We asked James Clayton to take us inside the dangerous world of Residue and tell us more about his career.

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Can you start by telling us a little bit about you and Residue?

Residue is a supernatural action horror written and directed by Rusty Nixon and will be released on VOD and iTunes July 18 in North America. The film is produced by Blaine Anderson & myself through our company Motorcycle Boy Productions. It’s being distributed by IndustryWorks Studios and Xlrator Media.

I play a private investigator named Luke Harding who accidentally reads a demonic book that unleashes an evil force in his apartment. It boasts incredible ensemble cast which includes Leo Award nominated Taylor Hickson (Deadpool), Gemini Award nominated Matt Frewer (Timeless, Orphan Black), Alika Autran (Altered Carbon), Elysia Rotaru (Arrow), Costas Mandylor (Saw series), Blaine Anderson (Scary Movie 4), and William B. Davis (The X-Files).

What can audiences expect from the film?

Fun. I had the privilege to watch the film at the Academy Award-sponsored Sunscreen International Film Festival in St. Petersburg, Florida back in April of this year. The film is a thrill ride. The audience loved it and the biggest question we received afterwards was, “When is the sequel?” The film creates a very lush world and although it delivers a satisfying conclusion, it leaves the door open for an entire universe of discovery.

In terms of tone, it very much has elements of H.P Lovecraft, The X-Files, and a dash of Evil Dead.

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“Never stop. Be yourself. Enjoy the process.

Enjoy the people. Create your own work.”

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What kind of preparation did you do for this role?

For all my roles I do intensive preparation on the psychology and physicality of the character.

The previous film I did, Candiland with Gary Busey, I lost 55 lbs from my normal weight of 185 lbs. I’m just about 5’11 and I was 130 lbs during filming so it was a real challenge. We went into Residue next and I had to build myself up into a muscular but out of his prime detective. So I worked out quite a bit, ate a lot of burgers, and bulked up to 190 lbs. The physicality of a role really informs the psychology and I love the challenge. I also write an entire backstory for my character.

What was the most challenging part of making this movie and how did you handle it?

You know, there wasn’t anything exceptionally challenging about making Residue. Everything always came together, we had an amazing crew & cast, and post production was seamless. From pre-production to delivery it was only 12 months. It really flew by.

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

How would you describe the current state of the film and television industry in Vancouver?

Busy! I think it’s great how many productions are in town and it’s inspiring that the local indie filmmaker scene is expanding every day. There are some great filmmakers in this city and the international market will become very aware of our indie scene as time goes on.

You’ve done a lot of acting in both the film and television worlds. What do you enjoy about participating in each one?

I really enjoy the collaboration. You have to like people to be in the film industry because that’s what it’s built on. Great people. And I love meeting new people everyday and sharing stories. When crew and cast are in sync, that’s when magic happens.

What’s the most important lesson that you’ve learned in your career?

Never stop. Be yourself. Enjoy the process. Enjoy the people. Create your own work.

What film and television-related books and authors have been influential to your professional journey so far?

For the craft of acting: Lori Triolo who studied at The Neighbourhood Playhouse taught me how to act. She resides in LA. She should write a book because there is no one better. But I have read great books about the craft by Susan Batson, Larry Moss, Ivana Chubbuck, Stella Adler, Sanford Meisner, and Uta Hagen. Those are all essential reads. Linda Darlow, who also appears in Residue, is an awesome teacher and local to Vancouver. I encourage young actors to read her book Auditioncraft for some amazing practical advice.

What other projects are you working on?

I’m currently in preparation for an action thriller called High Caliber. The film is written by Niall Cassin and Rusty Nixon and will be directed by Rusty Nixon as well. Blaine Anderson and myself are producing it through Motorcycle Boy Productions and it will be distributed by IndustryWorks Studios. Think Die Hard meets Lethal Weapon. We begin filming late September of 2017.

Where can we find out more about you?

For updates on all the film work I do people can check out:
JamesClaytonActor.com
MotorcycleBoyProductions.com
Instagram.com/jamesclaytonactor
Twitter.com/jamesclaytonactor
IMDB

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Thanks to James Clayton for speaking with us!

You can see Residue at The Rio on Sunday, July 9th, 2017 at 3:45PM. The filmmakers will be in attendance. For tickets, please visit riotheatretickets.ca.

After that, watch for it on VOD and iTunes on July 18th.

The post The Biz Interview: James Clayton appeared first on Biz Books.

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.

We spoke to Medina Hahn to find out more about her process in writing the play with Daniel Arnold and the fascinating true story that inspired it.

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Can you start by telling us a little bit about you and Any Night?

I am an actor, writer, singer, producer, wife and mother who has worked in theatre, film and television. Born in Edmonton, I have bounced back and forth between BC and Alberta for much of my life – earning a BFA from the University of Victoria and a BFA from the University of Alberta (where I met Daniel Arnold) in the process.

