Over the years Canadian actor Cory Dagg has brought his unparalleled talent to a pretty astonishing list of film and television productions. Becoming known for his roles on hit television shows like “The Andromeda Strain,” “Top Cops” and “Street Legal,” as well as films such as Primetime Emmy nominee Brad Turner’s “The Inspectors,” Michael Kennedy’s action-packed crime film “Hostile Force” and “Bond of Silence” acting alongside Kim Raver from “24” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” Dagg’s proven that he has a unique gift for playing authoritative roles just as easily as he plays the underdog.
With a character list spanning the likes of government officials, sly detectives and frustrated public defenders, Dagg’s way of communicating with his eyes is something that has made each and every character he’s taken on to date unforgettable. His role as Detective Peters in the series premiere of Columbia Tristar’s thriller series “The Net” is one that not only helped carve out his reputation for portraying multi-layered characters in the crime genre, but also set up the basis for the show.
While out for a run early one morning, freelance computer programmer Angela Bennett (played by Brooke Langton) is arrested by federal agents only to find out once in the interrogation room that her identity has been erased and replaced with that of a wanted felon. Dagg’s character Detective Peters comes down hard on Bennett who is both baffled and afraid as Peters threatens her with a lengthy jail sentence for crimes she didn’t commit.
“Whenever I get a new role, I get to know that character as if they were going to be my new best friend. I try to think of every aspect of them – how they feel, how they would respond in certain situations, what they would say,” explains Dagg.
“With Peters being a cop, I knew I could handle that since I ‘ve done a lot of cops and military roles. But Peters is a bit of a dirty cop, so I had to dig deep to bring that out in him. Really, it comes down to immersing myself in the character, finding something – anything – I might have in common with him, and playing on that.”
Another of Dagg’s authoritative style characters that has left an indelible mark in the minds of viewers is that of General Michaelson on the seven Primetime Emmy Award nominated series “The Andromeda Strain,” which was adapted from Michael Crichton’s 1969 novel and produced by four-time Oscar nominee Ridley Scott. The four-part series follows a group of highly trained scientists as they work to find the source of what killed the inhabitants of a small town and a way to stop it, and the military team tasked with keeping the disaster under wraps as a matter of national security.
Acting alongside Benjamin Bratt (“Miss Congeniality,” “Despicable Me 2”) who plays Dr. Jeremy Stone and Golden Globe Award winner Ricky Schroder (“Get Him to the Greek,” “NYPD Blue”) who plays Major Bill Keane MD, Cory Dagg gave a brilliant performance as General Michaelson, the military leader who is charged with quarantining the affected area from the mysterious virus, and keeping the rest of the population safe.
Interestingly enough, Dagg originally auditioned for a smaller role on the series however, after director Mikael Salomon (“Hard Rain”) saw Dagg’s performance, he was given a much meatier role and his character went on to be featured in three of the series’ four episodes.
“The director said later he was surprised I didn’t have military experience, that’s how convincing he thought I was,” recalls Dagg. “It’s the dramatic roles I love the most, when the stakes are really high I’m able to separate myself from other actors and usually get the role.”
As an actor Cory Dagg effortlessly stands out in a crowd thanks to his magnetic presence both on and off camera, his rare versatility, and his ability to breathe life into the most complex characters, all of this and more have been crucial factors in the impressive career he has created for himself over the past 30 years, and we can’t wait to see what he takes on next!
When one finds their life’s passion it’s easy to see, a person simply comes alive when they’re doing what they are destined to do, the tricky part for many is figuring out how to turn that passion into a career and take decisive action to make it happen. Anyone who’s had the chance to watch UK actor Darren Higham perform would be hard pressed to think that Higham is driven by anything other than passion. His dedication and love for his craft oozes from his heart, magically bringing to life each and every character he portrays.
After honing his skills in the theatre starring in a plethora of productions at some of England’s most prestigious venues including the Redditch Palace Theatre, the Capitol Theatre in Manchester, and the Bolton Little Theatre in Bolton, Higham went on to land his first on screen role a little over a decade ago in the BAFTA and Royal Television Society Award winning drama “Clocking Off” created by Primetime Emmy Award winner Paul Abbott (“Shameless,” “State of Play”).
A high-profile production for any actor’s first television role, Higham lit up the screen as an aggravating police officer in the “Clocking Off” episode “KT’s Story” with ease. His believability as a police officer landed him a critical role as Police Constable in the BBC’s Edgar Allen Poe Award winning crime drama “Dalziel and Pascoe” the very same year.
Since then, Higham has gone on to amass an impressive repertoire of work that include playing critical roles in Daniel Percival’s (“Walking the Dead,” “Strike Back”) BAFTA Award winning film “Dirty War,” Brett Foraker’s comedy film “Buying Porn” and the 2010 western “Desperados.”
While Higham has proven his capacity to play everything from intense and layered roles in heavy hitting dramas to quirky characters in countless comedies, he admits that there’s a special breed of comedy that excites him the most.
“I’m comfortable in pretty much everything but I guess if I really had to choose one, I’d say comedy, more comedy drama than slapstick comedy though!”
While Higham has proven his knack for taking on comedic roles in multiple productions over the years, the one that he has become best known for is from his recurring roles on the “The Armando Iannucci Shows” created by Oscar nominee Armando Iannucci. A popular sketch comedy series, “The Armando Iannucci Shows” proved to the world that Higham is one actor whose improv skills have the power to tickle anyone’s funny bone.
To find out more about UK actor Darren Higham’s work and his upcoming roles, make sure to check out our interview below!
Hey Darren thanks for joining us! Can you tell us where are you from, and when and how you into acting?
DH: I’m from Wigan, which is a town in the northwest of England. I absolutely loved western films when I was a kid, they were an escape. I used to watch them with my Granddad. I was from a working class Northern family though and acting just wasn’t what people did. I did lots of different jobs after I left school and trained as a chef too. Then I spent a year in Hong Kong doing a few different things but I had the chance to do a few bits of work in the Hong Kong film industry, they liked my look! And once I’d had that taste, there was no going back. When I got back to the UK, I was offered a place at college and then a place at Manchester Metropolitan University where I completed my acting degree. This was a fantastic opportunity. Manchester Met is one of the best acting schools in the UK and has a brilliant reputation for theatre work.
You recently wrapped production on the upcoming film “The Quiet House,” can you tell us a little bit about the film and the character you play?
DH: It’s a futuristic film set in a world where pets are pretty much banned as they are thought to spread disease. The state looks to control this ban by way of daily scans on buildings. A drug has been developed that, when injected into the pet, means it can’t be picked up by the scanners and inevitably, a black market has developed around this. The film is pretty dark and mysterious. It has lots of underlying themes running through it such as state control, individual choice, quality of life etc. My character is pretty much a recluse, he lives alone with his cat. On the face of it, he is an upright citizen, employed in a government job, obeying all the rules – but he’s not really like that at all. His initial focus is on keeping his cat safe but then he finds himself in a much darker situation, there’s a bit of a twist to the story that I don’t think people will expect.
How is this character different from those you’ve played in the past?
DH: He’s a bit darker in the sense that you never really know where you are with him. I’ve played tough guys before but they’ve tended to be bad in a more obvious way. This guy is really chilling, you don’t really know where his loyalties lie.
You also just shot the films “Somnus” and “Modern Life is Rubbish,” can you tell us about those?
DH: “Somnus” blends sci-fi with horror. It’s about a cargo ship that is on its final mission working the monotonous Earth-Mars route. The ship malfunctions and the crew has to make a change of course to Somnus, a remote asteroid colony. It soon becomes clear to the crew though that Somnus has a dark past, which could affect all of mankind. It’s a really intriguing story and cleverly mixes sci-fi with horror. I play a medical droid who effectively is the wise old man of the ship, he’s a robot, sort of in the vein of Siri I guess. I haven’t really done any sci-fi before so this was memorable in that sense. Also, the way the story works means I didn’t have to have very much interaction with the other characters whilst filming which was also a novelty for me.
