Tag: Deidra Kathleen

Geek of the Week: Andrew Dunn

by Deidra Kathleen

Where’re you originally from?
So, uh, that’s a loaded question. It’s a long answer but I’ll give you the Cliff’s notes. I was born in Toledo, Ohio. I was raised in Asheville, North Carolina. [I moved] back to Toledo, Ohio when I was fifteen. I went to college in Michigan and then went to graduate school in New York.

So were you [growing up] a majority in North Carolina or Ohio?
I now live in New Jersey and other than New Jersey, I have lived in – all the other places I have lived in equally… Five years in Ohio. Ten years in North Carolina. Five years in Ohio again – and then ten years in New York.

Used with permission from Andrew Dunn

That makes my next question a little complicated then. It makes it a two-parter, I guess. How would you describe your hometown?
So, if I had to choose – if someone said, “Give me one place you’re from.” It would be Asheville, North Carolina. So, for me, Asheville, North Carolina – I describe it as the most progressive liberal place I’ve ever lived, including New York City. [It’s] the kind of place where a guy in like a ripped tie-dye shirt with dreadlocks that’re six feet long will ride up to you in his cut-off jean shorts on a unicycle while juggling torches. And if you go to hand him a dollar, he’ll say, “Oh, no thanks. I don’t do this for money. I just do this.” And then [he’ll] cycle away.

When did you or your parents decide – or both – to have you enroll in the [former] Performing Arts School of Metropolitan Toledo (PASMT)?
I had always had success… I guess in public schools which is where I got started in like elementary school, I did really badly but like I tested really well. But like I could never do my homework… My grades in classes were really bad. I hated going – and then we found out about this charter school in North Carolina still. It was a middle school that like my favorite teachers from the public schools all got together and started their own school. And then so my mom was like, “You like all of those teachers. Why don’t we try that place?” And I flourished there. It was great! It was personalized and it was totally dedicated to the individual. Instead of doing tests or pop quizzes, I did projects where I got up and spoke to the class. And that was a huge eye-opener for me – that like I could talk about anything, but writing it down was always a real struggle. That was at Francine Delany’s New School For Children. I don’t why all the charter schools have these ridiculously long names. That was in Asheville and then we moved back to Ohio. …I was born there. My grandparents were there.  My mom was like, “Well, they’re getting older. We should go back to be close to them just in case anything happens.” …That was in 2002 and my Mom was like, “Well, you kind of like performing arts and the only charter school really in the area is a performing arts school. So why don’t we check to see what that’s like?”
So I auditioned for that and I got in. I never did well in public school, so I got into a charter school – and just went with that one.

Used with permission from Andrew Dunn

How would you describe your time at PASMT?
Man, uh, whimsical and… I definitely grew a lot there but I don’t know how much of it was because of proactivity on the part of surroundings or how much of it was like me picking up the pieces that were left behind by the people who were supposed to be helping grow and helping me expand my horizons. A lot of the time it felt like I was sort of trying to like teach the teachers, teach the students, or help people here and there where like the school was sort of missing the mark. But they also had their own stuff going on. There were all sorts of internal problems and struggles that they had to deal with as well. I got there kind of late.

…I started there three or four years before the school closed down – so like they were already on their way – having weird problems and trying to bring in teachers to help fix things. So, like a lot of the stuff – I’ve actually talked about this with my [former] classmates from there. I feel like I sort of didn’t get to see the school that most of the students [from] there remember it as because my first year was my Sophomore year in 2002 and we were in the main school that most people remember [off of Reynolds Rd]. And then the second year, I felt a little more comfortable my Junior year. And then my Senior year, we were in a mall – then this office building downtown [Toledo]. So I was like…I don’t know. Is this normal for this place or what? And thankfully, by one year, I managed to get my diploma from there and head out to college right after that. I don’t know how I would describe it other than that. …I didn’t take a single acting class at PASMT. I didn’t take a single one. I took like twenty music classes and three or four dance classes. I didn’t know I wanted to do performing arts for a while after I started there, but I remember I didn’t go to the first audition that they had [for a show], when I started. One of the directors – I don’t remember who it was…I think it must’ve been Miss Stroud came up to me and was like, “Hey. We noticed you didn’t audition. But also you’re a boy, so we really need you to be in this show.”
And I was like, “Well, sorry, I don’t wanna break the rules.”
They were like, “Why don’t we pretend you auditioned and you can just come to callbacks.” And so I was like, “All right. Fine.”
And then I got up there and just said words. I didn’t know what acting was.  I was just saying the things they told me to say. Through that way I got to know the acting teachers. And by that route, I was like – I’m fine with saying this on the record… This is gonna sound somewhat mean, but I remember thinking, “I don’t wanna learn from these people.”

I remember there was one of the shows I was in. One of the directors – like I did something. My character died – was stabbed. I had to die and it was in a comedy, so I did it a funny way and there was a long pause and the director went [and heaved a disappointed sigh]. And I was like, “Oh, was that not okay?”
And he was like, “No, it’s fine.” And that’s how I knew I needed to change what I was doing. So, I was like, “Oh, I don’t wanna learn theatre from these people.” The music teachers were always well-versed in their craft, so I was okay I wanna learn all of this. And the dance teachers were really good at what they were doing. But I felt like a lot of the acting stuff, I was like, “Nah. I’m not gonna learn this here and I didn’t.”

Used with permission from (c) Emily Hewitt Photography

When did you decide to audition for the Actors Studio then? What was that like?
The Actors Studio was graduate school, so right out of high school, I got into a private school called Siena Heights University and this is actually a funny story. My senior year of that, I started applying everywhere. I went to [the] URTAs… A bunch a graduate school recruiters meet in one building and then you audition for like fifty people – but before you get to them, you’ve to audition for a room of two people at a desk. And so if you’re not good enough to get past those two people at the desk, you don’t see the rest of the people. And I wasn’t good enough to get past those two people at the desk. And that left me super jaded, but I was like that’s okay, I’ve got like five or six backups. I had DePaul University where – when I auditioned for them, they did a thing where all the people auditioning had to stand in a circle…We passed an orange around. When the orange made its way to you, you had to do a physical action of your choice and a vocal thing of your choice. So, people get the orange and they go, “Whoooooo!”
And then it goes to the next person. They go, “Bwuh-buh-buh-buh-buh.”
And right before it gets to me [the orange], the person who’s leading this [activity] stops it and says, “Listen! If you guys aren’t gonna take this seriously, I’m gonna ask you all to leave.”
And…I hadn’t done it yet, but I didn’t see anything uncalled for. They looked like they were doing exactly what was asked of them. Then they were like, “All right. Let’s try this again!” Then it was my turn and I was like I don’t know what they wanna see that’s different. So I just did the thing I was gonna do anyway. I was also like, “Is this the acting I wanna learn? Is this acting?”

Then I didn’t get accepted there. There were two other places I applied to for graduate school. They were all big names – like NYU, Columbia, stuff like that – but my one backup was Illinois State University and I didn’t get accepted there either. So, here I was in the “Middle of Nowhere, Michigan” in a corn field – Adrian, Michigan – where Siena Heights University is. It’s a great school. It’s just in the middle of nowhere. And I was like, “Well, I’d done some carpentry in the theatre department there. There’s a lumberyard in town. Maybe I’ll try to get a job there. My girlfriend at the time was trying to get me to apply to Taco Bell. I was like, “Oh, man. I’m goin’ nowhere. This sucks.”

And then a friend of mine [said to me], “Hey, I’m auditioning for this school at – at the drama school at Pace University. They don’t do monologues. They only do scenes. So I need a scene partner. Would you be willing to help me with that?”
And I was like, “Oh, yeah. I’ll help you with that. Sure!” So, we start doing it and he convinces me to put in an application as well. And I’m like, “Yeah. Why not?” I’m already doing the work – right?” I might as well just sign my name and send in a letter. So we do that. We send in our tape. We do a scene from Glengarry Glen Ross. And… I got an acceptance letter and he did not…There’s a sequel. He got in next year.

What is one of your ultimate dreams?
It’s weird because I have so many different paths that I have already started on – that I’m walking on simultaneously and parallel… Set design, acting, audio editing, video editing, and podcast-making. Each of those probably have their own dreams. But the earliest one I remember being like, “Oh, man. I wanna do that!” …One of the first shows I got to see on Broadway after I moved to New York by Jez Butterworth called Jerusalem and it starred Mark Rylance in the lead role. I remember watching that…I watched it with the person I was dating and her aunt I think got us the tickets. She was nice and all like, “I’m visiting New York. Let’s all go to a show together!”

And one of my professors at school was like, “You guys need to see this if you can” and we went to see it. …All three of us went to see it and afterwards, my girlfriend’s aunt was like, “Man. What a bad show!” And we had to be like, “Yeah…Wow. Whatever.” And then afterwards – after she left, my girlfriend and I were like, “Yo, but that was a really good show, right?” And we were like, “Yeah. It was incredible! It’s still the best show I’ve ever seen at –  I think anywhere.” …When that comes back around, because the main character is probably in his forties. …I remember thinking when that comes back around to Broadway for a revival, I have to get in the audition room for that. …That’s a dream role for me. That’s one I’d really like to play.

