Cassie Steele talks about TV series “The L.A. Complex”

Cassie Steele plays the role of Abby Vargas in the television series “The L.A. Complex”. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Cassie recently about the show and her upcoming music album.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about the show “The L.A. Complex”?
Cassie Steele: The show is about people who move down to Los Angeles to try and make it in the entertainment industry. The show follows how the characters deal with the pressures and anxieties of trying to make.

AL: Can you tell us about your role on the show?
CS: I play Abby on the show. She is a girl from Canada hoping to make it. Abby doesn’t have a lot of experience or a visa. She is struggling with how long she can stay down there and support herself without making any money. This is Abby’s first pilot season so we get to see a lot of that and the pressures pilot season can cause.

AL: Did you have any likes or dislikes about working on the series?
CS: I enjoyed meeting the new cast and crew and I loved everyone I worked with. The people at Epitome are like my family. I really learned so much and it’s been amazing to working with them. Now we get to do the second season!

AL: When does shooting for season two of the show start?
CS: I am actually in Toronto shooting as we speak. We just had a long read through of the first 7 episodes. There are some hot new characters and a lot of funny girls and boys. It was nice to meet some of the new people joining the show and, it was great to see returning cast members as well. It is very exciting.

AL: Will we see any big differences on the new season as compared to season 1?
CS: I think season 1 pushes a lot of buttons especially compared to Canadian television. Season two you will see the characters get into deeper problems. As they get move up or down the ladder you start to see what each character is capable of when they are desperate.

AL: Do you think your time on “Degrassi: The Next Generation” helped prepare you at all for your role on “The L.A. Complex”?
CS: Yeah, I guess so. I don’t think I really notice because I have done it for so long. The things other people may notice I may not. I think that it must. Everything to my knowledge went very smoothly. I think it helped me learn how to communicate with other actors. Character development is where I think it really helped me. I played the character of Manny for so long that I learned you have to play what people want to see from the character to your advantage. If you work against it things can start to work against you. I think that was a really important thing to take with me.

AL: What other projects do you have in the works?
CS: I am getting ready to release a three song teaser for my album. This release will sort of align with the CW release of my album. This is going to be a lot of fun. I am glad to have something for people to see after they watch “The L.A. Complex”. I plan to continue working on the release of my full-length album when time allows.

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Andreas Apergis talks about playing Ray on SyFy’s “Being Human”

Andreas Apergis is known best for playing Ray on SyFy’s “Being Human”. Andreas also has a role in the upcoming third “Riddick” film coming out in 2013. Media Mikes had chance to chat with Andreas about his role and reflecting on season two shocking cliffhanger of “Being Human”.

Mike Gencarelli: What do you like most about playing Ray in “Being Human”?
Andreas Apergis: I love the whole supernatural aspect of the show. It is definitely cool to be playing a werewolf. Usually for these characters their word is dangerous. It always allows for interesting situations as an actor. It is definitely not a boring show to work on. Ray is kind of a tortured soul who has been through a lot. I’m sure it’s not easy being a werewolf. It’s a very rich role.

MG: How do you compare playing your character from this season to last season?
AA: I call Ray this season Ray 2.0. He has kind of evolved and it is nice to see that growth in a character. He is definitely not the same character we see in season 1. He is more unbalanced and I think still reeling from his change. When we see him this season he seems to have made a pretty good turn around. He has some stability in his life and is happier. He has found some balance and seems to be in a way better place this year. It was nice to come in to a Ray that wasn’t a lunatic. Of course playing Ray last season was fun but he has grown in season 2.

MG: Can you reflect on the shocking season 2 finale?
AA: These characters get very desperate. Making themselves human is a real struggle. I don’t even know where the chips will land for next season. I guess we will find out what happens but the characters have been through a lot. Josh has really paid the price for being a werewolf. I am a fan of the show also so I am waiting to see how everything is going to be resolved.

MG: What are you most looking forward to for your character in season 3?
AA: I wish I could tell you. I have no idea what happens after the cliffhanger from season 2. I am in as much of the dark as to what comes next as everyone else. I don’t know? I am dying to find out what happens.

MG: Can you tell us how you got involved with the “Assassins Creed” video game series?
AA: Ubisoft is based out of Montreal. I played a couple minor characters in the second game and then they asked me to come in and read for the Cesare Borgia charcater. It was a lot of fun. You are in a world where the characters are larger than life. There are a lot of things going on. How often do you get to play a maniacal guy who wants to take over the world? (Laughs) Cesare is very nutty. It’s a fun role to play. There are so many diehard fans that are into every single detail of both “Being Human” and “Assassins Creed”.

MG: Are you working on any other projects?
AA: I just finished doing the 3rd Riddick film which doesn’t have a release date yet. I play a necro-monger commander. I can’t wait to see how that turns out. That was shot in Montreal and we just wrapped on that about a month ago. I have a knack for getting into these situations where the characters and their worlds are larger than life. It was fun to meet Vin and David Twohy. I am really looking forward to seeing the film.

