All posts by Lorraine Wilder

Actors, International Actor, Interview, Polish Talent

An Interview with Dazzling Polish Star Diana Matlak

September 20, 2015 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

We over at Tinsel Town News Now recently had the pleasure of interviewing dynamic Polish actress Diana Matlak, the captivating star who played Deena Kravitz in Aditya J. Patwardhan’s dramatic film Red House by the Crossroads, which screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, Sarah in Allen Obisesan’s film Beneath the Surface and Jenny in Yi Zhang’s film Packing Up. In 2015 alone Matlak starred in more than eight films, each one showcasing a different side of her unparalleled talent.

The kind of actress that captivates her audience with little effort, Diana Matlak has also been featured in several hit television shows including Bones, American Crime Story, The Real O’Neals, Scandal, Black-ish and many others.

Back home in Poland, Matlak was landed a role on Na dobre I na zle aka For Better or For Worse, a highly popular medical drama that is one of the country’s longest running series, as well as roles in two national commercials for Zywiec Beer and Vanish, a massive cleaning products company.

Matlak’s successful film and television career places her in the upper echelon of Polish actresses currently working in the entertainment industry internationally. One aspect of her talent that separates her from others in the industry is her long history as a professional Latin dancer, which has endowed her with a rare level of grace and an ability to move through scenes like few others can.

To find out how this inspiring artist got to where she is today, and what’s next for her in terms of upcoming projects, make sure to check out our interview below!

TTNN: Where are you from? When and how did you get into acting?

DM: I was born and raised in Poland. I got into acting after I finished my dancing career. I am a professional Latin dancer. I have been training and competing for 15 years. I have the highest, international Class in Latin, and after I finished dancing I started to teach. Even though I liked it, I felt empty and I wasn’t completely satisfied. I knew I had to be on stage. So I started taking different acting classes: theater, acting for film, Meisner etc., and I fell in love with acting and I knew that this is it. I landed an agent and started going out on auditions. I did a couple of commercials in Poland as well as a TV show and in 2012 I started considering coming to the US.

TTNN: Can you tell me a little bit about the film, television and commercials projects you’ve done?

DM: In Poland I was in a national Zywiec Beer commercial, which aired on all of the main Polish TV stations, as well as a commercial for Vanish cleaning products. Both times I had a blast on set. I played a patient on the Polish TV series Na dobre i na złe, (For better or For Worse), a medical drama series broadcast on TVP2. The show is currently on its 17th season, and with over 600 episodes, it is the longest-running primetime drama on Polish TV. The show revolves around the lives of doctors and patients in a hospital in Leśna Góra near Warsaw.

I played Deena Kravitz in the film Red House by the Crossroads directed by Aditya J. Patwardhan. The film follows Ester Kravitz, my character’s mother, whose husband was murdered during the Second World War at the hands of a fleeing Nazi officer, and as fate would have it, that officer’s estranged son, Edward Melies, is her doctor. The story is about a man’s face-off with the sins of his father and a woman’s contemplation for finishing the cycle of revenge.

My character was responsible for her mother, who was struggling with the illness and who couldn’t forget about what happened during the war. Deena was also responsible for her mentally sick, younger brother. My role was very demanding, because Deena was supposed to be a very strong young woman who helps her family, in fact she is responsible for the family, but it was a challenge because of all of the obstacles in her life, for example: the situation in the house, no father, a mentally ill younger brother and a sick mother. Deena was actually very sad and overwhelmed, but she never shows it.

In the film Stay directed by Yining Yan I played Lady in Red. The film has two parallel stories, one where a pregnant woman is having contractions with her husband standing by her side, and the other where the husband, who dresses like a detective, chases a drug-dealer. In the film, as the wife’s time-line goes backwards into the past, the husband’s time-line goes forward with the ending revealing that the detective actually died in the mission and chose to stay with his wife as a ghost. My character, which is the couple’s neighbor, watches the sees the detective get shot and does everything she can to save his life.

I played the leading lady in the music video for Gaurav Bhatt & Shikha Bhatt hit song “Katra- Katra,” which was directed by Aditya J. Patwardhan. The video revolves around a girl who finds unfinished sheet music on the beach. She is very intrigued and curious about the composer that created it and she wants to finish the piece. She is almost obsessed with finishing it. She meets a friend and tells him that it looks like the composer couldn’t express the feelings he wanted to, and when she finally finishes the music, she meets the composer.

In the film Bring me flowers directed by Siru Wen I played the lead role of Emma, a former photographer who works in a brothel. Emma suffered from depression for years; and when her boyfriend, the biggest love of her life, breaks up with her she doesn’t know what to do, her depression only gets worse until she finally decides to start working in a brothel. She hates it. She is very unhappy, and doesn’t know how to deal with all of the issues she has. Ultimately she wants love and understanding. Sage comes into the brothel and develops feelings for her and slowly falls in love with her. But she still thinks about her ex boyfriend. Emma likes Sage but everything reminds her of her ex boyfriend. Emma is overwhelmed and she doesn’t know what to do, and finally depression wins. She decides to finish her life committing suicide. While Sage is in her room she jumps out of the window.