Used with permission from Andrew Dunn

What is your Hogwarts house and why?
Gryffindor. Courageousness, veracity, loyalty*. …That’s what’s buried deep in my heart… Harry Potter is barely on my geek radar, but I do know that all the cool characters are Gryffindor in the movies.

*Loyalty is actually a main attribute for house, Hufflepuff.

What are some geeky hobbies you partake in?
…Comic books. I read a lot of comic books. I watch a lot of movies. When I was very young – probably nine or ten years old – even before that, when I was three and I don’t remember doing this, but my mom told me that she would put on the movie, Lawrence of Arabia for me. …It’s a boring desert movie that a child should have no interest in, but she would pop that in for me when I would get very cranky and it would shut me up. I would love it. I would sing with the orchestra music. Like the very first thing that happens in the film is that the sun comes up and there’s this huge crescendo with the orchestra and I would sing a long with it. Movies from that very moment went on to be incredibly integral in my life.
When I was ten, I think – I was a mature kid and my mom decided, “I think we’re gonna try leaving you at home” – well not leaving me at home, but after school I’d have to go to a daycare or something. And at ten years old, [she said something like] we’re gonna try you riding the bus home on your own with the keys for the house. Then my mom didn’t get off work until six. And she was like, “We’ll see how that goes.”
She had a bookshelf that was filled with VHS tapes – probably a hundred VHS tapes. And every single day, I would come home, I’d get off the bus, and the first time it happened, I started on the top shelf all the way to the left, I picked that one – popped it in and watched it. The next day, I went to the next one over to the right. [The] next days it was the third one, the fourth one, then the fifth one… Until I made my way through all of the movies within probably six months – and that included some that would stay with me for the rest of my life like Close Encounters of a Third Kind, the Robin Williams movie – Good Morning, Vietnam, Young Frankenstein, New Jack City was a weird choice to have on there, but just tons and tons…January Man, A Fish Called Wanda…Really good classics…All the Star Wars [films]… The original trilogy of Star Wars is like a huge huge part in my life. …Basically anything that is nerdy or geeky about me probably comes from that very moment of when I started watching those VHS tapes…

When did you first realize you were a geek or rather realized you liked the previously mentioned things?
Probably high school. I remember at PAS[MT] – I don’t remember what they called it. …Spirit week? Where every day you dress a certain way or something… I remember one of them was Heritage Day and I was like well, I am just such a mix of so many things…I was like I could probably choose Irish as a safe bet…But do I wanna dress as a leprechaun? How do you dress [Irish], ya know?…
I remember being like, “Oh, I am definitely going dressed as geek.” People kind of just like disagreed with me. Other students were like, “Ya know – that’s not your real heritage.” And I was like, “Yeah. No kidding.”
But I would also say back, “No, no. It’s true. I come from a long line of nerds.” Which was also true. It’s not based on nationality or the color of my skin but like there was something that resonated with me.

There was also a turning point where I was like probably around fourteen years old I started realizing, “Oh, it’s odd that I know all these things.”  I would make all these movie references and… people would just sort of smile and nod. And it wasn’t until high school where I was like, “Oh, no. I’m the only one who’s seen any of these. Like no one here has seen Star Wars.” I still come into that. I work for a licensing company. One of our biggest licenses is Star Wars and the head of my department has never seen a Star Wars movie. So like it’s stuff like that… It never occurred to me that no one else had seen films or read a lot of the books that I had read…Or played video games I’d played – and TV shows as well. I probably as a kid watched eight hours a day of television – for ten years, probably. I’d watch two hours in the morning while getting ready and then like six hours between four o’clock when I got home and ten o’clock when I went to bed. I just straight up watched television while I ate dinner.
So right around fourteen [or] fifteen, I realized that I was different but I didn’t quite know that there was a category that had been pre-determined that I fit nicely into until about fifteen or sixteen.

Used with permission from Andrew Dunn

If you could take the place of any fictional character from any book, show, comic, musical, anything – who would you choose? And why?
Aw, man. This is such a hard question.
…Probably, Iron Man – Tony Stark…Before I got into comics I watched a lot of the comic book-based cartoons shows when I was a kid. I watched Spiderman every day. Batman – the animated series, Fantastic Four, X-Men was a big one… That was something like – even now, other people I know who were raised similarly and love comics and stuff. They’re like, “The X-Men cartoon is the best! Batman the animated series – it’s so good!” But to this day, I don’t think I’ve ever met a single person who remembers the IronMan cartoon and that was my favorite one.
So even when they announced that Robert Downey Jr. was going to be playing Tony Stark, I was like – oh, man. They just put the last nail in the coffin for this. They got this guy who’s like a drug addict, alcoholic, in and out of jail… He’s gonna be playing my favorite hero? It’s never gonna work. It’s never gonna take off. No one’s gonna like this. And of course, I was incredibly wrong. I saw the movie like four times in theatres and am a huge fan.  But there’s something about not only being able to…The term for having cash that is disposable is liquid and there’s something very fluid about being able to fix…There are only certain problems that punching can fix. There are only certain problems that magic can fix if you’re Doctor Strange. But like money can fix just about any problem because it can be used to create solutions. So I feel in that way Bruce Wayne fits in that as well, but I don’t want to be an orphan for the first fifteen years of my life, so I think Tony Stark is probably the way to go.

Who is someone you look up to and why?
Feel free to name two or three.
The most obvious one was my mom. She passed away – it’ll be seven years ago. But I have spent my entire life trying to be as trusting and gracious as her. I think she was also…
Speaking of nerdiness, she was definitely like an undercover nerd. She’d read a book in two days. She’d a library of Stephen King novels. One of our rooms, which eventually became our computer room once we got a computer – before that, it was a Stephen King library. Because I ended up loving Stephen King – probably a good reason [rather] a main reason that I started getting into horror films as well. We would watch all of Stephen King’s movies. She’d all the Stephen King movies, so I’m sure they were on that shelf when I was going through them. And I remember one time…I remember when I was very young and it was raining out. I looked out the window and there was what I thought was a man with long blond hair standing out in the road [in] pouring down rain screaming. And I was like, “Mom, there’s like this crazy guy outside and he’s screaming or whatever.”
And she was like, “What?”
And she took a look outside and said, “That’s a woman.”
And without hesitation, she walked outside and I was like, “What are you doing?” She walked straight up to the person…
To this day, I don’t know what she said to her. But she was talking to her [for a while]. Eventually she put her arm around the woman’s shoulder and brought her into our home and sat with her while she called social services. She made her dinner. She called social services, helped get her a place to stay…It turned out that her boyfriend or husband or someone had kicked her out. She couldn’t get in. He’d changed the locks. She’d nowhere to go. She was just a person. I know people with mental illness are just people but she wasn’t a threat in any way.
I mean we can get into the politics… And that kind of thing that’s been happening with the police in America. People with mental illness have the feeling of uncertainty and a lack of safety around them…And [it] has led to a lot of problems. My mom ended up being on the Board of Mental Health in Toledo by the time I was in high school. She started as a secretary.

One day her boss came in and said, “Oh shoot! I forgot! I have to give that grant for graduate school. Hey – do you want a free ride to go get your master’s degree.” She was like, “What?”
And he was like, “I forgot I have to  – by today  – give someone it to get their master’s degree. Otherwise I’ll lose this tax break. Do you wanna go to school and get your master’s degree for free?”
And she was like, “In what?”
And he was like, “Social work.” And she said, “Sure.”
And so she got her Master’s in Social Work because her boss had to give a grant to someone and she happened to be sitting there. So, she was a social worker for a year. She worked in a methadone clinic – helping drug addicts with eventually making her way to the Board of Mental Health for Toledo, Ohio and basically lived her entire life helping people. And she was always the person [where] when I had a hard to decision to make or even an easy decision to make that involved me having to go out of my comfort zone or to decide whether to put myself or someone else first, I [would and still] will usually ask myself what I think my mom would do in that situation.

