Dane DeHaan talks about working on “Lawless”

Dane DeHaan starred as Andrew Detmer earlier this year in the hit film “Chronicle”. He is co-starring with an ensemble cast of Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy and Gary Oldman in his new film “Lawless”, playing Cricket Tate. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Dane about his new role and what we can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about the dynamic that your character brings to this film?
Dane DeHaan: I play the role of Cricket Tate. He is the heart of the movie in many ways, like the light at the end of the tunnel. It is a very broodish and violent world that the movie takes place in. They say about Cricket that he “can never hurt a fly”. Well the three brothers have hurt their fair share of files. He soups up the cars and makes the moonshine better. So I would say that Cricket is also the brains behind the operation, as well as the heart.

MG: Did you explore the novel, “The Wettest County In The World” prior to shooting?
DD: Yeah I read the novel. For me, what I got out of the novel most was Cricket physicality. It talks a lot of about how he crouches a lot, which it didn’t necessarily say that in the script. So I got a lot of that from the novel.

MG: It is such a phenomenal cast, tell us about working witheveryone on this film?
DD: It was a dream come true. It has a lot of my favorite piers and my heroes. I got throw in and got to have a good time with them. It was a great experience.

MG: What was your most challenging task working on this film?
DD: The film presented a lot of challenges for me. The way I walked in the movie was physically taxing on my body. Keeping the hope within the movie was challenging to fulfill in that role. When I make a movie, it’s like every day presents its own challenges and I like overcoming those challenges each day. I don’t know it is just one thing sticks out as the hardest.

MG: How was it going from a apex predator (in “Chronicle”) to a moonshine bootlegger (in “Lawless”)?
DD: It was really fun. That is what I look for. I look for the variation and the difference in roles and new ways of challenging myself. They are very different people. Cricket Tate and Andrew Detmer are definitely very different people from very different times and with different sets of problems. I love playing those different spectrums.

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Kristina Anapau talks about her work on Season 5 of “True Blood”

Kristina Anapau has appeared in films like Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan”. She also appeared as Maurella in season 5 of HBO’s “True Blood”. Media Mikes had a chance to ask Kristina about her work on “True Blood” and what we can expect next.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with “True Blood”?
Kristina Anapau: I auditioned for Alan Ball and the True Blood producers. I did the scene once, they said thank you, and I left. It was apparently a ‘Thank you, that was exactly what we were looking for’ because I got the call that I had booked the role just a few hours later. As an actor, you always tend to feel that a quick audition with no discussion or adjustments means that they don’t like you or that you are not right for the role, but it is often times exactly the opposite.

MG: How was it joining an already established cast in season five?
KA: I feel very privileged to have worked with the actors I have worked with thusfar. Chris Bauer is an incredibly generous actor and human being. I learn something new from him every time we work together and with every conversation we have. I adore working with Anna [Paquin], she is tremendously talented and focused. She has a magnetism that pulls you in—she is really beautiful inside and out. The True Blood cast is phenomenal—incredibly talented actors on set and absolutely wonderful people off. It is such a pleasure to come to work.

MG: Tell us about your character Maurella and what do you ejnoy about playing her most?
KA: Maurella is a seductress from the faerie dimension who has a passion for Andy Bellefleur. She is 500 years old, although she only claims to be 300;) She is on her way to becoming an elder of the fairies, and is called in to help Sookie and Jason gain clarity surrounding their parents death . I enjoy everything about Maurella. Being able to shoot balls of light out of my hands, read peoples minds, and orgasmically give birth to quadruplets after a one week gestation period? What’s not to love?

MG: Can we expect you past for season six?
KA: We are a pretty secretive operation…don’t think I can give hints away as to where the storyline may be headed by answering that:)

MG: What other projects do you have upcoming?
KA: I just shot a really great episode of NBC’s Grimm that will be airing on September 10th. Sighting, a film I am very excited about, will be out later in the year. It’s a fantastic project. And early next year another film I am very proud of, BlackJacks, will be released.

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Grave’s Ola Lindgren talks about new album and touring with Morbid Angel

Ola Lindgren is the vocalist/guitarist for the death metal band Grave. The band has just released their 10 full length studio album titled “Endless Procession of Souls”. Media Mikes talked with Ola recently about the album and the bands upcoming tour with Morbid Angel.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about the band’s new album?
Ola Lindgren: I would say it is very much back to the bands roots. It is very old school and straight forward. The album has a very heavy, death metal groove. We set out to do an album that could sound like it could have been released in the early days of the band some 20 years ago. I think we accomplished that pretty well with not only the songwriting but also the arrangements. We recorded this album ourselves in our own studio. It’s crushing in every way.

AL: Was there any specific reason for wanting an album that sounded like the band in its early days?
OL: Our two previous albums were a lot more in this same direction. We are sticking to what we know best. We have never really been technical or complicated. We are very straight forward. This album also featured some new blood in the band. Everyone contributed with their own ideas. The process both writing it and putting it together has been pretty easy.

AL: Did having new members in the band change the writing/recording process at all?
OL: I would say the process was very much a band effort. It was different though from the previous 3 albums. It has always been pretty much myself and Ronnie doing everything. We had been sitting at home shooting tracks back and forth and also doing some pre-production stuff. This time it was everyone together in a rehearsal room. Everything felt very right and that’s the way we wanted to do it. Each member had a part in how the songs came together.

