Tony Farinella

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Interview with Tony Farinella By Chris 31/7/08

Tony Farinella does interviews with actors/directors for the site 411Mania and reviews also, I have known him for a while now and figured it’s time to ask him about the world of Hollywood and talk about our amazing friend Michelle Page. It’s a really good interview with some great answers. If you ever wanted to know about interviewing actors read on.

Chris So how did you get into doing interviews and reviews?

Tony Well, I started doing reviews in my Live Journal around 2004. I was just doing it for fun, because I wanted to put my thoughts down on paper. After I got rid of my Live Journal, I started putting my reviews on MySpace. It was mostly just for my friends to read and I wasn’t really taking it seriously. But after I started doing more and more reviews, I started to really enjoy it and a lot of people would compliment me on my reviews. I started sending out different applications to different websites, but it was pretty hard to get noticed or get any attention. I ran into a woman by the name of Dash, who used to run Film Fantaix.com, and I started doing a lot of reviews on their website. After that, I started sending out more applications, and I was writing for about 6 different websites. It started to really blossom around 2006 Things started to really pick up for me when I started doing reviews for 411mania.com. They are a pretty big website, and when you write for them, people start to take you more seriously. 411mania.com also offers free DVD’s to their writers, so it was nice to be able to get free DVD’s, because I used to spend a lot of money on movies. One day, a publicist offered me an interview with Roy Disney, and I realized then how much I really enjoyed doing interviews. To backtrack a couple of years ago, from 2001 to 2004, I was a member of the website, ChicagoWrestling.com, and I used to do a lot of interviews with wrestlers, so I had some interview experience, but it’s a whole different ballgame when you interview movie stars. So after that Roy Disney interview, I started thinking about interviews a lot, and my interest in doing reviews started to die down. I still do reviews from time-to-time, but I do a ton of interviews.

Chris yeah so basically when you became part of 411mania you really launched into doing interviews

Tony Correct. That’s when it really started to take off for me, because publicists are all about hits. When you tell them that you can offer them a certain number of hits a month, they want to do business with you. It allowed me to email different people and say, “Hey, I’m a writer on 411mania.com. Can I interview you?” And they would take me seriously. They want their client to reach a certain number of people, and if you can offer them a million hits a month, they want to work with you. It allowed me the oppurnity to knock on doors and really search for interviews. I had the platform, and it was up to me to take advantage of it.

Chris so the publicist wants their client to get maximum exposure with a site that has hits, so they don’t want their client to be interview on a site where the person may ask really great questions but no exposure

Tony I wouldn’t necessarily say that. I think if you conduct a good interview, people are going to want to work with you. But, at the end of the day, it’s a business, and if you can offer them a big platform, they’re more eager to work with you. That being said, if you’re a bad interviewer and you offer them 200 million hits, they’re going to notice that, and they probably won’t want to work with you. So, it’s a combination of two things really: One, having a platform that people take seriously. And two, being a good interview that they can trust, they don’t want you on the line with their client if you’re going to ask bad questions or insult them. So while hits help, it’s not the whole picture. It’s only part of the picture and it helps. But I think if you do good interviews and conduct yourself in a respectful manner, people will want to work with you.

Chris gotcha and to me if you ask good questions and being respectful and not delving into the private life like most major mainstream magazines do they are going to want to do more interviews with you

Tony

Exactly. It’s all about building up a reputation and working with the right people. If you work with a certain publicist and they hear good things about you, they’ll offer you more interviews in the future. So, once you get in the door, it’s really up to you to make a good impression and stand out. If you can get in the door and blow their socks off, they’ll remember you and consider you for future interviews. The hard part is getting in the door and showing them what you’re made of. But if you can do that, you have a good shot of impressing the right people.

Chris yeah to take this in a different direction when you hear something about an actor for example when Sarah Jessica parker complained about her dress to her premiere of sex in the city and when actors in general complain about trivial things does it affect on how you do interviews or do you just not let it affect you

Tony If I interview the celebrity that is complaining you mean?

