I posted about this on Facebook and it seems like a worthy endeavor to declare here, too.
It’s been on my heart a lot lately, a quiet insistence that I have a story to tell even if I don’t want to explore it. I read this article this morning (long, moving, difficult, grievous) and it wrecked me. But through it all came again the need (rather than a desire) to develop a one woman show around the events of my Dad’s death.
It emerged in a 48th Street exercise led by Gary Austin, a 30 minute improv that found me playing childhood games and indulging in huge imaginative explorations of time and space — all to avoid reality. All to avoid crying. I felt kind of like this:
After the improv, Gary knew there was something under the surface and started asking thoughtful questions until he found the wound I’d been protecting. It was too early to be that vulnerable, but he made me realize that the pain would ground and magnify the playfulness.
We’re artists. We take our lives and turn them into works of art. It’s how we process. It’s how we give back. It’s how we stay alive: We share it.
I’m delighted to announce that I’ll be appearing in two films at Seattle International Film Fest 2014!
TEN YEARS LATER, by Kris and Lindy Boustedt, screens Sunday May 25, 11am at the SIFF Uptown in Queen Anne. We will be there to celebrate and hope to see you!
FRESH PAIR is a SIFF 2014 Fly Film and screens Monday May 26th
PS: While you’re enjoying the country’s biggest film festival, look for my cameo in this trailer…
SIFF Membership from First Sight Productions on Vimeo.
Last Fall we made a featurette – and by ‘we’ I mean the incredibly versatile, hard working, prolific filmmaking team of Kris & Lindy Boustedt.
Is someone watching me shower?
Is someone already in my house?
Came across this on Tumblr today, and it just begged to be stolen…er, shared!
Steal like an artist
See the rest here:
I’m headed to Flyway Film Fest in Pepin, Wisconsin, and couldn’t be a happier girl! Last year I was floored when I was given the Spirit of Flyway award. I was incoherent with tears. It had been a helluva year, combined with the fact that Flyway is star-studded with so many film heroes of mine, I couldn’t believe what was happening.
This year, I wanted to give back to the fest that I love. I approached the usual suspects, my amazing collaborators Kris and Lindy Boustedt, to make three quick, punchy promos for the fest. Together, we hashed out the story outlines (leaving plenty of room for improv) and shot everything in one day on the RED Scarlet – coming in behind schedule after a day spent laughing and playing! We couldn’t have done it without the talents of Jesse Lee Keeter (co-star), Nicholas Davis (DP), and Nathan Beykovsky (Grip, AC, AD, Everything). Tight, tiny team made of win. Probably the most fun day on set ever.
Here are the bumpers we created, for your amusement.
We love how they turned out! We poke fun at overdone themes but also ourselves (we’ve been there!). I’m eager to see the audience’s reaction.
Also, premiering at Flyway is the beautiful and moving short I was in this Summer, BEHIND ME by Rebecca Pugh.
Humbled, happy, grateful, excited!
Bring on the films and pie, I’m flying away to Wisconsin, and I hope to see you there.
Connect With Flyway!
The script showed up in my inbox. I read it instantly. I sat back in my chair in shock. And then I turned to Facebook, of course. “Get ready, Lisa Coronado,” I wrote, to my bestie and fellow actress.
Then I thanked Kris and Lindy for casting me in a role most directors wouldn’t. For taking that chance on me. I was happy to go to the dark side with these beloved creatives I am proud to know.
Presenting, online in its entirety, my career-to-date highlight, TEN YEARS LATER:
If you were affected, consider sharing this film with other film lovers. I’m incredibly proud of this film – it features many “firsts” for me as an actor, including playing an unlikeable character. I dug in to the work, spending months of prep with my coach, workshopping the relationships, and hitting the gym. It’s unflinching, unapologetic, gritty, dark, realistic and mean, but also beautiful, rewarding, exciting, perfect.
I also want everyone to mark Kris and Lindy’s artistic choices. They didn’t crowdfund this, they paid for it out of pocket to build awareness – to make it “without permission.” This choice isn’t for everybody, but I love that they weren’t going to wait and see if they could make this film, they simply decided it would be so. And it was so. And it was good.
Then, instead of a typical cast and crew viewing, they threw a huge free-to-the-public screening event at a state of the art theatre, curating an evening of short films from as far away as New Zealand, and involving the entire film community. And now, they generously released it online for everyone (along with several other short films they’ve made). Their choices are bold, unconventional, unapologetic, and wildly, generously brilliant. Everyone who makes and promotes art can learn from their example. They truly live by this motto – Creation is Momentum. They can’t be stopped.
Kris, Lindy, and Lisa are my fiercest, most trusted collaborators. This wasn’t a casual film for us. I’m honored to work with these three and will again – any time, anywhere. ❤
I online-dated Rebecca and then we made sweet movie magic together.
Sorta. 😉
In the most recent Seattle Intensive (Actorswork) workshop, we were asked to name a fear we hold about acting. Instantly, I thought of some of the risks within film work, such as:
All valid. I battle all of these. But this time, my greatest fear wasn’t “bad” characters or villains or challenging roles or editors I don’t trust… My biggest fear was “acting as commerce.”
My greatest fear may baffle most actors: acting for money. Specifically, I mean having to take a job I’d otherwise pass on, just for the paycheck.
I recently read about an actor who takes his roles based on whether or not healthcare is provided. He may have been a tad tongue-in-cheek but there’s still truth at the core. This discussion isn’t the merits healthcare, it’s why we act.
Acting for me is completely different from a “job.” When I sign on, I want it to be with a mixture of joy and terror, the inward tug of knowing I’m beginning an adventure. And I want it to pay, don’t misunderstand me! But I don’t want a paying gig first, and a compelling gig second. As Amy Poehler hinted during the Golden Globes …
Heh.
The journey has highs and lows. You’ll be swamped with work one month, and then you’ll realize a certain casting director hasn’t asked for you in a year (gulp – true story). Sometimes you have to take jobs that aren’t exactly winning material – that dry teleprompter-laden training video, for example. Or heck, a national commercial (!) for fast food that you loathe, but it pays your rent for a year.
I just know that I’m an actor because I’m a compassionate, emotional individual who loves to connect deeply. I want that to always be the driving force behind why I take (or don’t take) an acting gig. Most importantly, I need to trust that as long as I am true to myself, the right gigs will continue to find me.
This weekend I galivanted, played, cried, explored, failed, joyed, thrilled, danced, derobed, and foolished in Gary Austin‘s ever-amazing improv workshop.
In the rare moments I wasn’t on my feet, I had the opportunity to furiously tap out a few notes onto my phone, to share with you today.