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Gianpaolo Venuta talks about playing Danny in Syfy’s “Being Human”

Gianpaolo Venuta is known best for playing Danny in Syfy’s “Being Human”. Gianpaolo can also been seen recently in the new TV series “The Firm”. Media Mikes took a chance to chat with Gianpaolo about his role on the show and his reflection on season two.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us what you enjoyed most about playing Danny on the series “Being Human”?
Gianpaolo Venuta: It actually wasn’t really “enjoyable”. It’s hard to empathize with a character like that. He had so many opportunities to do the right thing but his self-preservation always trumped any thoughts of confessing. It was also confusing for the audience to see this quiet, shy, guilt-ridden guy then suddenly turn into this homicidal maniac without.

MG: How was it working with Meagan Rath?
GV: Really, it was a lot of fun. We had a great rapport from the start. She’s really down to earth and always available for others. And super hot.

MG: In the end of season one, your character’s true identity gets darker and darker; how did you prepare for the role?
GV: You know that famous quote: “Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering”? Well…

MG: In season two, your back with a vengenace; how was it playing a ghost?
GV: I didn’t really have any personal experience to draw on, obviously, so I focused more on the circumstances that led Danny to become the ghost. The guilt, paranoia, fear, etc., and how that transformed him.

MG: Due to the eclipse situation you came back after being shredded, any word about season three?
GV: No word as of yet, but I’m pretty sure Danny has breathed his last breath.

MG: How does this show compare that your other recent TV work like “The Firm”?
GV: It’s different in that “Being Human” always felt like one big family. I was fortunate enough to be there at the beginning and see the chemistry between the leads develop. But that chemistry was not only limited to the cast – it included the crew as well as the creators and producers of the show. “The Firm”, which i am incredibly proud to be a part of, has been different for me because my character’s story line only really gets going in the last 5 episodes of the show so I feel like a bit of an outsider.

MG: What do you have planned next?
GV: I’m not really sure – to be honest. I haven’t done any theatre in a few years and it’s always nice to go back to it every now and again.

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Rick Hornyak talks about his new CD

What makes a hard working union man in Pennsylvania suddenly decide to chuck everything aside and head to Texas? That’s one of the things I made sure I asked Rick Hornyak when we spoke. A singer/songwriter with a great gift for lyrics, Hornyak is currently embarking on one of several short tours planned for 2012 in support of his new CD, “Marigold.” I recently talked to Rick about his music, his passions and, of course, why Texas?

Mike Smith: How long had you been writing songs before you decided to pursue music as a career?
Rick Hornyak: I guess I started writing songs when I was about 19. I used to work in a steel mill and that kept me pretty busy so there weren’t a lot of songs from age 20 to 27, when I finally had a dozen or so that I was kicking around. When I was 27 I moved to Austin (Texas) and I’ve written a lot more since. So probably when I was around 19 or 20 years old was when I started coming up with original songs.

MS: How was it adjusting from quiet, sleepy Pennsylvania to wild and crazy Austin?
RH: I have to tell you it was really terrifying for the first six months. I really am from one of those middle-of-nowhere, one traffic light towns in Pennsylvania. I was afraid of the city. My parents had lived in Pennsylvania as did their parents and we grew up thinking that the city was dangerous. I was always afraid I would end up in the bad part of town or that something was going to happen to me. But as soon as I learned the names of a few main roads I discovered I could get where I needed to go. I’d have to say it was terrifying, but exciting, at the same time.

MS: “Marigold” is your first full length CD. Is there a deliberate tone to the album? You have a nice collection of ballads mixed in with some up-tempo tunes.
RH: We actually sent around a pre-release survey to friends and family and people we already knew who were familiar with the band. We sent them mixes of the songs and tried to get an idea of the order to put the songs in…what were their strong points. We went through about 30 of those. I’m so happy that people took the time to fill them out. To listen to the songs and fill them out. The song “See This Through” was a very popular one. Another song that people were really leaning towards is “Right in Front of Me.” As for any kind of theme, I’ve recently just discovered that I was reaching a kind of inner peace when I was writing. I fell in love again after ten years of sort of being single and a little bit bitter. My life was starting to get a little more stable. I wanted to start taking care of my body more…to be a little less self destructive. So that’s really the kind of general tone…it captures a time of my life when I did a lot of reflecting.

MS: I’m glad you mentioned “See This Through.” It’s one of the songs that I really took notice of on the CD. I’m a fan of great lyrics and that song definitely fits the bill. Were there any musicians that influenced you when you were growing up…made you say “Wow, this is what I want to be!”
RH: I have a really diverse music sense because I listened to everything growing up. When I was a kid I listened to 50s and 60s pop records that my parents had. I’ve loved music, as I’m sure you have, probably since I was 5 years old. It made me want to dance around the living room. I grew up listening to Tommy James and the Shondells…the Supremes…the Beatles. Those were my parent’s records. I don’t know how much of his actual style I picked up, but Bob Dylan, when I was in my early 20s, he showed me the power of what a songwriter could be. The way that somebody else’s words can make you think that song was written just for you. I’ve had people tell me that about a couple of my songs and it’s so flattering. The song we were just talking about…”See This Through”…a friend of mine was inspired by the song to put her bar up for sale and move to Hawaii. She gathered enough money for a couple of months, got an apartment and got a bartender job. She let her employees run the bar until it sold. I kind of got off the question (laughs)…I’d definitely have to say Bob Dylan was a real influence.