“Modern Life is Rubbish” is about a couple going through a break-up, which is played out against a backdrop of the songs that defined their relationship. It’s a really touching story, one that lots of people will be able to identify with. It’s a romantic comedy and very British! It was a lot of fun to film. I play a character called Solomon who is a friend of the guy going through the break-up. I play guitar in a band which at one point looked like they might be destined for fame but have ended up playing pub gigs. My band serves as a bit of a warning to the main guy as to what his future could look like if he carries on the same route as he is, so whilst he’s funny, he’s also a bit sad. This was a great project to work on, everyone got on really well and it was a tight crew.
Can you tell us about some of the other film projects you’ve worked on over the course of your career?
DH: I worked on a film called “Desperado.” I played the lead character who was called ‘Jr’, a wannabe cowboy living in a small terraced house in the north of England. The story revolved around this character, it was quite a simple storyline really but all of the other characters were linked to Jr, so his dad, his next door neighbour, his dad’s mate etc. I found the character pretty easy to play as his backstory was really quite similar to my own life, I really identified with his position, being in one place, feeling that you’re slightly trapped almost, but pining to be somewhere else! This was actually one of the most enjoyable shoots I’ve been on, it was a really tight knit cast and crew and we had a lot of fun.
I worked on another film called “Dirty War” which was centered around the aftermath of a bomb exploding in Liverpool Street station, one of the busiest stations in London. I played a fireman. He was important to the story as a large part of the devastation and human impact was seen through his eyes, so the audience was able to really feel what it was like through him. I found this role quite hard as it was such a difficult story – in London we had experienced IRA bombings before but this was being filmed in a post September 11th era so you felt a sense of responsibility to get it right, and to portray as best as you could the sheer horror of such a situation.
How about television projects?
DH: I’ve worked on a fair few TV programs, but the one that really stands out for me is working on the “Armando Iannucci Show,” which was a series of comedy sketches. It was written and directed by Armando and it was a privilege to work with him. I’d long been an admirer. There was a whole ensemble cast working on the shows and I appeared in a fair few of them, I built up a bit of a rapport with Armando, we have a similar sense of humour. This was a really fun project to work on, the cast was brilliant and there was a lot of improv which I love to do.
I worked on a TV programme called “Clocking Off,” which was a really popular show from a few years ago. It was an ongoing drama with recurring story lines and I played a policeman who pops up when one of the other characters gets into a spot of trouble when discovered drinking and driving. It was a serious drama, there wasn’t a lot of humour but it was one of my first TV appearances so I absolutely loved the opportunity, I got to work with some great people and the guy who wrote it (Paul Abbott) is just brilliant.
I also worked on a hugely popular show called “Dalziel and Pascoe.” Funnily enough, I also played a policeman in that too. My character is meant to be acting as security for a judge whose life has been threatened but he lets the judge talk him into letting him take some time out alone, and the judge is subsequently found murdered. This was an interesting role as whilst I was playing a policeman, I was also under suspicion of having played a part in the judge’s death so it was a bit of a dual character. This role gave me the chance to work with an actor called Warren Clark (who had appeared in numerous projects, including the film ‘Clockwork Orange’) who I really admired. He has since passed away so I feel pretty honoured to have had that chance.
You get approached all the time to work on projects with people, what makes you pick one role over another?
DH: I love for each role I do to be different from the last, it keeps me on my toes and means I’m constantly having to adapt. This ensures I never get complacent. Acting is a craft and you have to work at it all the time to ensure you’re at your best. Ultimately though, for me, the story is key. Whilst it’s a privilege to work with well-known people, I’m not really concerned as to whether the director/producer/other actors etc are big names – as long as the story grabs me, that is the hook for me.
Do you feel that you get cast to play a certain type of character more than others?
DH: Because of the way I naturally look, and my physique, I do tend to find that I get cast either in the lawman/peace maker role, so things like policemen, military men, firemen or, on the other end of the spectrum, in the hardman role, so gangsters, ‘tough guys’ and the like! I don’t mind really – it gives me an opportunity to surprise people when they see what else I can do!
Out of everything you’ve worked on over the course of your career, what project has been your absolute favorite?
DH: I would probably say “Desperados.” This was by no means the biggest project I’ve worked on but it’s my favourite primarily because this was the first film I wrote, directed and starred in myself. I went through the whole filming process from start to finish – from formulating the idea, writing the script, getting finance in place, getting the cast and crew together, filming it, post production, getting it out to the market, going to film festivals and doing Q&A sessions etc. I learnt so much and I am so proud of the finished film. It received a lot of critical and popular praise and it did really well on the film festival circuit, it was shortlisted for both the Salford Film Festival and The End of the Pier International Film Festival and was showcased in the film corner at the Cannes Film Festival.
What has been your most challenging role?
DH: Probably Jr in “Desperados,” because of the fact that not only was I acting, I was also directing the film, my first. It was without a doubt challenging and stressful – you want to give the performance your all and you want to focus on the acting but, at the same time, you also have to be thinking about the direction, where the cameras are, the other actors etc. I found that it was best to let the acting just come naturally, I’d written the script so I knew my character inside out. It worked for me.
What separates you from other actors? What do you feel your strongest qualities are?
DH: I honestly think I have a natural talent for acting, I find it easy to fall into character. I love film and I love people watching, I find it easy to imagine myself in different positions so I think I can identify with characters quite instinctively. I also trained at one of the best acting universities in the UK, I am classically trained and I cut my acting teeth on numerous theatre productions so I am comfortable in my abilities as an actor and I know I can adapt my skills to suit any particular project. On a more general level, I’m also focused, determined, resilient and can laugh at myself– the latter two are both particularly good for an actor!
What projects do you have coming up?
DH: I have a lead in an upcoming film called “Hector & Myself” which I am very excited about. I am also working on another film of my own, called “One Hit Wonder” which I hope to start filming next year. I also have a couple of other projects in the pipeline but I can’t really say anything about those at the moment. It’s a pretty busy time for me which is great.
What do you hope to achieve in your career as an actor?
DH: Really my main goal is to continue having the opportunity to play interesting roles in a wide variety of projects. Acting is a profession where you never stop learning, it’s a continual process and I love that about it. It is often hard, but it is never boring.
Why is acting your passion and chosen profession?
DH: I love the creativity and that every day is different. Acting can have its ups and downs, it makes you dig deep but at the end of the day, you know you’ve given something that people are going to enjoy watching and it’s a great feeling. I also love the fact that researching different roles provides an opportunity to learn more about all sorts of different issues and topics, you learn a lot that way too. It’s not just a job where you go through the same old motions each and every day.
Kayla Strada is an award-winning actress from Australia known for her standout roles in the films “Next” and “Love Is…”
Kayla Strada, an Australian actress known for her award-winning performance as Chelsea Johnson in the short drama film, “Next,” has been dazzling international audiences for years for her refined character portrayals in film, TV, commercials and theatre. The enticing Strada has a track record of swelling success. With demanded talent, passion for the craft and a look tailor made for a career in front of the cameras, Strada has risen to international prominence for her standout acting facilities.
Strada’s star quality was recognized in no time by the ultra-competitive industry that is acting. When she was just 17 years old, Strada was cast among thousands of auditioning actors as the beloved character, Betty Boop, for Universal Studios Singapore.
Kayla Strada was cast as Betty Boop for Universal Studios Singapore.
