the intent to live Archives - Biz Books

The Biz Interview: Medina Hahn

Biz Books — Fri, 08 Jul 2016 16:30:44 +0000

Medina Hahn and Daniel Arnold are the two creative forces behind the engaging romantic mystery Any Night, which is now on at Pacific Theatre and being directed by Julia Siedlanowska as part of the theatre’s apprenticeship program.

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.

The Biz Interview: Sydney Doberstein, Lily Zarif, and Laura Carly Miller

Biz Books — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 03:19:45 +0000

The Support Group is a Vancouver-produced web series that launches this week and is top-lined by the talents of Sydney Doberstein, Lily Zarif, and Laura Carly Miller of Beyond Theatre Productions. As the lead actresses, writers and producers of the series, this trio of gifted Vancouver performers have overseen this creative project from beginning to end and they’re here to share some of their insights with us.

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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The Biz Interview: Daniel Arnold of Lawrence & Holloman

Biz Books — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 00:52:52 +0000

Daniel Arnold is one of the stars and co-writers of the screen adaptation of Lawrence & Holloman. In advance of its Vancouver premiere on July 18th, Daniel spoke to us about the journey to bring the film to life and his own career.

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.

The Biz Interview: Jennifer Spence of Down River

Biz Books — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 06:50:18 +0000

Many of our readers will recognize Canadian actress Jennifer Spence – not only for her roles as Betty Robertson on Continuum and Dr. Lisa Park on Stargate: Universe – but for her past association with Biz Books as one of our most beloved Bizzers.

These days, she’s busy with her newest film role in Down River, which premieres in Vancouver at the Vancouver International Film Festival. Jennifer talked to us about the film, her growing career, and her time at Biz Books.

Tell us about Down River and what audiences can look forward to.

Down River is a very special project to us. It was inspired by Ben Ratner’s close friendship with Babz Chula who passed on before her time. While the film is classified as a drama, there are many comedic moments and we think folks will identify with its universal themes. Our hope is that audiences will come away feeling inspired to create value and connection and live their lives in the best way that they can.

How did you become involved in the film and what was your creative process like throughout the production of the film?

I became involved through the very convenient situation that I’m married to the director! My creative process started out with the basic questions an actor asks themselves about their character. Then Ben, Gloria (wardrobe) and I worked together to choose what outfits felt most like “Aki”. That was hugely helpful in getting a feel for her. The glasses we ended up using belonged to Babz. We actually used a ton of Babz’s stuff for the film: much of her clothing for Helen Shaver’s character “Pearl”, items from her apartment and Gabrielle, Colleen and I each wore one of her signature bracelets. The way Ben then guided me in going deeper and telling Aki’s story was such an amazing experience for me- he’s the kind of director every actor wants to work with. I trusted him completely and not just because of our relationship. Everyone did. He’s really good at what he does. To be exceptional in one artistic discipline is admirable enough but to be exceptional in many (directing, writing, acting, teaching, painting, making music) is a very rare thing and he actually is. OK, I sound like I’m gushing but it’s all true!

What are the key similarities and differences between you and your character, Aki? How did you address those as an actor?

I think we’re similar in that we’re both pretty nerdy, introverted and weird. Maybe I’m not quite as cripplingly shy in real life so I guess I had to “turn up” that part of myself that is.

What was the biggest challenge for you in this film?

There’s a scene where I had to dance drunkenly and bizarrely and sexually in front of a crowd so yeah I’d say there was some major fear involved in that.

What were your reasons for getting involved with acting to begin with?

I wanted to do it primarily because I really wanted to affect people- make them feel something, change them in some small way. And to me, stories and art were the way to do that. That’s what’s always affected me the most and helped me to understand what it means to be human. I wanted to help other people understand that too.

You’ve had a successful mix between television and film roles. As an actor, what do you enjoy about each medium?

I love the intimacy of both. For the actors and the audience. With film, it’s almost even more intimate than TV because the screen is so huge so the audience is really getting EVERYTHING. But with TV, more can happen in a way. There are more possibilities of how characters can develop as you evolve them through episodes and often, seasons.

Who are the performers, writers, or directors that have been influential to you?

Oh man- where to start? Gary Oldman, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bryan Cranston, Meryl Streep, Catherine Keener, Julianne Moore, Judd Apatow, Charlie Kaufman, John Hughes, the list goes on!

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

Many! When I first started out I remember finding The Actor’s Survival Kit which is written specifically for Canadian actors. That helped demystify the business for me. It seems like I’m always in various stages of re-reading The Intent to Live especially when I need help deepening a character. Writing Down the Bones is an amazing book on writing and the creative process and really made me realize just how important practice is to bettering oneself as an artist. Other ones that resonated with me are: The Actor’s Audition Checklist, The War of Art and I just finished reading Judi Dench’s And Furthermore which I devoured in three sittings.

Speaking of books, you were part of the Biz Books team at our old Vancouver location. How did your experience at Biz Books influence your career?

Honestly if it weren’t for Catherine Lough Haggquist, I probably wouldn’t still be in the business. Her wisdom and insight into the industry and her belief in me made me believe I could do it. I was/am lucky to have a mentor and friend like her. It’s way too easy to go crazy in this business unless you have someone you trust who has a lot of experience in it and can help point you in the right direction. When I worked at Biz, it was like we had a built-in support system. We were all like-minded friends who ran lines with each other and covered each other’s shifts when we had an audition or gig. I was very fortunate to “find my tribe”. Not to mention being surrounded by every book and resource I could possibly need to help me on my actor’s journey!

What is the most important advice you could offer to aspiring actors in Canada?

Make sure you’re always working on your craft in some way. Work hard at it. Class is usually the best way to do that. You need to be ready for when opportunities come and it keeps you engaged and reminded of why you do it. Surround yourself with like-minded, genuine people. It can be a lonely, bewildering profession so find your tribe. Don’t be an actor unless you absolutely have to and are willing to be persistent through the ups and downs.

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

We start shooting the third season of Continuum in November so can’t wait for that! Also I found myself really fascinated with the post-production process of making Down River so would like to learn more about editing and setting up shots- maybe get involved in the technical aspects of filmmaking as well.

Watch for Down River at the Vancouver International Film Festival and visit the official site for the film at DownRiverMovie.com.

The post The Biz Interview: Jennifer Spence of Down River appeared first on Biz Books.

the intent to live Archives - Biz Books

The Biz Interview: Medina Hahn

The Biz Interview: Sydney Doberstein, Lily Zarif, and Laura Carly Miller

Recommended Reading

The Biz Interview: Daniel Arnold of Lawrence & Holloman

The Biz Interview: Jennifer Spence of Down River