What are some current projects and/or goals you’re working on?
I was up until eight this morning editing this podcast that I co-host and then I go to work full-time starting at nine, so I managed to climb into bed as my fiancé was waking up. I crashed for an hour. So I currently have a podcast that I co-host, produce, and I edit called The Media Lunchbreak. It’s a comics meets movies podcast that co-host with my friend, Chris Triebil…We worked together for a very short amount of time. And every day on our lunchbreak, we would go to the same place together and just talk about comics, movies, and stuff. And we were just like, “We should record this and put it up.” Now we have kind of like a following, which is great. We’re making some money off of it. It’s now paying more than it costs which was a huge milestone for us.
I also work with Infinite Variety Productions. We just did an immersive show ­– right before the pandemic about the life of Nellie Blithe, which actually you’re involved with. And now we are now working on a radio play – which actually, I might get back in touch with you about because we’ve a lot of characters as well in that one. And that is based on true stories of five women who served in the Vietnam war. You couldn’t be a soldier but they were nurses, donut dollies, [and] one was in administration…It’s sort of their true story about the things that happened to them then and how it later affected them in their lives.
I’m also working on something a friend of mine in college put up. She just made something called, The Drama Debrief. Everyone should check that out because it’s great resource for theatre nerds. She was like, “Hey, this pandemic is making it so that theatre students don’t really have a lot of resources that they need.” And so she was just like, “I’m gonna consolidate all of these things into a newsletter. My co-host for the podcast, Chris is creating content for that. I’m gonna be teaching a series in stage combat, a series in theatre vocabulary, and my fiancé who is a video editor – she and I are going to both make a series on how to shoot and edit a self-tape for in quarantine. And last but not least…I helped put a new show up called, Lady Capulet. So it’s about Juliet’s mother from Romeo & Juliet. And it’s sort of a prequel for her and how she got to the place where she is. It looks at the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets. I played Capulet – the man who becomes her husband. We are now trying to slowly – the goal was to  put it up on off-Broadway by now, which would be my first off-Broadway credit – which would be incredible. But now because of the pandemic, it looks like we’re slowly starting to rack up some steam and hopefully once everything reopens, we can do it then. Until then, we’re doing Zoom readings…I’m also doing sound editing for a short film but that’s on the back-burner right now. That’s a personal project.  

Was there a time you had to pick yourself back up whilst dream-chasing? What happened?
After a while of really hitting auditions…I was auditioning for a Broadway show every day – every other day – sometimes multiple times a day…I was doing voiceover stuff. My very first paid acting job was [doing a voiceover for] a commercial for a cologne and I had to go in…It took thirty minutes. I went in wearing jean shorts and a tank top. [I] hadn’t showered. I said the same six words over and over again for thirty minutes and then I left. They gave me a check for two thousand dollars and it blew my mind. But after the novelty of that wore off and the more I did that, the more I started feeling like – okay, I’m three hundred thousand dollars in debt because I’ve learned how to craft a character and show honest emotion in the portrayal of a story…The development of a character. What I’m doing now is saying, “Buy this cologne.” So, I stopped doing that and started really hitting the ground for acting. I got an acting job that was directed by a friend of mine. We never sold out. We maybe maxed out at half capacity of the house. And the last performance, not a single person showed up…
We tried to cover up [our disappointment]. We were all making jokes about it like, “Haha, it’s fine!” But we were all pretty down about it. We went to a bar instead and just like got trashed. After that, I was like, “Yeah…I’m probably not acting for a little while.”
I kind of gave up acting. I decided to get a full-time job. And I was like, “If I ever really get that itch, I can always quit that full-time job and go back to it.” I was really struggling before I quit. I was struggling to make it work…I was getting up ridiculously early to hit all of these auditions, trying to see if anyone needed anything, and constantly trying to make those connections. And [I was] burning out doing this.
Then after I got a full-time job, after I told people they couldn’t have me, people started coming to me, being like, “Whatever your schedule is, I’ll make it work…We’ll pay you whatever.” That happened from like five or six different companies. So, that was wild and kind of an insane lesson to learn. I guess it’s like relationships, when you come on too strong and are like, “Come on! Take me! Why won’t anyone take me?” People are gonna be like, “Okay, chill out, buddy.” Ya know? That’s not a way to get someone to care about you or find interest in you. The trick is to just care about yourself, keep yourself open to stuff, and then it’ll come to you. It’s the same with parts and these projects. And I slowly but surely started being like, “Okay, fine – if you really need someone. I’ll try to make it work.” Then I just kept saying yes to everything while I was working forty hours a week. And now I’m at a place where I feel like I have sleep-deprivation down to a science. I can use it to my advantage. I can be like – okay, I’m forgetting my keys and they’re in my hand. Okay, so I know I can stay up for another eight to ten hours. And that’s when it will start to look like the walls are moving. And that’s when I need to pass out…  

What is your dream project to work on?
That’s the thing. I have so many parallel pathways. Because I do music too. Is my dream project to tour in a band? Is to have my podcast be successful?…
I remember – this will be a pretentious name drop but I remember when George Clooney came to our master class at my school. I remember one of the students asked him…Because he said he struggled a lot when he started out before he got his role on ER… And they asked him, “How do you keep going? If you’re not getting work, how do you continue to do art and get better?”
And he said, “Oh, just make your own projects.”
So my dream project [is] I do whatever I want. It’s hard for me to be like, ah man, I wish I could do this one thing because usually if it’s something I wanna do – usually I just think, “How can I do that?” And obviously there are some things that are out of your control like…I’m probably not going to be Elder Price on Broadway in Book of Mormon anytime soon. And that’s not something I would ever really want anyways. There are things outside of your control but there’s nothing to say you couldn’t do a different version of that show or a parody, if that was your dream and you didn’t fit that role. I try to find ways to bring my dream projects to me as much as possible.

What is one of your favorite inspiring quotes?
“I seek refuge in the Buddha. I seek refuge in the Dharma. I seek refuge in the Sangha.”

Buddha translates to “enlightened one.” Dharma translates to “text.” And Sangha translates to “community.” So to me it’s always been a great mantra to use in theatre if I ever feel nervous because the Buddha…is your director. They’ve a full understanding of what this project is supposed to look like. The Dharma is the text. You trust the playwright. All you have to do is go out and say the things the playwright wrote for you to say. It’s all there. All you have to do is say it. And you can trust that that text will act as a conduit for you to ride out on the wave that you need. And the Sangha is the community. In the case of theatre, I think it’s the other actors. If you flub something – if you mess something up, there’s someone across the stage from you who’s gonna be able to pick you back up. If you totally forget your line, you can trust that someone onstage is going to say, “I know what you’re thinking…” Then [they’ll] feed you your line. They’ll be able to figure it out for you.

Where can people find you on social media?

Instagram and MediaLunchBreak on Twitter. I also help out Infinite Variety Productions on their board. And the Drama Debrief! I might be a co-founder.

Constantine 2: Will That Hellfire Be Lit?

by Deidra Kathleen

As someone with an affinity towards most any cinematic or televised piece that plays with dogma or any sort of higher power going beyond basic humanity, it should come as no surprise that I find sanctuary – no pun initially intended – in pieces like that of Constantine, Saved!, Red State, Reaper, The Good Place, Lucifer, and Dogma.

So finding out there will be a sequel to Constantine had this satire* fiend squeeing! And despite knowing the original movie was most assuredly not a box office-crashing hit, I am more than ready to see everyone’s favorite “breathtaking” star perhaps rejoined by a certain hole-digging former Disney star. Seeing this duo reunited onscreen would resurrect my faith in most sequels – with the exceptions of a certain Armitage led fantasy film and another starring Whoopi Goldberg as everyone’s favorite pseudo-nun. Let’s be real – the latter mentioned is truly a gem and the casts of both contain some of the most legendary actors of our time.

And not to go all sunshine and daisies about all this hellfire and brimstone, but I am truly looking forward to whatever is to come regarding this work. Unfortunately, we cannot count our demonic chickens just yet, according to Screen Rant, Constantine 2 “has yet to be officially green-lit.” So just like with the pandemic, I suppose all we have left to do really is wait.

*I acknowledge not all pieces mentioned are satire.

Geek of the Week: Alberie Rachele Hansen

by Deidra Kathleen

Where are you from originally?
How would you describe growing up there (how’s it different from out here)? 
I am from Downey, CA. Home of the original McDonald’s, and The Carpenters, haha. I was in LA county so Hollywood was close without being right in the middle of the city. I like to be involved with art, but I like not being right on top of my neighbors. I grew up ice-skating, dancing, and acting in school, but until I was a junior in high school I was planning on being a veterinarian. So I didn’t see first-hand how many people moved here for acting until I was in college and going on auditions, when most of the people I met were not from the area. Although considering I grew up in the traffic, I should have known.

What is your Hogwarts house and why?
I didn’t know until my cousin had me take the test and I was sorted into Ravenclaw. When I read, “Wise old Ravenclaw, if you’ve a ready mind, where those of wit and learning will always find their kind.”
– J.K. Rowling 

I thought that is pretty accurate, except red being my favorite color. I have always been an old soul with a babyface – which is fun when it comes to casting because I feel like I am still growing into my type of roles. I also love to be creative outside [of] acting. I love making handmade gifts for family and friends. And with the help of my family and friends, we pretty much made my wedding from scratch.           

