MCWILLIAM EXHIBITS A MYRIAD OF TALENTS IN MODERN FILM SCORES

September 19, 2016 Lorraine Wilder 1 Comment

There are many avenues to pursue in the modern day music industry. While the opportunities for bands and artists may have decreased in the last decade or two, other vocations in the music world have gained new venues within which to be employed. James McWilliam is a prime example of this. He may have had adolescent dreams of pop/rock stardom as a drummer but after veering towards jazz and classical music in his studies, he has become a noteworthy composer, conductor, and orchestrator in his native UK. Although working primarily in the UK, McWilliam has worked with and led ensembles in Paris and Macedonia as well. As a professional whose credits include the films; The Book of Life, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Masterminds, Standing Tall, and many others, James is widely sought after by filmmakers looking for music to enhance the emotional impact of their creations. Whether working on big budget feature films, Independent movies, or even video games, McWilliam is known for creating and/or implementing the audio accompaniment to perfectly present the goal of its creator. An overview of James’ work on his many projects gives proof to the idea that this musician/composer is challenged to be creative in a wide array of media presentations.

Don’t Look Down is a documentary which follows urban free climber James Kingston as he travels the world scaling 100m cranes, 200m radio towers, tall buildings and bridges…all without the use of any safety equipment. Composing the music for Don’t Look Down was attractive to James for a number of reasons. He states, “The production company wanted a score that followed and heightened the tension of the subject matter, whilst appealing to an age group of between 18-30 years of age; the show therefore needed a contemporary score. I turned to a more electronic based sound with lots of percussion and heavy synths. This show worked a little differently than other things I’ve worked on previously. Rather than writing to picture, the production company asked me to write longer pieces of music that they could then edit alongside the show. This is quite liberating for a composer but perhaps not as much fun; personally, I’m inspired by what’s happening on screen and prefer to write music specifically to picture.”

Standing Tall is a French feature film directed by Emmanuelle Bercot which deals with France’s treatment of disadvantaged youths. In addition to seven nominations, the film was selected to open the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, won two Cesar Awards, and a Lumiere Award. Eric Neveux sought out McWilliam to serve as Orchestrator & Conductor in Paris. Neveux confirms, “James has been a valuable member of my team for over 4 years now and as an orchestrator has played an integral role in the scores of many of my films. Standing Tall opened the Cannes 2015 film festival and was a very important composing project for me. I knew I could rely on James’ orchestration skills to help me deliver the score for this superb film. As an orchestrator, James brings a great depth of sound to my work, utilizing his extensive skill and knowledge of an orchestra. No matter how complex the project might appear to be, he always works tirelessly to achieve the best result possible.” The score was recorded at the famous Studio Ferber, known for the recording of many iconic pop musicians and film scores since the 1970’s. Concerning his role in Standing Tall’s score, James stipulates, “I think that the real skill in orchestration is being able to interpret a composer’s demo in such a way that what you do is clearly a huge improvement on the demo and yet it still sounds identical to the music signed off by the director. This balance (which is quite a fine art to master) is always changing from score to score and cue to cue; how you decide on this is through a lot of discussion with the composer. I truly enjoyed working with someone else’s music, especially on projects where I feel like I’ve had a significant impact on the end result. Of course, the balance I refer to above can be difficult to find especially when working with a new composer and sometimes a greater period of time is needed at the beginning of the process to understand where each other is coming from.”

Legendary filmmaker Guillermo del Toro is highly stylized in his approach to movie making. For the animated film The Book of Life (which garnered 27 nominations including a Golden Globe, 3 wins, and a Worldwide gross of $94MM) the highly respected and successful del Toro trusted Gustavo Santaolalla to compose the music the he wanted to capture the feel of a past and modern Mexico. Hired by the score’s arranger and conductor Tim Davies, James set to work orchestrating the music of Santaolalla. The rich, colorful themes and rhythms were as entertaining as the animation and action on the screen. The process of bringing the music of The Book of Life to manifestation truly depicts the modern and global means by which artists cooperate. James notes, “It’s not often that I’m hired by another orchestrator/arranger to work on a film but when I do it’s always a pleasure to be part of the team. It’s more common on larger US projects to have multiple orchestrators so when I do find myself in this position it’s often on a big budget production. I love the work of Guillermo del Toro so this was a particularly exciting project and something I was very pleased to do. It’s interesting when you work for another orchestrator because it makes you evaluate your own approach to things and working with US based orchestrators in particular really keeps you on your toes. This was such an enjoyable score to work on; the music Gustavo Santaolalla created for the film is brilliant.”

