INK FANSITE

INK Merchandise: CafePress.com/DoubleEdgeFilms

IMDB INK

Contact Us:

Welcome! If you're here it's because you like the film INK. We would not be here if not for the generous support of the cast & crew of INK, specifically Kiowa K. & Jamin Winans.

Brian Taylor – Action Coordinator, Fight Choreographer to INK

            Every time during the film when you think “Ouch! That must have hurt.” Or “That is an incredible move, fight, punch, jump!” you can blame Brian for training the actors, and getting in the fight himself. You’ve read some of what the actors have said about him. Now meet Brian:

AT: Tell me about yourself & your training (specific martial arts, etc...)?

BT: About myself. That’s a super long story, so here is the really abridged version. I am absolutely fascinated by the mechanics of the human body and how it works with the world around it. I was obsessed with comics and cartoons as a kid. And would spend hours drawing and daydreaming about action sequences when I wasn’t slaving away on the farm.

But I never told a soul.

Around 15, I ventured out on my own and wound up studying a Japanese style of jujitsu called Akayama-ryu. It taught me more about how to control myself and others than I care to mention. Via jujitsu I wound up involved in dancing (I know, strange connection) and ultimately evolved into a break dancer. A member of my team, and extremely close friend, was heavily involved into wrestling at the time and introduced me to a man named “Maddog” Dan Sawyer. I did art for him and he trained me in the insanely secretive art of Pro Wrestling. I was never really cut out for it though, I just didn’t have the right body type and it just wasn’t vicious enough for me.

About 1 year later I moved to Denver, Colorado and continued dancing, while hanging out with Nathan Leite, I really became interested in these guys flipping over cars and scaling walls. This led me to Free running and Parkour, which is now my passion. All this time I hadn’t stopped thinking about those elaborate, and often quite violent, action sequences.

AT:  Are you a Colorado native?

BT: Nope. I was born in Florida, Raised in a little hick town called Pinson, Alabama and didn’t wind up in Denver till July of 2003. I wish I would have been here from the start, but we don’t chose the cards we are dealt. Ya just gotta play your hand or move to a different table. I didn’t like my cards, so I chose a different table.

AT: How did you first hear about Ink? How did you become involved in the film?

BT: One day Jamin and I were on a 3 day mind bender down in Las Vegas…..oh wait, wrong story!!!! Actually Jamin is one of the tamest and reserved people I know.

Jamin and I are great friends and I was over at his house talking about the latest tricks I was trying and discussing the multitude of bar fights I had been involved in (as a bouncer, not an a**hole) and he said “so I’ve got this Idea. Its real hush hush, but I need a few small fight scenes and wanted to know if you would be interested in helping”
I said “hell yes.”
The rest is history.

AT: How did you structure training for the actors? What areas did you want to focus on?

BT: This is where the experience got really tough. I gotta take a moment and say that without my crew (Elias Croft, Steve Colligan, Lorin Ball, and Michael McMinn), this NEVER would’ve been possible. They brought so much to the table!!!!!!

First, we didn’t have any matches as far as stunt doubles go except for Ink. So the actors had to do most of their own fight scenes. (If you’ve ever screwed around with your friends in the back yard and gotten smacked, you know how nerve racking this situation was.) Second, most of these actors had never even thrown a punch in their whole life. Third, Jamin wanted real, brutal, intensity.
After going through this laundry list of problems I decided that we would simply design the fights, then, teach the actors like it was a dance.
Once we knew the choreography we began teaching the philosophy of each “dance” to the actor individually, because each actor fought with a unique style. Alel was a stick fighter, Gabe was a brawler, and Leive was a badass at evasion, so they each had to have a different mindset going into their training. After that we got them into the Gym and worked the crap out of them!!!!!!!!!!! They each trained for several hours a week with me and my team. We would rehearse until they knew the fight forward and backward.

AT: What specific training did you give to all actors? What training or specific moves did you personalize to the each actor?

BT: Of all the actors, Eme (Gabe) was the only one that knew how to throw a real punch. One that looked as though they had actually hit someone once or twice in their life. So when they were training on the choreography, they had to learn how to REALLY do the moves before they could put them into the choreography. This made the whole thing have a realistic feel. These guys were tossing my team and me all over the gym by the time it was done.

We taught Eme how to really throw down in a bar brawl style (and I don’t want get hit by one of those punches). I took Jenny (Allel) out to the park and made her beat the crap out of a tree until she knew what it was like to really use a stick in a violent way. And we taught Duffy (Jessica) real Aikido!!!!!

AT:  How did you and Jamin storyboard & choreograph the fights? What direction did Jamin give you on what he wanted?

BT: We developed each fight (except one) move by move. We really only knew a few things when we began. Setting, rough time frame, number of fighters, winner. Everything else was developed in the gym. Of course each fight had small nuances that had to be in there, but most of it was hashed out in rehearsal. Jamin was there for every training session (except Jenny beating the crap out of a tree) to oversee and mold the way the action played out.

He was very specific about 2 things. The level of realism, and the brutality of the battles. They needed to look like real life and death struggles and not flashy kung fu scenes.

AT:  What was the biggest challenge in training? What was the biggest challenge during filming?

BT: Teaching dainty little girls how to become bad ass bitches was one of the most challenging things ever. I am sure they cursed my name quite a few times. But during the filming the toughest thing was keeping the guys from turning into dainty little girls. The hours were ridiculously long and on fight days they would all have to do things over and over. After a while the intensity dies. And since guys naturally show more intensity than girls they would appear to be somewhat dainty.

AT:  What experiences stuck out during filming? Any stories you would like to share?

