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Award-Winning Horror Hit “Soul Trader” Screens in Los Angeles Calabasas Film Fest Sept 21 1pm.
Award-winning short film The Soul Trader returns to Los Angeles to be screened as part of Calabasas Film Fest on Saturday September 21 at 1pm.
The Soul Trader is a 12 minute short proof of concept for a feature or series directed by Susan Dynner (Brick, Punk’s Not Dead, Code Blue: A Love Story) and starring Shane West (A Walk to Remember, ER, The Dirty South), Donna Mills (Knots Landing, Nope, Origin), and newcomer Shauna Grace.
The story follows Coral Chase (Shauna Grace), an occult hitwoman who has the power to steal life-extending souls, which she then sells to vain, wealthy elites like Erica Claessen (Donna Mills), who clings to the crumbs of youth. She’s flanked by stoic bodyguard Damien (Shane West), who ultimately emerges from the shadows as her rival when she’s about to carry out a money-spinning hit at a target’s home and realizes she’s not the only one with murder in mind.
“We’re excited to share this story and show a strong female lead that audiences are falling in love with”
Director / Producer Susan Dynner
The short film launched at the Cannes Film Festival’s American Pavilion in May and has been gaining momentum ever since.
It won its first award just weeks later at the Manhattan Film Festival in NYC. Then more awards at Rock The Shorts in Beverly Hills. Now it’s set to screen at many more festivals on the West Coast, East Coast and across the globe.
“This project is definitely a good luck charm. Playing the role of Coral, working with our cast and crew has been incredible. But the biggest thanks is the reaction from the audience. Getting to meet people who are excited and inspired by the story and characters.”
Actress / Executive Producer Shauna Grace
Meanwhile the filmmaking duo Susan Dynner and Shauna Grace are busy taking meetings toward their next step.
What is their next step?
“This was always meant as a proof of concept short film to become a feature film or TV series. With the sold-out screenings and awards, it just confirms our feeling that this story is so much bigger than a short.”
Susan Dynner
Actress Shauna Grace has been receiving strong reviews, comparing her on screen presence to other heroines including Charlize Theron and Scarlett Johansson.
Dynner’s experience as a studio development executive for visionaries such as Richard Donner and Wolfgang Peterson shines through. Also, her producing work on Sundance hit “Brick” and festival darling “Punks Not Dead” shows her ability to bring production value on a range of budgets.
Both Dynner and Grace will attend their Calabasas Film Festival screening on Saturday September 21 at 1pm and be available afterwards to discussion.
The Soul Trader is directed and produced by Dynner, written by newcomer Mike Underwood, photographed by Matthias Schubert (The Door Man, Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me, Shelter in Solitude), produced by Lauren Bancroft (The Making of Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles, Wild Bitch, Bite Size Halloween), edited by David Hopper (God Bless America, In Between Songs, Rust Creek), and executive produced by Shauna Grace, with music composed by Jeff Russo (Fargo, Ripley, Star Trek: Discovery).
Horror Hit “Soul Trader” Returns to LA for One Night Only at Rock The Shorts Sept 2
Award-winning short film The Soul Trader returns to Los Angeles to be screened as part of Rock The Shorts Festival in Beverly Hills’s Fine Arts Theater on Monday September 2 at 8pm.
The Soul Trader is a 12 minute short proof of concept for a feature or series directed by Susan Dynner (Brick, Punk’s Not Dead, Code Blue: A Love Story) and starring Shane West (A Walk to Remember, ER, The Dirty South), Donna Mills (Knots Landing, Nope, Origin), and newcomer Shauna Grace.
The story follows Coral Chase (Shauna Grace), an occult hitwoman who has the power to steal life-extending souls, which she then sells to vain, wealthy elites like Erica Claessen (Donna Mills), who clings to the crumbs of youth. She’s flanked by stoic bodyguard Damien (Shane West), who ultimately emerges from the shadows as her rival when she’s about to carry out a money-spinning hit at a target’s home and realizes she’s not the only one with murder in mind.
“We’re excited to share this story and show a strong female lead that audiences are falling in love with”
Director / Producer Susan Dynner
The short film launched at the Cannes Film Festival’s American Pavilion in May and has been gaining momentum ever since.
It won its first award just weeks later at the Manhattan Film Festival in NYC. Now it’s set to screen at many more festivals on the West Coast, East Coast and across the globe.
“This project is definitely a good luck charm. Playing the role of Coral, working with our cast and crew has been incredible. But the biggest thanks is the reaction from the audience. Getting to meet people who are excited and inspired by the story and characters.”
Actress / Executive Producer Shauna Grace
Meanwhile the filmmaking duo Susan Dynner and Shauna Grace are busy taking meetings toward their next step.
What is their next step?
“This was always meant as a proof of concept short film to become a feature film or TV series. With the sold-out screenings and awards, it just confirms our feeling that this story is so much bigger than a short.”
Susan Dynner
Actress Shauna Grace has been receiving strong reviews, comparing her on screen presence to other heroines including Charlize Theron and Scarlett Johansson.
Dynner’s experience as a studio development executive for visionaries such as Richard Donner and Wolfgang Peterson shines through. Also, her producing work on Sundance hit “Brick” and festival darling “Punks Not Dead” shows her ability to bring production value on a range of budgets.
Both Dynner and Grace will attend their Rock The Shorts screening on Monday September 2 at 8pm and be available afterwards to discussion.
The Soul Trader is directed and produced by Dynner, written by newcomer Mike Underwood, photographed by Matthias Schubert (The Door Man, Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me, Shelter in Solitude), produced by Lauren Bancroft (The Making of Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles, Wild Bitch, Bite Size Halloween), edited by David Hopper (God Bless America, In Between Songs, Rust Creek), and executive produced by Shauna Grace, with music composed by Jeff Russo (Fargo, Ripley, Star Trek: Discovery).
Alec Baldwin leads an Oscar Worthy Cast with Terrence Howard, Esai Morales, Nicky Whelan in Thriller Crescent City from Filmmaker RJ Collins Premieres August 15
What’s the story? When a small southern town is terrorized by a serial killer everyone becomes a suspect… including the police. Experience a hypnotic thriller about what it takes to catch a killer.
As the body count rises and the dark mystery deepens, the chief detective becomes haunted by the horrors of his past. Academy Award Nominees Terrence Howard and Alec Baldwin star in a mesmerizing crime thriller about what it costs to catch a killer.
Today’s conversation with Filmmaker RJ Collins from “Crescent City”has been edited for length and clarity. For the full, un-edited conversation, visit our YouTube channel here.
Crescent City Filmmaker RJ Collins
Joe Winger:
It’s one of my favorite kinds of movies. Twists, turns, shocks, thrills. Phenomenal cast. What was your process like building this incredible cast, including two Oscar nominees?
RJ Collins:
Even two producers on the movie are Oscar nominated, which is phenomenal.
This small independent film [getting] Oscar buzz. It was a combination of the producers and myself knowing the cast that really helped escalate this to move fast during a SAG strike.
We got the waiver because we’re an independent company. We got the cast all in a specific window, and we crammed it in [between] everybody’s schedule.
We shot it in Little Rock, Arkansas in September of last year. The town just fit the look and style.
It was just a perfect storm.
Alec Baldwin leads an Oscar Worthy Cast in Thriller Crescent City
Joe Winger:
You crammed so much production value into this movie.
RJ Collins:
We were blessed because of the SAG strike, because a lot of the really high level crew and actors were all available more than normal. So it was a collaboration. Cast was coming together. We were raising the money all at the same time.
When we finally got the waiver, we only had two and a half weeks left to prep the film before we were shooting.
