Cortney Palm discusses her role in the film “Sushi Girl”

Photo by laura burke photography

Cortney Palm is part of the ensemble cast of the new film “Sushi Girl”. She is playing the title role along with a great genre cast of Mark Hamill, Tony Todd, James Duval and Noah Hathaway. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Cortney about the role and working with an all male cast.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with “Sushi Girl”?
Cortney Palm: I had gotten called to audition by Zora DeHorter who was doing the casting for the film. I went in to read and I really liked the writing however I didn’t think my audition went that well. I ended up getting a call back and thought of that as a way to redeem myself. I went to the call back and they told me I had done really well. I sent a follow up email to Zora after the audition as a thank you and she replied saying that they were very interested in me. I had a third call back and I had figured it was between me and someone else. The third audition basically was to see if I was comfortable with being nude, as I had already gotten the part. It was really exciting!

MG: How was it working with such a great male led cast?
CP: Those guys were all so funny! Mark Hamill is funny as can be and James Duval has these stories that he was always wanting to tell everyone [laughs]. I was always laughing and they had to yell at me to stop moving the sushi. I am the only female in the film but it’s invigorating and I love being an empowered female. The film is very powerful and all the guys were really great.

MG: Can you tell us any interesting stories from the set?
CP: There were a lot. The first day I was fairly nervous as I was going to be surrounded by some real iconic actors. To lighten the mood Mark Hamill walks in and asks me if I was wearing a body stocking. It made me feel really good. I figured the lights must have made me look really good because I wasn’t wearing one. Another time James Duval was telling us about a piano bar he goes to and how he is always being recognized from “Independence Day”. It was fun just talking about being actors in everyday life.

MG: How would you describe the film?
CP: Kern Saxton and Destin Pfaff are just excellent writers. Within their writing you can find such great characters with really good dialogue. Each character is so distinct in their motive or action that it really brings to life every piece of the puzzle. The film keeps you on the edge of your seat and wondering what’s going on with each character. I think Kern Saxton is going to be a break out director!

MG: If you could choose one person to work with whom would it be and why?
CP:I want to work with James Cameron, he’s inspired me since I watched “Titanic” 13 times in the theater and Clint Eastwood who said I was stunning while working as a background performer on the set of one of his recent films. I love Emily Blunt and Julia Roberts and I would feel honored to share the screen with them as well as Tom Hanks and Zach Efron. Just to name a few.

MG: Do you have any other upcoming projects?
CP: I just wrapped a short film that was shot by Trisha Gum. The film is called “Losing Ferguson” and it’s going to be hitting the festival circuit soon. The story is about a girl who has been living in this imaginary world do to a past trauma. The girl begins to grow up and suddenly loses her imaginary friend. It’s a really good story.

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Interview with Tony Todd

Tony Todd is a living legend in the film business.  He is known best for his role of Candyman in the horror series.  He has also working on high profile films like “Transformers: Rise of the Fallen” and “Final Destination” series.  Tony Todd is currently starring and executive producing a new film called “Sushi Girl”.  He believes it is his best work yet.  Media Mikes had a chance to sit down with Tony and chat with him about this new film and what we can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about how you got involved with the film “Sushi Girl”?
Tony Todd: It was a Godsend actually. I got the script about two years ago now. We got together and had a table reading with about 60% of the final cast. We all new it was magic. We got taken off track because we lost financing but we all had faith since we knew the script and cast were strong. Then n the beginning of last year, I got more involved and started setting up some meetings in order to move it forward. We met Spark Entertainment and luckily then we got our financing that we needed.

MG: Is that how you took on the additional role of executive produce?
TT: I suppose so. That was more an act of generosity on their part. I didn’t request it. I wouldn’t say no, of course. In terms of that, one of the things being the leader of this group is that I always checked in with the actors. I wanted to make sure that they were happy and that everyone was going to give 100%. I found that you are all as good as your weakest link. We got very lucky to land this wonderful set on Universal’s lot. I mean it had to be a million dollar set on its own. We had such a wonderful crew. I have done over a hundred films and the energy on this set was easily in my top three films ever.

MG: What can you tell us about your character Duke?
TT: Without giving away too much, we are a motley group of criminal disguising as businessmen. My character Duke fancies himself a businessman that happens to be involved with criminal enterprises. The general plot is we all gather together after 6 years to celebrate Noah Hathaway’s character Fish’s release from prison and that sets up our evenings events.

MG: How did you prepare for the character?
TT: I did a lot of research on what makes a sociopath. I found some very disturbing things. For sociopaths, just like you and I are sitting here outside and chatting and at the spur a moment things can change, like a snap of the finger. He is a wonderful character. But I couldn’t be Duke, unless everyone did there roles as good as they did.

MG: You are a legend acting in the horror genre, tell us about your plans to direct on “Catalytic”?
TT: It is a script that is already written. I didn’t a horror film to be my first directorial debut. I have another project called “Eerie, PA”, that is much closer to my heart but same group from “Sushi Girl” convinced me that it a good horror film. I do not contain any stupidity in the horror characters. It is about real shit and is very cool.

MG: You recently just appeared in “Final Destination 5”, how did the character come about?
TT: Well I had done “The X-Files” and James Wong and Glen Morgan were involved writing on that show. They remembered me and they had acquired “Final Destination”. It was original a proposal script for an “X-Files” episode by Jeffrey Reddick. They wanted me and I wanted it, so fortunately it worked out amd here we are five films later and going strong. I thought the fifth film was the best in the series.

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Interview with James Tupper

James Tupper is currently playing the role of David Clarke in ABC’s hit show “Revenge”. Last year, he co-starred with Jim Carrey in “Mr. Popper’s Penguins”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with James about working on “Revenge” and what we can expect this season.

Mike Gencarelli: What drew you to the character of David Clarke?
James Tupper: I had seen some of the pilot prior to my scenes being shot. Madeleine Stowe, who was nominated for a Golden Globe this year, is on the show and I realized that every scene required me to be in bed with her. I figured I could probably swing that [laughs].

MG: How much information did you receive about the show’s plot prior to working on it?
JT: We only get the script we are shooting at that time. We shoot our scenes and then piece all the details together. Phillip Noyce who has directed a bunch of great films actually directed some of the pilot. To be able to get that caliber of director was really great. Phillip is one of those guys that is on another level.

