Arlene Lagos's Blog, page 14

The Thin Line: Cruel vs.Honest

People often abuse the word “honest” and use it as a weapon to be cruel. When you truly care about someone, you can still be honest without being cruel. There is a fine line between the two and that line is called tact.

Tact:

1. A keen sense of what to say or do to avoid giving offense; skill in dealing with difficult or delicate situations.

2. A keen sense of what is appropriate, tasteful, or aesthetically pleasing; taste; discrimination.

I wrote a poem back in November of 2011 for no reason other than I was in a dark place and wanted to create something beautiful. I wasn’t looking for praise, just a little ray of light to shine down my dark path. I shared my poem with a few friends; my way of letting them know that even through my immense struggle I was hopeful. One of my “friends” responded to the poem by sending me an article about why poems shouldn’t rhyme. Really?  This is when I started evaluating whether or not this person really cared about me or whether he just loved hearing himself speak. I realize now, many months later that he was the kind of person that loved success as long as he was the only one enjoying it.

I offered another “friend” a free copy of the first book I ever wrote; an accomplishment I was proud of because it also helped me out of a dark place. She replied with “I don’t want it, I’m not a big reader so I probably won’t read it anyway”. I could have replied back with how ignorant it is for her to not embrace reading, but it’s not my place to judge. “I’m just being honest,” she said after. Hmm. Honest? No, it was cruel; a cruel answer that could’ve been handled with more sensitivity. If the roles were reversed I would have probably said, “I’d love a copy, I am so proud of you”. Not promising I’m going to read it, but at least showing my support.

In another instance, I was trying on clothes and I asked a good friend of mine what she thought of my dress. She could have said, “It makes you look really fat,” which would have been “honest” but also “cruel”. Instead she said, “I think we can find something that would be more flattering for your figure”. It is the same thing in essence, but it was said with love, not malice and that really is the difference.

Lesson for the day: Always be honest with a friend, but use tact in how you speak to them, because after all if you really do care about them, then you wouldn’t say things that you know would hurt their feelings.

Post Surgery

It’s been over two weeks since my last blog and most of you know that it is because I recently underwent surgery to correct what was called, Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

On June 12th I went in and had my tonsils and adenoids removed and they shaved my deviated septum. I spent the past 16 days in pain, unable to eat and feeling like someone punched me in the face with an anchor.

I would do it again in a heartbeat because it most likely saved me life.

Sleep Apnea is not just “someone who can’t get a good night’s rest”.

I was told in my sleep study that I stopped breathing on average 65 times an hour. I was basically choking to death at night. My oxygen level at night was so low, that I wasn’t burning fat or able to create muscle.

It’s been 16 days since my surgery and I have lost well over 30 lbs, sleep like a dream and have more energy than I’ve had since college. I even feel like my food digests better.

If you or someone you love has sleep apnea, go see an ENT and get a sleep study done. It just might save your life.

That’s the end of my preaching. Great blogs coming your way so keep your eyes peeled and spread the word about my blog.

iSocion: The Evolution of Social Networking

Millis, MA- iSocion, a new social networking site, launched the testing phase of their company yesterday bringing many questions from their beta testers as to the infinite possibilities this site can bring to a world full of people constantly struggling to understand each other.

iSocion is a fully functional and superior social networking tool which will enable users to actually change their own page layouts, filter the amount and type of incoming communication, and provide feedback and suggestions that will help to continuously improve the user’s experience in order to meet or exceed their expectations without destroying their privacy.

One of the key critical differences between iSocion and other media sites are the differences in their Privacy Policy, which many will find appealing. The default is PRIVATE!

In other words, you are in charge of how you want to see (or not see) other people’s information. iSocion users are not force-fed every status update from the 200+ people they have never even met or spoken to before on their friends list. Users can utilize as much or as little of the socionics aspect of the website as they want.

