Jessica Joerndt | Actor Highlight | Meet the Cast | UNWAVERING

Today we continue the UNWAVERING Actor Highlight series with Jessica Joerndt.

The role Jessica played in UNWAVERING was Kristen. When Jessica auditioned she had a warm-hearted personality and we could tell she had some great talent.

Jessica is always improving her skills from acting to signing & dancing and even horseback riding. She takes multiple classes to hone her talent and to expand expertise.

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Here are some of the questions we asked Jessica:

MPF: What was your favorite part of filming for UNWAVERING?

Jessica: My favorite part of filming was being on set and getting to experience acting on my first film, and having fun in between takes!

MPF: What’s your favorite role you’ve ever played?

Jessica: My favorite role ever played is probably Annie in Mary Poppins the Musical…the dancing was so fun and the whole show was happy and exciting.

MPF: Which actor(s) inspire you?

Jessica: Actors that inspire me are Tom Hanks, Emma Stone, and Meryl Streep (just a few) for their authenticity and connection with the audience on screen. I also really love Jennifer Lopez for her career as an amazing actress and performer, as well as my older childhood stars like Hilary Duff, Raven Symone, and Demi Lovato for their acting and singing skills.

MPF: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

Jessica: My favorite movie is almost impossible to pick! I really loved Jennifer Garner in Miracles From Heaven recently, and overall, a couple of my favorites are Schindler’s List, and The Hunger Games Series.

MPF: What are a couple of your hobbies?

Jessica: Outside of acting, I love to sing and dance. Singing was actually one of my first loves, and music one of the most important things in my life. I also have always loved horseback riding, and I have been a competitive hunter/jumper rider since I was 10.

MPF: What made you interested in acting?

Jessica: I think I grew to become interested in acting as I grew up watching Disney Channel and Nickelodeon, and saw kids my own age on television and films, and I started to wonder what acting was like, so I became involved in theater at my high school, and I’ve never looked back!

MPF: Favorite color?

Jessica: Favorite color is purple!

MPF: Who is your favorite character in the UNWAVERING film?

Jessica: I really like the character of Sarah, because I feel like she is a very strong, smart girl, and she is a born leader.

MPF: Do you have any advice for aspiring actors?

Jessica: Get yourself out there as much as you can. Take yearly or bi-yearly trips to NYC or LA to take classes and to be surrounded by kids, teens, and adults who do this every day for a living. Look for classes near you, and take every class on acting technique, improv, theater, and on-camera that you can find, take dance classes and singing to gain new skills that can help you, and audition for everything! Build good connections with casting directors, agents, teachers, and other actors so that you have a good support system. And when you’re not auditioning or taking class, read books on acting! Also, work some jobs to save your money, because you will need it!

Thank you, Jessica, for being a part of this film! The Grand Premiere for UNWAVERING is the Saturday, April 22nd! You can get tickets for it here: UNWAVERING Grand Premiere

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Randy Lee | Actor Highlight | Meet the Cast | UNWAVERING

Today on the UNWAVERING Actor Highlight series we are featuring Randy Lee.

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The role Randy played in UNWAVERING was the mayor. Randy was great to have on set. Even during rehearsals he offered a few different approaches to the role to align with the vision we had. He has a very awesome attitude and keeps the positive energy flowing at all times. That energy helped us on the last day of filming to power through to the end.

Randy is super talented and has been involved in some great films and even is a tattoo artist. He has worked closely with John Goodman as a body double and has recently stepped up as a producer on “The Danielle Forbes Show.” You can learn more about the films and projects he’s involved with by going to his website: Randy Lee

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Here are the questions we asked Randy:

MPF: What was your favorite part of filming for UNWAVERING?

Randy: Returning to the area of Ohio where I once lived with my daughter and viewing the history in East Liverpool.

MPF: What’s your favorite role you’ve ever played?

Randy: Body Double/2nd team for Mr. John Goodman. I gained so much education and wisdom working so closely with John and a star studded cast, let alone Diane Keaton sang happy birthday to me!

MPF: Which actor(s) inspire you?