BT: That damn blue drum!!!!!!! The Clink (Ink’s cloak) has a blue drum attached to the front of it. When I and the actor playing Ink were fighting, running, jumping, climbing, etc. in the Clink we would constantly be getting smacked in the face by that drum. Such a pain in the ass!!!!!
Another fun story is called “Brian is a badass, except when it comes to kidney stones” one of the last scenes we shot was the fight in the living room at the beginning of the film. So I got up that morning to be on set by 7. I lived about 12 minutes away from the set. So I jumped in the truck and started driving. By the time I got to set, I rolled out of the truck and on to the ground screaming like a little girl. Kiowa and Chris Koester rushed me to the hospital and got me pumped full of drugs. The worst part about it was this was the most intense day of fighting in the whole movie. We had made it the entire film without a single injury until……………

NEWS: It was a sell out in NYC! Next stop Portland! Friday July 24 at the Hollywood Theatre in Portland, OR. More details to come!

NEWS: INK is in New York City on July 9! Ink will be at Cinema Village www.cinemavillage.com - Buy your tickets now!!

Coming soon: Fight training on Ink. Talking with Brian Taylor about working on Ink

NEWS: A Group Photo from Hollywood on June 10!

Jennifer Batter as Allel

Allel is a Storyteller and a fighter. She works Jacob, Gabe, and Sarah to bring Emma home.

AT: What inspired you to become an actor?
 
JB: The VHS of Flashdance my older sister got one Christmas . I stole it from her. Then I began ballet. Jennifer Beals.....Jennifer Batter....come on! Remake?? eh???

 AT:  Have you done stage acting as well as film? Anything stick out?

JB: Stage acting yes. That how I began. Growing up I spent my summers doing community theater and my teenage years studying at the Denver Center. I miss theater tremendously. I hope to do more out here in L.A., there's a bunch of great companies but I haven't done anything in 4 years! Just film. So I'm a little nervous to jump back in. I once played Karen Wright in The Children's Hour. I also attended an all-girls school as well. The play is dramatic but that's just about how everyday was at school with a bunch of adolescent girls. Pretty accurate.

 AT: Are you a Colorado native? How did you end up here?

JB: I am a Colorado native.  I love Colorado. If I could pursue a fruitful career in Colorado I would stay. I hope the new Colorado Office of Film,T.V, and Media is able to create more opportunities there. I would love to spend some time working in Colorado. My family is there.

AT: What was your favorite project pre-Ink? Why?

JB: A film called Skills Like This. It was such a learning experience for me. It was my first film. I realized you kinda just have to jump in and learn on the job. It was humbling. It was inspiring. You realize how hard and how much of a collaborative effort film is.

AT:  How did you first hear about Ink?

JB: Through my agents. I was sent a couple scenes for a film they wanted me to audition for. When reading the scenes separate from the entire script.....I was a little unsure. They kept the project under wraps for a while - not until we were cast did we see the entire script. Once I read it I was ecstatic to be a part of it. I knew I was lucky to be given this opportunity.

AT:  Did you have to audition for Allel? Did you audition for any other parts?

JB: Yes, I had to audition for Allel. I didn't audition for any other part either, so I'm happy they cast me. I love my role! I didn't know I had the part until a couple months after the audition. I was pretty bummed. I thought I had lost it. But I guess patience is a virtue......just don't hold your breath. At least not in this business.

 AT:  How did you mentally prepare to play Allel?

 JB: Jamin was great to work with because he already had so much of these characters already in place. He already had an idea of who they are, where they've been, their relationships to each other. Of course he was open to anything we brought in. I feel very connected to Allel in her general demeanor, and attitude to a certain extent, but completely different life-wise. So mentally, it was really just as simple some days as putting on my wardrobe. Other days, I had to really think about the circumstances, her response, and really meditate on it for a while before we began shooting.

AT:  How did you physically prepare? Tell me about fight training?

JB: I ran 8 miles a day, pumped iron and ate nothing but canned meat, milk, and protein bars during the training and shoot. No....really. Not really. I did no such thing. The fight training was the best! We trained with Brian Taylor a.k.a 'Bama', and his talented  guys, for a couple months before we began filming. They are all accomplished in martial arts, breakdancing, and parkour. So..........basically I learned  how to mess someone's world up REAL bad, and how to pop and lock. We'd meet a couple of times a week, and rehearse our fight scenes. It was like learning to dance. Aggressively. Very aggressively.  It took constant trust, and awareness of the other person's space,body and safety all while being cognizant of your own as well. And acting. Yes. You had to keeping acting as well.

AT:  How would you describe Allel?

JB: Tough cookie. Like a thin mint that's been in the freezer too long. Hmmm...... She's loyal, honest, determined, and kicks ass. Maybe she beats herself up a bit, but I would too if I...AAAHHH! I almost foiled the film! Well.....I guess people are just gonna have to try to see it!

 AT:  What was the biggest challenge of playing Allel?

 JB: I would say co-starring with Jeremy Make in just about every scene was pretty challenging because we were constantly laughing. It was hard to keep a straight face.

 AT:  Do you have a favorite experience, or one that stuck out while filming?

JB: There were a lot of moments. I would say one moment that stuck out was, while we were shooting in the hospital, our production manager Nathan stepped away from his ice cream cone for a second; I licked one side and when he returned  I told him he had to guess which one it was. He shrugged his shoulders  and said he didn't care and proceeded to eat the ice cream, which then fell to the floor to which he again, shrugged his shoulders and proceeded to pick it up and finish the ice cream. He then got pink eye and had to take antibiotics. Haha. 
With such a long shoot, I seem to remember more from in-between the takes. It was pretty great.

More later…

Behind the Scenes with Jeff Pointer.