MG: Where you able to work with Emily VanCamp at all during the season so far?
JT: I get to work with her younger self. [Laughs] We haven’t crossed paths yet but I would be worried about her because she’s kick ass.

MG: What can we expect from the rest of season one?
JT: There is an incredible downhill crash and every character has something going on. I feel like when I am reading the scripts each episode feels like it’s a season finale. I wish I could tell you more of what is going to happen but I just can’t. I will tell you that some people end up in jail.

MG: How does working on “Grey’s Anatomy” compare to working on a show like “Revenge”?
JT: “Revenge” has all this energy going on and it feels like I am working with the next generation of actors. Everyone is young and full of energy. When I worked on “Grey’s Anatomy” the show had a real ensemble feeling led by Patrick Dempsey. The acting was very deep and everyone on that show really knows how to work a scene. It has a totally different feel.

MG: How was it working with Jim Carrey on “Mr. Poppers Penguins”?
JT: I had to go to set the day before just to meet Jim because I knew I would be nervous. He is an icon. He is a guy that is funny all the time. Jim really understands comedy. When I first met him he slapped me on the back and asked if I like to be called Jim or James? I figured because he was Jim Carrey, so I decided I would stick with James.

MG: What else do you have planned for 2012?
JT: I just finished shooting a film with Jessica Biel and Gerard Butler called “Playing the Field”. That should be out in a few months. It’s a really funny film. I play Jessica Biel’s lover. No one is going to believe that Gerard Butler can take a woman away from me. [Laughs] I don’t think America is ready to see that.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: interview, james, tuppers

Interview with Chris Metzler

Chris Metzler is the co-director/writer of the documentary “Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone”. The film chronicles the 30 year career of the band Fishbone a band considered to be one of the biggest bands to come out of early 80’s punk/ska movement. Media Mikes recently had the chance to speak with Chris about working on the film.

Adam Lawton: What prompted you to make a documentary about the band Fishbone?
Chris Metzler: Generally I don’t like music documentaries as they are a hard thing to get right. A lot of times they are made only for fans of the band or for promotional purposes. The thing I really liked about Fishbone was if we were able to do it right we might be able to break the mold of music documentaries. Fishbone makes really good music and they helped change the musical landscape in California. In reality this is a story of family and through a moment of serendipity these 6 guys met each other during a desegregation experience in Los Angeles. They all fell in love with punk rock and carved their own path. The guys as outsiders really attracted me to the project.

AL: Were there any difficulties in dealing with the variety of personalities the members have?
CM: The thing that was surprising with the film is that even though we did have some obstacles we had to get over everyone was really easy to work with. Working with the guys in the band and those who we interviewed outside of the band was essentially the easiest part about making the film. Everyone was very thoughtful and reflective. The biggest challenge in making the film I think was it being a very independent, do it yourself effort. My co-director Lev Andersen and our DP editor Jeff were like a 3 man band trying to take down 30 years of history. It was tough when we had to hit the road as one of us had to be on the bus and there was only one bunk space. The other two guys would have to follow behind in a van we rented. We were driving 500 miles a day and while trying to shoot the rock star life. There are a lot of endless hours and monotony. We drank a lot of Red Bull to keep up.

AL: Can you tell us how Lawrence Fishburne became involved with the project?
CM: We really lucked out there as Lawrence had been a fan of the band and is friends with the guys. Their friendship actually started in the early 80’s when Lawrence was a bouncer at some of the punk rock clubs the band played at. Lawrence really admired the band and their friendship has continued on since then. He was really excited to be a part of the film. The only thing he gave us a problem with is he was hoping to be interviewed for the film. Sadly we couldn’t have him be the narrator while being interviewed at the same time. Lawrence was very generous.

AL: What was the idea behind using a variety of art and animation in the film?
CM: The band has been around for 30 years. They have broken the mold on so many different genres and scenes. We thought using a variety of eclectic art would allow the viewer to not only see the events historically but throw them into the moment as well. We really wanted do what we could to put the viewer in that moment. With cartoons we could characterize the people which helped establish their personalities early on in the film.

AL: Will there be any deleted scenes or bonus material on the DVD release?
CM: Absolutely! The DVD will feature 100+ minutes of bonus features. That will include deleted scenes, interview outtakes, archival footage and some clips with Angelo’s character Doctor Mad Vibes. There also will be live footage of Fishbone playing CBGB’s the last week it was open. We really jam packed that portion of the DVD.

AL: Was it hard finding a lot of the older memorabilia and footage to include in the film?
CM: The band its self didn’t really have much as they tend to live their life in the present. A lot of the things we were able to find came to us by calling out to the larger community of fans. We were very patient as things trickled in. After being out on the road and telling people we were working on a documentary about the band we got some amazing leads. It took a lot of time and we were still finding things a couple weeks prior to releasing the movie. There are still some great things that are popping up that we wished we had gotten sooner.

AL: What other projects do you have in the works?
CM: Right now we are in the final stages of getting the DVD out there. There is a shorter version of the film airing on PBS and the full version is available on iIunes. The DVD will come out Feb. 21st. The band is on tour right now and they are also working on a new album. We are going to let the film live out there in the world at let people discover it. We have a few ideas for our next project as I am always out looking for cool ideas. I haven’t quite decided which one we are going to plunge into just yet.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: chris, interview, metzler

Sammy Stephens talks about being a YouTube sensation with his video “It’s Just Like A Mini-Mall”

Sammy Stephens is known best for his YouTube video “It’s Just Like a Mini-Mall”.  The video has received almost 8 million hits and rocketed Sammy into pop-culture history.  Since then “It’s Just Like a Mini-Mall” has been featured “The Ellen Degeneres Show” and even parodied in “The Cleveland Show”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Sammy about his success and what he has planned for 2012.

Mike Gencarelli: Give us the origin of how you came up with the tagline “It’s just like a mini-mall”?
Sammy Stephens:I used to do commercials for the flea-market. I used to always say, “The Flea Market Montgomery, it’s just like…it’s just life a mini-mall.” The reason why I said that is because when I took over the flea-market, it was only selling antique stuff and people weren’t supporting the Flea Market at that time. So, I said I was going to bring in some new merchandise along with other venders and it will be like a mall, and that is how the mini-mall terminology was born. I was seriously talking with myself about the idea, and I said, “Sammy, how are you gonna make this work?” And then I decided to develop the tagline that we now know and love today. But I figured that this alone was not going to catch the people’s undivided attention, so I figured I needed to repeat myself and make it memorable. I wanted something that would stick in the people’s minds and whenever they heard it, they would automatically think of Flea Market Montgomery. I said, “When it comes to saving money, there’s only one place to shop in Montgomery, and that’s the The Flea Market Montgomery…it’s just like…it just like a mini-mall. Oh yeah!” So that’s how that tagline and the beginnings of a very popular commercial jingle came about.

