Paris Film Awards

Carol Dorn - Interview

To her director's chair she brings a breadth and depth of experience adding strength as actor, stagehand, board op, set decorator, scenic artist, set designer, sound designer, musician, stage manager, company manager, production tour manager (Lincoln Center, Ballet Hispanico), lighting designer (Obie Nominated), gaffer, sound mixer, house manager, location wardrobe supervisor, screenwriter (optioned by New Line/FineLine, Universal etc.,) and producer. She has brought her expertise to both stage and film sets for Lincoln Center, Williamstown Theater Festival, WOW cafe, Five Lesbian Brothers, National Broadway Tours, and The Emmys Readings at HBO hosted by Arlene Dahl. Her various skills have been engaged by NBC, Entertainment Tonight, PBS, Bravo and The Toyota Comedy Festival. For New York Women In Film & Television she was honored to be selected as director, presenter and moderator for the 2018 Writers Lab winners created and funded by Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman.

When did you decide you wanted to be an actor/director/screenwriter?

I think it started when I was around 4 years old. My whole family got cast in a production of SOUND OF MUSIC and it was successful enough to be toured in

the area. So what started in a town of 250 people - yes that was the size of our town - then grew to larger performances with audiences up to 1000+. I should add here that my father was a Lutheran Pastor and my mother was a teacher so performing was always there.

How did your family react?

They were supportive but they always wanted me to have a “back up”.

Do you have a Muse or a Role Model?

I have several muses. It depends on what “hat” I’m wearing. As an actress I always loved Ann Bancroft. As a writer/director I consider the actress I most

want to work with my current Muse. Right now that Muse is Kristin Scott Thomas. I’ve always loved her work - ALWAYS. But I felt her talents weren’t being really given room to stretch. I think I LOVED YOU SO LONG was really the first project that I felt gave her real room. So that just fueled me more. So my current feature that is pretty much ready to shoot was very much inspired by Ms Scott Thomas. In fact I have a couple of projects that have her imprint.

Who's your biggest fan?

I would guess it’s my family.

What brings you inspiration the most?

I can’t pin that down to one person or thing. A great performance will inspire

me. History inspires me. Music inspires me.

Which actor or director would you like to work with?

Well I have to go back to what I said earlier. I really want to work with KRISTIN

SCOTT THOMAS because I am dying to see what she would bring to this

character that was very much inspired by her talent. If I were acting right now I would really want to work with Betty Porter. I think her projects are so unique.

Have you ever seen a film that was better than the book?

Yes, DUNE! These past two parts were mind-blowing far beyond the books.

What's the movie that taught you the most?

Well I’ve learned different things at different stages. Before I knew

consciously that I wanted to write and direct I obsessed over a beautiful

French film DIVA. I became obsessed with it. I watched it over and over much

to the chagrin of my roommate. I just loved the music choices, the

cinematography, the script and most especially that everything wasn’t

spelled out. I loved the silent moments. And that is something that has still

stayed with me as a director. I really love giving an actor extended time to

have those emotional beats where nothing is said but the character has a

revelation or a discovery or a resolve. A brilliant example of that is Emma

Thomson in LOVE ACTUALLY when she walks from the bedroom room into the

living room and in that time she realizes the gift was actually not for her but

another woman and that her husband was having an affair. It is so powerful. I

want to give every talent I work with that time. This is also why it’s important

to have the right kind of editor too!

About your artistic career, have you ever had the desire to quit everything?

I’ve had to a couple of times. Not by choice. I sort of walked away when my

parents got frail and then they both died right in front of me about 5 months

apart. And that was it. The first year I was just going through the motions. I

didn’t feel connected to reality at all. Home was gone. Then I ended up at a

production of Uncle Vanya that Estelle Parsons directed at THE ACTORS

STUDIO where she had the audience on set and it was the first time I felt like

myself in years. I was home. It sounds kind of cliche but that was it. After that

I said to myself, “well, I don’t have to be a daughter any more, I don’t have a

partner, or children to be responsible for …and my parents sacrificed a lot to

see me get to where I was. So never again will I walk away.”

On set what excites you the most?

All of it. Especially walking through or rehearsing the scene with the actors. Then lighting and framing the shot.

And what scares you the most ?

All of it. Well actually it would be missing a shot. Thats why I love a lot of B roll. And honestly just letting the camera roll because you never know and you can always make something work if you have a good script and a good editor.

What's your next project?

A feature I wrote, DISCLOSURE FROM A CLOAKROOM, which we are planning on shooting in March of 2025. I am very exited because we have great people already committed to the project. Simone Belli (FERRARI), and multiple artists from THE NEW LOOK and SERPENT QUEEN and we are in talks with Kristin Scott Thomas’s reps to do the lead. This script was originally a play that premiered at the Tristan Bates Theatre in London years ago.

You can steal the career of an artist you really admire, who do you choose?

I would never steal anyone’s career. Wouldn’t want to. Everything I’ve

experienced has made me uniquely who I am as an artist. It’s my

responsibility to make those experiences translate to the screen (and stage).

