Interview with... Tim Dry

Again I apologise for the lack of activity on this blogsite in the past few months.

I've brought you a doozy of an interview though.  Star Wars fans will know of him, and you can catch him in the new movie, Son Of Nosferatu.

I bring you my interview with Tim Dry.

 

 

1. Can you please describe your involvement in the Star Wars movies?

Back in the early ‘80s I was a member of a multi-media group that mixed together mime, music, dance and theatre in a new and very colourful way. We were called Shock and we became very popular on the London club scene. We supported artistes like Gary Numan, Ultravox, Depeche Mode and Adam & The Ants.
We did a lot of live shows and a fair amount of TV and released two singles on RCA Records which were dancefloor hits in the UK. But Shock split up at the end of ‘81 and I formed a mime/music duo called Tik & Tok with Sean Crawford who was also a member of Shock. We perfected a style of movement called ‘Robotics’ which became very popular. You can still see it today, although it’s now become more of a dance as it morphed into body-popping later on.
Anyway, Tik & Tok were becoming pretty well known for our mime style and in early January 1982 Sean and I got a call from our mime teacher Desmond Jones, who told us that he’d been contacted by the Producer of the ‘Star Wars’ movies who said they were looking for mimes to play Aliens in the upcoming third movie. Desmond arranged an audition at his mime school and I think about 20 of us turned up and showed off our movement skills in front of Producer Robert Watts and the Casting Director (I think). Sean and I and seven others got the job to play these weird creatures who hung out in Jabba The Hut’s palace. We were big, big fans of the first two ‘Star wars’ movies and so to actually be in the third episode was enormously exciting!

We went along to Elstree Studios, just north of London early one cold and dark morning where we met Robert Watts again and members of the FX team who were creating the creature costumes. We were each given a costume according to our height and size. So, I was given what was then called ‘Tooth Face’ to try on and Sean was given ‘Yak Face’. Well, the costumes fitted, and after some minor adjustments, Polaroids were taken and then we were given our shooting schedules for the next three weeks. Basically we were ‘Baddies’ lurking around Jabba’s palace and later on in the shooting the same on Jabba’s sail barge when the action really kicks off! We were told that we would be featured nicely in the palace scenes but as there were so many performers, crew, cameras everywhere there was sadly no room or indeed any time for us to have more to do. That’s why you have to keep freeze-framing when you watch the movie to see us! But it was all very exciting, very hot and pretty uncomfortable under the lights, with smoke machines going on each take. We had to have assistants to remove our creature heads inbetween set ups so that we could actually breathe!
After we finished all the Jabba scenes a few of us mimes were given the job of playing Mon Calamari men on Admiral Ackbar’s rebel ship. These scenes were a joy to film, as the costumes were light, comfortable and we could actually see where we were supposed to be! I think we did just under a week as Mon Cals.
We got paid well for our contributions to what is an amazing bit of film making and it was an experience that I’ll cherish for ever. Which brings me on to your second question!

2. I see you've written a book about your Star Wars experience. Care to give it a plug right now?

Absolutely! The book is called ‘Continuum – The Star Wars Phenomenon As experienced From The Inside’. Back in 2007 when I was an autograph guest at Celebration IV in Los Angeles (at that time the biggest ‘Star Wars’ Convention EVER!) I was sat at my table in this huge hall like an aircraft hangar, surrounded by about 40 or so other performers from The Saga, and I kept thinking how weird it was that exactly 25 years after filming my bits for ‘Jedi’ I’m sat at a large table selling autographs of me as a furry Alien and a Squid Man on pictures, posters, cards, toys, T Shirts, DVD boxes etc. Who would have that that this would happen back then? Not us certainly!
It started back in 2003 when Sean was contacted by a young guy who was a collector of all things ‘Star Wars’ who asked the two of us if we’d like to make some money by signing stuff. Huh? We really didn’t know what he was on about, as after we’d gone to the Premiere of ‘Jedi’ in London back in ‘83 we’d both got on with our lives in our own ways although we were still best buddies and saw each other frequently. This guy told us that there were these things called Conventions where people like us, who had (let’s be honest) fairly minor parts in the movie, were paid to turn up AND charge fans money for our autographs. Wow, brilliant! So we started getting asked to do shows here, there and everywhere. Very exciting! We also discovered that both of our characters now had names, action figures and a back story.
Anyway, so when I came back from LA I started to write ‘Continuum’. The first part of the book is obviously a detailed account of the actual filming, costumes, tales from the set etc, etc. The middle bit of the book is about some of the strange things that I did as an artist in the ‘90s and the last part of the book (and the biggest) is all about the weird and wonderful world of worldwide ‘Star Wars’ Conventions and how strange it all is.
‘Continuum’ is an ebook and you can buy it from:
iBookstore
Amazon Kindle
Sony Reader
Barnes & Noble Nook
and Kobo
For a very reasonable price of about $3.99 US!
It has 10 pages of colour photographs and a foreword by Robert Watts (Producer of the ‘Star Wars’ trilogy and the ‘Indiana Jones’ trilogy).
This is the website that I created to promote the book: http://www.starwarscontinuum.com

 

3. I see you've attended Star Wars Conventions. Do you have any interesting tales to tell about the fans or the conventions themselves?

Yep! But you’ll have to read the book! It’s all in there...