Used with permission from Alberie Rachele Hansen

What are some geeky hobbies you partake in? Why do you like them? Rather – what captivates you about them?
I  have a couple of sides to my geek hobbies. As far as the fantasy art side, the show Supernatural is one of my biggest fandoms. I have been watching since the beginning. I love the research that goes into the show. And how even though you can tell they have a lot of fun on the show, they take their work seriously. I loved the Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse books and the show True Blood. Although I don’t like to compare them because they did differ from each. I like to enjoy them as their own entities. I also like her Harper Connelly Series of books, which are a little about solving crime and a little supernatural. And the Jeff Lindsay books for the Dexter series, which bridges the gap to my other geeky side of most things crime and murder-based. I am a Murderino. I listen to the My Favorite Murder Podcast, as well as many other true crime-based podcasts (Last Podcast of the Left, Real Crime Profile). And I enjoy reading (or listening) to true crime books. I love learning how they catch them, breaking down the profile, and trying to get justice for the victims. 

When did you remember first falling in love with performing?
Was it watching a certain movie, play, musical, or show?
Was there a certain moment?
Like I said, I grew up wanting to be a veterinarian, but it was always performing for fun. I had my first ice-skating competition at five. I started dancing in middle school with my church. And I was always putting on shows for my family. I finally decided to make it into my career in my junior year when I took anatomy and we had to dissect a cat, even though I still found it interesting, I realized I didn’t want to make it my career. I thought about what made me happy and that was performing. I started reading acting books and watching even more movies to study performances. Then the next year I was the lead in Alice in Wonderland and I jumped headfirst into making a career of performing. 

Used with permission from Alberie Rachele Hansen

If you could take the place of any fictional character from any book, TV show, comic, or film – who would you choose? And why? 
At the top of my list, my dream would be for them to turn the Harper Connelly Series into a TV show. She is a woman, who was struck by lightning and can now feel the last moments of a dead person. Her and her stepbrother, who I would cast as Matthew Gray Gubler (this is my dream right), help find missing people. The person is usually murdered and then they solve the case. The character has been through a lot before the book even begins, which is why I like her as well. I like those strong, but damaged characters. There are shows where I wish I could have been cast, like Sarah (Tatiana Maslany) from Orphan Black, Jessica (Krysten Ritter) from Jessica Jones and Fiona (Emmy Rossum) from Shameless. But part of the reason I love those characters is because of their performances, so I just stay positive knowing my role is coming.

Who is someone you look up to and why?
Feel free to name two or three. (Preferably a real person)
There are so many I will name a few and as soon as I am finished I remember five more. First, Iliza Shlesinger, she is one of my favorite comedians. She is very smart, I definitely recommend her book, Girl Logic. She is just such a force when it comes to knowing and getting what she wants. I listen to her podcast as well and she talks about her past struggles with getting cast in more acting work. Now as she is getting more acting work and got her own show produced you can see her hard work pay off. It is really inspiring and motivating.
Second, Matthew Gray Gubler, besides being an interesting human being, I love his career. He is on a long-running show, Criminal Minds, which is an amazing show, but very dark. Then when he is not filming that show, he is filming these fun interesting independent films. All the stories and characters are different, which is what I would like from my career. I want to jump into as many lives as possible. I have a lot more people I look up to and would love to work with, Michael C. Hall, Alan Ball, Kevin Smith, Adam Driver, Amy Adams, Rachel Griffiths…
But a person outside the arts who I really look up is – Laura Richards. She is is a British psychologist, criminal behavioral analyst, former New Scotland Yard, and an expert on domestic violence, stalking, sexual violence and risk assessment. She is the founder of Paladin in 2013, the world’s first National Stalking Advocacy Service. Laura Richards is one of the hosts of Real Crime Profile. She is so passionate about the work she does. She is one of the reasons that even though I still want to be an actor, I am starting courses for forensic psychology. I wanted to take my love, true crime and put it into something good, like victim advocacy. I would like to help people build themselves up after the crime. There is a lot more healing to be done after the crime is solved.

Tell me about a time you had to pick yourself back up career-wise.
What or who helped you get there?
After I graduated from Cal-State Fullerton and was first starting to build a life trying to act, I had all this training, but getting out and networking is a whole other type of training I wasn’t used to.  I also didn’t have a lot of money so being able to afford classes, pictures, and driving to auditions was hard. During that time, I read a lot of plays and books so I could keep myself as sharp as possible and I did as much community theater as I could. Once I got a job as a bartender at the airport I was able to afford more things for my acting, and I was able to perform more. But I also found myself not wanting to get too comfortable that it made me fear moving forward in my acting, “Yay, I can afford things, but I want more than that out of my career.” So finding that balance was really hard, work would make me tired, but while I was at work I would think about all the art I wanted to work on. It is hard to find that balance when you are building a career that doesn’t always pay you. You want your work to feed your soul, but you also have to feed your body.
Through both of these times I had my mom, and my husband cheering me on as the loudest portion of my fan club. My mom has always been supportive of whatever I wanted to do, she gave me this bracelet from Disneyland that says, “Find your passion, take chances.” I always have that in the back of my mind when I find myself getting too comfortable and not pushing myself enough. My husband is always pushing me to work on new things and make me laugh when I get discouraged. His career is outside of the art world, so I am so grateful for his support when I have late rehearsals or a late film shoot night. 

Used with permission from Alberie Rachele Hansen

What are some current projects and/or goals you’re working on?
Before the shutdown, I finished a couple of projects that are in editing now: Real Acting – Season 2. Season one is on Amazon Prime. Shameless plug, haha! Also out – Break and The Saber: A Star Wars fan film. I am really excited to see the finished product. A friend of mine is working on a short that we can film on screens during the quarantine, which will be really fun and interesting to be a part of.  I also work on as many monologues as I can to practice and post. I want to keep myself working, so I can hit the ground running when we are allowed to interact in public again. I am also exploring writing my own work. I have a couple of ideas, and what better time to work on them, than when you can’t leave the house?

What was one of your oddest performing experiences as an actress?
I have a guess, but I’m curious what you’d choose. I know I’ve a couple.
First what comes to mind is when my skating dress broke right before a competition and I almost flashed everyone during my skate. As far as acting, one time when I was doing this real fun absurdist play, which had adult content. Nothing too graphic, but it was an all-ages show in the round. The audience was almost sitting on the stage. It was such a small venue and a couple of performances there were kids in the front row, so it took some work to get my mind back into the piece, but the show must go on.  

Do you have a favorite inspiring quote (by whom)?
I have a few: “Pressure makes a pearl.” – Iliza Shlesinger (quoting her dad)    
“Failure is success training.” & “It costs nothing to encourage an artist.”
– Kevin Smith                              
                                                                                   
“(Rochester) Ask yourself what you want from the theatre. “
“(Lizzy Barry) I want the passionate love of my audience. I want, when I make a sweep of my arm to carry their hearts away, and when I die that they should sigh for never seeing me again-till the next afternoon.”
– The Libertine by Stephen Jeffreys.

Used with permission from Alberie Rachele Hansen

What is your dream show or project to work on?
Well, I guess I already answered this a little bit. I would love to make the Harper Connelly Series. I would love to be in a production of The Libertine by Stephen Jeffreys. I would also love to be in a production and or a screen adaptation of Burn This by Lanford Wilson and Jesus Hopped the A Train, by Stephen Adly Guirgis. Although there are so many more! [My] big dreams are to finish my script ideas and get to star in them. I just want to perform well-thought-out interesting characters.

What is the impact you want to leave on the world?
From my work I want people to escape even if it is just for a little while. Depending on the story I want people to find laughter, catharsis, or make them see the world a little differently when they leave. I want them to really feel like they are in the world with me. From my life I want people to see that you should always push yourself to feed your passions. Even if you don’t make all the money in the world every time you do something that makes you happy, it makes your light shine just a little brighter. That is worth more than money can buy.

What has quarantine been like for you? How are you keeping yourself occupied?
Honestly, I don’t really take a lot of time off, I will switch shifts for auditions and shows, but when I take a day off here or there I am usually doing something.  So I am taking this time as a blessing of recovery. I can work on my art, workout, cook, and clean, without having the time limit, making me stop and get ready for work. I am very thankful that the money I got from my work and unemployment my husband and I are getting takes care of the bills. That is a big thing I don’t have to worry about right now.

It has been nice to clear my mind a little. I don’t have to deal with a child in school and if we are not out by June, my feelings will probably change, haha. I really have been cooking from scratch more, which is really fun and it doesn’t feel like as much of a chore since I am not standing all day at work. My cat, Jenny, and my dog, Forest, love the attention they are getting – don’t tell the cat I told you that! But I just take it day-by-day. Some days I am ready to record for hours, and others I need to rest and watch Bones with homemade cinnamon rolls.

Where can people follow you? (Social Media links)
Twitter: brierachele
Instagram: brierachele1
YouTube: http://tinyurl.com/AlberieRachele                                    
Website: https://alberierachelehansen.com

Geek of the Week: Actor Courtney Rice aka Comedian Bangrice

by Deidra Kathleen

Where are you from originally?
How would you describe growing up there – how’s it different from out here [in California]?
I am originally from Gulfport, Mississippi. Growing up in Mississippi is very family-oriented and super country.