Any Night is a play about a troubled young dancer who moves into a new basement suite and finds herself drawn into romance with the charming young man living above her—until she starts suffering strange behaviour in her sleep. It’s a romantic mystery about privacy, trust, and the power of the subconscious. It’s a play that Daniel Arnold and I co-wrote, performed and toured for four years (including a production in Vancouver presented by the Cultch and Touchstone Theatre, and a run Off-Broadway), and now Pacific Theatre is producing a new production through their apprentice program.

Recommended Reading The Perfect Stage Crew
2nd Edition Click a cover for more details Empire of the Son Ignite: Illuminating Theatre
For Young People

What was the inspiration for the story?

There were a couple things that inspired us to create this story… The first was the true 1987 story of Ken Parks, a man who got up in the middle of the night, drove to his in-laws house, attacked them and woke up in his car with blood on his hands. He had slept walked. We began to study somnambulism, dreams and night terrors in great detail – talking with specialists, visiting sleep labs, etc… and we became fascinated with how much the medical industry still can’t explain about our sleep/dream world. The other inspiration I can’t really tell you about without giving away some of the play! But it definitely made us want to explore the themes of fear and trust.

Can you share some of your creative process in writing the script?

The development and creation of Any Night was super unusual . We started writing it while we were touring our first play, Tuesdays & Sundays. Then our first draft got optioned into a film by a company out of  New York, so we stopped writing the play and started writing the screenplay! And then once we had a draft of the screenplay, we went back to the play, and then we back to the film and so on… for many many years. We were often on the road and in different cities. I think the play started to really come together when our director Ron Jenkins came on board, the Vancouver Playhouse helped develop it, and we did a workshop production at the Belfry Theatre in Victoria. We were able to see what worked and what didn’t. And we just kept tweaking it until it all fit into place. I actually remember us finding an entirely new storyline and writing it hours before premiering it in Toronto at the Summerworks Festival. One of the challenging and exciting things about the creative process spanning so many years, is that through those years, we were changing, the world was changing and as a result the play continued to expand and evolve.

What should audiences expect from this show?

Well, I have never been lucky enough to see someone else’s  production of it so I’m super excited to see what these young creators do with it! The great thing about this play is that it keeps you guessing and thinking. It jumps timelines and as an audience you really get to be present and go on a pretty wild ride. It’s edgy. A little scary. And it’s the type of play that gets people talking and debating with one another afterwards.

What are the three most important ingredients for a successful play?

Oh wow, if I knew that, I’d never have been involved in an unsuccessful play! There are so many aspects- only three ingredients? Okay if we are saying a successful play on paper, the first thing that comes to mind for me is a solid interesting structure, strong relationships and good dialogue. And little bit of risk. And heart. Ugh see that’s five!

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

I want to sit here and say that a bunch of technical books have been really helpful, and some definitely have – like The Intent to Live by Larry Moss, A Practical Handbook for the Actor  and Story by Robert McKee.  But it’s the books and stories about people’s journeys navigating through life that have had the most influence on me. I’m a bit of an auto-biography junkie. I love to learn of people’s ups and downs and their willingness to get back up and fight when they have been told “they can’t” or “that will never happen.” I really enjoyed Goldie Hawn’s, A Lotus Grows In The Mud and Sidney Poitier’s The Measure of a Man.

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

Since I was a little girl, I always knew that I would be an artist. I started as a dancer and then added singing and acting to the mix. Writing and producing soon followed. I always had a strong idea of where I was heading and the arts were always a major part of me. A few years ago, I had a child and stepped away from the artistic world I knew to focus my energy on him. I remember worrying that if I was out of the creative arena for too long I might lose it or be really rusty, but when I returned, I found that I had actually grown. I’m a better actor and a better writer now than I was before. What i have learned is that when you continue to grow as a person, you can’t help but grow as an artist. And sometimes, doing something else – changing your patterns and comforts – allows for a new perspective and more openness. And those qualities are nothing  but a gift to your artistic endeavours.

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

In the fall, I will be onstage at the Firehall Theatre in a remount of the fantastic new musical Miss Shakespeare, which just won a Jessie Award for Best Musical  and our feature film script of Any Night, which won the nation-wide CFF Super Channel Screenplay Award, will hopefully be going into production this winter.

You can find me at DualMinds.com, Facebook: DualMindsCanada and on Instagram: @mhahn111.

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Thanks to Medina Hahn for speaking with us!

You can see Any Night at Pacific Theatre until July 16th with nightly performances at 8PM. Tickets are “Pay What You Think It’s Worth” Cash Only after the show!

For more information, please visit PacificTheatre.org!

The post The Biz Interview: Medina Hahn 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.

We caught up with them to find out everything there is to know about The Support Group and why fans of quirky, kooky comedy web series should most definitely check it out.