AL: Are you planning to shoot a video for any of the songs on the album?
OL: We have some plans but nothing is definite yet. There is one track that I really want to do a video for however we have to decide when to do it and what song we actually want to use.

AL: Can you tell us about the bands upcoming tour?
OL: It’s a very cool idea I think. We actually toured with Morbid Angel back in 1993 here in Europe. They are good friends. We got asked very early in the process about doing this tour. The addition of Dark Funeral is very cool as well. We are really looking forward to playing a lot of the new material and I think the tour will be very successful. The tour starts Sept. 20th and runs through Oct. 26th.

AL: Are you hitting any places that you haven’t been to before?
OL: I don’t think so. I recognize most of the cities on the list as this will be our 5th or 6th time to the States. We also have some Canadian dates and we have played there as well so I don’t think we will be making any new discoveries this time around.

AL: Is there any place the band wants to tour but has not been able to yet?
OL: The only place we have really toured or played is Japan. That has always been something that I thought would be very cool to be able to do. It’s very hard to get over there but we have people working on it for us. Lately there are a lot of things opening up in China and it would be cool to go there as well.

AL: What are the bands plans after the tour wraps up in October?
OL: There are plans for more touring. Before we come over to the States we are doing a small 2 week headlining run here in Europe. We can’t do much more than that as we have to head over to the states. When we get back we are looking to do a more extensive headlining tour as well as a tour in South America and Australia.

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Founder/Owner of Metal Blade Records’ Brian Slagel talks about 30th Anniversary

Brian Slagel is the founder/owner of Metal Blade Records. This year marks the labels 30th anniversary and Media Mikes had the chance recently to talk with Brian about the labels history and what it has planned to celebrate this monumental occasion.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us what initially led you to putting together the first Metal Massacre compilation?
Brian Slagel: I was in Los Angeles and saw so many really great metal bands playing around. At that
time there was no way for them to get heard. I was a huge fan of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal in England and its DIY attitude and from there I got the idea to do a compilation of local LA heavy metal bands. I was also working at a record store and I asked the import distributors I bought from if they would buy a compilation if I put one out. They said yes and the album became a reality.

AL: Did the success of that release plant the seed for you in starting Metal Blade Records or was starting/having your own label always something you wanted?
BS: I never intended to start a label. I was working at a record store and also doing a fanzine. After the album was released, I was offered a pressing and distribution deal from one of the importers. That is when it started to become a label.

AL: You gave Metallica their first real exposure with the Metal Massacre release. Was there a specific reason the band did not sign to Metal Blade?
BS: Yes I had no money as did they. So with no money there was no way to record an album. They came to me first, but no money meant it never happened.

AL: What do you feel has been the labels biggest accomplishment in its 30 years of existence?
BS: Probably just being around for 30 years and still going strong. It is a difficult business, but we have been lucky to still be around and doing what we love.

AL: With the 30 year anniversary of the label is their going to be any special edition releases or re-releases from the label?
BS: Yes we are doing special versions, vinyl, picture discs all year long. Also we are doing special sales around the world as well tied into the 30th.

AL: When signing bands to your label are there any specific qualities or characteristics you look for?
BS: There is nothing specific. We always look for bands that sound a bit different and also are willing to work with us. Getting signed these days is the easy part, and then the work really begins. It’s always helpful if the band has something happening before they ever sign with us.

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Chad Kichula talks about latest album “A Fire”

Singer/Songwriter Chad Kichula’s latest album “A Fire” was released in May of this year and Media Mikes had a chance recently to ask Chad a few questions about the new album and about his writing process.

Adam Lawton: What sparked your interest in music?
Chad Kichula: As far as I can remember I’ve always been interested in music. As a kid, I’d play old records that I’d find around the house, and I’d always have a radio on in my room. As I got older, I tried to figure out how to write and play my own music.

AL: Can you tell us about your new album?
CK: The new album is a mix of rockabilly and rock influences. It is mostly about my working life and what drives me. The album is a very blue-collar record.

AL: What is your writing process like?
CK: My process starts with an inspiration, which can come from any where these days. Sometimes good things happen, and the music meshes with the lyrical side. If it doesn’t, some parts get used later for future songs or it all gets thrown out. It’s kind of like spare parts from a car. After releasing 5 albums, I find that the more songs that I write, the harder it is to come up with something new.

AL: Do you have any music video in the works?
CK: We created some videos in the spring and then I started working on a new project. I do want to get some more live videos from shows this summer up on YouTube.

AL: Do you have any other thing in the works you can tell us about?
CK: We’re recording a new EP that should be ready for a late fall release. It’s pretty exciting. The single from this new EP is sounding really good.

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As I Lay Dying’s Josh Gilbert talks about new album “Awakened”

Josh Gilbert is the bassist for the metal-core band As I Lay Dying. The band is set to release its 6th full length studio album titled “Awakened” on September 25th and Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Josh recently about the upcoming release.

Adam Lawton: What can we expect from the band’s new album “Awakened”?
Josh Gilbert: We worked with producer Bill Stevenson this time around and approached things much differently. We added more of a punk rock attitude to Bill’s suggestions and routines. I think that had a part in how the record was shaped and sounds. The album still sounds like us but we spent a lot more time on crafting the flow of the songs and not just the actual riffs.