 

4. Just what is Son Of Nosferatu? The title alone sounds very interesting.

‘Son Of Nosferatu’ is a short comedy/horror film written and directed by an old friend of mine named David Rose. I’ve known David for years and he’d often talked about wanting to make this idea happen with me. It finally came together on a shoestring budget in Autumn 2010 and I have to say that it was the most enjoyable thing that I’ve done performance wise in years! I play Nosferatu’s unknown son who, after his Dad squandered the family fortune and then died, had to sell the castle in Transylvania and ends up being homeless and selling magazines on the streets of London. He’s actually lost his Mojo and his fangs no longer work. But he meets a young female fairy who devises a cunning plan to help him out.
There’s some reviews on the IMDB here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1802811/
You can actually watch or download the whole movie (it’s only 20 mins long) in HD here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fDpPbSiY24

 

5. How did this movie come about?

Basically by David Rose calling in as many favours from as many friends as possible! Everybody loved the idea and was keen to make it happen. We’re still hoping to get the go ahead and funding to make it into a feature or if not that then a series of episodes on UK TV or cable/Satellite.

 

6. Is there a charity or event you would like to promote?

Any charity that helps cancer patients or prevents cruelty to animals gets my vote. I don’t have an event to promote at the moment, although I’m doing a show called ‘Star Wars Weekend IV’ in Denmark in November with Dave Prowse and others: http://www.danskstarwarsloge.dk/

 

I want to thank Tim for his time on this interview.  It was a nice surprise to receive his email and read his enthusiasm for doing this.

Thanks Tim!  :)

Please check out Tim's sites

http://www.timdry.co.uk
http://www.starwarscontinuum.com

 

Until next time.

Interview with... Amber Heard

I apologise for taking so very long since last updating this blog site.  I'll chalk it up to wanting to find someone to interview who would amaze you.

Hence I had the honour of interviewing Amber Heard.

Amber's been in a slew of great movies, from Pineapple Express to the very funny Zombieland.  She also starred alongside Johnny Depp in The Rum Diary.

Amber has some very interesting things to say, and fingers crossed there'll be a part two to this interview in coming days/weeks/whenever (Amber's currently doing reshoots so I don't want to pressure her for follow-ups).

I hope you enjoy my interview with Amber Heard.

 

1.  What type of movies do you look out for? I keep an open mind when it comes to my acting career and movie's I look out for. Everything happens for a reason. At this point I just take everything as it comes and I try to keep myself as grounded as possible.

2   What would be your ideal film role?  I just want to portray great characters and someone that everyone can relate to. I want to be someone who could be your sister, your cousin, your girlfriend, your best friend, etc. (That is character driven)

3.  You've previously mentioned in other interviews a love of guns and muscle cars.  What are particular favourites? gun: taurus slimline 9mm muscle car: 1969 Shelby Mustang GT500

4.  How much fun do you think starring in a Fast And The Furious movie would be? You kidding me lol? To work with Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, & the Dwayne "the Rock? That would be absurdly, insanely over-the-top action fun. And a lot of that will involve cars.

5.  Have you ever travelled and if so, where's your favourite part of the world? Argentina, its beautiful, friendly locals and the weather is brilliant. Especially if hiking and cycling is your sort of scene - there are many adventures to be had!

6.  Is there any particular charity or event you would like to bring to my readers' attention? Yes please support GirlUp Foundation at: www.girlup.org/

 

A huge thank you to Amber for her time with this interview.  I couldn't be more rapt in her responses and eagerness.

I wish Amber all the very best, and if we can just get her in a Fast And The Furious sequel well, I know it'd be all kinds of awesome.

Until next time.



Interview with... Butch Patrick

Oh boy was I excited to do this interview!

I mean, come on! Butch Patrick; Eddie Munster. Who wouldn't be jumping outta their skin to interview him?!

What follows is one of the shortest interviews I've done.

I hope you enjoy my interview with the extremely busy Butch Patrick.

1. You were in a few episodes of a fair few shows before The Munsters. What was it like being involved in such classics as The Untouchables, Mister Ed, and My Favourite Martian?

early shows were good training especially the Real McCoys

2. Why do you think the Munsters has endoured for all this time?

Family values & great writing and acting as well as special effects and make-up

3. What was your favourite part about playing Eddie Munster?

Cruising in the car!!

4. Have you been involved with the upcoming remake, Mockingbird Lane?

not as of today

5. You’ve recorded two singles for Eddie And The Munsters. Has music, and performing, always been an interest of yours?

I enjoy listening but not performing

6. What’s coming up next?

new radio report "Eddie's World" and 50 th anniversary book and tour PLUS a Halloween cruise.

7. Is there a charity or event you would like to tell my readers about?

yes Louise Harrisons Help Keep Music Alive and Marine Mammal Care Center and yes Lou is George (Harrison)'s older sister

For fun check out Butch's website www.munsters.com/

I want to thank the very busy and very cool Butch for his time.

All the very best to you Butch.

Until next time!

Interview with... Rey-Phillip Vivas Santos

For today's interview I bring you a stunt worker, actor, and body builder.

Of course I'm referring to Rey-Phillip Vivas Santos.

Rey-Phillip has worked on projects such as Blade 2, through to Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.

We discuss a range of topics, not simply about film and tv work.

Enjoy!

1. What is it about physical fitness that appeals to you?

With me its the sense of achievement after finishing a tough workout. This also included confidence, health in your body feeling and looking better, seeing yourself improve week by week, pushing others, and also relieve stress. More importantly it helps for physical & mental well being.