Projecting a completely different tone and subject matter are two feature films which saw McWilliam seated at the composer’s helm; The Patrol (nominated for a British Independent Film Festival Award and winner of a Raindance Film Festival Award) and Born of War. James defines the difference of these two stipulating, “Born of War isn’t really a war film although, like The Patrol it is set in Afghanistan. The two filmmakers work couldn’t be more different and the scores reflect this. Whist the score for The Patrol deliberately avoided emotive strings and Middle Eastern sounding instruments, Born of War fully embraced these sounds and they became an integral part of the character of the film. The film begins in 1980’s Afghanistan, moves to present day Oxford/London and then back to Afghanistan but in the present day. All these changes had to be reflected in the score and we did this through balancing the use of real orchestra and synths/percussion with influences from the Middle East. The score wasn’t about reinventing the wheel, this was more about fitting into a specific genre of films and playing it for everything it’s worth. The orchestral score was recorded in Macedonia. It was a lot of fun!” Rupert Whitaker (Born of War’s Producer) comments about the film’s score, “Vicky Jewson, our director, had a very specific sound in mind for Born of War; a sound that was going to cost a lot of money, which our budget couldn’t stretch to. As soon as we spoke to James about our vision for the score, we knew we were in safe hands. The size of the task ahead of him meant that James decided to assemble an eclectic team of highly skilled people, all of whom added a huge amount of value to the project. Not only did he strive to make Vicky’s ambition a reality but he supplied us with numerous creative possibilities that enhanced the picture, aiding the drama and bringing a whole new life to the film. James is not simply a powerful creative force; he is also a highly skilled technician in his field. I was very fortunate to have him contribute to the success of the picture.”

Rather than touring the world in a van or a bus as a drummer who plays to crowds at clubs or theaters, James has become a respected and valued member of a global music and filmmaking tapestry performing to peers who are among the most talented artists in the world. From a young boy thrashing about on the drumkit to leading the world’s most gifted orchestras, James McWilliam seems incredibly grounded…so much so that one wonders if he actually realizes that he has exceeded his own youthful goals.

Sound Design and Sound Editing

Sound designer Cindy Takehara plans to “keep doing what she loves most”

September 18, 2016 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

Cindy Takehara was born and raised in Japan. Her father is Japanese and her mother from Colombia. She did not always know growing up and going between both countries that she would be an internationally successful sound designer, but now she can’t imagine anything else.

Takehara holds a bachelor degree in Music and Sound Engineering. She first got involved in the audio industry through music while in university. As a student, she had the opportunity to learn and do sound for motion pictures.

“Since then, I’ve never looked back and continued to pursue a career in audio post production for Film and other visual media,” she said.

Her first work as a Sound Designer was Suciedad Ltda, which received attention from film festivals all over the world. It also went to the AES (Audio Engineering Society) student recording competition in San Francisco. The judges were the Academy winners Shawn Murphy and Lora Hirschberg.

“I still remember hearing them acknowledging and praising my hard work. It was inspiring meeting them but also, it encouraged me to keep doing what I love doing the most,” she said.

Since that time, Takehara has had many achievements throughout her sound design career. One of these achievements is the film Once, which premiered at the world-renowned TCL Chinese Theater in Los Angeles, during the HollyShorts Festival.

Once is about an old man in a wheelchair, who lives in loneliness and numbness, desperately trying to reach a blackbird pin which carries his memories. On the way to getting the pin back, the audience sees his happiest moments in his life.

“I liked the minimalistic storytelling and its astonishing cinematography. This project required us to tell a story through sound and music without any dialogue between characters, so it was a great opportunity for me to experiment with sound. At the same time, the sound also represented the psyche of the main character and his memory,” said Takehara.

The director opted to shot the film without having any boom operator on set to record the sound, so when Takehara received the picture, there was absolutely no sound in it.

“There were no footsteps, no movement or breathing sound, nothing. I had to create every sound from the scratch,” she said. “I learned not to over design while creating a soundscape for a certain type of film. On this one, because of its minimalistic character, detailed Foley sound was important but overall design had to be executed tenderly with subtle changes.”

Takehara also worked with the music on the film, which was pre-existing music, meaning that it wasn’t composed specifically for this film. Therefore, it required a delicate editing to fit the music to the scene, and the transition had to be smooth.

“During the music editing process, it was crucial to pick the right time to start the music, and to pick the right note to start the cue and blend together,” she described. “In the beginning of this film, where the old man starts to bring up his memory, the music starts very subtle, almost unrecognizable. By using audio processing such as the equalization, and the use of the right amount of reverberation in the music, it was able to represent the scene sonically, as if he were searching his memory that it gradually appears.”

After finish editing all the necessary sound and music, they had to be “mixed together” not only in terms of volume or levels for each sound, but also, to create the adequate mood during a specific scene or event, and keep the transition of the story engaging for the audience. Takehara’s job in the last part of re-recording mixing process was to enhance this audiovisual experience by determining how these each sound element was put together.

The film allowed for Takehara to be reunited with director Xuexue Pan, who she had worked with previously on the music video The Mariner’s Revenge. Pan reached out to Takehara to work with her once again for Once.

“It’s always a pleasure working with Cindy. She can deliver sonically what a director sees in the image. She has a great artistic sensibility and she is also highly skilled in Sound Design techniques,” said Pan. “I worked with her previously and she was able to create this immersive underwater experience by carefully using the surround mixing techniques. I was amazed.”

Takehara says it is important to work with someone when you share the same vision for a project, which she and Pan did.

“We both agreed that the role of sound and music will be important in this project, since they are the key element that can evoke emotion to the audience,” said Takehara.

Despite all of her technical knowledge, what makes Takehara truly successful is her passion for the art of sound designer. To her, it is not just playing with a computer to get what you want, but something entirely more profound.