So what else separates iSocion from the thirty other social networking sites currently on the Internet? PERSONALITY. With other social networking sites it’s the same dog and pony show. Register, import your contacts, find your friends and chat with them incessantly about whatever it is that gets you through the day.

With iSocion, they make personality a big part of the picture, making it an interesting and unique functionality that nobody else has. When you first register you have to answer a series of questions that help decide which of the 16 personality types fits you best. You are then given access to a breakdown of how you function as a person in the world. You are then also compared to other personality types known as intertypes. Sound intriguing?

I took the test and was given the personality type of The Artisan. This made perfect sense to me and without breaking it all down (you’ll have to register on the site yourself to find out) I was able to see a little more into my own personality.

Now let’s add some friends. What are their personality types and even more interesting, if you match us together, what are our intertypes? How do we communicate effectively? iSocion raises the question of whether or not you really know your “friends” and how aware you are of the dynamics of your “relationships” whether they are at work, home, school or romantic.

It’s great to log onto a social network site and instantly add your 500+ “friends” but how well do you know them? Perhaps you didn’t know that a few of your “acquaintances” are actually more like you than you originally thought?

What are the benefits? First of all, let’s take dating and this by no means is a dating website. Wouldn’t you like to know if you’ve been dating the same “type” all of these years just to find out that your better suited for a completely different personality?

Maybe you are interested in the dynamics of your various friendships. Why does that one friend always argue with you? Why can’t you let them go? What is it about your relationship with them that you feel must continue?

Maybe you don’t care too much about dating or friendships but a boss or co-worker or even a client has presented himself as a difficult person to deal with. But you have to deal with them. Maybe knowing a little bit about the interdynamics of your personalities can help you get to that next level? Maybe you are an Empath constantly surrounded by Conqueror’s and you are looking to meet some of your own kind?

“Users will find Socionics useful and FUN, as they evaluate their own personality types as well as the interpersonal relationships that exist between them and those they interact with. As they become more familiar with the site, we hope users will realize the far-reaching potential that can also be applied to various Business, Educational, Medical and Research sectors as well; all while maintaining their personal privacy.”- Craig Domenicucci, CEO

So where did this genius concept come from? It came out of a branch of psychology that’s been around for over 40 years called Socionics. Socionics is a branch of psychology based on Carl Jung’s work on psychological types, Sigmund Freud’s theory of the conscious and subconscious and Antoni Kepinski’s theory of Information Metabolism. Socionics was founded mainly by the Lithuanian researcher Aushra Augustinavichute in the 1970s and is now evolving rapidly. Socionics also shares much in common with the work of Myers and Briggs, however there are circumstances when Socionics and MBTI® theory differ in a few significant ways.

Socionics is based upon the idea that we are all different in fundamental ways. One’s ability to process different information is limited by their particular type. A person’s behavior is dependent on a set of blocks called “psychological functions”. Different ways of combining and chaining these functions result in different ways of accepting and producing information, which in turn results in different character types. There are sixteen types.

The main advantage of Socionics is the Intertype Relations theory. Based on a person’s psychological type, it is now possible to anticipate development in human relationships with incredible accuracy. This makes it a very powerful tool when dealing with problems in relationships. Generally, a minimum amount of knowledge in Socionics is irreplaceable in any field of human activity where more than one person is involved, having to work or live together.

For example, I have been classified as The Artisan and a friend of mine as The Observer. When you put us together you get an intertype called a “Look-A-Like” relationship.

ILI- The Observer

SLI- The Artisan

I know you? You seem familiar…”

Look-Alike Relations are much like kindred relations in that partners have half their functions in common. This relation is “monoverted,” meaning that it consists of partners being both introverted, or extraverted types. Information exchange between the two happens from one partner’s conscious functions to the other’s conscious functions, with little or no subconscious stimulation, making this relation “repulsive” in nature. Look-Alike pairs also share the common rhythm of either “rationality” or “irrationality” depending on the two personality types. Partners will share a variety of interests and qualities, yet will embrace them in very different ways, etc…

This is just one example. There are sixteen types, sixteen intertypes and four quadrants. I could spell it all out for you but I think you’d have much more fun navigating it yourself.

