Anne Griffin Interview

Anne Griffin

Picture copyright Jonathan Vandiveer @ Vandiveer Photography – http://www.stunningheadshots.com

Interview With Anne Griffin By Chris 17/10/09

Run an online web zine has it’s perks, firstly to be able to interview people you never thought you would be able to do, plus some times you get lucky and become friends and hang out with some of the people you interview. Plus then their this case when you get to interview the person again as she wants you to keep in touch. Anne Griffin is an american actor with so much talent, she smart, intelligent and has a lot to say as a female actor. She also a real sweet heart, and was a pleasure to interview again. We talk about acting, her 9 movies in the pipeline, you heard me 9 movies. Plus the movie she wants to direct. She one of the nicest girls I have had to interview So read on with my interview with the amazing actor Anne Griffin

Anne Griffin IMDB Page

Anne

Hey, Chris! You ready to get stared?

Chris

Yep I’m ready

Chris

What have you been up to work wise since the last interview?

Anne

I actually had the opportunity o work with Wally Pfister on something for HBO

Anne

After that, I shot an indie in Ohio. It’s an incredible script called The Tourists. It’s about a couple who arrives at the hotel right after their wedding reception and gets stuck on the elevator going up to the suite.

Anne

This time alone together allows them to examine their relationship. It’s a really wonderful character piece. I had a great time discovering Scarlet, my character.

Anne

She is smart, savvy, funny and quite pained. She makes some choices I might not make in life and says some things I might not say. So it was interesting finding the reasons why she does or says those things.

Anne

I feel it’s always important to find the similarities between a character and me. Once I have done that, I can move on to explore the side of her I might not immediately understand. But it’s always good to start with a strong foundation of things I know.

Chris

wow you been a busy person, how did you get each of these projects? can you tell us more about the HBO proiect? the film The Tourist sounds like it’s a great film and Grey Skies I’m sure will be a hit

Anne

The producers of The Tourists contacted my agent. They knew my work and were interested in having me play Scarlet.
I auditioned for Grey Skies.

Anne

I auditioned for the HBO project. It was a promo for True Blood. I was so thrilled to be a part of it because Wally Pfister was at the helm. He is an incredibly talented DP and director. I was honoured to work with him.

Chris

It must be nice to have people know your work and have them interested in you for parts

Anne

Yes, it’ wonderful. A dream come true. I put a lot of thought and care into each part I play. It’s nice that people see that and enjoy my work.

Anne

Ok

When did we last speak? Was it at Christmas last year?

Chris

Yeah I think around about that time

Anne

Ok. I don’t think I had shot my episode of Without a Trace by that point.

Anne

It aired for the first time in Feb. I played a college student. I’m always playing something different! It’s really fun!

Chris

You now have 9 films in the works that must be exciting

Anne

Yes, it is! I have 9 that will be out in the next year to year and a half. And I have about six that are in development. It’s amazing. I feel very lucky.

Chris

How does one person get so many projects in the pipeline?

Anne

I’m just always trying to think of new and exciting projects to work on. And the longer I’m in LA and the more I work, the more people I meet. And then I get involved with other projects through those people.

Chris

It’s all about networking right and do you think the internet helps with that these days

Anne

Definitely! That’s how The Tourists found me.

Anne

I am able to stay in touch with so many people through facebook and email.
And that constant contact keeps us on one another’s minds for projects we are working on.

Anne

One script I am developing with a director is all thanks to facebook. We met once on a set when I played a bit part. We became friends on facebook. Then two years later, he saw some of my work through my links on facebook. He then contacted me out of the blue to see if I was interested in developing something with him.

Chris

It’s nice when something like that happens

Anne

Yes!

Chris

Have you done much TV work apart from the without of trace episode?

Anne

Film has really been my focus since coming to Los Angeles. There are some really great shows on television, but my passion lies in film acting.

Chris

With that in mind do you think the use of digital cameras and the internet makes so much easier to get a film off the ground than it was before?

Anne

Definitely, One of the greatest costs was film stock. And editing, of course, was much more complicated with film. Everything going digital allows anyone to pick up a camera.

Anne

But the art of filmmaking is still something that takes skill, patience and a vast knowledge of the technical side of filmmaking and of film history.

Chris

I think one of the greatest films I saw on digital was Maniac staring Joseph Gordon Levitt, the film had a small budget but the acting and script really made the movie excel. You knew that film was made by somebody who knew what he was doing and he wasn’t just some rookie, it takes time to make a movie but films these days can short in weeks not months anymore

Anne

Yes, it can definitely speed up the process. It allows budding filmmakers to shine, and that’s really great.