MG: Tell us about your process creating the rap and the video for the commercial?
SS:A friend of mine came to me one day, and he had this jingle. I liked it, but I wanted something more upbeat. So one night, we were in the studio in his house, and he told me we where going to cut some tracks. He told me that when he plays the music, he wanted me to talk over it. So I said “Living rooms, bedroom, dinettes. Oh yeah. You can find it at the market. We’re talkin’ ‘bout Flea Market. It’s just like…it’s just like a mini mall. Oh yeah.” I thought it sounded really cool with the music. I did the line in a few different voices, so when you listen to the song you hear all these different voices in the background and they are all me. We had about 32 seconds, so I told him I was going to buy sometime on the radio and make a rap out of it. Then I hired this guy from the TV station to help me make the video. We shot the video, edited it, and put it together and that’s the video you see on You Tube. But the real video is only 30 seconds, which is what they played on TV here in Montgomery. The original video is about 2 minutes and 2 seconds long on You Tube.

MG: What was your reaction when this video became viral on You Tube?
SS: When I made the video, I just knew it was going to be a hit. I had a feeling in my heart because it was so unique. What happened was that Ellen Degeneres got a hold of it. She asked her viewers to send in their favorite commercials. So, some young woman sent in my commercial, and Ellen played it on her television show. She said that out of all the videos that she received, mine was the only one she really liked. From there, I started to get phone calls from radio stations and text messages from all over. The first call I got was from a radio station in Florida, and they also wanted to interview me on the air and it just blew my mind.

MG: Tell us about your experience then going on “The Ellen Degeneres Show”?
SS: Well, she called me and invited me to “The Ellen Degeneres Show”. It was quite an experience. She and I were dancing together of course. It was just such a rush and an amazing time. She is a really nice woman, and I was lucky to be on that show. I hope to be on the show again in the near future. Thanks so much again Ellen. Call me.

MG: How did you get involved with the AMC Sprint Commercial shown in theaters? Tell us about that experience?
SS: That was a really great experience as well. They flew me down to California and treated me to the works. They took me to this huge theater, and they had rented out the entire place for us to shoot the Spring commercial. It was a lot of fun and very impressive. The only thing is that it is not being shown at theaters down here in Montgomery, Alabama, so a lot of people I know haven’t had a chance to see it yet.

MG: What else do you have planned for 2012?
SS: I am trying to get an internet radio show going currently. So when I get that accomplished, I am going to be live at 5 in the morning for the morning drive at 5. It will be called “The Sammy Stephens Morning Show.” If you go to YouTube and look up “The Sammy Stephens Morning Show,” you can see one of the shows that I did last year. I think it will be a really big hit. I also have a new single that is coming out as well. It is going to be great. So I’ve got a lot of things coming up this year for sure! Stay tuned, and remember, log on to sammystephens.com.

 

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: interview, minimall, sammy, stephens

Interview with John Jacobson

John Jacobson has been trust into the spotlight since his YouTube video “Double Dream Hands” has exploded on YouTube. John has worked for kids for many years with his company “America Sings” and through his teachings of music and dancing. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with John about his rise to stardom and what he has planned for 2012.

Mike Gencarelli: What inspires you most to work with kids through music?
John Jacobson: I have always been kid oriented and I have been singing and dancing since I was a kid myself. Apparently I never got the memo that I was supposed to quit. Through my experience of being a performer and later as I teaching I know what it does for kids. I know it’s a really positive and wonderful thing in their lives. It helps the kids become better, healthier people. That’s a contribution I really want to make.

MG: How did you actually start “America Sings”?
JJ: I used to judge a lot of choir competitions. I was never a real fan of the competitive nature of those. I feel like the arts are the one place in a kid’s life where everyone can be a winner. I think it’s good to learn about winning and losing but there are other areas where you can learn to do that. I would watch 40 choirs in a competition and one would go home feeling great while the other thirty nine went home feeling like losers. That’s not the contribution I wanted to make to music and education. We came up with the idea for a non-competitive choral festival. I thought kids would become just as motivated by helping others as they would if they were to win a big trophy. We put the festival together where the kids are doing community service projects and getting to sing and dance. This was done on a whim twenty five years ago thinking I would be lucky if one choir from every state would show up. The first year we had 435 choirs and 15,000 kids show up. We knew we were on to something very positive.

MG: How did you come up with Double Dream Hands! And tell us about its road to pop-culture?
JJ: It’s kind of wild as you couldn’t plan this if you wanted to. I work on a magazine called “John Jacobson’s Music Express”. It’s a magazine where I write lessons and music for teachers to use. For all the songs we make video tapes of me showing a dance that corresponds with the song. We have around 3 million kids use this program around the world. Someone took one of those songs of our website and put it on YouTube. They called in Double Dream Hands because there was one move in the dance that I had no other idea as to what to call it so that’s what I called it. The video ended up being labeled that on YouTube. I got a call from my publishing company stating my dance was overdubbed with LMFAO’s song “Planet Rock” and that the video had gotten 36 thousand hits. By 5 o’clock that same night we were up to 100 thousand hits. I think now it’s up to around 5.2 million hits. We originally made this dance video for our target audience which is 3rd-6th grades. Those aren’t the people watching YouTube. That demographic is the 18-35 year old male. It was really surprised that many people in that age range wanted to learn the Double Dream Hands dance.

MG: Double Dream Hands! Is now also available on the iPhone, tell us about that?
JJ: I write for a publishing company by the name of Hal Leonard Publishing Company. One of the app companies came to them and asked if it was ok to make an app out of the video. I thought it was kind of funny. People have started to do funny things to the app like putting their own head on my body and things like that. People are having a lot of fun with it. It’s harmless and no one is getting hurt.