2. Obesity and weight issues are something really taking hold on a lot of lives. How do you think physical fitness can become appealing for young people again?

Physical activity interventions may be effective in the development of healthy lifestyle behaviors among adolescents & young adults that will then translate into reduced risk for many chronic diseases and cancer. Any physical fitness can be dancing, local gym martial arts, and school sports (join a school team)

3. How did you get involved with the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers?

I already had a competed in maritial arts championships before getting into entertainment so it was natural to get into acting and stunts. I first worked as a production assistant on set then eventually got hired assisting with stunts.

4. Please describe your time on the set of the show.

Fun but also It is very physically and mentally demanding with long days. It is never nine to five, One day you are going to work and you are doing fights, the next day you stand around doing nothing all day. Sometimes it’s a lot of hurry up and wait.

5. Have you done any other stunt work?

WMAC Masters, Michael Jackson's Ghosts, Blade 2, Dark Angel, and Stargate Atlantis

6. What’s coming up next?

Other than auditions and a few guest spots on "Days of Our Lives". I looking into two projects in development, a science fiction and the other a native american horror film with director Chris Eyre if all goes well with funding and the studios.

7. Is there a charity or event you would like to tell my readers about?

Yes its called The Actors Fund which is a nonprofit organization that assists anybody interested or involved in the performing arts. For more info go to: http://www.actorsfund.org/

I want to thank Rey-Phillip for his time doing this interview. It certainly is appreciated.
I hope you got a thrill out of Rey-Phillip's responses. I thought they were very great.

Until nex time.

Interview with... Kate Adamson

What I love about this site is that it gives me the ability to communicate with a whole range of people. Firstly I wanted to interview movie stars and celebrities. I've since gone on to interview astronauts, directors, and writers.

This interview is something special though.

For those of you not familiar with Kate's story I ask that you read, and I hope you enjoy.

My interview with Kate Adamson

1. What motivates you?

I had one in a million chances to survive from a stroke that completely paralyzed me. I could do nothing but blink my eyes and communicate with blinking to the alphabet to spell out words. So I look at life so differently now. I love being able to share my experience and touch those who are going through any kind of adversity. I also like to touch those who may not be facing adversity but feel stuck and paralyzed in their lives. I have been given a second chance at life and try to make the most of it. By focusing on others the focus is taken off me. As the saying goes, when life hands you lemons, make lemonade!

2. Were there any butterflies in your stomach the first time you spoke publically?

Yes! And I still get butterflies in my stomach but being prepared really helps, taking a deep breath and remembering it’s about the message I am there to deliver. As a kid growing up in New Zealand my parents had enrolled us in speech lessons [elocution]. During our school holidays we entered speech and drama competitions. So I guess the seed was planted a long time ago. I have a twin sister and she would start crying the minute she had to go on stage, my mother would grab me and push me out on stage. I had no time to get nervous. Fast forward 30 years and here I am back on stage in front of people.

3. What can people get from hearing you speak on motivation?

After hearing my story and how I over came complete paralysis people can then apply what I learned in their own lives by focusing on what they CAN do and not focusing on what they can’t do. My story truly motivates and inspires people.

4. I’ve never been so I thought I’d ask, what is New Zealand really like?

Well my friend, it’s a fairly quick flight for you and I remember years ago a T.V. ad showing the countryside and the words, “Don’t leave home without seeing the country first.” It is stunning with plenty to do but just as equally beautiful are the people. There’s nothing like the Kiwi’s.

5. What’s coming up next?

Right now I am recording the audio version of my book Paralyzed but not Powerless. It is exciting to record this in my own voice with a somewhat hint of a Kiwi accent. Many stroke survivors are not able to read after their stroke and this allows them to hear a story of hope and encouragement. Stroke Awareness month is fast approaching here in the United States and my calendar is full with travel.

6. Is there a particular charity you would like to bring to my readers’ attention?

I think your National Stroke Foundation in Australia. Stroke week will be from September 10th through the 16th of 2012. This is a great time to learn about stroke and know the risk factors. Usually one thinks of someone older having a stroke but many young people have strokes.

I want to thank Kate for her time during this interview. If you'd like to know more about Kate's story please check out her website at www.kateadamson.com/

you can also purchase her book online, which I recommend.

I hope you enjoyed this interview. Please comment below.
Until next time.

Interview with... Juliet Dunn

I don't think I've ever interview a jazz musician before, and I don't think I've ever had as much fun with an interview.

Juliet Dunn has been entertaining people with Jazz for years and certainly has some interesting things to say.

I hope you enjoy my interview with... Juliet Dunn

1. What is the appeal of Jazz?

Ever since childhood I've been drawn to the 20's, 30's + 40's. From music,
to film, to fashion, to lifestyle. I've always felt a connection there.
And of course jazz came into it's own during these era's. I love the
melodies, the voices, the harmonics, the instruments, the lyrics and the
freedom with the solos. And the messages are great. (I'm not a fan of a
lot of the more recent music which often has extremely rude lyrics and bad
messages for the younger generation that listen to them.)

2. Please tell us how you began your career as a Jazz musician.

I was a late bloomer and really started to listen to jazz at the age of 18
when a girlfriend gave me a cassette tape with Billie Holiday on it. I just
LOVED it and could also sing along with it. (My voice is lower so until
then I hadn't really identified with any of the pop singers.) Then in my
20's I was working as a back up singer with a French funk / rock band. The
lead singer introduced me to his singer teacher (Jean Salamero) and I
started to train with him. He was an older gentleman with a career in jazz.
(Same time period as Maurice Chevalier.) With Jean I 'dove' into the jazz
standards. Sarah Vaughan, Billie, Ella and more.