She’s since gone on to act in films championed by award-winning filmmakers such as Stan Harrington and Tessa Blake. Strada has acted in “Home and Away,” a 28-year running soap opera that’s the most awarded show in Logie history (Australia’s version of the Emmys), in commercials for Universal and Fox and in theatrical productions of quintessential shows such as “A Streetcar Named Desire,” “Alice in Wonderland,” “West Side Story” and more.
Strada was tabbed for a coveted scholarship at the McDonald College — Australia’s top performing arts school headquartered in Sydney — and also perfected her craft at Australia’s National Institute for Dramatic Arts.
After moving to the U.S., Strada attended Los Angeles’ renowned Stella Adler Academy of Acting, which boasts famed alums such as Oscar winner Benicio del Toro (“Traffic”), Oscar nominee Mark Ruffalo (“Spotlight”) and Golden Globe winner Henry Winkler (“Happy Days”), among dozens more.
“The real art of acting, I feel, starts from theatre,” Strada said. “The theatre background shaped me as an actress because of the amount of work involved in the collaboration with others. Working with other people’s ideas and your own brings what’s on paper to life. With theatre, you’re never really finished. It’s taught me it’s an ongoing learning experience.”
Strada hails from the city of Gosford that is situated on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia, just outside of Sydney. Part of her initial lure to acting came after watching Universal’s 2003 reimagining of an iconic story that’s moved audiences for decades.
“The story all began after watching Peter Pan,” Strada said. “And no, it’s not the story of ‘I never want to grow up, so that’s why I act.’ I think I was about 13, kinda when I thought of myself as a woman. I had a child crush on Peter Pan, then played by Jeremy Sumpter, and really wanted to meet him. The only way to meet him was to be an actor myself. Obviously, my inspiration for acting changed, but that’s where it semi-started.”
Strada’s early taste in film and TV was influenced by her mother, Mary, who made a point to have Strada and her brother, Joseph, watch movies based on true stories.
Added Strada, “I am a big fan of Cate Blanchett. She is a big inspiration because she still goes back to her foundation and still does a lot of theatre, as well as the film side. She knows how to juggle both really well.”
Actress Kayla Strada reflected on performing the character, Chelsea Johnson: “She taught me to never give up.”
Strada’s own performing began on the stage. Her first big role came in the Gosford Musical Society production of “West Side Story,” where she played Anybody’s, the stubborn tomboy who joins the Jets gang in the story.
“It was super funny for me because I was probably the most European looking girly girl playing the part of an American tomboy, but I had a blast exploring that character,” she said.
It was another character, however, that Strada first performed on stage who holds a special place in her heart and has served as the catalyst for recurring success. Strada debuted one of her favorite characters — Chelsea Johnson — for a memorable high school theatre project. She developed and performed the character, who was a familiar someone that hit close to home.
“Chelsea Johnson’s secret is the same as mine,” Strada said. “We both share the fact that we are dyslexic.”
And both equally brave. Chelsea is a character Strada describes as a bubbly, bright go-getter who has her sights set on being a star actress, despite her impediment. “Cold reads are her obstacles and she is motivated to prove to herself and to others that she can do it.”
Effectively performing a monologue brings its own share of challenges, but delivering one all the while overcoming dyslexia is a feat of remarkable merit. That’s precisely what Strada did.
“To have the audience laughing at me at the beginning, then to not hear a pin drop by the end of my monologue was the most satisfying feeling as an actor,” said Strada. “To have a judge who was examining my performance tear up at the end of my high school performance exam was more then worth it.”
What was gained beyond acing the dramatic test?
“She taught me to never give up,” Strada said.
And Strada didn’t give up the character either. She reprised Chelsea Johnson for a short film called “Next,” whereby this time Chelsea auditions for Hamlet, but has unwittingly memorized the wrong lines and is asked to cold read for the part in Shakespeare’s tragedy.
“Chelsea is forced to face her fears and insecurities to reveal her hidden secret,” Strada said.
Strada’s groundbreaking performance in “Next” was recognized with a Best Actress award at the 2016 Nova Film Fest (Virginia) in April. “Next” was also nominated for Best Short and was the runner-up for Best Dialogue Short at the 2015 Action on Film Festival (Monrovia, Calif.).
For her role as Chelsea Johnson in “Next,” Australian actress Kayla Strada won the Best Actress Award at the 2016 Nova Film Fest.
Stan Harrington directed “Next” and is a multi-award-winning director, producer and actor known for “Lost Angels,” “Perception,” “The Craving Heart,” and many more.
“I asked Stan if he would film it. When he said, ‘No,” I asked if he would just read the script first. He came back the next day and said, ‘We’re filming it this weekend,’” said Strada.
The pair would collaborate again on the short romantic drama, “Love Is…” with Harrington writing and directing, and Strada starring in the role of Maddie.
The film follows Nick (Bryan Lee Wriggle) and Maddie, who fall in love at first sight, but find their relationship stalling and themselves searching for the true meaning of love.
“The nature of a shoot required to make a movie like “Love is…” is exceptionally trying, so getting to work with actors that not only come prepared, but also have incredible talent and insight, like Kayla, makes everything just that little bit easier,” said Harrington.
Strada described her character as a relatable girl with universal themes including wanting her boyfriend to show his love instead of only saying it. The story picks up where Nick and Maddie are at a routine stage in their relationship, but Maddie is trying to change things because she doesn’t believe Nick has been trying to show Maddie he loves her, even though he has and his efforts went unnoticed.
“It has been a privilege to work with someone like Kayla Strada,” said Wriggle, who has also acted in Harrington’s “Bella” and Relativity Media’s hit “21 & Over.” “She brings a professional attitude and great work ethic to set each day. I feel honored to work with actors that take control of their work and ‘bring it’ on set each and every time!”
Actress Daphne Tenne (“Monkey Say, Monkey Do,” “Vort”) co-starred in the role of Liz. “This project has been an amazing journey,” she said. “Kayla is extraordinary at what she does, truly a professional at work. Acting alongside Kayla in this film was a journey that I will take with me forever. I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to be a part of the project and I learned a lot about myself and about love.”
The “Love Is…” story had thematic elements inspired by events from Strada’s life. “My uncle passed away and my mother, back home in Australia, was noticing all these five cent coins all over the house. She started to put things together that it was my uncles’ way of telling my family that he his around watching them and things are okay. It may sound strange, but I have had other people come up to me after watching the film, saying they have had similar experiences, so although this is based around a couple, the inspiration came from my uncle.”
“Love Is…” became an Official Selection at the Nova Film Fest, is expected to screen at forthcoming film festivals and will be shot as a feature film adaptation. “The team we had…it became a real family and I love that,” Strada said. “It’s a project that we have worked so hard to tell a story that we are all passionate about.”
Strada’s other film roles include playing an ER Nurse in “Upended,” a short drama directed by the award-winning Tessa Blake (“Election Night”). The film tells the story of an unstable single mother who looks after her young son, who is rushed to a hospital after eating what he though were acceptable brownies. Strada’s character enters the plot and tries to help the boy survive.
She also acted as Nancy in the Nick Seabra-directed film, “Cold Milk.” The role saw Strada carry out the victimized Nancy, who is taken hostage by an unfamiliar, crazed man who wants Nancy to impersonate his daughter, who was taken away from him.
For TV, Strada performed in the role of Gypsy for the Discovery Channel’s “Deadly Women” docu-crime series that chronicles true crime stories of female killers, and in writer-director-producer Sophie Webb’s, “Same Sex.” She’s also acted in Australia in the Nine Network’s “Underbelly” and 7 Network’s hit soap opera, “Home and Away.”
