He played in  Jenny Januszewski‘s The Boogeman Dollar Baby film as Dr. Harper.

SKSM: Could you start with telling me a little bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do?

Akie Kotabe: Absolutely – my name is Akie (like `a key` for a door), and I work as an actor primarily in TV/film and voice actor for animated series and video games. I am a second generation Japanese-American based in London, and enjoy travelling, food, and music in my spare time.

SKSM: When did you know you wanted to become an actor?

Akie Kotabe: I always enjoyed watching films growing up, and often wondered how they made the ‘magic’ – after joining an acting class while in my third year of university, I realized I would love being a part of them as well!

SKSM: How did you become involved in The Boogeyman Dollar Baby film?

Akie Kotabe: I knew the director, Jenny Januszewski, introduced from a mutual friend, and worked with her on her 3d short film, The Shadower. Once she mentioned she was gearing up to make a SK Dollar Baby film, I was on board as I had been a fan of his novels from a young age; the first novel meant for adults I’d read was The Shining, and I read it when I was 9 years old!

SKSM: What do you think it is about the story that attracts people so much?

Akie Kotabe: I like stories where the line between what may be real and what may be psychological is blurred.  The Boogeyman for me is a great example of this – has Lester just lost it or is there really the existence of a Boogeyman that is haunting him? The Candyman is another story I like that to me, has similar themes.

SKSM: Did you have to audition for the part or was it written directly for you?

Akie Kotabe: From what I remember, (though it was over a decade ago now) Jenny asked me to play the part of Dr. Harper. I remember being quite excited to try and delve into playing a psychologist – immediately the show In Treatment came to mind.

SKSM: You worked with Jenny Januszewski on this film, how was that?

Akie Kotabe: It was a great experience.  I’d worked with her before, and appreciated the amount of rehearsal we had before going to set. I felt I was able to get into some good moments while rehearsing, which we aimed to create while the camera was rolling.

SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when they made the movie that you would like to tell me about?

Akie Kotabe: Getting to have a face mould created for the scene where the Boogeyman reveals himself by peeling off his face was a new experience for me at the time. It really reminded me of the hours of patience some actors (like Brad Pitt in Benjamin Button) had to go through, as well as all the hard work done by the hair and makeup (HMU) team.

SKSM: Do you still have any contact with the crew/cast from that time? If so with who?

Akie Kotabe: I still talk to Jenny and am friends on social media with the cast. I’m happy to see Virignia is starring in a new movie called Union www.union-movie.com that seems to be doing well, and hope to watch it someday soon.

SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?

Akie Kotabe: I consider myself very fortunate to have quite a full plate these days, and in this day and age, with Non-Disclosure-Agreements (NDAs) that’s… pretty much what I can say. I have been working on an upcoming podcast I am the lead character in, and that should be announcing shortly. Otherwise, you can most recently see me in Invasion on Apple TV+, and the first episode of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier on Disney+.  On the independent film side I am part of the ensemble cast of Decrypted, a crypto-currency comedy which is available to stream online.

SKSM: Are you a fan of Stephen King’s work?

Akie Kotabe: Definitely. Since reading The Shining as a child, I decided I would read all of his works, and at the time of graduating high school and heading to college/university – I had every novel he had written. I once even sent a letter to his fan club when I heard news of The Dark Tower being developed for television; I would have loved at that point to play Jake!

SKSM: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

Akie Kotabe: I really am terrible at dancing. I think I have three left feet.

SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to the fans that read this interview?

Akie Kotabe: Thanks for taking the time to read my answers, and it’s been a pleasure getting featured on StephenKingShortMovies.com!  I look forward to the next SK novel releasing!

SKSM: Do you like to add anything else?

Akie Kotabe: You can find more news about me at www.akie-kotabe.com, thanks for reading!

He played in Amy Nigro’s Cain Rose Up Dollar Baby film as Ethan.

SKSM: Could you start with telling me a little bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do?

Jacob Zelonky: I’m Jacob Zelonky, I’m an actor.

SKSM: When did you know you wanted to become an actor?

Jacob Zelonky: I’ve known I wanted to be an actor since I was very young. I have struggled with OCD for as long as I can remember, and when I was performing, I felt like all those struggles would melt away. As I grew up I just fell in love with the work, and how fascinating it was to study human nature in this way. There’s nothing else I’d rather do.