There are so many I do admire though; from Hitchcock, Ridley Scott to Betty

Porter to Jane Champion to Tom Topper. I will add here that my parents

brought my sisters and I up with the approach of compete with yourself and

encourage others because you cannot be them and they cannot be you.

An actor/director/screenwriter is made of....

Every aspect of life.

For you Cinema is…

Tthe one place I can bring all of myself; my talents, experiences, dreams…it’s home, it’s family that understands you.

Do you think Black and white movies have a powerful impact?

OMG yes!! I was a lighting designer for many years in New York City and when you look at a black and white film the lighting has a whole different importance and I think in some ways it pulls you in emotionally inside the characters in a completely different way.

Have you ever dreamed of winning an Oscar?

Who hasn’t in this industry? Also a Ceasar, a BAFTA, Palm D’Or. But I also - equally - dream of my cast and crew getting awards for working on my projects. Seriously that would thrill me equally to be the catalyst for them.

Do you think you're gonna win it?

If I get the right talent for the roles I think it could be a definite possibility.

Louise Mason - Interview

Louise Mason is the director, cinematographer, costume designer and lead actress of her award winning horror/drama/crime/mystery thriller feature film Sewing A Nightmare. Sewing A Nightmare has won the Best Poster and Best Crime film awards at the October 2024 Hollywood Blood Horror Festival. She is also a photographer and fashion designer. Her fashion, costume and lifestyle editorials have been published in and on the cover of many magazines including, Arttells Magazine, Artego Magazine, Figgi Magazine, Marika Magazine, Le Desir Magazine, Unbound Magazine and many more. Louise has also worked on many other feature films and in T.V. and is a graphic designer. In her spare time she enjoys hanging out with her friends, volunteering, watercolor painting, watching movies and reading. She is also a dog lover.

The biggest challenge of being an actor\director\ screenplayer is… 

Getting the exact right take that precisely goes with the mood and pace of the film.

Choose an Actor, Choose an Actress...and now choose a story you would like to direct or play with both of them:

Right this moment I've been enjoying some bio-pics so I guess it would be that genre but I'm not really sure which story specifically. I think I would pick Daniel Craig and Isla Fisher to star in the film.

Who’s the first Aritst that let you understand you wanted to be an Actor\ director\screenplayer?

The Archers. That's right it's two people not one.

What really excites you artistically or emotionally?

Good rhythm and vibrant colors

Marlon Brando said “Never confuse the size of your Paycheck with the

size of your talent”. Do you agree?

Yup.

Have you ever been discouraged by someone about your life\career choices? 

Yes but I took it in stride and I'm happy with where I am in my life.

Do you think is harder for a woman being a Filmmaker? 

Yes

Do you think that Fame and money could easily change your own Vision as

a Filmmaker\actor\screenplaye?

Who’s the Movie star that made you dream for the first time? 

Drew Barrymore in Ever After

Make a wish about your career...

I wish for some big leaps in success

Talking about cinema\Showbusiness, how hard is to remain completly honest to yourself as an artist?

I've had an alright time with it.

The Film you have loved the most? 

The Red Shoes

And now, don’t be shy….the one that annoyed you the most?

There are so many films out there that I can't even remember at this moment. 

Your biggest artistic goal is… 

Right now it's to make it into more film festivals and to work on some music videos.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Racecar driving or horse back riding

How important is to be rewarded as an Artist?

The final product matters more than the reward

Do you have regrets? 

What’s the messagge you wanna express through your art? 

Life is complicated.

R. Scott MacLeay - Interview

Scott MacLeay holds a Master of Science degree in economics from the London School of Economics and left his doctoral studies to pursue a career in photography in Vancouver specializing in fashion photography and editorial portraiture. In 1979, he moved to Paris to dedicate himself full time to his exhibition work and has exhibited widely in galleries and national museums in North and South America, Europe and Japan. Since moving to Brazil in 2010 he divides his time between new media creations, musical composition for installations and exhibitions, the exploration of online interactivity and curating exhibitions for Brazilian new media artists. In 2011, he founded The Creative Process, a movement devoted to developing new media and interactive work in the South of Brazil. His experimental video works have won awards in international festivals in Paris, Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Madrid, Milan, London, New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, , Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

When did you decide you wanted to be an actor/director/screenwriter?

It was not really a decision to become a director. It was more of a slow evolutionary process. I began to make experimental videos in 1983 in Paris. At the time, I was head of the Photography Department at the American Center in Paris, an avant-garde, non-profit cultural institution renowned for its dedication to the media art and contemporary dance. My interest in video art was therefore quite natural given the environment in which I was working and in the mid-80s I was named Director of the institution’s Center for Media Art and Photography. For many years after my first experiments, I continued to work primarily in the areas of photography and contemporary music composition devoting myself fulltime to media art upon my arrival in Brazil in 2010.  

How did your family react?