I was also in the films Mac Daddys Vegas Adventure directed by Mac Jay, Perfect Illusion, a comedy directed by Allen Obisesan, Dead Heart directed by Ogemdi Udegbumam, Speak Softly, a dramedy directed by Chad Figuredo, Something good and Packing up directed by Yi Zhang, With You directed by Colin Yan, Beneath the Surface directed by Allen Obisesan, Touch directed by Rishab Gulati, Shameless directed by Monique Oberholzer, Bethany directed by James Cullen Bressack, Buddy Solitaire, a comedy directed by Kuang Lee, Cans and Candles directed by Tarak Ojaghi, Restoration, a horror film directed by Zack Ward, Coincidental Romance directed by Joseph Brandon and Roller Coaster directed by Bradley Howkins.

I’ve also been featured on the television shows Scandal, Bones, American Crime Story, The Real O’Neals, Black-ish, Heartbreaker, Rosewood and Grace and Frankie.

In terms of commercials outside of Poland, I’ve been in major international campaigns for Greetings from Europe – EXPO 2015, Heineken Beer, and a Super Bowl commercial for Chambord. I was also in music videos for the artists Arash, and Neo.

TTNN: They are all very different, what made you choose to participate in these projects?

DM: All of the projects are very different, but they have one thing in common – all of them are very interesting. The scripts are well written, the stories are exciting and the people working on these projects are fun to work with, but at the same time very professional.

TTNN: You get approached all the time to work on projects with people, what makes you pick one role over another?

DM: I always read the script first, and then if I like the story and my character, most of the time I’ll want to do the project. For me stories are very important.

TTNN: What has been your favorite role so far and why?

DM: It is a very difficult question because over the course of my career I’ve played a lot of challenging roles. But there are some roles that because, either they were more challenging than others, or because I had more fun with them, they became my favorite.

I enjoyed playing the depressed girl from Bring me flowers because it was really challenging, it was so dark and I had to find these dark situations within my character. I am not a pessimistic person, instead I am super optimistic and I always trying to find a positive side, so it was really challenging to play this character, because she is so different from who I am. I stayed very focused on set– always with headphones on just trying to get into my dark place… I had a lot of fun and it was a great lesson for me.

My second favorite role was Hannah from Coincidental Romance. This role on the other hand was very challenging, because the character was very similar to me. Hannah is a dancer and she wanted to pursue her dancing career in Los Angeles, but after her boyfriend breaks up with her and she gets depressed, it is very difficult for her to move forward… It was really very interesting to play this role, because even though the character and I had a lot of in common, Hannah is a different person, she’s not me. I remember when I was preparing for the role I had to find Hanna’s motivation and her unique objective in life.

TTNN: What is your favorite genre to work in as an actor?

DM: I like all genres. I worked on comedies, horrors and dramas, and I’ve had fun with all of them. Comedies are always fun to work on because the atmosphere is really great. When it comes to dramas, I like to get really deep into my character, so many times I listen to music on set so I can stay focused and concentrate…I’ve worked on two horror films so far, and I would like to work in this genre more as well.

TTNN: What separates you from other actors?

DM: I think that every actor is very unique and exceptional. I know I have a lot to offer as I am a professional Latin dancer, as well as a fitness, aqua aerobic and snowboard instructor. I have trained as a downhill skier for 8 years and I also studied Physical Education at the Academy of Physical Education in Warsaw. I am a sports teacher as well. I have been training Stage Combat for a year and I am really fit. I speak several different languages including Polish, German, English and basic Russian, and I can also do Russian, German and Polish accents.

TTNN: What would you say your strongest qualities as an actor are?

DM: I think the fact that I am committed and hardworking, and that I always prepare for my roles really sets me apart. I am not afraid of preparing for my roles, and I really take my time. I use different acting techniques to create the best character I can. I love to rehearse. I’ve also travelled a lot, and got to know different cultures and interesting people, which I think is very important for actors, because we have to portray people that are often so different from us. I am always open to learn, I observe people and try to learn from them and understand their behavior.

TTNN: What projects do you have coming up?

DM: In December I will be in a music video, directed by Aditya J. Patwardhan. I worked with Aditya on two projects, and I think that he is a great director. I can’t wait. Red House by the Crossroads, a drama that I was in, which was written and directed by Aditya J. Patwardhan, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2015. I am very excited to start working with Aditya again. In January 2016 I will be playing one of the leads in Lotta-ditsy flirt, a film directed by Stephanie Nauli.

TTNN: What are your plans for the future?

DM: My plans are to act, act and act. I love being on set, and I plan to work as much as possible, and of course audition, because without auditioning getting a role is pretty hard. I still take classes at Ivan Chubbuck Studio and I want to continue taking classes, because I think as an actor it is very important to work on your craft all of the time.

TTNN: What do you hope to achieve in your career as an actor?

DM: I would love to make beautiful movies, tell amazing stories and work with great actors and directors. I would love to get challenging roles.

TTNN: Why is acting your passion and chosen profession?

DM: I must say that I never thought that I would become an actress, but acting chose me, and I am very happy that happened. I love my job. I love everything about it: studying the roles, working on sets and even the entire audition process. The best part is, that I get to portray different characters

Actors, Actress, Canada, Film

From “Swearnet: The Movie” to “The Man in the Shadows,” Sarah Jurgens is an Actress We Love to Watch

September 15, 2015 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

Sarah Jurges — Actress Sarah Jurgens in “The Man in the Shadows” taken by Andrew Cymek

For all the fans that feel a bit sad every time an episode of the hit show Trailer Park Boys ends after only 30 minutes, the release of Swearnet: The Movie probably came as quite a delight. Distributed by E1 Films Canada, Netflix and Dada Films, the 2014 release of the film Swearnet: The Movie pulled together the stars of Trailer Park Boys, with the added bonus of Tom Green, Carrot Top and Sarah Jurgens, for 112 minutes of crude laugh out loud comedy.