“To be a sound designer means that you are at the intersection of where art, emotion, and technology meets. You’ll need technical skills, tools and knowledge to manipulate sound, but also, it requires artistic sensitivity, good taste and creativity. I’m always aware of sound around me in daily experience and it fascinates me all the time. I believe that sound itself can move people emotionally, and I can use this as a tool when working with the visual media, and provide a meaning, an emotion, and an immersive auditory experience complementing the visual,” she said. “There’s something magical about this job, and that’s why I love doing what I do.”

camera crew, International Creative Talents, Interview

Camera Specialist Michaela Angelique discusses new film Rated

September 15, 2016 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

During her childhood years in Jakarta, Indonesia, Michaela Angelique always was taking pictures. She was known amongst her friends as the one with the camera. As a teenager, she knew the camera inside out. She adjusted to the conversion of film to digital. And now she is still the one with the camera, but there is a new meaning to it.

Angelique is a camera department specialist, working for various films and television shows and with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. In 2015, she worked on the film Rated, which has lighting up various film festivals since its world premiere and won a Best Comedy Short at the Sonoma Film Festival in April this year.

“Working on Rated was really fun. The producers were really awesome and director knows what he was doing,” said Angelique. “And the kids are super cute and adorable.”

Rated follows Maggie, played by Christie Lynn Smith. Maggie must find the courage to own up to her behavior when she wakes to find every adult has received a YELP-like star rating floating over their head. While most every adult has a shining 4 and 5 stars, Maggie’s got just 2.5. The director of the film, John Forston, plays Maggie’s husband.

“It is just such a cute story,” said Angelique. “And John was such an awesome person to work with. He is very talented and knows what he is doing. He is a very humble person and treats everybody respectfully.”

Fortson was the director, lead actor, and executive producer for Rated. He was so impressed with Angelique’s professionalism and adaptability on set that he says he wants her to work on his next project.

“It was a pleasure to work with Michaela because not only is she a consummate professional about her camera work but she is a kind and lovely person to be around. Working on a film set can be stressful, but Michaela brought her smile and professional work ethic,” he said. “Our film Rated has gone on to much success, winning many awards and being accepted to many of the top festivals in the United States and this is in part because of having Michaela there working with us. She worked amazingly well with the other crew, always courteous and with an attitude of teamwork. Her qualities are invaluable.”

“Michaela’s attention to detail was invaluable,” he continued. “She constantly made sure that our camera lenses were properly handled and protected, as well that every shot was perfectly in focus. Time was of the essence on our shoot and Michaela pulled through with excellence every day.”

Angelique had to overcome many challenges on set and as a camera assistant. It isn’t always easy being in charge of carrying a forty-sixty-pound piece of equipment all day.

“It was not always easy when shooting on location and trying to locate where to stage the camera gears. We also had a handheld shot which went from the bedroom through the house hallway and then to the living room which has a mirror, and the shot was looking everywhere. We had to hide our gears and I had to pull focus manually from the camera. It was close to impossible pulling focus on that specific shot,” she described.

The important thing for Angelique, however, is what the film represents and what she took away from working on such a dynamic project.

“After working on this movie, I have more belief in humanity, I know it’s a movie, but movies help people to realize there are good things in the world, and to not judge people too harshly and quickly. Everybody has their own struggle that we don’t always know, and we would never to come through it like they do if we were in their shoes,” she concluded.

Artist, international musician, Music

USUI IS JAPANESE FOR FORCE MAJURE

September 14, 2016 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

Witnessing Kenji Usui perform is like nothing you have ever experienced. That is not the usual hype and dribble that music business executives use in their speech to get someone to “drink the Kool-Aid.” Kenji is unique and fearless. He could not be further from safe or controllable if that was his intention, which it is not. There are artists who set the parameters for what those who are later lauded as mold breakers, Usui is the former. Names like Morrison, Cobain, Hendrix, come to mind…more for the fact that they were individuals who found their unique voice and style than because they were musicians. Every generation has someone who breaks through the status quo and inspires artists to do things their own way; Kenji is performing and living like no others at this time. Though he is still underground internationally, he is something of an icon in the Japanese music community. In a culture known for their intense work ethic and devotion, Usui takes his love of music and creativity to an even more intense level. As a member of many bands and a multi-instrumentalist, this artist has singlehandedly pushed his countrymen in a new direction as well as contributed to the careers of US bands touring Japan.

For many individuals, playing music and being in a band is a rite of passage. Making music might be a way to investigate your artistic abilities in school or a way to rebel against the establishment, before you become part of it. For the true-believers, it becomes a lifestyle. Honestly, the true believers are in the vast minority. Even more rare are those who lead that minority. Kenji Usui is at the apex of the underground music scene in Japan. Embodying the Japanese work ethic, Usui works a 72 hour work week to enable him to spend every other minute pursuing his music career. That’s the kind of lifestyle that society calls crazy until you “make it” and then it is praised as “visionary.” When asked why he perseveres, Kenji professes his love of making music gives his life meaning and also confirms, “It’s difficult, but it’s also rewarding. The best bands are the bands you never hear about, and in the DIY scene you get to find these bands. But this means having a music “career” without making much money, which is very challenging sometimes.” Foregoing the goal of making money for the pursuit of realizing one’s own artistic voice is admirable, and taxing. Since 1999, Usui has been making music with many different bands and in a variety of roles.

