Her newest project, Yellow, is an ambitious pilot that she hopes will be the first in an anthology film series written and directed by Canadian women.

As Yellow finds itself in the midst of a Kickstarter campaign, Sarah Deakins spoke to us to share more about how the project came to be and what she’s learned along the way.

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Can you start by telling us more about you and Yellow?

I’ve been an actor for most of my life and a few years ago I realized I wanted to have more control over the types of stories I was putting out into the world. A friend of mine, Jason Goode had directed a film I wrote called Late and it went to Cannes as part of Telefilm Canada’s Not Short On Talent program. I was lucky to have Brightlight Pictures take me under their wing when I decided to direct my next film myself, Greece and it went on to win over 30 awards on the film festival circuit.

I spent much of the following two years shadowing established directors on the sets of various TV series (Hannibal, Killjoys, Wayward Pines) and although this was extremely helpful in learning about the politics of working on a network show, I had a conversation with one of the executive producers on one of these shows, and she explained to me that they had only had two female directors on their show that season, one of whom was very well established and the other who had never directed TV before but had written and directed seven feature films, had the best reel they had ever seen for their show, and they still had to bend over backwards to get her approved by the network. So, she said, It’s nice that you made a short film, but…

It was clear that gaining access to series TV directing was not going to happen for me through shadowing and having a few short films to show. I started thinking about all the women like me who wanted to get into this world, who wanted to direct series TV in Canada and were making their own work out of the passion for it, but also wanted a way to make a living in their chosen field. It is so tough to break through, and I started thinking about what if we made an anthology series that was exclusively written and directed by women?

Yellow was a long short film that I had been developing and I realized it was the perfect length for a pilot. From there, I thought what if I did a seven part anthology series, with each episode titled after a different color of the rainbow (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet)? We could use Yellow to pitch the series, and attach up-and-coming female directors and writers from all walks of life in Canada, all ages, races and sexual orientations, so as to tell a wide range of stories. The series would have the theme of human connection, which is strongly illustrated in Yellow, and I want that to run through the whole series, but other than that, the stories would be up to the women we end up working with on this. It’s quite Black Mirror-esque in that each episode will be completely different, but with a recurring theme.

The idea has been evolving and growing since then. I want to use established women directors to mentor the up and comers, and the main thing is to create a platform for women who have something to say, have a promising body of their own work, and need some more experience and a forum where they can all cross promote and have a community that is their own.

I had sent the script to Shawn Williamson and Arielle Boisvert at Brightlight Pictures, and though they liked the script a lot, Arielle was most interested and excited about the bigger picture idea of a series exclusively written and directed by women. So here we are, raising money for the pilot episode of the series, Yellow. We have a “who’s who” of Canadian talent attached, and I’m excited to move forward in this process!

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“There’s something about connecting with art that connects us deeper to our own humanity.”

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What is the inspiration for it?

The inspiration for Yellow itself is from a day I spent at the Art Gallery of Ontario. I heard snippets of conversations, observed people’s behaviors and started making up stories in my mind about the characters wandering around in this place build for contemplation and reflection. People are different in those spaces. Things slow down, their humanity floats to the surface. There’s something about connecting with art that connects us deeper to our own humanity and I wanted to write something set in that world.  So Yellow follows ten characters over the course of one ordinary afternoon in an art gallery, but on this particular afternoon, each of these characters experiences some sort of crossroads in their lives.

How does your specific part of the project, Yellow, fit in with the rest of the series?

Yellow is the jumping off place for the series. It should set the tone and the theme of the series and hopefully is engaging in a way that makes people want to see more stories in this vein.

How can people get involved in helping this project come to life?

We’re running a Kickstarter campaign for the pilot right now.

Other than that, we are looking to create a community around the project and a buzz of expectation for the series, so spreading the word really helps!

What have been some of your most precious career highlights?

Working on Greece with Brightlight Pictures was a dream come true. This is probably the one and only time in my life when a piece will come out looking exactly as it did in my head when I was writing it. Truly, writing and directing, having control over every aspect of how a story is told from conception through post-production (one of my favorite parts of the process) is the highlight so far. I had no idea I would love it this much.

You’ve done a lot of acting to go with your recent shift towards directing. What advice would you give to other actors who want to direct?

I think actually Jason Goode, who directed Late had an interesting approach. He wasn’t a writer, but he sought out short film scripts that had an element of something he wanted to learn about or work on in his directing. So each time, I remember him telling me, he picked a project that had something he thought he needed to work on in his development as a director. So, while my first film was set primarily in one room, with just two actors, I am now working on a piece that has a much wider scope, with ten characters all interweaving, and a sense of movement that my first film did not have.

