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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:

Also, be sure to stay connected through Facebook | Instagram

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Gretchen’s Lock | From Inception to Grand Premiere | Part III

Today we are continuing on the behind the scenes of Gretchen’s Lock. In case you missed the other posts you can read them HERE and HERE.

Filming: Day 2

The second day of filming started out with beautiful sunshine. There was a bit of Autumn chill in the air but the sun was warm. The forecast was calling for rain in the night and a 100% chance the following day, which we’ll get into in the next post. The campsite was already set up but we had to unload the equipment and prep everything to film. After the first day we were able to consolidate some equipment and I also wanted to keep things moving quickly since we had a bunch to film.

We smoothly executed Scene 04 where the campers talked about investigating the lock further. We wrapped up around lunchtime and got the drone, vehicles, and jib ready to film the car sequence. The only thing we were missing was the 1923 Dodge Brothers Phaeton Convertible.

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I looked at my watch and saw that it was an hour past when the car was supposed to arrive. I wasn’t really worried at this point because we were filming the other cars pulling into the parking lot from the road so we had some more time. We did a couple takes with the drone and jib filming the cars pulling into the parking lot off of Sprucevale Road across from Hambleton Mill.

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We were finishing up and everyone started moving the equipment back to the camp. I stopped and looked down at my phone to see that I had a few texts. As I stated before, reception service is a bit spotty where we were filming. I scrolled through them and saw that Robert, the owner and driver of the 1923 Dodge, was having some issues with the car and the tire blew out. Now it was time to panic a little. I then saw that he sent the texts about two hours ago and I never responded because I just received them and he still wasn’t there. The panic level started to raise slightly. At this point everyone was back at camp and I was about to make my way down the drive and suddenly my phone rang…

To my delight it was Robert! I was at the perfect location to get a call and to my surprise he was minutes from the parking lot. How’s that for timing? My panic quickly faded and was overtaken by excitement and relief. I stayed on the phone as he turned into the parking lot. Whew! I happily greeted him and hopped in and he drove us to camp.

After everyone checked out the 1923 Dodge, Jacob (boom mic operator) and I climbed in the trunk of the Monte Carlo to get the scene of Dominic and Jason talking as they pulled into the parking lot by the campsite. There’s probably a picture out there of us snuggled in the back seat with our equipment but who knows where that is. At any rate, we got their dialogue in a couple of takes and moved on.

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We began filming the parking lot scene and the clouds started rolling in and the wind picked up. There’s even a blooper of the $100 bill blowing away in the wind.

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Here’s a cool still I shot of Tyler (Man in Suit) and the 1923 Dodge before Robert took it back to Cortland (This vehicle and others can be rented for events. Check out BMZ Classics for more info).

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After we finished filming in the parking lot we went back camp, ate dinner, and began preparing for the night scenes. The wind was still blowing and it was sprinkling very lightly. We covered up all the gear we could with tarps to prevent it from getting wet.

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This area of Beaver Creek is unique in the way the sun sets in October. It quickly goes behind the hills and sets early. Not to mention the clouds aided in the early sunset. Thanks to Pakob and Nick we had a roaring fire and began filming. I love how you can feel the warmth of the fire as the light from the flames danced on the characters faces. Also, the dark woods set the mood on how the rest of the night started to unfold in the film.

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As the night continued, the sprinkles started turning into light rain and we each had an umbrella to cover some of the equipment we were using to film. The rain was absolutely perfect! Just as things started to pick up in the film the rain got heavier. It made the scenes in the woods much more creepier and I was extremely pumped to see the raindrops in the beams of the flashlights. A couple of times water droplets fell onto the lens and I left them there because they created a unique look to the footage.

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We wrapped up the scenes and frantically began loading the equipment into the cars. The tarp coverage wasn’t ideal but we were lucky that none of the equipment got ruined. We were able to leave camp by 10:30 pm. On the ride home this time I couldn’t stop thinking about the weather for the next day. We contemplated a few things at dinner time about rescheduling the next days shoot but it wouldn’t have worked with everyone’s schedule. I arrived home and began to unload the equipment into the garage to dry it out. I checked the forecast that still said there was a 100% chance of rain all day. I looked around for a moment. The rain pounded hard on the roof as I stood there looking at the waterlogged equipment wondering what to do. I thought hard, prayed, and decided to wait until the next day before I made a decision…

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Gretchen’s Lock | From Inception to Grand Premiere | Part II

Today we are continuing with the multi-part blog about Gretchen’s Lock. In case you missed the first part you can check it out HERE.