Chris

You worked on a movie called Rex which I have seen the trailer and it looks really good how did you get involved in that

Anne

A producer knew my work from Letting Life In and contacted my agent.

Chris

I’ve noticed you have been working a lot with Steven James Creazzo

Anne

Yes, he cast me in my first feature. We had a great experience and really enjoy working together. He’s a great person. Very easy to work with, a fantastic collaborator.

Chris

And it looks like you got some work with him coming up and they sound like interesting films

Anne

Yes, I’m really looking forward to working with him again. He’s a hard worker. He’s always working on something new. He has a lot in development.

Chris

Yes that must be good to have somebody you know offering you work and parts that are interesting and different

Anne

Yes. I’ve met some really great people in this industry and work with a lot of people again and again.

Chris

How is nowhere fast coming along, when will see that?

Anne

That is still in post. Hopefully that will be done next year. What I have seen of it is incredible.

Anne

It’s a musical, so they are still recording the music.

Chris

What was like to do a musical? Had you done one before?

Anne

I had never done a musical film, no. It was very challenging. I learned a lot. It was a fabulous experience. I’m so excited to be a part of something so different from most of the other films out there.

Anne

Shooting the musical numbers was fascinating because they can be quite surreal. Because, really, how can people breaking out in song be real? Those scenes had quite strange elements to them. They were fun to shoot!

Chris

Have you had much singing experience before?

Anne

I have always loved to sing but never had proper training. But I learned everything I could ever need to know about music on this film.

Chris

So could we see you doing some Broadway stuff anytime soon?

Anne

I’m focusing on film in LA right now, but being on Broadway is a dream of mine. Some day I will definitely return to theatre. But I’m enjoying film and growing as a film actress right now.

Chris

So you started out doing theatre?

Anne

Yes, I was trained in theatre. I lived in NY for a few years and did off-Broadway and regional theatre.

Chris

Is their much difference in doing theatre work to film work?

Anne

Yes, they are completely different animals. Theatre requires stamina that film does not. On stage, one tells a story in two hours and has to show all of the character and story arcs in that time. And one has to maintain that character and hold he audience’s attention. One film, sometimes one only has to maintain a moment as a character for 30 seconds. There are a lot of ways to cheat on film. It’s harder to cheat on stage.
Anne

Film acting is not easy by any means.
They are just very different and require somewhat different skills.

Anne

Hitting the back row of a theatre requires a different performance than doing a close-up. The camera picks up every little movement that might be lost on stage. Stage requires vocal training that film does not.
Those are a couple.

Anne

Sometimes actors can come across strong in a scene because of the editing. The editor is able to piece good take together. But those actors couldn’t necessarily do that on stage because that requires a deep understanding of the material and a stamina they might not have.
I’ve seen that happen a lot, It’ a matter of training in many cases.

Chris

so as an actor you are always studying right, mastering the craft

Anne

Yes, I am always in class or working. It’s important not to become rusty. There are always ways to improve and things to learn.

Anne

Yes, I am always in class or working. It’s important not to become rusty. There are always ways to improve and things to learn.

Chris

so would you be in class daily or is a question of when I’m not working I’ll be in class

Anne

I was in class three times a week and then started working a lot so I had to leave class so I could go on location, etc.
But I plan on getting back in soon.

Chris

so do you have any auditions on today?

Anne

I don’t have any auditions this week. I have a few meetings with directors later in the week.
I mean, I don’t have any auditions today.
Later in the week, yes

Part 2 Of Our Interview with actor Anne Griffin

Anne

So where did we leave off? Thanks so much for chatting again. We went a little longer than I anticipated last time. So I had to get to an appointment.

Chris

now I watched this Aussie movie a couple of nights ago the film had some known people, famous Aussie comedians the film was descent found out the film was made in 2002 and only got released on DVD this year, question is why do movies get delayed or never released?

Anne

That’s a great question. There many different reasons why that could have happened.
One reason is…

Anne

that a movie might run out of money, If you spend $100,000 on the production of a film, you will have to spend about $100,000 on post-production. They are usually about equal. So sometimes people end up running out of money and then have to find more investors and that can take time.

Without good post-production, a film is virtually impossible to sell. Distributors want good sound, first of all.