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Why don’t you start by telling us a little bit about you?

Sydney Doberstein: I’m originally from Vancouver Island and grew up on a dairy farm in a small town called Black Creek. While growing up there, I performed in many community musical theatre shows and school performances. My first leading role was at the age of 13 when I starred as “Charlotte” the spider in Charlotte’s Web. Now living in Vancouver, my primary focuses are developing my film and television resume and dabbling in motion capture. When I’m not immersed in the industry, you’ll find me being entertained by my 3 month old schnauzer puppy named Darwin, eating a gluten-free diet (for over 10 years now… I started before it was cool), singing and playing guitar in the comfort of my apartment with my husband, crafting beautiful and hilarious Snapchats of my life and spamming my contact list, and biking all year round (I have a bright purple rain suit).

Lily Zarif: I was born in England, went to university in Canada and am now going back and forth between the two to work in the film industry as much as possible. I’m a reader, which is why I get so excited to write, and love binge-watching Parks and Recreation which is where a lot of my humour inspiration came from. 

Laura Carly Miller: I grew up in Maple Ridge and from an early age, I loved the stage. I began dancing when I was five years old. During high school I decided to take drama and that’s where I really realized my passion for acting. At first I was more interested in the theatre, but I had always been interested in film so I applied to Capilano University’s Acting for Stage and Screen program in hopes to try out both mediums. Since university, I have been auditioning for film, television and theatre.

I met Sydney Doberstein and Lily Zarif at Capilano U and we graduated with diplomas in acting. We became friends through school and continued our close friendship after the fact. Our coinciding love for acting led to us deciding to create our own company, Beyond Theatre Productions to continue being creative. Before creating The Support Group, we created sketch comedies and even a theatre piece about racism that we performed for the South Okanagan Immigration Society. The reason we created The Support Group was to continue being creative and gave us an opportunity to make our own work. Also I personally love comedy. So this project has been the ultimate blast being able to not only write, produce, but also star in my own series.

What is The Support Group and how did it come to be?

Sydney Doberstein: The Support Group is a series about three unlikely friends, each facing their own challenges and coming together to save their beloved support group.

Laura Carly Miller, Lily Zarif and I had just finished touring with our production company, Beyond Theatre Productions, and we wanted to create our next project. We got together for a brainstorming brunch and came out with a plot line and potential character ideas for each of us. It was fun because we wanted to create something that we could all star in and we wanted to play characters that would be interesting for each of us.

Lily Zarif: It came to be after we’d been performing sketch comedy for about a year and had just had our first paid gig, a theatre piece we performed in Penticton. We decided it was time to take the next step and take on a whole series. We were chatting about ideas when one of us said “What about a support group, but you never find out what the group is for?” And the idea just grew from there.

What can audiences expect from The Support Group?

Sydney Doberstein: Audiences can expect to laugh, either at how funny it is or how awkward it is – especially if you know one of us. Since it is a comedy, there’s many truthful moments and teamwork in the show that I think audiences will enjoy.

Lily Zarif: Laughter! It’s a comedy, so they can expect some great jokes, and also a few heartwarming moments.

Laura Carly Miller: Laughs, romance, and tons of friendship. It’s a lot of fun and has some real kooky characters.

What are the benefits and challenges that you’ve found so far in developing a web series?

Sydney Doberstein: Benefits – bottom line, nothing really compares to creating your own project. This project has taught us a lot about what type of people, how much work and the amount of hours it takes to create something like a web series. The Support Group has given us a wide range of experience in producing, writing and acting, which most young actors can’t get from the industry. Another major benefit for us was spending all summer doing what we love and living out our dream of running Beyond Theatre Productions. We’ve been able to tap into the indie Vancouver film industry and work with some very talented people, which has helped us grow as actresses and as a production company.

Challenges – there are many challenges when starting your own creative project, let alone an ambitious one like The Support Group. We decided that the only way this was going to get made was doing it on a micro budget and getting ultra thrifty with our options. We were able to bring together a crew of over 30 people to help us, which definitely gave us a leg up in finishing this web series on time. The other major challenge was dealing with locations. The final three locations we were shooting at lost power on our final day, forcing us to rely heavily on our biggest fans – our parents!

Lily Zarif: The benefits of developing this series are so vast. I’ve learned so so much. Learning what it’s like to be on the other side has already helped me as an actor. Acting as a casting director, writer, producer and even sitting in on editing has all been so eye-opening.

The challenges were also vast, but I’m grateful for them, because that’s what helped me learn. Finding equipment and crew were probably two of the biggest challenges as we decided to film during one of the busiest summers in Vancouver.

Laura Carly Miller: The benefits of creating a web series have been outstanding. Not only has it given us as actors a lot of notice but also has been a great opportunity to learn the everything behind the camera. Something every actor should take the time to do. I’ve learned that every single job on set and off is incredibly important. I suggest if an actor gets the chance to sit in on the editing of a project they should do so. You learn a lot about acting and how story telling works.