AL: Did you have any reservations about going into the studio with a new producer?
JG: I think we were all pretty excited about it. We probably would have used Adam D. but he was busy finishing up things for Killswitch Engage. We had been at a standstill and the idea to work with Bill came up. It was a bit out of the ordinary but I think that is what peaked our interest. Once we talked with Bill everything started to click. He had these very detailed notes on the songs and we all got really excited.

AL: Was there a lot of pre-production for this album?
JG: We went in with 14 or 16 songs that we had fully demoed with vocals and guitars. We usually will write a riff and then show it to one another and go from there. We basically will record the album twice because we want to hear how everything will sound together. We are very thorough and we get a bit obsessive about the writing process.

AL: Can you tell us about the video you shot recently?
JG:  We just finished shooting a video for the song “The Greater Foundation”. We have started to get edits back on it and its looking really cool. We hope to release it very soon.

AL: How does this album compare to the bands previous work?
JG: Are previous albums all have the classic As I Lay Dying sound to them. They are very melodic with a Swedish metal influence. Then there is version 2 of our sound which is more brutal and less melodic. When we do a record we usually have a few songs in each of those styles. On this record our goal was to craft these songs to be as seamless as possible. We didn’t want there to be any gaps as we wanted to cover the full spectrum of our sound in each song.

AL: What are the bands plans after the Mayhem Festival wraps up?
JG: We get to go home for about a month just to re-group. We have been in the studio and on the road for a few months now. While we are home we will be finishing everything up that we need to for the new album to be released. In October we will be heading over to Europe with Trivium and Caliban. After that we will be hitting the states for a club tour.

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Ricky J talks about album “Paint the Town”

Ricky J is a singer/songwriter whose album “Paint the Town” hit the Canadian music charts at #3. His latest single “One Drop” is currently also making its way up the charts. Media Mikes had a chance to ask Ricky a few questions about the album and his involvement with the internet site Cheaterville.com.

Adam Lawton: What made you want to get into music?
Ricky J: I was always into music for some reason. My parents always had music playing around. I always felt a strong connection to music. It’s like a gut feeling that’s kind of hard to explain.

AL: Can you tell us about your latest video/single “One Drop”?
RJ: “One drop” is my current single in Canada off my current album “Paint the Town”. The album has been #3 on the hit charts in Canada. I’m still working the single so I can say we are still building and pushing that song. “One Drop” came about through my co writer DatDude back in Montreal. He had an idea started that he showed me and I came on and we wrote pretty much the entire song together. The aim was to get a Taio Cruz vibe but with my swag and vibe on it. The song is about how there are some girls that you can buy them everything and there are some girls who just want to go out and have fun. They are the girls who don’t care about money or status.

AL: Can you tell us about your work with cheaterville.com?
RJ: Cheaterville! I Love that site. The owner James is a cool dude. Here is a guy who got cheated on and based a site out of it. (Laughs) CheaterVille was looking for an anthem for their site and we connected through mutual friends. I wanted to give them an anthem that was NOT cheesy and not too cliché. I wanted the song to be a little more real. I produced and wrote this song with Sibley who is another HOT L.A artist. I took some of my thoughts and also based it on some situations people I know were kind of going through. Cheaterville wanted it to be something that would work for their site, for radio and for clubs. Don’t forget the song is on iTunes now! (plug plug).

AL: How would you describe you latest album?
RJ: “Paint the town” is a feel good album. It hits you with a little bit of all my influences. The album makes you want to get up and move. Expect a good time with some good music.

AL: Where is the best place for people to go to keep up with your latest news and releases?
RJ: Fans can always check out my music on iTunes. For anybody that wants to check out my music videos or all the online content I have they can go to  www.youtubec.com/rickyjmusic and or all the readers can show their support and follow me on www.twitter.com/officialrickyj

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: album, paint, ricky, talks, town

Brandon Johnson talks about working on Adult Swim’s “NTSF:SD:SUV::”

Brandon Johnson is the co-star of Adult Swim’s “NTSF:SD:SUV::” He is joined by Paul Scheer, Kate Mulgrew, Rebecca Romijn, Martin Starr, June Diane Raphael and Rob Riggle. The show has just started its second season and already is shaping up to trump its first.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Brandon to find about what he like most about playing Alphonse and what we can expect this season.

Mike Gencarelli: What do you think makes “NTSF:SD:SUV::” so unique?
Brandon Johnson: I feel like you get a lot of bang for your buck. We think our audience is really smart. We know they are. We don’t try and hit it over their head, in terms of “Do you all get what a crime procedural is?”. One of the coolest things about Adult Swim and their shows is that they get really amazing talent to be able to come in and do these shows. What separates us from everyone else is our cameos. We have Ray Liotta in there. I have no idea how they got Kate Mulgrew, but she is hilarious. You look at it and it seems like just a little show but then you look closer and realize we have every member of “The Office”, the members of “Human Giant” and most of cast from “Freak and Geeks”, including Paul Fieg. If you are a nerd, we will appeal to you.

MG: If I wasn’t already a big fan, that is really a great sale for the show.
BJ: [laughs], I know right. If you are a computer nerd…we have a robot. If you like “Star Trek”…we have Kate Mulgrew. We are taking care of you nerds.