Keep your eyes peeled for iSocion- Anyone. Everyone. All of us.

iSocion was created by CEO, Craig Domenicucci; CMO, Benjamin Brewin; COO, Charles Braman III; CTO, Rob Guimaraes; CRO, Nicholas Winslow; and CIO Kenneth Nichols.

For more information on iSocion

or to schedule an interview

email: pr@iSocion.com 

The Storm Goddess

Photo by Firnadi Iqbal

I recently entered a short story contest during the month of May along with 21 other authors. This was the first contest I had ever entered and I’m proud to say I came in second place with an accolade for “Best Nightmare”. There was criteria you needed to fit for the story which is explained below. I thought about sending it to a magazine but for my first one, I think I’ll share it for free with my loving and supportive fans!

 May Short Story Contest 2012

Theme: Climate Change (man or woman vs. the environment) 



Genre: your choice (mystery, romance, suspense, thriller, science fiction, fantasy, horror, or a mixture) 



 Include: 

- A wise person (a scientist, meteorologist, alchemist, wizard, etc.) 
-

 A special note (ransom note, recipe, directions, etc.) 
-

 Racing time before something terrible happens (in space or on earth) 



(500 to 750 words)

THE STORM GODDESS

by Arlene Lagos

Another restless night filled with brutal nightmares has woken me. Always dreaming the same dream. It starts with me standing on top of a mountain and the wind is blowing brutally almost knocking me over. There is a clock ticking in the distance, like a countdown and I am holding a piece of paper and reciting a spell. The weather is volatile unlike anything I have ever seen. The earth shakes beneath me and the sun seems to be getting closer to the earth, burning my back by the second. I finish the spell and it makes it all stop. Then I am ripped out of my bed and awake again.

Troubled by these nightmares, I go for a walk to the local bookstore. As I peruse the aisles looking for another trashy romance novel to cuddle up to, I feel the earth begin to shake beneath my feet. This is odd to me for earthquakes are very rare in New England. As I brace myself between the two shelves, a book falls off one of them and opens up at my feet.

I’ve seen this book before. It’s old and dusty with yellowed paper. Finally, the ground stops shaking, so I pick it up and sit down in a nearby chair. At first glance it looks like a book of recipes and then I realize that it is a book of spells. How did this end up in the romance section? I pour through the pages all the while feeling like someone is staring at me. I continue to browse the pages when I hear chatter growing louder and I turn my attention to the commotion. Droves of patrons were staring out the window in awe. It was…snowing! Which is not all that strange for New England, except that it’s the middle of July!

This felt familiar; I’ve…dreamt this. As I recall the recent events, I notice a man staring at me again. I walk up to him and ask him what’s going on, but he seems unable to speak. The snow is coming down harder outside and the people in the store begin to panic. Quickly he grabs the book from my hands, flips through it and rips out one of the spells. He turns it over and writes something on the back of it, hands it to me and runs off. When I flip it back over, the name of the spell is called, “THE STORM GODDESS”. On the back of the spell he wrote four words. “It’s not a dream”.

The sound of my alarm startles me and I sit up in my bed covered in sweat. Great, now I am dreaming about dreaming. I lean over and grab the glass of water by my bed and take a sip. When I put it back down, I notice a piece of paper on the floor. It’s yellowed and crumbled and I recognize it instantly. As soon as I pick it up I feel a rumbling beneath my feet, another earthquake. Suddenly, the sky outside goes dark, and the snow starts up again.