Jeff Pointer is Ink’s Director of Photography (DP). If you’ve seen the film, you’ve seen his work. We asked Jeff a series of questions about what went on. We will be presenting them sporadically with an eye towards telling you what went on with destroying the magic. Jeff also wanted to credit some other people from Boulder’s Light Factory Entertainment, “When a Director has an idea, it up to me and my guys to execute it.  Jason Tahara and Dylan Rumney with Light Factory (Entertainment) always bring great ideas to challenging opportunities.”

AT:  Emma's bedroom has light that comes from the ceiling that almost resembles moonlight. It is consistent in every shot. It's one of my favorite light shots. How did you do it?
.
JP: This was a very challenging thing to accomplish.  In many of the "Emma's bedroom" scenes, we shot at a very high shutter speed so we could get really crisp detail of the punches and overall fast action.  When one shoots action at a slow shutter speed, the action often smears.  It's the same concept as shooting a race car.  If one uses a slow shutter speed, the car will smear across the frame.  However, if one uses a very fast shutter speed it won't.   Shooting a fast shutter speed, however requires more light.  With motion pictures, typically one photographs something at about 1/48 of a second shutter speed.  In these fight scenes, we shot at 1/288 of a second shutter!  Every time you half shutter speed, you double the amount of light needed for proper exposure. 

Ready for some math?
1/48 second to 1/96 second = double the light is needed.
1/96 second to 1/192 second = an additional doubling of the light is needed.
1/192 second to 1/288 second = 1.5 times of additional light is needed.

By my calculations, 2  x  2 x 1.5 = 6.  This means we needed 6 times the amount of light we would usually use if we were shooting at a normal 1/48 of a second shutter.  This is an absurd amount of light for a normal interior scene but to get the crisp effect of punches, with minimal smear we needed all that light.  To get this much light, we used the biggest light we had on the grip truck.  We took that light and blasted it into a portion of the bedroom ceiling that the camera never saw.  The result was a very soft, very cool color temperature light that resembles moonlight.

Eme Ikwuakor as Gabe

Gabe is a fighter first. He joins with Allel, Sarah and Jacob to bring Emma back.

AT: What first inspired you to become an actor?

EI: Acting was something that had been following me around for a long time and didn't even know it.  I always said that I hated acting when I was young, but I found myself doing it all the time.  I was in a documentary in kindergarten, a host of a talent show in the fifth grade and did the graduation speech in high school.  In high school, I focused on athletics.  Still, I kept finding myself in performance mode.  During my senior year, as a gag, my twin brother and I came up with this act for our junior/senior "phield phollies" talent competition where we were going to try and annoy the audience as much as possible.  He was going to read the scarlet letter with a sock puppet on his hand and I was going to do an improv musical about a man who fell in love with his cane, and we weren't going to get off until we were physically kicked off the stage.  Well, long story short, my brother lasted 20 seconds before he got too embarrassed and walked off, which put me in a weird spot.  So, I went up there, looked at the audience and was like "oh well" and pulled off a 20 minute long improv musical until I was booed and physically pulled off of the stage.  I went to college on a track scholarship and I had some mishaps where I had to give up the sport.  When I gave up sports I was thinking of going into Sports Marketing.  When I met with my advisor, I told her that I might want a second major and she advised me to do a minor in theater because in advertising you have to sell yourself and you have to be comfortable doing it.  So, with her telling me to try it out, and since I had taken a beginning acting class for fun the previous semester, and this is the first time that I am admitting this, but there was also a girl that I met a couple days before who I thought was cute and she said she was a theater major, so  I decided to give it a try.  What inspired me was timing.  That semester that I decided to do theater I did To Kill a Mockingbird and was involved with an amazing cast and after that I knew that was what I wanted to do.

AT: Are you a Colorado native? What brought you to Colorado?

EI: I am a Colorado native, but my parents came over to the states about 30 years ago from Nigeria. 

AT: Are you a stage actor as well as film?

EI: I started off on the stage.  But, I always had film in mind.  So, a lot of the training that I went through I directed it towards film but understood how to portray it on the stage as well.  It made it so I am able to switch between film and stage pretty easily.  Actually the film that got me with my agent in Denver, I was involved in Richard III for a show at night, then I went to the film shoot through the night, then went back to do the matinée an hour after wrap.

AT: What was your favorite project before INK?

EI: This one is actually very easy.  Hands down.  It was an acting troupe called the Interactive Theater Project. This was more of an ongoing project that lasted 5 years. The Interactive Theater Project (ITP) is an acting troupe that was based on social change. ITP I could say was my acting workshop and it changed the way that I feel about acting, what I want to get out of acting and the way I view the world.

AT: How did you first hear about INK?

EI: I just got with my Agent in Denver for about 2 weeks and she told me there was this film called “Ink” that I should audition for.  Before she told me about it I had never heard of Ink or anything about Jamin.  My agent told me “This is a big audition.” And I was like “whatever, they are all big. Your funny.” But I was glad that I did not know anything about it because it made me go into the audition and the days of shooting with a clear head. 

AT: Did you have to audition for the part of Gabe? Did you audition for any other parts?

EI: I guess I was actually first called in to prepare a monologue with Jacob in mind.  But I did not read any sides or anything. Then I got called back to read for the part of Gabe. And getting to the audition was one of the most hectic days. I was actually going to turn around because I couldn't find the place, but just before I gave up on finding the street, I found out the street I was on was the right street. Good thing huh?

AT: How did you prepare to play Gabe?

EI: Hmmm?  First off I talked with Jamin and we talked about who Gabe was before he became a “storyteller.”  We talked about how he had a wife and a daughter and how he died young, and all the tragedies that Gabe had seen in his lifetime, especially being an African American growing up around the thirties.  For any character, I try to find justifications for their actions.  Gabe is a violent, short tempered individual.  I actually got a lot of motivation from the “Boondock Saints.”  I imagined him using his short temper to fight a common good.