SKSM: How did you become involved in Cain rose up Dollar Baby film?

Jacob Zelonky: I got involved in this film by auditioning and was lucky enough to be cast!

SKSM: You worked with Amy Nigro on this film, how was that?

Jacob Zelonky: Amy was amazing to work with! She was so welcoming and professional. I learned a lot just from watching her, and I really hope to work with her again in the future.

SKSM: Do you still have any contact with the crew/cast from that time? If so with who?

Jacob Zelonky: I don’t use social media much, but I occasionally see some of the cast/crew on instagram. They were all really enjoyable to work with so I’m hoping our paths cross again.

SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?

Jacob Zelonky: Nowadays I’m acting, doing improv, and making music.

SKSM: Are you a fan of Stephen King’s work?

Jacob Zelonky: I’m definitely a Stephen King fan. I remember reading Carrie when I was younger and just being completely immersed. But also horrified in a very exciting way? He writes such compelling characters, and as a big fan of book to screen adaptations I always enjoy reading his works then seeing the filmed versions.

SKSM: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

Jacob Zelonky: One thing people tend to be surprised about me when they find out is that I was born on TV, on the show “A Baby Story” on TLC. Oh, and that Mary-Kate and Ashley used to be babysit me. Those are probably the biggest ones.

SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Do you like to add anything else?

Jacob Zelonky: Thanks for the interview!

She is the filmmaker of The Man Who Loved Flowers Dollar Baby film.

SKSM: Could you start with telling me a little bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do?

Tracey Hague: I am a local filmmaker here in Nashville. I have experience as a producer, director, assistant director, writer and editor. I have made a few short films, including the Stephen King short. I have just finished writing my first screenplay, and I’m working on producing that now.

SKSM: When did you know you wanted to become a filmmaker?

Tracey Hague: I was an educator for twenty years in Rhode Island. I got the producing and directing bug when I ran our high school theater. It is an indescribable feeling to see projects go from my imagination onto the stage and then to experience the reaction of the audience.

Teaching my folklore and film studies class made me realize I wanted to tell my own stories. I had been writing for years and I realized that I didn’t want to wait until the age of 65 for a retirement check “to get started.” So I quit education, jumped ship and sailed to Nashville, Tennessee, to work on my writing and film career.

SKSM: When did you make The Man Who Loved Flowers? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it?

Tracey Hague: The Man Who Loved Flowers was shot on a shoestring budget using crowdfunding on GoFundMe.We shot it in two days. The production process took a little bit longer as it actually began before Covid and of course stalled over that summer and we resumed as soon as soon as Nashville opened back up.

SKSM: How come you picked The Man Who Loved Flowers to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much?

Tracey Hague: The main character in The Man Who Loved Flowers appealed to me. He had something behind his eyes that nobody could read, and I love complicated and mysterious characters. The story gives you just enough detail to make your imagination run riot, and all I could think of was The Great Gatsby gone dark. The young man does not see the world as it is, and I loved the idea of following the romance to its inevitable dark conclusion in my script.

SKSM: How did you find out that King sold the movie rights to some of his stories for just $1? Was it just a wild guess or did you know it before you sent him the check?

Tracey Hague: A friend knew how much I love Stephen King and knew about the program. When he told me about it, I thought he was kidding until I looked it up! So I got started reading every story on the list as soon as I could.

SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about?

Tracey Hague: The most special moment for me was the very first shot on set. Covid had stalled us for so long, and I had been working on the project and my production notebook for months. This movie had been in my head for so long, so when David, our DP, put me in front of the monitor on that first day, I saw exactly what I had been in my head for so long. I knew this was going to be something I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

SKSM: How does it feel that all the King fans out there can’t see your movie? Do you think that will change in the future? Maybe an internet/dvd release would be possible?

Tracey Hague: I’m okay with the idea that big audiences won’t see this movie. I think it would change the way the program has to run if it becomes something else. I am able to give anyone who wants the password a chance to watch it. This is an avenue for film students to have an opportunity to learn how to adapt a story, and it allows Stephen King to help students without them worrying about the big price tag that normally comes with copyrights.