Used with permission from Comedian Bangrice

What is your Hogwarts house and why?
My Hogwarts house would be Gryffindor. This would be my house because bravery, nerve, and chivalry are all attributes I value and apply to my daily life.

What are some geeky hobbies you partake in? Why do you like them?
I enjoy anime, comic books, shoes, and live streaming. In anime and comic books, I enjoy the characters, storylines, and variety. I have always been a “shoe head” since I began playing basketball as a kid. [And] live streaming is fun! Reaching out and getting to know people.

When did you realize comedy was something you were interested in actually doing?
I realized I was interested in comedy when I was seven years old after hearing Eddie Murphy’s show: Delirious.

Used with permission from Comedian Bangrice

If you could take the place of any fictional character from any book, TV show, comic, or film – who would you choose? And why?
If I could take the place of any character, I would choose Hancock, whom I relate to. [Hancock‘s] a movie with Will Smith. I relate [to him] because he’s a reluctant hero who feels under-appreciated but tries to act like it’s no big deal and once he gets himself together, a woman comes along and messes everything up for him. Oh, also it’s in his DNA to protect people. It’s just who he is. He can’t turn it off, no matter how hard he tries.

Who is someone you look up to and why?
Feel free to name two or three. (Preferably a real person)
I look up to my fourth-grade basketball coach, Haskell. He was a smart man who was very motivated and taught me a lot. I look up to the food vlogger, Mark Wiens. I love his lifestyle: traveling, getting to experience other cultures, and his overall positive attitude. I also look up to comedian, Jo Koy. He is a very down-to-earth and great guy.

Tell me about a time you had to pick yourself back up career-wise. What or who helped you get there?
I have to pick myself up every day. My biggest motivation for all I do is my family.

What are some current projects and/or goals you’re working on?
I am currently working on my own talk show: Get a Life Out of Bang.

Used with permission from Comedian Bangrice

Just because I think it would be funny to read about – what was it like working with me previously? How did we meet each other?
We met at Flappers. It was like meeting [and working with] a cool person at Flappers.

Do you have a favorite inspiring quote (by whom)?
“How you think so shall you become” – Courtney Rice

What is your dream show or project to work on?
My dream show is Saturday Night Live. Ever since I was a kid, I have watched this show and have dreamed about being on that stage.

What is the impact you want to leave on the world?
I want to make the world a better place than when I got here.

What has quarantine been like for you?
How are you keeping yourself occupied?
Quarantine has been good and bad. I have been staying busy writing, editing, and working on my health. It has been bad because not seeing people is difficult and all my shows got canceled.

Used with permission from Comedian Bangrice

Where can people follow you on social media?
Twitter: cbangrice
Instagram: @courtney_bangrice
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQhiUcHmQ0ig3uwKr3eUQrg

Geek of the Week: Kyle Chrise

by Deidra Kathleen

Where are you from originally?
Uniontown, PA via Weehawken, NJ

What is your Hogwarts house and why?
Hufflepuff.  I’m rational [and] down-to-earth.

What are some geeky hobbies you partake in?
Comic books, video games, sci-fi, & horror movies.

Used with permission from Kyle Chrise

When did you realize comedy was something you were interested in actually doing?
[I] always wanted to growing up, watching stand-up – stand-up and SAST on VH1 & Comedy Central. Watching Louis C.K. and Greg Giraldo as an adult.

If you could take the place of any fictional character from any book, TV show, comic, or film – who would you choose? And why?
Spider-man has always been my guy.  Seems like an awesome power set and swinging around New York.  But it’s probably not as fun in real life as it looks, tough on the arms.  But I also feel connected to Charlie Brown, Peter Venkman, Shaggy Doo, and Emmett [“Doc”] Brown.

Who is someone you look up to and why?
Feel free to name two or three.
Obama – the epitome of empathy.  Coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers – no nonsense, no bs, no beating around the bush. 

Tell me about a time you had to pick yourself back up career-wise.
What or who helped you get there?
I feel I’m there right now.  I don’t really have a mentor, but I try to give good advice to others.

What are some current projects and/or goals you’re working on?
Cosplay Comedy is holding a Zoom show on April 25 to benefit Black Cat Comics in Burbank and the MADE museum in Oakland.

Do you have a favorite inspiring quote?
“Love your neighbor as yourself, there is no commandment greater than this” – Jesus

What is your dream show or project to work on?
 The Daily Show

Used with permission from StevenFyWong & Kyle Chrise

Where can people follow you? (Social Media)
 @KyleChrise, @CosplayComedy

https://www.facebook.com/KyleChriseComedy/videos/1165101423700077/

Geek of the Week: Mars Smith

by Deidra Kathleen

Where are you from originally?
The city of broken dreams… Kidding! Los Angeles!

What is your Hogwarts house and why?
Hufflepuff! I’m super loyal, quirky, and I know all the best food spots!

What are some geeky hobbies you partake in?
Where do I start? I love playing video games, board games, and roleplaying games like D&D…I also like anime!

So I know you went to film school, but can you tell me – what is your main focus/passion in film?
And why did that in particular stick out to you?
Well, I love creating concepts for TV shows. Most of my ideas are for kid shows right now, but other than that, producing is a big focus of mine. It’s like you’re pulling the strings to the show and it’s so satisfying when everything comes together.

Used with permission from Mars Smith

You have a podcast called GoreFriends, what’s it about and how did that start? How did you find your podcast partner?
Gorefriends is a horror movie podcast where my cohost and I deeply analyze all types of horror films. I met my partner, Story, on our first day of film school seven years ago. She just called me one day and asked me if I wanted to do a podcast. Since I had experience doing one previously and I love horror films, I said, “Sure!”
Our main drive of wanting to do this is to show that black women have educated opinions on films as well. Most, if not all, of the film podcasts out there are from the perspective of caucasian men and/or women. We just want to give a voice to the film nerds of color.

If you could take the place of any fictional character from any book, TV show, comic, or film – who would you choose? And why?
Haruhi from the anime, Ouran High School Host Club comes to mind! She’s a middle-class scholarship student at a rich school. She ends up working for the Host Club, a group of idle rich boys, possessing exceptional good-looks, who entertain female clients. Her character is super down-to-earth, she is pretty much gender fluid and she gets to be around cute guys all the time. Who wouldn’t want to be her?!

Who is someone you look up to and why?
Feel free to name two or three.
To be honest, I don’t look up to celebrities really because I don’t know them on a personal level. I only know them from what we see in the media. However, I do look up to various friends in my circle. They are all very strong men and women that are aware of social issues and understanding of mental issues, including my anxiety I get from time to time.

Used with permission from Mars Smith

What are some current projects and/or goals you’re working on?
Currently, Gorefriends is my main focus. However, in regards to paid work, I’m working producing Instagram videos for an awesome plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills!

What is your dream project to work on?
It might be selfish, but anything of mine. Haha! I mean having the budget to produce a children’s program is a dream. Growing up, Sesame Street and PBS were a big part of my life, so I’d like to pass those same feelings to a younger generation.

Can you tell me about a time you had to pick yourself back up?
Being someone that lives with depression, I’ve definitely had my share of experiences where I wasn’t the fun and positive person people are used to. Being a struggling artist in Los Angeles, everyday can be a battle. But, I try to just focus on today, leaving yesterday’s problems in yesterday, and being grateful for what I do have.

What is your favorite inspiring quote?
“This too shall pass.”*

*This phrase is an old Persian adage used by many around the world.

Where can people find you on social media?
Instagram: @i_am_2eager & @Gorefriends

Geek of the Week: J. Paul Zimmerman

by Deidra Kathleen

Where are you from originally?
Originally, I am from Albuquerque, New Mexico.

How did you get into acting?
I got into acting because of my father. He was a longtime theatre and aspiring film actor. And some of my earliest memories are going with him to some of his rehearsals – sitting, watching, listening, and getting into it. And one day, I was watching ­– I think I was about five and I was watching Inspector Gadget on TV…And my Dad, he noticed me running around and acting out everything he was doing – you know everything you do when you’re a kid. And he stopped me and in a roundabout way explained that that was acting. That’s what he did – it was playing and having fun. He asked me if I wanted to give it a try. I was very young. It all sort of happened very fast. I was going on auditions and working – and it was a lot of fun!

What came first for you, theatre or TV?
Um, first for me to actually do was TV – but like I said theatre was definitely a very big part of it. It was always there and in my brain getting it started. But my first job was a McDonald’s commercial on television for Tiny Toons happy meal toy.