When CNT denies the next season of their show due to offensive language, Mike Smith, Rob Wells, John Paul Tremblay and Patrick Roach decide to form their own television network known as Swearnet, a haven for all those anti-censorship swear-a-holics, who just can’t seem to curb their tongue.

It seems the boys are back on top, as long as Wells can keep the new network a secret from his psycho girlfriend Julie, played by Jurgens, who brings the perfect dichotomy of anxiety and comedy to the film. The epitome of that crazy, overbearing girlfriend we’ve all known at one time or another, Julie makes Wells’ life a living hell throughout the film.

“I anchored her destructive behavior in deep insecurity and an insatiable desire for attention and drama. It was such a blast to be able to run wild with her,” recalls Sarah Jurgens.

Most viewers will recognize Jurgens from her more dramatic roles on the television shows Covert Affairs, Lost Girl, Republic of Doyle and Beauty and the Beast, but we get to see a totally different side of her in this film.

About working on Swearnet: The Movie, Jurgens says, “The director, Warren P. Sonoda, created a working environment that was fast-paced and creatively freeing. We were often encouraged to stretch the boundaries of the characters behavior, and the improv really kept me on my toes.”

Viewers will have the chance to see Jurgens in a starkly different role than Julie in the psychological drama film The Man in the Shadows, where she plays the role of Rachel Darwin. The film revolves around Jurgens’ character, a newlywed photographer who is haunted by a mysterious man in the shadows who continually appears wearing a brimmed hat.

Based on hundreds of accounts from people around the world who have had similar experiences with this mysterious presence, The Man in the Shadows premiered recently at the Dances with Films Festival in Los Angeles and is slated to screen again at the Cinefest Sudbury International Film Festival on September 22.

“‘The Man In The Shadows’ gave me the permission to explore the experience of being haunted, hunted and stalked,” explains Jurgens. “I was given the opportunity to live in a state of mental unraveling. I enjoyed the challenge of playing a character who was wrestling with truth and illusion, experiencing the slippage of her own sanity.”

The film was also chosen as an Official Selection of the 2015 SCARE-A-CON Film Festival where Jurgens is nominated for a Best Actress Award, and the film is nominated for a Best Feature Award.

Uncategorized

RazoracK Takes EDM to New Heights

September 9, 2015 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

Multi-instrumentalist musician, composer and producer Omri Efrat has been making waves with his innovative cross-genre style of electronic music for years, both in his native Israel and in the U.S. At the age of just 11, Efrat began working with digital compositions, combining samples and loops while still in grade school. In addition to creating and performing his original work under the stage name RazoracK, he uses his years of experience to produce work for artists whose styles range from electronic dance music to metal to traditional rock.

As a producer, Efrat has worked with a wide array of performers, including the immensely popular Israeli progressive metal band Distorted Harmony. Formed in 2009, the band has attained a huge following and immense success, and their album Utopia was nominated for Classic Rock Magazine’s Progressive Music Award for New Blood. Efrat said working with Distorted Harmony was fun and gave him a chance to mesh his unique style with theirs.

“I love to work with people from the metal community, they’re very open minded and enthusiastic about new ideas and new directions,” Efrat said. “When I was working with them I tried not to step on any toes and not to take over the production, but to be part of the band, which worked out great because everyone was very pleased with the fusion that we created.”

Efrat plays drums and keyboard and performs vocals, all of which he incorporates into much of his own work. His compositions encompass the full spectrum of electronic dance music, and while the common roots of those compositions are grounded in EDM their varied styles defy genre conventions.

“I feel like the EDM scene tends to sound very monotonic,” he said. “I wanted to prove that you can have EDM elements, a groove you can dance to and hard-hitting sounds, but at the same time you can have a story, a purpose and something of which to relate to.”

The massively popular EDM-centric YouTube channel VitalFM described Efrat’s work as “RockStep,” a label Efrat embraces but believes is too narrow. More often than not his work falls outside the dubstep category, and he prides himself on his genre-blending approach to composing and recording.

“I like the term ‘Electronic Rock,’” he said. “They’re rock songs – they all have a story and a meaning – they’re just built with electronic elements instead of traditional instruments.”

Showcasing his ability to work adaptively around artists’ personal styles, Efrat recently produced Israeli musician Evyatar Sivan’s EP Inside the Abalone. His touch can be felt on the title track, which centers around Sivan’s vocals and soft guitar but bears the mark of electronic ambiance, with a subtle chamber-like echo and rich harmonies.

“After some experimenting with sound design and different instruments we ended up having really huge and epic productions with many different and exotic instruments and it really gave a deep and unique tone to the production,” Efrat said. “We used a broken flute for the end of one of the songs and it sounded really weird at first, but after experimenting with different effects and secret sound design tricks we ended up with something that sounded like a war horn.”

That innovative, outside-the-box approach is what Efrat loves the most, and is perhaps his strongest asset as a producer. With each performance and artist collaboration, his repertoire grows and his style becomes even more distinct. Such a multi-faceted skillset is rare in a musician, and rarer in a producer, so Efrat has understandably become a hot commodity.

International Creative Talents, Producer

“Being AP” Producer Richard Moore Continues Production on the Film “The Baby Killers”

August 25, 2015 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

After producing the documentary feature film Being AP, which focuses on the life and work of one of the most renowned jockeys in history, AP McCoy, producer Richard Moore continues his work on the upcoming documentary film The Baby Killers.