Chris yeah basically when they have made comments in the media

Tony That’s a good question. Well, I’d be lying if I said that I don’t read the news or know what’s going on, and it’s hard not to have a certain opinion on someone when you hear something like that. That being said, it is the media and it is the tabloids, so it’s hard to take a lot of it seriously. I’ll consider it and listen to it, but until I talk to them one-on-one and see how they treat me, I try to go into the interview with an open mind, because you never know what they’re going through. I complain about small stuff all the time, so if someone caught me on a bad day, I might say something that I wouldn’t want the world to know about. So, while it’s in the back of mind when interviewing someone, I also try to give them the benefit of the doubt until I talk to them one-on-one. I think everyone deserves that.

Chris yeah they do like everybody does but the public they don’t want to hear actor’s problems because actors problems are nothing compared to the rest of the world.

Tony That’s true. But, at the end of the day, they are people just like us, and their problems are very real to them, even if they don’t appear big to us. I always try to put myself in their shoes. Sometimes real people with real problems complain about nonsense. It’s just human nature. I think the key is not doing it too much. Once you recognizing that you’re complaining about petty stuff don’t do it again.

Chris exactly I just wanted your option on all that. So now have you ever walked out of a movie?

Tony Not at the theatre, no. Because I figure if I’m going to spend 10 bucks on this, I might as well finish the whole thing. I’ve stopped watching a lot of movies on DVD, though. That’s the good thing about watching a movie on DVD at your house. You can always turn it off or fast forward during it.

Chris any movie that after a few minutes you’re straight away turn it off. I almost walked out of the last samurai I hated it but because I was with my parents I stayed.

Tony I always like to give a movie at least 20 minutes to a half hour to catch my attention. If it takes longer than that, I think something is wrong.

Chris yeah now do you think that DVD/Blue Ray will basically take over the cinema and movies will go straight to DVD because more and more people like me will just wait until it comes out on DVD. People already ask when a movie being made when the DVD coming out?

Tony I think the cinema will always be around, because there’s something magical about seeing a movie on the big screen. I don’t think our love affair with the cinema will ever go away. People might not go to the movies as often as they used to, but they’ll still go to the movies. Look at the Dark Knight for example. People came out to see that movie, even with the way things are now. We might see more straight to DVD movies, and we already have too many of them, but the cinema will always be around. And I’m glad. Even though it costs too much, I like to go when I can. It’s great to see a movie on opening night with a big audience and a big screen.

Chris yeah myself I go and see more indie films if I ever go to the cinema which is hardly ever now. I’m picky because I like my money to go to a film that is actually good compared to some of the brainless Hollywood films that always come out which you know is bad but you still see it and another one will be made like it

Tony And the hard part, as you know, is finding the indie films. You usually have to travel downtown and really search for them. Sometimes it’s just not worth the hassle, even if it’s a great movie. It’s easier just to drive five minutes and see a bad movie, because it’s closer and easier. If it was easier to see indie films, maybe more people would see them.

Chris yeah

Chris so who would you most ultimately like to interview?

Tony That’s a great question. I did a conference call with Stallone, but I’d love to interview him for an extended period of time and really get inside his head. He’s a smart guy with a lot of unique opinions. I’d love to interview the remaining members of the Golden Girls, because I’m a huge fan of that show, and they have been around Hollywood for a long time. Basically, I want to interview anyone who has a unique story and has lived a unique life. I love talking to people who have overcome adversity in some way. It’s wonderful to hear from someone who had a problem or some kind of demon, and now they are a better person and lived to tell about it. David Lynch would also be interesting, because he’s a complex human being. I’d really have to think about it, but those are the names that come to mind right away. Also, Sidney Poitier, He’s a living legend.

Chris Is their any body you wouldn’t want to interview?

Tony Not really, unless they were a total jerk. But even then, it might be fun, because it would be a good story to tell people. I’m open to interviewing almost anyone, even the jerks. I might be able to find out why they are so angry or rude.