Filming: Day 1

After getting everything prepped and showing everyone the lock, the cast and crew were eager to begin our filming journey. We headed down the Vondergreen Trail that leads to Gretchen’s Lock and decided to shoot with the sun behind the actors. Like I said before, the weather was absolutely perfect for our days of filming. The bright sunshine coincided with the adventure the campers were on and their joking manner. So, we found a section of the trail that seemed like a good place to start. We looked at the trail that went slightly uphill and thought everything was in place.

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Sound and cameras were rolling, “ACTION.”  As myself, the three members running audio, and Danielle started trekking backwards the terrain proved to be challenging. A couple of steps into the take the boom mics were hitting branches I was tripping over rocks and roots and everything was going a little too fast. Side note, operating the Glidecam is an art form itself which I have not mastered by far. We decided to move a little slower and Danielle guided me by holding onto my belt and tugging to warn me if there was a step up, a rock, a root, a squirrel, whatever I couldn’t see behind me. After a couple of takes we began to find a rhythm and finished out the opening scene.

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As we arrived to the trail offshoot that leads to Gretchen’s Lock the sun was still brightly shinning. However, as soon as we walked down to the lock the sun went behind the hill on the other side of the creek leaving Gretchen’s Lock in a shadow. I think the geography of the area and the bend in the creek set up Gretchen’s Lock to be dark, cold, and quiet which adds to its mystery. We quickly executed the takes and finished up before dinner time. Scene 1 was in the bag and we made the 15 minute hike back to the parking lot.

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As pizza arrived the cast and crew quickly bonded and we gathered around the fire talking about filming the first scene. This group of people seemed to click instantly as we began setting things up for the night scenes.

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Because the area we were filming is primitive, there was no access to electricity. We set up a generator for the lights we used for the campfire scenes. We placed the generator back in the woods and ran a couple of 100 ft extension cords. After running cords and setting up the lights we started the generator. Immediately the noise was quite prevalent and was going to be an issue with the audio. We covered the generator with a box that had ventilation and carpet to absorb the sound. This seemed to eliminate a lot of noise.

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We position the actors and cameras and began to film. Right after the first take the lights faded out and the generator stopped. I looked up from my camera with concern. We walked to the generator and heard it making a hissing sound. I removed the box and felt the heat coming from the generator. Obviously we didn’t have adequate ventilation and it was overheated. We needed to relieve the pressure so it didn’t blow up (we joked about doing another film with pyrotechnics to calm everyone’s nerves. Gretchen’s Lock II: Gretchen’s Out for Blood). I was able to unscrew the gas cap and to release the pressure and we let the generator cool down for a few minutes. We started it back up and continued filming and decided we’ll deal with the noise in post production. As we finished with the campfire scene we headed into the tent.

The cast was super ornery at this time as they snuggled up in their sleeping bags and blankets. One of my regrets was not filming some of the antics that were happening in between the takes. After the cast got comfortable inside the tent four of us crew members went in to film the scene. Huddled in the corner was Danielle, Jacob, Amy, and myself. We knocked out that scene in a couple of takes and we moved outside to finish up the day 1 of filming.

At this point I decided we weren’t going to use the generator anymore because it was becoming a hassle. With the help of white foam boards we were able to light the actors as they walked through the woods. The story seemed to get more real as we ventured into the woods with flashlights, a camera, and a crew of foam board holders. The woods were very dark even though there was a full moon each night we filmed. At one point there were no flashlights on and the only light you could see was the moon in the distance and the glow of the campfire. We finished out and were done by 10:30 pm. We gathered all the equipment and loaded it into the cars and left the campsite.

On my way home I finally had sometime to think since Danielle drove separately. I was still in disbelief that this was actually happening and amazed that everything went as smooth as it did for the first day. I quickly grounded myself and began to plan things out in my head for the next day’s shoot which was jam packed…

 

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Gretchen’s Lock | From Inception to Grand Premiere | Part I

Inception

Gretchen’s Lock was our first independent film. Both Danielle and I spent a lot of time visiting Beaver Creek State Park with family as we grew up not knowing each other. Five and a half years ago, before we got into photography and way before video, we went to explore Gretchen’s Lock for the first time together with our pug, Norris. It was an early Autumn day and there was a chill in there air. Of course, that was heightened as we approached the lock.