Some challenges for us throughout this project have been pretty silly and out of our control. One weekend that we were filming in the summer there was a massive power outage across the city. Three out of four of our locations were without power. Luckily, my parents’ house out in Maple Ridge had power and they said all 30+ people could come and film there. It definitely saved us! Throughout this project I’ve learned that there is always something that comes up that’s out of your control but it still will always work out in the end. 

Where do you find inspiration for acting and writing?

Sydney Doberstein: I try to find inspiration from everyday life and hope that my work reflects a very real, honest experience. Obviously, some of my work is a stretch from my personal experiences, but mostly I use my experiences to bring a character to life.

Lily Zarif: I find inspiration from people who I feel have walked a similar path to me. When we started writing I’d just finished Mindy Kaling’s book where she discusses her early years, acting in a show she’d co-written. I then was reading One More Thing by BJ Novak while writing. It’s such a fantastic collection of short stories that while I was reading it, all I wanted to do was try to create something half as funny.

Laura Carly Miller: I find inspiration from my friends. They always make me want to be silly and create funny things. Also a lot of comedy shows that I watch. New Girl, Happy Endings, etc.

What are the keys to creating an effective comedy scene?

Sydney Doberstein: Timing. Comedy is all about timing the jokes, pacing them out, editing and making sure the scene flows smoothly.

Lily Zarif: High stakes! In writing, it was whatever made us laugh the hardest. One of us would make a suggestion and we’d keep building it up until we couldn’t stop laughing. And that made it into the script.

Laura Carly Miller: For us it was staying up writing until 4am and beginning to get silly from exhaustion.

What’s the best advice you’ve received in your career?

Sydney Doberstein: Do what scares you the most and let fear be your compass in life. That’s how I know acting is what I want to do. Acting terrifies me and puts me in a very vulnerable position, which I struggle with in my everyday life. It continues to challenge me and test my type A personality.

Lily Zarif: The best advice I’ve received in my career is to stay honest. In the work and in myself. And I think doing that has helped me to keep working and to work harder because it comes from a powerful place.

Laura Carly Miller: The best career advice I have received is to not take this industry personally. So many actors think it’s always their fault they’re not booking or that they weren’t pretty enough etc. But it’s never the case. So much is out of your control and you could have done a fabulous job, but it could honestly come down to something as silly as you look like the love interest’s sister. And unless it’s Game of Thrones that might not be okay.

What books and authors have been influential in your career so far?

Sydney Doberstein: The Intent To Live by Larry Moss is a book that I easily relate to in life but also my career. This is definitely one of those books that every actor should own.

I find myself constantly watching documentaries, interviews and biographies, which have been influential in my career. The Hollywood Reporter Actors Roundtable interviews are one of my favourites.

Lily Zarif: The ones I mentioned before, I would say were the most influential for my career. I read a lot of Jacqueline Wilson books when I was young too, which gave me a desire to chase adventure and a larger than life lifestyle.

Laura Carly Miller: Honestly not as many books have impacted me as a writer. I’m much more affected by television and films. I’m a sucker for cheesy teen romance shows. I can guarantee no one has watched The OC, Gossip Girl and the new 90210 as many times as I have. The over the top drama always gets me.

What other projects are you involved with?

Sydney Doberstein: This project has been a full-time job but I do still find time to model for a very special non-profit jewelry line called Global Wonders from Servants Anonymous Foundation. Modeling for a cause has given me some wonderful experiences and I recommend it to any actress. I also continue to audition and work on my own personal professional development.

Lily Zarif: I’ve been working on a few independent projects while recently visiting the UK, but am currently traveling, so I’ll be taking a little break before returning to work in Vancouver in the spring.

Laura Carly Miller: Currently none. I had been doing a lot of indie films and shorts but we’ve put a lot of energy and heart into this project recently. Otherwise, mostly auditioning as an actor whenever I have the chance.

Where can we find out more about you?

Sydney Doberstein:

Website: SydneyDoberstein.com | Twitter: @syddoberstein | Instagram: @sydneydoberstein

Lily Zarif:

Website: LilyZarif.com | Facebook: Lily Zarif | Twitter: @lilyzarif | Instagram: @ellzee93

Laura Carly Miller:

Website: LauraCarlyMiller.com | Facebook: Laura Carly Miller | Twitter: @laura_carly | Instagram:  @lauracarlymiller

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Our thanks to Sydney Doberstein, Lily Zarif, and Laura Carly Miller for speaking with us!

The Support Group premieres January 6th on the Beyond Theatre Productions YouTube Channel.

The series also features the contributions of Tammy Gillis (Director, Executive Producer, Actor) and Jim Thorburn (Executive Producer, Actor). You can see more of the cast and crew at TheSupportGroupTheSeries.com!