MS: You’re on the first leg of several short tours this summer. Do you have any plans to record again soon?
RH: I’ve got some songs in the works. All of the new candidates are here. A few that are done and about a dozen or so in the refining process. That’s something that’s tough to do when you’re on the road and touring. You’ve got so many things to do that you often lack that three hours you need to go in and try to write every day. But that’s what I’m doing in my free time. I’m trying to make sure that I’ve got a lot of new material ready. I feel I need to push myself. I want to top my next record in my own head. That’s how I felt with “Marigold.” I felt I had taken a big step. That I was getting better. I could hear it and that’s a great feeling for a song writer.

Rick concludes this leg of his 2012 tour with a stop Sunday night, May 13, at Ernie Biggs in Kansas City. For more tour information, or to order his new CD, go to www.rickhornyak.com

 

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Kristen Hager talks about playing Nora on SyFy’s “Being Human”

Kristen Hager is known best for playing Nora on SyFy’s “Being Human”.  Season two really gave her a chance to explore the dark side of her character as she became a wolf.  Kristen had a chance to chat with Media Mikes to discuss her character and season two’s finale.

Mike Gencarelli: Can you reflect on your character Nora during the first two seasons of “Being Human”?
Kristen Hager: It has been a great journey so far. I have loved it. In season 1 she is just a nurse and a normal human being. She is dating a guy with some commitment issues which coincide with a full moon. By the end of season 1 my character ends up being scratched. Season 2 has been Nora dealing with her new infliction. She is grappling with being a werewolf and everything that comes with that. Nora starts to think that this is something she wants however over time she begins to realize that it may be too much for her.

MG: What do you like most about your character being a wolf?
KH: It is different from a lot of the other things I have done. Not a lot of women have played a

female werewolf on television. That it’s self has been really exciting. Nora becomes a strong and very independent woman. This is ideal when you are a female. It’s been a fun adventure getting to play out all these scenarios that the writers create. I think we have done a really good job doing things that have not been done before.

MG: What was the initial make-up process like?
KH: I think the first time you see Nora change is the only time you see her full transformation. I was super nervous about filming that scene. Sam Huntington is a good friend and told me ahead of time about the process. I knew there were going to be a lot of prosthetics. I really didn’t have to do much of the prosthetic stuff. When they do the snout transformation they put these dots on your face and do a CGI transformation. The real challenge is the physicality of it. You have to act as though your body is being ripped apart. In the car scene where I first change there were certain spots I had to hit. They say action and you just go for it and see what happens.

MG: Do you have a favorite episode from season 2?
KH: My favorite episodes were the first couple from this season. I love all of the Nora and Josh stuff. I like working with Sam. I think those scenes are so well done. I like episode 2 from this season. Nora is just coming to terms with

her disease and there are a lot of lovely scenes in that episode.

MG: Do you think there is any hope in saving Nora and Josh’s relationship?
KH: I really hope so! That is really the main thing I am hoping for out of season 3.

MG: Do you have any sneak peeks into season 3?
KH: I don’t. Your guess at this point is as good as mine. I know the writers are working on the episodes but other than that I have no idea. I am really excited to find out. We are scheduled to start shooting in mid June so I hope to have some idea of what’s going on soon.

 

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Natalie Brown talks about playing Julia in SyFy’s “Being Human”

Natalie Brown recently c0-starred in Season 2 of SyFy’s “Being Human”, playing the role of Julia.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Natalie about her role on the show and what we can expect from her next.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with the show “Being Human”?
Natalie Brown: It was funny… The night before I even knew about the audition, I was on a panel judging submissions for best actor for the Gemini Awards (Canada’s Emmys) and it was then that I saw both Sam Huntington and Sam Witwer’s performances from the first season… I was blown away. The very next day, my agent called with the audition for Julia- Aiden’s new love interest, and Josh’s ex fiancé. I’d get to work with both of them!? I put myself on tape to send to Montreal, (where the show shoots) the director gave me a few notes, and after sending the second audition tape, I got the part!

MG: Where you aware/fan of the BBC series?
NB: I hadn’t heard of it before the US version, but once I saw it, I understood why it was such a hit- the chemistry between the actors, the mix of humor & humanity set against superhuman circumstances – the same factors that make the US version every bit as gratifying.

MG: What did you like most about playing the role of Julia?
NB: Besides working with the best cast ever?!? It was a great opportunity bringing Josh’s past to life. There was some pressure to live up to this legendary fiancé fans had only heard about in Season One, and I was also a bit concerned over what Nora fans might have to say about a new (albeit old¡) girl in the mix, but to my surprise and relief, there wasn’t any backlash. Julia is one of the few completely human characters, who represents what Josh, and the rest of the main characters are seeking- something normal and grounding… Although “normal” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. She too is dealing with loss and pain, trying to make sense of her life and find her place in the world after hers was turned upside-down. Getting dumped – twice! – first by her fiancé, and again by a really hot vampire… totally sucks!