Since 1999, Usui has been a mainstay of the diversified Japanese music scene. Content to let others pursue the pop music format, Kenji has been a leader in pushing the envelope of music, experimenting with effects, a combination of singing and spoken word/prayer-like vocals, and shifting his instrument of choice in different band configurations. As a member of groups like; Shoot, Blackjack, The Spoon, Allies and Aces, An Atomic Whirl, Pororocks, and Poronely, Usui constantly presented an evolving artistic style to his fans and other artists alike. Eri Zarigani (member of renowned Tokyo girl-punk band Zarigani) confirms, “There is a big festival in Taiwan called “Spring Scream”, and both my band and Kenji’s band had the chance to perform there. When we saw Kenji play, we were blown away. His level of performance had increased drastically since we had last seen him; we all felt that we were part of his performance. Fans and bands alike were in awe of his band’s performance. As a fellow Japanese citizen, this meant a lot to us, as he is helping take Japanese bands to another level. Kenji is a great inspiration. Many people look up to his creativity, his patience, and his ability to relate to people and make connections with other artists. People respect him due to not only his music but also his sincere personality.”

Kenji’s admirers and exposure is not limited to his homeland. He inspires audiences wherever he goes. His performances transcend language and cultural ideals. C Leung, Show Organizer, Founder of CCCC Productions & Organizer of NoiseNoiseNoise Festival in Hong Kong. He states, “I first saw Kenji in 2012, performing with the band Pororocks. He sat at the back of the stage with a spotlight on his face. He was mumbling, singing and playing drums, and I could immediately tell that there was something very special…almost otherworldly, about his stage presence. After the show, I invited Kenji’s band An Atomic Whirl to play in Hong Kong at a show presented by CCCC. In Hong Kong, I got to see him performing as a bassist and vocalist. I was again impressed by his musical capability and the possibilities and creativity he brought to the stage. I was so glad that I had brought his band to Hong Kong. In a single night, he earned numerous fans in Hong Kong. His fans were adamant that I bring him back again, so I brought Kenji to perform with both An Atomic Whirl and Pororocks. To date, I have had the chance to see Kenji perform on many occasions in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea. He is a born performer who belongs on the stage. He can make every show different, even with the same set list.” Kenji Usui is an original voice, existing to channel the artistic message and ideals through the vehicle of experimental modern music.

actor profile, Actors, Australian Talents, Behind the Scenes, Entertainment, Film, International Actor

BRIDGING THE GAP: CALEB CHERNYSH

September 10, 2016 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

Childhood, for most of us, is a wonderful time when we are provided for and loved unconditionally; we have the feeling that anything is possible. This is the spring from which the ideas that make up fairytales flows. The world seems to be such a welcoming and magical place that almost anything is possible…even the magically impossible. Adulthood is quite a different place. The real-world practicality and day to day of surviving and providing is the experience of most adults. Still, children often give the adults the motivation and joy to accept a sense of selflessness. There is a space between these two worlds and this is the inspiration for Mark Pedlow’s film The Gap. This film is comprised of three different tales about the curveballs life can sometimes throw us which begins to pull our life experience from this comforting fairytale world into the realities (and dangers) of the real world. The Gap has a lofty goal in its attempt to link the world we aspire to with the one we are forced to accept. The unique approach of The Gap is what first interested actor Caleb Chernysh to the film. Chernysh has played a heroin addict (in Mule), a serial killer (Fractured), even a father of twin sons…one whom “sees” his dead brother everywhere (James in Sea Change), but never before has he been a young father.

As a student of the Actor’s Centre (the same Australian school which has produced actors such as Hugh Jackman), Caleb continually searches out varied and challenging roles by which to challenge himself and increase his palette of experience. Chernysh recalls how he came to the film, “Mark Pedlow, creator and director of The Gap, was holding auditions for John, the father in one of the three stories contained in The Gap. I was attracted by the script, as I’ve never played a young father and it would involve fight training. When I got the script, I fell in love with it and begged Mark to let me audition. I wasn’t aware of this fact but Mark already knew that he wanted me for the part. I’m thankful that he was aware of my work and abilities but he didn’t want me to know that. He wanted me to audition, not to see if I would be good enough, but to confirm that I seriously wanted to do whatever it took to get the role of John. After the audition, I was thrilled when he said I would be John in The Gap.” Pedlow states, “I had a lot of applicants, but Caleb’s resume stood out the most. I decided to meet him and asked him what he thought of John. When Caleb described his version of John, it felt like he brought more layers to the character then I even thought of.

Getting the part may have been the easiest facet of his involvement as Caleb had to venture into a completely unknown area for him, fight training. Chernysh was excited to train but admits that it had its uncomfortable moments. He notes, “The Gap was the first movie which I was in that had fight choreography. I was so excited! There were nights where we had to train leading up to production and I would come home bruised and sore…but with a smile on my face. When it came to the shoot, we added some more fight sequences. I still remember getting an uppercut from one of the thugs and I literally picked myself up and threw my body backwards onto a box. It must have been impressive, because I remember people gasping when I crashed into the box. When I got up, people were saying ‘Geez, you’ll do anything for your performance!’ It looked like the uppercut was real and had a powerful force behind it.”

That uppercut comes courtesy of one of the attempted kidnappers of John’s daughter. In one of the tensest parts of the film, Caleb’s character John (one of the lead character’s in this film) has gone to a café with his young daughter and, while she wanders downstairs, two men attempt to kidnap her. This particular scene which so clearly states the film’s theme of the difference between the fantasy life’s abrupt collision with reality, was highly motivating to Caleb. Though not a father himself, Chernysh believes that in each man resides the protective fatherly instinct towards his children. It was that character trait that he unearthed for John commenting, “I’ve never played a young father before. So I really needed to put myself into the role and imagine that I have created this beautiful life and have raised it for 8 years. This beautiful life is the most treasured being in my world and I would not let anyone or anything harm it. That was my mindset in the performance, which also helped the fight scene.”