Randy: Michael Keaton, John Malkovich, Johnny Depp

MPF: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

Randy: This one is hard to nail down… A Clockwork Orange, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Beetlejuice are a good top three..lol

MPF: What are a couple of your hobbies?

Randy: Tattooing, music, gaming

MPF: What made you interested in acting?

Randy: When I was compared to “Elliot” on E.T. and said, I wanna do that..and it’s been in my blood since!

MPF: Favorite color?

Randy: Deep purple (amethyst)

MPF: Who is your favorite character in the UNWAVERING film?
Randy: Have to go with the mayor, only because I don’t know the entire script and character pool! 🙂

MPF: Do you have any advice for aspiring actors?

Randy: Positive perseverance…never give up and don’t let them tell you no. It’s ok to be you, it’s ok to be out of the box..stick to it, train and go for it!

Thank you, Randy, for your terrific performance! To see Randy in UNWAVERING you can get tickets for the Grand Premiere here: UNWAVERING Grand Premiere

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Brianna Burke | Actor Highlight | Meet the Cast | UNWAVERING

Today on the UNWAVERING Actor Highlight series we are featuring Brianna Burke.

The role Brianna played in UNWAVERING was Emily. Emily’s character is spunky and a bit fearless. When Brianna auditioned I could definitely feel her energy and her incredible talent emanated through her performance. While filming she kept the energy level up and brought her own life to the character.

Soon to be graduating high school, Brianna has had quite the filming career thus far. She started performing at the age of 6 and has been involved with over 34 productions, 8 dance teams, and has danced at Disney twice. To see the films she’s been involved with you can visit her IMDB page

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Here are the questions we asked Brianna:

MPF: What was your favorite part of filming for UNWAVERING?

Brianna: My favorite part of filming Unwavering was all the amazing and talented people I got the chance to meet. Being one of the youngest actors in the film for the certain scenes I was in (16 at the time), was certainly nerve racking. Everyone on set felt like family, considering we were together from sunrise to sundown some days. We all share tight bonds that continue today. Everyone was so driven and hardworking. It was truly an amazing group.

MPF: Which actor(s) inspire you?

Brianna: One of my most inspirational actors I look up to is Ellen DeGeneres. She is so talented and has such a natural knack for acting. You can clearly tell how much she enjoys her job and how much happiness it brings her, which is the most important aspect for me. She is also very unique and lets that shine through her work which I have all kinds of respect for.

MPF: What are a couple of your hobbies?

Brianna: I have many hobbies, as many as any 17 year old girl would have. I have been performing since I could remember on stage. I have done many many musicals, straight plays, and dance team. I have even performed in Disney World twice. Aside from acting, singing, and dancing, I love to cheer. I joined High School Varsity cheer in 2014 and fell in love with it ever since. Being under the Friday night lights with my best friends was such a great experience. I also enjoy being active and fashion blogging. My best friend and I started a fashion blog together in 2016 and it’s something we both put all our heart in. As any senior in high school, I am always with my friends and at basketball and football games! It’s something I will miss come graduation!

MPF: What made you interested in acting?

Brianna: I started acting when I was 6, and sure I could make up some story about how I remember exactly why I wanted to act when I first started, but obviously I do not remember.  As I got older however, I realized why I began acting. I love getting to portray another person. It’s truly a cool thing to do. You totally escape reality and get to entertain the world with a role which may just touch their heart. 

MPF: Favorite color?

Brianna: As cliche as it is, I am a girly girl and PINK is my favorite! No shame!

MPF: Who is your favorite character in the UNWAVERING film?
Brianna: My favorite character in this film was definitely the pastor. He was so convincing and put his heart and soul into it and it made me so happy!

MPF: Do you have any advice for aspiring actors?

Brianna: My advice to any aspiring actors, never ever stop doing what you love. If you are like me, then you look at all these other occupations in the world, trying to figure out which one will make you happiest, and acting is always at the top of the list. Doing what you love everyday means you will never have to work a day in your life. Acting jobs come in waves, and once that wave hits I promise all kinds of opportunities will come. Stay patient. Stay kind. Stay driven. Pray. Live life. And always be the best you can be!

