Next up, we have the rock of NBF. Joey Mosca. Sound Magician, Director, DP, editor.
We met on a nice, sunny day in 2010, but not everyone knows you. Tell us a little about yourself.
I went to NJCU and graduated with a Bachelors in Media Arts in 2008. Since then I’ve been freelancing in the industry in, mostly camera & audio, but my passion is audio.
You came on board as sound guy for BGR, and have been with us on every project since. Additionally, you have acted, directed, and DP’d some of our projects as well. Which is your favorite role? Which is your least favorite?
I, of course, love sound & sound recording. I really enjoy directing too but don’t get to do it on it’s own often as much. I’m usually wearing multiple hats.
My least favorite role, I guess would be actor. I don’t consider myself an actor & prefer to not watch myself on screen. Just because it’s my least favorite, though, doesn’t mean I won’t do it haha.
What is your favorite NBF project?
I’ll always have a soft spot for the first, BGR. Though Dream a Little Dream is currently at the top of my list.
Joey capturing audio on a cold day for Girl in the Basement.
Sound can make or break a film, and yet it is one of the unsung heroes of filmmaking. It isn’t as simple as just holding a stick and pointing it at actors, but I have seen producers and directors treat it like it is. What would you tell those people about what you do so that they can truly appreciate your craft?
Audio isn’t like the visual. You can have some bad camera work & thing still work out, but one bit of bad audio can ruin an entire film. Audio, even when done for effect, is supposed to feel like a natural thing in a film. I like to say visual things you’re supposed to notice. Audio if you don’t notice that I did anything then I did my job right.
What are your goals as a filmmaker? How do you personally view success?
I don’t want to be famous; I want to be successful. My goal is to be on set doing what I love: recording sound for films. It makes me happy and making money doing what makes me happy is the goal.
You have your own production house: Maniac Productions. Tell us a little bit about that. What kind of projects are you interested in at MP?
Maniac Productions is my own personal project company. I made up the name when I was a little kid and stuck with it. While I’ve been doing a lot of horror related stuff because making something scary is fun haha, I’m interested in any kind of film project that I come up with.
I wasn’t going to interview myself, but Dan Gregory offered to do the interview part, so here we are.
Next up is Sam Platizky, the founder of NBF and an actor, writer, and producer.
Who is Sam Platizky the real person ?
I’ll let you know when I meet him… Um. With me, what you see is what you get. There are so many fake people in this business (and the world) that I don’t see the value in being another one. This may hurt me at times, but I’d rather be me. What that means is that I am hard working, dedicated, and a bit of a sarcastic asshole at times. My non-joke joke to people is that I am kind of a piece of shit… But only to people who deserve it. I try my best to be honest & loyal to my friends and the people I feel deserve it. And I love what I do… Writing & Acting are my passions. I am grateful to be able to do that with NBF.
You Write, Produce, Act, Edit, Cast, and even Direct independent films. Which aspect do you enjoy the most? What job are you the best at ?
I love to act. That is the main reason I got into this filmmaking thing – to give myself more opportunities to do that. But I have always loved writing as well, and the more I’ve written (and the better I have gotten) the more I enjoy that. So, I’d say that I enjoy writing & acting equally at this point. I think I am best at writing to be honest. Two or three years ago, I may not have said that, but I feel like that is my strongest ability right now.
You’ve won several awards as a filmmaker . Which award or nomination means the most to you? What award would you like in the future?
I am so insanely proud of every award that NBF has received over the last few years. The one that means the most to me is the Founders’ Award that we received at the 2018 Golden Door IFF. We have been appearing at the GDIFF since its inception (which happened at the same time as NBF’s inception) and we have both kind of grown together. To receive the first ever Founders’ Award from a festival I love so much, and from festival runners that I admire and respect so much… I don’t really have the words to express what that means to me. (Best Comedy is a close second – just because it reminds me that we did what we set out to do. We made people laugh.) I would love to tell you that awards don’t mean that much to me, but I honestly want all the awards – Best Film, Best Actor, etc… But the award I want most, I think, would be Best Screenplay.
Dan Gregory, Jenna Kildosher, Sam Platizky, Isaac Platizky, Joseph Whelski, William R. Farley, & Maglinda Perez at a very successful night at the Golden Door IFF 2018.
SP, You are an accomplished thespian. Tell us about your favorite roles on stage.
I love and miss the stage so much. I really want to get back to it, but it needs to be right. My favorite role on stage was Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. I have never felt better on a stage than I felt when I was playing that role. The energy, the comedy, everything. It was one of the great theatrical experiences of my life. And it was only at a JCC. I have been Off Broadway & Off-Off Broadway now, but that was still my favorite role and play to be in.
As CEO of Bayonne Film Company “Narrow Bridge Films”, are you proud of the progress? Please explain the changes over the past decade.
Yes, very. When we first started out, we only set out to do one movie: Blaming George Romero. I thought we were done after that, but when we decided to do another film, I knew that it would have to be better – anything we did would have to be better than what came before. And I think we have kept to that. We learn something new with each film, so we are able to apply it to the next thing.
Our writing is tighter. Our equipment continues to improve. Our actors get better with every project. Our crew has grown in both number and talent as well.
Life and time also had a way of shaping our group of filmmakers. We have evolved into something that I am truly in awe of. We have lost some actors and crew along the way, but we have also gained so many new, incredible people… And what we have now is such a tight, talented group.
Honestly, I couldn’t do anything without this amazing group. They are some of the best people I know, and I am blessed to be able to work with them.