3. Which jazz instrument is your favourite to perform with?

I do love being accompanied by a piano and most of the time that is the
case. However I also enjoy singing jazz with a jazz guitarist. It's
definitely a different vibe and lovely for the latin tunes.

4. What is it like being part of Le Trio Parisien?
　
I love the French music and lyrics and as I trained as a singer in France
there is a real connection there. I think it comes across more when I sing
in French than when I sing in English. With Le Trio Parisien it reminds me
of my days in Paris which will always be fond in my mind. And there's
nothing like the sound of an accordion to make you feel like you're in a
brasserie in the heart of Paris! I've wanted to put together my French band
for a while now so I'm glad that it has finally all come together.

5. What advise would you have for people interested in Jazz?

If they're interested in playing or singing jazz I'd advise them to follow
their hearts and to remember that it's never too late. (I've only been
singing jazz professionally for 7 years now and I'm 42!)
If they're just fans of jazz my advice would be to keep discovering it.
There is SO much to discover. Both old and new! :)

6. What's coming up next?

Currently I am running a jazz series here where I live in Canada. It is
called the 'Twilight Jazz Series' and we are in our 6th month. (You can see
details on our website at: www.sheadduo.com)
Our goal is to bring more live jazz to our region and to help local jazz
musicians have more gigs. I started this series with my husband Peter Shea
and we perform at our own series occasionally with some of our own bands.
My job is lining up the bands and booking them as well as marketing the
series and I am really enjoying that.
And I have also landed my own radio show on Canada's premiere jazz station.
Jazz FM91 (www.jazz.fm) My show airs every Saturday and Sunday from 6am -
9am our time, and overseas people can tune in via the ipad app or online.
My show is called 'Sunrise' and I am learning SO much about the world of
jazz!

7. Is there a charity or event you would like to bring to my readers'
attention?

I do many charity events out here in Niagara and do volunteer concerts
regularly for the Niagara hospice. I also just performed for the Niagara
Women's Awards and International Women's Day. However I do not have any
other major charity events coming up in the immediate future.

Wow!
Thank you so much Juliet.

I hope you all enjoyed this interview. Please feel free to leave some comments below.
Until next time!

Interview with... Angela Oberer

Whenever I ask someone for an interview I'm always wondering how they'll respond. Will they feel obligated to do it to promote an upcoming production, or will they be outright rude and flatly say no (I've had a few of those responses in my time).

Then there's the actors who embrace the chance to be interviewed and really give some great responses.

If only all the interviews were as great as this one.

I give you, my interview with Angela Oberer.

1. What is it about acting that appeals to you?

I was doing some research on a movie set and was interviewing actors for an article I was writing, when I realized that all of the actors I was speaking with were progressive people. Meaning they were taking classes to learn new dialects and new languages. They were learning fun things like shooting firearms, tap dancing, swimming, Frisbee throwing, Karate, horseback riding, piano and crocheting. And I wondered how come none of my friends were learning those things – so I switched my friends and became an actress and enrolled in some fun classes and started learning how it feels to be an actress. Every day is filled with new things.

2. What made you want to become an actress?

Growing up, story time was a big part of our day. Mom read to us, until we were old enough to read to each other and to ourselves.
We loved to hear stories. We loved to read stories and we loved to watch them on TV and at the movie theatres.
Acting lets me tell stories on the screen and it is the best job I’ve ever had.

3. Have you done stage production before, and if so how did you find it?

When we were young (and I have 12 brothers and 6 sisters) our family played and performed a lot of music. We made up these zany little programs that included poems, skits and songs and we entertained lots of elderly people at assisted living centers, church events, and hospitals. We had a couple of scripted programs we performed but they were not “plays” in the traditional sense of the word. And it’s not really about how we found out about them, it was more of how did they find out about us, because it seemed like we were always performing somewhere.

Then there were all these old people that kept requesting that we come “perform” at their funerals when they die, and so our youth was spent entertaining people until they died, and then singing sad songs once they passed, to send them to heaven.

4. Please describe what it’s like doing horror films.

Horror films give me nightmares. They scare me terribly, and once I’ve seen a horror movie, the images stay in my head and keep scaring me again and again, when I think about them – even during the day time with the lights on.
I never wanted to be in a horror movie, until I met Ti West who directed Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever, and has since gone on to create some more wonderfully scary movies. I just wanted the chance to work with him and when I got to set, the crew was so awesome that Showing up to work every day on the set was like a big party. I just love those guys.

5. What would be your ideal role?

The next one? (Laughing) I like playing different roles because it allows me through acting to be somebody different for a while. I get to dress like somebody else, wear somebody else’s clothes, walk and talk like somebody else, and learn how other people deal with difficult situations.

6. What’s coming up next?

I’ve just been cast as a waitress who works at a restaurant where famous people come to dine. And in the movie I’m not supposed to be star struck, but I think I am a tiny bit when a big shot movie star comes into dine with his wife – exciting story. We begin filming in a couple of weeks. Woohoo!

7. Is there a particular charity you would like to bring to my readers’ attention?

Corazon de Vida http://www.corazondevida.org/ is a very dear to my heart. It is a US-based non-profit organization supporting Baja orphanages. It provides children in dire need the necessities of shelter, food, clothing, education, and healthcare – as well as hope, compassion and love. As we get older, hopefully we can all take care of ourselves, but there will always be a need to help take care of others as well.