Can you name a couple or so actors you look up to and why?
My favorite actor is probably Bruce Campbell. I’ve never been able to find anybody to impress me or entertain me more than him. He’s got a charm. We can’t deny that. And he’s a very handsome fella. I appreciate his action skills and his comedy skills. He just – I don’t how else to describe it. He’s just always been a performer I’ve been drawn to – and sometimes I emulate. And one of my favorite moments trying to capture Bruce Campbell was when I got into the fight with Benny in the first HalloweenTown. I thought here I am fighting with an animatronic skeleton. I felt like Bruce Campbell in Army of Darkness. This – this is the big time!
And despite how much their styles are made fun of, I’m a genuine fan of [both] William Shatner and Arnold Schwarzenegger. I grew up watching them and have always been inspired by the passion behind their performances.

Used with permission from J. Paul Zimmerman

What is your Hogwarts house and why?
My Hogwarts house is Gryffindor. Why? I’m actually not sure. I took the test on Pottermore a couple times being very sure that I would come out Slytherin – probably because I took the test during dark feeling times and angry times…Maybe even wanting to come out as a Slytherin. But I got Gryffindor and I think it’s because I love people too much and I’m too honest.

If you could cast yourself in any movie or show you’ve ever seen, which one would it be and what role?
One of my actual dream roles – which seems more realistic now that there’s more of it on television – is to be a Star Trek character. I would like to be on a season of Discovery maybe or Picard…Or something new… My only stipulation would be that I would want to be a new character. I would not want to redo somebody’s character or play a younger or past version. I don’t mean to be a snob, but I would just love to add something to the Star Trek universe. Other than that, I would have to say I’m a big fan of those Snickers commercials that are, “You’re not you when you’re hungry.” I would love to do one of those commercials with Danny DeVito playing me when I’m hungry. I think that would be a good match up.

Why’d you pick these choices?
Well, to be perfectly honest, I am a big nerd. I love Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who, Red Dwarf, Superman, and I could go on. I love many fandoms but you know, Star Trek I’ve been into for a long time. My sister got me into Star Trek when I was very young, so we have that to share and it’s definitely been one of my longest running fandoms besides Star Wars. And I’m just really happy to see that it’s back on TV and popular. I like the movies but I think it’s much stronger in its original television format and I would like to be a part of that history.

Okay, I know I’ve asked you about this before off the record and you were kind enough to tell me then, but I’ll ask now – how was it getting to work with Debbie Reynolds in HalloweenTown?
Getting to work with Debbie Reynolds in HalloweenTown was probably one of the best things that’s ever happened to me as a person, as a professional. It’s just something that I’ll never forget – especially getting to work with her on multiple films. The best way that I could describe Debbie is that she never seemed to take a minute off.  And from the moment anyone saw her, she was at eleven with all this energy – going from joke to joke but then would sit down with you and then give you this worldly sage advice. She was always there, always present. She wasn’t one of those people who go off to their trailer between takes. She was there with us, part of the family – and that’s what it was. As soon as Debbie showed up, we were all family. She made us all feel so comfortable with each other and there was literally never a dull moment with her. There was so much to learn.
I miss her all the time. She became so much like a real grandmother. I lost my grandmother a few years prior, so when Debbie passed, it was like losing my grandmother all over again. She was amazing… She would go around introducing herself as, “Princess Leia’s mother.”
When she introduced herself to Emily* for the first time, she said, “Hello, I’m Princess Leia’s mother. Do you know who Princess Leia is?”
Emily said, “No.”  Debbie said, “Well then I’m just some crazy old woman.”

*Emily Roeske played Sophie Piper in the HalloweenTown series alongside
J. Paul Zimmerman who played Dylan Piper.

Used with permission from J. Paul Zimmerman

That’s amazing. Snapping back to geeky things.
What are some of the geeky activities you partake in?
I love LEGOs. LEGOs, Magic: the Gathering, and Dungeons & Dragons when I’m lucky enough to be invited. I’m also a film geek. I’ve always wanted to be an artsy director like Stanley Kubrick or David Lynch.

Was there a time when you had to pick yourself back up whilst chasing your ambitions? Can you tell me about that time?
The time I had to pick myself up was a few years ago… I had retired from acting after fifteen years so I could travel and see if there was anything else I wanted to do. Eventually I realized I missed acting. I needed to come back but it took some time to save up and find a place. Then I reconnected with old friends who got me regular jobs and theatre gigs until I found my stride again…Getting started in this town is not easy, and I wouldn’t be where I am without the support of my friends.

Do you have a favorite quote that inspires you?
I always find comfort in the words of Bill Hicks: “Matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration, we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we’re the imagination of ourselves.”

What projects are you currently working on?
I am currently not working on any projects at this time but I am hoping to do some more theatre in the next couple of months. But for right now, I’m trying to catch up on some writing. I’m writing a sci-fi play that I would like to finish this year. I have a couple of screenplays in progress, TV series, and ideas for more screenplays that I’d like to make some progress on while I have the free time.

Where can people find you on social media?
Instagram: JPaulZim & Dr.Zimmerman
Twitter: @JPaulZim
Facebook: JPaulZim

Geeks of the Week: Mikayla Wiseman and Chad W. Wood

by Deidra Kathleen

Where are you from, originally?
Mikayla: I was born in Aurora, Nebraska, and grew up in North Platte, Nebraska.

Chad: Lancaster, CA, born and raised. It’s a medium-sized town in the middle of the desert, specifically an area known as the Antelope Valley. The only thing we’re known for is Aerospace manufacturing and being near Edwards Air Force Base.

What’s your Hogwarts house? Why?
Mikayla: We’re both solid Slytherins! We may come off as Ravenclaws on the surface, but I think we’re the perfect embodiment of the Slytherin ambition and conviction to do everything in our power to succeed.

Chad: One hundred percent Slytherin, I think if you looked at us you might think “Oi, that big guy’s a Gryffindor and the wee lass is a Ravenclaw no doubt” but anyone that has spent more than five minutes with us knows that those don’t fit. We’re both interested in the long game, some might even call it the ‘scheme’, which is what I think sets us firmly into the Slytherin camp. We’re not just interested in the story that’s being told now, but the story that could be told a year from now, and how what we’re doing now is going to affect it. We’re ambitious, and determined, but we’re also at times impatient and blind to the work that needs to be done to succeed, which can be self-defeating.

How long have you known each other, including prior to becoming a writing duo? How did you meet?
Mikayla: Chad and I shared many classes together in the film program at the Art Institute of California – Hollywood. Our classmates actually tried to keep us separate at first, saying, “We can’t leave Chad and Talon* in the same room, or they’ll kill each other.”
For whatever reason, they felt our two personalities were too strong to get along, and I actually believed them at first. But once we were alone in a classroom together, I think we both recognized the other as someone who had the power in them to do incredible things. We joke about it now, because now we’re each other’s greatest supporters.

*Talon is Mikayla’s nickname

Chad: We’ve known one another since college. Talon already told you the story of our mutual friends keeping us apart, but she didn’t mention that the first project I helped her on was a Nerf commercial she and her group were shooting for class. Honestly, as my first interaction with her, it could not have gone worse. I thought her project was boring and uninspired, and I made my feelings known. It was a clash of ideas on one hand, but more importantly it was the small conflict that was going to lead us to talking. I don’t think we’d be friends without that conflict, without something to break our initial conceptions and get us to talk. Not the best start, but certainly something unique.

Used with permission from Chad W. Wood

When was the point you considered collaborating?
Mikayla: Chad and I worked on most of our film projects together with a group of our classmates. One of our earliest projects was a very ambitious web series headed by Chad, where we had a team of four writers. Once we realized this process wasn’t working, Chad dropped two of the writers, asking me to help him write the series. I was surprised, but happy that someone I saw as very driven and an insanely talented writer also recognized me as a talented writer he could work with. It gave me much-needed reassurance in my abilities, but even then, I don’t think we could have foreseen that our writing partnership would continue about eight to nine years later.

Chad: This was my fault. She mentioned the ill-conceived, though ambitious, series I wanted to work on. It was here that I first started working with Talon, and I think it was during these writers’ meetings that I realized my earlier conceptions were wrong. She wasn’t uninspired. She was timid and she needed a place to freely voice her ideas. More importantly, she was willing to tell me no, willing to put me in my place. I needed that. She’s kept me focused ever since, kept me working towards something. In return, I’ve helped her in anyway that was possible.
You see, I’m like a sorcerer, filled with wild magic firing it off in chaotic patterns, hoping to achieve something. Talon is a sage, quieter, more professional, more concrete knowledge, spreading her magic out in delicate flowing spells. She keeps me moving, I try and keep her inspired. It’s hard to explain, but we’re family now and I couldn’t ask for a better writing partner.