For more information about Beyond Theatre Productions, please visit BeyondTheatreProductions.com.

Photo Credits: Karolina Turek (Sydney Doberstein),  Brandon Hart (Lily Zarif and Laura Carly Miller), True Grit Productions (Stills), George Lawson Photography (Poster).

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Recommended Reading

[bscolumns class=”one_third”]

The Intent to Live
Larry Moss

[/bscolumns]

[bscolumns class=”one_third”]

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)
Mindy Kaling

[/bscolumns]

[bscolumns class=”one_third_last”]

Matt & Ben
Mindy Kaling and Brenda Withers

[bscolumns class=”clear”][/bscolumns]

The post The Biz Interview: Sydney Doberstein, Lily Zarif, and Laura Carly Miller appeared first on Biz Books.

We have interviewed Lori Triolo in the past, but with The Cold Reading Series underway for another summer – and in a different way – we thought this would be the right time to catch up and find out what’s new.

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What is the mission of The Cold Reading Series?

The Cold Reading Series (CRS) is committed to supporting and developing the talents of Vancouver’s story tellers – writers, actors, and musicians alike – by providing a forum where they can present their craft to a live audience and get instant feedback.

How did The Cold Reading Series get started?

In 1993, Angus Fraser arrived back to Vancouver from NYC with a mission. He’d been attending the Naked Angels event called Tuesdays at 9, which was a venue for NYC playwrights to hear a couple of scenes of a new play they were working on out loud in front of a live audience. The scripts were all cast with whoever showed up, which happened to be some of the greatest actors in NYC. The feedback was instant from the audience reactions in the moment. I had just graduated from The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre and would attend these gatherings as well. When I moved to Vancouver I met Angus Fraser and he told me he wanted to bring this event here. I loved the idea as I had always thought it was important to continue to create your own work. Sitting idle waiting for the phone to ring was nothing I had been taught growing up in NY and having the best mentors I could ask for. Angus Fraser partnered up with the incredible talent that is Kathy Duborg, and together they hosted this amazing weekly event giving writers and actors of stage and screen the support to develop new works. Even though the city was booming with film and television work, we all understood the value of continuing to push each other to grow. The industry paid our bills but the indie community support fed our creative souls. We’ve presented the event in many different venues; the first being a small office at the old Praxis Centre for Screenwriters offices. Patricia Gruben was a tremendous support then and is still a leader in giving writers the opportunity to develop their screenplays with the best in the biz. I’ve been lucky enough to work alongside her, casting the selected screenplays for many years.

Recommended Reading The Perfect Stage Crew
2nd Edition Click a cover for more details Empire of the Son Ignite: Illuminating Theatre
For Young People

For those who haven’t attended before, what can they expect?

At the CRS we cast brand new scripts on the spot and watch them fly in front of a live audience. Local musicians are also invited to share their work-in-progress in the “unplugged” musical segment of the evening. Every live reading ends with a party in the Lounge where you can meet up with other artists over a cold beer. The CRS is the place for Vancouver’s artists to meet one another, share their work, and create more.

How can people get involved with The Cold Reading Series and find out more about it?

They can come on down to The Backstage Lounge on beautiful Granville Island the 2^nd Monday of every month throughout the Summer and let us know they’re interesting in getting involved as an actor, writer or volunteer. The CRS has been a volunteer run organization since its inception and we rely on the community to step up and take their turn as leaders. You can check out our website for more info. There’s an official volunteer form here.

In your experience of reading countless scripts across film, television, and theatre, what are the three things that every great script has in common?

In the 12 years I have been producing the CRS, I think it boils down to one thing – being economical with dialogue. Most scripts I read are way too overwritten and/or painfully elementary and obvious. I think the toughest aspect of writing is figuring out a way for the characters to communicate without being so damn obvious. It drives me crazy reading things that are so on the nose. You’ve figured out the whole story in the first few pages or you have no desire to get to the end of the story because they just vomited on the page. Writing great dialogue is time-consuming. There is always a better way to communicate something. You have to want to have the patience to be excellent.

As far as scripts that have been produced for film and television, which writers and specific scripts have especially resonated with you?

There are quite a few. I’ll keep it simple by talking about the first season of Mad Men. I remember how excited and impressed I was by the scripts. I thought Matthew Weiner, Andre and Maria Jacquemetton were genius. The dialogue was very economical and so much of the story was executed by subtle behaviors.

Sanford Meisner used say, “An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words.”

I couldn’t agree more.

Even more thrilling was that Maria Jacquemetton was working at Vancouver Film School and attending the CRS regularly, having her scripts read, when she and her husband got the news that their show had been greenlit and they were heading back to Los Angeles. Little did we all know the phenomenon that would be Man Men.

What other projects are you involved with at the moment?