MG: Tell us about how you got involved with AMC Theater’s Sprint Commercial?
JJ: I had gotten a call about the YouTube clip being used in a commercial. Honestly I have been asked by quite a few companies to use the video but they didn’t fit my message of promoting kids health and fitness. When I was contacted by Sprint I reallyliked their idea of bringing people together through technology. They were great and I think they did a classy job. I was glad to be a part of it.

MG: What would you say has been the most interesting thing to happen since becoming a YouTube sensation?
JJ: The most surprising thing for me is how it has opened up a whole new audience for me. I have always gone around the country teaching however a whole new audience is knowing about things like my books “A Place in the Choir” and “Double Dream Hands”. More people seem to be reading those which have really allowed me to spread my message about kid’s health and adult fitness. I get messages from all over the world about people using Double Dream Hands which is great.

MG: What other projects do you have planned for 2012?
JJ: I have been doing this for a long time and we have always had a lot of good feedback from young people. When we started getting feedback from other ages about Double Dream Hands we put together a 30 minute video of songs like that for a work out DVD. It’s called “Double Dream Hands: Work-Out Songs for Fun and Fitness”. It’s a really neat thing that is fun and a good work out. I have an inspiration book out called “Double Dreams” that I am really excited about. There also will be some new YouTube videos coming out as well. We are going to be tailoring those more to our YouTube audience. I am having a lot of fun with all of this and other people are as well so why not!

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Interview with Bob Odenkirk

Bob Odenkirk is known best for his skit series “Mr. Show with Bob and David” with David Cross. He has worked on Adult Swim shows like “Tom Goes to the Mayor” and “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!” He has also has recurring roles on TV shows like “How I Met Your Mother” and “Breaking Bad”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Bob about his TV work and also his new upcoming pilot for Adult Swim.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about working on the “Breaking Bad”?
Bob Odenkirk: I love being a part of that show. It was something that came out of the blue and just fell on my head. It is different from all my other work as it is a drama. The show has a bunch of great actors and writers who work extremely hard. I don’t know if my character will continue to be a part of the show as I don’t really know what happens. Every year I will go down and hang out with the writers just to talk about writing. I guess while I am down there I will see if my characters name is up on any of the walls. I’m guessing they wouldn’t have me come over for lunch if my character wasn’t going to be around anymore. (Laughs) I really want to be a part of the show as I love playing the character. I have such respect for the challenge of making the show that I am for whatever they want to do with my character.

MG: What do you like most about playing the sleazy Saul Goodman?
BO: I want to play the sleazy guy. I love reading the script and asking myself what Saul is really trying to get done. He only is telling people what they want to hear or what will get them to do whatever it is he wants. It’s always fun to think about what he is really after.

MG: How does it compare to working on a show like “How I Met Your Mother”?
BO: The energy is different. There is a more relaxed feeling on a show such as “How I Met Your Mother”. “Breaking Bad” consists of a great group of people but in order to get the show done within the time constraints you have to work really hard. You have to show up knowing your lines and be ready to go. If that didn’t happen the show would just never get done. It’s a pretty serious place. It’s a challenge that is fun.

MG: Tell us about your recent stand up tour with the Birthday Boys, called “Seven Man Sweater”?
BO: The Birthday Boys are a sketch group here in Los Angeles that are really funny. We did a show earlier this year called “The Heroic Man”. We are currently working on coming up with a television show as well. I also did a show for Adult Swim called “Let’s Do This” that will air on their website next week. I want people to go to the site, check out the video and if they like it tell Adult Swim they want it made into a series.

MG: How did you get involved working with Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim?
BO: Tim and Eric are amazing, funny guys. They amaze me and are real artists. I think I am good at helping them with the tools that make a good show. They have a vision and a voice that is very distinct and unique. It’s an inspiration to work with guys like Tim and Eric. I envy them.

MG: Are you still writing for “Check It Out! with Dr. Steve Brule” season 2?
BO: I don’t. I think I helped with the first season by making some observations. I think I also talked with them about the point of view. That’s pretty much what I do with Tim and Eric as well. The episodes are pretty well completed and I just give them some notes.

MG: Are you going to be directing anymore films?
BO: Yes. When I finished “Brother Salomon” I felt like I really needed to step back from teachers and think about what I am doing there, why I am doing it and what will my next film be. I think I have a lot of fans that look at the 3 films I have done and they don’t really see my voice. It’s certainly not as potent as it was on “Mr. Show” and that’s understandable. I think the next movie I am going to make is going to be more of what you would want from me. I have a couple scripts out there and am actually meeting on one tomorrow. I also am shooting a short for “Funny or Die” next month which will be a lot of fun.

MG: Tell us about your role for the upcoming film “Movie 43”
BO: I am not in that but, I did direct a short for that film. Peter Farrelly is producing that and the film is made up of a variety of short comedy films. I gave them some stuff to look at and they picked one thing out of what I gave them. That film is pretty much out of my hands.

MG: What else do you have planned for 2012?
BO: David Cross and I are performing at the Amnesty International Ball with Cold Play. It’s nothing really big. (Laughs) David and I are also going to Vancouver where we are doing a show as well. I also will be recording my first Mr. Blow podcast which will be on Ear Wolf. Mr. Blow will be a podcast featuring people who wrote, were in or saw the live version of “Mr. Show”. The cast will not be about “Mr. Show” but about life now.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: bob, interview, odenkirk

Interview with Meital Dohan

Meital Dohan is an Israeli born actress/musician. She has a recurring role on the series “Weeds” and has appeared in a variety films and television shows. Meital recently released her first music single titled “Yummy”. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Meital about the single and her career in the entertainment industry.

Adam Lawton: What was it like working with Rami Afuni on your single “Yummy”?
Meital Dohan: It was great. I don’t see how working on music could ever be a bad experience. I have found that there is a connection and or vibe that happens when you are working with a producer. That’s what happened with Rami.

AL: What was your first recording experience like?
MD: Most of my career I have been an actress so recording is still somewhat new to me. It still keeps me intrigued and involved the same way acting does. I thinks it fun discover a new character. On the music side the fact that I am singing really surprises me.

AL: What made you decide to venture into music?
MD: It wasn’t so much a decision. I had been in shooting a version of “Dancing With the Stars” overseas and my spiritual guide told me that I had to return to America to work on music. I thought she was completely insane as I am an actress. She assured me things would work and I had worked with her for a few years so I trusted her. I came back and started working on the album. Everything has moved really fast and it’s been fun.