Strada has acted in the music video, “Here’s to the Sunrise,”for the pop/hip-hop group, Kicking Sunrise (Right Coast Music), and co-hosted on YouTube’s popular “The Naked Traveller” adventure series with Tyson Mayr. She most recently presented at the 2016 Los Angeles Greek Film Festival with host Mena Suvari, star of “American Beauty” and “American Pie.”
Actress Kayla Strada presented with Mena Suvari at the 2016 Los Angeles Greek Film Festival.
We’re looking forward to seeing Kayla Strada in many more exciting roles to come! For all the latest, visit her official site, www.kaylastrada.com.
Russian-Australian actor Peter Fall has excelled in his roles in international film, TV, commercials and stage productions.
Actor Peter Fall has been wowing international audiences for his outstanding character portrayals spanning action-adventure, mystery, drama, comedy and more. The Russian-Australian talent — who formerly went by Igor Fall — is classically trained and owns a myriad of specialized skills that make him recognized, praised and sought after by Hollywood movers and shakers.
Fall, 30, parlays his personal experience into an exploration of character in each of his performances. While growing up, Fall spent time living in Europe, Asia and Australia. He speaks English, Russian and Korean, and has mastered dialects including Australian, British, Irish and South African, among others. Fall embraces physicality when it’s demanded of his roles and is a skilled sportsman and former Australian National WTF taekwondo champion.
He’s been living in Los Angeles since 2010 and underwent training at the renowned Stella Adler Conservatory and Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. Whether for the stage, award-winning short and feature films, TV or commercials, Fall has stood out as a gifted actor with dynamic range, engagement and authenticity.
“I’ve always had a great love of acting,” said Fall, who started performing seemingly since birth and signed with his first talent agent at the age of 10. “I’ve studied the art of acting with some of the world’s finest practitioners. I’ve had the chance to act alongside some supreme talents and for some world-class filmmakers. Through it all, I’ve applied the strategy of absorbing and implementing effective technique, and more than anything, being a positive presence on set and in production.”
Fall’s first role on TV came in 2000 in “Beastmaster,” a fantasy series about an adventurer (played by Daniel Goddard (“The Young and the Restless”) who can communicate with animals. As child actor, Fall performed a featured role for Season 1 Episode 10 — “Riddle of the Nymph” — that was directed by the award-winning Brendan Maher.
Actor Peter Fall (far left) made his TV debut on the fantasy adventure series, “Beastmaster.”
“This was an immersive introduction into the world of television,” he said. “It was an exciting time and great chance to be a part of a series that found international success. The opportunity to act for “Beastmaster” fueled my drive to pursue a performing career at an early age.”
The series ran for three seasons with 66 total episodes and broadcast in America, Canada and Australia. It was derived from MGM’s 1982 film, “The Beastmaster,” and was nominated for awards by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films and the Australian Film Institute.
Since his move to Los Angeles, Fall acted in “Perception,” a feature mystery film written and directed by Stan Harrington. The movie tells the story of a man who questions his sanity when reality blurs with his own imagination.
Harrington, a 25-time award-winning filmmaker and actor, starred in “Perception” alongside R.D. Call (“Waterworld,” “Into the Wild,” “Murder by Numbers”), Kely McClung (“Blood Ties”) and Blythe Metz (“Nightmare Man”). For “Perception,” Fall acted in the key role of Hoges.
“Perception” tells a great cinematic story and I was thrilled to work with a brilliant filmmaker and terrific cast,” said Fall. “The character, Hoges, is a bit of a catalyst who drives the story. He introduces Athena, played by Blythe Metz, to Marcus, played by R.D. Call. Athena takes on a poor relationship with Marcus and Hoges tries to interject and reason with her. I felt we delivered a solid film that’s a callback to the story-driven approach.”
Harrington said, “It takes a certain kind of excellence to enter films and spin the story like Peter did. It is the best proof of his immense talent and range as an actor to see him do so superbly. His performance was honest, appropriate, and above all excellent.”
Fall thereafter played a soldier in the short drama film, “Red Poppies,” directed by Yaitza Rivera. The film follows the story of a woman (Zulivet Diaz) who was sexually assaulted, but finds a chance at happiness when she meets the love of her life while attending her father’s funeral.
“Red Poppies” was written by the great Tim McNeil, an actor-writer-producer known for his work in “Contact,” “Forrest Gump,” “Starship Troopers” and many more.
“It’s a powerful film with strong thematic elements,” Fall said. “There’s drama and conflict aplenty, but it’s also a touching story of hope and perseverance. I played the solider who attacks the lead, Iris. My part in the story is dark, grim and detestable, something that’s a real performing challenge. It’s difficult to go that far against the grain of who you are as a person, but that’s what acting’s all about. If I can make the audience hate me and root for the leading lady, I’ve done my job.”
The notion vaulted into fruition as “Red Poppies” received a Best Short Film nomination at the 2013 SoCal Independent Film Festival. Diaz was nominated for Best Actress at the festival, Rivera won Best Director and the film was also up for award consideration at the Action on Film International Film Festival.
Film festival judges weren’t the only ones who noticed the captivating acting displayed within “Red Poppies.”
“Peter’s ability to play such a dark and unforgivable character was key to the film’s ability to affect an audience,” said McNeil. “He portrayed the soldier with such a gruesome reality that everyone cringed in their seats and was immediately empathetic toward the struggle of Iris. The technique of an actor is often lost by the non-professional, especially in scenes of such intensity. Only the best actors can work honestly under such duress and employ years of technique to excel in such a despicable character.”
Fall has also routed his cut-above-the-rest acting talent for TV commercials. He acted as a young guitar player in Ubisoft’s “Rocksmith 2014” commercial and as a German protestor for a Sony Mobile spot from Tarsem Singh, director of hit blockbusters “Mirror Mirror” starring Julia Roberts, “Immortals” starring Henry Cavill, “The Cell” starring Jennifer Lopez and others.
The Sony commercial is titled “Always with You” and advertises the global electronics manufacturer’s waterproof Xperia Z smartphone. The spot shows Sony products throughout history and Fall’s role featured him taking a sledgehammer to the Berlin Wall to the delight of a crowd rallying behind his protesting action.
“Peter’s performance was the energetic fulcrum in the ad, bringing the excitement to the screen and loading the audience up for the new product reveal,” said Fall’s agent, Martin Herrera, of the Sherman Oaks, Calif. headquartered Baron Entertainment. “The ability to not only lead a commercial of that magnitude and work with a director of such prominence is exactly why we put him up for that part.”
For the Ubisoft commercial that branded their hit video game, “Rocksmith 2014,” Fall played a young man who selects his first guitar in the game’s debut trailer campaign. The game has achieved best-seller status and has the unique functionality of teaching users how to play the guitar. Fall’s face is the trailer’s opening image that sparks the pace for the commercial, which was directed by David Moodie, producer and director known for his work with games such as “Rainbow Six: Vegas.”
Ubisoft’s commercial for the video game, “Rocksmith 2014,” featured actor Peter Fall in the role of an aspiring guitarist.
“Acting for commercials and branded content like that is a nuance unto itself,” Fall said. “The goal is to quickly create a lasting message that makes consumers take action and feel persuaded to purchase a product. Acting on large-scale productions with exceptional directors and for companies like Sony and Ubisoft was an altogether tremendous experience.”
Fall’s formidable prowess and career track record typifies acting excellence. His other highlights include acting in McNeil’s film, “Gettin’ Off,” where he plays a man who has a relationship with a prostitute, and in McNeil’s original stage play, “Margaret.”
Fall played the leading role (Edmund) in the Stella Adler production of “Edmund,” written by David Mamet (“Glengarry Glen Ross”), who has won a Pulitzer Prize and received Tony and Oscar nominations for his script writing. Fall’s performance as Stepan Stepanovitch in Chekov’s “The Proposal” (Nairn Theatre) resulted in Outstanding Actor and Best Supporting Actor awards at regional and state short play festivals in the U.K.
