Claudio Sanchez of Coheed and Cambria Talks Uproar Festival
Rick Florino“Hold on brother,” says Claudio Sanchez of Coheed and Cambria. “I’m trying to get my bearings and where the hell I am in this venue. One minute I think I’m in the dressing room, the next I find out I’m in the closet like, ‘Where the hell am I?’ [Laughs]“.
Well, Claudio and his band have certainly found their place in modern rock. Coheed and Cambria remain leaders in the genre, bending the boundaries of alternative, prog, and hard rock to their whim and yielding some of the most rewarding and refreshing records of the past decade. Their latest two-part opus The Afterman: Ascension and The Afterman: Descensionmake for a sprawling journey replete with bombastic rhythms and some truly fret-blazing guitar work. It’s perfect for the main stage of this year’s Rockstar Energy UPROAR Festival too…
In this exclusive interview with UPROAR’s Rick Florino, Claudio Sanchez of Coheed and Cambria talks the new albums, how he spends his days at UPROAR, and so much more.
Did you approach The Afterman: Ascension and The Afterman: Descension knowing there would be two records?
For me, when I started working on the material about two years ago, I was writing songs that were basically talking about those two years before I had a concept. It was what I was going through at those moments in time. When it came time to actually record the albums, I found there was enough material for two albums really. When my wife and I took a trip to Paris to start working on the concept behind it, it just made sense as a double record. All of the songs had a place in terms of what the concept would become. It wasn’t like we simply had so much material that we needed to do something with it. That was pretty much it.
What does “Gravity’s Union” mean to you?
Originally, I wrote that song about my fear of driving. It’s crazy. I like to drive alone when I do ever drive because I’m the only one at risk. When my wife is in the car, I have this horrible idea that I’m going to a fatal accident and she’ll go and I won’t. I would be at fault. That’s basically what the root of “Gravity’s Union” is. In terms of lyrical material, as the song progresses, it gets more conceptual as it goes in terms of the scene when the doctor conveys the one life he can save whereas the other he can’t. That idea started it though.
How is it coming to life live on UPROAR?
It’s a huge undertaking. We’re doing pretty good at it. It’s there, and it’s happening. One thing that’s a bit of a hurdle is I play it on an 8-string guitar, which I’m not entirely familiar with. That’s what I wrote the song on. I realized, “Oh shit, I’m going to have to perform it on this thing!” It’s a little jarring at times. For the most part, I think we’re doing the song justice. There are few tracks we have here and there in terms of backing vocals just because it’s a little taxing on some of the guys to play and sing at the same time. I enjoy having that dimension and fullness of the backups. Some of them are tucked in there as a shadow. There’s also a lot of experimentation in that song in terms of noise. That’s what the song is. It’s this journey through the demise of the characters Cyrus and his wife Mary. The noise serves as a big of role as the guitar and drums do. It really helps paint the atmosphere of how perplexing this moment in these characters lives is. Some of that is regenerated. I think it all helps the experience.
What attracted you to UPROAR?
I think it was Jane’s Addiction and Alice In Chains. We grew up fans of those bands. The fact that we’re touring with Circa Survive, who are friends of ours and tourmates in the past, was great too. It felt like an easy choice. When I was growing up, in some of the bands I was performing with pre-Coheed and Cambria, Jane’s Addiction were that art rock thing that those bands I was in were trying to emulate. I remember seeing Alice In Chains in 1993 at Lollapalooza and just starting my one-man moshpit [Laughs]. Going through Facelift and Dirt at the time, they were always on. Playing with those bands is in an honor. I was really excited. I first saw Jane’s Addiction at a Halloween show at the Hammerstein Ballroom. I never saw them in their first incarnation though.
How do you spend your days at UPROAR?