MG: Where do you get inspiration for Alphonse?
BJ: I love the contrast of LL Cool J and Ice-T as cops on television. Alphonse has these great one-liners that are pretty potent but he is terrified of everything. I like to be the basic cop like “Hey man, I may not have gone to college and don’t understand words on paper but I know your a criminal” [laughs]. As much as David Caruso believes that sunglasses improves his skills — LL Cool J believes that flexing his pecks makes him a better cop. I try to do the best I can to convey “I really don’t know what doing on here but I don’t like it”. [laughs]

MG: Have you gotten a script and just thought it was too over-the-top?
BJ: No. We are really happy that the writers are really really good at what they do. I am just really trying to keep up with them. The creators knew what they wanted to do with the show, so by the time we got there it was really tight.

MG: What can we expect from season two of “NTSF:SD:SUV::”
BJ: Season two you get to see the lovely NTSF:AK:CANOE, which is another NTSF in Alaska. We are going to Alaska to meet my father, who is being played by Steven Williams.

MG: How do you compare this season to the first season?
BJ: The first season, I think we were trying to win you. We went to different locations in each episodes and there wasn’t a lot of focus on some of the other characters. This season your are going to get more of June (Diane Raphael), a lot of Rebecca (Romijn), and Martin (Starr) gets his own episode. One of the things we wanted to do this season was say “Look now that you know how crazy we are, let’s go ahead and give you a look at each of the characters”. I mean there will always be (Paul) Scheer, since we need him and he is just amazing.

MG: Any room for improv?
BJ: It is a weird thing. It is like a Jeter situation [laughs]. “We know that you were a great baseball player once and still are and if we ever need those skills that will be amazing, but you trust the skipper on this one and just do your job” [laughs]. I thankfully don’t have to improv that much. The writers are really good and help me out on that.

MG: What else do you have planned next?
BJ: I do but I have to be loyal to this one. I think this show is going to be awesome this season!

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Author Brandon T. Snider talks about his book “The Dark Knight Manual”

Brandon T. Snider is the author of best selling “The Dark Knight Manual”, also one of my favorite Batman books. It has recently been featured in Entertainment Weekly, Time, Forbes and Wired. Brandon has also done writing for Comedy Central’s “Come Inside with Amy Schumer” and contributed humor to the Huffington Post. Media Mikes had a chance to ask Brandon a few questions about his new book and his favorite comic characters.

Mike Gencarelli: What was your biggest challenge with your book “The Dark Knight Manual”?
Brandon T. Snider: The deadlines were quite challenging, actually! The turnaround was very quick so I didn’t have a ton of time to second guess myself and the direction we ultimately went in. At first I approached the material with a slightly more personal take but it was decided to make it more cut and dry so I had to rethink how I wanted to do it and plow ahead. I wrote it in about a month which was kind of insane. I usually like writing something, taking a breather and then returning with fresh eyes. In this case I had to finish parts and then get them in quickly while wading through the material for the next part. And somehow it all came together in the end.

MG: The design of the book literally feels like a pop-up manual for the series, why did you decide that route for the book?
BTS: That format was already in place before I signed on. Insight Editions has cornered the market on cool, coffee table-sized booksthat are filled with fold outs and fun stuff. I was approached to write the book based on my previous experiences with my editor Chris Cerasi. As far as the interactive features, I wasn’t as involved in their selection but I did give suggestions based on the material I included. Process-wise we decided early on what weapons and characters to feature and then the designer, Jon Glick, would pull the appropriate artwork and create the beautiful visuals. Christopher Nolan and his team had a true vision for Batman and his world and thankfully we were able to incorporate the best pieces of that vision into the book.

MG: How much research did you have to do in order to complete this book?
BTS: I did a fair amount of research but I never strayed from what was established in the Nolan trilogy. I didn’t use the comic books or any other version of Batman than the one you’ve seen in the recent films. My main resources were Batman Begins and The Dark Knight which I watched more times than I can count. For each viewing I’d look for different things; broad themes, embellishments and sometimes just straight up information. I wanted the entirety of the films to inform my work so it was important for me to absorb as much as I could. I had ancillary resources for the more specific details and incorporated real world factoids to enhance the idea that much of Batman’s arsenal is rooted in established technology.

MG: Based on your work, is it safe to say that you are DC Comics fan over Marvel?
BTS: I don’t think it is safe to say that, my good man! I’ve not yet had a chance to work with many Marvel characters as of yet. Had I the chance, I might just take it as I think they have a great stable ofproperties. Don’t get me wrong, I love DC Comics characters. Hopefully more opportunities will come my way to do stuff with them in the near future but that’s not for me to decide. And, truth be told, I think the Marvel and DC universes are quite different. I know fans love to compare the two but the reason they’ve both been so successful are because they’re not like one another. There are parallels but overall their mythologies are unique. It sounds diplomatic but it’s true.

MG: Who would you say is your favorite superhero/villain?
BTS: I’ve always had a soft spot for Lex Luthor and I love all the versions of him; the mad scientists, the jerk capitalist and everything in between. A man with unlimited money and resources who chooses to pursue the selfish agenda of destroying the one person who he believes is a spotlight-stealing fraud? I mean…that’s pretty great. And the parallels to politics that can be drawn fascinate and scare me.

