|
Your new movie Pickup
- in a few words, what is it about?
Pickup
tells the story of Megan, a
young wife and mom who lives a "perfect" life yet she suffers
from depression and an attachment disorder which manifests itself daily in
a sex addiction. A
sex addiction that is enabled by the growing social media landscape that
we all know so well.
How did the project fall together in the first place? I
had been studying acting , working in the indie film community and
auditioning for anything I possibly could for about ten years, but I was
struggling to find opportunities to be considered for great roles in high
quality productions. I was burnt out by all of the rejection and feeling
stuck, so one day my coach April Yvette Thompson suggested that I self
produce a film. It took me several months to get on board with the idea
but I finally took her advice. She was adamant that I hired the best
people I possibly could find for every job. She referred me to Jessica
Blank who I collaborated with on the story of the film. I then hired
Jeremiah Kipp [Jeremiah Kipp
interview - click here] who I had recently worked with on a feature film. From there
Jeremiah and I hand picked the entire cast and crew. The rest is history. What
were the challenges in bringing Pickup
to the screen from a producer's point of view? This was my
first time as a producer and it was certainly a learning experience on
many levels. The biggest hurdle in indie filmmaking is usually money,
mostly because those of us doing it are struggling artists. So there
were certainly financial challenges in getting the quality
of film that I wanted without having a large budget. I made sure to take
the time to do it right even if it meant holding off production until
I could afford the crew I wanted. We had a lot of location changes so
every minute counted and couldn't be wasted on set. We had one day in
particular when we had extremely limited time at the location. I remember
being near tears that a scene was going to have to be cut. Luckily my team
was extremely proficient and professional that everything worked out
beautifully.
You've
developed Pickup's
script together with Jessica Blank - so what can you tell us about her,
and what was your collaboration like? Jessica
Blank is a working actress in TV/film and also has some strong writing
credits (The Exonerated). When I was referred to her I had a brief
conversation about my goals for venturing into this project. The
collaboration with her was effortless. It started with a general theme of
sex addiction. In my research I had not come across much representation in
the film and TV world for this particular addiction, especially with a
woman protagonist. I knew when I created this film that I wanted it to be
something provocative that lingers. When she sent me the script I loved it
immediately. It was a fast process because we were on the same page with
what I was trying to accomplish. You also play the
lead in Pickup
- so what did you draw upon to bring your character to life, and to what
extent could you actually relate to your lead character, and the condition
she's in? I do believe that all addictions start with some
level of depression. Although this is a fictional story, I do have
experience with depression and anxiety in the past which is why I could
understand the depth and inner turmoil of Megan. Megan
is also very physical and speaks with her body and eyes. Growing up as a
dancer, I was extremely quiet and shy; my communication was through my
body. This connection to my physicality enabled me to feel very free to
express her life without actually saying much. I also worked with
actor/director Sebastian Tudores on my preparing a well fleshed out
character before getting to set. What can you tell us about the rest of your
cast, and as a producer, how much of a say did you have in casting?
For the role of Ben, Jeremiah reached out directly to Jim True-Frost's
agent. We hired casting director Erica Hart to find our child actor,
Griffin Faulkner. Most of the ensemble cast was hand picked from actors
I have known for quite some time. Because of the nature of the film, I
had to be sure to hire people that I could trust. I told Jeremiah who I
was thinking of for each role. We arranged meetings with each actor
and made the final decisions together. The remaining ensemble members
were referrals from associate producer Jen Rudolph and actress
Kaye Tuckerman.
What
can you tell us about Pickup's
director Jeremiah Kipp [Jeremiah
Kipp interview - click here], and what was your collaboration
like?
There
is a reason so many self producing actors hire Jeremiah
Kipp. He truly cares about actors and their process and how difficult it
is to be a self producing artist. He knows how to communicate
with the actor in a way that is sensitive and very clear. He is someone
who goes above and beyond his title of director. Jeremiah was so
invested in this project from day 1 that he put me at ease with any
concerns that I had. I knew that in the wrong hands this film could have
been a disaster. The combination of his direction and Eric Giovon's dark
yet sensitive and thoughtful cinematography made me feel safe and free
to really go for it.