I’ve gotten to check out all of the bands on the main stage. For the most part, the band has been spending its days in physical fitness routines. We’re being a little more health-conscious than we have in the past. Also, I’ve been spending a lot of time working on comic books. I’ve got a couple of titles we’re hoping to release next year. A lot of my days have been consumed with that writing the script. We’ve got one—The Amory: Good Apollo that’s definitely directly related to the Coheed and Cambria story’s fourth part. Then, there’s a superhero story my wife and I are working on together which is our first superhero adventure. That’s been taking a lot of my attention. It’s a ton of work related things, because they’re just there.
What’s it like curating the setlist for UPROAR?
The new record’s out so we tend to way a little more heavily on the newer material because that’s what we’re out here promoting, and we’re really proud of it. That’s what our lives are right now. We also like to throw in the obvious songs. Some attendees may not know the band, but the song may have crossed their radars. For something like this, it’s really simple. Depending on whether we’ve got a new record or we’re making a “greatest hits” or what we would like to think is a “greatest hits” for the moment, that’s it.
When did you first get into Alice In Chains?
Hearing Alice in Chains, it was that talk box on “Man In The Box.” That’s their sound entirely. It made them stand out in that era of music that I really liked. They had that cinematic quality. It feels cinematic. It feels like an emotion.
*Interview courtesy www.RockstarUproar.com
Duff McKagan embodies the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll. No matter what band he’s playing with, you’ll instantly recognize that signature bass wallop he packs. There’s nothing like it. It’s that same spark he channeled back on “It’s So Easy” from Appetite for Destruction, but it’s transmuted into magnificent permutations whether it be Loaded, Velvet Revolver, or now Walking Papers. The latter are igniting crowds all summer on the Rockstar Energy UPROAR Festival, and McKagan’s keeping rock ‘n’ roll alive every day he takes the stage.
UPROAR’s Rick Florino spoke to Duff about Walking Papers, the Rockstar Energy UPROAR Festival, judging the “Battle of the Bands” with long time buddy and Alice In Chains singer and guitarist Jerry Cantrell, and so much more in this exclusive interview.
What guided you to Walking Papers?
Barrett Martin and Jeff Angell had the germ for this band. I knew Jeff’s songwriting was epic, and his lyrics are especially outstanding. I can say that about him, because I’ve admired him for fifteen years. Everybody in Seattle has. Everything has its place on this record instrumentally. I’m really proud of this record, and I’m proud of this band live. It’s kicking ass. The shows have been extremely fun. I can say it’s an honor to play in a rhythm section with Barrett.
What attracted you to the Rockstar Energy UPROAR Festival?
Well, initially, Sean Kinney called. Jerry Cantrell, Sean, and I have been pretty tight buddies since 1990 or something. They approached Alice In Chains about co-headlining the festival, and Sean was really pushing to make this a sort of different UPROAR with a mixture of bands that could really interest and challenge an audience. The whole bill is like that. Sean knew our record would be coming out about the time of this tour starting. We talked about it, and John Reese who co-owns UPROAR spoke to me. It’s a family thing really. Reese was my tour manager in Guns N’ Roses. I’ve known John’s kids since they were bumps in bellies. I’m of course good pals with the Jane’s Addiction guys. There’s a lot of cool bands on this thing like Middle Class Rut and Danko Jones.
What appeals to you about judging the “Battle of the Bands”?
I don’t look at it as a “contest thing.” I could never be a pure judge of a battle of the bands like, “This band’s the best band here right now!” That would just be my opinion. I don’t usually do that. I thought this would be a good idea. Jerry and I are the two guys, and I thought it’d be best to do this to expose all of the bands on the list for the “Battle of the Bands.” I’ve seen some really cool groups. It’s not like I go out there every day, cross my arms, look at the stage, and say, “Hmm…” I’ve seen a couple good bands that really stood out. In New Jersey, I had just worked out, and I was sitting on these steps to the third stage, dripping from sweating. This band went on, and I didn’t even realize it. I thought, “Fuck, these guys are killer. Who the hell is this?” It turns out it was one of the bands competing in the “Battle of the Bands”—Black Clouds. I don’t know how we’re going to choose the band at the end. It’s going to be a tough thing to do.
Why’s that?