Directed by Alex Grazioli, the director of the film Odyssey in Rome starring Oscar Award winning actress Juliette Binoche, The Baby Killers will bring to light the dramatic true story of La Stidda, a Sicilian-based mafia group.

According to Moore, the film “documents the meteoritic rise of a clan of twenty teenagers in Gela the south of Sicily during the 80s, who after having been denied entry into the Cosa Nostra decided to start there own mafia faction known as La Stidda, which was more dangerous, more ruthless and more evil than anything before them.”

In the early 1990s, La Stidda waged a brutal war on the Sicilian Mafia, Cosa Nostra, a war, which according to Cosa Nostra News led to over 300 deaths. In Gela, Siciliy La Stidda recruited children who would come to be known as “The Baby Killers,” due to their young age and ruthless murder sprees.

“I took trip out to Sicily in April last year and was introduced through a Sicilian author to Orazio Vella who at the time was the youngest baby killer and murdered his first string of people at the age of 14,” recalls Moore. “After being arrested at 18 from years of murders, racketeering, drugs and prostitution, Orazio managed to escape a prison sentence after turning states evidence.”

Through the upcoming film, which Moore is producing with Unit9, audiences will witness first hand accounts of the violence inflicted on the people of the city and other mafia members from the perspective of former La Stidda members, and key features that made the organization far more dangerous than practically any other that came before.

Moore is a master of the game when it comes to producing projects that are both engaging and informative, hence his history of success producing documentary films. However, he has also brought to life shorter form projects that are just as informative and entertaining as his the feature-length productions.

“My goal in everything I work on is to produce a piece of work I can truly be proud of, which is incredibly difficult but it’s the challenge and risk that makes it so exciting. I like many other young producers fell in love with films because of directors like Bernardo Bertolucci, Paul Thomas Anderson and Martin Scorsese,” says Moore. “When I first started in the industry and began to understand who it was that put these epic films together and the tasks and difficulties they went through to make these scripts a reality, it truly inspired me.”

Earlier in his career, Moore served as the senior producer of the Google funded online docuseries Line 9, an extreme sports series that brings audiences some of the most compelling stories from inside the world of BMX, surfing, snowboarding and skateboarding led by Fergal Smith, Harry Main, Madars Apse and Stale Sandbech.

The series, which Moore produced with Bigballs Films, did exceptionally well thanks to Moore’s ability to not only manage the projects logistical and financial aspects, but more importantly, create, inspire and lead a great team.

His talent for understanding what a client is looking for in the end-product, build relationships with the right media outlets and infuse each work with a creative edge that is fascinating to its target audience has made him a sought after producer for a range of production companies and global clients. The mélange of Moore’s unparalleled capabilities as a producer can only be understood in full through an examination of the stark differences between all of the companies that he has worked with over the years.

“In the past I’ve predominantly worked with three very different production companies,” explains Moore. “Partizan, which has been running since the early 90s and is led by incredible directing talent and great ideas fundamentally. Bigballs Films, which works solely within sports media and programming… and Unit9, a tech-savvy contemporary hybrid production company that doesn’t have any barriers, they build software, apps, websites, 360 VR projects and films that live on any platform that exists today.”

While he was still a teenager Moore founded his own production company with Oliver Barron known as Mrs Grey. The company reached astonishing success in a relatively short time, and through the company Moore produced the music video for James Morrison’s “One Life,” which you can check out below, as well as several commercials and the television documentary Find the Torch.

Producer Richard Moore has undoubtedly secured himself as a top producer in the international entertainment industry; and, as the feature documentary prepares for its world premiere, which will take place next month at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, and production continues on The Baby Killers, audiences around the world can continue to expect great things from this rare talent.

International Creative Talents, Producer

Producer Filippo Nesci Brings Captivating Stories to the Screen

August 24, 2015 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

Producer Filippo Nesci shot by Steve Dabal

Italian producer Filippo Nesci has established a career in the international entertainment industry that is as varied as it is impressive. With several multi-award winning films, documentaries, high-profile commercials and hit music videos already under his belt, Nesci has proven that his unparalleled talent as a producer make him a highly sought after leader in the industry.

In recent years, Nesci has produced the films The Carnival is on Fire, Lineman, Snippets of Wally Watkins, and Wrecks and Violins, as well as the music videos for Meg Myers’ “Monster” and KOAN Sound’s “80s Fitness.” He also produced the Clio Award winning commercial series for Lagavulin last year.

Directed by H.R. McDonald (Happy Birthday, Thomas), The Carnival is on Fire follows a young woman through the woods as she is stalked by a lustful but timid boy who disguises himself behind the trees that line their path whenever she turns around to face him. With beautiful imagery and a melancholic score, viewers witness the girl’s transition from childhood to adolescence through flashbacks as she reflects on the innocence she’s lost over the years.

The lighting included in the flashbacks of the film is magnificent; and, although a producer rarely has anything to do with lighting, in the case of The Carnival is on Fire, Filippo Nesci was an integral contributor to the unique lighting used in the film.

“I was aware that most of the art of the director had to do with his unique use of light. So, I thought that a professional I knew, who personally invents and builds equipment for cameras might invent a new equipment with lights that could be used specifically in this film,” recalls Nesci.

“Thanks to my very good and friendly relationship with this builder, I convinced him to do it having in mind two tasks, at the same time: a) make a tool that was able to generate a vortex of lights, b) make it nice, so that it could be filmed rather than go unnoticed, as usually happens to all camera equipment.”