I learned so much being able to take this story from adaptation to the final edit. I was even able to get into a film festival and learn how that process works. I have made valuable friendships and contacts that will last me a lifetime, and I think this is the intent of the Dollar Baby Program.

I’m okay with not trying to make something more out of it.

SKSM: What “good or bad” reviews have you received on your film?

Tracey Hague: I have received many critiques from former teachers and other filmmakers who have done this job longer than I, and I value the ideas they have brought to me. People agree that Seth Dunlap was PERFECT casting, (and he was!) and they understood my intent in the reveal of his dream world versus reality. Critiques have mostly been about editing and pacing choices, which I’m sure will always be that case in this business. Mostly, people want more of the main character’s journey, which I consider a positive review because it tells me I have succeeded in creating someone folks want to explore further.

SKSM: Do you plan to screen the movie at a particular festival?

Tracey Hague: I was able to show this movie at the Macabre Film Festival in Lebanon, Tennessee, and we received honorable mention at the Things2Fear film festival in West Virginia. I have submitted to a few others that have not made decisions yet. So who knows where else it might screen!

SKSM: Are you a Stephen King fan? If so, which are your favorite works and adaptations?

Tracey Hague: I have been a Stephen King fan most of my life, even back when I was little and my mother watched Carrie and scared me to death! I couldn’t turn away – all that blood!! I have been reading his books all of my life, and as a teacher I hosted Stephen King month in my classroom. Mike Flanagan’s Doctor Sleep is amazing, but I think Secret Window is probably still my favorite. I also love Shawshank Redemption, Pet Sematary and Stand By Me.

SKSM: Did you have any personal contact with King during the making of the movie? Has he seen it (and if so, what did he think about it)?

Tracey Hague: At this point I’ve had no personal contact with Mr. King and I do not know if he has seen it or not. I’m just really thankful to his office for all of their work in keeping this program alive. They are very quick to respond if you have a question.

SKSM: Do you have any plans for making more movies based on Stephen King’s stories? If you could pick -at least- one story to shoot, which one would it be and why?

Tracey Hague: It would be a dream to adapt more Stephen King stories! If I ever had a chance to choose another one, it would be Joyland. Hands down. Those characters have never left me.

SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?

Tracey Hague: I am working on my first feature right now; my script has just gone through its second draft and its first table read. I want to film a teaser and produce and direct it myself through crowdfunding. I’m really excited about it and the folks who are on board to help me, many of whom were part of this Stephen King project.

Without giving away too many details, I will tell you it’s about a group of kids who wander into a place they don’t belong. It explores what happens when children feel they don’t have a safe place to land.

It’s partly based on true events! Can’t wait to share more!

SKSM: What one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

Tracey Hague: People are always surprised to find out that I served in the United States Air Force.

SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to the fans that read this interview?

Tracey Hague: It has been a dream come true to adapt a Stephen King short story to film. No matter what happens with the rest of my career, I will always have this experience, the friends I have made and be able to say that I directed and adapted a Stephen King story, and that is no small thing to me.

He is the filmmaker of The Man Who Loved Flowers Dollar Baby film.

SKSM: Could you start with telling me a little bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do?

Brendan Michaels: I’m a filmmaker, I just graduated from Columbia College Hollywood about 6 months ago. I write and direct my own films and I’m a full on cinephile.

SKSM: When did you know you wanted to become a filmmaker?

Brendan Michaels: I was maybe 15/16 years old and it was a combination of having family in the industry and watching a series of films that inspired me. The main ones were Drive by Nicolas Winding Refn, Nightcrawler by Dan Gilroy, Boyhood by Richard Linklater, and Lost in Translation by Sofia Coppola. When I saw those films I realized the wide range of emotions a film could take you through and I wanted to tell stories and hopefully have people respond to the love I have of life and cinema.

SKSM: When did you make The man who loved flowers? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it?