I really want it to be known that if it goes down anyway and we pick a “winner,” it’ll just be because that’s what you’ve got to do at the end of this thing [Laughs]. I really appreciate the effort from everyone. You see all of these bands who are on tour. Some are scared and some aren’t. It’s all a positive thing though. I wish everyone the best.
UPROAR seems like the perfect platform to launch this band.
It’s great for Walking Papers! It’s really profoundly great for us. Our record came out, and two days later, UPROAR started.
What’s been the best UPROAR Festival show so far?
I’ve got to say all of the places we’ve played have been great so far. We’ve played like nine gigs. Boston was great. It was packed that day. Even the first gig in Scranton was great for us. Everyone was getting the kinks out in every band. New Jersey was killer. Toronto was really good to us. It seems to be building a little bit. You can tell we’re a new band, and more and more people are hearing about us and coming for that 5:40 slot to see us. It’s really cool. It’s really cool to be a part of this band right now.
What have you been listening to?
We’ve been listening to these classic records at night on the bus. We’ve got a whole list of Bruce Springsteen, Nebraska, and classic Led Zeppelin. Then, you have the argument, “What Zeppelin record do you choose?” My daughter just got me back into Radiohead’s Ok Computer. She turned me on to a new band called Purity Ring from Canada. They’re like electronic-infused Siouxsie and the Banshees. I’m digging Middle Class Rut right now.
What’s next for you?
I take it one day at a time, man! There’s this tour, and then I’m sure another tour. I’m really enjoying what I’m doing with Walking Papers. It’s all about that gig-of-the-day.
*Interview courtesy www.rockstaruproar.com
Illinois Funny Filmmaker, Robert Alaniz, and His Latest Movie, “You Don’t Say!”
Written by Tracy Walsh
Hearing some people say “Yo momma's so ugly, her mom had to tie a steak around her neck to get the dog to play with her. And, “Yo momma's so ugly, she made an onion cry. Yo momma's so ugly, even Rice Krispy’s won't talk to her,” make me hungry for such a captivatingly creative mind like theirs (www.comedy-zone.net.) I would also dig to have the greatly enthralling imagination of Robert Alaniz! He has made six feature-length films (“Timesaver,” “Barrymore’s Dream,” “Bitterblue,” “The Vision,” “D.I.N.K.S.” (Double Income No Kids”)and “You Don’t Say!”
Another reason I crave to trade brains with Robert Alaniz is because, the man has won a “Best Comedy Film” award for “D.I.N.K.S.” And he won “Best Feature Film” for his “Barrymore’s Dream,” both from The Route 66 Film Festival in Springfield Illinois. Plus, Robert Alaniz and his organization “Sole productions” have been featured in some nationwide magazines, and on FOX NEWS, ABC Morning News with Linda Yu and Sylvia Perez, and WGN Radio with Andrea Darlas.
BUZZ: I would love to write a screenplay, but I know I don’t have a good enough imagination to do it.
ROBERT: “Imagination, well that’s important, but I think you also have to be very disciplined. I’ve heard a lot of people say I started writing a script, but didn’t finish it. ”
BUZZ: What were you like in high school?
ROBERT: “I was an artist in high school, winning awards for my artwork, which is what I thought I'd be doing when I got older. Until I found out there wasn't any money in it. I then got involved with theater and acted in many plays in high school and college. I loved it so much, I began writing and directing my own plays. It was when I was in college when I discovered filmmaking. I then switched from theater to film and never looked back. In my 20's, I got an internship at WGN-TV where I worked for a few years where I learned a lot about the TV industry. Hope this is what you wanted.”
BUZZ: Yes, thank you, Robert.
BUZZ: How did “You Don’t Say!” manifest?
ROBERT: “Well, here’s something interesting. When I finished my first film ‘D.I.N.K.S,’
BUZZ: (Accidently interrupted poor Robert!) Oh, yeah, ‘D.I.N.K.S’ won an award!
ROBERT: “Actually, it won two awards.”
BUZZ: (Embarrassed--want to curl up in fetal position and suck thumb!) “Oh, I’m sorry!”