I look at the clock and it is counting down. Whatever I am supposed to do, I only have 15 minutes left. I quickly get dressed, grab my purse and keys and fling open the door, only to find that same man standing in front of me. Behind him was no longer my hallway, but a doorway to another part of the world. I remember this from my dream. He put out his hand but I hesitated to take it. He looked at me and I could hear him speaking to me with his thoughts. He said, “Our storm Goddess is dead. You are her successor. We need your help to keep the balance or your planet will die”. I look back at the clock, twelve minutes. I look back at the man. “Are we going to the mountain?” I ask. The man smiles and nods in relief. He holds out his hand again and I hold out mine. Together we walk through the doorway, towards the mountain to save the world…with ten minutes to spare.

Second Place Winner for May Short Story Contest 2012

Recent critiques:

“Your writer’s voice is very nice. I think you easily compete with Suzanne Collins and Stephanie Meyer. Keep writing, you have the talent.”- Heather Marie Schuldt, Author

“Your concept is good. It has a nice structure and pacing. I like your sentence: “It’s not a dream.” That’s quite vivid, and is the sort of instance that grips readers. this has good “bones”. – Gail Harkins, Author

“I really liked the concept of your story. You address that thin line between reality and dreams very well.”- Lynette White, Author

“I like your story the storm Goddess The nightmares that comes true, the dead storm Goddess. The man who lead you through the door to toward the mountain to save the world.”- Janet Bond, Author

“The first line of your story drew me right in, and I kept on reading. You are immediately established as the protagonist, and a state of conflict within yourself shown concurrently. The ticking clock and recitation of the spell bring a sense of time and tension with the urgent need to counteract a terrible event, an impending weather and earthquake disaster.  Tension subsides with the apparent awakening and trip to the bookstore; the wise person and message appear and tension rises again. This is again heightened when you realize that you’re dreaming within a dream and find that the note and situation are real. Everything flows in logical order.  All story elements are brought together in the last paragraph, and the story ends clearly and conclusively. All in all, an interesting, well told, and well written story.” – Scott Amis, Writer/Designer

Artist Spotlight: Sadie Alexandru

Reblogged from beyondearthseries:

You recently made your debut as “Scarlett” on a recent episode of the four-time Emmy award-winning series MadMen on AMC. What was it like to be on set with veteran actors like , , and ?

They are all so seasoned and welcoming.  In the moments when it was time to work they were really focused and professional.  

Read more… 748 more words

Check out MadMen tonight on AMC at 10pm EST. You won't wanna miss this episode! Keep your eyes peeled for Sadie Alexandru and feel free to comment tomorrow on her performance!

Artist Spotlight: Perfectly Normel People

FOOTLIGHT AND PICCOLO SPOLETO 2012 PRESENT

A NEW COMEDY FROM LOCAL PLAYWRIGHTS

The Footlight Players is proud to present alongside Thomas Burke Heath &  Judy Heath the world premiere of their second play, Perfectly Normel People.

For Charlestonians and festival visitors looking to be a part of something special from the very beginning, be sure not to miss Perfectly Normel People, a comedy that asks, “Isn’t every family normal?” This is a hilarious fish-out-of-water comedy about what happens when a college freshman from Kansas moves in with a dysfunctional Italian family from Queens! This funny and poignant memory play takes place in 1981 around the loud, but loving Normellino Family. They have survived many losses in their inner circle and often deal with their pain through biting humor and arguing. When the protagonist young Hadley Smith moves in, a transformation takes place for the naïve mid-westerner, as well as for the hurting family.

Performances include May 25, May 31, and June 2 at 8 pm; May 26 and June 3 at 3 pm; and May 28 at 5 pm. Tickets are $26 for adults and $21 for seniors/students, and must be purchased through Piccolo Spoleto by visiting www.PiccoloSpoleto.com or by calling 1-866-811-4111

The talented cast of Perfectly Normel People includes: Sean Marino (Adult Hadley), Steven Cardinal (Adam, Stranger), Katie Holland (Brenda, Rainbow, Bernadette), Jacqueline Helmer (Mom, Clerk, Margaret), Bronson Taylor (Hadley), Scott Cason (Dad), Tripp Hamilton (Frankie), Lara Allred (Angela), Thomas Burke Heath (Johnny), Paulette Bertolami (Connie), and Ross Magoulas (Pops).