MG: Who would be your dream character to do a book on?
BTS: I suppose my answer depends on the type of book but in general terms I’d love to write a Justice League story. If we’re talking about a manual-style book I think there’s a lot of potential in Superman’s world for that type of informational ledger.

MG: What do you have planned next after “The Dark Knight Manual”?
BTS: I recently worked as a staff writer on a Comedy Central pilot that just got picked up and stars comedian Amy Schumer. I’m also working on a few books for Harper Collins featuring The Annoying Orange. Everything else is too soon to talk about but I’m lucky to have been given a range of opportunities in my writing career and I hope to continue working on as many diverse projects as I can get my hands on.

 

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Janet Varney talks about voicing Korra on Nickelodeon’s “The Legend of Korra”

Janet Varney is known best for voicing Korra on Nickelodeon’s “The Legend of Korra”.  She also appeared in the first season of Syfy’s “Insane or Inspired?”.  Currently she is working on HuffPost Live, a live streaming network. Janet took some time to chat about voicing Korra and what we can expect from season two of the show.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you end up landing the leading role of Korra on Nickelodeon’s “The Legend of Korra”?
Janet Varney: Well I have wanted to do voice over for a while but didn’t have a lot of experience in it. I was something that was a dream of mine. I was working well on-camera but like every good dissatisfied artist, what I really wanted to do was something that I wasn’t getting successful in [laughs]. Mostly because the little kid in me was completely fascinated by being a part of cartoons. I met with a few voice over agents and then asked me “What do you like most about voice work? Promos? Commercials?”. I told them basically I just want to do cartoons and they appreciated my honesty. When I got the audition of Korra, it was basically just a normal process for any on-camera role. We even got put together with the other proposed cast to see how the chemistry was, so I got to read with David Faustino and P.J. Byrne. When I found out I got the role, I was in a Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts in the Valley, getting crafts supplies. My agent called and told me the news and I ended up screaming and jumping up and down all by myself in an aisle of this fabric store. It has turned out to be one of the best jobs, I have ever had. It is an absolute dream.

MG: Did you look back to “Avatar: The Last Airbender” series” at all?
JV: I was a fan of the original series. I think because of the original legacy of the show and how beloved the series was, I think we all felt like we had a responsibility to the fans to do something that would live up to the original. I so felt pressure that the fans were ok with what I was doing with the character and fulfilling their expectations.

MG: Tell us about your podcast “The J.V. Club”?
JV: The timing on that was really great. I decided to focus on, before Korra took off, a way do a podcast with a unique point-of-view and voice. Fan of Korra are even crossing over to the podcast now as we discuss the challenges of being a young person and then how those challenge present themselves as an adult.

MG: I am a big “Jaws” fan myself, tell us about working with Rifftrax to spoof “Jaws 3”?
JV: Oh yeah, “Jaws 3”. I used to love that movie. What is so great about some of the spoofs we get to do is that when you are younger you don’t necessarily know how bad something is that you like. But you still always seem to love it growing up even though it doesn’t hold up and was terrible to begin with. I still love that movie…sort of…even though it is terrible. It was the perfect movie to riff on. We just recorded “Flatliners” as well, so that will be coming out very soon.

MG: Speaking of spoofing, how did you get involved with Syfy’s “Insane or Inspired?”
JV: It was a super fun show. I had done some “Chelsea Lately” episodes and a few other panel TV shows, so it seemed like such a good fit. It has really been a real hoot some of the things we get to view, which are pretty hilarious. I also love the other people on it like Owen Benjamin and Ben Gleib. We don’t always get to see each out since we are recording at different times but it is still fun.

MG: You must own a lot of the same clothes, since you didn’t change your clothes each episode?
JV: [laughs] The bad thing is that I never realized that they were going to be combining clips over the series of episodes. The second time I showed up, I was wearing something completely different. They said “No, no, no, no…you need to wear the same clothes”. I got real familiar with that outfit and will probably never wear it again [laughs].

MG: When can we expect the second season of “The Legend of Korra”?
JV: We already recorded all of the episodes for the second season. Now, they are just being animated. It takes a long time to create that beautiful animated world. I am not even sure if Nickelodeon is 100% sure when we will be airing it, but I am sure sometime in 2013. I can tell you having recorded the scripts, it is just phenomenal. It is beautiful, interesting and strange. We get to meet some new characters and visit some new places. I am really excited and I think fans are going to love it.

 

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: janet, korra, legend, nickelodeons, talks, varney, ...

Christina Cha talks about competing on Season 24 of CBS’ “Survivor”

Christina Cha appeared on season 24 of the CBS hit reality show “Survivor”. Christina talked recently with Media Mikes.com about her experience on the show and also about some of her current projects.

Adam Lawton: What first prompted you to try out for “Survivor”?
Christina Cha: I had been a fan of the show since I first saw it back when I was still in high school. I thought it was amazing to see a show that takes someone from their normal adapted elements and puts them into these really harsh environments. I also am a very competitive person and I love playing games. In about 2010 I was working in corporate America and due to the economy I got laid off twice. I felt really sorry for myself as I didn’t understand why this happened. I took it very personal which is something I normally never do. I saw an open casting call for “Survivor” and did it absolutely last minute. I think there was only about 48 hrs. left to submit a video. I thought that it was something I had to do and I knew it was something I could be good at. I took my phone and shot a video of me being as obnoxious as I could be. (Laughs) From there I started going through the audition process and ended up on the show.