ROBERT: (Gently and Kindly) “That’s alright…that’s alright. You know when you win awards you have to make sure you put them in there (chuckles). I also have to get used to saying I’m an Award-winning filmmaker, too. I know that sounds a little vein, but that’s the truth.”
BUZZ: Yes, you’re just stating the truth, and are supposed to tell people you’ve won awards. I’m sorry; please get back to what you were saying about “D.I.N.K.S.”
ROBERT: “‘D.I.N.K.S’ was my first comedy. I was always afraid of comedy because I didn’t think I was a funny person. And, I was always told comedy is the hardest thing to write. And, it wasn’t hard to write, so then I thought, uh oh! If it’s not hard to write, it’s not funny. But, ‘D.I.N.K.S.’ went over really well—people loved it—it got a lot of laughs. So after ‘D.I.N.K.S,’ I wanted to write another comedy.”
“I had three scripts in mind, and one was about a woman who finds a magical necklace that makes her say what she really feels. I started writing [the] scripts as an experiment because sooner or later one of the three was going to be more interesting to me. So I was writing, and I was watching all these TV broadcasts of people getting attacked by organizations, because they said something they shouldn’t have said. Like, Meg Ryan was on ‘Oprah,’ and she said something that was unacceptable. I don’t know what she said, but as soon as that happened, “Oprah” got hit with a gazillion letters, and this organization came out of nowhere and attacked Meg Ryan.”
“Once I saw that, I said I gotta find more [such stories.] So I started searching the internet, and I found all these crazy things where these groups were attacking people for saying things--for saying something simple, that may have not meant anything. And the more I saw that, the more interested I got in the story ‘You Don’t Say!’ So, that’s the one [script] we did.” The one about a woman who finds a magical necklace that makes her say what she really feels.
BUZZ: While working on “You Don’t Say,” what was the thing that tickled your funny bone the most?
ROBERT: “Getting it done (LAUGHS.) I never thought that was gonna happen!” (Chuckles, chuckles, laughs, laughs!)
BUZZ: What’s the hardest part about being a filmmaker?
ROBERT: “When you’re making an Independent film, like I do, on such a small budget, it’s trying to get everybody to take it serious, and to realize that you’re trying to make a Hollywood-type movie—a movie of that magnitude. I’m this guy from Frankfort [Illinois] who makes movies. And a lot of people make movies now, you know on YouTube…and you want to shoot for Hollywood, you want someone to go ‘Wow, how much did this cost?’ ‘Who is this guy?’ You want that kind of attention—somebody at the right place, and the right time to maybe further your career, or give you more money to give you bigger and better projects. And, that’s kind of where I’m at now.”
“‘You Don’t Say!’ is my sixth film, and I’ve premiered all my films, and they all had good runs. I’ve done local runs, but with ‘D.I.N.K.S,’ I was contacted by a distributing company in L.A. Because they saw the trailer online, and they loved the idea. And I sat down with several distributers, and everybody loved it. But nobody picked it up--they all said the problem is you don’t have someone everybody knows. So the first goal for ‘You Don’t Say,!’ was to get someone everybody knows. And everybody knows ‘The Soup Nazi.’ People wanna see what else ‘The Soup Nazi,’ [Larry Thomas, from ‘Seinfeld’] does.”
BUZZ: So what do you want awesome readers of Buzz Magazine to know about “You Don’t Say?”
ROBERT: “My first reaction to this movie was I had a big smile on my face when the credits were running. And, a lot of it has to do with Alan O’Day’s great song he wrote for the movie. And in the seventies, he wrote ‘Undercover Angel’…he was a big songwriter in the 70s and 80s, and they still use his music today, like in the movie ‘Super 8.’ But getting back to what I was saying, I really thought the movie was fun, because his song is very fun and it’s very uplifting, and the movie—it’s a feel good movie. You see ‘You Don’t Say!’ and you’re gonna laugh and feel good.”