Thank you, Brianna, for your energetic performance! To see her in UNWAVERING you can get tickets for the Grand Premiere here: UNWAVERING Grand Premiere

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Randy Campbell | Actor Highlight | Meet the Cast | UNWAVERING

Today on the UNWAVERING Actor Highlight series we are featuring the great Randy Campbell.

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The role Randy played in UNWAVERING was the Preacher. Randy has a unique look and showed up to the audition with a suit and hat just like the headshot above. I didn’t have any specific type of preacher I was looking forward so I kept the role fairly open. As Randy began auditioning I pictured him preaching at a Southern Baptist church somewhere out in the country of Georgia. I loved that feel! Especially since we were going to film the baptism scene out in the country by a lake in Columbiana, Ohio.

Randy has had much involvement with local films and WGN America’s Outsiders. His charisma goes beyond the screen as he arrives mostly 1-2 hours early before every event to connect with the cast and crew members, and he is usually sitting outside of his car playing the guitar to pass the time before anyone else arrives.

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Here are the questions we asked Randy:

MPF: What was your favorite part of filming for UNWAVERING?

Randy: My favorite part of filming was how EVERYONE worked together to (make/let) each individual expand themselves to their fruition. In front as well as behind camera. It didn’t hurt my ego either that a very pretty young lady trusted me not to slip & drown her. Thanks Katie!

MPF: Which actor(s) inspire you?

Randy: All actors inspire me even if they don’t have the skill to act. The love of doing & breaking beyond fear; inspiring yes.

MPF: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

Randy: Favorite Movie! Hard to say, I love so many. The Hobbit animated & live action ones & Darby O’Gill & the Little People. Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Stargate, Original Star Wars, E.T., Wizard of Oz original & new and so on!

MPF: What are a couple of your hobbies?

Randy: Playing guitar, writing various things, painting, T-shirt designs, anything creative actually, exploring nature & weird places, creating with my hands, expanding my talents, Construction Mechanics, auto repair & restore, and doodling.

MPF: What made you interested in acting?

Randy: Acting is in my blood from playing house as a child with the girls, or super heroes or ARMY with the guys (& girls) to kn-itching out my place in the world and adjusting to new situations as a teen to maturity. Even as a father & husband.

MPF: Favorite color?

Randy: Favorite color has always been green. Must just be muh Irish a manifesting.

MPF: Who is your favorite character in the UNWAVERING film?

Randy: …PREACHER. Just loved being allowed to give him character. Gran’dad was a Preacher in the day. Never saw him preach as but spent many a day at his side after giving it up. The Preacher came out from time to time.

MPF: Do you have any advice for aspiring actors?

Randy: Learn about everything. All is fodder for the stage. Read tech manuals, medical journals, and law books out loud. Learn to speak the jargon well even if you have no idea what it means. The better you can articulate the easier it is to land great roles. It’s easy to talk bumpkin but speaking as the educated can’t be faked. Above all else follow whats in your heart; it’s okay to be small in what you do. Sometimes it’s the small things that touch the greatest audience. There is a star placed in all of us, don’t let others dim your shine! JUST SHINE BABY SHINE! 

Thank you, Randy, for your terrific performance! For information about the Grand Premiere of UNWAVERING (ANNOUNCEMENT COMING SOON!) be sure to sign up for the newsletter here:

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Emily Rusu | Actor Highlight | Meet the Cast | UNWAVERING

Today we continue with the UNWAVERING Actor Highlight series with Emily Rusu.

EmilyHeadshotThe role Emily played in UNWAVERING was Tara, another girl that was in captivity. Emily brought forth her own personality to the character and changed the dynamic between the girls which was great. Emily’s passion and willingness to do anything to help out the production made her a great asset to UNWAVERING.

Emily and her husband, Bill, who helped on UNWAVERING as a grip, film incredible wedding videos and own Jet Wedding Videography, and Emily is part owner of Jet Creative which is a marketing and design company based in Youngstown, Ohio.

Screen Shot 2017-03-06 at 5.13.28 AMHere are the questions we asked Emily:

MPF: What was your favorite part of filming for UNWAVERING?