I flew in the day we got the waiver and I met Chris Crane, the film commissioner of Arkansas, and he was such a great guy and what a great film community.
It was a true 16 day shoot schedule with some second unit days. I’m very happy with how it turned out and the actors’ performances. Everybody came on the set together and everybody collaborated.
Everybody liked each other. There was no egos, none of that stuff.
It really showed on screen.
Alec Baldwin, for what his body of work, just to work with him and watch him do his thing; same with Terrence, Esai, Nicky. Michael Sirow playing the Pastor Lawson.
Joe Winger:
You mention your amazing cast. The tension, the moments, the explosions. Is there a scene in particular you really want us to pay attention to?
RJ Collins:
There’s so many moments that I would sit back and just go, wow, I’m having the scene happen right now in front of me.
One of the lead characters, Detective Sutter, Terrence Howard’s character. He’s sitting in the chapel and he’s questioning faith.
Another great scene is when all of the detectives (Terrence Howard, Esai Morales, Nicky Whelan) and Captain Howell (Alec Baldwin) are all together and there is an emotional moment where they find a [spoiler]. All this tension breaks loose and all the characters are going at each other and it’s just so much emotion. It was just so great to shoot it and watch it Nicky at the end of that scene, just her look, I had to stay on it for a second with the coverage.
It was like, yes!
The actors’ performances. The writing. We just don’t know who the killer is. We keep throwing left, right hooks. Nobody knows. Even to the end.
Joe Winger:
Because you brought up the script.
Can we do a shout out to the writer and your DP [Director of Photography] and talk a little bit about that process?
RJ Collins:
Rich Ronat is a phenomenal writer. He’s also a buddy of mine. We’ve partnered up many times together over the years. He’s so phenomenal with the story ideas and all the research he was doing on serial killers.
He wrote the script not knowing who he was going to choose to be the killer in the end himself, which is why it was portrayed so well.
Collaboration with the DP, Alex Salahi, was phenomenal.
I directed the performances and storytelling, but man, he’s the guy that makes the visuals what it is.
We had an all star team on this, but the DP had such a beautiful eye. We were talking about looks and tones and colors. He just took it and gave me even more than what I could have expected.
Alexander Seltzer ‘s horror short film “The Door” brings One of Life’s Biggest Nightmares to the screen with short film “The Door” at LA’s Holly Shorts.
Synopsis: A year after their daughter’s disappearance, Kara and Felix struggle to move on in their own ways as their marriage falls apart around them. But when a mysterious door appears in her kitchen, Kara becomes obsessed with uncovering what lies behind it at any cost. Even as it threatens to reopen old wounds.
Today’s conversation with Filmmaker Alexander Seltzer from “The Door”has been edited for length and clarity. For the full, un-edited conversation, visit our YouTube channel here.
Joe Winger:
We’re here today with writer / director Alexander Seltzer from The Door, a short film playing at Holly Shorts in Los Angeles this August.
I watched your short, “The Door.” It was tight. It was suspenseful. In my opinion, it’s everything you want a short film to be.
What’s the most important message that you want to share with our audience today about the short film?
Alexander Seltzer:
I like to make movies about things that scare me typically.
So with The Door, I’ve been terrified of becoming a parent; and parenthood in general.
I really wanted to make a movie about that and exploring my fears and where they come from, but in an interesting, entertaining way.
I wanted to ask the question of the audience, of myself, of whether or not: does parenthood transcend morality?
Ultimately, I hope that audiences come away watching the movie asking that question of themselves.
Would they do anything different to what our lead Kara does at the end?
Would they do what she did? Would they potentially do something else? That kind of moral ambiguity, I think, is very interesting. I know where I come down on it. And that’s part of the reason why I think I was afraid of having kids for so long. So yeah, that’s what I hope people get away. That’s one of the messages. I hope people come away with it.
Joe Winger:
I think among so many features and shorts, this one does ask a whole lot of questions.
And in my opinion like what good storytelling does is it doesn’t give us all the answers back. It really leaves us questioning ourselves and our world afterwards. So I think you’ve accomplished that. Congrats.
Alexander Seltzer:
Thank you. Especially in shorts too. In features you have more time to play.
But I agree with you.
Joe Winger:
I’m not sure what your schedule is like, how many days, I’d love to hear that.
What was the biggest challenge with your production, and what lesson did you learn from solving that challenge?
Alexander Seltzer:
We had three days but they were jam packed days.
Biggest challenge, I think one of the biggest challenges, I’m sure everyone says budget, my producer Mark [Delottinville] did a great job with what we had.
I never really felt the pinch too much.
Here’s a spoiler alert.
There’s a sequence towards the end of the movie where you find out what’s behind the door and executing the that was probably the most challenging aspect and I knew that going in.
I shot some tests around my house but specifically all the stuff later on in the film like once we’re through the door and into the mirror world. That I knew how to shoot.
We had a very simple gag for that where we just flipped everything in post [production].
Within that, I had to coordinate with how some other heads of department like costumes, for example. Felix; we had to make two different outfits for him, the same shirt, but one with the buttons on the left and one with buttons on the right.
So when you flip the image. The buttons stayed on the correct side, given that he was coming from the real world, things that no one will notice.
But I was just like, I need this to match and be logical.
But the transition from the real world into the mirror world, getting through the door, that was a bit of a challenge that was the most challenging. Because I don’t have a very big VFX background.
Thankfully I had a great team, my DOP, Justin Black. My VFX supervisor, Nigel [McGinn], we worked together, we did some tests beforehand, and then on the day my VFX supervisor Nigel was there, so we shot out the wall and the door
That’s all built, it wasn’t real part of the house, so we built that.
We had a little green box essentially on the other side of the door that when she opens it, we’re looking at a green box, and then we had to flip around, remove the wall and shoot the whole kitchen area as a plate, but we got to make sure the parallax was correct.
We’d measure everything with a tape measure, make sure our angles were correct. So they would all comp together hopefully seamlessly in the end.
Then figuring out how to match her position.
So when she does open the door from the other side. Because we couldn’t build the kitchen twice, we had to fake that as well and that was challenging, but I learned a lot about the process of at least the VFX and, working on set with someone like that was a great delight.
Alexander Seltzer Brings One of Life’s Biggest Nightmares to the screen with short film “The Door” at LA’s Holly Shorts
Joe Winger:
Something you brought up in two different ways.
One, I’m a big fan of movies that are simple stories, but incredibly well told.
You mentioned a second ago, your characters and how the wardrobe informed their behavior. Let’s actually talk with the cast.
Alexander Seltzer:
I was very lucky. We got to work with Tanaya Beatty, Raymond Ablack, and Mercedez Gutierrez.
Working with Tanaya and Raymond. They’re pros, I’m just lucky they said yes, and they liked the script.
We didn’t have any time for rehearsals. We did one read through over zoom.
We flew her to Toronto where we shot the film and Raymond, thankfully, there was a hiatus filming on his Netflix show. Everything worked out perfectly.
They got the script, they got the tone I was going for pretty much off the bat.
I think one of the most memorable scenes I had. For me, the whole film revolves around the kitchen scene and the argument that kind of spills over into pathos understanding where the two characters can finally talk to each other.
We did that. I think we might have. We did some coverage because I knew I wanted to keep it interesting. So I think we spent a good chunk of time on that, but there were minimal notes in terms of me stepping in as a director.
It was just like, let’s have fun. Let’s explore different variations.
I’m also an editor and I came up as an editor and I edited this film. So I knew, the godsend to an editor is variation rather than just doing the same performance 10 times and expecting it to magically work in the edit.
Their stars are just going to keep rising and hopefully one day they remember working with me.
There’s a scene at the beginning where Tanaya’s character, so Kara, she’s throwing out her kid’s belongings.