MG: The second to last episode in season two was a real shocker, can you reflect on that for us?
NB: I was shocked too! I received a nice phone call from the writers, saying how pleased they were with the job I was doing, and that what was going to happen to Julia was nothing personal. Normally, when you receive these types of phone calls, it’s sad because you know it’s the end, but in this case, this is the kind of show where you’re HOPING for that phone call. I thought “Great! I can’t wait to die! Get bitten, come back as a ghost, become Sally’s new BFF… The possibilities are endless!” But not Julia. I didn’t realize til I saw the long faces on everyone on set the next day that not only was Julia going to die, but she was getting her door. Immediately. Julia’s only issue was not truly knowing why Josh left her, & once she understood, Poof! Her door appeared and off she went into the … Well we don’t know what’s on the other side of the door, but hopefully if we ever do find out, fingers crossed Julia will be back! It was an emotional but really rewarding day on set. It didn’t take much to get to a gut-wrenching place when the circumstances were so dire, I was sad to be leaving, and Sam Huntington brought the house down and made every grown man cry with his performance.

MG: What was your highlight of working on the show this season?
NB: My first and only threesome, filming with Sammie and Jay Baruchel, for sure! Bestest strangest day on set.

MG: You also appeared on SyFy’s “Lost Girl” is season two, which has not aired in the US yet, tell us about that?
NB: Lost Girl is such a fun show with cast you can crush on. I was lucky enough to have scenes with most of the gang, playing a light Fae imprisoned for 80 years for falling in love with a man who was Dark Fae. I got to change from prison garb to sacrificial princess gown, to 1940’s hats and dresses in flashbacks, to finally running through the woods in head-to-toe leather, shooting porcupine quills out of my hair. Soooo much fun!

MG: What else do you have planned upcoming?
NB: Right now, I’m in Sault Ste Marie filming a small but fun role in the psychological thriller “Compulsion,” starring Heather Graham and Carrie Anne Moss. I’ll be playing opposite Kevin Dillon, which should be fun. I’m lucky, I get to work with a lot of talented people when they come to shoot in Canada.

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Dichen Lachman talks about playing Suren on Syfy’s “Being Human”

Dichen Lachman appeared in season two of Syfy’s “Being Human” playing the role of Suren. Dichen is also known for her role in the TV series “Dollhouse”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Dichen about her role in “Being Human” and what she has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: What did you enjoy most about working on “Being Human”?
Dichen Lachman: I think playing a vampire is one of those things that are very appealing as an actor. You get to explore the shadows. You also get to dress up and go into that fantastical world. It’s such a gift.

MG: How did you prepare for your role on the show?
DL: The make-up and effects help you get into character a lot. What I did was I discovered a specific dialect that Suren spoke in. I worked with an incredible dialect coach. With the creators of the show we discussed how Suren should sound. That was probably the most challenging thing. In the end we were able to find something that everyone liked. You can tell I sound quite different playing that character.

MG: What was the best part for you working with Sam Witwer?
DL: He is great! Sam is so funny as are all of the cast members. They are great actors. It’s very refreshing to work and have fun at the same time. It’s amazing that they are able to snap back in and out of working so quickly.

MG: Do you have a favorite episode that you worked on?
DL: I loved doing the flashback stuff. It’s very rare that someone like me gets to do something like that. I don’t get to play people from the 1920’s and 30’s. It just doesn’t happen. For me to be in that world was remarkable. The costumes and set designs were so good. I was really excited to be able to do that.

MG: have there been any talks about doing flashback scenes in the upcoming season?
DL: I am not sure. I think it might depend on my availability and where they want to take the story. I would go back to Montreal to work with those guys in a heartbeat. Everyone involved with that show is great.

MG: How does this show compare to another show you have worked on “Dollhouse”?
DL: It’s hard to compare them. They are both sort of in that fantasy world. You are still dealing with real world issues but in a roundabout way. For me the only real difference was that I was working in another country. People were speaking French. I remember working on a scene and turning around and everyone had just left. I didn’t know what was happening. They had called lunch in French and I had no idea. It was strange to be on a set where for the most part everyone was speaking French. It was a total trip at first but I got used to it. It was strange but awesome.

MG: Can you tell us about your upcoming pilot “Last Resort”?
DL: “Last Resort” is very exciting! I think people are going to like it and I hope it gets picked up. I may be doing a film called “Too Late” which I hope will start shooting in May. I also am in post production for a film I produced titled “Lust for Love” which stars Fran Kranz from “Cabin in the Woods”. It is a very busy time but it is good and totally worth it.

MG: Do you have any plans to do more producing in the future?
DL: I think so. The world is changing and people are getting content in more ways than ever. Things have been going this way for some time now. I think more now than ever the internet and television are converging. We just have to start making our own things. It’s inevitable. I am still going to be working on other projects an auditioning. It’s important for us as actors to make things our fans want to see. It’s getting increasingly harder to make studio films that are going to make lots of money. Films have to be a 3 dimensional fire fest to get people to go to the cinema.

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Dusan Dukic talks about playing Reaper in SyFy’s “Being Human”

Dusan Dukic is known best for playing Reaper in season 2 of SyFy’s “Being Human”.  Dusan took out some time to chat with Media Mikes about the role and his reflection on season 2.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us how you got involved with “Being Human” season two?
Dusan Dukic: I got a call from my agent to audition for a part called the Reaper in Being Human season 2. On the original casting breakdown it stated that it was a character that would recur for 3 episodes. I said I would do it, not knowing what would be the outcome, as I thought at first that the role would not be so heavily involved in the season. I was wrong and it was pleasantly surprising that I got to partake in such an exciting and interesting journey playing the Reaper.