Actor Peter Fall (center) performing in Chekov’s “The Proposal.”
He has also starred in “M, M, M! Music, Monologues and Mayhem” (The Theatricians), “The Irresistible Rise of Arturo Ui” (Nairn Theatre), “Private Wars” (Lee Strasberg), in Oscar winner Milton Justice’s production of “J.B.” (Stella Adler), “The Diviners,” from writer-producer Christopher Thornton (“Sympathy for Delicious”) and in the film, “Shell Shock” from Levy Lambros.
Actors Peter Fall (left) and Austin Iredale (right) starred in “The Diviners.”
Continuing to show up in many productions to come, Fall is attached to the forthcoming comedy film, “Not Summer Camp,” from actor-producer Joshua Marble (“CSI,” “Unusual Suspects,” “The Ex List”). He will also star in the YouTube comedy series, “Little America,” from Cobblestone Productions. Morayo Orija (“Spit”) and Sam Marin (Cartoon Network’s Emmy-winning “Regular Show”) will produce. Orija and McNeil will direct. Fall is also starring in the 2017 feature western period drama, “Colt,” about the last week of Russian poet, playwright and novelist, Alexander Pushkin. Fall is co-writing with Austin Iredale and will produce along with Orija and Marin.
Actor Cesare Scarpone brings passion and talent to all of his character portrayals.
Cesare Scarpone is an award-winning actor who consistently projects a formidable dramatic presence. The Canadian-born Scarpone inhabits each characterization with a masterly combination of skill and instinct, and whether it’s romantic comedy or a dark suspense story, he deftly crafts a persuasive, tangible persona imbued with the full spectrum of nuance, traits and emotion.
It’s a rare balance of sensitivity and showmanship and Scarpone, surprisingly, stumbled upon his avocation almost by chance.
“I started in high school, not knowing what acting really was, but coming from a town where theatre and acting are seen as a fantasy, imagined only through the TV, this attitude was the norm,” Scarpone said. “At my first performance, I stepped onto the stage and was overwhelmed by the mass of people watching me. I’d gotten through half the play but all of a sudden I froze. I’d forgotten my line and time stopped. This was the biggest rush I’d ever felt and I wanted more.”
Scarpone’s path was set, and the following year his performance as Jerry in the Edward Albee classic, “The Zoo Story,” earned him the Sears Drama Festival’s award of excellence for the York Ontario region.
“From there, I couldn’t get enough. I tried to do as many independent films as I could sink my teeth into,” Scarpone said. “This led to a few spots on television programs, union films and a commercial.”
Scarpone’s talent has shown up in his outstanding character portrayals in the films “Black Forest” from writer-director David Briggs, director Gabriella Bevilacqua’s “Aftermath,” Omii Thompson’s “Modern Romance is Dead,” Rebecca Carrigan’s “All I Need,” Rob Comeau’s “Chance” and “Dead Monday” from director Mark Korven. On TV, Scarpone has acted in History’s “Curious and Unusual Deaths” and Cineflix’s true crime docudrama, “Dual Suspects.”
“Working with Cesare on “Black Forest” was a great experience,” said Briggs. “It was obvious from the first take that Cesare is all about the character, and he digs deep to bring the script to life. He believes in the craft of acting, and that passion brought a lot to his role.”
Scarpone’s meticulous approach is fueled by a soul-deep passion, not just for the craft, but also its role in world culture. “Story telling is something that everyone knows in their hearts. We love it, yearn for it,” Scarpone said. “You see it in your everyday life, in some form or another and through different mediums, but we are slowly losing the original performed art. Our generation no longer needs to even get out of bed to watch a film or read a news article. They have everything in their hand. But the experience of live theatre can be life changing, perspective changing. You can truly connect with people, and not in a way that is buffered by static transmission through a screen. Everyone should know live theatre, and everyone deserves to have access to it.”
With almost 20 film and TV credits, Scarpone knew it was time to reach for an even higher level of accomplishment. “I decided to apply for a drama school, and this led me to London, England—the heart of theatre. What better place to train?” Scarpone said. “I came across The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and decided to audition for their flagship courses. I was surprised to get the call from the legendary Rodney Cortier, head of the school, inviting me to their two-year acting course—the best of its kind in London, which equates as one of the best in the world.”
Arriving in London in 2014, Scarpone subsequently performed in more than half a dozen stage productions (including “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “The Tempest”), absorbing a full measure of the almost alchemical depth of skill which has always typified British stagecraft.
“When I got that call I was ecstatic and screamed at the top of my lungs because this meant that I would finally have the foundation I needed to have my skills really develop,” Scarpone said. “Now I am in my final term at the school, graduating in July and ready to attack this growing market.”
“What first led me to acting was the feeling of not only being free on stage, but also feeling the effect I was having on the audience in theatre and film. I love both mediums, each with their joys and merits, and both are something I’m extremely excited about,” Scarpone said. “There are so many new things going on in the industry, like immersive theatre, and advances in technology with film and television that allow new ideas to be better completed and given to the world.”
Scarpone has already distinguished himself as both a capable technician and self-possessed artist. His very sense of wonder itself generates an aura of appealing enthusiasm and is something he’s sure to bring in many more productions to come.
There are many different types of acting, but the most universally recognized can often be when one is standing on a stage or in front of a camera. For Brazilian actor Lucas Zaffari, a different type of acting challenge is presented to him on a regular basis.
Zaffari dubs Spanish telenovelas into Portuguese, his native language. Dubbing, also known as revoicing, is the replacement of the voices of the original actors with a different performer in another language. To do so, Zaffari receives the video and script with all the timelines of exactly where his character speaks and reacts in an episode. He then studies those lines and goes to a sound studio to record the revoicing of his character.
“As an actor, specifically for film and television, you get all you can from circumstances that are happening around you and in your imagination. When it’s me, I try to absorb as much stimuli as I can from my acting partner, location, sometimes music, smells, senses,” he said. “But in a sound studio all you have is a cubicle with foam and the recordings that you see on the screen, and on top of that, all you have to show what your character is feeling is through your voice. It is challenging.”
Zaffari is currently cast in three telenovelas with Voxx Studios. These seven to nine month commitment are the Colombian Allá Te Espero which is soon to be completed, Venezuela’s Piel Salvaje, and the Venezuelan American Voltea Pá Que Te Enamores.
Although it is more common for Portuguese dubbing studios to be in Miami and Brazil, Voxx set up their studio in LA because they believe that is where the most talented actors are located.
“I’m really honored to know that after I joined Voxx Studios, they continued to hire me on all of their new telenovelas. It’s a great opportunity to voice different characters,” said Zaffari.
The sound booth where Zaffari works is a cubicle about eight feet by eight feet covered in foam so the sound does not reverberate, a microphone, a headphone, two televisions (one for the video and one for the lines with the proper time codes). There is also a sound-proof window that goes through to a different room where the sound engineer and the director are located.
“It can be quite hard,” described Zaffari. “You need to match your voice to the mouth of the original actor. Sometimes the Spanish is too fast and it is hard to match everything in Portuguese to that pace. Sometimes we have to change it to what people would understand instead of a perfect translation, without changing the meaning, of course.”
Zaffari describes acting as the hardest job in the world. He says that feeling as someone else is extremely challenging, but with dubbing, you do not have the capability to pull from your surroundings and react instantly to the people around you.
“Dubbing is not on location,” he said. “You are in a cubicle. You don’t have another actor to pull emotion from. Your partner is a microphone and a television. The senses I use when I am acting
I can’t use when I am dubbing. I am not there. You need to put all of those things you would normally use into your microphone and just use your voice.”