After exploring we made our way back to the parking lot. Jokingly we said, “Someone should make a movie about this place.” Like I said before, this is way before we even got into the industry and we didn’t remember that we talked about it until just before we started to film. Digging in the Facebook archives today we found this post that blew our mind! Seriously, this is CRAZY!!

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Fast forward to last July, after photographing over 100 weddings and dabbling in a few promotional videos, I had the idea of making an independent film. I wanted to make a film about something local, something outdoors, and something relatively low budget. Beaver Creek came to mind because of its beauty and wonder. As I started to develop ideas, Gretchen’s Lock popped into my head. I began research and found out even more legends in the area that I’ve heard in passing but had never connected.

I began writing a screenplay in mid-July and finished the bulk of it sitting on the porch of a cabin in Amish country near Sugarcreek while we were on vacation in August. As soon as we returned home I quickly wanted to get things underway. I drove down to the park, hiked to Gretchen’s Lock, snapped a few photos of the lock and Hambleton’s Mill before I left and put a poster for a cast & crew call. Danielle and I joked in the evenings saying, “Who do you think we can pull into this production?” We thought maybe some family friends and perhaps a handful of people could be dragged in. After posting the cast and crew call poster our phone, email, and social media blew up with interest of people wanting to be a part of the production. I think my phone rang nonstop for 3 or 4 days! The reach of the poster was over 67,000 people! Yikes!

After sending out hundreds of emails and receiving information forms from those who were interested we narrowed down the crew members and the potential actors we’d be auditioning. We set up the auditions for September 20th, 2015 and got things moving at Beaver Creek by applying for a permit to film there and reserved the Group 3 campsite. We were blown away by some of the auditions and started to assemble the cast.

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After reaching out to fill in a couple of the roles we had our team! I finished tweaking the script and we had one and only production meeting and table read. Due to the quick nature of wanting to film at the end of October, a good handful of cast and crew couldn’t make it to the meeting. Despite that fact, after the meeting I felt energized and ready to get more things rolling.

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October is usually the busiest time of the year for our photography business. From weddings to family sessions to high school seniors our schedule was jam packed. What a great idea to schedule films dates in the busiest month of the year, NOT! Danielle sometimes looked at me like I was crazy. We were running around from all of the sessions, taking care of our 8 month old, and gathering equipment, supplies, and working around everyone’s schedule to come up with a solid film schedule for the three days we filmed in October. October was surely a whirlwind of chaos, but things started falling into place.

The week before filming we had photo sessions almost every evening, a wedding on Saturday, and another session on Sunday before we began filming on Monday, October 26th. That Friday, the 23rd, I got up at 3:30 am, went to Walmart to get supplies, went to a few hardware stores when they opened, hit up Hobby Lobby to get some other supplies, and then, of course, stopped at Chick-Fil-A for an early lunch.

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I sped my way back home to begin working on things. As the day quickly faded away I realized there were some things that just weren’t going to get completed. We packed up and headed to our wedding the next day and then to our session Sunday evening (our session was in Bethany, WV so it took an hour and twenty minutes to get there). After arriving home late, we got everything we could together.

As the restless night ensued, I got up at the crack of dawn to load everything up for filming. I was quite tired, very anxious, and hoping everything would go as planned. Everything was loaded up, I headed down to the park, met up with Joe, and we began unloading. It was a beautiful Fall day. The leaves were so colorful, the sun was golden and warm, and there was an Autumn chill in the air. If there was any day to be representative of an ideal Fall day, this was it.

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Butterflies were still fluttering away in my stomach as other crew and cast members arrived. When I saw most of the cast coming out of the shuttle, it hit me. This is actually going to happen.

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Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be directing and filming a screenplay that I wrote and that there would be so many people willing to commit most of their time for three days to make it possible. After I met a few for the first time it was back to reality.