Brendan Michaels: I made “The Man Who Loved Flowers” back in 2018 (Man, that feels like a long time ago). I hadn’t shot a short for a couple years and had been having trouble with a script I was writing at the time and thought, “Hey, why not try and adapt something?” This answers your next question but I remembered a few years ago that I had found out about Stephen King’s Dollar Babies from a video that had fun facts about Stephen King, if I remembered correctly. I looked through them and chose “The Man Who Loved Flowers” because my dad told me how much he loved “Night Shift” when he was a teen so I looked for something there and “The Man Who Loved Flowers” seemed like the easiest to do on a tight budget. It didn’t really cost anything aside from getting a permit to shoot in Santa Monica which was a few hundred bucks. The other locations were places I was familiar with and had connections to shoot there so I just went guerilla and shot there with a very small crew. It took about a day to shoot everything if I recall correctly.

SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about?

Brendan Michaels: There’s the general special feeling of me feeling like I was composing these great shots and how exciting it was to make these images I liked on the spot. I love the spontaneity of filmmaking and I got to meet some great people on it like the composer, Isaac Gonzalez. That was his first film score and he killed it! A funny moment would be in the scene when the woman slaps the man I had my mom as an extra and she had the most fake surprise. It was very funny to see. I cringed at first cause it was so over the top but I like the campiness of it all.

SKSM: How does it feel that all the King fans out there can’t see your movie? Do you think that will change in the future? Maybe a internet/dvd release would be possible?

Brendan Michaels: It’s available on YouTube so you can see it.

SKSM: What “good or bad” reviews have you received on your film?

Brendan Michaels: I don’t read criticism because at the end of the day you make the film for yourself and hope others connect.

SKSM: Do you plan to screen the movie at a particular festival?

Brendan Michaels: I don’t think so. It’s not the most professionally made film and I think the whole rights thing with the Dollar Baby stuff is tricky so I’m fine with it being on YouTube.

SKSM: Are you a Stephen King fan? If so, which are your favorite works and adaptations?

Brendan Michaels: I like Stephen King. I’m not a die hard fan per se mostly cause I haven’t read his novels aside from “The Man Who Loved Flowers” but I like a lot of the films based off his work like The Shining, Doctor Sleep, Gerald’s Game, Carrie by Brian De Palma, Misery, Shawshank, and one I think gets too much flak is It Chapter Two. It’s everything I wanted from It and I feel like people don’t appreciate the big swings in films anymore so I was happy to see Andy Muschetti do something crazy with the material.

SKSM: Did you have any personal contact with King during the making of the movie? Has he seen it (and if so, what did he think about it)?

Brendan Michaels: I wish! I highly doubt he’s had the time to watch it. If he has, I’d like to think he appreciated the attempt.

SKSM: Do you have any plans for making more movies based on Stephen King’s stories? If you could pick -at least- one story to shoot, which one would it be and why?

Brendan Michaels: I don’t have any plans for the time being but the man has so much work that if I want to go back to King’s world he definitely has enough material for me to scour.

SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?

Brendan Michaels: Well I just finished the final cut of my thesis film, “Impressions of Love”, which I’m very proud of. It’s the biggest film I’ve made so far and I’m happy with how it came out. I’m writing a lot as usual so we’ll see which one I finish first and take out to shoot.

SKSM: What one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

Brendan Michaels: Probably that I’ve only read one Stephen King short story and none of his novels.

SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to the fans that read this interview?

Brendan Michaels: I highly doubt I have many fans outside my friends and family but if you enjoyed my interpretation of “The Man Who Loved Flowers”, I sincerely appreciate the support and if you could share it with everyone you think would be interested, I’d be very appreciative of that.

SKSM: Would you like to add anything else?

Brendan Michaels: Support independent film and support all films and appreciate everything in your life that makes you better.

He is the Composer in Alexander Bruckner‘s The Passenger Dollar Baby film.

SKSM: Could you start by telling me a little bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do?

Lars Deutsch: My name is Lars Deutsch. I am a composer / music producer. You could say I use sound and music to tell stories, or to help tell stories. I have scored over 350 films and commercials, written and produced countless songs and created audio logos, alarm clocks, wake up ambiences and mixed a number of songs, films and commercials.

SKSM: How did you become involved with The Passenger?

Lars Deutsch: Alexander, the director, asked me over coffee if I was interested in doing the audio post for The Passenger. A little while later I also took over writing the music for it. Alexander and I had been in a touch for a while in Europe, but met in person in LA.

SKSM: How did you get started as a composer and what do you do on production?