AL: Can you tell us anything about the audition process?
CC: I can’t say too much about the audition process. There are multiple stages that you have to go through. You start with your video and go from there. I had got through on my first try but I have talked with other people who have applied a bunch of times and they didn’t even get a call. I had gone in to a couple interviews and I also did one over the phone.

AL: Is there a certain memory that sticks out for you from the show that the viewers didn’t get to see?
CC: There were parts. When they are taping these reality shows they are taking about 3 days of footage and condensing it down to a 40 minute segment. There was a lot of stuff missing. You didn’t get to see me strategizing a lot which had fans thinking I was the most clueless player on the show. There really is no way to be a clueless player and make it as far as I did. I think the editing on me was a little unjust because I am not the type of person who likes to speak ill of anyone. That’s just something I don’t do. I tried to play the game very honest and true.  What I did in the game was to not give out any information. I am a terrible liar so I would just stare at people. I really was just trying to figure out what was going on in the game and figure out my placement from there.

AL: Was having the cameras around the entire time one of the more difficult parts of the show for you?
CC: In the beginning it was really weird. There were questions like where do you go to change your clothes? Or where do you go to the bathroom? A lot of times I would just say I need to use the rest room and swim out in to the middle of the ocean.  Strategizing was difficult also with the cameras around. My name came up so many times that it made things even harder. Every time the camera was on me they thought I was strategizing. I never got a break from anyone.  You get paranoid all the time.

AL: Did you find that the producers were often trying to stage conflicts or issues between players?
CC: Of course! That’s their job as a producer. If they weren’t doing things like that then they wouldn’t be doing their job at all. I was pretty aware of what they were doing as I have some friends that are also in this industry. I think that’s a lot of the reason why my edit was so unjust because they wanted me to answer things a certain way and I didn’t do that. In the back of my mind I wanted to win a million dollars so I didn’t want to leak any information out. I also knew there was life after “Survivor”. If I didn’t win the million dollars I would need to find a way to make myself look good. Whatever I did on the show would stick with me for the rest of my life. You have to be careful of what you say. Talking badly about someone as a form of strategy I thought was just bad taste.

AL: Is “Survivor” something that you would think about ever doing again?
CC: I love the game so I would definitely consider it. I think I would play it a little differently as I would want to make some big plays and strategize more. When you play the game the first time after watching it as a fan you think you know everything thats out there. Now that I have a little bit better understanding of things I think I would definitely play the game again.

AL: What types of things are you currently working on?
CC: I am still doing some recruiting and consulting on the side. I also am doing marketing and social media for a bunch of companies and I want to get in to hosting. I studied broadcast journalism in college and have a few shows that I also wrote that I am working on. I am really excited about some of the things that are happening right now.

AL: Is writing something that you have always wanted to do?
CC: I have been a life style journalist for the last 3 years now. In about 2008 I was talking to a client and he asked me what I was doing there? I was there selling a software platform so I asked him what he meant. I gave him my job description and he told me I didn’t look like I belonged there and that I looked like I belonged on television.  I looked at him and started crying. I told him I had been doing the job for X amount of time because it’s safe. He happened to be a publisher and he told me he is always looking for really good writers. He then asked me if I would be interested in being an associate editor and write about travel and various luxury products. I took his offer and have been writing for him and some other online publications. I am writing for about 12 online publications and I have my own blog. Hosting has been a side thing lately and I have some stuff also on the web. Survivor has been a wonderful stepping to help me get acknowledged more.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: 24, cbs, cha, christina, competing, season, ...

Vampires Everywhere’s Michael Orlando talks about new album and Warped tour

Michael “Vampire” Orlando is the lead singer of the metal group Vampires Everywhere. The group recently released its second full-length album titled “Hellbound and Heartless”. Media Mikes caught with Michael at this year’s Vans Warped tour to discuss the band’s latest work.

Adam Lawton: How would you describe the band’s latest album?
Michael Orlando: I would say its more dark and message driven. The album is more real and less contrived. Our previous record was more of a cluster fuck of what we were and it featured a different line up. “Hellbound and Heartless” is more of what we are trying to be.

AL: How does the band generally go about writing its material?
MO: This time around we produced the record ourselves. We had a demo process at our house and we went in to the studio with the album pretty much completed. We just showed the engineers what we needed to lay down. It was more or less me writing the lyrics and our rhythm guitarist DJ “Black “ Blacker writing the music and we all just put everything together.

AL: Is there a track that’s sticks out as a personal favorite for you?
MO: “Star of 666” is one of my favorites. It’s a very 90’s/new metal sound. The song has a really cool vibe and an awesome message that means a lot to me. It’s an awesome track.

AL: Have there been any highlights for the band on this year’s Warped tour?
MO: Las Vegas! We played in front of Mandalay Bay and had a main stage slot that day. There was a sea of people there as was our label. It was really good timing and it was a lot of fun.

AL: What are the bands plans after Warped tour ends?
MO: We have a cool tour coming up that we can’t announce just yet. There are some pretty big sponsors that are going to be behind it. We also just released a new video for the song “Drug of Choice”. Other than that we are going to just keep pushing the new record.

AL: What type of treatment did you give the new video?
MO: The video is about social climate in Hollywood and it follows a girl though Hollywood who is trying to be noticed. The video has a really cool twist at the end that I think people will enjoy.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: album, everywheres, michael, orlando, talks, vampires, ...