Chris so because of doing the interviews and the reviews have you made friends out of doing all this who are in the film industry and is this going to be a serious career for you?

Tony It’s tough to call them a friends, because I haven’t met a lot of them in real life, but there a lot of people I keep in touch with and email a lot, and they also send me Christmas cards. So, in terms of friends online, I’ve talked to a lot of wonderful people, and I’m sure if a lot of us lived closer, we’d be really close. I definitely feel really close and connected to a lot of people from all over the world, you included. That’s one of the great things about this. And I hope to make it a serious career. I feel like I’m on the right path and paying my dues, and I’ve done a great of getting my name out there with newspaper clippings, DVD quotes, and national radio appearances. I’m just doing my best to get as much exposure as possible, so people can see what I’m doing.

Chris yeah I’m like you I’m trying to get my name out their going to gigs twice a week, putting on gigs which I just had to kill one and I have made friends in the music industry so far who have been really helpful and always are willing to answer my questions and I have made friends out of this site , Michelle for one and we really are friends and like you we are both supportive of each other careers and in this day in age is very rare because everybody out for themselves and their is a lot of it in Hollywood

Tony Yeah, I think when everyone helps each other out; it makes it easier for everyone involved. You can call on someone for a favour, and they’ll be happy to help you out. Like I said above, it’s about having a good reputation, but it’s also about being a good person. It’s hard doing this alone, and we all need help from people once in a while. And it’s OK to admit that. It doesn’t make you less of a person. We all need people to spread the word about us and say nice things. Your reputation follows you around wherever you go, and if you burn one bridge, that might be a job that you’re going to lose out on.

Chris yeah your right and their a lot of actors who know that if I’m professional on set and not being a diva, I know that I will be able to work with that director again and if I don’t upset anybody I’m doing good

Tony Exactly. Word spreads like wildfire in Hollywood. So it’s important to be professional and reliable. We all make mistakes and have our bad days, but the key is not making them a habit. Everything you do, it affects others.

Chris yeah so what your all time favourite movie

Tony Midnight Cowboy. I’m a fan of sad stories, and even though it’s a sad movie, there’s a lot of hope and positivism in it. It’s about two people who are ignored, abused, and rejected, and I think we all know how that feels sometimes. Yet, through all the negativity and the cold streets of New York, they still find friendship. And I think that’s all we are looking for in his life: Friendship and respect. It’s a tough film to watch, but it’s a very rewarding experience. I get choked up at the end of the movie every time.

Chris yeah to me one of the saddest films I have seen is Mysterious Skin and it’s such a powerful movie and yet its message is against it but one of the Christian groups here in Australia tried to get it banned

Tony Were they successful?

Chris nope it got released here in Australia saw it at the film festival and I have a copy on DVD. one film that did get banned was Ken Park by Larry Clark and one of the most prominent film critics here in Australia almost went to jail for showing a public screening of the film

Tony Yeah. I don’t agree with the banning of any movie. It’s up to the audience to decide what they want to see. And that’s the beauty of cinema. Sometimes it tackles topics that aren’t pleasant. But we learn from it and we question our own beliefs and opinions.

Chris exactly but it’s always about the children and what they shouldn’t be seeing and that decision should be up to the parents and their responsibility not the government

Tony Agreed. If certain parents think their kids can handle it, that’s their right. When you get other people involved, it becomes too overbearing. That’s not the government’s decision to make.

Chris yeah have you seen Mysterious Skin?

Tony Yes, I have. It’s one of those films that once people see it, they fall in love with it. But I’m not sure how many people have actually seen it.

Chris it’s the only movie that is rarely actually made me cry the other is out of the blue a New Zealand movie

Chris who do you think out of all the young actors who are known so far is going to have a very successful career?

Tony Joseph Gordon Levitt, the same actor from Mysterious Skin, he reminds me of a young Brando. He can do it all. It’s tough, because an actor doesn’t usually hit his peak until he is in his thirties, so a lot of actors are “wait and see.” They might be hot today, but tomorrow they might fall apart. Shia Leabouf for example. He is very popular, but some of his decisions outside of the acting business have been questionable.