AL: Have you found either music or acting to be more difficult than the other?
MD: I really love both. Acting is something I have been doing since childhood. I have been on so many different stages that it is part of me. Singing is like a magical world that opened up and took me by storm. Music has a very different vibe. As a singer everything is up to you.

AL: Can you tell us about the album you are working on?
MD: The album is going to be titled “I’m In Hate With Love”. I am still in the recording process as we speak. I am working with some interesting producers and the whole thing is very exciting. We don’t have a set release date yet for the album as we are focusing right now on the single “Yummy”. That song has a real life to it. I have a couple shows booked around that song. Once we finish riding the wave “Yummy” has created we will release the next single.

AL: What do think has been the hardest part of breaking into a new market both as an actress and singer?
MD: I never really try to compare myself to anyone else. I think life is a journey that we have only so much control over. I had a great career in Israel and a great audience that I love. When I came to the states and wanted to go back something always happened that kept me here. I know I have a lot of fans that believe in me and want to see what I am doing. I don’t think it’s my job to worry about what and if something is going to happen. It’s the job of an artist to service the people they entertain.

AL: What other upcoming projects do you have coming up?
MD: I have a new television series in negotiations but I can’t really elaborate too much on that. The show will probably connect somehow to my skits online. There also are a few movie opportunities out there however the television series is my focus right now.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: dohan, interview, meital

Interview with Avatar’s Johannes Eckerstrom

Johannes Eckerstrom is the lead singer for the Swedish metal band Avatar. The band has a new album coming out on February 14th via E One Music titled “Black Waltz”. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Johannes recently about the band and their upcoming release.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some band ground on the band?
Johannes Eckerstrom: We formed about 10 years ago when we were all still in our teen years. Essentially the lineup has remained the same since that time. We have released 3 albums in Europe and we are just about ready to embark on the U.S. market for the first time. Our sound is extreme metal but with our own added twist.

AL: What are some of the bands influences?
JE: We started off finding a common ground amongst all of us. At that time it was clearly death metal and melodic death metal. From there we took things further and were very extreme and technical. By the time we reached the point where we had to make the decision go further we knew we would have to become something very cool and introverted. When we were writing our third album we realized that we had forgotten what we all loved and originally agreed upon. We found new common grounds and starting including things with a groove and a beat. We referenced a lot of our old school heroes. The music is still extreme metal but with a mixture of rock and roll. It was cool to reference our past. For me Ozzy Osbourne was a big influence when I was younger. He was always a huge idol of mine. By our fourth album we had learned a lot about groove and hooks. Today we are being describes by some as a mixture of death metal, industrial metal and rock and roll. I figure why not go with that because those are our core influences

AL: What can you tell us about the upcoming album “Black Waltz”?
JE: I have never felt the need to lie and I can honestly say that I think this album is our best yet. For me the album is really new and cool. We have this mixture of styles where no one specific style takes the upper hand. We let the songs become what they needed to be. When we were feeling a groove or certain part during the recording process we just let it go. Sometime later we are Pink Floyd! (Laughs). We have tracks that are straight forward rockers. We have tracks that will make you want to hurt people. Then we have the tracks that give you an idea of what mushrooms are like. (Laughs)

AL: What has been the hardest part for the band breaking into new markets like the U.S.?
JE: It’s still super early. The album doesn’t come out till Feb 14th and the single just came out. We have done some interviews so far but it all is super exciting. We are starting fresh as we are the new boys in town. We have been around another town for 6 years where we learned all the tricks. Right now we are in an awesome position. We have a cool label and booking agent along with great management. We are looking forward to coming over and playing in the states very soon.

AL: What are the bands tour plans?
JE: We are doing everything at once right now. We have a cool set up of people but at the same time we have a punk band style to us in that we keep control of everything. We are doing everything we can to launch the new album on our own. Nothing is definite at this time as we are picky. We want to come there with the right bands and at the right time.

AL: What else does the band have going on right now?
JE: We have a video out for the song “Black Waltz” that is really awesome! We worked with an American side show group called Hellzapoppin. That group also helped us with some photo shoot stuff. There are guys driving spikes into their noses and pushing beans out their eyes. There are a lot of interesting things going on and it is all real. The video will also give people some indication of what they can expect visually when they see us perform live. At this point we are currently working on an equally awesome video for another song of the “Black Waltz” album. We start shooting that in a couple peoples but I am going to hold on to what that will look like.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: avatars, eckerstrom, interview, johannes

Interview with Robert “Bucket” Hingley

Robert “Bucket” Hingley is guitarist/vocalist for the popular ska band The Toasters. The band recently celebrated its 30th year anniversary and our out on the road bringing their brand of NYC ska to the masses. Media Mikes caught up with Bucket to discuss the bands history and their future plans.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about the band’s current tour?
Robert Hingley: We are currently making our way out to California where we have shows booked in both San Diego and Los Angeles. The tour is about 45 dates which have all been rolled into what is the second part of our 30th anniversary tour.

AL: What is the bands line up for this tour?
RH: The band is Thad Merritt on Bass, Nate Sabnayagan on Drums, Jonny D on Sax and Chap Sowash on Trombone and I play guitar and sing. This is a smaller line up as we have tooled it down from touring with 7 or 8 guys. We have gone for more of a lean mean ska machine sound. These days it’s very hard monetarily to tour with a large band unfortunately.

AL: When you started the band in 1981 did you foresee a career which is now into its 30th year?
RH: If that idea would have been proposed to me back then I probably would have told you that you were mad! As it turns out though you would have been the one that was right and I would have been the mad one. Here I am still doing this some 5,000 shows later. I never thought the band would have the legs that it has.

AL: What do you think has been the biggest factor in keeping the band going for so long?
RH: We really play a lot of bizarre places all over the world. In that sense everything hasbeen kept pretty fresh. We are constantly trying to find new places to go rather than running over the same tracks time and time again. We also have a large pool of members to play with. There are a couple of members out with us now that are new to the mix but, that keeps everything fresh. We play the tunes a little bit different and you have to just find what’s good to help change it up. I also think playing in a niche market for a group of very hardcore fans has also helped us survive.