Well, by the time I began making experimental videos, my family was already very supportive of my choice to be an artist. The real shock to them was when I left my doctoral studies in economics to pursue a career as a photographer in the mid-70s in Vancouver. They didn’t understand how I could give up so many years of hard academic work to enter a field that was almost entirely new to me at the time. But I was a very fortunate child, my parents always had faith in my judgement and my decision to become an artist was no exception. After the initial surprise, they quite quickly rallied in support of my decision. I owe a great deal to the open-mindedness of my parents.

  Do you have a Muse or a Role Model?

When I began my photographic adventure, 2 photographers had a tremendous influence on me: Ralph Gibson and Duane Michals. I had the privilege of attending public lectures of both these inspiring artists very early in my career and their respective unorthodox approaches to composition and storytelling had a lasting impact on my approach to the medium and on my later work in video.

When I began to make videos in the 80s, there were three video artists whose work I admired greatly: Gary Hill, William Wegman and Joan Logue. Although very different in terms of process and style, all shared an integrity that impressed me. They did not allow their deserved successes to get in the way of their ongoing dedication to discovering new conceptual approaches to storytelling.

Who's your biggest fan?

 I have two: my wife Helene and my daughter Adriane.

 What brings you inspiration the most? The human condition and our place in its evolving social fabric.

 Which actor or director would you like to work with?

 In general terms, none come to mind. As an independent new media artist, I am used to working on my own in the studio. However, there are many actors and directors with whom I would love to share some time conversing and confronting ideas: Tom Waits, Sean Penn, Isabelle Huppert, Pierre Richard, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Jim Jarmusch, Patty Chang and Gary Hill come to mind.

Also, recently I have created an international project “The Choir of Discontent” which for the first time involves the participation of several video artists/filmmakers from around the world including Joan Logue (USA), Hervé Nisic (France), Ana Carolina von Hertwig (Canada) and Flávia Baxhix (Brazil). It is a new experience for me and as such, it is both a challenge and a source of very productive stimulation.

 Have you ever seen a film that was better than the book? 

Terms like « better » and « best » can obviously be flattering, but at the end of the day, they are relatively subjective. I really cannot answer this question because, for me, it is like comparing apples and dairy products. Some films are more faithful than others to the storyline and character profiles of the books that inspired them and could be judged by this criterion. Obviously, I may prefer the perspective of the filmmaker concerning a particular story, but “better” is not a term I would use. For example, I have always admired Visconti’s “Death in Venice” and thoroughly enjoyed Thomas Mann’s book. Both deal with the same themes, but in my view, from different perspectives. While Visconti’s treatment concentrated on the specific character and dilemma of the protagonist, Mann’s original work appears to be broader and more social in perspective. I do not compare them. They were both ahead of their time and in my view, deserve to be treated as brilliant independent works.

What's the movie that taught you the most?

 Working, as I do in the field of media art, I cannot honestly say that there is a particular movie that taught me the most. If I had to choose one media artist whose approach taught me a valuable lesson, it would be the early B&W studio performance video works of William Wegman with his dog Man Ray. The discovery of his work in the early 80s, allowed me to discover that both the re-contextualization and re-conceptualization of everyday, apparently banal situations are capable of revealing some of the most relevant facets of our lives. The dry wit which permeates so much of this work is pure genius for me.

 About your artistic career, have you ever had the desire to quit everything? No.

 On set what excites you the most? The anticipation of the unknown.

 And what scares you the most?

Being too easily satisfied with apparent success of a shoot.  

What's your next project?

As I mentioned earlier, I am currently working on an international project entitled “The Choir of Discontent”. It is an interactive media installation and single channel video involving the juxtaposition of interviews with 30 men and women of different socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds from around the world voicing their frustrations with daily life on both personal and social levels. The objective is to reveal the impotency of social media to respond to the frustrations expressed daily on various platforms. Never in human history have so many millions of people expressed themselves so freely and publicly every day without being heard. So many simultaneous complaints simply result in the creation of never-ending waves of “message noise”. No one is paying attention.  You can steal the career of an artist you really admire, who do you choose? There are so many artists that I admire, but I can’t think of anyone whose career I would like to steal. But if you put a gun to my head and obliged me to respond:

in the movie industry I suppose I would choose Charles Chaplin or Orson Wells;

in the visual arts, I would choose Gerhard Richter, Francis Bacon or Pierre Soulages in the musical field, I would choose Erik Satie or Bob Dylan, in the field of literature, I would choose Kurt Vonnegut or Hermann Hesse

in the philosophy of art, I would choose John Cage, in the field of dance, I would choose Merce Cunningham, in the photographic field, I would choose Duane Michals and the list goes on .... I would be incapable of choosing just one.

 An actor/director/screenwriter is made of...

. Open-minded, focused energy in the service of exploration.

 For you Cinema is....

 For me the term “cinema” refers to a commercial enterprise with increasingly rare incursions into the art world. My personal “cinema” is media art - that vast field of exploration of non-linear storytelling that juxtaposes innovative, experimental approaches to the conception, realisation and presentation of works in original time-space frameworks.