Despite the challenges that dubbing can present, there are many parts that Zaffari enjoys.
“In a way it is less stressful because you are not on camera so you can just wear your comfortable clothes,” he said. “But I really like to put a little bit of my interpretation into a character, even though it is another actor’s performance.”
Zaffari said that when he first started dubbing, he was conflicted on how to approach each character.
“Should I dub as my personal interpretation of what that character is going through? Or as the original actor’s interpretation?,” he said, describing his initial thought process. “But to me now, it is a mixture of those two things.”
Leila Vieira, Zaffari’s dubbing director for Piel Salvaje, thinks Zaffari’s mixture is working out very well.
“One of the main qualities an actor has to have in order to be good at dubbing is being able to recognize and mimic pace,” described Vieira. “Lucas has an incredible ability for listening to the dialogue and being able to reproduce it in Portuguese with perfection, making the process fast at the same time as high quality with his great acting skills. Aside from recognizing pace, acting with only your voice can be a challenge that Lucas masters with flying colors.”
Vieira believes that it is not only Zaffari’s inherent talent that makes him successful at dubbing, but also his personality as a whole.
“Lucas is the nicest person you could ever work with,” she said. “Not only he has an amazing working ethic, but he also has a great personality that accepts critiques and understands the adjustments, which makes the whole process fast and productive.”
Sebastian Zancanaro, another director at Voxx, describes Zaffari as the ultimate professional.
“I cast Lucas as Francisco (Pacho) in the dramatic soap opera Alla Te Espero and I was mesmerized by his commitment to our team and by his stamina. His unique skill as a Portuguese speaker actor in conjunction with his acting abilities make him one of our most valuable cast members,” said Zancanaro. Lucas has also being cast as Pedro in our upcoming soap opera project entitled Our Family, our longest and most prized project to date.
Zaffari says that dubbing with Voxx is a great working environment.
“It is so much fun,” he said. “There are so many nice and talented people around, which makes this creative work much more richer.”
Zaffari has no plans on slowing down.
This versatile actor has already started dubbing the new telenovela Somos Família (Our Family) as Pedro.
Cinematographer Ross Radcliffe on location of “The Last Alaskans” shot by Dave Clawson
After multiple life-threatening sports-related injuries suddenly derailed him from a future as a professional athlete, college student Ross Radcliffe turned to his interest entirely to his other love, cinematography. Born and raised on Vancouver Island in Canada, Radcliffe became motivated by the idea of seeking out remote corners of the world and capturing them on film. Turning the hours he would have spent training into hours submerged in film making, the revolutionary cinematographer quickly became recognized as among the top of the field.
When asked what it was about cinematography that captured his interest, Radcliffe answered without hesitation. “To be a cinematographer is to be a visual storyteller,” he said. “I get to craft images that effectively move the audience through a story, with all the twists and turns of emotions along the way.” And that he does.
Radcliffe began by shooting and editing his own projects, which quickly secured him a position with Susie Films, a full service, pitch to post production company. At Susie Films, Radcliffe’s love for the industry flourished, and before long, his insurmountable talents were recognized by major reality TV networks. National Geographic quickly hired him as a freelance cinematographer, followed quickly thereafter by both Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel.
With work pouring in, Radcliffe admits that his physical stamina and limitless capabilities are invaluable to networks filming shows revolving around high paced, action packed adventure. “I think a big responsibility of mine, due to the type of projects I shoot, is to stay on top of my physical conditioning,” says Radcliffe. He continues, “when I film a subject, I want to make sure their are no barriers between the story and the audience, so I have to be a pro at following along, no matter the conditions or situations might be. In my field, a good cinematographer blends into the situation to let it play out as naturally as possible.”
It is because of this physical endurance and artistically trained eye that audiences have the incredible adventure-based reality shows we see today. For example, Radcliffe worked as the Director of Photography on The Travel Channel’s Jackson Wild. The series revolves around the EJ Jackson, a 4-time world champion and adventure author and founder of Jackson Kayak, and his brave and fearless family. During this production, Radcliffe followed the family to Germany, Austria, South Africa, England and Zambia, where he faced what he calls a “crazy challenge” of keeping up with them physically. Radcliffe recalls of the experience, “I was able to capture mountain biking through Europe and waterfall jumping in Africa but, for the record, running around Africa with a 40 lb camera on your shoulder isn’t easy!”
Trekking through the freezing temperatures of an Alaskan winter was no easy task, either, though through his beautifully captured images used in National Geographic’s Dr. Oakley: Yukon Vet, Radcliffe made it look graceful and effortless. As the Director of Photography, the tactful cinematographer followed Dr. Oakley day and night and captured irreplaceable footage of the veterinarian as she helped a weak cow deliver an over sized calf. Radcliffe recalls the experience fondly, adding “while this project was extremely demanding physically and sometimes entailed stepping in stinky animal droppings or running from an angry muskox, I was honored to be part of such a small, hand selected team.”
No longer a stranger to Alaska by any means, Radcliffe was hired next for his technological brilliance and insurmountable endurance by The Animal Planet and Discovery Channel to shoot The Last Alaskans. Ranked second in the network’s most watched shows, the program is internationally acclaimed for its genre-busting take on the people and families who reside in the Alaskan Wildlife Refuge, located just above the arctic circle. Radcliffe’s contribution to the series gained recognition in The New York Times and The Washington Post, hooking viewers with depictions of unimaginably challenging living conditions, matched only in magnitude by the stunning beauty of the terrain.
To the great advantage of audiences worldwide, Radcliffe’s deep desire to put himself into other people’s shoes through the magic of cinematography will never fade. He admits, “being a cinematographer is the only job I have ever had that doesn’t feel like work. Every day that I wake up on location, I truly cannot believe how lucky I am. I’m honored and humbled to be instrumental in telling stories about people and places that would have gone otherwise unnoticed.” With his rare and refined compounded talents in both technology and athleticism, Radcliffe is sure to bring us uniquely captivating and alluring images for years to come.
His formula for acting is simple: interest in fellow man, being observant, educating on life and psychology, stepping out of one’s comfort zone and not being quick to judge.
It’s a proven methodology for German film and TV actor David Mihalka.
“Try to understand others. Walk in their shoes for a mile!” he said. “Always be a better version of yourself. That’s what I am working on each day.”
It’s certainly fair to say it’s been working.
Mihalka, who grew up watching many movies such as “Amadeus,” is known in the international filmmaking community for his dazzling character portrayals, chief among them his role in director John A. Mati’s feature comedy, “Monsieur Brucco.”
The Switzerland-released film follows Brucco (played by Mati), an Albanian who cuts his finger and is certified permanently unfit for work. Reluctant to accept early retirement, Brucco reinvents himself as a door-to-door toy salesman, but the new career takes a twist when he inadvertently becomes the target of the mafia.
Mihalka plays Monsieur Houstaf, captain of a spaceship.
“His mission is find a new leader for his planet,” Mihalka said. “The computer of the spaceship said that Monsieur Brucco is the chosen one. But he is a total fool and catching him becomes a challenge, since Monsieur Houstaf is a complete idiot as well.”
The role allowed Mihalka to tap into his profound comedic acting talent. He says he relished the chance of “being a fool” on screen.
“Life is so serious. Being a fool frees you! And with a captain from out of space, you have even more freedom to go overboard.”
The film was a success to the point a sequel is now filming. “All I can say is: The fool is still chasing the other fool.”
Other 2015 acting roles for Mihalka include Emilio Ferrari’s TV movie, “All I Want for Christmas,” Jonathan Moy de Vitry’s “Difficult People,” Alex Lewis’ “Driverless,” and Mickella Simone’s “The WorkPlace.”
David Mihalka stars in the hilarious YouTube comedy series, “Zero Button.”