Do talk about the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere? The
on-set environment was tense at times because of the demanding schedule.
However, everyone across the board was so professional and invested in
delivering their best work. I am extremely grateful to everyone involved. The
$64-question of course, when and where will Pickup
be released onto the general public?
At the moment we are focusing on the festival
circuit for Pickup and have not planned on a general public release. We
have gotten quite a bit of feedback that this should be made into a full
length feature film. The goal is to get Jennifer Connelly on board to
play the older version of Megan as we extend the life of this story.
Any future projects
you'd like to share?
I shot a sci-fi film as a scientist/robot earlier this year and recently
got to see the premier. I have been wanting to work in this genre for a
long time so it was an exciting bucket list experience. I also have a
few short films in the works for the fall. I will be working with
Jeremiah again and one of the ensemble members, Christopher Piccione on
a very intense and dark film about heroin addiction and a sci fi drama
about clones. I seem to have found my niche! I am also in discussion
with directors that I met at some of the film festivals about possible
future collaborations.
What got you into acting in the
first place, and did you receive any formal training on the subject? I
had been dancing professionally for many years as a Radio City Rockette
and when on a tour of a Broadway musical in Europe, I was encouraged by
the director to pursue acting when I returned to NYC. I read about
the Meisner technique and it sounded like a great way to get a solid
foundation. I studied at the Ward Studio for two years and then continued
(even to this day) to study with many wonderful mentors. At first I was
doing it to become a better stage performer, but then I found that I was
drawn to the intimacy of acting for the camera. I never had that big
show girl personality that belts out songs in public, so I realized my
energy was better suited for TV and film than Broadway musicals. What
can you tell us about your filmwork prior to Pickup?
I started doing film work in 2008. One of the first films I did was
at SVA and it was one of my best experiences to date. I lost count of
how many student films and ultra low budget indies I have done, all of
which made me a better actor even if they weren't always the best
experiences. In 2010 I had my first TV experience as a day player
on the soap opera One Life To Live.
Recent feature films that I am very proud of are Ceresia, which is
where I met Jeremiah on and got the opportunity to use my modern dance
experience, and Right of Way, which just screened last month in NYC.
Besides
acting, you can also be seen on the producing side of things occasionally
(like with Pickup) - why
is this, and what qualities are you looking for in films you choose to
produce?
This was my first time producing and my main goal was to get my work
seen as an actor. Although my priority right now is to build my acting
career, I am open to the idea of producing projects with excellent
writing. The writing is everything and more often than not, less is
more. I prefer scripts that are visual and are about the inner life of
the character and not so dialogue-heavy unless absolutely necessary
to tell the story.
How would you describe yourself as an actress,
and some of your techniques to bring your characters to life?
|
|
 |
 |
Feeling lucky?
Want to
search
any of my partnershops yourself
for more, better results?
(commissions earned) |
The links below
will take you
just there!!!
|
|
 |
|
As
an actor I have been told I am raw, yet polished and provocative. I think
that describes my work best, because while I am very well trained I am
also very messy and impulsive. I've always been more interested in playing
gritty, volatile characters than the stereotypical sexy leading lady.
My
technique always starts by being grounded in the the reality of the story
I am telling. Whether I can relate or not, I find a way into the character
by way of what affects me and not necessarily what I have experienced in
real life. And then it's all about listening and working off of the other
person.
I
also work very physically and use music to create a dance that informs my
character.
Actresses
(and indeed actors) who inspire you? So many but some
include: Rita Hayworth, Jessica Chastain, Michael Fassbender, Heath
Ledger, Michelle Williams, Sarah Paulson. Your favourite
movies? Some of my favorites are Dirty Dancing, Gilda,
The Goonies, Black Swan, Take This Waltz. ... and of course, films you really deplore? I
can't really think of any at the moment that I deplore! Your/your
movie's website, Facebook, whatever else?
My
personal website: mandyevans.net
Instagram:
instagram.com/mandyevansbrown/
The
film page: facebook.com/Pickup-117837455292085/
Thanks for the
interview!
Thank
you so much!!
|
amazon.com
amazon.co.uk
amazon.de
eThaiCD.com