Alison Klayman talks about directing “Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry”

A 2006 graduate from Brown University, Alison Klayman is a documentary filmmaker and a freelance journalist. After graduating college she went to China where she spent four years producing radio and television stories for NPR’s “All Things Considered,” Associated Press Television, Voice of America, Current TV, and CBC. She reported the story “Who’s Afraid of Ai Weiwei?” for PBS’ “Frontline” and currently completed her first feature documentary film, “Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry.” Her documentary short, entitled “Ai Weiwei: New York Photographs 1983-1993,” was shown as part of the artist’s exhibition at the Three Shadows Photography Art Centre in Beijing from January through April of 2009. She also adapted a shorter version for the Tate Modern’s online channel. Ms. Klayman recent sat down with Media Mikes to talk about her film and the inspiration she draws from it’s subject.

Mike Smith: What was your inspiration to make this film?
Alison Klayman: I had been in China for a couple of years. And the reason I went… after I graduated from college, my goal was to make a documentary film. And in meeting Ai Weiwei I knew I had found a character who was not only very charismatic and complicated but, after our initial meeting together, I felt he could expand my ideas about China. I thought that an audience would enjoy watching him.

MS: You worked in China for several years. What brought you there?
AK: What brought me to China was a desire to go abroad…have adventures…become a journalist and do foreign correspondence work. The reason I went to China was very random. I had a friend who had family there. I went on a trip with her and ended up staying. I just wanted to go abroad…to anywhere in the world. I ended up in China. But I really threw myself into it. I worked in a lot of different industries. My dream was to one day feel like I deserved to make a documentary film. And in Ai Weiwei I found a great subject.

MS: How did you come to meet Ai Weiwei?
AK: Another story that’s more random than anything else. My roommate at the time in Beijing was working for a local art gallery and she was curating an exhibition of Ai Weiwei’s photographs from the decade that he lived in New York. How I actually initially heard of Ai Weiwei was though these photographs. And in 2008 she said to me that she thought it would be nice to have a video to accompany the gallery show. Something to show in the lobby that offered a deeper story to some of the photos. She asked if I wanted to make it and I said “yes.” In December 2008 I was brought over to Weiwei’s studio along with the gallery team. And on the first day we met I already had my camera in hand. And I started filming right away. I was so lucky that I had this introduction and was given this great opportunity.

MS: This is kind of a two part question. Until he’s detained by the Chinese government you seem to have almost total access to him. Were you able to communicate with him once he had been detained? Also, because of your association with this project, did you have any fear for your safety while in China?
AK: Nobody was really able to be in touch with him during his detention. His wife was brought to visit him once. She was the only person to see him during those 81 days, apart from those who were guarding him. She wasn’t told the location where she met with him and she was only allowed to be with him for 20 minutes. And during his detention I was in very close touch with people at the studio. I was very active on social media…giving interviews on what was happening. I was able to meet with him about two months after his release in Beijing. That was very important because we showed him the film before we headed out to Sundance. As to my safety…it was a good thing that I was already used to living in China and doing work as a journalist. I know there are certain ways to behave so that you won’t necessarily run into trouble. So on the whole, I did not fear for my safety. I did fear for the safety of Ai Weiwei and the other citizens who were engaged in his work. There were the ones that were really taking the serious risks. For me there were a few scary moments during filming, particularly when Weiwei was heading towards the police stations and the court houses. I was along for the ride, one of many cameras. I think when you watch you can see those moments and see that we didn’t know how they played out. Those were the only experiences where I experienced any interference from the authorities….trying to take the camera…trying to take the tapes.

MS: Due to the rather unflattering light that you shine on the Chinese government would you ever return to China?
AK: Definitely. I really hope to do more work there. I’m hoping that life will take me there again.

MS: Do you still communicate with Weiwei?
AK: The best way we talk is very open through Twitter. And what’s great is that he often re-tweets my posts, like, “just saw the film in Europe at a film festival.” He re-tweets that and I know he was able to see where the film had been shown. That’s the main way we stay in touch. We do also text and occasionally will talk on the phone, though it’s not necessarily safe to talk on the phone. I last talked to him about two weeks ago and he was blown away by the reach and the impact the film was having.

MS: Have you decided on your next project yet?
AK: I wish! I’m just developing ideas…not sure if they’re ideas for short films or a series of films. I’m coming off a really exciting project. I had a healthy respect for documentaries in college and I’m constantly curious and fascinated by their stories. I want to find another story that makes me feel the same way.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: ai, alison, directing, klayman, talks, weiwei, ...

Kodi Smit-McPhee talks about voicing Norman in “ParaNorman”

Kodi Smit-McPhee is best known for his role in the dark horror film “Let Me In”. Kodi also voices the role of Norman in the stop-motion animated film “ParaNorman”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Kodi about this role in the film, the process of doing voice work and what he has planned upcoming.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your experience voicing Norman in “ParaNorman”?
Kodi Smit-McPhee: It was really cool. I have done voice over work before but it was computer generated, a lot quicker and overall very different. I knew about stop-motion before this but when I worked on it, it was completely not what I expected. When I when to Oregon to see Laika studios, I was just blown away at how much passion they have and seeing how much work and patience goes into creating the town and these characters. It really motivated me to do the best that I can really do.