Nesci’s ability to not only understand the needs and vision of his director, but also seek out the perfect people to make those ideas happen made The Carnival is on Fire a huge success, and the film went on to be chosen as an Official Selection of the Little Rock Film Festival in 2012.

Something that separates Nesci from the majority of other producers in the industry is that fact that he is passionate about changing the world through stories that touch audiences on an emotional level.

“All the projects for which I have been working as producer are very different indeed… However, they always have two factors in common: a) something intriguing from a psychodynamic point of view, b) something affective that really touches me at an emotional level,” explains Nesci.

“Be it a movie, a documentary, a music video, or even a commercial, I take the job only if there is a “narrative” quality in the project since I love stories: to tell stories, as well as to “view” and “listen” to stories.”

For him, a project’s emotional elements and its ability to tap into the viewers subconscious and cause them to contemplate ideas that extend beyond what is unfolding visually is a deciding factor in whether he will produce a project or not. What is even more astonishing however, is the fact that these characteristics are evident in the commercials he’s produced as well. Compared to the way the majority of commercials on television can be seen as shameless advertising, Nesci commercial projects to date shine brilliantly through the mediocre as nothing less than art.

As the producer behind the “Running Motivation” for Orange Mud, a California-based company that makes innovative athletic equipment, Nesci helped create a beautiful commercial for the company’s HydraQuiver hydration pack. The commercial follows a few different runners as they individually traverse some of the most captivating landscapes on the planet; and, no matter how far they travel, their no bounce hydration pack is always there to keep them hydrated.

You can check out the commercial Nesci did for Orange Mud below!

Review, Theater

“Laughing Wild” Theatre Review

July 14, 2015 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

Constantin Wenzel (left) and Samantha D'Alessio (right) on the flyer for "Laughing Wild" — Constantin Wenzel (left) and Samantha D’Alessio (right) on the flyer for “Laughing Wild”

Actors Constantin Wenzel and Samantha D’Alessio took the stage by storm last month in the production of Christopher Durang’s hilarious and relevant dark comedy “Laughing Wild” at the Let Live Theatre in Los Angeles.

The two-person show had an incredibly successful with four showings taking place in June as a part of the 2015 Hollywood Fringe Festival.

“Laughing Wild” director Kymberly Harris says, “The play is absurd and experimental and wacky as all get out, so I think it’s a very fun piece to have in a one-hour high energy dose at the Fringe! We are honored to be part of such an iconic and free spirited theatre festival.”

Both Wenzel and D’Alessio give knock out performances that will leave you laughing, quite possibly to the point of tears. The characters that these two bring to life, no matter how extreme they are, offer up a mirror of the neurotic thought processes we have all experienced at one point or another.

Harris explains, “The message of the play is that we effect each other, and in ways that are deeper than even we are consciously aware of sometimes. It is easy to judge someone’s exterior or to “judge a book by its cover”, without stopping to think about why people behave and respond the way they do.”

From Constanin’s character who attempts to draw conclusions regarding why other people do the things they do, to Samantha’s character, who desperately wishes to find a connection with others but whose extreme emotion-driven actions lead her to be viewed as crazy, we see how two completely opposite people suffer from a similar ailment: a disconnect in their relationships with, and understanding of, other people.

The play opens with a 15 to 20 minute monologue given by Constantin whose character wishes to share how a personality workshop on positive thinking has transformed his life; but through a forced smile and starch-stiff posture his palpable anxiety concerning the unpredictable nature of life tells a very different story.

As he lists depressing events like Chernobyl, national mass murder, and other occurrences that he feels make it impossible to stay positive, he quickly becomes engulfed in trying to make sense of a traumatic experience that took place in the grocery store earlier that day when an impatient woman knocked him over the head with her fist in order to get to a can of tuna fish.

Constantin’s character repeatedly tries to establish a positive mindset and become a “glass half full” kind of guy through deep sweeping breaths and affirmations, however upon the utterance of one affirmation he falls prey to a Freudian slip proclaiming: “this glass is not half full, it’s half empty!”

Correcting his mistake apologetically he soon fades off stage with the breadth of his dilemma unresolved, and Samantha D’Alessio moves into the spotlight.

An emotionally unstable woman, Samantha’s character engulfs our attention in a tangent ridden recounting of the events of her day, which come to reveal her as the woman from the store.

While her perspective on the grocery store debacle fails to make hitting a man out of the blue in order to get to the tuna seem any less crazy, her monologue helps us to understand that her drastic responses are just a side effect of a lack of connection with others and a life lived perpetually misunderstood.

With each being a player in the other’s dream, the two characters reconvene on stage reenacting the scenario from the store in a multitude of ways in an attempt to reconcile how the chain of events could have unfolded differently.

“I think the play speaks to the importance of empathy in today’s world, and that is what my concept for the play is- to create troubled characters who reject each other and slowly discover through compassion and truth that they actually need each other to become fully self realized,” explains Harris.

In the end, we see through these two characters that regardless of how messed up their thought processes are or however hysterical their actions, they can each find peace within themselves by allowing the space for understanding towards the other.

“Sam and Constantin had to be completely different types and energies for the play to work, in this case, she is kind of wild and untamed, and he is seemingly anxiety ridden and conservative, so when they come together there’s a lot of room to travel from dissonance to understanding. They have both entered into the worlds of their characters deeply so they can take this journey every night on stage.”