Anne

Another reason can be that a film cost too much too make. If a film cost $20 million to make and it does not have a lot of commercial appeal, then it will be impossible to sell for a profit. Investors want to turn a profit. So if you spend $20 million making a movie, you need to sell it for at least $20 million. Sometimes people hold out for bigger offers that never come. And if there are no names, it can be really difficult to sell. Distributors like to buy movies with certain names because they know those names will make money in certain markets.

Anne

But there are always those little movies that could! Like ONCE. No names, but a great film. And it took off. That’s a dream come true for many indie filmmakers,

Chris

Or is it sometimes the distributor/sales agent doesn’t know what to do with the film and let’s it just sit there

Anne

I guess that might happen. They might hold on to it for a while. Often the trouble is getting a distributor at all. I have read that about 2% of all films made in a year are sold

Chris

Wow that crazy so if you’re going to make a film make something that unique and special that will do well

Anne

Pretty much, it has to be something special and unique or very commercial.

Chris

And then you have the rare cases like Blair Witch Project

Anne

That was very unique
Really fun. I loved seeing that in the theatre.

Chris

I never saw that in the theatre but it did wonders for the actors and directors involved

Anne

Yep. Sometimes it just takes one project to change your life.

Chris

So what inspired you want to go and make your movie which you are planning to do

Anne

For the same reason Thorton, Favreau and many others did. I’ve worked and now I’m ready to create my own project. I want to create a special character that will be fun for me to play.

That can often lead to more work. That’s how many people’s careers have taken off. Bu I will do it because I am passionate about the story.
It’s is very close to me.

Another project I am developing is getting one of my father’s novels turned into a screenplay.

Chris

So what is the story about if you can give it away?

Anne

We are still developing it, so I don’t want to go into it. But it is definitely something very close and important to me.

Anne

Yes, I am. A director.

Chris

Nice one when do you think you will shoot it?

Anne

I am hoping next year, but I have a few other projects happening next year. It’s always tough to figure out how to schedule everything.

Chris

So have you been in the unfortunate situation yet of where you have to drop out of a film because of scheduling issues with another film?

Anne

I have. It’s always a shame. But it’s a nice problem to have as an actor.

Chris

I can see why it’s a nice problem because it tells you that you’re getting work and that people know of you work and want to work with you

Anne

Exactly, but it’s always a shame not to be able to do a project you want to do.

Chris

Are you happy with the responses to your work so far?

Anne

I am. I have been very lucky. I often work with people multiple times which is always a good feeling.

Chris

So what a typical day for you as an actor?

Anne

Every day is different! I might have an audition, a meeting with my representation, a writing session, a meeting with a director or a producer or something like that.

It’s strange not to have a set schedule. I try to enjoy the outdoors here in CA. I go hiking a lot.

I spend a lot of time working on auditions or strategizing about different areas of my career or specific projects. There is always a lot of brainstorming going on in my life.

Anne

You know, it varies. It all depends on what is going on in the industry. It might be one or five or ten or even fifteen. It all depends.

Chris

So how long would you prepare for an audition?

Anne

You know, it varies. It all depends on what is going on in the industry. It might be one or five or ten or even fifteen. It all depends.

Anne

Depends on how long it is. Sometimes they are a page. Sometimes they are nine pages. I put a lot of work into them, as much as if I had the job already.

Anne

I have an audition tomorrow. I will put in at least 4 hours. It is two pages. It involves working it, understanding it, taking a break from it, coming back and finding new moments in it. It is important for me to be as comfortable as possible with the material. I like to have it memorized.

Chris

Wow so what the audition for, you put the hard yards in to give it a fair crack which is fantastic

Anne

I’m a little superstitious so I don’t talk about auditions beforehand. Sorry. But it’s fun material.

Chris

Hey it’s all good, and I hope you ace it tomorrow

Anne

Thanks!

Chris

So how many agents do you have looking for work for you?

Anne

I am at one agency and there are multiple agents there. And I have a manager.

Chris

gotcha as my friend who is also an actor in LA tells me she has lots of agents looking for work for her so I thought it would be the same situation

Anne

Yes, there are many agents at one agency. And each has relationships with different casting directors, producers, directors, etc. So they all work together for clients.

Chris

That great and It’s great they do that. Have you seen the movie Ivans XTC?

Anne

I haven’t. What is it?

Chris

It’s based on the novel “the death of ivan ilyich” it’s never been released in America. I think of the first films to be shot on digital.

Anne

Is it good?

Chris

I think it’s good

Anne

Cool. I will have to check it out.