MG: There is little known about the reaper, how did you prepare for the role?
DD: There is very little known about the Reaper, and when your character’s name is the Reaper, it seemed a very daunting role to play. However, Adam Kane and I had lengthy and extremely helpful conversations giving me great insight into the character, who he is, what purpose he serves and what is the precise connection to Sally.  Yes the Reaper exists in Sally’s mind, but to her he is completely real. The most important question to me was, why did she create him and why does she need him.

MG: How was it working with Meagan Rath?
DD: Working with Meaghan was absolutely fantastic.  She is very connected to her role, and she is extremely generous as an actress. She also has a great sense of humor.  It was a pleasure.

MG: What did you enjoy most about season two? Favorite episode?
DD: My favorite episode and what I most enjoyed in season 2 was “Dream Reaper”.  The episode was a blast to shoot, from the new décor, to the purple fashion invasion. It was a chance for the audience to see a different side of the Reaper. From my point of view he really was trying to help Sally, and I think he really cares for her well being in his own special way. I’m still getting so many wonderful comments by the fans  @dusandukic on how much they enjoyed the episode. I’ve never had the chance to wear so much purple in my life before.  I think, however, that Reapers prefer black.

MG: Can you reflect on the fantastic season two finale?
DD: The season finale was full of adrenaline and action. By the end of the episode all of the story lines are left hanging in the balance. We have no idea of what will happen to all of the characters. It was a rush to watch.  I’m really looking forward to seeing Sally in “limbo” next season. I’m curious to see what it looks like and what happens there.

MG: Any word if the reaper is coming back for season three?
DD: Will the Reaper be back for season 3? We will have to wait and see. That rhymed by the way.

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Comedian Ralphie May talks about new special “Too Big To Ignore”

Ralphie May is a comedian, who recently released his special “Too Big to Ignore” on DVD. Ralphie is constantly touring and took out some time to chat with Media Mikes  about the new special.

Mike Gencarelli: Do you feel your latest DVD “Too Big to Ignore” differs in any way from your previous releases?
Ralphie May: Yes. I think the content of the material is a lot deeper. I think it’s the best stuff I have ever done. It shows me as a family man, a thinker and a motivational speaker. It’s very raw and there are a lot of elements to it. It’s big.

MG: How long does it take you to prepare for each show?
RM: It takes me about 2 years to get 2 hrs. of solid material. Most comedians in 2 yrs. Might get 30-40 minutes of material and I get 2 hrs.

MG: Are you afraid to touch on any certain subjects?
RM: I don’t think so. If I have I just haven’t gotten to that subject yet.

MG: What do you enjoy talking about most when you are on stage?
RM: My babies. I like talking about my kids because I get to relive those moments which are true stories.

MG: Did you feel restricted in any way with your Comedy Central special?
RM: Of course. There were some restrictions. There were accommodations for image to sell me in other ways. I work within those boundaries and try to respect them. I want to help them by making the product as good as I can.

MG: Do you feel DVD live shows are the future of comedy?
RM: Audio albums are definitely out. You can get the audio via iTunes but then most people are watching it on their iPhone’s or iPad’s.

MG: What do you like most about touring?
RM: I don’t. It’s work now that I have children. People think they pay for the jokes well they don’t. They pay for me not being at home. The jokes are on the house. I will tell them to anybody.

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John 5 talks about Solo Album and Rob Zombie’s “Lords of Salem”

John 5 has played guitar for many notable acts in variety of music genres. He is probably best known for his work with Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie. John 5 is set to release his 7th solo album titled “God Told Me To” in early May. Media Mikes was very fortunate to be able to talk with John 5 recently about his work on the new album as well as his work on the new Rob Zombie film “Lords of Salem”.

Adam Lawton: What can we expect from the new solo album “God Told Me To”?
John 5: What I wanted to do with this album was to make something a little different from my previous releases. I wanted to do a half electric and half acoustic album. I was really into doing some cool Spanish style acoustic songs. I also wanted to incorporate some rhythmic styles played on the body of the guitar. The idea was do something more than just your standard strumming techniques. I was really into that style of playing on the album. The other cool thing about this album is that it is going to come with a DVD as well. The DVD will have clips of me in the studio recording the songs as well as some footage from being on the road. It even will have its own horror host hosting the DVD. It’s really a cool CD/DVD package which is something I personally love. I am very excited for the album’s release.

AL: Are there any guest performers on the album?
J5: No. I did a lot of this while I was on the road or writing with other people. I didn’t really have a chance to do anything like that. I did everything on my own when I had some free time. Maybe for the next album I will do a bunch of guest appearance type things.

AL: Do you plan to make a guitar tablature book to accompany the CD?
J5: I don’t think so. I did put out a book recently titled “The Book of John” which shows a bunch of my techniques. I don’t think we will be doing that for this album because there is a lot of transposing which is a lot of work. We will have to see.

AL: What can you tell us about your work on “Lords of Salem”?
J5: I did the musical scoring for the film. I love challenges and scoring is definitely a challenge. You are dealing with music that sometimes does not have a time signature or even a certain key. You are also dealing with a variety of instruments and musical styles. It was so much fun. I actually just finished it and it turned out great. I am very proud of it. I saw some of the movie and it is going to blow people away.

AL: Did you provide all of the instrumentation on the score?
J5: I and Griffin Boyce did everything. It was just me and him. I did a lot of the stuff on guitar using an Ebow or a violin bow. It’s really cool.