In addition to starring in “Laughing Wild,” Constantin, who is originally from Germany, has starred in the theatrical productions of “Vieux Carre,” “Sweet Charity” and “Motherfucker with the Hat,” as well as the films Think Like a Shrink, Johnny, Brooklyn Bridge, Luke and Ellis, and Electric Pink.

Samantha, who is originally from Canada, is known for her roles in the films Chess Club, The Broadcast, Lights Out, Teenage Counseling, and Sick Twisted Legend, as well as the stage production of “Roger World.”

These two diversely talented actors gave captivating performances that are sure to be talked about for years to come.

Production Designer

From Film to Fashion, Production Designer Claudia Simoes Sets the Tone

May 20, 2015 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

Born in White Rock, Canada, a small town just outside of Vancouver, production designer Claudia Simoes has used art across various mediums as a means of communication for as long as she can remember.

As a child, Simoes excelled as a painter, dancer and photographer; but if you had asked her at that time what she wanted to do in terms of a career, her answer would have vacillated between the various art forms she loved. In reality, none of them singularly held the potential to encompass all of her talents.

“I changed my mind so much as a kid I was kind of all over the place, I had wanted to be a dancer for a really long time I even thought of opening my own dance studio, but I was about 12 with that dream… I wanted to be a painter at one point – I had a crazy obsession with Frida Kahlo in high school,” says Simoes. “Everything that I had said I wanted to be always had something to do with art and entertainment.”

It wasn’t until Simoes attended the prestigious Vancouver Film School for visual art & design that the young creative found a funnel for all of her diverse talents through production design.

About discovering the career she was clearly destined for, Simoes explains, “It was a great feeling, I got insanely lucky to be able to find a career that combines everything I love, not everyone gets to experience that.”

One of Simoes’ first professional projects in the industry was the music video for Mackenzie Porter’s debut single “I Wish I’d Known.” As an integral contributor to the set and production design of the video, Simoes used her artistry to create a shabby chic look within an old warehouse that perfectly accompanied the sweet country style of the song.

After working with Simoes on the music video for “I Wish I’d Known,” production designer Caitlin Byrnes enlisted the young genius’s contributions on the feature film Preggoland.

Preggoland, which was released last year, starred Oscar nominated actor James Caan (The Godfather, Las Vegas, Elf, Middle Men, Get Smart) and multi-award winning actress Sonja Bennett (YPF, Random Acts of Romance, Stained, Rise of the Planet of the Apes).

The winner of the Best Screenplay Award at the Fargo Film Festival, the Best Film Award from the Omaha Film Festival and the Most Popular Canadian Film Award from the Vancouver International Film Festival, Preggoland followed Ruth (Sonja Bennett), an unwed and childless 35-year-old who fakes a pregnancy in order to fit in with her friends.

Early on in her career Simoes wrote, directed, produced and production designed the film Always Midnight. A beautifully shot black and white silent film, Always Midnight revolved around an abusive relationship brought on by drug addiction.

“It was very dark,” recalled Simoes. “I knew I had to have very strong production design for this film because there was no dialogue, so I did a lot of research on what props would stand out in black and white.”

In 2013 Simoes wrote, directed, edited and production designed the film Sh*t Winos Say for the Vinos Film Festival in Whistler, British Columbia. Yet another testament to her talents as a filmmaker and production designer, the film was chosen as one of the top eight out of over 300 submissions; and it went on to receive astonishing praise as one of the few films selected to screen at the festival.

As a filmmaker, Claudia Simoes knows exactly what it takes to get a story across visually, a facet of her skillset that has made her an integral contributor as a production designer on a wide range of projects. What sets Simoes apart from other production designers working in film and fashion is her vast knowledge of lighting and overall design, and how the two blend together to create a desired mood on film.

Having worked as a professional photographer in the past, her expertise in lighting has been a rare asset to all of the productions she has worked on. Simoes even led several lighting workshops while in Vancouver over the last few years.

As the production designer on Ruby Starling’s video “27 Club,” her work garnered international attention last year when the video was featured on Black Magazine’s BLK TV. What’s more—she even designed the shirts featured in the video!

Actors, Actress, Canadian Star, Theater

Canadian Actress Lisa Jai Stars in the Upcoming Film “Runaway Dream”

May 7, 2015 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

Lisa Jai as Birdie in "What of the Night?" at the Vagrancy in Los Angeles — Lisa Jai as Birdie in “What of the Night?” at the Vagrancy in Los Angeles

Audiences across the world know the work of internationally acclaimed actress Lisa Jai. With an impressive career that has spanned more than two decades, viewers old and young have had a lot of opportunities to see Jai’s diverse talents on the screen in everything from the hit television shows Barbar, Rupert and The Magic School Bus, to the films Balance of Power, Creed and Lost Angels.

Jai recently finished filming Runaway Dream, a film about two Hollywood transplants who get a whole lot more than they bargained for when they make the move to tinsel town with stars in their eyes.

Directed by award-winning cinematographer Daniel Abreu, Runaway Dream stars Jai in the role of Linn, and Vivian Ahn (Sisters, Inside Carly, Trail Mix, Lost Angels, Henry Danger) as Jess.

Jai says, “It is a story of the length’s people could go to when in need of more money than they are earning and what happens to someone when they have lost sight of their dream.”

A sad tale with an unpredictable twist, Runaway Dream follows Jai’s character Linn, a down and out aspiring actress who works as a maid to make ends meet. When things don’t pan out as Linn hoped, desperation leads her to hatch a plan to rob the home of an ex-boss who she believes is out of town—a move that leaves her in circumstances that are far more dire than those she faced before.