Biography:

It was less than a year ago that the Heath’s first show, The Sunset Years, sold out every performance during The Village Playhouse Summer Series. Their plan is to publish their plays and have them produced up the coast at other theatres and hopefully make it to New York. The husband and wife playwriting team originally met up in New York during a regional production of Murder on the Re-Run where they played sniping characters that hated each other and then the two would laugh off stage at the craziness of the plot.

After a year as just friends, Thomas took a chance and kissed Judy and they’ve been together ever since! They were seen on stage 14 years later with Robert Ivey in the Footlight Players’ production of London Suite, which was directed by Clarence Felder. Thomas has also appeared locally in Glengarry Glen Ross, Rounding Third, Speed-the-Plow and The Weir. He plays as the “bad” father in the film Liberating Jesse, which was shown at this year’s Charleston International Film Festival.

For their day jobs, Judy is a board certified psychotherapist and co-founder with Thomas of the Life Guidance Center in West Ashley, as well as the author of No Time for Tears: Surviving Grief in America and the children’s book, I Miss Matthew. She was recently named one of the 50 Most Progressive People in Charleston. Thomas is owner of Heatherwood Entertainment & Media and just finished directing a music video for Charleston Indie Singer/Songwriter John Thomas.

Footlight Contact:

Chrissy Oddi  Chrissy@footlightplayers.net

Playwright Contact:

Thomas Burke Heath  Thomas@HeatherwoodLtd.com

Artist Spotlight: John Brennan

What did one wall say to the other wall?

Meet me at the corner!

Okay, so my level of funny has been reduced to jokes from my 5-year-old, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know my comedians! In fact, this week I am highlighting three of my favorites from all over the country including Charleston, SC, NYC and Los Angeles, CA! These up-and-comers are sure to knock your pants off (and they might even make you laugh too)

John Brennan is an actor, story-teller and writer that lives in NYC.

Who or what made you decide you wanted to become an actor?

I played sports growing up, and when I blew my shoulder out at 18 I decided to get into Theatre. Specifically Improv Comedy at Theatre99. That’s where “Banana’ was born.

Your not originally from NYC, what made you move to the big apple?

I moved to New York City because I want to perform a comedy I co-created with Jason Cooper and Mary Cimino on Off-Broadway called, The Banana Monologues. 

Tell me more about the show what character do you play?

The Banana Monologues is an award-winning, sexy comedy inspired by a true love story about a man, a woman, and his ‘banana,’ Sergeant Johnson. I play numerous characters in this hilarious show including the ‘banana’.

This high-energy show takes the audience on a funny and personal journey about Gus Weiderman’s complicated relationship with an attractive woman who’s out of his league. Gus has to decide whether his lust for Alexis, under Sergeant Johnson’s orders, is sufficient to sustain their tenuous love affair. Does he have the courage to question the Sergeant? For men and women it’s an all-too-common challenge: balancing lust and love in the pursuit of happiness.

Where can one go to see The Banana Monologues?

We have a contract with a Producer Gregory T. Gerard and was one of the producers on the popular Off-Broadway show ‘I Love you, you’re perfect, Now Change.’  We are hoping it will premier Off-Broadway Summer of 2013.

What else are you working on?

In the mean time, I am auditioning for Indy Films and telling true stories around the city, I am an understudy for the Off-Broadway show ‘Awesome 80s Prom‘, I am a regular attendant at The Moth (Live Story slams in NYC), and I recently won the UCB’s Animated Stories with my performance of ‘My First Hand Job.’ 

Have you ever thought about auditioning for Saturday Night Live?

I would love to audition for SNL, if you run into Lorne Michaels, can you tell him that?