We did that all in one take.
It was pouring rain at the time, which was perfect because that’s what I wanted.
We’re just shooting, shooting, shooting. I think we had to do it seven times in the end because I wanted, when she dumps this box of children’s toys, I wanted the bear that has the kid’s name written on it in marker to fall exactly right so that when she slams the lid it’s just the little leg of the teddy bear sticking out with the kid’s name written on it in sharpie as we push in and land on it.
There’s no way to do that without VFX and we didn’t have the budget for that.
So we just had to keep doing it until it landed exactly how I wanted it to. And she was a trooper. She was like, yeah, she knew what I was going for.
Joe Winger:
Again, it goes down to the details of your execution.
What was the process like pulling together your production team and what were you looking for that you found there?
Alexander Seltzer:
My DP [Justin Black] was one of the first people. Obviously my producer, Mark [Delottinville] was the first person that came on board and he’s the one who actually made this thing happen. It wouldn’t exist without him.
Then my other producer, Sam Rudykoff incredible director in his own right.
For my DP, I went to my previous collaborator, Justin Black. I think he’s amazing. He’s shot a bunch. He’s shot features. He’s shot Apple TV series. He’s usually too busy for me these days, but I love him for that reason.
But no, he’s got a great combination that I look for in DP specifically for a project like this, where I knew there would be some VFX and some visual storytelling challenges and the quirks that I wanted to figure out because he has that great combination of a technician’s brain, the science of cinematography, but also the artistic side as well handled and in one beautiful human package.
Thankfully Mark, my producer, actually brought and introduced me to a bunch of the other heads of department who I hadn’t worked with before.
There were just a lot of really talented folks that I hadn’t worked with yet, based off of our quick first meetings. These are my people. They get the vision and it all worked out perfectly.
People like Misty, my hair and makeup, my costume designer, my DP, a lot of these people were coming off of things like the Star Trek series that was shooting in Toronto at the time during the hiatus. So timing is also a big thing. I got very lucky to be able to work with people like who knew their stuff.
Joe Winger:
As a filmmaker, you’ve achieved something that everybody wants to do. Very few have done, which is you won Slamdance.
Can you talk about what that experience was like and how that helped you in your journey as a filmmaker?
Alexander Seltzer:
It was surreal. I’ve applied many times before.
So when you find out you’re a finalist, I go in expecting nothing and just expecting to have a good time, maybe meet a few nice folks.
Winning it was great. Going to the festival was incredible. It was my first time going to Park City. There was a cash prize associated with winning. I put that straight into another film.
It’s definitely helped me in terms of future projects.
Joe Winger:
You’re playing at Holly Shorts coming up in August.
Whether it’s you as a filmmaker, whether it’s The Door as the short film, what’s next for you?
Alexander Seltzer:
We have Holly Shorts. We’re premiering in Miami at Popcorn Frights. There’s a couple of other festivals I can’t talk about yet, but exciting times ahead.
I’m currently working on the feature script for The Door. Hopefully I get to make that in the next couple of years. I have a couple of other features that are in various stages. I have some TV stuff that is at some places right now.
Joe Winger:
Usually people come to this website for food, wine, cocktails, even healthier options.
Whether it’s dinner and a movie for date night, or if you like to cook, can you share with us a dish you love or food pairing?
Alexander Seltzer:
Yeah, I love to cook. I cook a lot, but this is probably gonna be so basic, but sometimes basic is good for a reason.
Something I do with my girlfriend a lot when we go away to a cabin in the woods or a new place.
A really good quality steak, some Maldon salt on there, some pepper, some butter grill that up nice. And then some really like fresh tomatoes. Chopped up roughly, like wedges, thick, olive oil, balsamic, lots of garlic, a little tomato salad. Obviously you need Dijon mustard, that’s a non negotiable. A juicy red wine.
And I’m a happy camper. That’s my happy place.
Joe Winger:
A good steak, a good wine pairing. Yes, agreed.
Whether it’s a website or social media, what’s the best way for our audience to follow you for now and in the future?
Newcomer Shauna Grace twists and turns with Shane West in Supernatural “Soul Trader”.
The screen fades up at the LA premiere of The Soul Trader and the first face we see reminds us of Hollywood Glamour. This screen siren kicks ass in a Charlize Theron, Scarlet Johannson, Anya -Taylor Joy kind of way.
It’s easy to fall in love with Shauna Grace; the camera certainly has. She leads the audience through an upscale party, to a business deal where she explains her very unique set of skills.
In this business deal, Grace’s character stares down characters played by heartthrob Shane West and TV legend Donna Mills.
If you love more of West’s character work, you’ll love him in this role. He rolls with the plot’s twists and turns with a smooth confidence that makes you want to see him in more mysteries, thrillers and heists. Is a David Mamet film in his future? We’d beg to see that!
We know Donna Mills as a 1980s sex symbol turned wine country icon. Here she delivers icy lines with a vulnerability that remind us why she is a famed on-screen heartbreaker.
Filmmaker Susan Dynner inspires great moments from her cast, but also creates ambience with cinematographer Mattias Schubert and a score by Jeff Russo (yes, that Jeff Russo from Fargo and Ripley) and an original script from Mike Underwood.
Twisty-Turny Thriller
For as short time-wise as a short film typically is, this one moves fast. Real fast. With an ending that feels like it freezes time. The crowded theater all leaned in at the last moment just before it ended. With a collective, “But what happens next?”
The Future of The Soul Trader
What happens next is both obvious and a mystery.
For the obvious, the short film, which has already received acclaim will continue on its film fest journey collecting honors and sparking meetings.
For the mystery, both Filmmaker Susan Dynner and Shauna Grace have revealed this is a proof of concept teaser to the feature film or TV series they want to make based on the concept.
Based on the crowds and applause in Cannes, NYC and now LA, it seems like this short is a sure bet for more.
Susan Dynner shared:
“Today’s audience is an example of our future. The theater was full of the entertainment industry and it played so well. Tides are shifting in Hollywood.
There are more opportunities than ever and we are excited to be getting so many meetings with those opportunities.”
Susan Dynner
At the LA after-party reception, both Shauna Grace and Susan Dynner were crowded with well-wishers and production companies.
I was able to pull Shauna Grace away for a moment to congratulate her and ask about the experience:
“This has already been one of the best experiences and it’s only the beginning. We are traveling around showing our short film that we are so proud of.
It’s so rewarding getting audience feedback. Hearing from companies who are as excited as we are and wanting to work with us. It’s all very exciting about the future.”
Shauna Grace
Story: An occult hitwoman has cornered the market for selling life-extending souls to the elite. But on her final hit before retirement, deadly competition emerges from the shadows.
LA Shorts: Filmmaker Erin Gavin explores Love and Video Games with “Gaming For Love” — See it July 22
“Gaming for Love” is a poignant narrative inspired by true events which follows the journey of Maisie, a young girl battling cancer, as she finds solace and strength in the world of online gaming.
“Gaming For Love” screens at LA Shorts Monday July 22.
Erin Gavin’s career has spanned over motion pictures, television series, theatrical
productions, print and live-action commercials.
Erin’s other film credits include “Dread”, “The Last Investigation”, “Junk,” and most recently played the Iconic star Marilyn Monroe in a hit stage production.
Erin signed with Serdica Record (Classical contemporary) label and her first song ‘I’m through with love’ has been a global success.
“Gaming for Love” Filmmaker Erin Gavin
Through themes of love, sacrifice, and the power of human connection, “Gaming for Love” beautifully illustrates the profound influence of gaming in Maisie’s life and the bonds forged beyond the confines of the digital realm.