I’m finishing up post production on a feature film I produced with some incredible folks last Summer. The writer/director/editor is an overwhelming talent I have had the pleasure of mentoring through the acting side of things for the past 4 years. We aim to hit the festival market this coming year.

I’ll also be on stage this year in Rapture, Blister, Burn being produced by Mitch and Murray Productions and directed by Aaron Craven. While performing Rapture, Blister, Burn, I’ll be in rehearsals for my buddy Stephen Guirgis’ play, The Motherf***er with the Hat, which goes up in January.

As always I continue to guide all sorts of folks through Fitzmaurice Voicework® and FitzMeisner techniques. I’m thrilled to be able to offer some healthy alternatives to actors and anyone who is interested in being a better communicator.

What is the current state of the film, television, and theatre industry in Canada as you see it?

I can only speak from my point of view from the BC industry. The film and tv work has certainly picked up since the Save BC Film campaign. My fear is that whenever the American business comes back strong we get very comfortable around here and the drive to continue to create indigenous work seems to decline. Although, I’m not sure that’s what’s happening right now. People seem very motivated to keep creating. My deepest wish is that we all really push each other to create better projects. I’m tired of celebrating mediocrity. I say the same thing at every CRS event and the audience seems to agree. We just need to get more courageous about telling people the truth. I’m not one to pat someone on the back just for getting something done. I believe that it is extremely difficult to write and produce a great script but I don’t think creating great art ever comes easy.

Where can we find out more about you?

As an actor/producer at IMDB.

For class info, on Facebook.

And my soon to be launched website – LoriTriolo.com.

Actors, writers, and directors have felt your influence through the Cold Reading Series, your acting classes, and your work on projects in Vancouver. What would you like your legacy to be in Vancouver’s creative community?

This is a question I ask my clients all the time. I do think it’s important to contemplate what you want your legacy to be.

To me it’s like when an actor breaks down a script to find their “Super Objective”. Once you know what that is, you have a reference point to see if you are behaving like a person that actually wants to achieve that on a day to day, moment to moment basis. I want my legacy to be that I was a master communicator. Through my own healing I helped others truly have the courage to find their own voice; to feel like they have the skills that empower them to be a better artist and human. Larry Moss, one of my many mentors, always said that our job as artists is to teach the world how to be more human. I’ve felt that in my core for many years. As a young acting student at The Neighborhood Playhouse I thought the work we were doing would save the world. Every day we were taught what it means to truly listen and to be authentic; to tell the truth of our feelings through our craft and that that the truth would set us free. Stella Adler said we are artists because our souls aren’t used up enough by life.

I would like to be remembered for helping others guide the world to be more human and to honor, as well as feel the fullness of their own experiences so that they may continue to evolve into better versions of themselves.

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Our thanks to Lori Triolo for speaking with us!

________________

Recommended Reading

[bscolumns class=”one_third”]

Sanford Meisner on Acting
Sanford Meisner and Dennis Longwell

[/bscolumns]

[bscolumns class=”one_third”]

The Intent to Live: Achieving Your True Potential as an Actor
Larry Moss

 [/bscolumns]

[bscolumns class=”one_third_last”]

The Art of Acting
Stella Adler

 [/bscolumns]

[bscolumns class=”clear”][/bscolumns]

The post The Biz Interview: Lori Triolo appeared first on Biz Books.

Can you discuss the creative process of your involvement in Lawrence & Holloman from the earliest days all the way to release?

Yeah, I grew up as an actor and writer in theatre and so I’d seen three productions of the stage play Lawrence & Holloman (written by the amazing Morris Panych, winner of 2 Governor General’s Awards for Drama). So when Matt asked if I wanted to do the play, I looked at it again, and went: Wait, this would make an awesome indie feature. Like the cult hit Withnail & I or Labute’s Sundance hit In the Company of Men. So we brought producer Paul Armstrong aboard, who had seen and loved the play at the Arts Club in 1999, and we got development funding from Corus Entertainment and then the Harold Greenberg Fund and BC Film (now Creative BC). After 3 years of adapting it into a screenplay, we then attached Exec Producers Mary Anne Waterhouse and Andrew Currie, then Telefilm came aboard with production financing, then we raised the rest of the money, got Super Channel involved, and made the thing. It sounds easy, but that’s only the Coles Notes. It was a humungous learning curve on me and Matt’s part. We had made a 35mm short together (The Janitors) through the NSI Drama Prize and he had made a few other shorts, but writing this feature, securing the money, and making the movie was a mind-bogglingly complex thing — and if you strive towards it being the best it can possibly be, it’s all-consuming. Oh, I co-wrote, am on the producing team, and play Holloman.

From your experience in co-writing the film, what are the most important elements that a feature film screenplay needs to be successful?