You mentioned having to drop a couple of writers for the best of one of your works, has there been another challenging moment in your life as a filmmaker that stands out to you where you had to pick yourself back up? How did that go?
Mikayla: No project we’ve ever worked on together has ever come without challenges or setbacks. Sometimes these are very external obstacles. Chad had his thesis film sabotaged when his U-haul full of film equipment was stolen the morning of the first shoot. But lately I think we have been holding ourselves back more than anything.
There have been many times where we’ve both said, “Maybe we should just give up. Maybe we’re not cut out to be writers,” but the next day we’re always asking, “Okay, what are we going to accomplish today?”
I’ve personally had to pull myself out of a very dark place where I couldn’t devote myself to any of my art because of how destroyed I was in spirit. But Chad was by my side through all of it, never letting me give up on myself or let me forget that I am still capable of amazing things. I think we’ve learned throughout all of this that we’re never going to be satisfied with our lives unless we’re creating and always moving forward.

Chad: We’re constantly coming against one challenge or another, either from exterior or interior forces. I think I must swear off writing entirely at least three times a year if not more, just convinced I don’t belong there. And of course there’s the problem – of trying to be a writer while maintaining a full-time job, being on the opposite [end] of the country as your writing partner, life in general getting in the way, debt, heartache, etc. I could go on, but suffice it to say – most people think writing is easy, because all you do is put pen to paper and go. But honestly, as a writer, you’re not just scratching down words, you’re telling a story, and if you want it to be any good – It’s going to be a lot of hard work.

Used with permission from Mikayla Wiseman (left).

What was this first collaborative web series about?
Chad: It was a fantasy show about a group of rag tag supernatural heroes fighting against things that go bump in the night, heavily focused on family.
Like Scooby Doo meets Supernatural.
It was overambitious for the knowledge base we had. But honestly, I look back and see the fun we had.

Do you two lean towards a certain genre?
Mikayla: In the simplest terms, Chad is the sci-fi guy and I’m the fantasy fan. Sometimes our differences are very obvious in the genres and types of stories that inspire us. But we also complement each other’s skills very well, and this is just one place where our duality can be seen. Overall, I think we agree in that stories have the power to shape our world and touch lives, so even if we have different interests, we both want to write meaningful stories.

Chad: I live for sci-fi. Ideally I think it should inspire you, make you wish for something better for humanity and lead you towards a new line of adventure. Fantasy definitely has its place, and some of the best stories are based deeply in fantasy. But the one thing I think we both agree on is that character transcends genre. We both love a game called Persona, which is a little sci-fi and a little fantasy, but the characters are so good they could exist almost anywhere and I think we’d still love them.

What would be your dream project to work on, whether already made or one of your own?
Mikayla: It doesn’t matter what the project is. If we do one dream project, I hope the next one will also be our dream project. I think we know now that we work best when we work together, so I just want to keep that momentum going every day until we can’t write anymore.

Chad: This is a tricky one – I think if it was one of our own, I’d love to see the comic we’re working on turned into an animated series. I want so desperately for our characters (or our kids as we often call them) to come to life. I want to hear them speak and sing and cry and laugh and all the wonderful moments of growth we can muster.
If it’s one that’s not original, then I’d have to say I’d love to turn MechWarrior into a television series. I’ve got a lot of love for that franchise, and the story is a crazy combo of hardcore warfare, giant robot battles, and Game of Thrones levels of intrigue. Honestly, I think whoever decides to finally tap that potential first is going to make bank.

Used with permission from Mikayla Wiseman (right).

If you had advice to give to fellow creatives just starting out, what would it be?
Mikayla: Believe in yourself and your power to do great things. I’m a very strong believer in that if you want something, you can always make it happen. The only way it won’t happen is if you give up. Just stay focused and do whatever it takes to keep working toward your goals, and you’ll get there. The hardest part is believing you can.

Chad: Find a good writing partner, someone that can tell you no, someone that can question you, someone that will listen and debate, possibly most importantly, someone that will never get tired of listening to you about your stories. These absolute brilliant members of your team are worth more than gold.

What is one of your favorite inspiring quotes and written by whom?
Mikayla: “Never give up on a dream you’ve been chasing all of your life.” – Park Jimin, BTS.

BTS started from nothing and became who they are, despite all odds against them, through hard work, pure passion, and a dream that they could be something more. They inspire me to live for myself every day.

Chad: I have a dark sense of humor when it comes to quotes, most of my favorites are things like, “One death is a tragedy, a thousand is a statistic.”
But, one of my teachers from college told me on my last day of school, while referring to my thesis. ‘If you can go through what you did on your thesis and bounce back with something like this, you’re going to do just fine.’
Time has probably stolen the true words from me, but the meaning, that idea that I was strong enough to bounce back from all of my equipment and props being stolen, and still come out with something good enough to show. That if I just kept that tenacity, I’d do fine.
That idea has always stuck with me, and to this day makes me keep working so that one day I’ll be able to call that teacher up and say, “Look LeMond, I did it.”

What geeky activities do you partake in?
Mikayla: My first inspiration came from the books I read as a child, everything from Harry Potter to literary classics like Alice in Wonderland. Now I consume media in all forms (video games, films, anime and manga, music, you name it) but am in a place now where I’m trying to create more than I consume. That doesn’t take away the passion I have for other people’s art, but I’m trying to be just as passionate about my own art now as I am learning to love myself and believe in my ability to change the world.

Chad: Oh, I’m a big ol’ geek no doubt. I play all manners of games from video games to board. I play card games and role playing games. A friend and I even have a project in the works for an RPG adventure audio play of sorts. I read comics, science fiction, and fantasy novels. I love Star Trek, cartoons, anime, and more. Recently I’ve started getting into playing Warhammer 40k – painting the figures is kinda therapeutic in its own way. But yeah, I’m pretty deep into most geek culture and am always looking for more. But to echo Talon – I’m much more interested in adding to it at this stage in my life. And once we get something going, the avalanche that follows will, I think, change the game for geeks in the years to come.

Geek of the Week: Victoria Whitlow LouAllen

by Deidra Kathleen

Where are you from?
Alabama

What started your passion for makeup?
Was there a particular moment you realized that this was what you wanted to do creatively?
I’ve always been really into art. I started out as a portrait artist, but I was always looking for new creative outlets. I began my makeup career almost by accident, I had several friends ask me for Halloween makeup ideas and how to accomplish that kind of look. I decided to upload a few looks that I created to my Instagram and was noticed by Anastasia Beverly Hills and it all took off from there.

Venom, Used with permission from Victoria Whitlow LouAllen

What are your geeky hobbies?
Video games, Dungeons and Dragons, reading, and writing short stories and poems are a few of my favorites! I find that they are a way for me to de-stress and/or express myself creatively.

Who are a couple to a few artists you would absolutely LOVE to work with – as in do makeup together or do their makeup?
There are so many artists that I look up to but a couple that I would absolutely love to work with would have to be: Claudia Soare (Norvina) and Jaclyn Hill.

Used with permission from Victoria Whitlow LouAllen

You’re due for a lil’ geek of your own here soon – do you have a name picked out? How’d you come up with it?
Yes, in just a few short weeks we will be welcoming our first child into the world. We decided on the name, Michael Artorias LouAllen. We plan to call him, Artorias or Art for short. His first name comes from my husband’s father and the name Artorias is from one of our favorite video games, Dark Souls. We have also named our pup, Sif after Artorias’s great wolf.

Was there ever a time you got dismayed about your goals but then something happened to turn life around? If so – what happened?
Putting yourself out there on social media always has its downsides, there are always going to be people who respond to you negatively and it can be extremely difficult to brush off those comments. I try to stay true to myself and my passion for what I do. Someone once told me that when a person lashes out at you in such a hateful way, especially to someone they don’t know, it says more about them than it does about you. That has really stuck with me and has helped me get through a lot of the negativity.

What is your Hogwarts house and why?
I was sorted into Slytherin House when I took the test on Pottermore but I’ve always had a strong feeling that’s where I would be placed. I am very ambitious and push myself to achieve any goals that I may have.

Since I obviously know you’re a huge Potterhead too, I’ll ask – which character is your favorite out of either the books or movies? Why?
That’s a hard one! There are several characters that I found myself drawn to throughout the series. I don’t think I have a particular favorite, but Hermione is one of them. She is driven and self-confident even when others look down on her.

Used with permission from Victoria Whitlow LouAllen

So, I think there was a time you were considering being a tattoo artist.
Are you still considering this?
There was a time that I wanted to become a tattoo artist but I was able to spend some time actually practicing with the equipment and quickly realized that it just wasn’t for me.

I know you were thinking of bringing your artistry to YouTube alongside of your Instagram work – is this still a plan?
Yes! I didn’t realize just how much went into creating videos, so it has been a longer journey than I originally expected. I’m trying to learn all the ins and outs of the equipment and editing software.

Do you have any advice for fellow makeup artists just starting out?
It’s easy to get consumed by the amount of likes and followers, especially in the beginning. Try not to focus on the numbers and continue to post what you are passionate about.

Where can people find you on social media?
My Instagram page is @VictoriaWhitlow.