Today’s conversation with Erin Gavin from “Gaming For Love”has been edited for length and clarity. For the full, un-edited conversation, visit our YouTube channel here.
Joe Winger:
We are back today with Erin Gavin, the writer, producer, and director of short film Gaming for Love. Erin, thanks for joining us today.
Erin Gavin:
Thanks for having me. This is brilliant, Joe. Thank you. Appreciate it.
Joe Winger:
My pleasure. I’m looking forward to learning more about you and sharing your message with the audience today.
You direct, you produced, you wrote this; and it’s a very powerful short film Gaming for Love. What’s the most important message you want to share with our audience today?
Erin Gavin:
So for me, the reason I wanted to tell this story is because it’s loosely based on true events. I felt this wave of emotion come over me when I was reading this article and I thought, what an amazing, powerful real loving story.
I just felt compelled to tell it.
From that thought to where we are today feels absolutely incredible. So I’m very grateful.
Joe Winger:
You’ve done a lot of prolific work, both in front of the camera and behind the camera. On stage, on screen, with music.
What inspired you to choose this project next for you?
Erin Gavin:
Other filmmakers will probably relate to this. But it just felt right. There was no part of me that was hesitant not tell this story. Every part of me just said that’s it. This is the story. This is what I’m doing. It’s happening. That was really it. There was no ifs, and’s, but’s, maybe’s about it.
Joe Winger:
That’s very courageous. We often hear so much glamour about Hollywood. But behind the scenes, the production itself isn’t always so easy.
So without giving away any plots or any spoilers, what was one of the biggest challenges of your production? And how did you solve that challenge?
Erin Gavin:
One was the budget.
So in order to make a movie, as we know, we need money. So I literally I thought, I need to ask for help here, which is something I’m not very good at doing in terms of asking people to put together a GoFundMe and let’s do this.
That was a challenge for me to swallow my pride and be like I need to help.
It was amazing how many people came together and just wanted to help. It honestly made me well up and just feel so appreciative of everybody and everyone’s support.
The other challenge was to get crew together. So I was really lucky. I partnered with a company called Up Next studios.
We had a lot of help. People were just coming on board and helping, but naturally, sometimes people fall off and then you have to get somebody else in. That can be challenging in the final days, when someone drops out two days, I didn’t have too much of that, but it worked out in the end and who was meant to be on the movie was on the movie.
Joe Winger:
That’s a great way of thinking about it. Just to detail that out a little bit more, where, location-wise, where on the globe were you shooting?
Erin Gavin:
It was all shot in Scotland. I wrote it the second week in January, and we had the first cut by end of February.
So it was really rushed, really quick and really intense. We had to find locations really quick and we had to really narrow down those locations. I was in Scotland, so it made sense to just let’s roll. I was really lucky with the locations. I had friends just pull in together and be like, You can shoot here.”
So it all worked out really well.
Joe Winger:
How many days of production?
Erin Gavin:
Three days.
Joe Winger:
Three days in Scotland. You shot about a month and a half after you wrote it, is that more or less right?
Erin Gavin:
After I wrote it, I had about 3-4 weeks to pull all the crew together, locations together, everything together.
It was intense.
Then three days of shooting and then editing. Obviously the final cuts and then putting the music together.
But I’m really thankful for the team. Without the team, this would not be possible, and everybody’s support, it wouldn’t be possible.
Joe Winger:
Just going a little deeper on what you just said a second ago, two things to think about.
Number one, a lot of the people that are watching this interview right now have never been on a production set. The closest they’ve been is the movie theater.
Second thing is how many people out there, they’ve written something. But they may not have the courage or the audacity to actually get out there and shoot it, or as you brought up, to go out there and raise money because it costs money to do these things.
Do you have any advice or inspiration for someone out there who wants to be doing what you just accomplished, and they’re scared, hesitant, or nervously excited?
Erin Gavin:
I think you have to be very vulnerable. You have to put ego aside and let people read your script, polish it, get advice on it, make sure it’s as solid as it can be.
That’s hard to do when you pour your heart into this piece and you obviously this piece of paper has everything that you’ve just poured out onto it.
Then to give that [heartfelt script] to someone to be super critical is really hard, but that’s the first step and make sure it’s as good as it can be.
I would say community is key.
So perhaps maybe look at how you can narrow it down budget wise. So that’s your locations. Everything that costs money. And ask for help. Build that community. G to your local drama schools, go to your local film schools.
People want to film. People in the creative world, they want to be doing something.
So people do want to help. That’s what I would say, [at] home and in your community, ask for help, get the script solid. That would be the first two key things to be doing.
Joe Winger:
Good advice.
The title Gaming for Love, gaming is a big theme of the story.
I’d love to believe everybody in the world knows what gaming means. But just in case, can you tell us what gaming means?
What message do you hope the gaming community receives when they see the short film?
Erin Gavin:
We’re talking about computer gaming and [my short film] doesn’t shine it in a negative light.
I actually spoke to somebody last night who’s in the gaming world, for all the major companies and does computer programming in terms of the creative side of things. He said, they would love this story because it shows that this can help people in certain ways. It also has a community to it as well. Like most things in life have some negatives and some positives and everybody has their own opinion, right?
But for this shines it in a light that is true in terms of belonging to this story and how it helps someone.
Joe Winger:
That’s beautiful.
Erin Gavin:
Yeah, certainly this one has a twist at the end.
So I hope the viewers get to watch it and they’ll see exactly what I mean.
I also created a song about gaming which is also very true. A lot of gamers who have heard the song [feel] it’s so relatable.
Joe Winger:
Let’s talk about the cast. The performances are subtle and thoughtful and deep. I was surprised how much I was feeling in such a short period of time.
How did you find your cast? Any favorite moment that really stands out with you?
Erin Gavin:
I love that you felt that. We were really lucky because we just gelled and it made sense and it worked and not a lot of movies have that luck.
I reached out to a Gent who owns a theater school in Scotland. I said I need a young girl for one of the leads.
He happened to also have a Gent who teaches at the school who would’ve been the perfect, and he’d also been in like big shows like Outlander and whatnot.
So I thought, okay, he can act. I checked him out. He’s good. And she was great. And that all came from a gent called Rhys Donnelly who helped me with the casting. And also I reached out to a friend of mine who plays one of the other parts. Who I know is a great actor, Paul Donnelly, and he’s been in Outlander and a bunch of stuff.
So it, again, it was just a community aspect. It’s Oh, who knows who, and who can, how can I connect this and make this all work? And that’s how it happened.
Joe Winger:
What I love about what you just said is we are talking about the plot and the story and the gaming community earlier. You’re talking about the community behind the scenes of production.
I feel like whether it’s deliberate or not. You just found all these different communities to work together to highlight other communities, really a community effort in front of the scene, behind the scenes, in the story, all over the place.
Joe Winger:
Our audience knows we talk usually with chefs and winemakers and mixologists.
We’re talking about food and drink and travel. This topic is a little bit not what we usually talk about, but if you don’t mind, can we talk about food and flavor for a minute with you? Is that okay?
Erin Gavin:
Sure. All right.
Joe Winger:
You probably eat very healthy is my guess, but I could be wrong.
But when you’re indulgent, When you’re looking for flavor. What’s your favorite or what’s it? What’s a good guilty pleasure for you or what’s one of your favorite food and drink pairings?
Erin Gavin:
Being from Scotland, right? I was, Oh, have you tried haggis? Yeah, of course I tried haggis, but haggis is Most things in life, if it’s made well and it’s done it’s really good.
But it can also be the opposite, but I have to say, I do actually love haggis. But now I don’t really eat meat so much. But they do a really good like vegetarian option these days. So when I’m home, especially around Christmas time that would be my sort of go to but to pair with it, I’m going to be really sad here.