To check out more of Angela's work and upcoming productions I strongly suggest you visit www.angelaoberer.com/
It's pretty darn cool!
Angela was also nice enough to provide this little snippet.

Short Bio: Angela Oberer (O-bur-er) is an American Actress who loves to share stories through television and films. You can learn more about her on at www.IMDB.me/AngelaOberer

Thanks to Angela for being so great with this interview. I wish you all the very best.

Please feel free to comment below.
Until next time.

Interview with... Dexter The Robot from Perfect Match.

Okay okay, so it's not REALLY Dexter the Robot whom I'm interviewing.

Well, it sort of is.

I'm interviewing the voice of Dexter, Keith Scott.

I've previously interviewed Keith and he was a lot of fun and had a lot of interesting things to discuss.

This time.. well.

Read on and enjoy...

1. Dexter the Robot was loved Australia-wide on the set of Perfect Match. How come no one picked him as their perfect match?

Unfortunately no-one ever picked Dexter – not even the occasional girl who was into heavy metal in those days.

2. Who would you select as Dexter’s perfect match?

Dexter’s perfect match back then? Probably Maggie Thatcher (“iron lady” and at the time the British PM)

3. What was it like to work on the set of Perfect Match? Is there any behind-the-scenes stories you can tell us about?

It was a lot of fun working on the set. I was originally hired as the voice of Dexter and the show’s booth announcer. I’d worked for Grundy’s four years earlier on a short-lived comedy game-show called CELEBRITY TATTLETALES, hosted by Ugly Dave Gray. For that show I was hired as the announcer, but on the first night they very sneakily informed the studio audience that I was a stand-up comic impressionist, so I ended up doing all the audience warm-ups for that show. Well, somebody at Grundy’s was keeping notes, because on PERFECT MATCH they did the exact same thing. From the first night for three full years, I had to keep two audiences amused for a total of five hours a night. (The first audience saw the first two shows, then a second audience took their place to watch the last three – we always recorded a week’s worth of shows – five episodes - in one night).

It quickly became apparent that between doing the robot voice and the audience comedy routines, I was getting overworked, so they brought in Max Rowley to do all the show’s ”straight” announcing. I used to have a lot of fun with the audience because they deliberately left my microphone “open” for the whole night. If there were technical breakdowns...and there were, with all the contestants’ mikes and other effects....I could jump in with jokes about the contestants (the very “up-themselves” ones always suffered some sarcastic putdowns by me which really amused the big studio crowd). Or I would just throw in jokes, voice impressions, sound effects or whatever. It was a hard slog in many ways, but the experience I gained was great. Incidentally the squeaky, fast voice of Dexter was my idea: when I did the audition in November 1983, the executive producer said, “We want something modern.” I had no idea what that meant, but at the time the biggest thing in movies was THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK – so I based it on the squeaky sounds emanating from R2D2 and just added words; at first I thought of a big deep voice like the robot in the old LOST IN SPACE show, but when I saw that Dexter was short and squat I thought of the STAR WARS connection!

4. Your voice work and the characters you’ve portrayed have made you a national icon. How do I go about nominating you as the next Australian Of The Year?

I would make a bad Australian of the Year – my natural inclination to satire and send-ups would mean I could never play by any committee rules....but I’m certainly flattered you would ask!!

Thanks again Keith. You're a stand-up bloke and a lot of fun to interview.
I'll hold off on that Australian Of The Year nomination though. :)

All the best.

Follow-up interview with... Neil Ross

I interviewed Neil in June of 2010, little realising that he had provided the voice of Morocco Mole.

So you just know I had to interview him again!

I hope you enjoy my follow-up interview with... Neil Ross.

1. I noticed that the voice of Morocco Mole is both a low and high pitch. Had you had any formal voice training?

Morocco Mole’s voice is basically an imitation of Peter Lorre’s voice. Lorre’s voice had both highs and lows. Also, the character has been voiced by different actors so the sound has changed from time to time. I have done a number of voice-over and animation workshops over the years. That’s about the only ‘formal’ voice training I’ve had.

2. Can you describe the difference between voice acting now, as opposed to the 60’s and 70’s.

I suppose the biggest change in animation is that they no longer insist that the full cast be present for each recording session. That was the rule in the eighties and early nineties. Nowadays most of the time I work alone and they piece it together with the other performances. Games are the same. You work those solo most of the time.

3. Are you a fan of the properties you did work for, such as Spider-Man, Volton, and Secret Squirrel?

I’m not sure that I ever worked on Secret Squirrel. As far as the other shows are concerned I’m proud to have been a part of these projects but I don’t sit around and watch them. The work is the fun part for me. But I’m very gratified to have been a part of some shows that many people remember fondly.

4. Did you have any insight into how the characters you voiced came across in the final product?
As you may know, the voices are recorded before the animation is produced. Sometimes we’re told that the animators are influenced by the voice work and change the character to reflect what they hear. So sometimes we have more of an influence on the finished product than we realize.

5. What prep work do you do before taking on a voice acting job?

I do whatever I can. Some shows send a script and/or a story board in advance. If that happens I’ll go over it of course. But if I don’t receive anything in advance, I just get in the car and drive to the studio. Fortunately I’m a pretty quick study.