AL: Do you see yourself doing more scoring in the future?
J5: I don’t know. I worked so hard on the project but it’s kind of just background music. There is a lot of work for that. I love Rob’s movies and I was very honored to be a part of the project. If Rob does another movie of course I will do it. I don’t know if I will venture off.

AL: How is it working with Rob in a band setting compared to a directorial setting?
J5: We have a great time just hanging out with each other. However when its business its business. He gives me clear ideas of what he wants and as long as that’s what I deliver we have no problems. I have always listened to talk about how certain people don’t listen to what he is saying. I have made sure to always listen. A lot of times when he is explaining something I will record the conversation and I will tell him that I am doing so. By doing that I will have exactly what he said and I will go from there. This has worked out amazingly for us. A lot of times you can forget what somebody says during conversation so this has really helped.

AL: Can you tell us about this summer’s tour?
J5: We are going to be touring this summer with Megadeth. I am really excited about this because they are a band I love. It’s great being on tour. It’s like heavy metal summer camp. There is nothing better to me than touring in the warm weather in the United States. I love it!

AL: What will the bands lineup be for the tour?
J5: It will be me on guitar, Piggy D on bass and then Ginger Fish from Marilyn Manson on drums. Ginger has a really great groove. I played with him for sometime in Marilyn Manson as well and we are really happy to have him on board.

AL: Do you have any other plans in the works?
J5: I wrote some music for the next Lynyrd Skynyrd album as well as for the next Rod Stewart album. We also will be starting the recording of a new Rob Zombie record in June after the tour ends.

AL: This will be the second time you have worked with Lynyrd Skynyrd. How did that all come about?
J5: I did 6 songs on the bands last album. I did “Storm”, “Gifted Hands”, “Skynyrd Nation”, “Floyd” and a bunch of other tracks.  I got involved with the band through my publisher who asked if I would be interested in writing some tunes. I love Skynyrd more than anything else in the world!  I am very educated in the bands catalog so writing with them was an honor and a treat.

For more information on John 5 be sure to check out his website at www.john-5.com

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: 5, album, john, lords, rob, salem, ...

Andy Milonakis talks about new CD with Three Loco

Andy Milonakis is known best for his TV series “The Andy Milonakis Show” on MTV. Andy also loves rapping as seen in the movie “Waiting…”, which he co-stared and provided a single to the film. Andy has teamed up with MTV alumni’s Riff Riff and Dirt Nasty (aka Simon Rex) to form Three Loco. Andy took out some time to chat about this new group and their upcoming album.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get together with Riff Riff and Dirt Nasty?
Andy Milonakis: Dirt Nasty showed me Riff Raff on YouTube. Riff gave out his number on some funny video and Dirt called it. We both met up with Riff Raff, we stopped by the weed shop first to make sure he had a warm welcome. We met up with him and got fucked up and started recording videos. My favorite thing that riff raff did was off camera. We got burgers and I threw my lettuce on the ground, he got mad at me and was like “ahh man why did you waste that, I love lettuce”

MG: Who is the leader of the group?
AM: We don’t really have one, Dirt is good at organizing real life shit, like studio sessions and all that good stuff, he also is the only producer out of us 3… I’m the internet geek and I’ve been giving a lot of cool sample ideas to producers. Riff Raff is the funniest, I never thought I would play the straight man, but I feel like my rhymes are the most normal and least funny out of all of us. It kinda pisses me off but for some reason I’ve been writing less jokey shit lately.

MG: Are you jealous that you partners have all cool stage names?
AM: A little bit, I mean, a cool thing that goes along with rapping or being in a band is coming up with a cool name, and I just made it a choice to keep my own name, I thought it was cool. Also fuck those guys, I came up with the name Three Loco, so I have something to hold on to..

MG: What kind of fresh rhymes can we expect from this album?
AM: Super fresh, Riff Raff has been killing it with the hooks and we’ve been working with all kinds of dope producers. IDAP, Diplo, DJA, Rich Skillz, Sinden etc, sorry if I missed any, my brain is tired.

MG: Where they all freestyles or scripted songs?
AM: Mostly written, we did a few freestyle bits here and there, not sure what will make it on the album yet.

MG: How long did it take to complete and when is the second album coming out?
AM: Most of the work was done in 1 month. Not sure about the second album yet, damn, why are you rushing us [laughs].

MG: Is there going to be a remix album?
AM: We might, we’ll at least have people remix some of the songs, but possibly the whole album.

MG: How can we purchase this album when it drops? iTunes? Vinyl?
AM: iTunes definitely, we’ll probably print a few hard copy ancient shiny disc things and Vinyl would be cool just for the fuck of it.

MG: The band is all alumns from MTV, have you ever considered pitching reality show for Three Loco?
AM: Prob more interested in developing it as a sketch show more than reality

MG: Can we get you to record a song about MediaMikes.com?
AM: For about 10K we can make it happen. Thanks, and look out for our first video and live performance, should be both happening on Cinco De Mayo.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: andy, cd, loco, Milonakis, talks

Amy Sorlie talks about writing shark thriller “Dark Tide”

Amy Sorlie is the writer of the new shark thriller “Dark Tide”, which stars Halle Berry. “Dark Tide” was the first screenplay from Amy and she took out some time with Media Mikes to discuss working on the film.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about the origin of the project “Dark Tide”?
Amy Sorlie: From a very young age, I was always very fascinated with sharks, especially Great Whites. They’re extremely mysterious creatures and provoke a fear unlike anything else. Like so many others, I was deeply affected by Spielberg’s JAWS and wanted to try and tap into the fear and write a really authentic shark film.