BUZZ: (Smiling while having “Brian Fart,” as to what to ask next. Need brain transplant fast! ) Okay, well I guess that’s about it. Thank you so much for doing this interview, terrifically talented, Robert Alaniz!
THE END
“You Don’t Say” Guest Star, Larry Thomas a.k.a. The Soup Nazi, will be signing autographs with other actors from the film at the premiere on April 6th.
For tickets for the April 6th Chicago premiere of “You Don’t Say!” at The Patio Theatre, or additional information on the film, and all who worked on it, please visit: www.idontsaythemovie.com https://www.facebook.,com/pages/You-Dont-Say-A-Robert-Alaniz-Film/292368020819913 www.facebook.com/robert.alaniz.98
“You Don’t Say!” was produced by David Branigan, Robert Alaniz and Max Nayden. Other actors in the film include: Toni Pieper, Rebecca O’Connell, Mikhailia Scoville, Andy Clifton, Caitlin Costello, Alison Barnes, Isabella DeCeault, Jayson Bernard, Brandon Galatz, Hayley Camire, Brian Hoolihan, Jeanette DiGiovine, Shavar D. Clark, Matthew Montalvo, and Melodye Lorrayne. Larry Thomas Guest Stars!
Sources: www.comedy-zone.net as well as people’s mouths.
Up Close and Personal with Some of the Actors of “You Don’t Say!”
Written by Tracy WalshAn In-Depth Interview with, Larry Thomas, Seinfeld's The Soup Nazi--Yippee!
Written by Tracy Walsh
Rightfully, proud-to-be Latina, Zandra Rivera, has made quite a name
for herself in the Entertainment industry. The writer, director,
producer and actor has a new film "Making Sex" that audiences are sure
to enjoy thoroughly. I was fortunate enough to interview Zandra, and I
like her following answers immensely.
What were you like in grammar school, high school and college?
"Well, my parents moved around a lot, due to the fact that education was
fundamentally the most important value my parents instilled within us.
They had 6 children and the moment they made a financial gain it was
time to move to a more affluent area that would provide the type of
education that instilled a firm foundation. I attended 4 grammar
schools and 3 high schools and surprisingly enough only one
University. I definitely learned to adapt rather quickly, I can
easily asses a situation and have learned to become a bridge to unite
various, seemingly, opposing forces."
Are there any hair and fashion trends that you were a victim to and
say to yourself now "What was I thinking?"
"Ok, admittedly there is one thing, not that I regret, but that I
kind of cringe in embarrassment at how I actually thought I was
fashionably way cool; I was a HUGE fan of the Puerto Rican boy band
'Menudo' and so my girlfriends and I would dress a lot like their
stylized videos and actually go out in public dressed, like, well
outrageously silly!!! Despite the fashion fopaux, I look back on it
and literally laugh wholeheartedly at myself!"
Could you also please reveal what your
personality was like in school, and how it has changed since those
days?
"I was always a little nervous and shy when walking into a new
school, a little insecure, you could say. Now, I actually thrive
talking to new people, getting to know them, their culture or
exploring what makes people tick. I'm not nervous anymore, I'm
comfortable in my own skin and realize that everyone has something to
say, some new perspective they bring to the table that may differ from
yours. This means only that, it is merely a different view based on
their personal experiences and they make choices based on this simple
fact. Some of these choices may affect you in a negative way in your
interaction with such a situation or rather individual but ONLY if you
allow it to. That's the key, you have a choice to be whoever you
choose to be, always."
Did you know from the ripe old age of 6 or so you wanted to get into
showbiz, and how did you eventually get into it?
“Actually, yes! I knew at the age of 4 and a half!!!! I was born in Manhattan, NY, soon
after we moved to Long Island, NY and there I became friends with a
neighbor girl across the way who interestingly enough was a regular on
Sesame Street!!! From that moment on I was hooked!!!!"
If you weren't in showbiz what kind of job would you like to have?