6. Have you attended any conventions, such as the San Diego Comic Con?

I’ve been on Mark Evanier’s cartoon voice-over panel at Comic Con three times. Last year I appeared at BotCon in Pasadena.

I want to thank Neil for once again doing an interview with me. He's a top bloke to interview. He's also a busy man working on many cool cartoons and video games. If you ever get a chance, give him a shout-out.

And whilst you're at it, feel free to leave a comment.
Until next time.

Interview with... Ed Buckbee

Interviewing movie stars and TV stars, singers and so forth is all well and good, but there are times I just get a real kick out of interviewing true-blue heroes.

You know, the guys who actually make a difference in the world, rather than simply entertaining the world.

So it is my great pleasure to bring you my interview with author and Space Advocate, Ed Buckbee.

1. Why space? What excites you about space?

Space is the last frontier, where man can explore and learn to live and work. To explore space is challenging and it requires creative thinking and innovation.
The fact that we explore space for peaceful purposes excites me and we are the ONLY country to send man out of earth orbit and land man on the moon. The opportunity to continue human exploration of space beyond earth orbit, excites me.

2. How did the idea of Space Camp come about?

Wernher von Braun was the visionary who came forth with the idea of a Space Camp. I was given that challenge to design, develop and manage it. It was our plan to keep the dream of human space flight alive by sharing the excitement of space exploration with the younger generation.

3. How has the field of science changed, when looking at space, over the last few generations?

Because of our success in space exploration, science has become much more friendly. We expect breakthroughs and advancements in the fields of communication, medical, meteorology and transportation, to name a few. We are no longer satisfied with status quo.

4. The world has only recently come together as a joint effort to explore space. How has this changed what you do as a space advocate?

In the old days, we were in competition, particularly with the Soviet Union. Today, we welcome twelve international partners on our International Space Station. That is a huge change in our thinking and I hope it continues. I'm one who believes we should be cooperating with China. We could began that relationship by encouraging them to use a common docking adapter that would permit any spacecraft--U. S., Russia or Chinese-- to dock together in the event of an emergency in space. As I speak about space exploration, more and more people support flying in space together. I don't think I will live to see it, but I hope one of my Space Camp alumni is a member of the international crew that lands on Mars.

5. What is the next big thing the general public can expect from space exploration?

I hope it is the landing of Curiosity, the rover on Mars. It's the size of a small SUV. Should be a spectacular mission. The Space Launch System (SLS), our new rocket and replacement for space shuttle, is now in design by the team that was trained by Wernher von Braun. This new rocket is more like the Saturn V moon rocket of my generation.

6. What is the time-frame in which you think this will happen?

They expect the new rocket to be operational by 2017. That is a difficult challenge but hopefully it will be flying and man-rated for a moon mission in the 2020 time frame.

I want to thank Ed for his envaluable time with this interview and for his thought-provoking responses.
If you'd like to read more about Ed and the work he is undertaking I suggest you check out the following site
http://www.air-space.com/EB.htm
Ed's also on Twitter, at
http://twitter.com/realspacecowboy
Please let me know what you thought of this interview by commenting below.
Until next time.

Interview with... Kimberly Lynn Cole

I've interviewed a few horror actors on this site but this interview takes the cake!

I actually commenced this interview a few months ago but have only heard from the respondent now.

So I thank Kimberly Lynn Cole for her time with this interview, and for remembering me.

I hope you readers enjoy...

1. what is it like to work on a horror film?

Well it varies in many ways, its according to the budget mainly, and the director, location.
If its a big budget film as Body Snatchers was for Warner Brothers then its delightful and you are treated wonderfully all the way.
Sometimes when its a low budget film, everyone has to pitch in and work and even the actors and actresses will be pulling cables behind the scenes when they are not in the scene.haha I love all of the movies I have worked on. I love the whole horror genre and always have. My dream is to make my own horror films and I am working on that really hard. I am hoping to make THE TWO HEADED THING this summer or around Halloween time here at my haunted house called SCREAM FARM. We have already had several films and horror shorts made here the last one was SCREAM FARM written and directed by Jim O'Rear and it was a blast to do!

2. What can you tell us about The Coffin?

The Coffin seems to have been put on permanent hold since the gentleman who was producing and directing the film has been through some really life threatening health Issues and I wish Dan the best of luck and hope he recovers quickly. Thanks so much for asking about the film.

3. what do you think is the appeal of horror films?

I believe much of the appeal comes from a primeval instinct to be in the fight or flight mode, to fear our surroundings because we were built and designed for it, ancient man had to fear his surroundings day and night or he might be eaten by a sabre tooth tiger or giant sloth or trampled by a mammoth and so he had to be in tip top condition to survive and I think we have lost that fight or flight mode along the way because we have evolved and made our lives more comfortable and less frightful, more lazy so to speak and we miss that adrenaline rush that horror movies afford us. Being stalked by a knife wielding madman or a giant two headed mutant monster it gives us that rush that we are missing in our modern lives. Its just fun to be scared!

4. Do you work outside of film, for example theater?

I have done a few plays in high school and a few Christian plays, also have done runway and fashion modeling in the past, also was the vampire queen for a program for the Montgomery Zoo and did all their commercials for ten years. I have never had the pleasure of doing true
theater but I wish I had. I also am partners now on a
high end Auto Repair and Transmission Shop that makes really good money for my son who is going to be Pre-med next year, he has also been in some horror films with me such as Psycho Santa and a short on Southern Gothic that was written for him by Director Steve Sessions called HAVE YOU SEEN ME. its only out in the U.K.