MG: What did you do in order to research sharks?
AS: Halle Berry plays a shark biologist who studies Great Whites. Through knowing their mannerisms and behavior, she has cornered the market on being able to swim outside the cage with them. I did quite a bit of research in the first initial drafts, but it was fun research for me and something I’ve always been interested in. I did a cage dive at the Farallon Islands and that was an amazing experience. I already had a lot of shark knowledge, so most of the research was in dealing with the locations and setting of the film.

MG: This was your first script, what was your biggest challenge?
AS: I think the biggest challenge was just taking it all in when Halle came on board and wrapping my head around the movie actually happening. The ramp up to production was really difficult because it fell apart a number of times and then everything happened so fast. That age old saying is true – once they pay you, they can do whatever they want. I think something that’s hard about the first one is that you’re trying to please everyone while attempting to protect the script, which is a balancing act. In the end, you just have to let go because some things are just out of the writer’s control.

MG: How do you feel the script was represented in the film?
AS: Ya know, this is a tough one. On one hand, I ‘m happy the film got made, but on the other, it’s always really difficult to see your work changed. It’s something every screenwriter will experience in their career and it would be dishonest to say I’m 100% happy with the final script. I think it had a lot of problems and the writer they brought in to do the production rewrite really didn’t have a strong understanding of the material. And unfortunately, some of the financial people involved were making creative choices and that’s always kind of a recipe for disaster. That said, it’s my first produced movie and I learned a great deal of what to do, what not to do and what’s out of my hands. I get compliments on my original screenplay all the time, so at the end of the day, that makes me really happy.

MG: What do you have planned next?
AS: I’m about to hit the market with a new script I just finished. It’s a really fun heist in the vein of Mr. & Mrs. Smith. I’m also shopping a cable pilot and working on a wilderness thriller with producer Matt Baer.

 

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: amy, dark, shark, sorlie, talks, thriller, ...

Peter Cilella talks his new film “Resolution”

Peter Cilella stars in the upcoming film “Resolution” which will be part of this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. Media Mikes talked with Peter recently about his role in the film.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about the film “Resolution”?
Peter Cilella: This film is about a guy who goes out to a cabin in the middle of nowhere to get his friend clean from drugs. My character takes drastic measures to get him clean. Throughout the course of the movie we each deal with personal demons and without giving too much away there is something else out there. The movie is about different controls in our lives. I think this is something everyone can relate to even when it veers off onto an odd path.

AL: What drew you to the role?
PC: I am friends with Justin Benson who wrote and co-directed the film. I had done a bunch of short projects with him and I had also worked previously with Vinny Curran who is the other lead actor in the film. We felt that we had a good chemistry and everything worked. Justin had wanted to do a feature and I suggested to him about setting this film out in the middle of nowhere. A couple months later he had the script and money. It’s really nice to get to work with people who actually walk the walk. I am very fortunate to have such a good friendship with these guys.

AL: I know you have done a lot of stage work in the past. Did you find it difficult transitioning from stage to screen work?
PC: I think the length of time we were away on location was the hardest part. We shot the film in about 20 days. Being immersed to that degree was different. I had done shorter commercial shoots and short film shoots but nothing like this. We had a pretty lengthy rehearsal process for the film which was pretty unique. Usually that doesn’t happen. I found there were a lot of great skills I could take from theater and apply them to film. It’s really a work ethic. The more you do it the better you get. If you are going to be a professional actor you have to do your training and work at it.

AL: Are there any other plans to take the film to more festivals after Tribeca?
PC: This is just the beginning. However I don’t know anything that is really concrete of where or what the film will be doing next.

AL: What other projects are you working on?
PC: I have co-written an action comedy with one of my good friends. We are shopping that around right now. I am also working through my first solo full length script. That has been a challenging process. I am actually trying to finish the first draft before the Tribeca Festival. Writing is really challenging but also very rewarding.

AL: Do you see yourself going more towards writing than acting?
PC: I would love to balance both. That is when I am the most happy. If I am only doing one or the other I feel like I am neglecting a side of me that needs to be fed. When I started writing years ago it was more out of frustration. I needed a creative outlet. I was between jobs and I had some down time. I needed to express myself and I really got into writing. I love story telling and it’s something that I don’t think I would ever want to abandon.

 

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: cilella, festival, film, peter, resolution, talks, ...

Terrance Zdunich talks about Scoring and Playing Lucifer in “The Devil’s Carnival”

Terrance Zdunich is known best for playing the Graverobber in “Repo! The Genetic Opera”, his first collaboration with Darren Lynn Bousman.  The duo recently re-teamed on their new film “The Devil’s Carnival”.  Media Mikes has a chance to chat with Terrance about the film, it’s music and their city tour.