Sam Platizky and Dan Gregory on the set of First! (Coming soon!)
Where do you see NBF the company in 5 years? Where would you like to be career wise and personally in 5 years?
Five years seems like the future, but it will be here before you know it… As long as we continue to make movies, I know that NBF continue to grow and make even better products in the future. We know what we have to do, and all we need are the resources. So, I think/hope in five years we are at a point where we have them. I would like our newer projects to find even better homes than Amazon Prime.
I want to be able to PAY everyone on set – something we haven’t been able to do yet. I want to begin to involve name actors – because we have been told that we need to in order to get proper distribution.
It may be further out than five years, but I would like to be at a point where we are more like an actual studio and I can just green-light a production without having to be involved in every aspect of it. I would love to throw money at Sami Saad or Megan Bussiere and say, “Go. Make a movie.”
Personally, I would like to not have a “day job” in five years. To be able to support myself financially just with my writing and acting. That’s the goal.
Sam as Felix (the Werewolf) in Monster Mash.
NBF has a a lot of brilliant women on the roster. Are you proud of the equality in this company? Would you like to see more diversity?
I may be bias, but I think NBF has worked with some of the most amazing women in the industry. I am extremely proud, but obviously we can do better, and I think we have been moving in that direction. We have always had some incredibly talented women on set, but in the beginning I think the female roles weren’t as primary as the male roles. BGR had three women roles – One was a lead, one was a nagging boss, and one was the crush that my character had. They definitely weren’t as three dimensional as they could have been.
Starting with Cabin of Errors, I think we started pushing to make things more equal – both behind the scenes and in front of the camera. One of our most recent shorts, Girl in the Basement, actually only has one male role.
We want the female roles to be every bit as important and juicy as the male roles. We also want to showcase more female writers & directors on future projects. One of the horror shorts we hope to include in our horror anthology was written by writer/actress Jenna Kildosher, which will be the first screenplay completely written by a woman that we will produce (she previously co-wrote Last Rehearsal of the Dangerous Kitten with Dan Gregory).
I am also insanely proud of our Production Designer – Maglinda Perez. She has gotten so freaking good at her job. I know that she has a future as a Production Designer if she wants to pursue it. It is an honor to have NBF be the place she started.
I would also love to produce something that writer/actress Megan Bussiere or BRAZEN GIANT Brooke Hoover writes. And I would love to have someone as talented as Romina Schwedler or BRAZEN GIANTS Jessica Green, and Colleen Davie Janes direct for us – to name a few.
In fact, speaking of the BRAZEN GIANT ENSEMBLE (founded by Bill Sorvino & Christian Kieber), I have met so many talented female artists… writers, directors, and actresses… that I would absolutely LOVE to work with.
You write some material with a big budget in mind. Would you prefer to sell the screenplays or wait till you get an investor to make the films yourself?
Right now, I am all about whichever comes first to be honest. I am actively trying to get a literary agent to help sell my screenplays.
There are some screenplays, I literally can’t make. I wrote two or three drafts of a screenplay based on Disney’s The Haunted Mansion. I love the script, but I can’t personally make it. I WANT Disney to take it off my hands. I think it could be awesome. So, if you are reading this and have some connections, talk to me!
There are other screenplays, like Off Script, that I am particularly proud of that I would love to make on my own, but it would require a huge investment. If someone came up and told me that they wanted to buy the screenplay from me, I wouldn’t really be in a position to refuse. At the end of the day, I just want my work to get made.
What’s the most difficult part of perusing such an ambitious career?
There is a lot of doubt and anxiety that occur, especially when you are prone to anxiety – I am. I could probably write a book on Anxiety & filmmaking. The lack of stability and never truly knowing if you will be able to “make it” can be tough. I could have pursued a career that would pay more and offer more stability, and who knows where I’d be? I have friends buying houses and shit, and my money is going into making movies that aren’t seen by as many people as I’d like.
There are highs and lows. The highs are incredibly high, but unfortunately, the lows are incredibly low. But at the end of the day, the love & passion I have for what I do helps me overcome a lot of that.
What’s your favorite NBF film to date ?
Like I said, each one gets better than the last. So, Yellow Scare is currently my #1, but I fully expect it to get surpassed by what comes next.
You have traveled a lot for Film Festivals. What was your favorite place for visit so far?
Oof. Traveling to film festivals has been one of my favorite things to do in recent years. I have been to a lot of great places, especially for Yellow Scare. I had a blast being in Orlando this past October. Gen Con was a cool experience in August. Fort Worth was pretty great in July. But I think I would have to say Hawaii for the Honolulu Film Awards back in 2012. If it wasn’t for that, I don’t think I would ever have been to Hawaii yet, and it was such a beautiful place.
That said, the best FILM FESTIVAL for me happens fifteen minutes from my house every year – The Golden Door International Film Festival in Jersey City, NJ remains my favorite festival so far. No other festival has been as warm and supportive in my experience.
Next up is a man who has been working with us in various capacities since our second film – Red Scare. He’s been an actor, a director, a DP, and an AC. He is Sami Saad.
Tell the world a little about yourself.
First and foremost I’m a Muslim. My faith is faaaar from perfect but whenever I’m asked to describe myself Muslim always is the most important descriptor for me and whenever I dont know what to do in my life my first thought in figuring it out is “How can I be a good Muslim about this?”. Second I’m a big brother. My sister is single handedly the most important person in my life and without her support and love idk that I could do half of what I do let alone chase my dreams. Third, I’m a big ol geek. I love movies, anime, videogames, comics etc. The influence of the media I consume has touched my life in a positive way and I’m in this field to do that for others.