5. What would your dream role be?

My Dream Role I hope I will be finally seeing come to fruition this summer and that will be directing, producing and acting in THE TWO HEADED THING.
its going to be lots of fun to do and feature a gigantic almost ten foot tall inbred circus mutant that is kept by a carnival circus family and carried around the country. I am trying to get the script together now and the crew. I am proud of every role I have ever been fortunate and blessed enough to have gotten and I love Horror Movies and will support them in any way I can.

I want to thank Kimberley again for her time with this interview. I had a blast reading her responses and I hope you did too.


Please feel free to leave a comment below.

Until next time!

Interview with... Clark Bartram

In 2003 I watched an 8-minute movie which showed me just how Batman should look on the big screen, well before Batman Begins was realised.

The man portraying Batman for this short film, Batman: Dead End, was Clark Bartram.

Clark is a professional trainer and body builder, and just simply a really nice guy.

I hope you enjoy my interview with Clark Bartram.

1. You've been dubbed America's Most Trusted Fitness Professional. How do you feel about that?

I actually made that tag line up…I was asked by a marketing firm to explain my message/approach to fitness and where I wanted to go with it and that is what we came up with. I feel it explains who I am and what I want to accomplish pretty clearly within a few words, like any good tag line should. I'm confident in my abilities, honest approach to helping people and know that I have a large impact.

2. What attracted you to hone your body to it's peak fitness protential?

My friends! I was bugged by all my buddies in the gym back in the early 80's to compete because they saw a potential in me to do something significant in the industry. I'm glad they did otherwise I doubt I would have done it on my own.

3. Good, healthy fitness is something many people strive for their whole lives. What advise would you give them?

a). Be realistic with your goals
b). Determine your "why" This is getting on a deep level as to "why" it's important for you to be in shape. Not just a simple answer like "I want to look better" That's too shallow. You need to dig deep on this one.
c). Be consistent…"Rome wasn't built in a day" and neither is a healthy body. It's nt about a 12 week contest, a photoshoot or a high school reunion. It's about a lifestyle adjustment that is something you can live with and more importantly teach your children.

d). Hire a nutritionist to start. You really need to know what you are eating and why. Following my program or another fitness models will not suffice. You need specific directions on what works for you.
e). Be patient…refer to point c.
f). Have fun with it
g). Get a partner, you will get more lasting results with a great training partner

h). Love yourself now, if you don't currently appreciate the uniqueness that God made you with now, losing 10 or twenty pounds won't change a thing

4. How did you get involved in the short film, Batman: Dead End?

A friend of mine called me after he received a call from the writer and director Sandy Collora. Sandy was looking for a muscular guy who could move athletically "like a ninja" and was having a hard time finding someone. He saw my buddies card in a Starbucks, it had bodybuilders on it and he figured he would give him a call to see if he knew someone who fit what he was looking for. When my friend heard the description, he immediately thought of me and called me and asked me to call Sandy. I was reluctant at first because part of the description was he needed to be about 6'2", I'm 5'8"…big difference. Well, long story short, I read for the part and Sandy liked me and we pretty much made a cult classic with Batman Dead End.

5. What was the reaction like to the film?

AMAZING. Imagine 4,000 screamimng people standing on their chairs screaming when they saw Batman stand up with his cape surrounding him. It was nuts. I still get e-mails and interview requests today, what 7 years later? It's crazy.

6. What was it like to portray Batman on film?

Awesome, such an iconic character and having the opportunity to be a part of Batman history. I've seen some very humbling comparisons to other big screen actors who have dawned the cowl. It's very cool and something I'll cherish forever.

7. You've since shot two more films with Sandy Collora. What's coming up next?

We are doing another film called Shallow Water, this one will be a horror film shot on location in Mexico very close to where we shot Hunter Prey. Which if you haven't seen that yet, it worth the rental fee on Netflix.

8. Is there a charity or event you would like to bring to my readers' attention?

Just be a giver, be open to helping whatever is on your heart. Could be your Church, a person on the street, a family member or a big charity. I feel it's important to be open to sharing time, money, efforts to help someone in need.

For more info on health and fitness plus some cool movie stills I highly recommend you check out Clark's site at www.clarkbartram.com/

I want to thank Clark for his time during this interview.

I look forward to your comments.

Until next time!

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

Surpringly I've seen all the Mission: Impossible movies in the cinemas.

I even saw the second film whilst I was in Canada, which was strange as I live in Australia and the film was shot in Australia.

So when I discovered they were making a fourth Mission: Impossible movie I thought, "I've seen the rest. I may as well see this one too."
I'm glad I did. It was incredibly good.

Here's the trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0LQnQSrC-g&ob=av3e

And here's the movie poster

Despite seeing the third movie with me my wife is not a Tom Cruise fan at all.
I'm pretty certain that if he wasn't in this film she would've agreed to come along with me.

Maybe other husbands are finding this too? That their wives aren't willing to seat through what they consider to be a Tom Cruise movie?
Thing is, whilst he is in the movie and is the major drawcard it's the other characters that make this movie as interesting, and as fun, as it is.

What I did like about this movie was the return of Benji (Simon Pegg). He was a great addition to the third movie and if he were to return for a fifth installment (even if Tom Cruise doesn't) I would see it.
Benji has some great lines and is simply fun to watch.