Caleb Chernysh is currently working on a webseries in which he plays Boris Djerkich, a man who want to be the next Eurovision star. One character is Bosnian born Boris Djerkich who has moved to Australia and wants to be the next Eurovision star. Caleb also plays Cameron Tomes, a flamboyant ex-dancer who goes to a job interview and it bombs! Caleb is working on extending his series with more characters.You can subscribe and view on YouTube.

Actress, Canadian Star, Television

Actress Tara Yelland to appear in CTV’s Saving Hope

September 6, 2016 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

Canadian actress Tara Yelland will be gracing small screens in the fall.

Yelland has been cast in CTV’s hit medical drama Saving Hope. Yelland will play Summer, the nanny, a role that allows Yelland to show off her comedic side.

“She gets into trouble constantly! She’s inappropriate, wild, and generally just a total mess” said Yelland.

Initially brought in to audition for a smaller role, Yelland impressed right away. During the casting session the director suggested she read for another character. They sent her out into the hall with the sides where she had to quickly familiarize herself with the script.

“I came back in and just had fun with it, and I guess it worked,” she recalled. “They liked what I did with the character, so they kept her around.”

The role required Yelland work primarily with Erica Durance (Smallville) and Michael Shanks (Stargate).

“They’re total pros and the fact that they’re genuinely nice people and giving scene partners is definitely a bonus,” said Yelland.

The two play a recently divorced couple trying to co-parent, and Summer, the nanny, is there to help. However, it turns out she’s not very helpful.

“I don’t think I’ve had this much fun with a role in a long time. She’s so over the top that it really gives me a kind of freedom to be big and outrageous. Summer lives in a world where consequences aren’t a real thing, so she doesn’t really have any fear. I kind of admire that,” she said. “Summer is a bit out of control, and there are plenty of opportunities for comedy, and physical comedy, in particular.”

Yelland also worked alongside actor Greg Bryk for the role, who describes her as a “special actor.”

“Tara is beautiful, charming and sensitive. She is also gifted with a fierce intelligence. She is very serious about her craft and has grown immensely as a performer in the time that I have known her,” said Greg Bryk. “She brings together a whimsical sense of humor with the emotional depth to fully realize more dramatic roles. That combination is incredibly rare and makes Tara one of the most unique people I have ever met. It would not surprise me if she became a star.”

The role allowed Yelland to experiment with challenges she had not frequently encountered in her acting career.

“I don’t have a lot of experience with children, so working with a set of twin babies was definitely a challenge! But an exciting one. I was so nervous about holding a baby, but it was actually kind of great, I was so focused on carrying this baby and not dropping him and trying to stop him from crying that it kept me very present during the scenes. You never knew how they were going to react during a take, whether it will be laughter or tears,” she said. “It kept things fresh.”

Playing Summer gave Yelland the opportunity to play around with a character that was extremely different than what she was used to.

“The fun thing about acting is that you get to keep a part of all the people you become with you, and I guess what I took away from Summer, and my time on Saving Hope, is her sense of risk and freedom. I mean, imagine being a person who just follows their impulses and does whatever they want, whenever they want…I kind of liked it. Summer is irresponsible. I am way too much of a control-freak to ever even show up late for work, let alone the kind of shenanigans Summer gets herself into.”

However, they have their similarities.

“We can both be a bit impulsive, but luckily, I’m far less self-destructive than she is,” Yelland concluded. “We’re also both very fond of big floppy hats.”

Saving Hope returns for its fifth season this fall.

actor profile, Actress, Film, International Actor

THIS ACTRESS IS OUT FOR BLOOD

September 2, 2016 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

Here’s a statement you won’t often read; this woman is really happy about becoming a vampire. Well…okay, actress Ana Roza Cimperman is quite happy about her role in Nympho’s Diary and all of the attention and praise the film is receiving. The title may be slightly misleading about this bad girl turned into a completely different type of bad girl, but the film has many unexpected turns; such as leading the audience into rooting for a cold blooded killer. Filmmakers and fans alike are always searching for a new twist or angle in the tried and true vampire formula; Savvas Christou has successfully achieved it in Nympho’s Diary. This film is a modern day yarn which introduces us to Amy and the pitfalls of romance, promiscuity, and the Nosferatu lineage. Many of the recent tales of vampires and their social interaction with humanity border on the ridiculous; often using excessive gore to make an impact. Nympho’s Diary takes a personal view of a vampire’s victim, addressing the mental and physical partition between mankind and the walking undead. The result is a film much more about how the transformation from human into vampire affects someone at the core of their being, in multiple ways. Cimperman’s performance in the lead role of Amy requires a level of physical movements and contortions that escalate throughout the course of the film, partnered with the emotionally agonizing process her psyche undergoes.

