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Your upcoming movie Erebus -
in a few words, what is it about, and what can you tell us about your
character in it?
I play Samantha, one of three people who investigate and document
haunted places. What did you draw upon to bring your character to
life, and how much of Ally Tully can we find in Samantha? I
love horror and hauntings and ghost stories, so this kind of thing appeals
to me greatly. Samantha was also written as kind of a wise ass which
is a character trait I have been told I may possess. How
did you get involved with the project to begin with? And to
what extent can you identify with the movie's horror theme? David
Langill [David
Langill and Kathleen Green interview - click here] and Rick
Laprade contacted me to play Samantha after I had worked with them on
Rick's first feature Villanelle. It was a great experience working
with them (I had worked with Dave Langill a couple times previously) and
the script they sent me was fantastic. In fact I was in interested
as soon as it was described to me. Scary stories to tell in the dark
was my favorite thing as a child and visiting the horror
section in my local video store was a weekly ritual growing up (I am
totally dating myself here). I was a weird kid. As an adult I
love the horror genre. It is pretty hard to scare me now but the
Erebus screenplay was an exciting read even for a desensitized, jaded
horror freak like myself.
What can you tell
us about your director Rick Laprade, and what was your collaboration like? Rick
is so funny, first of all. He's like a buddy that you like hanging
out with who also happens to know how to make movies and happens to do it
really well. Do
talk about the shoot as such for a bit, and the on-set atmosphere? I
would describe Rick and this crew as professional without pretense.
I was only on set for a short time but I had so much fun. Also, it
was great to hear stories from my friends who also worked on the film but
were in different stories and therefore different shoots. I highly
recommend working with these guys and would do it again in a heartbeat. Any future
projects beyond Erebus you'd like to share? Working
on a couple things but not really ready to discuss them yet. What
got you into acting to begin with, and did you receive any formal training
on the subject?
My love of acting started when I went to
see my sister in a play when I was six years old. It finally clicked
for me. That became my dream and I have been reaching for it ever
since. I was trained at the Stella Adler Conservatory as a teen and
continued training there during my first year of college. I have a
BFA from VCU in theatre performance and still take the occasional class at
different acting studios from time to time. Can you still remember your first time
in front of a movie camera, and what was that experience like?
Most of my training and experience was on the stage until I
moved to Boston. I have always been interested in film and
television work but I didn't work very often in front of a camera until
after college. When I got to Boston I worked both on stage and
started auditioning for film projects. It was lovely to find a
growing film community in New England.
What can you tell us about your filmwork prior to Erebus?
I still feel pretty green when it comes to film work. I have a
few films under my belt but I am still learning. Luckily I find all
aspects of film making fascinating and there is a lot to learn.
Over
the years, you've also done quite some stagework, right? So what can you
tell us about your career as a stage actress, and how does performing on
stage compare to acting in front of a camera? Performing is
incredibly frustrating and gratifying at once on stage and in film but in
totally different ways. A lot of stage work is about process.
Even after a show opens things can change. Both have every aspect
worked out on its own with various levels of collaboration during the
rehearsal process (the acting, direction, costume, lights, set, stage
management) and then smashed together and smoothed into place. In
theatre I think there is more time where we work out most of the kinks and
then we have performances that are like a dance that changes slightly
every night. There are usually a month or more of working with the
other actors and the director. Film is a more separate process as an
actor. We get the script, work on our character alone with little
outside input. You may get rehearsals with the other actors and the
director, you may not. Once you get to set the dance begins and
continues with each take and set up. The biggest differences are
process and, of course, the way in which you perform. I like working
on stage because I can be bigger and feed off the crowd's energy. I
like working on film because I can be smaller and nuanced. Both have
their benefits. Sorry for the long answer. You can probably
just use two of those run-on sentences. How would
you describe yourself as an actress, and some of your techniques to bring
your characters to life?
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That might be another long answer
that nobody wants to hear/read. It really depends on the role. Actresses
(and indeed actors) who inspire you?
So many. A stock
answer is probably someone like Meryl Streep who's work is consistently
good even when the material may not be as good. Honestly I enjoy
certain performances of some actors and feel inspired when someone really
nails it. For instance, I recently saw the movie Birdman and was so
turned on (as an actor) by pretty much everyone's work in that movie.
There have been singular performances by numerous actors throughout the
years who keep inspiring me to get better. A lot of the actors with
whom I have worked over the years have inspired me greatly. Your favourite
movies?
Far too many to name. I am kind of a movie
fanatic. That video store I frequented as a child, I ended up
working at as a teenager just so I could watch the latest movies as they
came out and my favorite flicks whenever I wanted. Man, I miss video
stores. ... and of course, films you really deplore? I
kind of love some of the movies I should hate. Anything else you are
dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask? Pizza. Thanks
for the interview!
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find Ally Tully at adultvideouniverse.com