AT: How would you describe the character of Gabe?

EI: Gabe is a deeply loving and caring individual.  He is short tempered, and a fighter but all of his actions are fighting for the common good.  He is a man who has seen and experienced many hardships throughout in his lifetime and is not afraid to hide it.  He keeps pushing forward no matter how daunting the task is at hand.  He is a warrior.  

AT: How would you describe Gabe & Sarah's relationship?

EI: I see their relationship as a big brother little sister relationship.

AT: What was the biggest challenge of playing Gabe?

EI: The biggest challenge I had playing Gabe was probably the aggressiveness of the character.  It might be hard to believe but I am actually a huge “softie.” I could not hurt a fly. Well, maybe a fly because they bother me. But in general I could not hurt a soul. 

AT: What was the best experience or an experience that stuck out playing Gabe?

EI: I have two. The relationships and the stunts. First off, the relationships that were formed after this project was amazing. After a lot of projects, the cast and crew split up and go there separate ways.  After this movie, the cast has been in such close contact with each other.  And it has been an amazing experience going step by step with the movie. 
Also, the stunts I was able to do were amazing.  I got to scale up the back of an SUV, jump off a balcony, ride on an ambulance, and who can forget the fight scenes?

More Later…

NEWS: We are just days away from Ink opening in Greeley, Colorado on Friday June 5, 2009. Ft. Collins was a sellout! Get your seat early and get ready for an amazing night! Ink will play at Kress Cinema.

We are also counting down the clock to Hollywood on June 10, 2009! Bring your friends, bring your enemies, bring your family, but be there! For more info and tickets visit www.americancinematheque.com & www.fandango.com

COMING SOON: Interviews with Allel and Gabe, and a regular feature asking questions of Jeff Pointer, DP.

The Music of INK is enthralling, and adds depth to every scene. It is also very addictive. In the first of many interviews to come with Jamin Winans, we spoke with the director and man behind the music about how he did it.

AT:  How would you describe your songwriting technique?

JW: As with any aspect of the filmmaking process I ask what the story is and try to establish how I can better tell that story with the element I'm currently working with. I see music and sound as being the more emotional elements of a film and the visuals and editing as more of the plot and structural parts of the film.  Though all elements obviously overlap; visuals can become highly emotional and sound and music can become very structural. So that said, I try to establish what emotion the scene has and then try to enhance that musically.  I'll always begin with a scene by creating a rhythm or a tone. As you know rhythm is a big part of Ink so a lot of music cues started with a beat. But in other cases I just wanted to find the right tone, the right emotional vibe before building out the music cue.  Usually once I've found that emotion tonally and then the rhythm, the rest of the song comes together naturally.

 AT:  How did you approach writing the songs for Ink before you had a finished film?

JW: While writing I listen to a lot of music. Music will frequently inspire moments, scenes, and visuals, so while writing Ink there were a lot of "temp tracks" in my head.  As the script was progressing I started developing music that fit the scenes that I was writing. It was a back and forth process. I would write a piece of music and it would frequently go in a direction that would inspire new visual and story ideas. In the case of Ink there were a few scenes where the music had to be completed before shooting because the visuals and editing relied on specific rhythms. So ultimately I had about 50-75% of the music completed before shooting. It was useful not only for the rhythmic scenes, but also to show the actors the vibe the film would have.

AT:  What was the biggest challenge writing the music for Ink?
 
JW: Strangely the music wasn't that much of a struggle. I don't take myself very seriously as a musician so I actually have fun doing it. And the type of music I was composing (like most film scores) was fairly minimal so it didn't require a lot of brain damage.  I definitely re-scored various scenes when I realized they weren't working in the context of the whole film. That's the tricky thing about scoring a feature; you always have to look at the big picture and not just the scene.

AT:  What was the best experience, or one that comes to mind, when writing the music for Ink?
 
Unquestionably, it's the moment when you play the music with the picture for the first time. I'll generally do a rough cut of a scene and then play the music I've composed with it to see how it works. That can be a glorious and magical moment. It can also be horrifying...

AT:  What music do you listen to, and whom do you think influences your style?

JW: I grew up listening to a lot of electronica and industrial. I was getting a hold of a lot of stuff that was only playing in Europe when I was just a kid and I was mesmerized by it. That's stuck with me. Simultaneously I loved listening to soundtracks and classical composers growing up.  So I'm a big fan of Nine Inch Nails and Gershwin alike. As far as film composers I love James Horner, Hans Zimmer, Clint Mansell, Danny Elfman, Philip Glass and all of Michael Mann's go to guys including Moby, Lisa Gerrard, John Murphy, Elliot Goldenthal, and Kronos Quartet. Lately I've become a big fan of Steven Jablonsky and James Newton Howard. There's so many more, but I'll bore you I'm sure.

More to come…

Sadie has a key but the price to get it is steep. It is our pleasure to present a brief interview with Shauna Earp who is Sadie, The Bride in Ink.

AT:  What inspired you to become an actor?

SE: Well strangely enough, the answer to this question is a donkey suit. I was 5 years old and my kindergarten class was putting on a play about the circus. All I had access to was a donkey costume from a lady in my neighborhood. I don't think I've ever seen a donkey in a circus, but my teacher was on board with the idea so what the heck. Thank goodness I had a pretty rockin’ bray. The day of the show I got up on that stage in my little grey outfit and bucked and brayed like a maniac. The audience laughed and clapped and I knew right then and there what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. With the exception of a few scattered thoughts of being a French translator for the UN, I have not wavered from my dream. 