Artist Spotlight: Sadie Alexandru

You recently made your debut as “Scarlett” on a recent episode of the four-time Emmy award-winning series MadMen on AMC. What was it like to be on set with veteran actors like , , and ?

They are all so seasoned and welcoming.  In the moments when it was time to work they were really focused and professional.  In between takes, they were very easy-going and there was lots of clowning around!  They’re a funny bunch!  It’s a pretty tight-knit crew and they’ve done some amazing things together; there is an air of pride and ease amongst them that I haven’t seen before.  It was quite amazing.  It really couldn’t have been a better experience for me.

Tell me about the auditions, how many rounds did you go through before you received the role?

In the morning I had my audition for casting, then they asked me to stick around the area to attend the call back to producers 2 hours later.  I left the studio lot, drove back to my apartment and not 30 minutes after I entered my front door I got a call from my manager’s office telling me to go back down there for my hair and make-up test for my shoot the next day.  It was a pretty crazy 24 hours!

You’ve also recently done guest appearances in the HBO/Cinemax film noir “Femme Fatales” opposite , what was that experience like?

Not only is Casper Van Dien a cool cat, but we discovered that we grew up in the same town in New Jersey so there was LOTS to talk about.  He’s really funny and easy to work with.  He’s got a humongous fan base but he’s super down-to-earth.

Did you always want to be an actress?

Yes, I have.  I was a ballerina as a kid and I always wanted to shout out during recitals…I loved dance but I always felt that I wanted to be more vocal.

Have you done theatre as well?

Yes, quite a lot.  I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University and I also studied at the London Academy of Theater.  My background is ALL theater training.  I worked every department of the theater, I re-upholstered couches for set pieces, ran a light board…I’ve done it all.  The program teaches actors to be well-rounded in the theater.  I love it.  I just recently closed a long running production of an original play by the brilliant playwright Rob Mersola entitled “Love Sucks”.

 I understand you’re also a huge supporter of independent film, is there anything coming up we can see you in?

I just Co-Produced and played a supporting role in an independent film called “Act Naturally.”  We just won the audience choice award at the United Film Festival and it will be showing in that same festival in London on June 4th.

If you could work with any director, who would it be and why?

I am obsessed with the Coen Brothers.  They are like the chameleons of the film industry; you never know what they are going to put out next!  I love their writing, I love how character driven their stories are, I love how dark and funny and slice-of-life they are.  I just love everything about them and I would be over the moon to work with them.

 If you could act alongside any Actor/Actress who would it be and why?

There are so many.  Mostly I want to work with actors I truly respect and feel would raise the bar for me; push me in directions I never thought possible…to name a few that come to mind: Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Don Cheadle, Catherine O’Hara, Laura Linney, Frances McDormand, Kate Winslet, Tom Hanks, Steve Buscemi, Forest Whittaker…oh the list goes on.

You originally hail from New Jersey, what brought you to Los Angeles?

I was working a lot commercially in New York but I was not working theatrically as much as I liked.  I was on a vacation with my Dad and brother in Bucharest, Romania; I woke up one morning, came down to breakfast and told them that I felt I wasn’t doing everything I possibly could to make my dreams come true.  I explained that the Film/Television Mecca of the US was in L.A. and if I didn’t give it a try, I’d be making a big mistake.  Three months later I was in L.A.

Will we be seeing you in future episodes of MadMen?

Now, you know I can’t tell you that!  Keep watching!

Click here to follow Sadie on Facebook!

Click here to follow Sadie on Twitter!

Click here to visit her website!

Click to view slideshow.

FILM SPOTLIGHT: III

FILM SPOTLIGHT:

III

III is a 3D horror feature film being produced by TBA Productions, LLC; an independent 2D & 3D media production company based in Charleston, SC. The film is a hybrid of a slasher film with a creature feature twist in the vein of H.P. Lovecraft. TBA Productions is using practical effects to maximize the 3-D version of the movie and is filming a 2-D as well.