Mike Gencarelli: Where did you come with the idea for this film?
Terrance Zdunich: After Darren and I collaborated on “Repo! The Genetic Opera” 4 years ago, we knew we wanted to do another musical project. We looked around for awhile and eventually came up with this idea that really stuck with us. We knew that this was something we were now going to invest the next few years of our life creating and promoting. As far as the concept for I think it came out of a love for amusement park dark rides. Rides like Disney’s The Haunted Mansion where you get a really cool immersive experience. I thought of how cool it would be to create a world where it felt like you’re moving through one of those rides. That was the emphasis and “The Devil’s Carnival” grew out of that.

MG: Can you tell us about your character Lucifer in the film?
TZ: Who doesn’t want to play the devil [laughs]? I think it’s a character I sort of sympathize with in some ways. He is the ultimate rebel. He was punished for questioning authority and as an artist that kind of spoke to me. I wanted to do a take on the character that maybe has not been done before. I thought that what if hell tries to do what heaven does and offer redemption. That would be the most rebellious act of the dark world. Put heaven out of business.

MG: Can you give us some background on the soundtrack?
TZ: Like with “Repo”, you can listen to it and get one experience or idea of the world. When you see the songs attached to the imagery they will take on new and hopefully better doings. When you are doing a film where music is part of narrative it comes down to what are the stories, which are the characters and what is the heart of what they are doing? We then try to put all that to music. We had to distill what a song would sound like for each element in the film. The song “Trust Me” takes the theme of the Aesop’s Fable story “The Scorpion and the Frog”. We knew that character had to be seductive in gaining ones trust.

MG: Can you tell us about the song “In All My Dreams I Drown”?
TZ: That song is one of the last ones we wrote. Up until about two months before filming there was only going to be nine songs on the album. We had originally envisioned a world where only the carnies sang. Darren and I thankfully changed that idea. It was a challenge to write a song for the Tamara character to where it seemed like she was singing in a dream. We came up with the idea of Lucifer representing all the men in her life. He really is the ultimate bad boy. We did a lot of research when writing that song.

MG: How do you feel this film compares to your work on “Repo! The Genetic Opera”?
TZ: We knew that this was going to get compared to “Repo” no matter what we did. On one hand we wanted to live up to what fans love about that film. While on the other hand we really wanted to do something new. With “Repo”, the music was really a futuristic industrial sound. We used a lot of modern instrumentation and sounds. With “The Devil’s Carnival”, we decided to make everything sound like it was from the past. We used no electronic instruments. Everything is acoustic. I think tuba is the main instrument featured on the songs.

MG: Is there any truth to this film being the first in a series?
TZ: That is absolutely true. This film is a little over an hour. Even though this film is a contained story we left it open to grow. The second film is actually already written. This story just continues to grow. The fact that we are using something like Aesop’s Fables gives us some 600 story lines to use. If the tour ends up being successful and the people respond we are chomping at the bit to do another one.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: carnival, devils, lucifer, playing, scoring, talks, ...

Darren Lynn Bousman talks about “The Devil’s Carnival”

Darren Lynn Bousman is known for directing films like “Saw II, III & IV” and “Repo! The Genetic Opera”. Darren is reuniting with Terrance Zdunich from “Repo” on his newest film “The Devil’s Carnival”. They are also currently touring with this film to over 30+ cities. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Darren about the film and what we can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: Can you tell us about the origin of “The Devil’s Carnival”?
Darren Lynn Bousman: Terrance and I have been trying to find another project to work on since “Repo! The Genetic Opera”. We just couldn’t find the right one. We knew the project had to be great and not just good. We threw ideas back and forth but nothing struck us as being great. All of a sudden this idea hit and we knew this was what we had to do. When you know you know and we jumped on this immediately.

MG: What do you feel is the hardest part of shooting a horror musical?
DLB: Every aspect. This is a self funded thing. We actually received funding from Empire Film and Entertainment Group in Florida. I met them through one of the producers and they are great guys. There was no studio behind us. It was basically just us doing this thing. We had a real lack of support. This was just a bunch of friends making a movie together. It’s sounds awesome but it was really hard because there was no infrastructure. Doing everything from the soundtrack to the posters was the hardest part. We recorded an entire album without the help of any outside system. We shot the film which should have taken a month in just seven days.

MG: How do you compare this production with that of “Repo! The Genetic Opera”?
DLB: This production I think is a little more mature. I will always love “Repo” as it is one of my favorite things. I just feel “Devil’s Carnival” is more mature and accessible. This film is equally bad ass and out of the box as “Repo”.

MG: Can you tell us about the cast?
DLB: It’s as extremely diverse and equally crazy as the Repo cast. Emilie Autumn, who is my favorite person in the world now, plays the painted doll.  Clown from Slipknot, Nivek Ogre, Sean Patrick Flanery and Paul Sorvino to name just a few. This cast just is extremely diverse. I think that makes it awesome! It gives the film that “What the fuck” factor. To me that’s my favorite thing about this movie. It is just so crazy and out there. This casting on this film was very unsafe.

MG: Can you tell us about the 30 city tour you currently have going on?
DLB: It’s fucking insane! I am in a van right now with seven other people and it smells like feet and farts. It’s punk rock film making. The good people at Empire Film and Entertainment Group are funding this and we are doing this on the cheap for the art. Hopefully when people come out to the shows they see something they have never seen before. We want to make going to the movies and experience. This is a rock and roll concert in a movie theater.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: bousman, carnival, darren, devils, lynn, talks, ...
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