 
AT: Are you a Colorado native? Nope. What brought you to Colorado?

SE: A jeep...heh heh. I grew up in Mesquite TX, went to college in Santa Fe NM, and immediately after headed to NYC. I was there working as an actress/singer for 13 years. Then this crazy guy from Kansas asked me to marry him. I said yes and we packed up our stuff, hopped in his jeep with two dogs and a cat and set out on a great new adventure in the west. Neither of us had ever lived in Colorado, so we really lucked out with the choice. Love it here! One of the best decisions I've ever made!!
 
AT:  Tell me a little about your stage acting prior to Ink. Do you have a favorite part or project?

SE: In NY I was a core member of The New York Performance Alliance. I'm classically trained and have primarily stayed in that realm - Shakespeare, Chekov, Williams, Shaw, O' Neil, etc. I have a few projects and parts that I treasure. Emilia in Othello might be my most favorite role, but I also loved Ismene in Antigone and Beatrice in Much Ado. I was privileged enough to work with Obie Award winning director Ernest Abuba on a production of King Lear at LaMama and to open an original Joyce Carol Oates play Off-Braodway. However, I have two productions that I think were the most amazing experiences of my stage life. The first was a production of The Bald Soprano with Hungarian film director Gyula Gazdag. I was honored to be his Mary. One evening the cast sat backstage and watched the Berlin Wall come down. Having been exiled from his home for political films, Gyula cried with hope for the future. It was an incredible time to be alive and creating art. The other was ironically here in Denver. I was in the cast of Bubs. Being a part of that creative brainchild, that ensemble, that amazing group of people and music was beyond a pleasure.
 
AT:  You're both writing & directing other material. How does that experience change how you come into a character?

SE: Wow, great question. I think being a writer affects my approach to characters more than being a director does. The latter has more of an effect on how much I respect and appreciate direction and the director's perspective. I trust their capable hands and will gladly go where they guide me. So, the writer thing...I think what happened there is I discovered a connection to material that I didn't have before. Writers choose words carefully. Generally speaking what is being said really isn't what is being said. Perhaps being a writer helps me to see the target behind the target a little clearer. It also helps me to stay on task with dialogue. Too many of us actors tend to add our own take on the language. I use to be guilty of that, but not any more. After spending hours struggling with picking just the right word or phrase or pause, I have a profound appreciation for what the writer goes through and I certainly don't want any writers pulling out what's left of their hair or rolling about in their grave because I changed a line.
 
AT:  How did you first hear about Ink?

SE: I work as the talent coordinator for Big Fish Talent Agency. Jamin and Peter DeAnello, the owner of the agency, have a wonderful long-standing relationship. Jamin came to Peter and asked to have folk come in and do monologues. I had a piece I wrote that I was working on and thought it would be a great way to get some feedback on it. I didn't know much about the project except that an opportunity to work with Jamin was truly a gift and that there really wasn't a role I was "right" for. So I went in with very little expectation to get a part, but hoped to perhaps work on the film in some way.
 
AT:  Did you have to audition for the part of Sadie? Did you audition for any other parts?

SE: After I did my monologue, Jamin kind of scratched his head and said he didn't know what to do with me. He had this role that he thought I could handle, but I was way too young for it. Finally he said he wanted me to come in and read for Sadie and sent me the sides. I loved what I saw! Juicy and meaty and fabulously odd. I came in to the read with truckloads of makeup on trying to make myself look older and creepier. Guess it worked. I wasn't asked to audition for any other roles, and to be honest, didn't want to. I wanted Sadie! I loved that role!!!
 
AT:  How did you prepare for playing Sadie?

SE: Ooo! I had fun with this! First off, I had no idea what the film was about. I was only given my scenes and nothing else from the script - which was great! I had a certain freedom not knowing the story. I could sort of go where I wanted without being confined by the chains of plot. It was a total playground and I was able to run about with complete abandon! When I got into character development I employed one of my favorite techniques, the LaBan efforts and found her physical element first - wring. Then I just dug in and had a blast with her emotional story and personal history. She was a star of the screen and stage in her life. She sacrificed everything - love, family, happiness - for success. Her torment is living in a world of "what if" and "was it worth it", which is why she collects bridal gowns. She never knew love. Her only connection was with her audience. When they left her, so did her life. What was wonderful was how much walking onto set enhanced some of my preparation and changed a lot of ideas. The lair Kiowa created was a character itself. It was as much a part of the scene as any of the actors. It was hot and steamy and had a life that breathed in every moment. Thank you Kiowa!!!!! I truly believe that Sadie came alive as a result of being in that space.
 
AT:  How would you describe the character of Sadie?

SE: If Nora Desmond and Baby Jane got together and miraculously had a baby it would be Sadie. Tragically lonely.
 
AT: What was the biggest challenge of playing Sadie?

Se: Hum...this might be the toughest question. There wasn't much of a challenge. Not because of anything I did, but because Jamin and Kiowa did so much. They assembled a fantastic cast and crew and the character was so richly written and well thought out, playing her was a sheer delight. The shoot was extraordinarily long, but never once felt that way. We shot on a ridiculously hot day in a basement/garage without air conditioning, but it was far from miserable. It was great! We had a blast!!! I guess the only challenge was not cutting Jessica's real hair - which I didn't exactly live up to, but shhh, don't tell her!!!! Teeheehee!!!!!
 
AT:  What was the best experience or an experience that stuck out during filming?