Nympho’s Diary has already accomplished a major achievement. Within less than three months of being released, the film has been accepted into 6 festivals including; the Roma Cinema DOC, Hellfire Film Festival, Arctic Monthly LIVE, Cyprus Comic Con Film Fest, Los Angeles CineFest, and the Fright Night Film fest. The good reactions of industry insiders who have viewed the film has led to a great deal of excitement surrounding Nympho’s Diary. Ana Roza Cimperman is particularly pleased as Nympho’s Diary is only her third US film and her very first filming experience in Los Angeles. It seems like a quick ascension for this Slovenian actress who only recently made up her mind to roll the dice and take the gamble on a career in Hollywood. Ana states, “I have been thinking about it for years but could never make that final decision because there were just so many things involved, including leaving behind people I care deeply about. Just before my birthday, I realized it was now or never and within two months I managed to sort out everything including finding a place in Hollywood, renting out my apartment in Ljubljana and getting the paperwork to transport my dog whom I just couldn’t leave behind.” Her entry into Nympho’s Diary was anything but normal for Hollywood films as she recalls, “I was invited to audition for the role. It was an audition with no dialogue but with very specific instructions so I was immediately intrigued. I had to prepare a one-minute performance of the character of Amy waking up and realizing she has a bite on her neck and then slowly starting to turn into a vampire-like monster.” Nympho Diary’s writer and director Savvas Christou was immediately taken with Cimperman’s interpretation and quick implementation of his specific directions. He confirms, “Not only is Ana a talented, inspiring, and passionate actress but she is one of the easiest to work with…even when situations are less than ideal. We had an overnight shoot in the cold and it was raining. Rather than complaining, she delivered the same high level performance with the attitude an approach of a consummate professional, which is exactly what she is. Any director would hope for such an actress in the lead role.”

Nympho’s Diary is the story of Amy wakes up in the middle of a parking lot with a strange mark on her back. She can’t remember what happened the previous night. She soon starts feeling sick. Her body starts changing and within minutes she is transformed into a vampire. Amy is not in control of her body and some unknown force compels her to go to her boyfriend’s house where she attacks and kills him. For the remainder of the night she walks around aimlessly. While eating her next victim, the memory comes back of the tall stranger that she brought home the night before and she suddenly remembers that it is he who made her into the creature she has become. Ana found Amy to be very intriguing and multidimensional rather than simplistic. The arc of this character allowed Ana to investigate and emote a discovery into an individual’s motivations and social interaction through Amy’s journey. Cimperman concludes, “Amy is a nymphomaniac who picks up men in bars and takes them home even though she is in a committed relationship. She is selfish and reckless. She keeps a diary of her conquests which later turns into a diary of her victims. She’s a very sexual person who enjoys being admired and wanted. Her transformation strips her of this and we see her as the lost, scared girl she really is. I wanted to show different layers of her personality and what is underneath it all – the basic human need to survive. I liked how free she was in pursuing her desires and her independence but she sometimes treats people like objects, simply there to satisfy her needs. Portraying Amy as vapid would be too simplistic; she is much more interesting if the audience finds a way to care about her. This film reminded me how we shouldn’t judge people but instead, try to think what it would take for us to end up in their place. That is what I took away from Amy and I feel it is also what the viewer can take away from it. In the beginning Amy is the antagonist but by the end of the movie we are all rooting for her.”

Even though Nympho’s Diary is a horror movie which focuses on character development, this genre always involves experiences during filming which actors don’t get anywhere else. Ana Roza lauds praise upon the crew and cast members she worked closely with (Kartik Garimella, Kevin Gordon – Dave the vampire who turns Amy), but tells of a uniquely horror movie experience with Onur Tekin who played Josh/Amy’s boyfriend. Cimperman reveals, “Onur is the Turkish actor who plays my boyfriend, whom I unintentionally end up killing and eating. He was very professional and patient as the scene where I am eating his face (in the form of jello and hard boiled eggs) took more than an hour to shoot because we could not get the perspective right as it had to look like I was leaning over him and tearing out his brains…not a common set experience for either of us.” Ana Roza Cimperman’s portrayal in Nympho’s Diary is far from common place as well. This Slovenian actress can also be seen in Eight and a Half Circles, Jefferson, Perception of Art, as well as numerous TV productions.

International Creative Talents, Writer

Writer Emiliano Forino Procacci’s book is Golden Book Awards 2016 Winner

August 31, 2016 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

Emiliano 1 Many people think that all of their problems can be solved by a high-profile, well-paying job. In today’s world, it is easy to be concerned with what will make us the most money, rather than what will make us truly happy. What many fail to realize is that success does not equate to your financial status, but your emotional status. Happiness is in fact success.

Emiliano Forino Procacci is an Italian writer and psychologist, and he knows this better than most. Procacci had a high-paying job, a good employment contract, and as he describes it, a “linear life”, but decided it was not the right path for him.

His leap of faith has worked out for him, as Procacci has written and published a list of successful books, which include: Secrets of Motivations and Personal Growth, Organizational Evolution and Development of Human Resources, Follow Your Own Star and Fulfill Yourself in Change, and The Freedom of Words. His book Communicating With Success: The Secrets of Persuasion is the Golden Book Awards 2016 Winner, and a finalist at the International Book Awards 2016.

“Writing is a communicative mode. I would like to help all people to be more serene,” he said. “In my books there is also the story of my life, of my travels around the world and how I tried to help the people that I met on my path.”

The biggest satisfaction for Procacci has been readers contacting him to ask you for an additional publication. He has now gained a true fan base.