The film is currently in post-production and is scheduled for release later this year. Originally from Sweden, director Daniel Abreu received the Best Cinematographer Award for his film James & Quinn from the Sherry Theater’s 120Hour film fest, a prestigious festival run by Scott Haze (Star of Child of God directed by James Franco) and Jim Parrick (True Blood).

“Lisa is a dream to work with, she’s captivating onscreen – a gifted talent,” says Abreu. “She’s improved me as a filmmaker, truly.”

It is not surprising that Abreu says Jai’s contributions to the film improved him as a filmmaker considering the actress’s longstanding position in the industry as both a performer and a producer.

When she first rose to fame as an actress she was barely 4-years-old– an age where it is difficult for a person to be unequivocally dedicated to one thing. For the following decade Jai continued to land starring roles in a long list of international television shows and blockbuster films, as well as innumerable commercials for brands including Hasbro, Ocean Spray, Hallmark cards, Charmin, Ivory soap, Tang, Kentucky Fried Chicken, McDonalds and more.

While many children dream of becoming stars on the screen, the spotlight wasn’t always an easy thing to handle.

Jai recalls, “I was being teased at school and bullied for being on television. I was accused of being a show off and also keeping up with schoolwork caused a lot of tension with teachers.”

Despite the difficulties, the foundation Jai laid for herself as a performer in the entertainment industry in her early childhood definitely helped make her the incredible actress she is today.

“I worked a lot for the Canadian Broadcast Company. I was a guest regular on the children show Mr. Dressup where I had to sing and worked alongside puppeteers,” explains Jai. “We would tape live so that truly taught me how to think on my feet as an actress; plus having dialogue with puppets and making that ‘relationship’ believable to the audience only bettered my craft — like, there I was, staring into a pair of man made paper-mache eyes having a conversation: can you imagine?”

Naturally, as Jai transitioned into adulthood, it took a few years for her to affirm her individuality as a person outside of the spotlight, and really discover what it was that she wanted to do with the rest of her life.

She says “Even after trying to quit and go to University so I could get a ‘real job,’ I missed acting so much, even at its roughest points… That’s how I know it’s my true passion and chosen profession. I love it too much.”

After returning to show biz a few years later, Jai realized that her love for performing extended beyond the film and television industry alone. She was immediately recognized for talents on stage going on to land starring role after starring role.

When it comes to acting in comedies in the theater, Jai says, “I love hearing peoples laughter; there’s a joy in bringing smiles to the faces of others.”

She adds, “On stage you’re not limited by being out of frame if you move too much…. as long as the true feeling is there, you can justify every move – use up the whole stage.”

Last year she gave a riveting performance in the leading roles of Birdie and Wang in the Pulitzer-Prize Nominated play “What of the Night?” written by Cuban-American playwright Maria Irene Fornes. The play, which was staged at the Vagrancy Theatre in Los Angeles and directed by Caitlin Hart, was just another opportunity for Jai to showcase her unparalleled talents on stage. The production was so well received that it garnered a prestigious Ovation Recommendation from LA Stage Alliance in 2014.

In addition to “What of the Night?,” the actress has also led several other productions to success with her unforgettable performances as Fiona in “99 Ways to F*ck a Swan,” Masha in Anton Chekhov’s “Three Sisters” at the Irene Gilbert Theater, Ruth in Timothy McNeil’s “Dead Pussy,” Mrs. Banks in Neil Simon’s “Barefoot in the Park,” Titus in “Titus Andronicus,” Kate Keller in “All My Sons” and many more.

Out of all of the characters she has played on the stage, Jai notes her role as Isela Sanchez from Lynn Manning’s play “The Unrequited: A Tale Between Two Worlds,” which was directed by Shishir Kurup and staged at the Cornerstone Theater in 2011, as her favorite to date.

The production followed Jai’s character Isela, a young woman living in a wheelchair due to Polio during the 40’s in LA, as she prepares to marry a man she doesn’t love; and the mysterious events that arise to keep her from betraying the soul of the man to whom her heart is truly devoted.

Today Jai has established a a glowing reputation for her ability to touch audiences emotionally through her portrayal of characters across genres on both the screen and stage; and with several upcoming projects in the works, and the release of Runaway Dream slated for later this year, there is literally no stopping her.

Actress, Model

Canada’s IT Girl, Model Shiva Negar!

April 29, 2015 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

If you haven’t yet heard of Shiva Negar by name, you’ve surely seen her face. Perhaps it was on a commercial, or a billboard or in a magazine ad. While you might not be able to place a finger on it, upon seeing her again you may think to yourself, “I’ve seen her before.”

Such is the fleeting nature of the advertising industry, attaching beautiful faces to commonplace commodities. As a model, Shiva Negar has lent her image to many of these brands and products. While the products she represents may be disregarded, however, a beauty as distinct as Shiva’s is seldom forgotten.

It is for this reason that Qatar Airways selected Shiva as their hallmark model in 2012, and for this reason that she has been the face of the company ever since. Advertisements with Shiva representing the company have been distributed worldwide.

As demonstrated by Qatar Airways, when a company is able to convince Shiva to be their model, they don’t want to let her go. The same was true for the Listerine brand, which used Shiva’s face for two years on a billboard campaign for their pocket packs.

Shiva was also selected as a Stoli model for Stolichnaya Vodka, and in addition to print modeling for the brand, she modeled at most of the events Stolichnaya hosted in Canada. Through her long-term relationship with this company, Shiva again has confirmed that her desirability only increases with time.