Mihalka’s been acting since 2014 in the comedy web series, “Zero Button,” and he played Sean Benini in writer-director Stan Harrington’s “Lost Angels,” that won four awards at the Indie Fest USA International Film Festival.
“Sean is a sleazy paparazzi in Hollywood hoping to make big bucks,” Mihalka said. “The movie is about Los Angeles, the glamour and the gutter.”
Mihalka’s filmography also includes acting in Harrington’s multi-award-winning feature mystery, “Perception” and Yu Jung Hou’s “Forever.”
In “Perception,” Mihalka played the role of Yuri and said, “Yuri is a very shy and silent student. The opposite of me. It was my first movie…exciting of course.”
Mihalka’s theatre background provided a valuable training ground before he parlayed his talents to film. From 2010 to 2012, he studied at The Stella Adler Academy of Acting in Los Angeles and starred in theatrical productions of “J.B.” and “The Diviners.”
“In theatre,” he said, “I learned to speak up and be clear in my speech to make sure the guy in the last row won’t fall asleep. Also, I learned to get used to many eyes watching me. This benefits me on set since there are as many eyes watching you like in theatre.”
Veteran actor, writer and producer Tim McNeil has appeared in more than 30 films and television shows including “Forrest Gump,” “Contact” and “Starship Troopers,” as well as in over 40 plays. McNeil directed Mihalka in his original play, “Margaret,” at the Gilbert Theatre at Stella Adler Los Angeles.
“The play is about a community’s reaction to the unexpected suicide of a 16-year old girl,” McNeil said. “Initially, nobody speaks about it, all acting as though nothing has happened. Bruce, played by David, is the most vocal about his concerns. He is a drunk who is not afraid to speak the difficult truth, bringing comedy to a very dark and dramatic play. He is critical to the production because he is the only one who challenges everybody in the neighborhood to talk about Margaret, searching for an answer as to why she did it.
“David proved outstanding in his sensibilities and his knowledge of the character. He understood both the material and his own character, and in turn, made the play feel that much more real. His ability to bring comedy to such a tragic subject, and make it all seem natural without being over the top, is a testament to his ability as an actor. David has something to offer the entire world with his exceptional talent.”
Mihalka credits other actors as having a great influence on him. “Established actors taught me two things: find the unique things about yourself and don’t be shy. Enhance them and show it to the world. The other one is: never give up!”
Mihalka’s talents don’t stop in front of the camera – one look at his work in photography verifies another field where he excels.
Capturing difficult scenes through his work with a camera are a testament to his gifted photographer’s eye. Mihalka’s photography captures scenes from a diverse slice of life. From the sublime to the exotic, to the baseness of life, his photographic eye catches, captures and produces exceptional and unique perspectives of people, places, and situations.
DD8, a creative, full-service company specializing in design, producing, directing, shooting and post-production, was commissioned for the rebrand of Australia’s premier sports network – Fox Sports Australia. The network includes six sports channels, a news network, sports apps and digital channels.
The catalyst for the rebranding was a series of new original “I Am” promotional video spots. Chief among the creatives behind the rebrand was visionary director Luke Farquhar, who was then a director for Fox Sports.
The Sydney based director is known for his poignant and highly stylized spots that blend together an impressive concoction of abstract imagery, strong characterization and world class storytelling.
Jean-Christophe Danoy is the acting CCO for Fox Sports Australia and he founded DD8 with Adam Duncombe and Susie Riddell. DD8 has ushered in its expansion with offices in Sydney, Singapore and Vietnam, and Danoy said, “Luke is different from the pack. Everyone in the office wishes they could do what he does. He is somehow freer – uncomplicated – and very different from any other director I’ve come across. He’s the cool one in any room. And he’s always right on brand.”
Farquhar has directed many commercials, spots, promos and branded content including for Channel [V] Australia’s music video show, “The Riff.” Farquhar has directed compelling spots for the Grammy nominated rapper ASAP Rocky, the UFC, Land Rover, Billabong, Schweppes, the Brit Music Awards and more.
“I like my spots to stand out from the rest,” Farquhar said, “so I always tried to push the envelope when coming up with the creative.”
For Fox Sports, Farquhar directed the “I Am Surfing” promo last March, which features surfers Noa Deane, Kelly Slater, Kolohe Andino, Gabriel Medina, Matt Wilkinson, Tyler Wright and others. Shooting commenced at the Australian Open of Surfing in Manly, New South Wales, Australia, and at Queensland, Australia’s Gold Coast.
“Because of my surfing background, it felt like the natural thing to do from Fox Sports’ perspective to put me in charge of the surfing re-brand, and all things that come under the Extreme Sports banner,” said Farquhar.
Set to the Ramones cover, “Beat in the Brat,” the surf promo is a 45-second rock and roll-like blitzkrieg that captures the spirit of the Australian surf scene both in and out of the water.
“I Am Surfing” received a lot of great responses, especially within the surfing communities,” Farquhar said.
Another component of the “I Am” rebranding campaign showcased Farquhar’s directing of personal narratives of acclaimed athletes such as boxer Jeff Hornet, surfer Mick Fanning, MMA star Ronda Rousey and Australian footballer Callan Ward.
“Luke’s not by fazed by fame. He can mix with anyone, and he gets a good relationship going with the talent,” said Danoy. “He’s a sports person himself and he gets them and they get him. He’s incredibly perceptive and really gets something unique from the talent. It’s in his personality. Luke has a great personality and unique perception and vision. He engages people and gets something out of them that they haven’t ever given before. He enables them to discover different parts of themselves. And they in turn enjoy the experience.”
The inspirational spots feature voiceover narration of the athletes who detail their personal stories of triumph.
“Luke gets the essence of the person,” Danoy said. “He tends not to go for the middle ground – he gets the darker or the lighter side. He gets the side that you don’t usually get to see. And he tells a story simply and clearly in a visual and emotive manner.”
Within the spots, Hornet recalls his journey to boxing and explains how he was picked on in high school, which motivated him to become a fighter.
Fanning, who survived an infamous shark attack last year, shares his wisdom on overcoming adversity, improving as a person and believing in your chosen course. “Dealing with mother nature, you never know what’s going to get thrown at you and things can turn around so quickly,” he says in the spot.
“After his nearly fatal shark attack in South Africa, Mick Fanning became not only the most popular surfer on the planet, but one of the most wanted people on the planet,” said Farquhar. “Our creative had to be different, original and worth his time.
“Being from the Gold Coast also, I knew where Mick would be and worked out my creative there. Instead of doing a “wham bam” in your face spot, I wanted to slow it down and strip it back. Mick agreed and went to work. A few days later, the job was done and got the tick of approval from Mick. Mick is a true pleasure to work with and created a very smooth work flow because of his laid back ‘yes’ attitude.”
In Rousey’s spot, she shares her story of working three jobs to make ends meet, while training full-time, and pursuing her goal of becoming not just one of the greatest women’s fighters, but one of the greatest fighters of all time.
Ward is the co-captain of the Greater Western Sydney Giants, of the Australian Football League, and in his spot, Ward explains the “Captain’s Curse,” which is the need for extreme mental toughness in conjunction with physical toughness.
Cinematographer Tom Punch worked with Farquhar on “I Am Callan Ward,” on The Riff spot, “New Blood” and on Farquhar’s Land Rover Discovery spot.
“Luke approaches directing in an original way,” he said. “It is refreshing and I think gets the best out of people. He is in it for the love, not the money. His approach is very unique. He has taught himself to tell stories in a very obscure way. He takes risks that others wouldn’t and this makes working with him exciting! Whether it’s the narrative, or concert he wants to get across, I feel that only Luke knows what the outcome of his work will be. He leaves me in suspense until I see the final cut and each time I’m always blown away.”