We began setting up the cameras and getting the audio equipment ready to go. The cast prepped for the day as the crew gathered equipment to hike to Gretchen’s Lock, which was about a 15 minute walk from the parking lot. I lead the pack with my camera on the glidecam attached to the stabilizing arm and vest still in disbelief that this was actually happening.

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I wanted to show everyone Gretchen’s Lock before we began filming to set the tone. After a brief overview it was time….

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Gretchen’s Lock Cast & Crew

Gretchen’s Lock; a machine. Cast; the fuel. Film Crew; the moving parts grinding away to make the machine move efficiently.  There were so many incredible people that we got to work with to produce Gretchen’s Lock. Without them this production would have completely fallen apart. They were dedicated, imperative, knowledgeable, and willing to do anything it took. Even those with no experience jumped in, got their hands dirty (literally), and turned into pros 5 minutes into filming. It was fantastic to have worked with such a great group of people. Maybe it was being out in the woods, in the rain, in the mud, or sharing a part of ourselves and pouring it into the production, and there will forever be a bond between us. This cast and crew came together and created something special to say the least. We will be forever grateful for the hard work everyone has put in and will cherish the friendships that were forged while filming.

Here’s the amazing cast & crew of Gretchen’s Lock. We wish everyone was here in this photo, but unfortunately schedules don’t always align.

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Here are some other photos from the filming of Gretchen’s Lock:

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Thank you to everyone who was involved in the making of the Gretchen’s Lock film! Without you none of this could have been possible! We feel truly honored to have gotten the chance to work with every single one of you. We look forward to future productions with you all!

For more information about the Gretchen’s Lock film & for tickets to the showing 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 TODAY, April 23. The 6:30 pm showing is SOLD OUT and the 8:00 pm showing is getting close to selling out, as well. Get them while you still can!

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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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Pakob Jarernpone | Actor Highlight | Meet the Cast | Gretchen’s Lock

Today on the Actor Highlight series we are featuring Pakob Jarernpone. Thanks to Deanna Sherman, a fellow cast member, we were introduced to Pakob, whom Deanna has worked with several times in the past.

The role Pakob played in Gretchen’s Lock was Kevin. Kevin’s character is cautious, unadventurous, and the husband to Jenn. Due to Jenn’s controlling personality Kevin is easily swayed. Pakob submitted a video audition and his facial expressions and emotions he portrayed for Kevin were fantastic. While filming Gretchen’s Lock, those expressions and emotions took his character to another level that I never even imagined.

ATT_1435006331092_03Pakob Jarernpone is best know for his roles in The Deprogrammer, Grasshopper, and Julia. Pakob has 5 years of training in Tatsu-Do, has been involved in well over 15 films, and was an extra in The Avengers, which initially sparked his interest to further his acting career.

Here’s the link to a short reel of Pakob: Pakob Jarernpone

And here’s the extensive list of films he has be involved in: Pakob IMDB

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Here are the questions we asked Pakob:

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

Pakob: My favorite part of filming GL was the camaraderie between all of the cast and crew.  Shooting in cold rainy weather can be tough, but if you’re with the right group of people you can have a great time with, none of those things seem so bad.

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

Pakob: I never knew anything about any of the local legends until I became involved with the project. 

MPF: Do you believe in ghosts?

Pakob: I DO believe in ghosts and other supernatural phenomena.

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

Pakob: My favorite movie of all time is Big Trouble in Little China.  I love all of John Carpenter’s movies, but this one has a special place in my heart because I have always been a big fan of martial arts/chop socky flicks, plus it was a movie I watched hundreds of times when I was a kid and I still love it to this day!

MPF: What are a couple of your hobbies?

Pakob: I’ve collected and read comic books ever since I was 12 years old.  I’m a huge comic book nerd.

 

MPF: What made you interested in acting?

Pakob: I became interested in acting after working as an extra in Avengers.

MPF: Favorite color?

Pakob: My favorite color is black.

Thank you, Pakob, for your admirable performance in the film! We’re so glad that you were a part of the production and you did a superb 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 April 23. It’ll be a scary good time!

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Joseph Morales | Actor Highlight | Meet the Cast | Gretchen’s Lock

Next up on our Actor Highlight series is Joseph Morales. The character in the Gretchen’s Lock film who guides the other campers through the woods to the lock is Dominic. Dominic appreciates the history of where he grew up and wants to show his friends a place he used to visit with his grandfather. Joe sent in a video audition trying out for the role of Dominic and he had the calm, in control demeanor that I wanted for this role. While filming, Joe delivered his lines perfectly and the emotions he portrayed elevated his performance in each scene he was in.