Emily: My favorite scene to shoot was the last scene. It was shot very late at night on the forth day of shooting, so we were all a little silly from being sleep deprived! I don’t want to give too much away about the last scene though 😉

MPF: What’s your favorite role you’ve ever played?

Emily: I was a TV personality for a couple of years on a local children’s show, Homework Express. I got to act silly multiple times a week. My segment was “Word of the Day”, which is exactly what it sounds. I’d take a weird word from the dictionary and define it, doing more than just read the definition. However, my role in Unwavering was the longest and most intense role I’ve had, so that’s up there!

MPF: Which actor(s) inspire you?

Emily: I have a lot of favorite actors, it’s hard to say which specifically inspire me the most. A lot of good actors are so good, that I don’t think about the fact that they’re acting!

However, when shooting Unwavering I was impressed by Katie C’etta, who played Sarah. I got to see how she worked behind the scenes and how her acting methods came off on camera. Her commitment to her role was incredibly inspiring!

MPF: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

Emily: Can I say ALL the Marvel movies?

MPF: What are a couple of your hobbies?

Emily: I love to write, do video production, read, play video games, and eat pizza (is that a hobby?).

MPF: What made you interested in acting?

Emily: In middle school I discovered my love of musicals and Broadway. So, I got involved in the theater department and was in a performance all four years of high school. Then, I went to school for video production. While I love working behind the camera, I took opportunities to get in front of it as well.

MPF: Favorite color?

Emily: Hmm… Purple? No, blue. No, wait… ??

MPF: Who is your favorite character in the UNWAVERING film?

Emily: While Sarah is the obvious choice, I always appreciate a well written villain. I’m going to say the villain that was played by Nicholas Baronzzi (not that I LIKE him, but he’s an interesting character). You start out thinking one thing about him, and then he twists your emotions around and make you feel so many things towards him and the situation.

MPF: Do you have any advice for aspiring actors?

Emily: Get involved and make connections. You can’t be scared to talk to new people or put yourself out there. Not even just for acting, but anything you want to be involved in.

Thank you, Emily, for being involved with this film! For information about the Grand Premiere of UNWAVERING (ANNOUNCEMENT COMING SOON!) be sure to sign up for the newsletter here:

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Cora Metzfield | Actor Highlight | Meet the Cast | UNWAVERING

Today we on the UNWAVERING Actor Highlight series we are featuring Cora Metzfield.

Cora played the role of Toddler Sarah in UNWAVERING. Cora sent in a video audition since she lives in Virginia and we were blown away! We knew we had to have her be a part of the film. Cora is such a sweet girl and perfectly delivered her lines and her performance was outstanding!

Cora has already been involved with many projects and finished up with “Imperium” featuring Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe before the filming of UNWAVERING. You can find more about Cora and the projects she’s been involved with by visiting her IMDB page.

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Here are the questions we asked Cora:

MPF: What was your favorite part of filming for UNWAVERING?

Cora: Getting to meet all these amazing people like Josh, Danielle and my on camera “dad”.  I really thought my stunt was fun when I got to fall off the swing.

MPF: What’s your favorite role you’ve ever played?

Cora: ‘Madeline’ in “Imperium” because I got to act with Daniel Radcliffe.  And I’m a huge Harry Potter fan!

MPF: Which actor(s) inspire you?

Cora: Madeline Stowe

MPF: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

Cora: Last of the Mohicans

MPF: What are a couple of your hobbies?

Cora: Ballet, piano, singing and taekwondo

MPF: What made you interested in acting?

Cora: I was always very dramatic (my mom says), so naturally she put me in local acting classes.

MPF: Favorite color?

Cora: Black and blue

MPF: Who is your favorite character in the UNWAVERING film?

Cora: The older version of me!

MPF: Do you have any advice for aspiring actors?

Cora: Have fun and work hard towards your goals.

Thank you, Cora, for your awesome performance! For information about the Grand Premiere of UNWAVERING be sure to sign up for the newsletter here: www.menningphotographicfilms.com/newsletter

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Danielle Nungesser | Actor Highlight | Meet the Cast | UNWAVERING

Today we continue the UNWAVERING Actor Highlight series with Danielle Nungesser.