Other “I Am” spots Farquhar directed included “I Am a Fanatic,” which shows the euphoria experienced by two female Australian football fans riding in a car, screaming and celebrating the thrill of victory, as well as “I Am UFC,” a gritty ad focused on the training of male and female fighters.
The “I Am” rebrand also featured spots centered on other Australian sports franchises and figures such as Melbourne Victory, La Liga, Greg Inglis, Kim Ravaillion, Tim Cahill, Scott Pendlebury, Jack Miller, Israel Folau and more.
“Overall, the “I Am” rebrand has collected multiple awards with the help of myself and other directors under the guidance of the creative director, Jean-Christophe Danoy,” said Farquhar, who is eyeing further DD8 expansion with Danoy into the U.S market.
For Erin Simkin, the journey began eight years ago.
“Color, location and people are what drive me to create,” she said.
And create she has.
The impeccably talented photographer from Vancouver has maneuvered the trenches of action filmmaking with Dominic Purcell, Stephen Lang and Danny Glover. She’s been on set in the depths of an abandoned subway station in search of paranormal sightings with Rose McGowan and Christopher Lloyd. She’s shot for leading magazines and brands such as Toronto Life, En Route, The Grid, Peroni, Grolsch and Sephora.
Simkin’s vast list of achievements have propelled her to the top of the photography industry. Her creative and technically versed work has refined qualities and characteristics that rope in viewers time and time again.
Whether on-set photography used for film marketing and P&A, portraiture, lookbooks, editorials or branded imagery, Simkin drives her craft forward with a photographic passion that reveals itself in each and every image she captures.
“My style is very clean, colorful, bright and with an air-like openness,” she said. “I’m very much inspired by natural light, as I feel there is an inherent beauty to it that artificial lighting can’t quite match without a lot of work. I love exploring new places, meeting new people, and capturing and combining all of that in one image in order to tell a visual narrative.”
With color as the catalyst driving her vision, Simkin’s images embody texture and a dynamic use of interesting spaces. She’s most recently shot for the films “Lower Bay” (with McGowan and Lloyd) “Gridlocked” (with Purcell, Lang and Glover) and writer-director Joey Klein’s romantic drama, “The Other Half.”
“There are always great locations that we get to shoot in, amazing costumes and beautiful lighting to tell the story of the characters,” said Simkin, who shoots primarily with the Canon 5D Mark III. “I love photographing people. Each person has such a different history and tells their own story through their facial expressions, their style, hands, their energy and I love being able to document them in their world and in their work.”
Applying the same approach, Simkin photographed for the feature film, “Mean Dreams.” Due out later this year and directed by Nathan Morlando, it stars “The Book Thief” Sophie Nelisse, Josh Wiggins (“Max”) and Golden Globe nominee Bill Paxton, of “Titanic,” “Apollo 13” and “Aliens” fame. According to Variety, Paxton plays a corrupt cop and Nelisse stars in the role of his daughter. After stealing drug money from her father, Nelisse goes on the run with Wiggins’ character.
Filming commenced in Sault Saint Marie and Simkin said, “The pure beauty of the landscape and light paired with the incredibly talented actors all combined seamlessly into such beautiful imagery.”
“Mean Dreams” features the work of cinematographer Steve Cosens, a five-time Gemini Award nominee who won a Leo for his cinematography in Keith Behrman’s “Flower and Garnet.” With “Mean Dreams,” Cosens shot using ambient lighting, which provided a challenge for Simkin to match her still camera shots with that of the motion picture camera.
Simkin shot for the film using a lower shutter speed equipped to capture images in low light scenarios. “The resulting images I was able to capture was worth the challenge of shooting in low light constantly,” she said. “The photos I was able to get while working on the film were extremely poetic and it allowed us to capture the delicate and subtle natural light working that far up north.”
For TV, Simkin shot for the CBC’s “Baroness Von Sketch Show,” a new comedy due out this summer. She was hired to shoot set stills and create key art for advertising the show.
“The cast of incredibly funny and talented women made this project so enjoyable,” she said. “We went for a “Vanity Fair” Hollywood style gallery shoot and both the cast and the producers loved the final images. We had so much fun creating the style of the gallery shoot, yet I still made sure to stay true to the characters and the visual tone and style of the show with its various sketches and characters that our cast played.”
Simkin worked again in the comedy genre in writer-director Matt Sadowski’s 2014 romantic comedy feature, “Pretend We’re Kissing,” that starred Dov Tiefenbach, Tommie-Amber Pirie and Zoe Kravitz. With a huge filmmaking presence in Toronto, the tax-friendly filming location is often used as a simulated location rather than as its own true setting. The Canadian theme resonated with Simkin, who currently resides and works in Toronto.
“I got to work with some amazing actors on a really fun film that heavily featured Toronto actually as Toronto,” Simkin said. “Many native Torontonians commented on how they had been living here for x number of years and they’ve never seen Toronto shot the way that we showed them, which was exciting because it meant that we were able to show a new side to the city which is relevant to the story as the main character [Tiefenbach] falls in love and then views the city in a different way. Working with Zoe Kravitz was a real pleasure, as she was so driven and fun to work with as her character was an extremely memorable one.”
Simkin’s photographic journey has included her work for Lindsay Mackay’s family drama, “Wet Bum” (also known as “Surfacing”), that received seven international award nominations. She also worked as photographer for the documentary, “Sweet Daddy Siki,” which covers the life and times of Siki, one of the first African-American pro wrestlers.
“I had the chance to visit with Sweet Daddy Siki for a few hours in his home and was asked to photograph his story, his history, and take his portrait. He was so gracious and open to anything, including putting on his old wrestling costumes, which added so much to the portrait that we took,” said Simkin. “I felt like I was opening up a time capsule and meeting an icon.”
Simkin credits her mentors in the still photography world including Kimberley French (“The Revenant,” “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford,” “Brokeback Mountain”) and Cate Cameron (“Arrow,” “Bates Motel,” “The 100”). “Their help and advice and support have been invaluable,” she said.
While also a long-established portrait photographer, Simkin worked with Elle Ziegler of Blissful Back, a Toronto-based retailer of yoga and meditation support accessories and contoured pillows.
“We have a family business and needed our images to tell the story of my father and I’s amazing relationship, and the uniqueness of our father-daughter business,” said Ziegler. “Erin’s best quality is her ability to tell a story though her lens. She captures vulnerability and honesty in her portraits by making people feel completely open and comfortable in front of the camera. She made decisions based on the locations, sunlight, shadows, props and backgrounds – things that we never could have predicted and things that I didn’t even notice – that resulted in stunning images.”
Talia Chai, founder of Talia Chai Wellness, echoed similar sentiments. Simkin shot portrait, lifestyle and blog photos for Chai’s wellness brand. The shoot featured a combination of people and interior spaces.
“I think Erin has a fine-tuned, expert eye when it comes to photography,” Chai said. “She multitasked effortlessly, working the lights, me, props and of course the camera all at once. She was in complete control of her environment and knew exactly how to take advantage of natural elements already found in the space. She has an incredible eye for detail, lighting, color, shadow and uses these elements both strategically and intuitively to create absolutely stunning images that stand out.”
Simkin’s other photography experience includes her shooting key art for Brendan Canning’s new forthcoming album, for a Samsung Vue social media campaign and boardroom wall photography for Accelerated Connections Inc. She’s shot at events for the Toronto International Film Festival and Russell Peters Live at the ACC, as well as for the Globe & Mail, Toronto Star, National Post, Peroni, Samsung, GAP, Scotia Bank, Women of Influence, Women of Action, the Jewish National Fund, Sharp Magazine, Flare Magazine, Canadian Cinematographer and more.
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