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COMEDY

Timely (2011)

Director: Jonathan Sikes

Role: Huxley

I play a time traveler who accidentally travels to the future. My time machine is destroyed in a train accident, so a little boy has to help me get back to my own time. I rarely get to do family films and this one was a great experience. The filmmakers got permission to shoot on railroad tracks and even built a giant dolly to fit on the rails for tracking shots.  There were really fun gadgets to work with and I got to bust out an English accent just for fun. My co-star, Ethan Mohlmann, was outstanding, especially for a child actor.  Our repartee is a highlight of the film.  Particularly when he makes a Back To The Future reference, and I consider the possibilities.  

One very special part of this process was having my wife play my fiancee in the film. The whole point of my journey back in time is to propose to her. It's a lovely ending.

The Priest and the Psychologist (2010)  12 min

Directors: Mandeep Lehal and Aby Rao

Role: Psychiatrist

IMDB SYNOPSIS: A priest divulges personal matters to a psychologist who has a few secrets of his own.

 

Wonderful script. I got to work with my frequent co-star, Owen Daly and his wife, Suzin.  The script had great dialogue and it felt like a one-act play or comedy sketch.  The film itself, unfortunately, seems to have been more of a test film because the filmmakers shot it on multiple cameras, all different. So the film’s quality jumps around a bit. It was still a nice experience and a lot of fun to perform.  

Dead End Job    (2010)   68 min

Director: William Lilly

Role:  Bruce

IMDB SYNOPSIS:  Robert Monroe is faced with the issue of finding a new job right away or lose his girlfriend, but this new prospect could just be the death of him.

I went pretty over the top for this performance. I played a gay restaurant host and I just went for it. A lot of improv.  

The Minus Touch (2011) 15 min

Director: Rob Sterling

Role: Max

IMDB SYNOPSIS: When John is at the end of his rope and begins to seek answers to a mediocre life, he stumbles upon Kierkegaard's 'Either Or,' which leads him on an existential path of loss and discovery.

 

Another great UNCSA 4th year. I wasn’t aware that actors must eat before the crew. I’d been wrapped for the day and was on my way out when the AD stopped me and told me I had to give permission to let the crew eat.  That’s what I call professional.  The film was shot on 16mm Color film stock and I got to meet Vanessa Ore, with whom I’d work in Scorpion.  The original title of the film was Pinball. I actually barely auditioned for the film. Often, when I’d come for a UNCSA audition, there would be other auditions  going on in the hallway and if you wandered in there, often they’d ask for you to read. Just my luck since I was told this was the best 4th year film of the year. 

Return To Zero (2003)

Director: Manfred Schoberth

Role: Director

This was one of our digital pieces at the NYFA. My friend Manfred had some very bad experiences with actors leaving his projects midway through shooting or demanding money even though it was clearly a student film.  This was his response and possibly a little revenge. I’m a director shooting a student film and the actor is an impatient snob who hates making student films. In the end, I take the camera and bash his head in. That’s about it. One of the funniest memories I have is that we were shooting in a park and it was fairly quiet, but then hundreds of people showed up and it completely changed the sound. Also, Manfred wanted actual crew in the film, so by the end of the shoot, there was no one to hold the boom mic. He asked a woman watching us film to hold the boom. It was a very interesting situation.

Parlay (2013)  44 min

Director: Dean Garris

Role: Mr. Holly

Olivia dreams of becoming a pirate but her Aunt Beatrice is determined to turn her into a proper young socialite. Can these two co-exist throughout the summer while her parents are away?

 

Another family film under my belt. I had a small role as the father of a rambunctious child who pretends she’s a pirate.  It was fun to embrace my inner nerd.

Victim of Discontinuity (2003)

Director: Pep Ribal

Cinematographer: Nick Karner

I was so happy to finally be a part of a Pep Ribal film at the NYFA. His comedy shorts were always quite good. This one was very simple. A man tries to leave his house, but each time he leaves, his clothes change. By the end, he looks in the mirror and has become me.  

Fooked (2003)

Director: Puneet Mehra

Role: Soul Brother

Puneet had some real problems with this one. He kept asking people if it was racist, so he was at least aware of the implications of making it. The idea was that I’m a black guy who buys ultra-white toothpaste which, when touching my skin, turns me white.  In the end, I did it for him because he's my friend and…yeah, just look at the picture. Or don’t.  

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