DanielleNungesserDanielle played the role of Chloe in UNWAVERING. Danielle brought her own style to the character and had great improvisation. Danielle recently wrote, produced, directed, and acted in her first short, Dolan. You can it view here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orXhy5sc0KQ. Also, Dani has her own YouTube channel. You can follow her musings here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIZxvTQF1bYNad1vxkeWpYQ

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Here are the questions we asked Danielle:

MPF: What was your favorite part of filming for UNWAVERING?

Danielle: Not only can I comment on how excellent the professionalism was for both cast and crew, being on set was the best! Without a doubt, we became instant family. That was the magic of UNWAVERING.

MPF: What’s your favorite role you’ve ever played?

Danielle: I think my favorite role was playing a Hogwarts student for my Youtube video. 🙂

MPF: Which actor(s) inspire you?

Danielle: I was inspired to start acting after watching Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus in Boondock Saints. I met them back in 2014 and I told both of them how much they inspired me to start acting. Never miss an opportunity to tell your heroes how much they inspired you. 🙂

MPF: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

Danielle: Definitely Boondock Saints

MPF: What are a couple of your hobbies?

Danielle: I love making comedic Youtube videos, meditating, and playing guitar. 

MPF: What made you interested in acting?

Danielle: I’ve always been interested in acting ever since I was 5 years old. It was only when I turned 26 and working at a job I hated, and constantly watching The Boondock Saints, that I said I should start film acting.

MPF: Favorite color?

Danielle: Green

MPF: Who is your favorite character in the UNWAVERING film?

Danielle: Sarah, without a doubt. She has incredible strength which gave strength to the other captive girls. Not only was she full of faith, but she was full of love. That is what saved them all.

MPF: Do you have any advice for aspiring actors?

Danielle: Harry Potter said, “Working hard is important. But there is something that matters even more: Believing in yourself. ” Work hard but keep believing that you can do it… Because YOU CAN!

Thank you, Dani, for your great performance! For information about the Grand Premiere of UNWAVERING be sure to sign up for the newsletter here: www.menningphotographicfilms.com/newsletter

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Nicholas Baronzzi | Actor Highlight | Meet the Cast | UNWAVERING

Today on the UNWAVERING Actor Highlight series we are featuring the one and only Nicholas Baronzzi.Screen Shot 2017-01-25 at 6.03.54 AM

The role Nick played in UNWAVERING was Yusaf. Yusaf is a terrorist and a complex character; charismatic at first then cold and detached.  Nick will literally do anything to get the best take possible. Whether that’s sweating in military gear for hours or falling on his face onto concrete, he goes all out with no remarks.  After Nick’s performance in Gretchen’s Lock and seeing his auditions for UNWAVERING, there’s no doubt that I wanted him to be a part of this project.

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These are the questions we asked Nick:

MPF: What’s your favorite role you’ve ever played?

Nick: Play acting in high school was a lot of fun. Being able to feel and feed off the energy of a live audience is an electric thing. As far as film, portraying Jason in Gretchen’s Lock was relaxed and memorable. I overheard some kids at the premiere hoping that I wouldn’t die—that was nice.

MPF: Which actor(s) inspire you?

Nick: Shout-outs to Leo DiCaprio for using his celebrity to draw attention to relevant global issues.

MPF: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

Nick: I have a personal Top 4 that stand above the rest I’ve seen, and they are 2001: A Space Odyssey, Seven Samurai, Pulp Fiction, and Apocalypse Now.

MPF: What are a couple of your hobbies?

Nick: I do a lot of stuff with music—play it, record it, mix it, listen to it all day and every night while I sleep. I’m also a huge nerd for Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. series—I host a bi-weekly tournament for the Wii U version. Our seventeenth tournament is coming up next week.

MPF: What made you interested in acting?

Nick: I’m a creative, and private as I often am, I need to bring what’s inside out.

MPF: Favorite color?

Nick: Cobalt blue.

MPF: Who is your favorite character in the UNWAVERING film?