SE: The best thing was working with some of the most fantastic people I have ever met. I completely fell in love with everyone that day! I know that sounds all mushy cheesy love fest, but damn if it ain't true. Let me see if I can't pin point a moment or two, though. Oh, I loved doing the ADR! That was way cool. They had me work without seeing footage, it was all on the ear and that was fabulous! When we were through with the dialogue, Jamin and Kiowa had me play around and create Sadie's song. I didn't know what they were going to use it for, so hearing it in the scene was pretty cool. That kind of leads me into my most favorite part - seeing the film itself. I went in totally blind. No idea what I was going to see. Man, was I blown away!!!! Every time I see it, there's something new and different. What an amazing piece of art!!! I feel so lucky they invited me to take part in it.

More to come…

NEWS: Ink is playing in Hollywood! Ink will be opening on June 10, 2009 at the historic American Cinematheque Egyptian Theater! More information & how to get tickets will soon be available at www.americancinematheque.com

NEWS: INK’s final extension at Starz! INK will end Thursday May 7, 2009 at the Denver Starz Filmcenter. Bring your friends, family and yourself for this final chance to catch INK in Denver! Get tickets at www.denverfilm.org

Interview with Jessica Duffy – Liev

            Liev is a warrior storyteller with a mysterious destiny and a great way with kids. We were honored to have a few minutes with Jessica Duffy.

AT:  What inspired you to become an actor?

JD: As kids, my brother and I were encouraged to express ourselves creatively from very early on.  There was lots of singing and dressing up and putting on "shows." I even wrote, produced and starred in my very own soap opera called As The Earth Erodes when I was about 13. It's some of my best work to date (wink, wink). Honestly, it's just always been a part of who I am and I've just kept on doing it. I can't stop!
 
AT:  Are you a stage actor as well as film?

JD: Yes. I've actually done more stage than film if you don't count commercials. It's been a while though. I miss it.
 
AT:  What brought you to Colorado?

JD: I am actually a Colorado Native! Born and raised! I just moved to L.A. this past September.
 
AT:  What was your favorite project pre-INK?

JD: Has to be Life Happens. It was just a little live show, but it was all original. I collaborated with 7 amazing women that I am lucky to call friends. That's what made it so much fun. Each of us was involved on every level. We produced it and put it on in here in Denver. 
 
JD:  How did you first hear about the film?

AT: My agent, Peter DeAnnello called and said that Jamin was working on a new film and that he'd like me to come in and audition. If you're an actor in Denver you know who Jamin is, so I was excited about the possibility of working with him!
 
AT:  Did you have to audition for Liev? Did you audition for any other parts?

JD: I did audition for Liev. Originally I read for another part and when they asked me back for the callback, they had me prepare and read for both.
 
AT:  How did you mentally prepare to play Liev?

JD: Prepare? Oh no, it was all improv.

 
AT:  How did you physically prepare to play Liev? Tell me a little about fight training.

JD: Physically preparing for this movie was one of my favorite parts of the whole thing, if you can believe it!  For months, "the guy that plays INK" and I would meet at the gym where we were training and just go at each other!  Okay, it was a little more professional than that.  Brian Taylor, a.k.a. Bama and his team had "choreographed" a fight scene for us.  We definitely learned some basic defense stuff (technical term), but it was much like a dance when it was all said and done; we knew each step.  I know we made it look effortless, but it was quite the workout! 
 
AT:  How would you describe the character of Liev?

JD: Jamin and I had many conversations about her. She's really a Christ-like character. Caring and empathetic; vulnerable but not weak. She's a very strong character. She's like a perfect parent...one that allows you to do your own thing, make your own choices, make mistakes and learn from them yourself (with guidance) rather than tell you how it should be done. 
 
AT:  What was the biggest challenge of playing Liev?

JD: Ugh...I think because she's so empathetic - even though she uses different tactics to get through to INK - I was scared of falling into a mood and playing it too much on one level. I wanted her to be and she needed to be a character with lots of layers and not be one-dimensional.
 
AT:  What was your favorite experience, or an experience that stood out for you during filming?
 
JD: In all honesty, the best part about this entire experience is the bond and relationships formed between all of us involved. That's a rare thing. I know that sounds sentimental, but it's true. The people involved on this project - in every aspect - are amazing, beautiful people. I think that's a testament to the kind of people Jamin and Kiowa are. We all still keep in close contact and several of us are working together on a future project. We're family. I'm so unbelievably proud to have been a part of this!

More to Come…

Marty Lindsey as Account/Key Master Incubus

            They cause nightmares and manipulate the innocent. The Incubi in Ink are dark and frightful. The Incubus who pushes Ink forward is The Accountant or Key Master. The actor who plays him in Marty Lindsey. 

AT:  What inspired you to become an actor?
 
ML: When I was 15 years old I walked out of a Sean Penn filmed entitled At Close Range, during the stroll back home from the local cinema I told my friends to "go on up ahead" I'm going to take a different way home. I stopped near a small lake by our house, sat on a bench and started crying. I didn't know why such emotions were flowing through me in such a way though I did know that I was experiencing something incredibly profound. I wanted to do what Sean Penn did on that screen, how he moved every single person in that theater, exposing himself, finding the truth within that character, vulnerability...a very powerful moment for me and what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.
 
At:  Are you a Colorado native? What brought you here?

ML: Originally from SLC, Utah. First 14 years. Then moved to Arvada, CO.        A-town as we like to call it. Dad starting a trucking company called Santa Ana Truck & Transfer. Yep, my brothers and I worked for the old man, we all know how to drive and work on big rigs, change brakes, oil, antifreeze... when I walk by a big rig, I still want to kick the tires.
 
AT:  What was your biggest or favorite project prior to INK?