I like to drink milk with it. Most people like, yeah, this wine from this region. I’m like, nope, just milk. But but that’s when I go to at home. So when I’m in LA I actually, we like in LA, we have the best sushi. most extending sushi [00:13:00] restaurants. So sushi would be my go to when I’m in LA and definitely sake.
Joe Winger:
What’s the taste profile of haggis? What’s what’s it similar to?
What’s the aroma? What are we tasting? Will you take a bite?
Erin Gavin:
There’s another drink in Scotland. Sometimes I like to have Irn Bru with haggis. It sounds disgusting to a lot of people, but I like it. So it’s just like Irn Bro and haggis.
It’s an acquired taste.
Joe Winger:
Erin, what’s the best way to follow you and learn more about the short film, whether it’s a website, social media, something else, what’s the best way to follow your film festival journey and just what you’re up to with you yourself.
Zoe Saldana, Thomasin McKenzie, Jamie Lee Curtis: Annual Oscar-Qualifying® HollyShorts Film Festival celebrates their 20th anniversary
The Oscar® Qualifying HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL returns for its much-anticipated 20th edition from August 8-18, 2024.
From over 6000 entries, over 400 films form this year’s anniversary program.
This Friday, July 12, HollyShorts will share the entire 2024 selection on YouTube.
Last year, the Academy® granted the festival their 4th OSCAR®-qualifying award for Documentary Short Film, this accolade joined their other three top awards, Best Short Film Grand Prize, Best Short Animation and Best Short Live Action. The winners of these awards will be eligible for consideration for a 2025 Academy® Award.
HollyShorts has also launched an inaugural Sports category with NBA Champion, Metta World Peace as the head judge, he is also a producer of a film to be premiered on opening night called, “With Love Charlie”. The festival’s sports category is led by producer Jessica Badawi and will include work from former NBA player and champion Matt Barnes premiering his documentary “Black Mark”, an episode from the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks series “The Sound of the Seahawks”, “The Syd & TP Show” with WNBA stars Theresa Plaisance and Sydney Colson, the show is produced exclusively by TOGETHXR, a media and commerce company founded by four of the world’s greatest athletes Alex Morgan, Chloe Sim, Simone Manuel and Sue Bidr. Also joining this new category will be Red Bull Media House’s “Life of Kai”featuring ESPY award winner Kai Lenny and “Race and Surf” from Selema Masakela, NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies “Marc Gasol: Memphis Made”, “ESPN 30 for 30” and two documentaries from the Italian powerhouse soccer team AC Milan including “Roots-Bennacer”.
Some of the documentary short films selected for the 20th edition include “Alok” directed by Alex Hedison and executive produced by Jodie Foster, “The Final Copy of Ilon Specht” directed by two-time Academy® Award winner Ben Proudfoot, Benjamin Alfonsi’s “Whitney Houston in Focus”, John Beder’s “How to Sue the Klan” and “XCLD: The Story of Cancel Culture” directed by Ferne Pearlstein and produced by Trevor Noah.
The star-studded live-action short film entries include “How Can I Help You” directed by Eliza Scanlen and starring Thomasin McKenzie, Marco Perego’s “Dovecote” with Zoe Saldana, “Dammi” starring Riz Ahmed and Isabelle Adjani, Ken Cheng’s “Summons” starring Jimmy O. Yang and Alexandra Shipp, “Midnight” fromlegendary Japanese director Takashi Miike, Louisa Connolly-Burnham’s “Sister Wives” featuring BAFTA Rising Star Award winner Mia McKenna-Bruce, “Hearts of Stone” with Noomi Rapace and Jessica Barden, “French” directed by Dylan Joseph and produced by OSCAR® nominee Kobi Mizrahi, “Vlog” starring and directed by Yvonne Strahovski in her directorial debut,“Edge of Space” directed by OSCAR® nominee Jean de Meuron, Russell Goldman’s “Burn Out” produced by Academy® Award winner Jamie Lee Curtis, “Fall Risk” featuring Victoria Pedretti, directed by Alex Martini, and produced by Bella Thorne, and Jim Cummings’ “Pretty Sad”, Yasmin Afifi’s BAFTA winning JELLYFISH AND LOBSTER andTom Stuart’s GOOD BOY starring Ben Whishawalso join this fantastic lineup.
Among the animated short film entries are Nadia Hallgren and Jamie-James Medina’s “The Brown Dog” with voice performances by Steve Buscemi and the late Michael K. Williams, Paul Shammasian’s “An Angel on Oxford Street” narrated by Christopher Eccleston, “Play Again” directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Zen Pace, voiced by Benjamin Bratt and Eric Briche’s “Volcelest”.
Notable music videos include Shania Twain’s “Giddy Up!” and Nikki Lorenzo’s “Lista,directed by Bianca Poletti and starring Academy® Award nominee John Hawkes.
Additional noteworthy selections include Bella Thorne’s “Unsettled” featuring Chris Zylka, Eli Newman’s “Concrete” starring Ed Harris and Sophia Ali, Mackenzie Davis’ directorial debut “Woaca”, “If Not Now, When?” starring Kate Dickie, Hanna Gray Organschi’s “Merci, Poppy” with Victoria Pedretti, Danielle Baynes’ “The Dog” starring Kate Walsh, Francesca Scorsese’s “Fish Out of Water”, Richie Keen’s “The Grievance” with Rosie O’Donnell and Kevin Pollack, Mika Simmons’ “My Week with Maisy” starring Joanna Lumley, Annie Girard’s “One in the Chamber” starring Wilson Bethel, Hector Prats’ “Heaven is Nobody’s” starring Roger Guenveur Smith, Michael Perez-Lindsey’s “Will I See You Again?” featuringRichard Lawson, Blake Winston Rice’s “Tea”, co-directors Brit Crawshaw and Josh Hayward’s “Female Captive” starring Pauline Chalamet, Academy Award winner’s Chris Overton and Rachel Shenton’s Slick Films selected shorts include Rhys Chapman’s “Ryan Can’t Read” and Elizabeth Peace’s “The Golden Boy”, Benjamin Verrall’s “Shouting at the Sea” starring Harry Michell, Maia Scalia’s “His Mother”, Ethan Kuperberg’s “Paper Towels” starring Josh Brener, and “Swollen” directed by Roxy Sorkin.
HollyShorts is devoted to showcasing the best and brightest short films from around the globe, advancing the careers of filmmakers through screenings, networking events, and various panels and forums. The festival showcases the top short films produced in 40 minutes or less.
This year’s hybrid celebration of short films will take place in person, with screenings at the world-renowned TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood and virtually through the official festival streaming platform, BITPIX.
HollyShorts screenings will take place from August 8-18th at TCL Chinese Theatres, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., 3rd Level, Hollywood, CA, 90028, followed by the annual awards gala on August 18th.
Jérôme Peschard Launches Art Exhibition at the Sofitel Saigon Plaza in Ho Chi Minh City
For the past 60 years, Sofitel Hotels & Resorts has epitomised the essence of French art de vivre across the globe. As 2024 heralds its Diamond Jubilee, commemorated with a series of exclusive events at Sofitel properties worldwide, Sofitel Saigon Plaza, the paragon of French hospitality in Ho Chi Minh City, proudly inaugurated an extraordinary celebration of art.
From Left- Betty Qiffe Pallard, Consul General Daniël Stork of the Netherlands to Vietnam, Nykky Do and Milena Padula- Spouse of Consul General of Italy to Vietnam / photos courtesy of Nick Middleton for the Sofitel Saigon Plaza.
photos courtesy of Nick Middleton for the Sofitel Saigon Plaza.