Nick: Due to the fragmented structure of UNWAVERING, I chose not to read the script in full—only the parts relevant to Yusaf, so I could preserve the coldness and distance inherent to a hostage situation. I didn’t allow myself to like any of the characters.

MPF: Do you have any advice for aspiring actors?

Nick: Entertainment is a business; integrity is an investment.

Thank you again, Nick, for the outstanding performance! For information about the Grand Premiere of UNWAVERING be sure to sign up for the newsletter here: www.menningphotographicfilms.com/newsletter

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Katie C’etta | Actor Highlight | Meet the Cast | UNWAVERING

Today we begin our UNWAVERING Actor Highlight series with the amazing Katie C’etta.

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The role Katie played in UNWAVERING was Sarah. Sarah is the lead character in UNWAVERING and Katie nailed everything about the role! Sarah’s character is modest and strong willed when it comes to her beliefs.  When Katie auditioned, she embodied the persona and took the character to another level that I would have never dreamed of.  While filming UNWAVERING, Katie worked extremely hard to stay in character and was flawless with her performance.

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Here’s the link to Katie’s site that showcases her many talents and blog posts: http://www.katiecetta.com/

These are the questions we asked Katie:

MPF: What was your favorite part of filming for UNWAVERING?

Katie: My favorite day on Unwavering was the day we shot all the prom scenes. It was so special being able to dress up like we were attending the prom! My character had a very unique prom experience and it was so fun being able to make that come to life! 

MPF: What’s your favorite role you’ve ever played?

Katie: My favorite character that I’ve ever played is definitely Sarah. She’s the character I’ve spent the most time with and the character that I connected to most easily. She seems to be a very mild mannered and shy person but her determination to stay true to herself when it comes to her beliefs is something that she and I have in common. With Sarah I let my guard down and really aimed to feel everything she was feeling and stay true to that. It was an exciting and fulfilling experience that taught me so much about myself through this character. 

MPF: Which actor(s) inspire you?

Katie: Some of my favorite actresses that I look up to and am inspired by most are Julianne Moore, Amy Adams, and of course the Queen ?Meryl Streep for their unique and mind blowing talent.  

MPF: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

Katie: The Lord of the Rings the Fellowship of the Ring is my favorite movie of all time. The trilogy is actually what got me into filmmaking. When I was 9 years old I spent all of my free time researching how these films were made down to the very last details. My first monologue ever performed was Cate Blanchette’s opening monologue which I proudly performed to my bright eyed and bushy tailed fellow acting camp attendees when I was 10 years old. ? It was special. 

MPF: What are a couple of your hobbies?

Katie: I really love traveling. I’m the type of person who gets anxious if I stay in one place for too long. I believe it was Cate Blanchette who advised to travel often so that you have lots of experiences to feed back into your work. I’ve also recently taken up photography! I typically photograph my friends, family and of course my beautiful dog. I also design jewelry made out of chain, leather and vintage nails. 

MPF: What made you interested in acting?

Katie: I first became interested in acting after seeing the LOTR films as I explained above. Something about being able to create a world entirely different than reality and make it come to life was extremely appealing to me. Over the years that fascination shifted from fantasy to recreating more realistic stories. This craft allows me to think and feel like human beings other than myself and give life to characters that otherwise would only exist on a page. It’s really a very special privilege. 

MPF: Favorite color?

Katie: My favorite color is gray, like the sky before a thunderstorm.

MPF: Who is your favorite character in the UNWAVERING film?

Katie: Is it narcissistic to say Sarah? I think she’s a very special character in the film but if I had to pick a second I would choose Aaron for being such a dreamboat and always saying and doing the right thing for Sarah when she needs it. Not to mention he’s the type of guy to take risks and help those who can’t help themselves. 

MPF: Do you have any advice for aspiring actors?

Katie: I think the best advice that I could give an aspiring actor is to believe in yourself, keep your confidence and most importantly do the work. Break a leg!