You came onto NBF as a zombie in Red Scare, returned as an extra in Cabin of Errors, and then really came on board with Yellow Scare. Since then, you have been a director, AC, and DP on various projects. Which role do you like best? Which do you like least?
The most important thing to me is making stories come to life. My goal is to direct more. However because of my inexperience, my first time directing left a lot to be desired. So with regard to Narrow Bridge projects, Directing has been both my favorite and least favorite experience. Generally speaking I do love DP work. It’s fun and exciting for me to make things look interesting and tell stories through the visuals. AC work is honest work but it’s more technical and hands on than it is creative so not much to say there for me. I enjoy it as well but my goal is to do more directing and DP’ing.
What is your favorite NBF memory?
It might be a cheesey answer but my whole experience on set for yellow scare was really eye opening for me. Ive done a lot of less than ideal film work. but yellow scare set the bar for how to shoot something great with great people. the enitre shoot was a blast and that experience is how i compare new shoot experiences. The Director and Dp took every moment they could to teach me something new, the crew was so fun and easy to work with, and our actors were immensely talented and kindhearted.
You have mainly focused on behind the camera work with us lately? Do you have any desire to act in things? Write things?
Well It’s kind of an unrelated career goal to become a voice actor. Since I was a kid I would love to make and perform a wide variety of voices. It also would excite me when I learned what voice actors played who in the different shows and video games I enjoyed. Whether I was playing with my action figures, joking with friends, or DMing a D&D campaign, I loved being able to embody another personality as best as I can. I’ve had a few acting classes and would love to further my skills so yes I would love to act more!
Writing is something I’m alot less experienced with but I do want to tell my own stories. It’s just not something I’m focused on now because my work life and personal projects take up a lot of my time.
What are your career goals as a filmmaker?
When It comes to what I like to watch, I prefer series and shows over movies. Something episodic gives us as the audience the chance to grow with the characters as opposed to the 2 hours we may get for a movie. My goal is to create a show that people love and resonate with.
Something I’ve always wanted that would, to me, be a sign of success, is to have a show get recognized and popular and then be invited to conventions on a panel to get to speak about it. Meeting people that have been an important part of my life because of my work has always been something that really touched my heart and I wanna be able to do that for others.
Sami on set of the Monster Mash trailer/sizzle reel.
You have other groups and projects you are a part of… UTK, Bit Boys, Unshakeable Productions… Tell us a little about them. Also, what the hell does UTK stand for?
Unshakeable Productions is a film production company that was birthed between my self and Issa Musharbash. I worked as an in house videographer for his real estate company, Provident Legacy Real Estate Services. We were really picking up speed for the company and wanted to provide the same service for others. Thus unshakeable productions came to light. With Duda Penteado, brilliant Brazilian fine artist, coming on as director, we’ve produced an award winning documentary in our first year of operation.
BitBoys is a YouTube channel that Doug Spuma and I started. we spent alot of time together on the set of yellow scare and were excited to finally work on another project together. BitBoys is a video game let’s play channel where we hang out, joke around and play video games. Doug edits and uploads the videos and really keeps the channel afloat. I really look up to him when it comes to his work ethic and passion. I animated our intro for our videos as well as designed the thumbnails and channel art. Our beloved goofy friend and third bit boy Frank Mayhack created the original bitboys theme song and out of that experience he went on to create his own chiptune album System Glitch. Ever since, bitboys has been uploading gameplay videos every week and we’re not stopping anytime soon. Check us out at YouTube.com/bitboys
Finally U.T.K. Productions. These are my ride or dies, my best friends, my brothers. I’ve known the UTK boys for over 10 years, we’re practically family. We recognize what a blessing and rarity it is to have the loving, close knit friend group that we have. Because of this and because of the ridiculous jokes and fun we have when we’re together, we wanted to share that with anyone that wants to be part of it. UTK productions is a youtube channel and instagram thats all about hanging with us and jokin around. We do comedy skits and vlogs. Be a member of the crew by subscribing to YouTube.com/utkproductions or www.utkproductions.com you can also follow us @utk_productions on insta.
What does UTK stand for? Thats for us to know but maybe if you guess right we’ll tell you 😉 leave a comment on any of our vids or pics telling us what you think it stands for. We love acronyms!
I have never seen such a good natured person on a film set before. I know that I am not that good natured. How do you do it? Has it ever been hard for you to maintain that halo of decency?
I’m so honored that you think so well of me. Thank you. I think you’re very good natured otherwise you wouldn’t care that I’m good natured right? lol. Well as I mentioned at the beginning of the interview whenever I’m stuck my first thought is “how can i be a good muslim about this?”. I have to credit my faith first. I love for others what I love for myself. I genuinely care about others feelings and I try not to act without that in mind.
I’m also very blessed to have nothing but supportive good people in my life such as my family, utk , bitboys, and narrow bridge. It’s alot easier to care when youre cared for so thank you for that.
This might sound weird to some but another reason i try to be as good as i can is because of the shows video games and anime I love so much. The heroes I watched made me want to be a hero too. And maybe I don’t run around in spandex ( more because I don’t have the abs n pecs for it than anything else) but I want to be a positive force for others.
It can be hard. sometimes I do lose composure but I hate when i do. I put a lot of pressure on myself. I’ll fill my head with anxiety of not being enough or letting those i love down and that’s something I really need to work on. but as long as I’m working with good people like you I’m not too worried.