III’s story and visual aesthetic is drawn from the classic slasher and creature features from the late seventies and eighties. Rather than having female characters incarnated as bimbos running helplessly up the stairs, they have been scripted as strong female leads which fight back against their attackers; similar to films like The Descent and High Tension.

Watch The Trailer

I interviewed  the writer/producer behind this 3D Horror Feature titled, “III” about his film:

1. What or who inspired you to become a filmmaker?

I never really set out to be a filmmaker.  I originally set out to be a successful working actor. Being a producer is something I kind of fell into. In 2010 a friend of mine ran for US Congress. He recruited me to coach him on his speeches and produce commercials for him.  I didn’t really want to, but I owed him one so…there you go. A great learning experience and the commercials turned out rather nicely. A year or so later I was talking to our executive producer . He told me he had a 3D camera and was looking for someone to direct a horror film. So I jumped at the opportunity. I partnered up with and  to form TBA Productions LLC and here we are.

2. Have you always been a fan of horror and if so, why?

Yes, I love horror; films, novels, you name it.  Halloween is my birthday so I have always loved the genre. As a kid I used to have horror movie marathons every year.  Well actually I still dedicate the month of October to horror movies.  The difference is, as a kid I would watch all these terrible horror movies all in one night.  Now that I am married, my wife will not put up with crappy horror movies let alone crappy horror movie marathons. So we watch the classics and we spread them out over the month.  I actually have seen some very good and creepy films with her that I might not have tracked down otherwise.

3. You are doing your horror film in 3-D. That must be intense to watch? 

Ah 3D, that was a challenge in and of itself. None of us had ever worked on 3D before. Trey and , our DP, had to do a lot of research on the camera and on 3D filming itself. It was a constant learning experience and it definitely slowed down the filming process. But it was worth it.  We have some very cool 3D shots throughout the movie.  Cool perspective shots, and for a lack of a better term, “money” shots.  But, the 3D is not just a gimmick. The movie holds up on its own, we even shot a 2D version at the same time. The two versions will be a little different from each other, but they are both an intense experience.

4. Where did you shoot the film and why?

Trey and I actually wrote the script based on the location.  His aunt and uncle own a Victorian Style house in St. Mathews, South Carolina. A couple of years ago I went up there with him to do some test shots for a project of his. That project eventually morphed into something else, but we have wanted to do something there ever since.  It is the perfect place for a horror movie.  The house has this presence that should infuse the film.  Can’t thank Drew and Linda Rowe enough for letting us use their house and stay there while we filmed.

5. What was the most surprising thing to come out of this project?

Two things surprised me the most. The first was how much I liked writing the script.  I have written many short stories and one-act stage plays, but nothing of this magnitude.  I didn’t realize I would enjoy it so much. Unfortunately for Trey, I was also extremely protective of the script.  After my second draft, Trey came in and took a crack at it. I think I fought him for 99% of his changes, which in retrospect was ridiculous.

The second thing that surprised me the most was how well everyone got along.  A lot of times on sets there are people who just don’t get along. But that was not the case here. As hard as we worked, we had a great time doing it. Some of the worst jokes ever were told around 3 am (a lot of them by me). And since it was 3 am, the jokes were much funnier than they had any right to be.

6. What was the most challenging about making this film?

Working with such a small budget was definitely the hardest thing. We stretched every single dollar as far as it could go, and then some. Fortunately we were blessed with a very dedicated cast and crew.  To make it in this industry, you have to be very lucky and/or very persistent. But you can’t be lucky if you don’t take a chance. You have to seize every good opportunity that comes your way. We all worked for less money than we would normally because we believed in this movie.

