Many people enter the film industry through a family member or friend. In your case, how did you enter the film industry?

1. It was a funny story. I was staying at an apartment by UNM in Albuquerque. A buddy of mine was friends with the guys staying/hanging out there and was going to UNM for acting. I was a dishwasher at a restaurant called Hurricane's at the time. One day my buddy Andy comes by and says to everybody, hey do any of you guys want to go to a casting call? They started laughing at him. So I got up and said yeah man, I’’ll go with you. Two weeks later Andy comes back by the apartment and says hey they called my phone looking for you for that casting call and I asked if I could go too. Now I’m at 15+ years acting in tv and film

 

Why did you decide to make movies?

1. It was always a dream of mine. I always wanted to be a star and act and entertain. The office stuff like contracts and booking gets pretty fun too.

 

Tell us about your project, why did you start it and how did it come about?

1. I wanted to hear a funny story and see what my peers thought of my work. With 26 wins around the world I am delighted at the results.

 

Had you previously been in another project? How was your experience?

1. This is my first project from the ground up. From idea to production.  I can honestly say that for 23 pages, it took almost a full day to write. Like at least 12 hours.

 

The best and the worst of this project is…

1. The best has to be the comedy. The characters, the story, I love it. The worst is tracking down the budget to get it made right now. Help, anyone.

 

If you could go back in time, would you change anything about filming or pre-production?

1. If I could go back in time I would have asked and interviewed as many people from the jam scene as I could. The bands aren’t around anymore and everyone kind of went their seperate ways.

 

What do you expect from festivals for your project?

1. The outcome has been amazing. I’ve submitted the script to a lot of festivals and I have won and lost a lot. The fact that I have contributed to first time archives in some of the first year festivals is amazing. New School all day!!

 

Do you have experience in film festivals, how has your experience been?

1. This is my first time at film festivals in any way. The experience is beyond my wildest drrams and the lessons in life that I have learned with every win and loss has been priceless. I recommend going for it every time to anyone guessing at whether or not to go for their dreams. See those dreams come true!!

 

Many of the projects we receive are self-financed, without any producer behind them, which makes all the processes very difficult. Can you tell us what the pre-production process was? Did you do it, did they help you?

1. I went out and bought a computer with stimulus money during pandemic and wrote the script. I am pretty much broke right now but I have a 26 time award winning script waiting to come to life on film.

 

And your film preferences? What do you look at in a movie? Acting, direction, production, cinematography, soundtrack etc…

1. Story, character development, acting. Kind of in that order. The story has to be awesome, the characters have to belong to the awesome going on in the story, and the actors have to pull of the amazing and make it all come to life. Not entirely by themselves, but set, time frame, all the awesomeness that goes in to production, all of those elements too are key points to whether or not a movie or show makes it in to my library.

 

Your three favorite movies?

Casino, The Princess Bride, Beetlejuice. I know, I am a freak when it comes to elements of a fun story.

 

And your directors?

Martin Scorsese, Zack Snyder, Steven Spielberg. Champions and heroes to me and my life. Francis Ford Coppola is in there too.

 

Can you recommend us an independent movie that you wouldn't recommend to everyone?

Teardrop. It’s new on Tubi and it’s a fun horror movie set in a western town filled with ghosts, who done it, and wow all in one movie. It’s a fun one.

 

And the reason for this choice?

1. It’s new and hip and modern and really visually fun to watch come to life.

 

And to finish, tell us three movies that you hate but that most people like.

Fifty Shades Of Grey, Twilight, Harry Potter. Can stand them but awesome that somebody does.

 

Additional comments: I am new as far as being recognized as a person in the film and entertainment industry with success, but I sure hope to get the show made I I sure hope to contribute as an actor to any project that could use me for. I enjoy what I do and I love who I am. Thank you and if anyone would like to talk about helping produce the show or anything else acting or entertainment, email me directly at tellesm01@gmail.com and I will respond as soon as I can.