Next up is NBF’s Head of Production Design, Maglinda (Maggie) Perez, a title that she earned from helping with set dressing Cabin of Errors in one scene to co-Production Designing Yellow Scare to become our first head of that department.
Give our readers a breakdown of how you want from an actress in Lost and Found to the Head Production Designer of NBF. And tell them a little about yourself.
Well I have to say when I look back at where started and where I am today, I still am in shock. Ha! When I started out as an actress in Lost and Found, I was on the journey of just saying yes to different opportunities, opportunities that were outside my comfort zone. Kinda like Jim Carrey’s “Yes Man” but just not as drastic.
From there the yes’s continued, Sam had asked me to read the narration of “Yellow Scare” just to help out. He then informed me that I would also have a small role in the movie as well, which I thought was pretty cool!
Now, during that time, I was also volunteering at my daughter’s community theater. I had offered to lend a hand in painting the sets for her shows, but instead they made me their set designer. I guess Sam noticed and asked me to try out in creating a world for Yellow Scare as well!
Believe it or not, I was originally shot down as a production designer, since I didn’t have experience in film, but later I was given a shot to help and shadow Steve Defendini. From there is where I learned more about film making.
You are an art student currently. How does your art background play into your work as a Production Designer?
I finally earned my Bachelors after 9yrs. YES!!!!
Well, I had previously earned my Associates in Graphic Arts and planned on earning my Bachelors but during that time I had changed my mind numerous times. I had gone from Graphic Arts to Business back to Graphic Arts, and then finally Fine Arts and Crafts. Within in that time I was able to learn new skills such as print relief, life drawing, and sculpting. It was hard for me to decide what I wanted to get a degree in since I was exposed to so much and wanted to do it all. Fortunate for me, I am able to take everything that I have learned and apply it into many different aspects of production design. Designing and prop-making is not just one form of art but a layering of different techniques.
What is your favorite part of being a PD?
If I must choose what my favorite part of being a production designer, I would have to say that being able to see my vision come to life. Often times I am so wrapped up in getting all the props together, moving furniture, and putting everything in place that I just don’t see it, but when I FINALLY get a chance to take a step back and see it come to life and the actors are now transported into this world, all the excitement rushes in. It makes the many late nights worth it.
What’s your least favorite part?
My least favorite part? That’s a hard question. I would have to say the lack of time on my end. I work full time and raise my daughter on my own. Everything that I do is during my off hours and late into the night. If we had more hours in the day, that would be an ideal situation. On set and getting my hands into my craft is a passion of mine. I love every minute of it. Exhaustion and hunger breaks up the time that I have to work, but other than that, I love it. WAIT! I just remembered what I dislike, or should I say HATE. I hate hot glue gun burns. They are the worst, and if it hits the wrong parts of your fingers, it makes working painful.
How do you create so much on a shoestring budget? What tips can you give PD’s just starting out?
Working on a shoestring budget is not fun but you figure out ways to get what you need and want when desperate enough. HA! Here are some tips of mine:
I’m actually an upcycling and thrift store queen. That was a hobby of mine for the longest time. So when a particular item is needed you go searching. I also tend to reach out to people and ask if they have anything that we can borrow, or just have.
If not, I research finding inexpensive ways to create things. I’ve spent many sleepless nights scrolling through DIY videos on how to make certain things. I had a scene where I wanted lots of flowers, lanterns, and candles, so I made most of them.
The dollar store is your friend along with some spray paint. The best bet is to research for the things that you need and then research how to make that item even cheaper.
The camera is your friend as well. You are able to cheat your way as well. Let say you need a side table, but you know it really won’t be visible, get a box, cover it up with some fabric or place something in front of it. VOILA! Instant side table! Until the art budget gets bigger, you just need to improvise
You’ve been a PD for a WWII comedy, a short horror film set in the modern day, and a Horror comedy… What was your favorite thing you created? What are you most proud of?
All the films I’ve worked on I am really proud of. Yellow Scare was my first and that introduced me into this world of film and everything that goes with it, and so I’ll always have a love for it, but I was a newbie and still learning the ropes. Don’t get me wrong, every project will introduce me into something new and will rattle my nerves and insecurities, which is exciting.
My favorite thing that I have created out of everything was when I was able to make Isaac bleed out [in Click Send]. I am not that knowledgeable in SFX. I have a lot that I need to learn. This short film allowed me to try something new. I did my research and tried it on myself several times. I had blood all over myself, my clothes, my floor and even one of my chairs. I had only one shot to get this right. So when it came time for filming I prayed to whatever god to let this work, and well you can see the outcome on Click Send [available to stream or buy on Amazon Prime].
What I am most proud of is Monster Mash. That whole production was created by me. I spent many late nights sculpting props, melting plastic into skulls, making paper flowers with my mother and I was able to display my sculptures that I created in my classes. I was exhausted but it was that moment where I took a step back and said HOLY SHIT this looks amazing!!!
What type(s) of Films would you like to PD? Any dream jobs?
If I could travel back in time, my dream job would be to work on a film like The Greatest Showman. I LOOOOOOVE that movie. I have a thing for music, musicals, Broadway set design and movie design. I would love to work on a huge film where all of that is incorporated into one. Maybe The Greatest Showman on Broadway?! Maybe?! FINGERS CROSSED! Maybe get a chance to work with Hugh Jackman. I don’t know where my career will end up but I do know that the sky is the limit and if my world can change for the better in the past 3 years can you just imagine what the next 3 years can look like???? I’m excited for that ride!