Chris yeah I think Shia is the flavour of the month. If he keeps screwing up his career is not going to go so well but if the movies he makes keeps making money then he will be alright. But Joseph Gordon Levitt is amazing, when I saw Manic I was like wow this actor is so no the actor he was in 10 things

Tony Very true. Sometimes all an actor needs a chance to prove himself. There might be a lot of great actors out there, but they are stuck on a TV show. Look at Jason Bateman for example. All an actor can ask for is a chance to show what he or she is made of. But, sadly, Hollywood might not see it.

Chris yeah so if you a do a movie and a show that does very well then your career is going places and the same with doing a movie or a TV show that is critically acclaimed

Tony Look at Rider Strong for example: He’s a great actor and a great person, but a lot of people only see him as Shawn from Boy Meets World. Or they see him as the horror kid. So while you’re making money and you’re busy, sometimes you’re stuck doing the same thing over and over and over again. So it’s tricky. You’re happy for the work and you don’t mind it, but sometimes you want to do something more and show more sides of you.

Chris yeah you always need to find somebody who will give you a chance to turn your career around classic example monster with Charlize Theron

Tony Exactly. Good example. So a lot of it is in the hands of other people. You need a good agent and a good eye for the right script at the right time. And once you get it, you better be ready for it.

Chris and the longer it takes for you career to really take off the better your career will be as a lot of these actors who get big really quickly always end up crashing and burning

Tony That’s true, and I think you appreciate it more because you had to go through so many ups and downs and so much crap to get to where you want to be. It wasn’t just handed to you, so you know how quickly it can go away. So when you do have it, you do whatever it takes to hold onto it. Other people, they might think it’s always going to be there, and it’s easy, and it’s really not.

Chris yeah that why Michelle Page career going to go so well because she doing all these great indie films that will really help her career and getting her good roles in major films

Tony And, like we talked about, she’s a good person. She’s doing good work and she’s also a good person. Once people meet her and discover her, it’s not hard not to fall in love with her as an actress.

Chris yeah tell me about it. I had only known her online and I had done some stuff for her, passed on info to her which got her a lead role which landed her another role plus the interviews and blogs praising her and she always had said thank you and sending letters to me saying thanks and just being respectful and kind goes a long way.

Tony I agree. It doesn’t take a lot. Just a simple thank you or phone call to let someone know you appreciate them. Its common courtesy and more people should use it.

Chris yeah its rarity and she really genuine and down to earth and she a far busier person than I am but she really cares about me and you. She actually wanted to meet me and I’m just a little guy in the world of publicity but she appreciates it and she liked what I had done for her and what I am still doing for her. Along the way we became friends and real friends and if you help people and do good things for others they won’t forget it

Tony Exactly. And at the end of the day, we are all people trying to get ahead in this business. No one is better than anyone else. When you start to think you are better than someone else or bigger, that’s when it becomes a problem. Like we talked about earlier, you need to remain level-headed so you don’t crash and burn. And if you treat everyone the same, the writers, the actors, the sound guy, you’re going to do well in this business. Sometimes people are only nice to certain people because they can help them out or get something from them, but when you’re nice to someone and it’s real, that’s a wonderful thing.

Chris Yeah with Michelle it’s real and I know it’s not going to change as I have had some bad experiences with people were nice because they wanted publicity. I am going to have to wrap this up mate, got a dentist appointment. What would you say to somebody who wants to do what you do?

Tony Just start writing…. anywhere. On the bathroom wall, on your blog, on myspace, anywhere. Once you start writing, you never know where it might take you. And just keep on keeping on. Don’t be afraid of negative feedback from other people. Just do what you know is right and be patient. It won’t happen overnight, but, eventually, it will work out. But it won’t start working until you start writing. And you really have to love writing. There’s not a lot of money in this, so just write because you love it.