Thank you again, Katie, for the incredible performance! For information about the Grand Premiere of UNWAVERING be sure to sign up for the newsletter here: www.menningphotographicfilms.com/newsletter

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Tyler Fisher | Actor Highlight | Meet the Cast | Gretchen’s Lock

To round out our Actor Highlight series is Tyler Fisher. Tyler’s role in the film was a man in a vintage suit (circa 1920-1930’s) who had a sweet 1923 Dodge Brothers Phaeton Convertible as his ride.

Tyler was a student of one of our crew members and submitted a video audition, which showed his versatility. He was a perfect person to play the role as the Man In Suit. Man In Suit is a mysterious character and the others meet him as they are moving camp. Although his identity is a mystery, there is a mention of his name is the first part of the film. Tyler carried that mysticism and intrigue and delivered his lines in the way that seemed fitting for his character.

Tyler_FTyler has been involved in many productions in high school and enjoys doing impressions and improv sessions.

Man-in-Suit_0001Here are the questions we asked Tyler:

MPF: What was your favorite part of filming for Gretchen’s Lock?

Tyler: As an aspiring actor, having something so local and anticipated as my first official project is really great, and I can say that I really enjoyed my experience on set.

MPF: Did you know anything about the local legends of Gretchen’s Lock before auditioning?

Tyler: I’ve lived in East Liverpool for my entire life, and, living that close to the park, it’s hard to not know about the stories.

MPF: Do you believe in ghosts?

Tyler: I can’t say I do, but maybe I just haven’t had a reason to, yet.

MPF: What’s your favorite role you’ve ever played? (Don’t worry; it doesn’t have to be your role in Gretchen’s Lock). 🙂

Tyler: I definitely enjoy the bragging rights that came along with portraying “_____________”  [in Gretchen’s Lock]. <————– (make your own assumptions after watching the film 🙂 )

MPF: Which actor(s) inspire you?

Tyler: Robin Williams was a big inspiration for me on and off camera. His take on life, and his acting showed me that someone can be loud and theatrical and still live their dreams if they choose to follow them. His comedy is some of my favorite, and his roles in movies like “Good Morning Vietnam”, and “The Adventure of Baron Munchausen” really made me feel like I had found something I could happily do for the rest of my life, if I only could find a way. He was an enormous inspiration to me, and continues to be through his work.

MPF: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

Tyler: Film is my single favorite form of art and to ask me to pick a favorite is really asking the impossible. My taste in movies ranges from Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (1981) and anything Monty Python, to The Fisher King and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. Though, if I had to choose a genre of movies as a favorite, Cult Classics have a special place in my heart. From poorly dubbed kung fu movies, cheesy 80’s sci-fi, to campy horror flicks and anything Quentin Tarantino has ever put out.

MPF: What are a couple of your hobbies?

Tyler: I like playing guitar in my free time, but I am guilty of wasting many a night watching B movies or playing video games. 

MPF: What made you interested in acting?

Tyler: I have always felt like it was just what I wanted to do. I played sports as a child, but never really enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed doing impressions and improv comedy for my friends and family. Now I’m out of high school and I’m not letting anybody else dictate my future. I would rather fail miserably at something I love, than get by on something I loathe. Who knows! I might actually find my way and really learn what it is to be an actor.

MPF: Favorite color?

Tyler: Blue and all variations of blue 

MPF: Who is your favorite character in the Gretchen’s Lock film?

Tyler: I can’t say I have a favorite. They were all great!

MPF: Do you have any advice for aspiring actors?

Tyler: I myself am an aspiring actor so I can’t say that my advice is worth anything, but you should follow your dreams no matter what they are. People are always going to doubt you and there are always going to be rough patches, but you only have one go at this and there’s no reason you should waste it doing something you don’t enjoy. 

Thank you, Tyler, for your intriguing performance in the film! We’re so glad that you were a part of the production and you did an awesome job!

For more information about the Gretchen’s Lock film & for tickets to the ONLY local showings in Columbiana, go HERE. We’re thrilled to bring you a locally made independent film production featuring local legends and made in Beaver Creek State Park! Thank you for your support in our endeavors & we hope to see you at the Grand Premiere of Gretchen’s Lock on THIS SATURDAY, April 23. It’ll be a mysteriously good time!

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