Next up in our Artist Spotlight is Isaac Platizky. Isaac is an actor, producer, and writer with NBF and has appeared in every single NBF project.
I’ve known you my whole life, but not everyone does, so tell the readers a little bit about you.
My name is Isaac Platizky. I’m an Actor, Writer, and Producer. I started acting in the eighth grade, and started writing with episode eight of our web series Lost and Found. I’ve since written eight short films, and one feature for NBF. I also have the distinct honor, and privilege of being involved either in front of, or behind the camera in every single NBF project. Actually I think I’ve only not acted in one of our projects.
Actually, you have been in every single NBF project. Do you have a favorite project?
I’ll probably always have a soft spot for Cabin of Errors. It was my first feature screenplay, and the journey from start to finish will make a fascinating story once I’m dead.
Favorite role?
Again I’ll always have a soft spot for Peter from Cabin of Errors. My most misunderstood character. But my favorite role is always the one I haven’t done yet.
You started as just an actor with NBF on our first film BGR. But by our webseries and 3rd feature, you became a writer and producer as well. Tell us about this transition.
I think it was a natural transition. It started with me just wanting to be more involved in the production whether that was reading the scripts, and giving notes, or just being on set more during Red Scare. I wanted to be a part of things. Then when you, Dan, and I broke down the second half of Lost and Found you invited me to write two of the episodes, and that really began my journey as a writer. I had never written a script before that. After that it was just natural that I become more involved as a producer because I wanted to see my scripts became movies just like yours. I also didn’t want all of the pressure to fall on you, resulting in what I can only assume would have been a likely nervous breakdown where you destroyed all of the hard drives, so I tried to take on as much as I could. Sometimes successfully, and sometimes not.
Actor, writer, producer. Which is your favorite? Which is your least favorite?
It depends on the day of the week honestly. Currently my favorite “job” is probably writer. I can write whenever I want. No audition, or casting required. My least favorite, and I think you’d agree with me on this is producer. It’s the most nerve wracking of the three jobs, because it’s all down to you scheduling actors and crew, finding locations, getting the money to pay for everything, etc , and no matter how many great people you have helping you, and we do have the best people helping us it’s always down to you in the end. That all being said I started as an actor, and as long as I’m writing scripts there will be a place in them for me. Unless I can get someone better.
You let your brother (me) produce the first two NBF features by himself. Now, knowing how difficult it is to produce a film, how sorry are you that you made him do this?
I am very sorry. I can’t possibly express how sorry I am. I mean you made it seem so fun, and stress free. That after the first feature you said and I quote “Never Again!” To be fair during BGR I was just trying to get some extra scenes written in.
What are your goals as an actor/writer? How do you view success as an artist?
My main goal as an actor/writer is to be able to quit my day job, and just create for a living. To make just enough money doing it to be comfortable, and to be able to make the next movie, or web series, or TV show without worrying. For me that would be success.
Isaac as Wilson in the “Monster Mash” trailer/sizzle reel.
You get an offer of $10 million to work on one of your screenplays. What project do you do next?
That’s like asking me to choose my favorite child. It’s just not a fair choice. It’s like the Sophie’s choice of producing decisions. I have three feature screenplays ready to go right now. Monster Mash (a horror comedy in the vein of Monster Squad and Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein with the modern sensibilities of something like Hangover) Which we just actually filmed a sizzle reel for; You are Invited (A murder mystery Comedy); and A Chanukah Story ( Which is a Comedy set during Chanukah to stand along all of those Christmas movies). I would like to see them all filmed, and I think with that very generous $10 million dollars I believe I could get all three of them done. However if I had to choose just one right now I’d pick A Chanukah Story. There’s just nothing else like it out there a holiday comedy for Jews, that I think non-Jews would get a kick out of too.
Our next Artist Spotlight is Actor/Writer Dan Gregory. Dan has been with NBF since Day 1 and has appeared in all but one of our projects (Rex Steel & the PC Officer). Last September, he won Best Supporting Actor at the GDIFF for his work in Yellow Scare, and recently came away with a Rising Star Award for his work in Tell Me Something Good, which he wrote and starred in.
DG! Thank you for doing this. I know you. I’ve known you since High School, but tell the people reading this a little about you.
I’m a guy who believes in himself. I’m stubborn when it comes to my goals. About 11 years ago, I decided to call myself actor. It fascinated me since I was a teenager, I’d do comedy skits on a tape recorder with Billy Farley (now a NBF producer) just for fun. But in 2008, I was confident that I could do it for real. Despite what anyone said, or any job title I’ve had to support myself along the way, I know I’m an actor. The idea has manifested in the material world.
Also, I like 80s music, working out, napping, black t shirts, strong coffee, red wine, good cigars, and watching movies. I enjoy reading biographies about artists that I admire and writing screenplays for myself and my friends to work on. I love to hang out with my wonderful girlfriend Jayleen !
You’ve been a part of all but one NBF project. What is it that keeps you coming back for more?
I stand by an ambitious film company built by dreamers. The material is diverse and the product is getting better with each production. NBF has a wide range of talent. These men and women in the group are gifted and successful, they motivate me to elevate my game. Collectively, we are really starting to explode. There’s a lot of positive energy and support within our team. I’ve been with the company since BGR, I’d like to be there for that one film (or films) that goes mainstream and propels everyone on board to the next level. It’s possible we already made it. If not, the next movie will take NBF to the the promised land.