View More: http://ryandamicone.pass.us/jmheadshots2015Joe started acting at the age of 11 performing in school musicals and plays up through the end of high school. He graduated in 2014 with Bachelor of Arts in Mass Media Communication at The University of Akron. During that time, he worked as one of the music program directors at WZIP, the campus radio station. After graduating from Akron, he was involved in a student feature film and since then has been pursuing a career in acting. Over the last year he has done background work for a variety of movies and has completed a film acting course. Although Joe is relatively new to the film scene, he plans on improving his acting skill set and pursuing future film endeavors.

Joe_0001Here are the questions we asked Joe:

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

Joe: My favorite parts of filming Gretchen’s Lock were getting to experience the lock itself (especially at night) and getting to work with such incredibly talented and overall fantastic people (and I am not just saying that to be a kiss up, I genuinely mean it haha).

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

Joe: I had absolutely no idea Gretchen’s Lock existed until the audition came up. I looked a little bit into it beforehand for research, but getting to experience a little bit of the legends through the film made learning about it much more interesting. It’s a great ghost story and I am all about ghost stories.

MPF: Do you believe in ghosts?

Joe: Absolutely a thousand percent yes. Unfortunately, I myself did not experience one while shooting and I don’t think anyone else did either. I have been hoping to go back to maybe experience something out of the ordinary. My aunt, uncle and cousins have had experiences themselves with the paranormal and it is always interesting to hear what they’ve witnessed. It actually makes me jealous because I want those experiences myself haha, but I still believe even though I haven’t personally experienced it…or I have and just didn’t realize it.

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). 🙂

Joe: Though getting to play Dominic was fun, I have one role that always stood out most. I played Luke from Anything Goes during my freshman year of high school. He was a Chinese addicted gambler who eventually bets away the clothes on his back, which I had to expose my scrawny chest to the audience, which was awkward and uncomfortable at the time. Looking back, it was quite hilarious. Getting to attempt a Chinese accent was also a lot of fun. Any role I received in school plays and musicals where I got to have a mustache or use an accent were always my favorites. I liked to be the comedic relief any chance I got and embarrass myself. I still enjoy it and get to do it every month during a podcast I am apart of that’s recorded in Columbus called It’s All Been Done Radio Hour, with a variety of characters. Funny voices and comedic relief all throughout it!

MPF: Which actor(s) inspire you?

Joe: I could list a lot of actors that have inspired me, but to save some space since I ramble, I would have to go with Johnny Depp. Depp’s characters for the most part are very eccentric and I have always admired his take on such dynamic characters like Edward Scissorhands and Captain Jack Sparrow. Even the more subtle roles like Glen from A Nightmare on Elm Street stood out to me since it was his first film role.

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

Joe: My favorite movie of all time is John Carpenter’s Halloween. I first saw it by accident when I was 6 and it really scared me, but I love being scared so I always enjoyed watching it. The score is so beautifully done throughout every scene that it helps make it that much more terrifying. The effects may be out of date, but it is the score ultimately, and the visuals at that time, that (in my opinion) helped define the slasher genre of horror films. Plus, you can’t go wrong with stars Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence and John Carpenter directing.

MPF: What are a couple of your hobbies?

Joe: I really enjoy going to the movies with friends, watching television, listening to music and taking my dogs for a walk. If possible, I also like to go swimming. There are a lot of things I say I want to do, like start running, get into photography, get back into singing, and work out, but I haven’t made time for them yet. The running and working out would definitely be a struggle because I can be active, but I’m not that active. Essentially, I kind of like to be lazy, haha.

MPF: What made you interested in acting?

Joe: When I was little, my mom would tape my brother, sister, cousins, friends and myself doing skits of The Maury Show and Jerry Springer. We even did spoofs of Rush Hour, Tomb Raider, and A Nightmare on Elm Street. It essentially became our childhood and from there, I realized I enjoyed entertaining people with different characters in stories I wanted to be told. I then got into plays and musicals throughout middle and high school and after college, I started getting into film.

MPF: Favorite color?