7. Tell me about your cast and crew.

We were lucky to get such a great cast.  The movie is anchored by the relationship of our two main characters, Adam and Emma. and both do an amazing job portraying two childhood friends attempting to reconnect after years apart. And although they are the main characters, the movie is truly an ensemble piece. and I play Celia and Frank, Adam’s friends who are on vacation with him. Carri is brilliant as Celia. I think my performance is pretty good too, but I am biased… and newcomer, l, are hilarious as Emma’s stoner buddies, Dave and Jess. The cast is rounded out by who plays Tommy Banks, a self obsessed douche bag who happens to be Emma’s boyfriend. Ty does a great job showcasing Tommy’s vanity and anger at Adam’s attempt to win back Emma.

Our crew was wonderful. They really brought their A-game to the film. And not only were they great at their jobs, they filled out other positions quite well too. Being an indie, we had several people wearing several different hats.  From Trey Howell, our director, on down, everyone helped out where they could.

Trey has a great eye for the genre, but also for building FX rigs as well. Alissa Guterman was a co-producer/production manager.  of Cavortress was our wardrobe/make up/producer. Trey worked with the people from Seamless Pictures to bring a strong sense of foreboding to the movie. From Seamless we got: Owen Hamilton, our DP; one of our camera operators; and our 1st AD. was our 1st AC/camera operator. was another AC. was our sound mixer. And last but not least our crew was anchored by several students from Trident Technical College, The Arts Institute of Charleston and Savannah College of Art and Design.

8. What project(s) are you currently working on?

Trey, Alissa and I have a few projects in the works. Nothing concrete yet, it all depends on how well III is received. But we do have a few ideas floating around. In the meantime, I have put together a short film with a good friend of mine, Steve Thomas. Steve is a preditor, which is a fancy term for producer/editor.  And I am sure telling people you are a preditor is a great way to end conversations, but I digress. I co-wrote it with Steve. We are producing it. He is directing it and I am acting in it.  We should begin filming sometime in June.

Movie Website
Movie Blog 
Facebook Page


III features 13 cast members and 50+ extras that reside throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and have been filming since early October 2011 in St. Matthews, SC on a pre-civil war plantation. Key and supporting crew members consist of students from Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Trident Technical College, Charleston School of the Arts, and the Art Institute of Charleston, as well as seasoned professionals from the industry.

Trapped

I feel trapped in my own body. My mind is strong and my will is even stronger but my body can’t keep up. I have been suffering from Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea for years now. When I go to sleep at night, I stop breathing up to 65 times an hour which leaves me feeling extremely tired throughout most of the day. The dry air as of late has made it worse, since my throat closes up in the middle of the night causing me to wake up literally choking. Somehow I know I”m going to endure the trauma of not breathing at night so my body reacts naturally with anxiety, panic and insomnia the minute I lay my head to rest…which also wears me down.

I’ve always been a go-getter, extremely ambitious to the point where people often ask me if I have cloned myself. But the last 6 months have worn me down and I find even trivial things like folding laundry to be utterly exhausting. I want to work-out but my muscles are too tired, because they aren’t getting oxygen at night. I want to play in the front yard with my daughter but find myself grasping for the nearest chair so I can sit down. Stairs have become my enemy. I used to teach dance, and now I fear stairs.

It makes me angry to be so tired. How frightening to want to do something and not be able too? To know that it is right at your fingertips but you can’t access it? I think of all the men and women who have felt this feeling and been able to turn it into a positive. They find ways to feel less trapped, to feel energetic and good about life. I can’t imagine that its easy but I look to them for hope during this difficult time. Because every day that I can’t find the energy to workout…I cry. Every time  I ask my husband to chase our daughter around the yard because I am too tired…I cringe. Every time I wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air…I panic.

I have a surgery scheduled for mid June on my tonsils, adenoids and septum. The doctor say s that this will help me breath at night and cause less apneas. They say that the better breathing will allow more oxygen into my body to help breakdown the muscles and allow me to have more energy to workout. More oxygen will also breakdown the fat that I have put on and been unable to burn off. They say my energy level will go up and my strength will come back. God I hope so. I have never felt so out-of-control of my own body before. Who knew sleep apnea could cause so many problems?