AL: How did the band become involved with doing the theme song for Nickelodeons’ “KaBlam!”?
RH: That was back during our Moon Ska Record days. We had a lot of stuff working with MTV then and Nickelodeon at that time was pretty similar to MTV. The cartoonist for that show was a big Bad Manners fan and he wanted to have some tracking similar to their sound. He couldn’t get them to help out so they contacted our label and we got hired to do the show. It was really just being in the right place at the right time which seems to be the secret of the universe. We have lots of people come up to us and tell us that the first exposure they ever had to the band was watching that show. It’s really shows you the power of television on people’s minds.

AL: Was there a reason the band called themselves The Moon Ska Stompers on that track?
RH: We had a lot of irons in the fire at the time as we were recording a record and touring. Some of the guys just weren’t available so I had a combination of Toaster’s members and some guys I worked with on other projects to be part of that studio session band.

AL: Are there any plans to put out a new album with the bands current lineup?
RH: Not so much and album but we have a couple songs that are ready to go. The next thing we plan to put out is going to be a 7” vinyl called “House of Soul”.  It’s ironic that the music model for 2012 has reverted to what it was in 1962. I think now the concept of an album is something kids fail to grasp. I have 14 year old daughters and I was telling them about the concept of an album and they just couldn’t wrap their heads around the thought of it. They download singles directly to their phone so the idea of going to a record store and buying an album is kind of beyond them. Things have very much reverted back to the 60’s single driven model. In a way that’s not so bad because it forces people to write good tunes.

AL: Does the band have any other plans for 2012?
RH: We have some more touring lined up as we just finished booking a European tour that kicks off in April. That will be about a six week tour. We also have some summer festivals lined up and possibly some dates on this summer’s Warped Tour. From there we will be going to Australia and Japan in the fall and then back to the states for a few more dates. I also have some music festival projects outside of the band in the works but I can’t really say too much about those at this time. I can tell you that it will involve summertime, music and beer. I think people like that stuff.

 

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Filed Under: Music Interviews Tagged With: hingley, interview, robert

Cécile Corbel talks about scoring Studio Ghibli’s “The Secret World of Arrietty”

Cécile Corbel is a French singer/songwriter, who recently created the score for Studio Ghibli’s “The Secret World of Arrietty”.  The film was just released by Walt Disney Pictures and has earned the best stateside opening ever for a Studio Ghibli movie.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Cécile about working on the score with Studio Ghibli and also her new album and tour.

Click here to read the interview in French / Japanese

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with working with Studio Ghibli on “The Secret World of Arrietty”?’
Cécile Corbel: In 2009, I sent my album “Songbook, Vol.2” as a gift to Studio Ghibli. I got very lucky because the head producer, Toshio Suzuki got the CD and actually listened to it.  This is something that never happens. They were just starting on producing “Arrietty” and they weren’t sure of the path they wanted to go with the music at the time. We got one email asking if I wanted to write one song for the next Ghibli movie.  So that’s how it started and went from one song to the whole score. It was really exciting.

MG: Your score seemed perfectly scaled for the film, where did you get inspiration for the it?
CC: A lot of the inspiration came from the first drawings that I received from the studio.  Also the director sent me short texts, like poetry, which tried to describe in a few lines some of the characters or themes from the movie. I was able to focus on the emotions and feelings, which made it very easy for me to come up with the music before the movie was produced.

MG: Joe Hisaishi is known for working on the scores for Studio Ghibli; was their any pressure stepping into those shoes?
CC: [laughs] For sure. I am also a big fan of Hisaishi work. The hard thing was not to think of it and not to try and sound like something that was already done in past Ghibli movies. Also to try not to use that kind of orchestra or symphonic kind of feel. I wanted keep it simple and come up with music similar to my CD, in which the studio liked.

MG: Did you get a lot of creative freedom from the studio?
CC: Yes, amazingly I had a lot of freedom working on the soundtrack.

MG: What was the most different aspect of creating the score?
CC: The writing itself was rather joyful and creative. After that, I had to figure out which part would actual fit into the scenes. There was a lot of trial and error. That was definitely the hard part.

MG: What is your favorite Studio Ghibli film prior to working on “Arrietty”?
CC: [laughs] That is a tough question. I like all of them because they are all different. But “My Neighbor Tortoro” is one of my favorites. Also I really like one that is a little more obscure film called “Only Yesterday” directed by Isao Takahata.

MG: What is the biggest challenges of singing in different languages?
CC: I love to sing in different languages. For “Arrietty”, I actually had to sing in many different languages. They wanted to translate “Arrietty’s Song” in Japanese and English due to the international purpose of the film. Then it was translated to French, Italian and Chinese. Japanese is actually the easiest in fact to sing in.

MG: Your latest album “Songbook, Vol.3” was just released in the US, tell us about your inspiration for this album?
CC: Yes it was just released on iTunes in the US. It feels great to finally have one of my albums released for US audience finally. This album was written after “Arrietty”, it follows the path of my prior albums in the “Songbook” series. The inspiration is pretty much the same and comes from Celtic music, ancient tales, and folk music. It is about story telling and characters from legends. I am really proud of it.

MG: You are touring a lot this year, any plans to come to the US?
CC: I am a big traveler and I tour quite a bit. I really enjoy it. I had the chance to play only one before in the US. I would have like to been a part of the promotions for the movie, but it never happened. Hopefully though due to the success of the movie in the US, I am really hoping to use that to be able to tour in the US in the near future.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: cécile, corbel, interview

Interview with Howy Parkins

Howy Parkins is the supervising director for Disney Junior’s “Jake and the Never Land Pirates”.  He has his hands in pretty much every aspect of the show, which recently just began it second season.  Howy has been working with Disney for around 15 years and also recently worked on its series “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Howy about this wonderful show and what we can expect this season and going forward.

Mike Gencarelli: “Jake and Never Land Pirates” returns for Season 2 on Monday, February 20, tell us about that season?
Howy Parkins: For the second season, we really branched out. That is the beauty of Never Land and the Never Sea, it is just so vast. We will take the kids to some very wonderful and magical places. You look at the island and ask “Where can you have a mountain range…or a desert?”, but that is the beauty of the show being able to explore and go on adventures.

MG: Tell us about Peter Pan returning to Never Land?
HP: We were thrilled when we got the green light to bring Peter Pan physically into the show. With Never Land, we had Captain Hook and Mr. Smee already, which just made for the perfect circle. I think we mentioned him a few times in the first season. So when we found out we were actually able to bring him into the show, we got busy right away. Again, it is a Disney classic character, so we were respectful but also very honored that we were able to bring that character into the show with such fan following of so many generations.