Lars Deutsch: After my BA / MA in classical composition I scored a lot of student films and gradually graduated through the European indie scene to projects in LA. I have been in my studio in LA for 11 years now.

SKSM: How did you get started to write the Soundtrack for The Passenger?

Lars Deutsch: I wanted to signify the mind-bending aspect of the story with something unique in the score. I felt the tire iron kill blow was the first moment to anchor the score on. The build up to that is unsynchronized harsh bow hits on the strings, reversed through a guitar amp. It is messy and annoying, I guess like the tingling our main character feels until he kills. Only the final death blow ties the score together.

The second moment is the when our main character looks in the car mirror and the third one is the reveal in the end.

I wrote some dramatic music for the car mirror scene. There is a lot of shock, darkness and drama in this scene. I re-arranged and reversed this section and put it in a huge space for end of the film. The reveal is well done and works without too much support of the music.

SKSM: Is this your most challenging audio so far?

Lars Deutsch: No – not at all. In the audio post, it was a little tricky to carve out the voice and make the lead menacing – especially with the noise of the passing cars. Overall this was a pleasant project without too many hiccups.

Both Alexander (the director) and Tizian (the producer) were very easy to work with and gave me a lot of leeway.  They gave me the space to do something unique.

SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the music that you would like to tell me about?

Lars Deutsch: The sound of the death blow is the sound of water melon smashing on the ground. It worked perfectly here and that same watermelon also made it into a commercial.

SKSM: After The Passenger did you write more music? If so what?

Lars Deutsch: I co-wrote and produced and album for the recording artist Amiena, I scored a project with Keke Palmer, mixed a couple of commercials, created an audio logo and worked on a number of other things.

SKSM: What are you working nowadays?

Lars Deutsch: I am currently working on a flying theater project in China. Wonderful images to work with.

SKSM: Are you a fan of Stephen King’s work?

Lars Deutsch: Yes. Let’s hope this was not my last Stephen King project.

SKSM: What advice would you give to those people who want to be musicians?

Lars Deutsch: The job of a being a composer / audio post / music producer is very different from being a musician. To be a composer, study classical composition to as much depth as possible – regardless of what style you want to work in.

SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything else you want to say to the fans that read this interview?

Lars Deutsch: If you are interested in unique and dark music, check out Amiena’s – „Flare“ on Spotify. It’s very theatrical, almost like a horror film. This was one of my 2021 projects.

He played in Tracey Hague‘s The Man Who Loved Flowers Dollar Baby film as the Flower Vendor.

SKSM: Could you start with telling me a little bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do? 

Deron Simmons: My name is Deron Simmons, I am a retired Air Force veteran turned actor, I currently work for the Army as a civilian. I’m married and have two grown children.

SKSM: When did you know you wanted to become an actor? 

Deron Simmons: My first inclination was early in my elementary school years.  I was in drama in the sixth grade and one of our plays was thought to be really good, so we actually got the opportunity to perform it on a local television show in Savannah Georgia; the show was called Ebony Edition.

SKSM: How did you become involved in The man who loved flowers Dollar Baby film?

Deron Simmons: One of my acting classmates (Jimmie), turned to me in class one day and said I need to talk to you with a big smile on his face. On the next break he came and told me about the collaboration and that he thought I’d be perfect as the flower vendor; he introduced me to Tracey Hague, and the rest is history.

SKSM: What do you think it is about the story that attracts people so much?

Deron Simmons: Many people like a love story and some like blood and gore. In this film, you get both, there is a sweet love story line, and then boom, the gore hits you in the face.

SKSM: Did you have to audition for the part or was it written directly for you?

Deron Simmons: I didn’t have to audition; I was approached by my classmate Jimmie, as previously mentioned. Jimmie was co-writing with Tracey Hague, he said when they wrote the part, he thought I’d be perfect for it. I guess in a roundabout way it was written for me.

SKSM: You worked with Tracey Hague on this film, how was that? 

Deron Simmons: Tracey is the best, she has such a free and sweet spirit about her. My family has actually been to her house since, and we all love her. She actually took me by surprise during filming by giving us some freedom to make some of our own decisions. I was not prepared for that since this was my first on camera film experience post grade school. You learn in acting class that you will generally have to stick to scripts as written. I’m probably spoiled now, and will have to keep in the back of my mind that all experiences won’t be as great as working with Tracey and the amazing cast and crew that she hand picked.

SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when they made the movie that you would like to tell me about?

Deron Simmons: I can’t think of any funny moments in particular, the atmosphere was pretty light and comfortable. It was special for me at the end of filming, when the entire cast and crew took a cool picture with me holding my personal slate that my family bought for my first filming.

SKSM: Do you still have any contact with the crew/cast from that time? If so with who?

Deron Simmons: I still text Tracey and Jimmie from time to time just to see how they are doing. I see Josh and Sarah at school during class changes that’s when we do some catching up; I have also talked with Josh off and on for advice since he is a veteran in the business.

SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?

Deron Simmons: I’ve been a part of two shorts since this one, I’m mainly in class every week to perfect my craft.  I’m taking it easy, I walk by faith and not by sight, and things in all apsects of my life seem to come and find me.

SKSM: Are you a fan of Stephen King’s work?

Deron Simmons: I can’t say that I am a fan, because I don’t know Stephen King’s work.  I have seen many comments that say he is a brilliant writer, and I am inclined to believe that, I just have never been into horror films.  I didn’t even think of this as a horror film until the premiere and seeing the film in it’s entirety.  My scene was light hearted and friendly so that is all I was going on, since I wasn’t a part of the gory scenes.  Tracey did a spectacular job in executing her visión for her versión of this re-make, it was a nice love story, and then the horror kind of snuck up on you.

SKSM: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you? 

Deron Simmons: Probably that I am an extreme speed fanatic.  Some would also be surprised to know that I am an actor.

SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to the fans that read this interview?

Deron Simmons: I hope they enjoyed my contribution and I hope to bring more entertainment to the screen for them in the near future. Also, if any of the fans think that they have been bitten by the acting bug, I would say pursue it if it is a dream; in America, dreams do come true at any age and stage of life.

SKSM: Do you like to add anything else?

Deron Simmons: I would like to thank my wife, Andrea, and my kids Tasia and Treyton for being supportive of my persuance in this craft, I think that leaves a lot of freedom for it to be fun and not so much work.  Sadly, so many find that support illusive.

He is the Assistant Director in Paul Inman‘s That Feeling Dollar Baby film.

SKSM: Could you start with telling me a little bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do?

Marshall O. Wells: Hello, I’m Marshall and I’m married to my wonderful wife, Allison, and I’m a father of 4. While attending Clemson University I started to work in the video production department on campus. That is when I got hooked on the world of video production. At that time I was helping on a show that the university was producing for tv and the start of the web, this was before YouTube. After leaving Clemson I helped to co-open my own video production business. In the course of business, I had the opportunity to produce a film. This was lots of fun and lots of work. I eventually closed my business, but I still love to be involved in films and short films are a great way to make that happen. I try to work on at least one short a year to scratch that itch.

SKSM: When did you know you wanted to become an assistant director?

Marshall O. Wells: In the course of working with Paul about what roles he needed on his short, I offered to be the AD. This is a role that I have done a few times and really enjoy keeping the bus rolling.

SKSM: Could you talk about your experience in the shooting of That Feeling?

Marshall O. Wells: It was a small but excellent crew, a long but fun 9 days.

SKSM: You worked with Paul Inman on this film, how was that?

Marshall O. Wells: Being the AD, I was on set every day with Paul. He is a great trooper and has great vision and insight on how to get there. It was fun being his sounding board for all kinds of things along the way.

SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about?

Marshall O. Wells: Not really, all the day sort of blurred together. They were long days.

SKSM: How would you adjust positions and controls of cameras, printers, and related equipment to change focus, exposure, and lighting?

Marshall O. Wells: Being AD, I was more in charge of making sure everything was moving along on set. I do remember running slate a few times, and making suggestions on angles or lighting but the scheduling was my main job.

SKSM: How do you confer with directors, sound and lighting technicians, electricians, and other crew members to discuss assignments and determine filming sequences, desired effects, camera movements, and lighting requirements?