ML: Its a tie... Playing The Zodiac killer in the ThinkFilm, Myriad picture film The Zodiac was an incredible experience... even though you don't see a lot of me in the film, I still felt an enormous responsibility playing one of the most infamous serial killers to ever walk the face of the earth. Oh! And he was never caught... NO BOLOGNEY! Also, my film, Suburban was a dream come true! Playing Dan was a blast, but one of most difficult and challenging experiences I have had, to date, as an actor. I wrote Suburban so I was constantly editing while we were shooting, these were my words... the film was spawned from some very personal and painful experiences. I would get done with a scene and wonder "was that any good?" A ton of growth came from Suburban, I'm very proud of the film, I hope EVERYBODY gets to see it!
 
AT:  As a writer/director yourself, do you have problems taking direction as an actor? What challenges or opportunities does it present?

ML: I love taking direction. In fact, working with a director that has a specific idea for the film, a discerning eye for the overall picture is wonderful! I think having a single focus (as director) on what you want, then opening yourself up to playing within that focus, is truly where the magic happens. When I get to embrace a character like the Accountant (Key Master now, check credits) in Ink, its fun... All I have to do is expedite this one task. When you're Directing, you have a million tasks... everyone is depending on you for the answers. I don't envy directors, even though I am one, is that an oxymoron? Probably.
 
AT:  How did you first hear about INK?

ML: My agency, Radical Artists, was having auditions for the film. Every actor in town wanted to be part of whatever Jamin & Kiowa were up to. Both are incredibly talented... even though Ink was very hush-hush during the pre=production & audition process, it didn't matter, I wanted to work on a Double Edge project.
 
AT:  Did you have to audition for the Accountant? Did you audition for any other parts?

ML: I auditioned for Jacob which my good friend Jeremy Make played. Its the first time I've ever seen an actor snag a part from me and think "I don't think I could have done a better job" Jeremy was/is fantastic as Jacob. (his Bellco fro is getting bigger right now)
 
AT:  Why is he named the Accountant? I didn't discover his name until I saw INK's IMDB listing.

ML: They actually changed the name in the credits to the Key Master. I just think Jamin & Kiowa haven't changed it on the imdb yet. Though I kind of like The Accountant.
 
AT:  How would you describe the character of the Accountant?

ML: I would say "CREEPY" no, I'm kidding. My character is like the gate keeper to the Assembly. His a conduit for Ink... If the film were a mafia flick the Accountant or Key Master would be the like the Dons legal counsel. That's my interpretation at least. Is that giving to much away?

 
AT:  What was the biggest challenge playing the Accountant?

ML: Not having a lot of context regarding the overall story. I didn't read the script, only my scene. Again, I think Jamin wanted to keep the story/script under wraps as much as he could. I was okay with it though, Woody Allen doesn't give out the whole script. I trusted Jamin, he gave me the role without reading for it... so I think there was mutual trust with us.
 
AT:  What single experience or best experience filming stands out for you?

ML: I would say just being on set with such bad ass talents in Jamin, Kiowa & Jeff Pointer... Working with the actor who plays Ink & Quinn Huchnar was great. Everyday being on set in a film like Ink is truly a blessing. I feel very lucky to be a part of this project. Can't wait to work with Jamin again.

More to come…

NEWS:Ink Fan Party - April 11, 2009 at Denver Starz Filmcenter - What? You missed it! The Ink Fan Party was a night to catch the film, see some behind-th-scenes footage, see some of the props, and hobknob with cast & crew members of the film. Here are some photos of what you missed. For more photos visit "Ink" on Facebook

Gallery 30 at INK Fan Event

INK Fan Event Theater Panel

INK Fan Event Theater

Winans and The Clink

Jeff Pointer and Fans

Jeremy and Quinn

INK's Cloak Clink

NEWS: The INK Fansite was in the paper. Did you catch it? If not, check out:
http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_12159213
Correction: http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_12195539

NEWS: INK extended again at Starz Denver Filmcenter. Now playing through April 30, 2009. For tickets go to www.denverfilm.org

NEWS: INK has been extended again at the Denver Starz Filmcenter. It is now playing through April 23, 2009. If you’ve seen it, see it again and bring your friends! Tickets available at www.denverfilm.org

NEWS: See Ink at Starfest on Saturday April 18, 2009.
For tickets go to www.starland.com

Interview with Jeremy Make as Jacob

            Jacob is the blind pathfinder who listens to the beat of the world. It is my pleasure to introduce a few words with Jeremy Make who brought Jacob to life.

AT:  What inspired you to become an actor?

JM: The promise of women swooning, audiences weeping, stalkers stalking. That’s the real allure. And it’s the only thing I know how to do right.

AT:  Have you done stage acting as well as film?

JM: Even the smallest good films are expensive.  Theater requires little more than someone to translate a story and another to listen.  Therefore, there’s a lot more theater to do in Denver when you’re dead than film.  My college graduation speech read like this: “I’ve been living the life of a villain in Greek tragedies, a goldsmith in Shakespearean comedies, and a six-year-old whose mother crushes up aspirin and mixes it into jelly when he gets sick because he can’t swallow whole pills.  I’ve played lovers and haters, jokesters and Freudians.  I’ve been part of a dysfunctional family and cuckolded by a ward less than half my age.  And, somehow, through the complete transformation into each new character, I lost what I truly was.”  Man, that was a great speech.  It’s just a shame I wasn’t allowed to perform it.
Since then, I’ve had a ball in plays like James and the Giant Peach playing the blind (hmm) curmudgeon Earthworm, Linus Van Pelt in a Snoopy parody called Dog Sees God, a man with a passion for the absurdly obese in Fat Pig, a dead man in a new play Splitting Infinity, and another dead guy in a gem called Hedda Gabler.
The glamour of theater is, of course, that it’s live.  You get to experience the reaction immediately, train wrecks and ad libs are often more interesting than the scripted material, the danger is palpable and nearly untouched by effects.  I’m not sure I prefer it, but I do love it.