MG: Tell us about your general role on the show?
HP: I am the supervising director. I came out of animation school many years ago. I’ve story boarded and been around designer. I have directed at Disney for around 15 years. With this show, I am just thrilled to be a part of and I enjoy coming to work every day. I work with a great team of designers on this show. We really tapped into our knowledge of Disney and wanted it to look like a really rich Disney-esque show. I feel we really captured that.

MG: Take us through the production process for one episode of “Jake and Never Land Pirates”?
HP: When we get final script, we go into our preliminary design meetings. In the second season, we do go to some new places, like we have an underwater episode. We have new characters coming up. So with those situations, I would sit with my crew and sketch out ideas and refine them. The voice talents come in next and then we move to storyboard, which takes about five weeks. We scan the boards into our editing bay and with the adding of voice recording we have what we call a “like reel”. It is essentially the show, but in its bare-bones form of black and white line drawings. From that I can work on the timing, staging and cinematics aspects of the show. Once we lock that show and we send it to an animation studio in Canada and I believe they get twelve weeks to do full animation. By the time it gets back, we have about six to eight weeks to finish up. Then we give our musicians a few weeks to score the episode and then we move to sound effects, which I also sit in on. Then we polish it up and make it nice and shinny and off it goes. I would probably about three or four months per episode. We stagger them, obviously, so we have many going on at the same time.

MG: Why do you think a show like “Jake and Never Land Pirates” has been so successful?
HP: When we started talking about doing the pilot, there is just something about pirates for boys or even girls ages 3-7 years old . Also coming on the heals of “Pirates of the Caribbean” series, it is such a fresh subject matter. I think because the three kids on the show are so adorable, so much character and so fun, who wouldn’t want them to hang out with. They are a nice allure for the kids at home. Also for the parents, we try to put positive messages into each episode. Their mannerisms and attitudes are just so enjoyable. There are just so many assets that come together as a package.

MG: The show was just green lit for a third season already, can you reflect on that news?
HP: It is very early and we are not used to that kind of thing. We are still in the midst of the second season. We are excited because now we get to plan in advance and discuss where we want the show to go now and who do we want for reoccurring characters etc. We are just rolling with it and I think we can definitely keep this exciting for at least another 37 episodes. In Never Land, there are many places we can still discover. It is definitely a challenge but we are all up for it.

MG: You’ve worked on shows like “The Simpsons”, “Recess” and “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse”; how does this show compare?
HP: I think when my son came along, who is now almost 11 years old, I got vested in the subject matter of what I work on now. Back in the day, working on “The Simpsons” was a great experience. I also worked on same Nickelodeon shows, it was fun but it was an older audience. With this show I am happy because we hook in the kids, but also the older brother/sister and even parents can watch as well and get just as much out of it. I think we discovered this formula where the entire family can watch, which is a really hard this to do. As much as I enjoyed the others, this one is really special.

MG: Besides just the television show, what else can expect from “Jake and Never Land Pirates”?
HP: Definitely there is some great merchandising being launched. It really brings the show into people’s home and they are able to buy toys and play with them while watching the show. When we are sitting in the design meetings, we think about “can this make a good toy?”, so we try and plan ahead. I know there is also a lot of on online stuff right now for the show as well. We were even reading tweets about our show, which has never happened before. That was really exciting. So there is just a lot to look forward to and I am really happy to be a part of it.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: howy, interview, parkins

Interview with Patrick Muldoon

Patrick Muldoon is known best for his roles in the original “Melrose Place” and “Starship Troopers”. Patrick currently returned to his role on the soap opera “Days of Our Lives” after a 16 year break. Media Mikes had a chance to chat about his return to soaps and also his connection to Casper Van Dian.

Mike Gencarelli: How has it been returning “Days of Our Lives” after a 16 year break?
Patrick Muldoon: I kind of compare it to what it would be like if you went back to high school 15 years later and all of the same people are there. It’s almost like a family reunion. The halls and dressing rooms are still the same. It was really bizarre in the beginning but there was still that feeling like I never left. I am loving it!

MG: What would you say is the most challenging aspect of working in soaps?
PM: It’s much different. I have been used to working with just one camera. It’s taken some getting used to again. There is a lot of memorization happening. A movie you get four months to work on your lines and memorize them but on soaps you only get one day. Everyone works really hard and we all do our best. It really has the feel of a theater company and a live show

MG: Was it hard picking up the character of Austin Reed after so long?
PM: With soap operas they write the character and as it progresses they write in aspects of the actor playing the role. They did that for me originally so I am really familiar with this character. I played Austin for 3 years which is the longest role I have ever played. It’s weird how emotionally everything reattaches.

MG: You have done TV and movies, what do you look for more in a role or character?
PM: I tend to look at things backwards. When you get a part there is something going on within that character. There is a question that the character is living at that time. There is probably something you need to look at from your own personal life. As things come to you I kind of look at it on a spiritual tip a little bit. Whatever obstacle that character has to face somehow I am being asked to look at that in my own life. In order to be able to play the part you have to look at it from your own life. That is generally what I pay attention to when a part comes across the desk.

MG: You recently reunited with your “Starship Troopers” co-star Casper Van Dien on “Born to Ride”, tell us about that project?
PM: That film actually just got released last year however it was shot almost 7 years ago. It may have been longer than that. I don’t know what exactly happened with the film being tied up for so long. Casper and I are great friends. Neither one of us knew how to ride a motorcycle when we started shooting that. I started out doing circles in a parking lot and then I was going 70 miles an hour down a road. It was such a rush. By the grace of god we got out of that movie alive as neither of knew how to ride.

MG: You starred in 2007’s “Ice Spiders” and you got “Spider 3D” coming up, what can you tell us about that?
PM: I’m not sure why spider science fiction movies find me. (Laughs) We shot “Spiders 3D” in Bulgaria last year. It is really cutting edge technology. This was a role where you either had to hire Casper or myself. I got this one.

MG: Do you find that working on creature films pose any difficulties to CG effects added later?
PM: It’s all fun. It’s like when you see kids in playgrounds shooting each other with sticks. We are just doing the same thing but we are in out 40’s. It’s fun for me. I have been an athlete all my life so when I get to do the action stuff I am very happy.