Shiva has presented many products and brands as a model at live events as well. Some of the most notable of these include shows for Porsche & Fiat automobiles, the Grand Prix, WIND Mobile, Carls Jr., and Nespresso by Nestle.

Additional brands that have featured Shiva in their international magazine advertisements include Apple Computers and Walmart. Shiva has also been featured in print ads for Top Choice Magazine, Dream Body Fitness, and Deca Professional Cosmetics to name a select few.

To complement her tremendous body of work in print, Shiva has also developed an extensive amount of experience in commercial acting. Some of the international commercials in which she has appeared include campaigns for: Doritos, Corona, Itel Pasta, Molson Beer, Zantac, and Cosmo TV a branch of Cosmopolitan Magazine.

While simultaneously working for internationally recognized major brands, Shiva also has the perfect look to fit more artistic and character driven projects. In 2013 she was featured on the cover of the novel “Breath of Iron: a Novel of the Clockwork Agents,” a steampunk/fantasy novel written by Kate Cross and published by Penguin.

Building a bridge between modeling and acting, Shiva Negar was cast alongside Kelly Clarkson in the music video for her smash hit, Behind These Hazel Eyes. The song and music video both went on to win awards on MTV, Much Music, and the Teen Choice Awards. She has also had principal roles in music videos for bands such as Our Lady Peace and Young Empires.

Extending beyond her experience acting in music videos, Shiva has appeared on a variety of television shows and films. In 2011, she was cast as a guest star in the leading role of Lucia on the Disney Channel’s My Babysitter’s a Vampire. The show was a huge success garnering the 2012 Shaw Rocket Prize for Best Program and a Writer’s Guild of Canada Award, as well as a Gemini Award nomination and many others.

Negar has also had single-episode appearances on Combat Hospital, Alphas, Murdoch Mysteries, Covert Affairs, and Hemlock Grove, and a recurring role on Super Channel’s TV show 24 Hour Rental. She has also had many prominent roles in film, most notably, as a leading actress in the feature film Lost Journey.

When considering her comprehensive body of work in film, television, and modeling, Shiva cannot fail to impress even the most skeptical of audiences. As she continues to accept leading roles and top-tier modeling contracts, the world will only become more familiar with her face and name as time goes on.

Guitarist, Music, Musicians, Songwriters

Guitarist Jonas Blomqvist Impresses Fans of Every Genre

March 8, 2015 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

Sweden, home of some of the most talented classical musicians such as Wilhelm Stenhammar has also birthed many of the most recognizable names in heavy metal, electronic and pop today, including The Knife, The Cardigans, In Flames, Peter Bjorn and John, The Hives, José González, Fever Ray and others.

Among these talented musicians is Jonas Blomqvist, the highly skilled guitarist from the bands Everwhere, Superfix, Bhavana Reddy, Rachelle and The Rising, Suns of Defiance and the recently established rock group Second Nature, which is slated to release their self-titled debut album later this year.

A true prodigy, Jonas found his talents at an early age, mastering the trombone, piano and drums at age 9. With a classical pianist for a father, music seems to be encoded in Jonas’s DNA. He recalls, “My parents played music for me while I was still in my mother’s belly by putting headphones on it.”

Upon discovering his innate talents on guitar at 14, the now highly sought after musician found the instrument that would later become his fated tool for expression.

”I have been playing guitar for 14 years now and during this time have been most influenced by the music of Guthrie Govan, John Petrucci, Paul Gilbert and Marty Friedman,” says Blomqvist. “ I have played a variety of instruments and can use all of these experiences on the guitar and with the people I play with.”

For someone as well-versed in music as he is, it is not surprising that his skill in the art form extend beyond his ability to simply play instruments with precision, for he is an accomplished songwriter as well.

His creative expertise in the realm of songwriting is proven by the recent success as the co-writer of renowned artist Bhavana Reddy’s hit single “Smells Like Rain,” which made it to the top 1% (out of 19,000) in the International Songwriting Competition last year.

After being raised in Stockholm, Sweden in the late 1980’s and 90’s Jonas left for the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA. The melting pot of cultural influences present in the Los Angeles music industry is now his home and incubator for a multitude of new projects and collaborations.

Some of Blomqvist’s most recent success has been with supercharged alternative rock band Superfix, led by KoRn’s Kalen Chase. This past year the group released their debut album “Never Change.”

Jonas’s aptitude for playing heaving hitting fast-paced guitar riffs is recognized throughout the album. Last year Superfix released the music video for their hit song “Invasion,” which you can check out below. Jonas carries the song with an impressive and mesmerizing riff that is impossible to miss.

This musician brings the same head banging high-energy to the video that he is known for on stage. Acclaimed for his mesmerizing stage presence, and his ability to play virtually any style of music, Jonas has also been tapped to lend his talents to an impressive range of bands and solo artists including Elaine DaSilva, Flymore, Sarah Edan, Ayin Aleph, Urvah Kahn, Only on Tuesdays and many more. He was even asked to perform on the CBS Studios lot with the CBS Band in Studio City, California in 2013.

As of February 2015 Jonas is ‘fresh off the boat’ from a 10 date tour in India with world-renowned Indian singer and Kuchipudi dancer Bhavana Reddy. Together they started the year busily promoting Bhavana’s debut album “Tangled in Emotions,” which you can check out at: http://iamreddy.bandcamp.com/

The diversity that this young musician has shown puts him in league with the greats. Keep your eyes and ears open for Jonas’ next release through his personal commercial rock project ‘Second Nature’.