"I can't picture doing absolutely anything else in the world, but I will
say that I think I was some sort of scientist for sure, like a
microbiologist, archeologist, astronomer or marine biologist, in a
past life. I've always excelled in the math and sciences department
and physics was my absolute favorite and still is. Most people don't
know that I am the BIGGEST geek! I study something that peaks my
curiosity every single day and if I'm not learning something new,
expanding my mind, I feel off kilter and get a little grumpy. When I
was a sophomore I was actually the top of my honors biology class, and
I won top student for Geometry."
Your IMBD profile shows that you have been an actress in the following
productions: Get Pony Boy, Player in Training, Regretful Decision,
Boricua and Shelflike. I see you not only were an actress in Get Pony
Boy, but were also a producer. Which hat do you prefer to wear,
actress or producer and why?
"Great question, thank you. It depends on the production, really. If
it's something I wrote, rest assured I'll be directing and producing
for sure. Although, I saw what Roberto Benigni did with "Life is
Beautiful" and that is definitely a goal to strive for, acting
directing and producing but at the moment I know my limitations and my
goals. The acting bug will never go away, I'm passionate about it,
just like the directing. The producing is more my business hat, if
that makes any sense"
Is there anything else you would like to share about your career?
“Sure, everything I've learned about the entertainment business has
been from experience, tenacity and the simple phrase ‘just do it,’
literally. I had a theater director simply come up to me one day at an
event and tell me ‘You should be an actor, I am a theater director,
if you are interested I would like to work with you,’ and the rest is
history. I had no formal training, I went straight to doing theater
and one thing led to another. Within one year I had 3 plays in my
pocket and began to produce my first original co-written play in
Spanish, where I wore the hats of producer, set and costume designer
and was Cinderella. I began production of that originally co-written
piece with 18 actors ranging from the ages of 11 to 63 in a 1,300 seat
theater, and signed on with a talent agent. Six months into my second
year I became union, my first radio commercial was for Western Union
and my first Television commercial was an international AOL
commercial. I currently sit on the board for the SAG/AFTRA Chicago.
I've helped with castings for non-union Latino talent for David
O'Connor, the top casting agency of the Midwest and Erica Daniels at
the Steppenwolf Theater Chicago. I worked for Second City as an actor
for a commercial for "Fellowes"
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHjoffTFbk0.) I had an amazing time
writing and producing when I was an ensemble member of Teatro Luna, we
performed our show during the Latino Showcase at the Goodman Theater.
I've directed a documentary entitled, "N.O. immigrates" which takes
an introspective look at the untold story of the undocumented Latino
Immigrants and the issues surrounding the subject in the United
States. I opened up this year with "About Nick and Sam" a short I
directed, wrote and produced working with the fabulous Director of
Photography, Cesar Rios and the L.A. Actress Marisol Doblado and Miami
actor Leandro. Now we are in production for "Making Sex" using
strictly Chicago based actors. For the past 3 years I've researched and
studied the business of Hollywood and thusly with all the years of
experience I've acquired from my advertising and marketing firm
"Hispanica" where I acquired big corporate clients such as Corona USA,
Heineken USA, Miller Brewing Co. and many more as well as acting,
directing, producing and writing I've created MainStream Media Ent. A
production multi-media company focused on producing content for the
"American Latino." please visit www.mainstreammediaent.com.
Is “Making Sex” the first film in which you are a director?
If so, what's it like? Do you act and produce in "Making Sex," as
well?
"Making Sex" (still a working title) is actually my 2nd short
film as Director/Producer/Writer and "N.O. Immigrates" is my first
full feature documentary again as Director/Producer/Writer. So, no, I
will not be acting in this film."
What's everything you would like readers to know about your movie "Making Sex?"