Dan as Malcolm on set of the “Monster Mash” Trailer/Sizzle Reel.
Do you have a favorite role or roles that you’ve played in the NBF films?
My favorite NBF roles so far have been playing Michael Walsh in the series “Lost & Found” and Shamus & Tony in “Red Scare” & “Yellow Scare”. Michel allowed me to explore the insecurity and vulnerability of an immature man in a serious relationship. I also provided some romance and dark comedy to the overall story. It was physically demanding. I would depend on fitness to embody a ladies man type of character. I hope to revisit the role for a second season or a reboot soon. The series tackles uncomfortable material and deserves much bigger audience.
As for Shamus and Tony, it was fun to use new voices and make choices! I could eat and drink a lot to get into the mindset of these father and son characters. Also, improv was tolerated. I’m thankful for the room they give me at NBF to round out a character and be creative. Quality writing inspires me to use improv well. It’s a fun environment to work in.
What are your goals? What kind of roles do you want to play in the future? We’ve talked about this many times, but how do you view success as an actor?
My goal is act in the industry full time. I want to play daring roles on film, TV, and occasionally theater. I want to push myself to excel even if means an exhausting days on set and going though an emotional roller-coaster. I want to be proud of the final product. If I can make people laugh, that’s cool too.
I view material success as making a comfortable living doing what you were born to do best. I know I’ll get there. Hopefully soon. Artistically, I’m proud of my progress. I still have a lot to learn. In the future, I’ll produce and write more. I might direct one day as well.
You’ve done plenty of indie work besides working with NBF. What are some of the benefits you’ve seen working in indie film?
The benefits of doing indie film is the potential exposure for an actor. Film Festivals, websites like YouTube, and distribution deals are possible . Also, the opportunity to meet new filmmakers and book new work. I fear missing out on the next “Pulp Fiction” or “Napoleon Dynamite” because I had plans to drink with my friends instead. Mostly, experience is valuable to me. I learn a lot from others. I became a better actor by working non stop and keeping an open mind.
What are some of the drawbacks?
The drawbacks of indie film in my experience consist of: little to no pay (at times), long hours, and working hard on projects that are often miscast or shot poorly… I don’t burn bridges, but it upsets me when a filmmaker gives up on a production that I worked on. Some projects never get finished, others never make it past the post-production stage, and for some reason, certain films just get buried. I put a lot of energy into a role. It stings when that goes to waste. I can honestly say, NBF doesn’t bury good work, they push it.
You’ve won two acting awards in the last six months. How did that feel? What thoughts go through your head when (A) you find out you were nominated and (B) you hear your name being called?
It feels tremendous. Winning Best Supporting Actor in a feature film at GDIFF and the Rising Star Award at the Brightside FF has been a rush. I’m on a hot streak. I get a sense of validation from accolades. When I find out that I’m nominated for work that I love doing , I’m excited and thankful. Getting an acting nomination in the same category as Oscar Nominee, Chazz Palminteri was surreal. Gratitude is everything. I’m grateful for all my co workers in the films, my friends, my parents, my girlfriend, even my haters. Having my name called as a winner is just icing on the cake. I take these wins as a sign to keep going.
I have never seen someone push themselves so hard on social medial. I can’t count how many times I have seen you reach out to filmmakers letting them know you’d love to work with them etc. That has never been my favorite thing to do. How do you feel about it?
I’ve used social media to get more work. It’s not to brag about booking, it’s to show filmmakers I’m hungry and qualified. I post about the films I’m working on, and how proud it makes me feel to be involved. I think people can sense the sincerity of my enthusiasm. As a struggling actor with day job, I want to show industry people that I am versatile and professional. Facebook and IG helps my career move forward, it makes me a contender for new roles. I shamelessly and “Brazenly” (#brazengiantensemble) reach out to people asking to get involved. Until I have a publicist, I’ll self promote.
One last question. If you could give young DG from, say, 2009 any advice, what would it be?
Advice to Dan at 25 would be to put the work first, party later. When you prioritize, doors open. Also, the brilliant Anderson Johnson gave me great advice a couple years ago after we filmed “Cabin Of Errors” (streaming now on Prime Video). To paraphrase he said, “Get over yourself. Get out there and make connections. Step out of your comfort zone. You could be THE guy “…My advice to 35 year old me is, be the F***ing guy, and step up!
Dan can be found on Instagram as @DanielMichaelGregory, Facebook at Facebook.com/Dan.Gregory.54, and IMDB at here.
We have so many talented artists working with us. We thought we would take some time to spotlight them and talk about who they are and what they’re doing.
First up is the amazing and talented Writer/Actress Megan Bussiere. Megan has been acting with NBF since 2011 and has been in 2 features with us, 2 short films, and our webseries. She’s also a playwright and that’s what we are here to talk about today.
• Thank you for doing this. Real quick. Can you give the people reading this a brief introduction about who you are and how you got connected with NBF?
Thank you Sam. My name is Megan Bussiere and I am an actor, writer, and speech therapist living in New York. I grew up in New Jersey, and I was actually doing a short film in New Jersey when a mutual friend told me to reach out to you and audition for your independent feature Red Scare. That was the first project we worked on together, and we’ve done a lot together since!
• You’ve acted in several projects with us so far, but I’m mainly interested in talking about your writing. When did you first start?
