the 60s. I loved my role in it and the Vietnam story in the sequel was the best written part of the script, I think. I’m very proud of that movie.

MS: You were critically acclaimed (and deservedly so) for your performance in “Never Cry Wolf.” What are your memories about that production?
CMS: “Never Cry Wolf” was an amazing experience. I spent three years on the film. I could write a book about the experience. We filmed for one and a half years, largely without a script. Carroll Ballard is a very gifted artist, and it’s probably the most wonderful experience I’ve ever had in a film. He invited me to write the narration as well, and I was on the film all the way through post production. I could not have ever directed a film without having had that experience with him. He taught me so much, and I’m extremely proud of that film.

MS: You gave another acclaimed performance in “The Untouchables.” Was your character based on a real member of Elliot Ness’ team?
CMS: My character in “The Untouchables” was a sort of amalgam of a few people in the US Government who went after Al Capone, so no, it was not really based on a real person. It was a fun character though, and the shoot was a great experience. I learned an enormous amount from (director Brian) De Palma, and from Sean Connery. I saw Sean two years ago in Scotland as my film “Stone of Destiny” premiered at the Edinburgh Film Festival. Sean was the host of the evening, so it was a great reunion.

MS: You’ve grown into a successful writer/director. Do you have a preference of being in front of or behind the camera?
CMS: I enjoy both acting and writing/directing. I do love writing, and although it may be a surprise to people, I have actually done quite a bit of work as a writer, without acting or directing. I love making films, writing and directing them, but must confess that it’s much more stressful and challenging. Sometimes it’s nice to be an actor, without having to carry the burden of the whole film, and just to be able to focus on that job. I love being able to trade off.

MS: Can you tell us about your latest project, “Dolphin Tale?”
CMS: “Dolphin Tale” is based on a true story about Winter, a dolphin who was rescued in Florida. She was so badly injured that she eventually lost her tail. This is how dolphins swim of course, so her rescuers finally hit upon the idea of making a prosthetic tail for her. It’s a very heartwarming and emotional story, and in writing it, and directing it, I tried to tell a good story, with humor and heart. I was very honored to be able to shoot it with Winter playing herself! It’s a sweet film, and we will be in the theatres Sept 23, released by Warner Brothers.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews Tagged With: charles, interview, martin, smith

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Tag: interview

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