MG: What else do you have stirring for 2012?
PM: It’s mainly just “Days of Our Lives”. I also am a musician and I will be going to Nashville on one of my breaks from the show to record a solo record. It’s going to have a southern rock vibe to it however it’s still a little early to be talking about that just yet.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: interview, muldoon, patrick

Interview with The Simpsons’ Al Jean

Al Jean is known best for his role of Writer, Executive Producer and Show Runner of “The Simpsons”. The show is currently in its record breaking 23rd season and celebrating its 500th episode on February 19th, 2012. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Al about his job with “The Simpsons” and what we can expect from it’s future.

Mike Gencarelli: You wear many hats on “The Simpsons”, how do you juggle them all including executive producer and show runner?
Al Jean: I came up as a writer, so the most important thing for me is being head writer. There all these other aspects of it that I feel take away from main job of writing. Not that working on budgets and boards aren’t important but I have just always felt that way.

MG: How do you feel that the show still holds up and is relevant this long after 500 episodes?
AJ: It’s crazy since nothing in television lasts this long. The fact that we still get to do these stories that we think are interesting and relevant is a tribute to the way the show is created. The cast all works really hard.

MG: The 500th episode airs on Feb.19th, tell us about what we can expect from the episode and what cameo voices?
AJ: Julian Assange will be voicing himself in a cameo. We have also enlisted another hard to find person for a brief appearance as well. The basic premise of the episode is that the Simpsons find out they are being kicked out of town for the things they have done over the years.

MG: How can you reflect on the recent Guinness World Record breaking Simpsons Ultimate Fan Marathon?
AJ: I was actually there for that. I think they could have gone longer but cooler heads prevailed. I am glad no one went crazy and started shooting people. (Laughs) Of course congratulations to the two men last standing.

MG: What else can we expect from the rest of this season?
AJ: We have guest stars such as Brian Cranston, Steve Carell, Zooey Deschanel, and Lady Gaga set to appear this season. Lady Gaga is actually playing herself while the others are playing characters. We also have a Halloween show based around the Mayan prophecy of 2012. This year is going to be really exciting.

MG: When you started out with this show many years ago, did you ever think you would see this landmark?
AJ: No. If I had said that you would have put me in an institution. I would have been ecstatic if you had said 50 at the beginning. Matt (Groening) thought it was going to be a hit but I don’t think anyone else thought it would reach this point.

MG: How do you think that creating the shows now differs from when you started?
AJ: Things have changed very little. At the beginning there was incredible attention being paid to it but you know that won’t last. It has been replaced by this feeling of acceptance and that it is part of people’s lives. It’s a wonderful thing.

MG: Is there ever any hopes for a sequel to “The Simpsons Movie”?
AJ: Yes there is hope. We aren’t working on it now because it is very draining to work on the movie and the television series at the same time. I think we would all be better off if we waited until the show ended before we start another movie…but who knows when that will be.

MG: The show will continue another two seasons until season 25, what do you foresee for the future?
AJ: We are going to episode 559 for sure. It will depend on the economics at that point. We had to decrease our budget to get these extra two seasons. There may be another reduction as television is not as profitable as it once was. I wouldn’t count the show out though.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: al, interview, jean

Interview with Andrew Okpeaha MacLean

Andrew Okpeaha MacLean is the Writer/Director of Alaskan thriller “On the Ice”.  The film is a thriller set 320 miles north of the Arctic Circle in Barrow, Alaska.  It is based off a short firm titled “Sikumi”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Andrew about this new film and what he has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: “On the Ice” is based off a short film, “Sikumi”, tell us about that?
Andrew Okpeaha MacLean: “Sikumi” translates to “On the Ice” in the Inuvik language. That came out in 2008 and it did very well at several festivals. We actually won the Jury prize for a short film at Sundance that year. That gave me the opportunity to start thinking about making a feature. Both films deal with a killing and the immediate aftermath. The short is actually a period piece set in late 50’s early 60’s. The feature is contemporary and the characters are teenagers as opposed to the short where the characters are adults. The short came from a few different inspirations. I took the characters from another script I was writing based on an event from my grandfathers life. One of the characters is directly based on my grandfather. The script didn’t end up going so well so I took the characters and put them in a different situation. I had always wanted to write a western but based in Alaska. There is something about the landscape there that is appealing. It is very vast and monochromatic.

MG: What made you choose to film 320 miles north of the Arctic Circle in Barrow, Alaska?
AOM: I am originally from Alaska and I grew up there. Barrow is my home town and I am related to I think half the people who live there. (Laughs) It feels that way at least. I knew the place before I knew the film. The place inspired the film.

MG: Since it was your first feature directing, what were your biggest challenges?
AOM: There were a lot of challenges. I think the most common problem with independent films is money. This was no exception. Where we shot is a hard place to shoot logistically. Getting the cast and crew out on the frozen ocean was tough. There are no roads out there so the only way to get everything out there was to pull it on sleds. The sleds were always breaking down because we were using them so much. One of the cast members happened to also be a mechanic so he sort of became our onset mechanic.

MG: Tell us about your casting process for the film?
AOM: It is all pretty much first time actors. There is not a lot of opportunity to get involved in acting up in the Arctic. I sort of knew going in that we would be finding people who hadn’t acted before. There are just no trained Inuvik actors of the age group we needed that were capable of understanding the characters. I wanted to cast people who were from the culture they were portraying. I also wanted them to be close enough to the lives of characters so that they could understand them very deeply and intimately. We took a big casting trip all over Alaska looking for people. We talked to thousands of people to try and get a sense of if they would be good on camera. We managed to narrow it down to 15 or 20 people who we thought had some real possibilities. We had them go through a week long intensive audition/acting workshop in Anchorage. Out of that we came away with our cast. This was all done prior to receiving any funding for the project. We had to know ahead of time that we had people who could pull this project off.

MG: When can people expect to see the film?
AOM: It opens Feb. 17th in New York and in several cities in Alaska. Over the next few weeks it will be traveling around visiting other cities. If people go to www.ontheicemovie.com they can see the full release schedule for the film.

MG: What do you have planned next?
AOM: I have a bunch of projects that I am attached to that are in various stages. I also am writing scripts as well. I don’t know what the next project will be to get green lit but I am excited to find out.

 

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: andrew, interview, maclean, okpeaha
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