“A few days after the publication of The Secrets of Motivation and Personal Growth, I received lots of comments by those readers who particularly appreciated the sentences that they considered, in their words, ‘poetical’,” he said.

Newton Lee, the Adjunct Professor at Woodbury University and the president of the Institute for Education, Research, and Scholarships in Los Angeles published some of Procacci’s books in English. Lee wrote the preface of Secrets of Motivations and Personal Growth called Exercises and Tools to Make the Quality of Your Life Better.

“Emiliano is very pleasant to work with. He is easy going and down to earth,” said Lee. “A good writer always writes from the heart. That is what makes Emiliano a good writer.”

Procacci writes from the heart because writing is his heart. He knows writing a book is not easy and it is very time consuming. He says that during that period many good and bad things happen in life and the writer becomes affected. For him, the desire to communicate and the love for his family has always given him the strength to write.

“Sharing what you know, donating your creative talent to the world and helping people to improve their lives are some of the things that can be done to fulfill ourselves as social beings and to step out of our comfort zone,” he described. “We don’t have to be masters to teach orchestral music, and the athletes who won the gold medal at the Olympics are not the only ones who can teach sports, in fact, every day is perfect to convey what we know to someone else and remember: even the most brilliant light has no value if it is hidden in darkness, be bold and show the world what you can do.”

Procacci teaches in the Department of Communication Sciences at the Università Popolare of Gorizia. He aims to inspire his students to both read and write.

“As I like to repeat to my students, the moment a writer and a reader meet inside of a book is magic, because they share the reading of the same printed characters on the paper, even if with different eyes. So, a thought takes shape in the writer’s mind, makes its way through emotions and feelings, adopting their movements and smell, and then transforms into sentences which are transferred to paper,” he said. “The reader, in turn, performs the reverse process and extrapolates the sentences from the text, hopefully remaining intoxicated by them and making them his own. It is a mutual exchange and the place where all of this takes place is between the pages of a book.”

Procacci believes books are all written with a purpose and that his is simple and unpretentious. He would like to somehow convey a message of hope that can help you realize what you most intimately want.

Procacci has now written five books of which four of are on the subjects of communication and personal growth. He is now I’m writing a motivational novel, which he is certain will as successful as his other books.

“It would be a shame to waste our time without trying to deserve serenity and happiness,” he concluded. “I chose to exit from my comfort zone and I have found happiness. There is a world right around the corner if you just to have the courage to look for it.”

Actors, Canadian Star

Actor Cody Sparshu Shares His Secrets to Success as a Lead in Double Booked

August 30, 2016 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

By Martin Desouza

It is no secret in the film industry that actors are faced with having to play characters who drastically differ in comparison to who they are in real life. 30-year-old Canadian actor Cody Sparshu knows this all too well.

In order to overcome this challenge, Sparshu likes to find emotional similarities between himself and the character in attempt to make the character’s behaviour as authentic as possible.

Sparshu attributes his success to this strategy, but laughed when admitting it was very difficult to do in preparation for his most recent lead role in, Double Booked. The laughter was in reference to the fact that the film’s award winning director and producer, Neil Webb, cast Sparshu just one week before shooting began in the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

“I just locked myself at home for a week and prepared the 60 pages dialogue over and over. It’s just the nature of the business. Sometimes actors need to work with what they’re given and go with the flow,” said Sparshu.

Despite the intense preparation timeline, Sparshu felt he delivered one of the best performances of his career, and Webb agreed.

“Cody showed extraordinary commitment both on and off the set in his leading role. He had a very limited amount of time to prepare for this project, being one of the last members locked in and having one of the largest and most dialogue heavy parts,” said Webb. “Nevertheless, Cody showed up on set for his leading role prepared to the utmost extent, ready to deliver an amazing performance. Rarely did Cody require more than two takes to achieve the performance which brought not only a unique and extremely thought-out perspective, but an immediacy that resonated with viewers.”

Sparshu was very humbled to receive high praise from Webb, and on top of his ability to make emotional connections with the characters he plays; he acknowledges another untraditional and personal approach.

“As weird as it may sound, when I’m acting I’m able to be more true to myself,” he said. “When playing a character, you have the freedom to embrace the real emotions and actions within you, that you feel you might normally not have permission to. You’re living under imaginary circumstances so there’s no repercussions to being real.”

Double Booked premiered in Los Angeles in 2014 and depicts the story of a tight-knit group of friends who have been taken captive while on vacation at a cabin in the mountains. Months after a scarring event, the group find themselves being subjected to sleep deprivation and mental torture as they desperately try to discover the motivation of their captors, a seemingly normal couple.

Sparshu played the role of Jeff, an easy-going hipster who was very passive and timid in nature. Throughout the course of the film, Jeff undergoes a dramatic self-realization experience as he eventually finds the strength, motivation and courage to stand up for himself.

The Alberta Motion Picture Industry Association nominated the film for Best Feature Drama and Best Original Score, two achievements that Sparshu is very proud of.

Undoubtedly, Sparshu’s passion for the arts runs deeply, as he references being on the family video camera with his sisters at age six. As he studied drama in elementary and high school, he acted in several theatrical plays, commercials, and films. It is on this foundation that he has been able to build a successful career.

“In studying various forms of theoretical acting techniques, I’ve been able to develop a strong sense of self-awareness which has allowed me to execute the techniques that best suit my style and strengths,” he said.