I guess I found that it needs to be able to excite the people with money or who are going to make it. That’s what it comes down to. Sometimes people wouldn’t jive with the script and you have to just say “Okay, they’re not going to help us make it.” It doesn’t mean it’s bad (necessarily), it just means the fit isn’t right. So what are the elements that attract that interest? Again, it depends who you’re talking to and pitching to. I’ve heard some producers say they want something that will sell in foreign markets, which usually means a genre picture with a bankable name actor. Story is less important. Other people, the ones we were dealing with, mostly look for that fresh idea, a different spin on a universal theme, a story that compels. But again, the alchemy is so important … really it’s all about finding partners who grab hold of what you’re writing, and how you’re writing it. So you’re always writing with an audience in mind, and then trying to find that audience. That’s what I do. When I’m structuring a story, I’m always thinking two things: Where is the character at in their journey/what would they do next? And 2: What is the reader/audience feeling now? What emotions am I invoking, where to do I take the audience next, and why should they care? Writing a story is a very manipulative exercise. I picture it like sitting around a campfire telling a story to sleepy people: it’s got to have twists and turns and take them on a visceral, emotional, and intellectual ride, and keep them awake! And hopefully, if it’s really good, also ignite in their dreams.

What was your most memorable moment from the making of Lawrence & Holloman?

Actually the moment that sticks out the most is being on the phone one-on-one with Karynn Austin, who at the time was the regional director at Telefilm Canada, and hearing her tell me how much she enjoyed the script. No major notes, just “I loved it.” I still remember where I was, what time of year it was, and the inflection of her voice. That moment was the culmination of me, Matt, and Paul’s 2-3 years of work thus far, and is what spurred the eventual greenlight towards production. In my mind it was probably the most important moment in the film’s history; without it, it may not be in front of you today nor getting all the awards and accolades. Thank you, Karynn.

You’ve worked in both film and television projects. How are they different as an actor and how does your preparation change?

This is an interesting question because I’ve been in TV but never made TV. But I made Lawrence & Holloman. So when I work in TV it’s very different than this. TV gigs for me have usually been like being a small cog in a big machine; you show up, do your acting, commit to the moment, and then go home and collect the cheque. Whereas for L&H it was all-consuming. That said, I’ve been in other films where I wasn’t making the thing, so they’ve been a lot more like a TV set too. Everyone knows their job, and the actor’s job is to act in the part. When it comes to doing that, both TV and film are the same to me. And even though every project is different, the preparation is pretty much the same: learn the lines by learning the moment to moment beats, while also making choices about character, intention, motivation, and stakes.

What books have been influential to your creative journey as a writer and actor?

Awesome, love to answer this one. Cuz I read books like this all the time! As an actor, the most thumbed-through ones on my shelf are True and False by David Mamet, Michael Shurtleff’s Audition, Larry Moss’ The Intent to Live, and A Practical Handbook for the Actor. As a writer, Robert McKee’s Story, Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat series, The Eight Characters of Comedy, and Syd Field’s The Screenwriter’s Problem Solver. Oh, I also loved the book The Activist Screenwriter and I keep a copy of One Less Bitter Actor on hand!

What advice would you give to aspiring actors and screenwriters?

Read the books above! Actors, if you want to act, act. Whether it’s classes or making your own stuff, just do it. Learn. I started getting paid to do theatre when I was 12, but I still went through a conservatory acting program, and that helped solidify a career for myself in the theatre. Screenwriters, I hear a lot of people say to develop a database of story ideas, and sure that’s important, I have that … but in my experience nothing beats sitting down and wrestling those one or two projects into the best they can possibly be in order to get them made. Writing is rewriting, I’m a firm believer in that — and you must listen to your audience. Oh, and if you want get paid to act or write, you have to treat them like crafts, but also businesses.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your career and what have you done to overcome it?

Biggest challenge has been and continues to be transitioning from a theatre-only actor to an actor who works on screen as well. What am I doing to overcome that? Making my own movies! I should probably do more to overcome it, but this is a start.

What would you like to share about your upcoming projects?

Well beyond the theatrical release of Lawrence & Holloman — which is already amazing — and the fact that it’s won 11 awards in 11 festivals, received “must-see” reviews, 9 Leo nominations, and is currently nominated for 4 Canadian Comedy Awards (all right all right all right) — I’m also thrilled that my other feature script Any Night just won the nation-wide CFF Super Channel Screenplay Award, which means it’s on Canada’s It-List of the best as-of-yet-unproduced screenplays and receives a pre-buy offer from Super Channel, worth $30K-$50K or more depending on budget. So hopefully that one will get made soon!

For more information about Lawrence & Holloman, please visit LawrenceandHolloman.com.

The post The Biz Interview: Daniel Arnold of Lawrence & Holloman appeared first on Biz Books.

We spoke with William B. Davis to get his insights into Where There’s Smoke … Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man and the various musings that we can expect to see.

Can you walk us through the process of writing this book – from the early stages to publishing? Why was now the right time to make it happen?