Joe: It would be a tie between Blue and Green.

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

Joe: I couldn’t just pick one, so my two favorite characters are Jenn and Jason. Jenn is a bit of a smart aleck and will correct you any chance she gets so it’s very easy to get annoyed with her, which was what was intended. Emily Kelly plays Jenn so well and she is the complete opposite of that character, very nice and warm hearted. Jason, who is also a smart aleck and a bit reckless, is the opposite of Nick, who is kind, quiet and is quite the talented musician and photographer. I will point out though that Deanna, Pakob, Sarah, Emily Geary, and Tyler all did great in their roles. I think I did okay.

MPF: Do you have any advice for aspiring actors?

Joe: My best advice is “If you dream of doing it, make it come true.” Though the options are best in the big cities like Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Atlanta, being here in northeast Ohio has a lot of options from other aspiring actors and filmmakers that make it happen, like the Mennings did for this film here. Sometimes, it just takes some passionate dreamers to make something happen.

Thank you, Joe, for your excellent performance in the film! We’re so glad that you were a part of the production and you did a terrific 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 April 23. It’ll be an eerily good time!

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Deanna Sherman | Actor Highlight | Meet the Cast | Gretchen’s Lock

Today on our Actor Highlight series is Deanna Sherman. Deanna has done a TON of work as an actress from commercials to films and even TV series. Even before the audition process her resume was quite impressive and I thought to myself, “man, it would be awesome if she accepts a part in the film.”  Sure enough, during the audition she demonstrated her wide acting skill set and we knew she would be perfect for the role as Amy.

DeannaSherman(headshot)-cropHer bio on her IMDB page explains Deanna’s expertise very well so I’ll just copy that and paste it here: Deanna Sherman is best known for her role as Grace Todd on Homicide Hunter, airing to 1.4 million viewers in 2015 on the Investigation Discovery channel. She’s been labeled the “ID Actress” with lead and supporting roles in several other shows also airing on the network such as Evil Kin and Evil Twins. She was cast in Sundance Film Festival 2016 selection and SAG feature film, The Land from Los Angeles director, Steven Caple, Jr. Deanna’s been in numerous independent short and feature films including producing her own short, Undead Fred — runner up best film in the Cleveland 48hr film project. She trains with J.W. Myers, a director known for his family friendly films.

Her love of acting started at the age of 6, starring in a school play.She performed theater throughout elementary and high school and transitioned into film after college. She graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in journalism. Deanna has also done several commercial and corporate video spots.

Whew, buddy! Those are some pretty amazing accomplishments! If that’s not enough here is some more:

Deanna’s Website: www.deannasherman.com
Twitter & Instagram: @DeannaSherman83
Upcoming projects: Catch Deanna on the new show Deadly Demands on Investigation Discovery April 11th at 9pm ET
She has several independent films in the works including her lead role as a private investigator in The Kingsbury Run: https://www.facebook.com/thekingsburyrun

Deanna-Amy_0001Here are the questions we asked Deanna:

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

Deanna: Meeting new people and being on set with my good friend Pakob.

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

Deanna: Nope.

MPF: Do you believe in ghosts?

Deanna: No.

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). 🙂

Deanna: I don’t think I can pick just one because they have all been so different. I loved working on Check Please with Jared Ward, The Land with Moises Arias and multiple shows for Investigation Discovery. I’ve also worked with my daughter a few times for some short films and that is always a good time! 

MPF: Which actor(s) inspire you?

Deanna: Anyone who is successful on their own without having family in the business.

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

Deanna: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

MPF: What are a couple of your hobbies?

Deanna: Running and photography

MPF: What made you interested in acting?

Deanna: I was the lead in my school play in first grade and since then have always wanted to be an actress.

MPF: Favorite color?

Deanna: Blue 

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

Deanna: I liked Jason’s snarky character because everyone can use a little sarcasm in their life.

MPF: Do you have any advice for aspiring actors?

Deanna: Network, take classes, do student films! I did a whole interview about this a few years ago if anyone would like to read it:
http://www.midwestmoviemaker.com/2013/11/how-to-become-midwest-movie-actor-four.html?m=1 

Thank you, Deanna, for you time and commitment to this film! We’re so glad that you were a part of the film and you did an amazing 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 April 23. It’ll be an artsy good time!

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