I have been writing my whole life… I’ve always kept a journal, and English was always my favorite class in school. I have dabbled with writing non-fiction, essays, poetry, etc. I used to write poems for friends and give them as gifts… a great life hack when you’re poor. Several years out of college I was in between acting jobs, and I decided to start writing my first play. I wanted to merge my speech therapy experience with my love of theatre and writing to write a play about aphasia, which had always fascinated me. This was the start of Talk to Me. I worked on it as a side project for years before I decided to share it. I had a staged reading in New York City in 2017 and then was invited to do another staged reading at my alma mater, Kean University, in 2018. A year later, and we are now gearing up for a full production this June. So it really wasn’t until a few years ago that I decided I wanted to see my work on stage and actually began to pursue it as a career. What’s interesting is that once I made that decision and really embraced that new path, I have been writing non-stop. Joining Mission to Ditmars, a writing group based in Queens, has been a huge help with this transition. Last year at this time I had one play under my belt (Talk to Me) and it had taken me about five years to write. One year later, and I am now working on my 4th play. I have two plays being produced this summer in New York City (Talk to Me and A Period Piece), and a third having its first staged reading in a few weeks (End of the Line). A lot can change in a year!
• What is it about writing that appeals to you as an artist? How does it compare with acting?
Everything about writing appeals to me. Some people say it’s lonely, but seriously all I want to do is stay home all day and write. I am such an introvert at heart! (This also may have to do with the fact that as a speech therapist I talk all day, so I relish those quiet writing moments). And then of course if you are lucky enough to get a reading or production and leave your apartment, you get to collaborate with other artists in the most fulfilling, dynamic way. Hearing people say my words and embody my daydreams is super creepy and also so uniquely divine.
But I would say the major difference form acting to writing is having control over the narrative. There’s a lot of control you don’t have as a writer… like how it is acted, directed, staged, produced, etc. But you have control over the content, your characters, the themes, the conversations you want to happen. As an actor you have control over your performance (even then, you don’t always have control over direction and editing) but you don’t have control over what types of roles are available to you. As a woman in this industry, it is extremely frustrating to want to change the world with your art and to believe that art can do that, but to be portraying characters that perpetuate old stereotypes and limitations. So it is thrilling to me to have a voice at this time, even if I’m not the one on stage speaking the words. Luckily the industry is changing before our eyes (about darn time) so this is an exciting time to be involved in any way… but I am finding that right now I am more excited by what I can create from scratch, so I am riding this wave. I think it’s important to continually check in and ask yourself- What excites me right now? What am I obsessed with right now? And then do that.
• Tell me about your upcoming projects. The when’s, the where’s, the how to get tickets.
You are catching me at the right time, because there are so many ways to see my work this season! First up is a staged reading of End of the Line, a play about otherism in America and our hidden and not so hidden biases. The reading will be held at the Broom Tree Theater in Astoria, NY on Monday April 15th at 7pm. Tickets are free, so I will pass along that information as soon as I have it. Next up is Talk to Me, my play about aphasia, which will have a full production at the Theaterlab in NYC from June 28-30th. Tickets are not yet on sale so I will pass that information along as well. After that, my feminist play A Period Piece will be produced this summer by this amazing female-founded activism-centered theatre group The Shrill Collective in NYC. It’s slated for July, but I will have official dates and more information for you on that very soon. This play is also a finalist in several festivals so there’s a possibility I might have some extra news for you on that front. Fingers crossed 🙂
• Where did the ideas for these projects come from?
With Talk to Me, I was inspired by my experience in graduate school at Kean University, interning at the aphasia clinic. I met truly inspiring people who had lost the ability to communicate the way they once had. Aphasia is not well known and very misunderstood and it affects more than 2,000,000 Americans. I wanted to raise awareness about aphasia and give those who inspired me a voice and a means of support.
With A Period Piece, I was inspired by so many things… my own personal education and research into hormonal health that I was already doing to improve my own health… and mostly conversations with women. Lots of conversations with women about menstruation, pregnancy, miscarriage, mental health, and specifically female health. Historically, women have been grossly underrepresented in health studies because our hormonal cycles could potentially affect results. This is a huge blindspot, and it has resulted in women trying to follow health advice intended for men for years, just like we are trying to live within a work structure designed around the male circadian rhythm.
My newest play End of the Line, resulted from my own personal research into understanding racial oppression and my own white privilege. It’s one thing to say you’re not racist, but many people struggle to say that they’re privileged. And that really interests me. I also find that people are extremely uncomfortable talking about privilege, which means that crucial conversations don’t happen and we are unable to fully connect and evolve. I wanted to write about four commuters on a train that each have their own judgements of each other. I wanted lines to get fuzzy and I wanted people to side with one person in one moment, and another person the next. And I wanted people to leave talking about race.
For my next play, Forever Mom, I’m going back to the start and writing about something more closely related to the field of speech pathology… about an adult man living with disabilities, and the challenges that come with fading community support and an aging caregiver.
• I’ve produced about 18 projects now with NBF. It hasn’t been easy, but I have never attempted to produce a play (yet). What are some of the challenges of doing that?
I am so in awe of you, Sam. I truly don’t know how you do it! So I said that everything about writing appeals to me, but producing… that’s been a challenge for sure. I think at some point I literally googled “how to do a play.” Luckily I did a lot of theatre growing up and my mom actually helped run a non-profit children’s theatre company. So I literally spent my childhood stuffing envelopes, building and painting sets, striking sets, and listening to my mom handle business calls and ticket sales on the phone. So maybe something sunk in along the way, but producing Talk to Me has truly been a learning experience. The challenges for me have been asking people for help and finding time to do everything that needs to be done. My career coach Tessa Faye has been a tremendous help every step of the way. It is so valuable to have a person that you can talk to and brainstorm solutions with.