To write a memoir one has to be a certain age; old enough to have a story to tell and not too old to tell it. Early seventies seemed about right.

I had often thought about writing a memoir, my idiosyncratic background surely of interest to aficionados of Canadian theatre if no one else. It was Jerry Wasserman from UBC who first suggested it and directed me to Fred Euringer’s memoir, A Fly on the Curtain, that dealt with a similar period from my early life, summer stock and University of Toronto in the late fifties. I also read my friend David Helwig’s memoir, The Names of Things, also about the same period.

Would the book be about early Canadian theatre or about my life as a late blooming celebrity? I decided on both. And added my life in the British theatre in the dynamic sixties.

Not only is the book a history of theatre and film, it is also a social history spanning the early postwar period to the present. And I am far too candid about my personal life.

Of course my X-Files experience is important and has many fans, but equally important was the light I could shed on the development of theatre in Canada.

In the book, you discuss how chance factors into the career of any actor. What can today’s actors do to increase their “luck” in the hopes of having a more successful career?

I suppose I should suggest all those things I hate doing and rarely do. Going to the right parties, meeting the right people. Being a first rate actor is all that you can control. Whether you are the right size or look is out of your control.

What kinds of discoveries can your fans expect to learn about you from reading this book that they might not know already?

Few fans of The X-Files, few producers of The X-Files, were aware of my long career in Canadian and British theatre. They will learn more of my personal life than I should have revealed. And they will learn of my personal history with the show and my thoughts about it.

You mention that Bill Davis has had many different lives. What are the accomplishments that you are most proud of as an actor and also as a person?

I am proud of my early career as something of a boy wonder in the theatre – as a director, not an actor.

I am proud and surprised to have become a successful actor, a career path I had abandoned in favour of directing when I was 20.

My short film, which I wrote, directed, and performed in, Packing Up, is still especially meaningful for me.

Founding The William Davis Centre for Actors’ Study in 1993 which continues to this day.

I am pretty pleased that at age 74 I can still climb the Grouse Grind and water ski competitively.

How influential do you feel that The X-Files was for science fiction, television, and also the Vancouver film and TV industry?

No doubt the success of The X-Files has brought attention to Vancouver as a location for science fiction projects. Many have followed, notably Supernatural and Fringe and more recently, Continuum.

How do you handle the challenge of being closely tied to one character without being typecast? What steps can actors take to avoid that and what can they do to also further their enjoyment of playing the same character on a regular basis?

Of course I am typecast sometimes. But I’m fine with that. Fortunately I am quite a different person than the character I played on X-Files so frequently I play very different roles. I don’t know how one deals with playing the same character for hundreds of episodes – I only did 35 episodes of X-Files. For me the character kept changing in subtle ways and deepening.

What’s the best advice you’ve been given in your career and what’s the most important thing from your own experience that would share with today’s actors?

On my first day as an acting student at LAMDA in London, the principal told us all to be happy, to accept that we had talent or we wouldn’t be there, and allow our work to grow. For me, beating young actors into submission is to risk destroying their talent to say nothing of debasing them as people. Talent is to be nurtured like a plant, provided with nutrients and a healthy environment. If you pull it out of the ground every week to see how it is doing you will surely kill it.

You’ve been acting at many different points in your life and have been able to witness a lot of different actors come and go throughout the industry. Which actors really stood out for you in your earlier years and which ones impress you with their work now? From your vantage point, what are the elements that make someone a legitimate talent?

There were many actors in my early years, Michael Redgrave, Joan Plowright, Paul Newman, Geraldine Page, Albert Finney. Now, Ian McKellen, Judi Dench, Anthony Hopkins.

Is there a difference between a talent and an actor? There are many film actors with amazing talent but limited to a narrow range of film and television work. To be a major star one needs training and experience in both theatre and film.

But any actor must be able to put herself in imagined circumstances and live truthfullu.

What books have been important to you throughout your career and were there any that inspired you when it came time to write your own?

I have read widely on subjects such as evolutionary biology and climate change that have influenced my thinking about life in general. I read many memoirs when I came to write mine. Peter Hall, Judi Dench, Amelia Hall, and Fred’s and David’s mentioned above. I read Christopher Plummer’s and William Shatner’s but felt I wanted to write a different kind of book.

Theatre books – Larry Moss, Hart, Uta Hagen, and, of course, Constantin Stanislavski.

What other projects are you involved in right now?

I have a small but key role in the new series Continuum. Tall Man will be released at the end of August. I shot a new Steve Austin action movie, The Package, and a low budget science fiction feature, The Singularity Principle. A lovely docudrama, The Mountain Runners has just been released. I am looking at other writing projects, a new book on acting and a new translation of Feydeau. And some directing projects are being discussed for 2013.

Where There’s Smoke … Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man is available for purchase at WilliamBDavis.com.

The post The Biz Interview: William B. Davis for “Where There’s Smoke… Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man” 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.