I would also say to seek out scripts or write ones that really move you. It’s the only way I know how to work. Filmmaking is hard. The amount of prep before you even get to shoot, raising money, promoting etc. probably take up more time than the actual time on set and in post. So make sure you love and are truly passionate about the subject matter. If you are going to work that hard, it may as well be on something you really believe in and think is important for you to be doing.

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“I’ve always felt that if I’m doing something, I’m going to do it to the absolute best of my ability.”

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What is the biggest challenge for you as an actor or director and what steps do you take to overcome it?

As a filmmaker, raising money is always the hardest part. I hate asking people for money. I hate being in people’s faces, or feeling like I am bugging them with constant posts about my project. I’m still learning to overcome that icky feeling I get when asking for help in this manner, but it helps to have support, and a team who believe in you and what you are doing. It can be isolating and you can feel very alone in that process, but if you just start, then you have to follow through, and I’ve always felt that if I’m doing something, I’m going to do it to the absolute best of my ability. So I learn how to make memes at three in the morning to thank the people who put money into the film that day, and I send letters to people personally, and I take marketing and fundraising people for coffee and pick their brains. Information is power, and though I am always still learning, I think seeking out that information from people who have done this before me is how I work through my fears.

What’s the most rewarding part of being an actor and director?

The most rewarding part of being an actor is sitting in the story. Being immersed in another life and taking that emotional roller coaster. I adore that process.

The most rewarding part for me so far in being a director is seeing it all come together in post. That process of seeing the story strengthened by the perfect cut, or the swell of music at the exact right moment, or the lone church bell chiming in the background that you layer in during an achingly lonely moment…that is where the story really becomes magical and I get such joy from that part of the process.

What film-related books and authors have been influential in your creative journey?

As an actor, I use Larry Moss’ book, The Intent to Live whenever I am building a character and as a filmmaker I love the book How Not To Make A Short Film by Roberta Monroe and The Conversations: Walter Murch and the Art of Editing Film by Michael Ondaatje, a great resource and inspiration when one is in post.

Where can people find out more about you and stay updated about the status of Yellow and In Person?

Currently you can stay in the loop with our Kickstarter campaign.

You can join us on Facebook at Yellow, A Sarah Deakins Film.

And Twitter @YELLOWthefilm1.

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Thanks to Sarah Deakins for speaking with us!

Watch for more of Sarah Deakins and Yellow in the weeks and months ahead!

The post The Biz Interview: Sarah Deakins appeared first on Biz Books.

The positive response to the film has led to a national release and more acclaim for the film and Robyn Wiener, producer Dylan Jenkinson, and director Jason Goode.

With Numb now in select Canadian theatres, we spoke with Aleks Paunovic and Jamie Bamber to learn more about the production and their experiences going Numb.

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Can you start by telling us about Numb and your involvement in it?

Aleks Paunovic: I’m an associate producer and lead actor in Numb. I  knew about this project for close to 5 years. Jason Goode, the director, had me in mind for the role of Lee and then we helped workshop it.

Jamie Bamber: I was contacted by Dylan Jenkinson and Jason Goode in December 2014 via my agents. They put together a great creative package, including the script, which spelled out the vision they had for the film. Their funding was in place contingent on the role of Will being cast and apparently my name was on their list. I related to the role and after Skyping with Jason and connecting with him, I was only too delighted to climb aboard.

Recommended Reading You Can Act On Camera Click a cover for more details The Art of Voice Acting Secrets of Screen Acting

What kinds of preparation did you do for your role?

Aleks Paunovic: I did a lot of backstory and had some amazing coaching sessions with Andrew McIlroy who helped me find the depth of what this character of Lee was going through and why. He was my saving grace in shaping Lee.

Jamie Bamber: Jason and I talked quite a bit over Skype, honing Will and Dawn’s story arc, taking them from a shared predicament of adversity to one which had wrenched them apart. That was the crux of my preparation, exploring the stress which can work like freeze-thaw action on rocks, penetrating the cracks in otherwise sound relationships. I suppose the other aspect was researching the effect of cold on a body. I have had mild hypothermia before so I could call upon that too. Unfortunately when we shot, it was unseasonably warm so the bulk of our time was spent pretending to be cold and shivering on purpose, which is hard because it really makes you hot and sweaty; our physiological responses are logical and effective, it turns out.

What drew you to be a part of this production?

Aleks Paunovic: Relationships and story. I felt we had something great here and I got to do it with people that I know and respect. Heck ya, I wanted to be a part of it.