On the evening of June 21st, the Sofitel Saigon Plaza was the scene of a glittering event, marking the launch of a collaboration with the internationally renowned French Pop Artist, Jérôme Peschard.
French Pop Artist Jérôme Peschard Portrait / photo courtesy of Stephane Thierry
The hotel’s lobby served as an elegant backdrop for an array of Peschard’s stunning oil paintings on recycled corrugated metal, showcasing his inspiration from French Indochina.
From Left- Tracie May, Milena Padula- Wife of Consul General of Italy to Vietnam, Sofitel Saigon Plaza Hotel Manager Alistair Minty, Lindsay Nutley, Consul General of Australia to Vietnam Sarah Hooper, Simon Pugh and Michael Hooper // photos courtesy of Nick Middleton for the Sofitel Saigon Plaza.
The event attracted an illustrious group of attendees, including Mrs. Sarah Hooper, Consul General of Australia to Vietnam; Mr. Daniël Stork, Consul General of the Netherlands to Vietnam; Mrs. Milena Padula, spouse of Italian Consul General Enrico Padula; and Mrs. Lê Hạnh, CEO of TVHub Vietnam. Distinguished guests also included Michelin Starred Chef/Owner Peter Cong Franklin of Ănăn Saigon, totalling one hundred and thirty of Ho Chi Minh’s leading tastemakers.
photos courtesy of Nick Middleton for the Sofitel Saigon Plaza.
Guests enjoyed a selection of exquisite canapés, fine wines, and champagne while admiring Peschard’s captivating works. Adding to the allure, music by DJ Edge Pamute filled the space, and trendsetters Tracie May and Nykky Domodelled custom-embroidered Áo Dài, the national costume of Vietnam, designed by Peschard and couturière Giao Basson. A pop-up retail store showcasing Peschard’s merchandise collection also opened to the public, featuring a curated selection of home decor, limited edition numbered and artist-signed lacquer replicas of paintings, and an array of gift items. Both the boutique and the art exhibit will grace the Sofitel Saigon Plaza throughout the summer, concluding in early September.
photos courtesy of Nick Middleton for the Sofitel Saigon Plaza.
This premier event highlighted the vibrant intersection of art, culture, and gastronomy, celebrating a unique fusion that will enchant visitors throughout the season, encapsulating Sofitel Hotel and Resort’s world of prestige and luxury.
photos courtesy of Nick Middleton for the Sofitel Saigon Plaza.
“I’m deeply grateful to Sofitel Saigon Plaza for granting me such a fantastic platform to showcase my art. Although I am French, my heart is Vietnamese, and I’m thrilled to share my homage to Vietnam with their guests and visitors during the 60th Anniversary celebration of Sofitel Hotels and Resorts.” – Jérôme Peschard
“Marking 60 years of exceptional hospitality, we take pride in being a part of a legacy that consistently sets the standard for excellence in Asia, providing a unique experience for all modern travellers to explore Ho Chi Minh City through a French-inspired perspective.” – Mario Mendis, GM, Sofitel Saigon Plaza
ABOUT SOFITEL SAIGON PLAZA:
Sofitel Saigon Plaza harmonises the sophistication of French art de vivre with the vibrancy of local Vietnamese culture, delivering a luxury hospitality experience enriched by genuine heartfelt service. Conveniently located in a tranquil enclave on Le Duan Boulevard, Sofitel Saigon Plaza places you in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City’s business, cultural, and shopping district. The hotel boasts 286 rooms and suites adorned with refined décor and deluxe amenities, a fitness centre featuring advanced exercise equipment, and an outdoor swimming pool with breathtaking city views. Sofitel Saigon Plaza also features five dining establishments serving local and French cuisine, seven polished meeting rooms, and an opulent ballroom equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, making it the ideal destination for business, leisure, meetings, and gatherings.
ABOUT JÉRÔME PESCHARD:
Dubbed the “Gauguin of Vietnam,” Jérôme Peschard is a self-taught artist whose work reflects a life richly lived and creatively charged. His art bridges the past with the present, blending East and West, while drawing profound inspiration from his adopted home of Vietnam. Characterised by the use of oil on rusted corrugated iron sheets salvaged from local construction sites, his pieces reflect the very essence of Saigon – its history, development, people, culture, and vibrant spirit. Peschard’s unique fusion of Western pop art with Asian influences, inspired by comic book legend Jack Kirby and modern art icons like Basquiat and Warhol, continues to evolve as he explores new themes in his storytelling. In the dynamic energy of Vietnam, Peschard not only found his place in the world, but also his distinctive artistic identity.
Paso Robles’ Serial Wines Expands with Flavor and Filmmaking as ‘Official Wine’ at The San Diego International Film Festival
SERIAL WINES, PASO ROBLES FURTHER EXPANDS WITH TWO NEW BLENDS
Serial Wines, within the John Anthony Wine & Spirits portfolio, introduces two new wines in this series of winesshowcasing the exciting and fast-growing Paso Robles AVA: NEW Serial White Blend and NEW Serial Red Blend.
This extension of the Serial Wines collection comes days following the company’s announcement of expansion plans under the new name of John Anthony Wine & Spirits by Founder and CEO, John Anthony Truchard.
Paso Robles’ Serial Wines
The two new blends join Serial Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon already in distribution, plus a series of exclusive, AVA-designate and single-vineyard, direct-to-consumer offerings The new blends have been crafted to showcase the incredible biodiversity from Paso Robles—America’s favorite wine region (source: USAToday 2023).
“Creating Serial, a series of wines from the Paso Robles AVA,
has been a very exciting journey since our inaugural release in 2017.
This region has earned its place on the world-class wine stage with outstanding quality and value and we’ve seen demand sky rocket,”
John Anthony Truchard
Founder and CEO
John Anthony Wine & Spirits
“Adding new Serial White Blend and Serial Red Blend to Serial Cabernet really leans into the diverse terroir that Paso has to offer with unique, interesting, and unexpected blends that have exceptional depth and complexity. Exploring and investing in this fast-growing wine region has been rewarding and it was wonderful to see the reception to these wines at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen—some of the world’s most discerning wine lovers.”
The new 2023 Serial White Blend…is lively, lush, and layered
The new 2023 Serial White Blend, Paso Robles is lively, lush, and layered featuring Chardonnay supported by Viognier, Clairette Blanche, and Albariño.
Refreshingly acidic with a richness that lingers, this White Blend offers round flavors of lemon meringue, white peach, ripe pear, and marmalade, accented with a touch of marzipan on the finish. Gratifyingly complex and balanced, this wine was aged on neutral French oak with a kiss of lightly-toasted Acacia.
2021 Serial Red Blend…melds power with elegance for depth and richness
The Bordeaux-Rhône style 2021 Serial Red Blend is a dynamite blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Sirah, Syrah, Tempranillo, and Grenache that melds power with elegance for depth and richness. Aged in a blend of French and American oak, this wine boasts explosive flavors of raspberry, strawberry crumble, and vanilla with notes of cedar and fresh leather on a sumptuous finish.
“Serial Wines are made in partnership
with several, small Paso Robles growers across Districts and sub-AVAs that I’ve known, or met through friends of friends
from when I first started my career here,”
Jeff Kandarian
Executive Winemaker
John Anthony Wine & Spirits
“The Serial Tasting Lounge opened in 2022 with multiple District and Vineyard-Designates and it’s become a destination to enjoy the diversity of this winegrowing region right in the heart of downtown Paso Robles. For the new Serial White Blend and Serial Red Blend, we sourced multiple varietals from several growers across the region, as well as our own estate. These new wines will be available nationally, so for those who have yet to visit here, they are an exceptional way to experience Paso’s stunning terroir.”