Geek of the Week: Cedric Gegel, Creator of Cadia: A World Within

by Deidra Kathleen

Devastated by the loss of their mother, three teenagers discover a mystical realm where they must attempt to work together and overcome evil to return home. (Cadia: A World Within)

What inspired you to write Cadia? How did you come up with the idea?
I was in a musical with Keegan, Carly, and Tanner (our lead actors) and was trying to distract them backstage by coming up with movie plots. They really liked this one, so I took a few months, which became years, to write it out. I was heavily inspired by Harry Potter, Narnia – those mythical tales of hope in the face of darkness. I think those stories need to be told.

What do you want audience members to take away from seeing your film?
I just want the message of hope to go with them. It’s a story that encourages belief in the goodness of people. It’s definitely a film about faith, but one we wanted to keep inclusive to all people. We worked very hard, incidentally, to validate those who might have doubt in their faith journeys. To me, that’s an intrinsic element of faith. The two must coexist. So, in short, I’m hoping people walk away feeling loved and feeling like there is hope. I hope they walk away asking questions – I don’t have all the answers – and having meaningful conversations about what faith looks like in the face of doubt and pain.

How did you go about casting?
Did you already have certain actors in mind whilst writing?
I was definitely involved. One actor that I very much had in mind when writing was Corbin Bernsen in the role of Grandpa George, so I’m sure you can imagine my absolute joy when we signed him on to the film. As for James Phelps, I hadn’t at all thought of him, but when his name came up I instantly realized he was perfect for the role (which, for the record, he was). I always tend to write for certain actors, but that’s more to capture a certain voice or physicality. I feel like it gives my characters a space from which they can grow. We had online submissions and live auditions. I think our cast came from a fairly even mix of both. Some people had been in dozens of films while some had been in none. All of them were superb.

What – if any geeky hobbies do you partake in?
“If any.” Ha. You’re speaking to the Grand Champion of the Pokemon League, the Dragonborn, a pure Hufflepuff, a grey Jedi if there ever was one, the Ringbearer himself! I’m a big gamer. I once beat Pokemon Ruby with six level one hundred Mudkip. Love Skyrim. I played Quidditch in college – I was the captain of our team (for the record, we never lost a single game). I keep two lightsabers on my desk at all times. I just reread Lord of the Rings and fell back in love with Middle Earth. I’ve been told I’m doing my first Dungeons and Dragons session soon. I foresee myself as a bard, since I can’t keep my mouth shut or focus my energy.

James Phelps, Cadia

When did you know you wanted to be in the film industry?
I grew up wanting to perform. I always thought I wanted to be a singer or something, but I actually recently found a paper I wrote in sixth grade where I said that I was going to be an actor and filmmaker, so I guess it was around then. Seems weird to think about that, since I hadn’t even done a musical or anything at that point, but I guess it was in my heart. My parents encouraged us to perform and took us to dance lessons and everything, so it’s just a part of our family’s DNA. My siblings are ridiculously talented – Tori (my older sister) was wonderful at ballet, Salon (my twin sister) got a degree in dance and is also a strong actor, alongside having a great mind for business and working on Cadia as a script supervisor, and Austin (my younger brother) is a crazy good actor and singer. Honestly, he’s better than me. My father is a very funny actor on stage and has a nice baritone/bass voice, and my mother is a really nice alto. I’m really very lucky to have them all and have them be so supportive.

What is your Hogwarts house ?
Good gosh, I’m the dictionary definition of a Hufflepuff. I’m goofy. I’m loyal, sometimes to a fault. I strive to be honest. I love food. My name is Cedric, for heck’s sake. I think my secondary house would be Ravenclaw. I’m not smart enough to be a Slytherin and not dumb enough to be a Gryffindor. Yeah, I said it!

What advice would you give to fellow aspiring fantasy filmmakers?
Tell the story you want to tell. Fantasy means so many things to so many different people… It doesn’t need to have dragons. If it does, sick. I’ll watch it. But it doesn’t need it. To me, the fantasy element comes down more to the memorable characters and the elements of the world you’re creating. In Cadia, we see a world of hope and light and humor and anger and all the things we see in our own world, except these people are unfettered from society’s expectations. They’re free to be honest with themselves. They all legitimately believe in their mission – good or evil. Write the story you want to write. Make the magic you want to. It’s your world, dang it, and if people don’t like it, they can go home. Cadia isn’t to the scale of Narnia or Middle Earth, but it’s pure magic compared to Skia (our world in the Cadia universe).

Where can we see Cadia?
[It’s] currently being negotiated. We should have an answer soon. Keep your eyes open and follow us on social media to stay updated!

Instagram: CadiaFilm
Facebook: CadiaFilm

Geek of the Week: Neal Fischer, Producer of Sushi Girl

by Deidra Kathleen

When did you first know you wanted to be in the film industry?
I always knew I wanted to be a storyteller of some sort, be it film, TV, comic books, gaming, etc. And now it’s all interconnected anyway, so it’s perfect. I started writing short fiction, mostly fantasy, sci-fi, and superhero stuff when I was in second or third grade. I would also write “fan-fiction” of Norse, Greek, and Egyptian myths, basically follow up stories to established myths. Then I discovered D&D. I also started writing and drawing my own comic books. But I didn’t actually decide to focus on film until I was living in Japan, which had also been a dream of mine since I was ten years old.
So, at twenty-eight, I came back from Japan and moved out here to Hollywood to make that dream come true as well.

How would you describe your journey from the time above to creating Sushi Girl?
I had been working in nearly all aspects of film for nearly 10 years before Sushi Girl came along. Screenwriter, actor, producer, PA, talent manager, casting associate, development executive, etc. So when my buddy Kern Saxton wrote and wanted to direct for a micro-budget, I saw it as a bigger project, and jumped in as producer to finance it, help reshape the script, get a known cast, find the perfect location to film, etc.

Used with permission from Neal Fischer

Out of your own projects, which would you say is your favorite and why?
Sushi Girl. Because it was my first real film baby. And the entire cast, core creative team, and most of the crew are still like family. In fact, we just did a special screening a few weeks ago and nearly the entire cast showed up. And just yesterday quite a few of my Sushi Girl family came to my birthday party, some from different parts of the state. I am blessed. 

What projects are you currently working on?
There are several projects. I am producing a documentary on the film and martial arts legend, Sonny Chiba, and [it] will go into production soon.  I manage him in the US, so he is on board and excited about it. I am also making a new company with a close friend, and we have several projects currently in the works. We will be making official announcements early next year.   

Sonny Chiba, Neal Fischer
Used with permission from Neal Fischer

When do they [your projects] come out?
Some will come out next year, some the following year. Some will take several years to develop, finance, film, go through post-production and then distribute so everyone has access to them.

Where are you originally from?
I was born in California, but was primarily raised in the Midwest, Iowa and South Dakota mostly.

Used with permission from Neal Fischer

Is there a certain geeky event or film that you are looking forward to the most in 2020?
No. Life now is one massive nerdgasm. One awesome con after another. One great film after another.  Mind-blowing comics, both new titles and old are hitting shelves monthly. [The] same can be said for video games, new table top boardgames, and RPGs… And let’s not forgot where it all started for me – Dungeons and Dragons! So, I am loving life! There is so much to look forward to. And so much inspiring creativity and craftsmanship!

What geeky activities do you partake in?
I dabble in all of it. But my favorites are Dungeons and Dragons, in fact I just had a D&D birthday party… I also run a vampire LARP. And of course, quite a bit of my job also falls into “geeky activities” territory.

Neal Fischer, Samuel Hadida
Used with permission from Neal Fischer

What is a challenge you have faced that you think helped better you as a creator?
The beauty of filmmaking is that it is so collaborative. It must also keep up with the times, or even lead it. So, I am constantly learning, adapting, growing, on many levels. But I would say most recently the sudden and unexpected passing of my former boss, Samuel Hadida. I had worked for him for twelve years as Head of Production and Development for Davis Films Los Angeles Branch and oversaw many great films (Silent Hill 2, Resident Evil 3-6, Solomon Kane, Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Lucky Day, etc.) and developed several film/TV franchises (Vampire Hunter D, Golgo 13, Wolfenstein, House of Night, etc.). He was my mentor, one of my best friends, was like family, and one of my greatest inspirations. The loss was devastating. But it also forced me out of my comfort zone, [to] get back on up on my feet, get back to my creative roots, and extra motivated to make him proud of me!

What is your Hogwarts house?
Æsir*. Oh, wait that’s Norse. I’m a Slytherin in the Harry Potter Wizards Unite game, if that counts.

*Æsir: A Nordic tribe of gods

What advice would you give to fellow geeky creatives just starting on their career paths?
Create, create, create. Don’t wait! There are so many ways to get started, from crowdfunding and self-publishing, to just putting your creations online. So, just create your stuff, and figure out how to get it out there as you go along. Obviously, if you know people who are already doing it professionally, ask them for specific advice to help avoid common pitfalls, but ultimately Yoda was right, “Do or do not, there is no try.” 

Neal Fischer at Comic-Con
Used with permission from Neal Fischer