Jamie Bamber: I felt a connection to the impending financial abyss that Will faces. As an actor, I have been very lucky in many respects but that doesn’t change the fact that I am often only a couple of months away from facing the fact that I cannot pay the mortgage. As a husband and father, that feeling fills me with dread and shame and often the only solution is denial or semi-blind optimism. It’s the loneliness of the provider when you think your number is up. You are desperate for help, but to ask for it is weakness. Very real for many people. That’s what this movie was for me. Jason allowed me to work with him to accentuate that loneliness in the story.

What should audiences expect from this film?

Aleks Paunovic: I’ve had the pleasure of watching some screenings around the country and abroad and I love how people are responding. The oohs and ahhs. It’s great. So they can expect this thriller to be a bit of a ride.

Jamie Bamber: The Treasure of The Sierra Madre in the snow. Hopefully a meditation on need and how it can quickly turn into greed at the expense of spiritual – and literal – warmth.

Are there any books or authors that have been influential to you so far in your creative journey?

Aleks Paunovic: John Patrick Shanley is a big one. I connect with his writing and stories. And Larry Moss’s book, The Intent to Live.

Jamie Bamber: I would not have started acting without the Theatre and Shakespeare’s words in particular. Good words clustered in powerful rhythms are magical to speak and mesmerizing to hear.

What is the most important lesson you have learned so far in your career?

Aleks Paunovic: This career can take you in different directions that may challenge you ethically. Try to live true to your character and integrity. I’ve been challenged in that and failed at times but those failures are my measuring stick. I’m going to try to keep doing the best I can for myself, my craft and to be true to my word and kind to people. It makes for a more joyful ride in work and in life.

Jamie Bamber: To be prepared. Turns out that effortlessness comes after much effort. Annoyingly, for me.

What’s your take on the current state of the Canadian film industry?

Aleks Paunovic: I love it! I love to see so many talented people working in front and behind the camera. We have some amazing product coming out of this country and it should always be supported.

Jamie Bamber: I have been lucky to live and work in Canada for long periods. I have always been deeply impressed by the talent, the infrastructure and the craft of your industry, particularly in Vancouver, which I know best from my Battlestar Galactica days. Some of the best sets I have ever worked on have been yours. I believe state funding is important not only to the arts but also to the economy at large. It gives me pleasure to work anywhere where that is born out.

What advice would you have for emerging Canadian actors?

Aleks Paunovic: Consistent persistence in what you believe in. Be kind and compassionate to yourself. Don’t be afraid to fail.

Jamie Bamber: No different to actors anywhere I’m afraid. Work hard and create your own work. Being on America’s doorstep gives you a privileged access to the biggest English-speaking market in the world, but in order to make the most of that you must also make the most of what you have at home; so write, direct, produce so that you don’t depend on anyone else to act.

What other projects do you have coming up and where can people find out more about you?

Aleks Paunovic: I’m close to wrapping the new installment of Planet of the Apes called War for the Planet of the Apes. I’m also starting a new series called Van Helsing that I’m extremely excited about. I produced and starred in a great short film written, directed and starring Ben Ratner with Zak Santiago and Donny Lucus called Gangy that should be coming out later this year.

Jamie Bamber: I am currently wrapping production on Marcella, a UK crime series by Hans Rosenfeld (The Bridge) which is for ITV and a Netflix Original. I am also awaiting release of Money, an indie feature shot in New York last summer. I have also written my first feature which I am hoping to produce and direct in the near future.

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Thanks to Aleks Paunovic and Jamie Bamber for speaking with us!

Numb is now playing in select theatres across Canada.

For more details on the film, please visit the official Facebook page at Facebook.com/numbmovie

The post The Biz Interview: Aleks Paunovic and Jamie Bamber appeared first on Biz Books.

What was were the elements that drew you to be part of this production?

I was studying with my mentor Larry Moss and did a scene from Danny. I connected to Danny in such a colossal way that I wanted to know more about it and tell his story. I approached Jason Goode, our director, after we worked together on a short film he directed me in and the seed was planted. I was quite scared of the play and the role. Four years later, Jason and I reluctantly and excitedly dove into the deep end.

Can you share some of your creative process in preparing for the role from the initial planning of the production all the way through to opening night?

This is the first play I have ever done so to be honest, I’m working with one of the best actors in the city – one of the best actors I know – Lori Triolo. Most of the work I have done is asking Lori about situations and process. Jason Goode, the director of the show, has also been amazing in helping shape/shift into who Danny is. They have been great partners in guiding me through this amazing ride.

Are there any books or specific authors that have been influential to you so far in your creative journey?