AT:  Are you a Colorado native or what brought you to Colorado?

JM: RuPaul told me that when he was born, his mother said, “His name is RuPaul Andre Charles and he’s gonna be a star ‘cause there ain’t another mother fucker alive with a name like that.”  I was born in Boston, Massachusetts to two Jewish parents weighing more than the turkey on Thanksgiving Day.  I moved to Denver when I was 5 and have been living there since.

AT: What were your biggest or favorite projects prior to INK?

JM: As for films, I played a racist bartender in a movie called Skills Like This and a cowboy zombie in Aces & Eights.  Marty Lindsey, who plays the Accountant Incubus in Ink, directed (and acted alongside) me as his little brother in Suburban, a comedy about the soul-sucking boredom of life in the ‘burbs.

AT:  How did you first hear about INK?

JM: My agents Patty Kingsbaker and Kathey True called me to ask if I could come in to record a testimonial: “I used to be one of those guys that never knew what to do with my hand. Now that I get hot model screenshots sent to my phone, there’s no question what I’ll be doing with my hand from now on.”  I turned down the commercial spot, asked if there were any films coming to town.  Ink was to be shot that summer.  I forgot to check my email for the script and was late to the audition and forgot everyone’s name as soon as they introduced themselves. I borrowed Kiowa’s script and Jenni and I read the scene in the Aspen forest when we first meet Jacob. I was such a mess, but Jamin asked me to come to callbacks “just a bit more prepared next time.” Everyone was laughing during that callback. I was confused; I thought Jacob was just angry — at Allel, at himself, at having to clean up everyone else’s mess. I think I took Jacob a little too seriously.

AT:  Did you have to audition? Did you audition for more parts than just Jacob?

JM: I asked Jamin if I could audition for Liev. He said no. I didn’t know Liev was a girl.

AT:  How did you prepare to play Jacob?

JM: By reciting my lines with my eyes closed, standing on my head.

AT:  How did you act, move with tape on your eyes? Could you see?

JM: A great question.  I acted and moved the same way I would’ve if I didn’t have tape on my eyes.  I let everyone else worry about calling “Lamppost!” and “Tree!” and “Car!!!”  It wasn’t a problem until I went running full force into the automatic hospital door.  Those fucking things register a person’s movement really slowly.  I mean, what happens when there’s an emergency?
There’s something to be said, for sure, about acting without sight.  I suppose it has to do with not worrying about anything except your own objective, what’s right in front of you (metaphorically if not physically).  Jeff Pointer (the Director of Photography) would often shoot when I didn’t know he was rolling — nearly every shot of Jacob in the film was a surprise for me to see after the fact.  I rarely knew where the camera was or even other actors; I relied on Jenni to lead me around; I listened to Jamin and, sure, heard the beat more than I worried if others were listening.

AT: How would you describe the character of Jacob?

JM: What a great role. Everyone else has to fight and brood and dance around the real issues at hand.  Jacob knows the futility of fighting and inaction. He trusts Liev to do what she needs to do and understands his place in the world. Wise and wise-cracking, he uses humor as a method in his madness.  Though blind as a bat, he’s the guide for the Storytellers. The irony shouldn’t be lost that he is The Pathfinder.
Jacob also has a troubled past, and though he often resorts to humor to diffuse tension, the veil under which he hides is quite dark.  Read below.

AT:  What was the biggest challenge playing Jacob?

JM: Early on, Jamin had the idea that Jacob was in and out of foster homes during his life, having been witness to his own mother’s death at the hands of her boyfriend.  As such, Jacob found solace in, and was taken under the wing of, an accomplished musician whose tough love guidance augmented Jacob’s penchant for music (the violin perhaps). When he tried to intervene in a domestic abuse situation years later, he was killed.
I’m no method actor to be sure, but I often thought about the pain that must resonate through Jacob and the contempt he has to have for God, for his Fate, for those that destroy the beautiful balance.  The car accident Jacob causes is as much a duty to John as it is challenging Fate.
Those ideas are difficult to embrace when Jacob really has to be the comic relief for much of the film.

AT:  Was there a single experience while filming that stood out for you?

JM: I came to set one day to watch Jamin shooting the Assembly scene with all of the Incubi surrounding Ludis.  Here I was with 100 grown men sweating their hair off wearing chemical smocks, rubber dishwashing gloves, and plate glass shields over their faces and Jamin is yelling to try to reach the back of the crowd: “Just keep smiling. Trust me. Everything is looking great.  Just trust me.” How do you trust that?
When I read an early draft of the screenplay, I thought about the character of the Accountant Incubus, the precedent of fear and weirdness that the actor playing the first Incubi would need to set.  I thought how I might do it, and all I could hear was a strange cross between Flash Gordon’s Emperor Ming and the voice from the Scream movies (“Hello, Sidney”). Instead, Marty Lindsey, who plays the Accountant, walks in the room, speaks the words that were written without affect, breathes, and snickers.  And it’s the creepiest performance I’ve seen in a long while.

More to come

NEWS: INK has been extended to April 16 at Starz Denver Filmcenter. Special Event Saturday April 11 - 7pm show. Two for One tix. Q&A with Jamin & Kiowa Winans, Jeff Pointer & Jeremy Make. For more information visit www.doubleedgefilms.com & www.denverfilm.org

More on Page 2

You Like INK! Why not check out Ink cast & crew in other great local films. Some recommended ones include:

Skills Like This
www.skillslikethis.com

Suburban: The Movie
www.suburbanthemovie.com

 

 

 

Read More on Page 2