What I didn't like, before seeing this movie, was the addition of Agent Brandt (Jeremy Renner).
I simply do not like Jeremy Renner.
It feels to me that Jeremy Renner is being forced on to us by the movie studios as the next big action star.
I have seen Jeremy Renner in a few other films and he was okay. Even if he did see like a bit of a smart ass in them.

He played an interesting character in Agent Brandt here though. I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed the scenes he was in.

Each Mission: Impossible movie seems to introduce us to a new female agent without delving too much into her character.
Not to be mean by the female of this franchise seem to be somewhat throw-away.
I thought the same thing when Jane (Paula Patton) popped up onscreen. About halfway through the movie though, wow, she has some great scenes and a great story to tell.

And it wasn't until she does a wardrobe change in the front seat of a car do I realise that, wow, she's hot!
What do you think? Agree?
I proached the idea of her being Wonder Woman in a live action movie, on a Wonder Woman message board of all places. Within minutes I was shot down in flames. How dare I suggest such a thing. I mean, she's "only 5'7"! Geez.

As the recident bad guy is Hendricks (Michael Nyqvist). He's role doesn't really come into play until the last act.
But boy what a last act it is!
I thought I'd seen all the kinds of action scenes you could see from this franchise. The finale though, it's a doozy!

Blink and you'll miss him is Agent Hanaway (Josh Holloway - from TV's Lost).
If they had've changed Josh's character with Jeremy's character I would've been happy.

Josh Holloway seems like a better choice to take over the franchise if Tom Cruise decides not to come back. That's just my opinion though.

What I loved, and crinched at, was the scenes at (and outside) the Burj in Abu Dubai.
I'd heard that the scene in question gave test screen audiences vertigo. I can see that. The scene outside the Burj certainly made my toes curl from sheer terror.

All up I give this movie an 8 out of 10.
It's a great addition to the franchise, whilst also being a lot of fun.
Until next time.

Interview with... Michel Gagne

Romance. We all want it. Even those who don't wish to admit it secretly crave it.
In the 30's through to the 70's there was a phenomenum in American pop culture of the romance comic. Geared towards young girls and women it was an avenue which flourished well before the era of super-hero comics hit the scene.
In my interview with writer, artist, all-round nice guy Michel Gagne you'll discover the lost treasure and lost artform of the romance comic.
As brought to you by two powerhouses in comic lore. Jack Kirby and Joe Simon.
I hope you enjoy my interview with Michel Gagne.

1. What about romance comics interests you?

A few years ago, while reading a book on the history of comics, I realized that there was an entire facet of Jack Kirby’s (one of my childhood heroes) work that I hadn’t seen: romance.I became curious and wanted to read some of these stories. I started searching on the internet, and at comic stores and book stores, in the hope of finding a book compiling some of this obscure work. To my surprise, there was very little available. The only book I found was the long out of print, Real Love: The Best of the Simon and Kirby Romance Comics by Richard Howell: A volume featuring black and white reprints of thirteen stories, including nine by Simon and Kirby. The featured Simon and Kirby stories were excellent but they only spanned a three year period (1949-1951) while the team’s romance output lasted twelve. Granted, 1949 to 1951, was a potent period in terms of mature storytelling and lavish artwork, but my inquisitive mind wanted a general overview of the entire output, not a mere snippet. My search to find sample reprints from the post code era (1954-1959) turned up nothing. That’s when I started looking for the original comics. Certainly not an easy task.

Romance comics were bought by girls and women who, contrary to their male counterparts, did not have a tendency to collect. The comics were read and discarded. Even though the print runs were some of the highest in the history of American comics, very few copies survived and most of the ones that did are in pitiful shape. I quickly realized that if someone didn’t make an effort to preserve this material, most of it would vanish into oblivion. That’s when it hit me! Perhaps I should be the one to start the ball rolling. I had been itching to do a comic book preservation project for many years and this would be the perfect opportunity. Thus, I made the decision to restore, compile, and edit a book featuring an overview of the entire span (1947-1959) of Simon and Kirby’s romance comics.

2. Where you always a fan of romance comics?

I'm interested in the history of comics and the Simon and Kirby's romance comics played an important role in the evolution of the medium. It could be said that my interest is of an historical nature.

3. How did you get the idea to remaster the comic books into one big volume?

I get frustrated when I see restoration of old comics that are so digitally altered and modernized with garish colors, that they hardly have any connection left with the original material. For my project, I wanted to keep the integrity of the source material. I made a huge effort to stay true to the look of the comics printed on newsprint while restoring the inks to their original vibrancy and repairing color misalignments. The process was done over several years in my spare time. In essence, this book is my personal vision of how golden age comic book compilations should look.

4. What can people expect from Young Romance?

They can expect beautifully draw stories that are fun and varied, by two of comics master storytellers. The book is a well documented piece of American pop art and a true time capsule of an era.

5. What’s coming up next?

I'm finishing the last issue of ZED right now and I'm hoping to get the trade of all ten issues published sometime fairly soon. I'm also always busy with various projects ranging from films to video game. For up to date info on my work, people should check out my website at http://www.gagneint.com/

I want to thank Michel for his time and enthusiasm with this interview.
If you're interested in Michel's book Young Romance I highly recommend you track it down at all good book retailers, or online. The comic book stores in your local area should be able to get you a copy on request. But I suggest you be quick about it (I already have mine on order).If you'd like to check out Michel's other work please direct yourself to the following sites;

http://www.shadow-planet-productions.com/
http://www.zedcomics.com/

I hope you enjoyed this interview.
Until next time!