One my favourites is On the Road by Jack Kerovac. There’s also The Tao of Muhammad Ali and The Tao of Bruce Lee, both by Davis Miller. The Vagabond nature of On the Road and exploring life, love and the world. Plus Davis Miller tells the story of both of these amazing physical specimens who have accomplished so much that even their unique Tao would still have made them one of the most influential people of this century. So from growing up in a boxer’s family, boxing was the first thing I knew. Also, playing in a band in junior high where music was a big part of growing up also. On top of that, my mother is a travel agent so I had the opportunity to travel and see the world. With the help of Kerovac and Miller they helped me get closer to finding myself.

What were the biggest challenges for you as an actor in preparing for this production and how did you deal with them?

One of the biggest challenges has been in finding the seams in the character, Shanley wrote a exceptional piece of work with so many layers, and it’s been the script analysis of finding the colors in the play. It’s 80 minutes of 2 people on stage. Plus getting into the Danny character who is a powerful man and the play is physically and emotionally demanding. Hitting the boxing gym and doing a proper emotional warmup before hitting the stage is a must.

What can you share about any future projects that are in development?

I’m working on developing a couple of series and a reality show. Looking forward to a second season on Arctic Air and a screening of a film I was in, This Means War with Reese Witherspoon in L.A. on February 8th – and pilot season for a few months in L.A.

Danny and the Deep Blue Sea is now on at Pacific Theatre. Visit PacificTheatre.org for details.

The post The Biz Interview: Aleks Paunovic – Actor in “Danny and the Deep Blue Sea” appeared first on Biz Books.

What inspired you to take on this production?

Aleks Paunovic and I had a great experience doing two short films together (Ducks and The Hitchhiker). We got along really well and I think we brought the best out of each other. Not long afterwards, in 2006, Aleks brought me the script for Danny and the Deep Blue Sea and very generously suggested we do it together. I wasn’t familiar with the play, but when I read it I immediately fell in love with it. I had wanted to direct a play for a while and it felt like the perfect production for me. I would still call it my favourite play.

Can you briefly walk us through your creative process for this production, from the early stages all the way to opening?

People familiar with the play will know that it’s quite taxing for the actors: 80 minutes, no intermission, the two of them on stage the whole time. And they have to go all the way: to the lowest depths of despair, to the highest peaks of relief and joy, and everywhere in between. So I feel that part of the process for me creatively, is managing just how hard the actors go and mostly encouraging them through the process. I think it would be easy to burn out rehearsing this play and to lose the energy and joy that doing this play can bring to an actor. And it would be easy to really tax the actors emotionally and physically by over-directing it. So besides all of the usual things a director does, I’m also paying attention to that.

Are there any books or specific authors that have been influential to you so far in your creative journey?

Books have been really important for me. I didn’t get any formal training in this besides the occasional one-off class and I don’t work in film or theatre on a regular basis, so I read (and dream) a lot on the subject. Some key volumes for me:

William Ball’s A Sense of Direction
Uta Hagen’s Respect for Acting
David Mamet’s True and False, The Three Uses of a Knife, and On Directing Film

And, frankly, Pacific Theatre as a place and community for artists has been key. When I first moved back to Vancouver a few years ago, I was lucky enough to get cast in a non-professional show there. That experience connected me to Ron and the staff and the cadre of artists that hang around there. I took acting classes there and did some more non-professional shows there as well. I generally hung around there when I could and most of my films, and now this play, have some sort of connection to that place.

What were the biggest challenges for you as a director in developing this production and how did you deal with them?

Fear was our biggest challenge. Aleks and I made a number of attempts at mounting the production, but we always found a way not to do it. Frankly, we were both terrified. The material is quite daunting and neither of us had done a play before (though I had acted in some non-professional productions). So the whole endeavour was very intimidating.

Finally in late 2009 we faced our fears and decided that we were going to do it no matter what. And Pacific Theatre had an opening the last week of August, so we booked it. Thankfully, Lori Triolo jumped in with us to play the role of Roberta. With Aleks and Lori, it felt like perfect casting and the production, despite only 4 shows, was successful. (Facebook was instrumental in helping us find an audience during a one-week run.)

And people responded really well to it. Ron Reed, the artistic director at Pacific Theatre, liked the show and asked us to put it in 2011-2012 season. We jumped at the chance.

What can you share about any future projects that are in development?

I’m developing a couple of film projects with my producing partner, Dylan Jenkinson. (We work under the banner Jenkinson/Goode Productions.) I don’t have any plays in the works, but after Danny finishes its run, I’ll start dreaming and scheming again.

Danny and the Deep Blue Sea opens at Pacific Theatre on January 20th, 2012. Visit PacificTheatre.org for details.

The post The Biz Interview: Jason Goode – Director of “Danny and the Deep Blue Sea” appeared first on Biz Books.