Paso Robles’ Serial Wines as ‘Official Wine’ at The San Diego International Film Festival
Debuted at the 2024 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen last week, the two new blends have unique, original-art labels in contrast to the sleek, matte-black label on Serial Cabernet Sauvignon. The complex and evocative artwork on the new blends reflects the nuances and detail of these wines.
The Serial White Blend label depicts a young woman partially shrouded in fog with breaking clouds, alluding to Paso’s cooler microclimates where the grapes were sourced.
Gracing the Serial Red Blend, a Royal Stag stands stalwart in the pouring rain, symbolizing the regality of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape that anchors this blend and the fertility of the vineyards from which grapes were sourced.
Official Wine Sponsor of The San Diego International Film Festival
Alongside the expansion of the Serial Wines collection, the brand also announces a new partnership with The San Diego International Film Festival as Official Wine Sponsor. Celebrating over 20 years as a premier event on the international film festival circuit, the festival will take place October 16th to 20th, 2024, with pre-festival Film Insider Series events June through August, hosting over 10,000 discerning film lovers in Balboa Park and La Jolla.
“The Serial brand has a lot of layers—from Executive Winemaker Jeff Kandarian’s deep knowledge from his early career in the Paso Robles AVA, to the artistry of the wines showcasing tiny vineyards, and the complexity and versatility of the wines themselves,” said Sarah Montague, Chief Marketing Officer, John Anthony Wine & Spirits.
“So as we looked for a platform that shared Serial’s values of curiosity, discovery, community, and sensory storytelling, film festivals emerged as a perfect fit. We are honored to pour our wines for San Diego International Film Festival goers, celebrate the power of film with every pour, and amplify the enjoyment of every story told with these exceptional wines. ”
To celebrate this exciting partnership, Serial Wines and San Diego International Film Festival are hosting a thrilling opportunity for wine and film aficionados to enter for a chance to win a trip to the October festival. One lucky winner could win a round-trip airfare for two to San Diego, hotel accommodations, and two four-day passes to the San Diego International Film Festival.
For more information about Serial’s series of outstanding Paso Robles wines and how to stock them please visit SerialWines.com/Trade.
Experience the Serial Tasting Lounge in downtown Paso Robles or meet us at The San Diego International Film Festival, and learn about other upcoming events at SerialWines.com.
Follow @SerialWines on Facebook and Instagram for Paso Robles wine news from Serial and more chances to win.
About Serial Wines Serial Wines is a series of wines sourced from across the diverse Paso Robles AVA and its 11 Districts, conceived in 2015 by Vintner, John Anthony Truchard and produced by Executive Winemaker, Jeff Kandarian—who started his career in Paso Robles and has a deep understanding of its terroir.
Working with like-minded, meticulous winegrowers, the Serial Wines collection includes: varietal-specific, nuanced blends, AVA-designate, and single-vineyard releases which express the best of the region.
Part of the John Anthony Wine & Spirits portfolio, Serial Cabernet Sauvignon and NEW Serial White Blend and Serial Red Blend are available at fine wine retailers. An extended selection of limited releases can be purchased online through the winery at SerialWines.com and at the stunning Serial Wines Tasting Lounge within the Historic Odd Fellows Building, downtown Paso Robles—named USA Today‘s 10Best new wineries in 2022.
About The San Diego International Film Festival The San Diego International Film Festival is the region’s premier film event and one of the leading stops on the independent festival circuit. The Festival offers a totally unique film experience; including world premieres, never before seen studio releases and the best in independent filmmaking.
About John Anthony Wine & Spirits John Anthony Wine & Spirits, established by Founder and CEO John Anthony Truchard includes John Anthony Vineyards, Serial Wines, Weather Wines, and JaM Cellars. John Anthony Vineyards produces exclusive wines created from small vineyard sites in Oak Knoll District, Carneros, Calistoga and Coombsville regions, all available in the winery’s downtown Napa Tasting Lounge.
Serial Wines is a curated collection of wines from Paso Robles and beyond—lush, and vibrant, sourced from exceptional vineyards in this exciting wine region. Weather Wines is a collection of Burgundian varietal wines grown in their most-perfect microclimates and highlighting the dynamic relationship between vines, terroir, and the elements.
JaM Cellars was founded in 2009 in response to the downturn in the economy and experienced triple-digit growth in its early years by offering wines made in the tradition of great California winemaking at accessible sub $20 price points.
Today, Butter Chardonnay from JaM Cellars is the #2 selling Chardonnay above $13 in the U.S. (source: Nielsen scan data 2024).
George Gallagher gets lucky with the law in BET+ Perimeter TV Series from Tyler Perry, Armani Ortiz
We’re with actor George Gallagher. He’s currently on BET+ new show, “Perimeter”.
Today’s conversation has been edited for length and clarity. For the full, un-edited conversation, visit our YouTube channel here.
George Gallagher in BET+ “Perimeter” TV Series from Tyler Perry, Armani Ortiz
Joe Winger:
Talk a little bit from an actor point of view. All the different characters you’ve played, what’s your preparation process like?
George Gallagher:
It tends to vary from role to role. I utilize a lot of different disciplines. But for example, on Perimeter I play an attorney who takes on cases that others wouldn’t necessarily.
He knows where his bread and butter comes from, but he likes to challenge and, when dealing with that, I’d watched a lot of different things.
I watched Better Call Saul.
I watched different lawyer shows and I consulted with some attorneys and did some research and, I have a relative who’s an upper echelon attorney in the tri state New York area. I spoke with her in some detail about different things and went through the script actually, and to try to make it make sense for me in a very real, visceral way.
But also honor the world that Armani Ortiz and Tyler Perry had created.
So it varies quite a bit. I like to be really spontaneous and instinctive with everything. I like to go off the moment of what I get from the other person and what happens in the moment.
How I respond to things 12 words or less, unfortunately is not my specialty, but that’s why we have writers to give me dialogue.
Joe Winger:
Talk about Lance, the character you play in Perimeter.
George Gallagher:
Working on the show is one of the gifts of my creative, professional career.
Armani Ortiz is the young writer-director visionary, who has created the show and put it forth with Tyler Perry as executive producer. And he also directed the Tyler Perry documentary, Maxine’s Baby, about Mr. Perry’s life that’s doing quite well right now.
He’s really an extremely talented young guy. He really invited me into his world, to create whatever I wanted within certain parameters. He was very collaborative with the actors. He allowed us to rehearse, work through things, but also give it our own flavor.
I come from the theater and actors that work in that studio tend to have that background because we can work quickly. We’re autonomous. We have some process and technique and I believe that we’re able to collaborate with others in a way that’s immediate, and in theater, you’re out there in the unknown and there’s no one to cut you out.
If you have a bad moment, the audience sees it.
So actors really learn how to hyper focus in real time. That was a bit of the experience. Once the cameras were starting to roll, but we did have an incredible cast.
Most of the people came from California, some from New York. I’m really drawn from both coasts that came to Atlanta to film and work on the show.
It’s a great story. It’s period. It takes place in the nineties surrounding Freaknik, which was a really popular hip hop festival in Atlanta. The Olympics is in the backdrop, when they had them here in the early 90s. The whole city, the airport expanded. It really put Atlanta on the map as a major metropolitan city. So that’s all happening in the backdrop. They had the first black mayor at the time.
My character, Lance, is a high end attorney who has a very private clientele that pays him very well. Their cases might be a little more challenging.
He represents people who are, sometimes stepping outside of the law and in the criminal world and which makes it all the more challenging.
But back to your earlier question, I was researching lawyers that had taken on different civil rights cases that are a little more controversial in terms of dealing with the system and upholding a belief in the system.