Marshall O. Wells: I have always tried to come to a film set with an open mind. One of the things that I have learned about myself over the years is I love to see other people’s visions come to life. So I approach it like that. I’m willing to add my options to the mix and be a sounding board for anyone that is on set.

SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?

Marshall O. Wells: My full time job is a project manager for a software development company but I always have my eye out for upcoming shorts that might be fun to work on. I also freelance shoot at sporting events for the networks or schools.

SKSM: What one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

Marshall O. Wells: I’m boring, so I’m not sure.

SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to the fans that read this interview?

Marshall O. Wells: Enjoy That Feeling: there was a lot of time and effort that went into it’s making.

SKSM: Would you like to add anything else?

Marshall O. Wells: Go Tigers!

He played in Paul Inman‘s That Feeling Dollar Baby film as Father.

SKSM: Could you start with telling me a little bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do?

Gregory French: I am Gregory French. I am an actor, stunt man, writer, director, producer, and all-around movie nerd!

SKSM: When did you know you wanted to become an actor?

Gregory French: I was always performing around the house when I was little. If I ever found a camera or tape recorder lying around I would use it to make videos or audio recordings and put on Little shows for myself. I recently found one from when I was 4 or 5. It was actually pretty Good!

Then in Elementary school found I was always getting cast in their productions. But I guess the real acting bug bit me when I was in 5th grade and I got the role of Lewis in our high school’s production of “The King and I”. From then on I was always looking for an audience to be in front of.

SKSM: How did you become involved in That Feeling Dollar Baby film?

Gregory French: Paul and I have known each other for years and have worked together on a many films. I was in “The Non-Dead” and “Mime over Magic” both of which he wrote and directed, and he directed one that I wrote and starred in called “Thirst of the Dead” and was assistant director on “The Vegetarian” which I also wrote. We were both founding members of Coastal Independent Films and had the opportunity to work together on many of their productions.

When he got the rights to “That Feeling” he asked me to help him with some of the pre-production and offered me the role of Caroline’s father.

SKSM: What do you think it is about the story that attracts people so much?

Gregory French: Without giving too much away, I think it is all about that “Inner voice” that we all have. Sometimes we listen to it- sometimes we don’t. Except, in true Stephen King fashion, we discover that Caroline’s inner voice is a little different than most.

I also think the “Groundhog Day” effect in this film is a great choice. Each time we see the story play through we see slight changes and start to notice details we missed the first time, allowing us to learn more about the characters and what is really happening to them. It is an interesting way to tell a story that I think the audience will love.

SKSM: Did you have to audition for the part or was it written directly for you?

Gregory French: I did not audition for it. Although it wasn’t written for me, I think Paul knew it would be a good fit for me based on our mutual acting history and offered me the role.

SKSM: You worked with Paul Inman on this film, how was that?

Gregory French: Paul is great! His writing and directing style is very laid back. He knows exactly what he wants and how to pull that specific performance out of his actors, but he is also open to new interpretations of the characters by the actors.

SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when they made the movie that you would like to tell me about?

Gregory French: Nothing comes to mind. We were on such a tight shooting schedule that there wasn’t a lot of time for much fooling around. I’m not saying it wasn’t fun- far from it! But we were all there to work and make an amazing film in a short amount of time.

SKSM: Do you still have any contact with the crew/cast from that time? If so with who?

Gregory French: Yes. Many of us were friends before this film and continue to hang out. There are not a lot of filmmakers in our area, so we all tend to stick together.

SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?

Gregory French: Coastal Independent Films is always in production on something, so that keeps me busy. I also just landed a role in “Hot Christmas” (working title) which will be in production through February

SKSM: Are you a fan of Stephen King’s work?

Gregory French: I grew up in the 80’s so Stephen King was HUGE for me! The only books I would willfully read as a kid were Stephen King books.

SKSM: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

Gregory French: I’m an open book. I don’t think there are any surprises left that everyone doesn’t already know!

But my Daughter just got accepted at SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) for performing arts, which I think is a pretty big deal! She is WAY more talented than me, and my wife and I are both very proud of her for chasing her dreams.

SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to the fans that read this interview?

Gregory French: I hope you really enjoy watching this film as much as we enjoyed making it! Join us for the premier on Wednesday November 10^th at 7pm at the Market Common Theater!