"Making Sex, is an exploration into the human psyche via the analysis
and the juxtaposition of the external world and the internal
conditions we live. The theory that the state of the world is in
disarray due to the unbalanced nature between our feminine and
masculine aspects while living in the current Patriarchal Society is
placed in a very non-conventional way. Two Film Directors have teamed
together bringing very different screenplays and elements in a
symbiotic and organic way. Candy Minx, Canadian Director, explores
the dichotomy of transgender and androgyny in women. Zandra Rivera,
American Director, explores battle of the sexes and what it truly
means to balance your own masculine and feminine natures as opposed to
the internal battles we are faced with on a daily basis. All human
beings are made of both masculine and feminine, what has happened due
to our society being Patriarchal, male dominant, is absolute
unbalance. Due to this, we as humans, are not as in touch with our
feminine side, heterosexual men, primarily. This makes for fear of
the feminine power or energy and sometimes even a loathing of the
feminine occurs because we are so disconnected from this very
fundamental human aspect. So when the feminine nature asserts her
power we sometimes call it bitch or many other words to describe
courage and the feminine anima or will, simply because we do not
understand it or we have forgotten. A lot like when Mother Nature
asserts her absolute strength over us, we are rendered powerless.
Something important to note when viewing the film is that these
characters are mythos; they represent humanities masculinity and
femininity confronted by a patriarchal society. Not two humans
playing out drama but it is more of a bird’s eye view of all of us. We
are unbalanced and not our true self. This has a tendency to lead to
destruction as our history clearly has demonstrated."
I know you're friends with Candy Minx (Actress and Director of
Jigsaw) what can you say about the project ("Making Sex") you are kind
of working together on?
"It's interesting that we chose to explore
these two contrasting topics and bring them together in post in a
dynamic and organic way. I know I have my script, she has hers and we
will bring the two aspects of the human psyche together during
editing, aside from that we don't know. I love working in an
experimental format such as this, it's like painting without a plan,
simply to let it all flow in that moment, I'm so excited because I've
never worked in this format nor with another director in film"
When do you expect your film "Making Sex" to be available for the
masses to see?
"Spring 2013, it is currently in production.”
Lastly, what words of wisdom do you have for struggling actors,
directors and producers?
"First, I want to say that if it is your
passion, meaning you live, breath, think it, every moment then go for
it. If you have a backup plan this is not for you, it is the type of
industry that you need razor sharp focus, intention and passionate
commitment come what may. Guess what started my career! I asked
another actor how he did it, he said, "Just Do It!" literally is all
he said, I took it to heart and haven't stopped since then!!!!"
"I thank you, Tracy, for the opportunity to have shared my experience
with you and your readers, I wish you all much success!”
For more info about sweet Zandra Rivera, please visit the following site:
www.MainStreamMediaEnt.comZandra
*photo credit Art Miller
Greatly Talented Actress, Writer and Director, Candy Minx!
Written by Tracy Walsh
In an ideal society every person, who has not been wrongly convicted of a heinous crime, would be treated with the utmost of respect. And given enough attention, understanding, empathy, compassion plus fairness, while a part from each other and also when face-to-face. People would be free of prejudice, judgment, discrimination and disgrace. Sadly and disturbingly, we know all too well this is not the case amongst our human race.
Chicago resident Candy Minx (actor, writer and director) delves into such issues by creating bold and clever vignettes for the film “Making Sex” that finally gives Drag Kings, instead of Drag Queens, a face.
1. What were you like in grammar school, high school and college?
CANDY:” All my report cards said the same thing, "Candy would be a good student if she stopped looking out the window and applied herself." I've been a dreamer my whole life. I'm an army brat and we moved a lot so I was shy early on. Once my family settled in the Pacific Northwest I started getting mad social skills as I got older and into high school and art school. I had a correlation between being in drama class and building sets, acting in plays and working hard in art class that gave me currency socially. I decorated the school dance. I drew art on friend’s coats. I organized plays and people. I wasn't good at school but I was socially sophisticated. I can talk to a tombstone.”
2. Are there any hair and fashion trends that you were a victim to and say to yourself "What was I thinking?"
CANDY: “I love clothes. I don't regret anything I've ever worn. I was a punk and a Goth with a misspent youth at nightclubs in New York and Toronto where dressing lively, sexy and outrageous got you past a line up and onto the dance floor. I'm sure my parents may have regrets about how I dressed over the years though, heh heh.”