Someone like Alan Dershowitz, I watched Reversal of Fortune.
He took on a lot of civil rights cases and then went and defended someone that everyone thought was a murderer.
But the reason why he did those things and which was an underlying, or rather an overtone of that novel and the film Reversal of Fortune. It’s really about if you believe in the legal system and making sure that everyone has a fair and just defense, regardless of their socioeconomic background.
My character, Lance, is from a different world than I am.
Malcolm, who’s one of the main characters on the show, that I defend and I represent. I don’t want to give too many spoilers away, but it’s a really exciting world.
People should check out the show and see where it takes everybody.
Joe Winger:
When you talk about the cast there’s a range of different names.
Any specific lessons you learned from any of the cast?
George Gallagher:
There’s one scene in particular where my client’s brother ends up getting arrested. He’s looking at some serious charges and we have to go visit him and give him some reassurance and get more information about his case.
Both of the actors, Malcolm Xavier, who plays Malcolm on the show and Jalen Gilbert, who plays his brother were extraordinary.
We shot in a visitation room in a police station and when this actor walked in, I felt like he was really in jail or in prison.
The guy transformed.
I’d met him [before] and we rehearsed the scene and everyone’s nice and we’re in hair and makeup and shooting the crap and talking. Then you get on set and it’s not the same human being, which is such a gift as an actor when you have.
It forces you to really respond and you’re just in the moment. The three of us had a really exciting dynamic and I thought it translated really well on film.
It reminded me of things as an actor, which is if you believe it, if you really believe it, the audience will believe it too. Everybody around you on that set will believe it.
If you don’t. then it’s kind of luck of the draw and you’re hoping for the editor [and music score] to help you.
If an actor is really meant to be an actor, and they’re worth their grain of salt, it comes from them living in this danger zone. And this guy, he came out, he was dangerous. You felt like anything could happen.
He reminded me of a young Denzel Washington.
And Malcolm was also exceptional. It was impossible to not believe they were brothers. You could feel the affinity, but also the sort of rage that was brewing between the two of them.
George Gallagher on-set
Joe Winger:
That vibe helps inform your performance as well. It just makes the whole scene more alive and in the moment for you.
George Gallagher:
Absolutely. You just feel like you’re there with another human being having an experience and you forget you’re an actor and that you’re in a story and you just really like suspension of disbelief.
As actors, we get to live many lives, which is what I love the most about acting.
Armani Ortiz really set the stage for that to happen to us.
Also making it feel authentic and real. The art direction, the cinematography, every department was really on point.
Joe Winger:
You’ve played some really intense roles. After a day on a set that heavy, as a human being, as an actor, how do you relax?
George Gallagher:
That’s a really good question. A different film that I did, called “Altered States of Plaine” is about a guy who falls asleep and wakes up in different parts of the world. He doesn’t know why it’s happening to him and he resorts to drug induced insomnia to stay awake.
It’s very bizarre film and it balances a lot of psychological aspects.
Sometimes in a role you do immerse yourself and you work to within an inch of your life. [Afterwards] you come out and shake it off and sometimes you’ve got dings in the fender that aren’t going away.
But as an actor generally I just laugh and shake it off. The camera eats all that stuff up, hopefully we all can shake hands and go out for a drink later on and bury the hatchet.
Joe Winger:
It sounds like on your current show Perimeter, it does have a more congenial vibe.
George Gallagher:
Absolutely. I’ve worked on two projects there [Tyler Perry Productions] now. It’s one of the most positive environments you could ever step into as an actor. Tyler Perry Productions hires the very best of the best of people.
I remember in California walking on the Paramount [lot] for an audition and everybody looks so happy. They had a twinkle in their eye.
[I mentioned it to a friend and they replied] “They’re all winning the game.”
I was like, you’re right. There is that gratitude, you get a job for that week. You’re part of the 1%. You’re very lucky. It’s a privilege.
Joe Winger:
You’ve been outspoken about the future of Hollywood, digital storytelling, AI. You’ve had publicly a very positive outlook on what the future looks like.
George Gallagher:
I don’t believe the human soul will ever be duplicated and replicated.
I think they’re going to get interesting products and effects that are going to look really cool and fascinating, but there’s still going to be a storyteller that’s a human being behind that.
But I still think that writers, storytellers, actors, and people in the visual, there’s still going to need to be human beings manning this.
There’s always going to be a need and a desire for communal experience. A human being telling stories and artists, but it is probably going to alter a lot.
The audience determines at the end of the day, it’s about what they want.
George Gallagher with actress Nikiva Dionne “A Heart for Christmas”
Joe Winger:
Our audience is very food based, wine based, cocktail based, I’m not sure if you identify as a foodie.
What’s your favorite dish? What do you love to cook?
George Gallagher:
My pronouns are asparagus, broccoli, and spinach. [George laughs]
I love food. I’m big into real food, raw foods organically grown, supporting local farmers, salads greens.
There was a dish that I used to make, sausage and pepper penne.
I use turkey sausages because I like it a little healthier. I would make it with fusilli because it soaks up the sauce better. Getting the oils and the fats into the sauce, and then the fusilli just grabs it and soaks it all up, and then I would add almonds into that dish.
Maybe some spinach. Definitely have to have green peppers and some spicy peppers, bright colored rainbow diet.
If I cook it too much, then it’s a mess. But I’ve gotten better at it over the years. It’s edible.
Joe Winger:
You finished shooting “A Heart for Christmas” in Los Angeles. Can you talk about the movie and what you play?
George Gallagher:
Absolutely. I just wrapped “A Heart for Christmas”. I play Dr. Carl, who’s really driven, sort of type A person who is engaged to the protagonist in the film, breaks it off early on and because he’s got his own sort of, he’s a quasi McDreamy meets McDouchey sort of doctor. A little bit of a God complex, and he’s quite pleased with himself.
It’s a Christmas film and it’s fun and has a lot of humor and charm.
We shot for a few weeks in LA and all around Pasadena. We got to experience Christmas in the summertime.
It should be out sometime before this Christmas.
Joe Winger:
Anything in the future we should be looking for you?
George Gallagher:
On Netflix, the new film Six Triple Eight starring Kerry Washington, Oprah Winfrey, Dean Norris, and Sam Waterston.
That was also directed by Tyler Perry.
I play a character named Levi who’s a business executive and it takes place around the Second World War.
Part of the film was shot in Atlanta, some in Europe: England, Germany, all around the world.
It’s one of the biggest productions I’ve ever personally been involved in with a lot of great actors and had a terrific script. I think people are going to really like the story.
Joe Winger:
You’ve made the unorthodox choice as an actor of leaving Los Angeles, having a family life somewhere else. What inspired that move?
George Gallagher:
It’s been a blessing in so many ways I can’t even tell you.
We live in a suburb of Atlanta north of the city. Having my children be born in Los Angeles and being from the New York area, I’ve never not lived in a major metropolitan area.
You really just can provide a better quality of life for your family. I moved here [from the New York area]. I heard Tyler Perry was quarantining and was going to keep production going.
I thought nothing stops that guy. Those are the kinds of people I want to work with. I said to my wife and family, “Let’s go to Atlanta. We can always come back to New York later.”
It’s just amazing. It was like everything that I had wanted and planned for.
Very rarely in my life have everything unfolded exactly the way I’d hoped and envisioned it. But this was one of those situations and it’s an hour from New York.
It’s green, it’s beautiful, and people are friendly. You get great organic food and there’s farmers everywhere. We have, of course, Georgia peaches everywhere.
Joe Winger:
As we wrap up any social media, any websites? What’s the best way to follow you, find out more about you?