On top of his acting roles, Sparshu is building his portfolio as a writer and producer. In the process of writing his first feature film, Sparshu revealed that he has been able to leverage his experiences from acting, and apply them to the realm of writing and producing. Ironically, by improving his writing and producing skills, he is able to further evolve as an actor. It is a reciprocal process that Sparshu feels any aspiring actor should consider. He added that he is excited to show his dynamic ability to the world in the near future.

“As I mature in this business, I want to model myself off the Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson’s of the world,” he concluded. “Those guys produce more work than they act in. They are just as concerned with delivering a captivating movie as they are about their own individual acting performance.”

It is this deeper understanding of the fundamental elements that go into the production of a movie that Sparshu feels will allow him to continue to grow in the film industry as an actor, as a producer, and as an artist.

Canadian Star, Cinematographer

Cinematographer Peter Hadfield “disarms” viewers with his talent

August 29, 2016 Lorraine Wilder Leave a comment

Peter 2 — Peter Hadfield is from British Columbia, Canada.

Peter Hadfield has achieved a lot through his career, and a lot of this has to do with his success filming music videos.

The Canadian cinematographer has had four music videos selected as Vimeo Staff Picks. He describes the highlight of his career so far as working on the politically charged music video for Wintersleep’s song Amerika.

Two years ago he experienced success working along directed Dee Shin for Akmu’s video for the song Melted, which has over 6.5 million views on YouTube.

“This song gets a strong emotional reaction from people. There are tons of comments on how it makes them cry, and there are a few reaction videos of people watching the video and crying,” said Hadfield. “I think after this video was released I thought, ‘wow, I can do this.’”

The video was shot in Vancouver, British Columbia, and follows a boy as he comes across a variety of different people.

“It was fun to shoot a video with so many different people. Lots of different faces and textures in that video. Shooting a bearded dragon lizard with a macro lens was a ton of fun,” said Hadfield. “Everyone has a sweet spot, or a certain way they can be photographed that shows off their personality immediately. It was a challenge to find that spot with all the different people in the video.”

AM screen grab — Hadfield’s work on *Melted* brings out an emotional response from audiences.

After this success, Hadfield had the chance to work with his college friend, the musician, Pomo, aka Dave Pimentel, on the video Back 2 U, which Hadfield describes as his favorite videos that he has shot. It was shot in Toronto at the Pan Am Sports Facility as the video features many divers on their way into the pool.

“Finding the angles for the divers was a lot of fun, and taking the dives to the next level by adding the visual effects gave it a weird, trippy feel,” he said.

A challenge was presented when it came to shooting underwater. Hadfield had operate a 7D in a 5D underwater housing.

“We just rolled the camera, put it in the housing, and jumped in,” he said. “You can’t really see what you’re doing when you shoot underwater. I was wearing a snorkel and mask, but there are still a few inches of water in between your eyes and the mask that makes the monitor blurry. It was also really hard to keep the camera still, and I knew that shaking underwater footage wasn’t going to cut well with the footage we were getting of the divers in midair or on the deck, so we had to figure out a way to steady it. Our PA had to dive down to the bottom of the pool each time to retrieve the camera because we ended up just resting it on the bottom of the pool!”

Hadfield worked alongside Bahwee Suh, who was the executive producer and president at HW&W record label, as well as Kerry Noonan who is a producer and art director in Toronto, and Jack Yan Chen who was the camera operator.

“Things always seem to go smoothly when working with Peter. He has a warm and thoughtful presence on set which can sometimes disarm you from how professionally he executes every shot, every scene, every day. In short, Mr. Hadfield has a great deal of technical proficiency and makes it look easy,” said Kerry Noonan. “As a cinematographer, Peter has a lot of skills at his disposal. His instinct and sensibility come through on his reel, however something that you can only see on set is his cautious curiosity. Peter looks at figures, objects and landscapes and wonders how many new ways can we see it. He is always considering slight adjustments to impact a shot. If the idea doesn’t work he moves on, it does, it might just be the best part of your day.”

Hadfield agrees he and Noonan made a good team for the video.

“Kerry had some great creative input on the video and he worked his butt off to make it all happen,” said Hadfield.

Hadfield was not only the cinematographer on the film, but he also had the opportunity to direct it. He says having this opportunity further cemented his knowledge on shooting ratios and how much you actually have to shoot to make a cohesive music video.

“Directors are always editing in their minds on set, and I think being a cinematographer who can also edit and has a deep knowledge of post-production is an advantage. Before you specialize you’ve got to know how the whole machine works. I think that’s the difference between film making now and film making 20 years ago. Before each position was very specialized and delegated in a militaristic way, but the contemporary digital cameras completely democratize the whole film making experience. Since everyone can now direct, shoot, edit, and mix sound more can be accomplished with a smaller amount of people,” he said.

From a young age Hadfield knew what his passion was, and his love for his art has contributed to his many achievements.

“I’ve always had an interest in cameras and filmmaking,” he said. I played with my dad’s camcorder as a kid, and made little movies with my sister. There’s footage of me somewhere filming my sister giving a tour of the house, and walking into a wall with the camera held up to my eye.”

His understanding and appreciation for the art of cinematography, as well as his inherent skill behind the camera show why Peter Hadfield’s name will continue to be seen on rolling on the credits, now and in the future.