3. Could you also please tell enormously nosy people, like me, what your personality was like in school and how it has changed since those days?
CANDY: “I said hi to everybody and talked to everybody once I got to high school. I was a "people person" and still am. High school was when I became aware of the joys of hanging out in coffee shops with friends and shooting the shit. It's a pastime I dearly love and still live.”
4. Did you know from the ripe old age of 6 or so you wanted to get into showbiz, and how did you eventually get into it?
CANDY:” Yes. I was shy and quiet as a kid but I was very obsessed with tv, books, comics, movies and dancing. My sister and I would show off and dance when our parents had parties. Somehow performing and being funny and silly seemed easier than speaking in regular conversation or working at academics.”
5. If you weren't in showbiz, what kind of job would you like to have?
CANDY: “Indiana Jones.”
6. Candy, your IMBD profile says you are an actor and director, so the question " Which hat do you prefer to wear: actress, or director and why?" just came off the top of my head.
CANDY: “I prefer directing. I spent many years doing improv in Toronto and those workshops and performances with a troupe (ZU ZU's Petals) gave me a lot of inspiration for building characters. I love improvising, writing characters and dialogue and then bringing them to life in film. I love working on a film set and the collaborative experience with actors and crew. Note-to-self: update my IMDB profile.”
7. Including "MAKING SEX," How many films have you directed? What else can you reveal about your career to inquiring minds—who truly do want to know?
CANDY: “I've directed several short films. They have been screened in art galleries, bars, and outdoor settings. I am interested in having film and art cross over into non-traditional but community-based venues as well as screenings in commercial theaters. I've always been obsessed with strange people, people on the wild side or living counter-culture to mainstream. My goal is to insert these kinds of fringe, oddball, misfit, flaneur characters into a feature film. You can see one of my short films on YouTube here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3cRCzvPS4w
8. What's everything you would like readers to know about your movie “MAKING SEX?”
CANDY: “I don't believe we are written in stone. I believe these characters are reflective of this idea that we are mutable, exploring, questioning, thinking animals. I believe these characters are wrestling against what it means to live with cultural taboos and normalness force-fed onto us...how we can be free to find out whom we are...and that it can be an ever-evolving type of self-questioning. Self-awareness can manifest in many ways. If society force feeds gender onto our personal narratives, what happens when we become the storytellers?”
9. What other future artistic works do you have up your sleeve?
CANDY: "I have 3 documentaries kicking around, some in editing and some ready to be shopped around. One of them is titled MIRL and I've been working on it for 4 years, travelled 7,000 miles, interviewed over 30 people and have about 14 hours of tape. I have an EPK I can share with you here too
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NfnBrZ2evA&;feature=youtu.be
10. When do you expect your film "MAKING SEX" (that not only includes your ultra-intriguing vignettes but also those of Zandra Rivera) to be available for the masses to see?
CANDY: “Spring 2013, the film is still in pre-production.”
11. Lastly, what words of wisdom do you have for struggling actors, directors and producers?
CANDY: “Be open-minded and kind to others whenever possible. Our imagination is tweaked when we put ourselves compassionately into other people's positions. Learn from friends, from strangers, from school and workshops. Ask lots of questions. Don't be afraid to look foolish. Take workshops with people you admire. I have three people that really influenced me and I was lucky to be in workshops with them. Robin Wood, Guy Maddin and Lisa Steel. All three of these artists/teachers had a natural relationship with film. They encouraged me to see that the camera is like a part of our body. It can be an extension of our body and brain, organic and alive. I also made very strong lifetime friends when I was in college. I learned more from my friends than some of the classes! You need to be driven, you need to experiment, argue and explore weird ideas. Don't be afraid to film weird ideas. It’s okay to break rules and it's okay to follow rules. Have fun! And, “Thanks so much for this opportunity to share with you and your readers!”
For more information on the exceptionally likable and true artist, Candy Minx, please follow the links below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NfnBrZ2evA&;feature=youtu.be http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3cRCzvPS4w http://gnosticminx.blogspot.com
*photo credit - Stagg
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