MG: Tell us about the process of recorded your role?
KSM: We knew that there were ten sessions that I had to record and there were a few months in between. I would go in and record the whole script and then send it off to Laika. They would work around my around my voice and then I would go back in and touch up anything we had to do over.

MG: How long did the whole process take?
KSM: It was about two years. I started when I was fourteen and now I am sixteen.

MG: When you recorded the voice were you with any of the other cast?
KSM: Yeah. It was really cool when I got to record my material with someone. Usually since I was typically in this black room when recording solo. When someone came in it helped fill in your imagination a bit and makes those scenes very natural. You can actually interact with someone and react off their energy. It was an awesome experience.

MG: What was your biggest challenge doing voice work?
KSM: I think the biggest challenge was keeping the voice up in that area, since I was getting older at the time. In the Town Hall scene, where he climbs up the side of the building and was yelling at the Witch, it was such an emotional scene. It was very hard to do. To get all of that emotion out through my voice was a challenge but we did get it in the end.

MG: After starring in “Let Me In”, what do you enjoy most about the horror genre?
KSM: I think the cool thing of horror is that as it gets older, people are bringing so much more into it. I think with “ParaNorman” and “Let Me In”, there is the horror aspect and it is fun but there are also these underlining deep stories within them. So you are able to take two things away from it.

MG: What do you have planned next?
KSM: Right after “ParaNorman”, I did “Romeo and Juliet”, which is something totally different. It is with Hailee Steinfeld, Douglas Booth and Paul Giamatti. Then I did a sci-fi film called “The Congress” which is also with Paul Giamatti and Jon Hamm. Right now, I am in New York working on a new film called “A Birder’s Guide to Everything” with Ben Kingsley.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: kodi, paranorman, smitmcphee, talks, voice, work, ...

Valerie Azlynn talks about working on TBS’ “Sullivan & Son”

Valerie Azlynn is currently playing the role of Melanie on TBS’ new comedy series “Sullivan & Son”.  The show is created by Steve Byrne, who also stars, and Rob Long (“Cheers”).  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Valerie about the show and what her inspiration was for her character.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with “Sullivan & Son”?
Valerie Azlynn: Well, it was a normal audition process for me. I met Steve (Byrne) and the guys during the audition and I thought we all worked well right from the beginning. Steve was so kind and cool during the audition process. Honestly it was a very fun audition. I left and just thought how awesome it would be to get to work with these people. I was shocked when I got the part. It not only made my day when I found out but my entire year. I was so excited.

MG: What do you enjoy most about playing Melanie?
VA: I personally enjoy how confident and semi-grounded she is. I would say she – if it is like a car – she is the axle. Nothing really works without the axle. It is always there and grounded. The guys are like the wheels and Steve is like the driver [laughs]. She is able to put everbody in check. I think Steve and her have a lot of similarities. If anything they are both extremely stubborn. I loved her relationship with the guys. They are her brothers as well. Even with my own brothers in real life, you can put them in check pretty easily…which is good.

MG: What is your inspiration for her character?
VA: I stole out of that from real life experiences. The rest of the character is stealing from Bea Arthur, Julia-Louise Dreyfuss and a lot from my grandmother. She was a really firey red-head, who not only put people in there place but told them where they were going to go. From being partially raised by her, I got this little attiude from her. So that is a big part of the character. Lastly I like to throw a little Angelina Jolie in there, since she is so sexy and cool. I don’t even know if she has anything to do with my character but let’s just toss her in cause it sounds good [laughs].

MG: Was it hard to keep it serious amongst a cast mostly of stand-up comedians?
VA: I think there were some moments where it was really hard to keep a straight face. I feel like I had done a ton of comedy and my background is improv. I think just the fact of staying in a scene and improvising, if anything it made me want to take the scene longer and further.

MG: What was your highlight from shooting on season one?
VA: I would have to say my favorite is actually “The Panty Theif” episode. I mean we include panties, a puppy and punching. It has everything. The real treat was working with John Michael Higgins. For me personally, he does work that if I was a dude I would totally want to emulate this career. So my plans is to do the female version of that [laughs]. But he is seriously funny as shit! He just reads a line and everyone goes into a riot. It is the same thing with Brian Doyle-Murray. There are just some people that are so extraordinary.

MG: How does this show differ from your past TV work?
VA: This show for me is just such a great experience. I get to be a regular on the show and not just coming in and supporting. I felt like I really got to be a part of the family. Also the way a sitcom is shot is such a great bonding experience. You are all together everyday of the week for a couple of months. When you are anactor, if you are going in and out of jobs with guest spots etc, those experience are great but you don’t get to have that constant bonding. There is such a charm with this cast. I developed great relationships with everyone from the very first day. I loved working with all of these people.

MG: What do you have planned next?
VA: I did another little spot on “Castle” for their season opener this Fall. I was on it last season for a couple of episodes also. It was really fun, I got to play a superhero. I just pop in and out. I haven’t heard anything yet about season two of “Sullivan & Son”. Maybe our fans will reach out and demand more episodes. I feel pretty good about it. All we do is try and make you laugh and I think the audience really appreciates that.

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Filed Under: TV Interviews Tagged With: azlynn, son, sullivan, talks, tbs, valerie, ...
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