For a play specifically, I think the main difference is that all of your work culminates in basically one day (opening night) where everything needs to happen. I would imagine it’s like planning a wedding. You have to plug away at the tasks and trust that when the day arrives you will find a way to let go and have fun.
• What are some of the benefits of it?
The thing I love about theatre is that you go, you have an experience, and then that’s that. You can analyze it in your mind afterwards but you can’t pause, rewind, zoom in. Your experience is influenced by the person next to you as much as it is by what you see in front of you. The energy in the room is always exciting for a live performance. Seeing people’s reactions, talking to people afterwards… those are some of my favorite moments from the readings I’ve had.
• What are your hopes for the two plays?
I would love to see them go on and have many performances, with different casts, different directors, different audiences. A personal dream of mine is to be published, so that these plays could reach a larger audience.
• Any other projects in the pipeline?
I am currently working on my latest play Forever Mom, and aside from that, I’m actually working on a film adaptation of A Period Piece. I should interview you next to get some tips on writing those. We actually always talk about collaborating on a writing project of some kind and one day it’s going to happen.
• Any final thoughts you’d like to share with us?
That’s it for now! If you’d like more information about the upcoming production of Talk to Me, you can follow us on facebook/instagram/twitter: @talktometheplay. And the best place to keep up to date with all of my projects is http://www.meganbussiere.com. Thank you so much for chatting with me 🙂
Oy. Last weekend was intense! In three days, we filmed the sizzle reel/trailer for “Monster Mash;” a horror-comedy written by Isaac Platizky (Cabin of Errors). “Monster Mash” is Narrow Bridge’s first crack at the classic monsters of cinema: Dracula, the Wolfman, Frankenstein, the Mummy, ghosts, zombies, etc. I’ve been pitching it as “Hangover” meets “Monster Squad.”
It was a marathon shoot, but it was an incredible one. The footage looks amazing (all shot on the new Black Magic Pocket camera).
HUGE thanks to Mike Mumola & his wife Paula for letting us play in their PHENOMENAL house all weekend. Seriously, this house had all we need, and our hosts couldn’t have been more gracious & generous. (Special thanks to Brazen Giant Ensemble for uniting House Mumola with House NBF.)
Alan J. Carmona (previously seen as the DP for Yellow Scare) took the reigns as the director & co-DP of the trailer, while Ruben Rodas was our gaffer & co-DP). Sami Saad continues to become more and more incredible as Assistant Camera Op. We also welcomed back Doug Spuma to the team as a grip and Steven Rios as grip/assistant to the Production Designer. Jan Cruz made his Narrow Bridge debut as the data wrangler/set photographer. And Dena Olivieri & her assistant Kyle came on board as makeup artists. Joey Mosca remains the rock of NBF as our sound recordist. The whole little thing was produced by the Platizky Bros – Sam, Isaac, & Billy (who for some reason spells Platizky as F-A-R-L-E-Y).
MVP status goes to Maglinda Perez, who was the powerhouse production designer. Check out these shots of her work.
We had an incredible cast with returning NBF players: Isaac Platizky, Sam Platizky, Daniel Michael Gregory (who was a champ the whole weekend despite having Strep Throat and being completely exhausted), Jenna Kildosher, Megan Bussiere, William R. Farley, Chris Lucas, Alannah Potter (soon-to-be McCord), and Jenna Sierra. We welcomed Stephanie Alvarez & Mike Mumola to the NBF family as well.
Also, gotta give a quick shout out to everyone who drove, but especially All-Around Class Acts Keith McCord & Wanda Modzelewska for driving and hanging out Sunday despite not working on the movie.
We are now in post-production on the project, and will be constructing a trailer AND a more in-depth sizzle reel for you (and hopefully some investors). We hope to have that finished sooner than later, but definitely in time for a Halloween release… And then we hope to bring you this whole thing as a feature length film.
I think that is it. See below for some awesome shots from a productive weekend.
Tell Me Something Good has its first ever Film Festival screening on Sunday, March 3 at 1:30pm at the Brightside Tavern Short Film Festival. #DanielMichaelGregory is nominated for Best Actor in a Drama Short. Read a really great interview with #Dan here.
Click Send will be appearing at the NJ Horror Con & Film Festival in Atlantic City on Friday, March 29th at 6:42pm. The festival will take place at the Showboat Hotel.
For the last 8 (almost 9) years, Narrow Bridge Films has worked hard to bring you the very best in independent entertainment. From feature films to shorts to our web series “Lost & Found,” we have not stopped.
Now, we are excited to announce a new initiative: NBF Productions.
NBF productions is here to help emerging and established artists in new ways, such as:
(1) REELS: Every Actor needs one. NBF Productions will take your footage and assemble for you a kickass reel that will highlight your abilities as an actor.
(2) SCENES: Every Actor needs a reel, but some who are just starting out or who have mainly focused on theatre may not have enough footage for a reel… or they may not have the kind of footage they want. NBF Productions will:
Consult with you to determine what kind of scene(s) you want based on the career path you want;
Write for you completely original scene(s);
With a professional cast & crew, film the scene(s) for you with the same level of quality that we put into our award winning films;
Edit the scene for you.
Everyone starts somewhere. Let NBF Productions help you with these vital things that every actor needs.
Competitive rates are available. Email SPlatizky@Gmail.com to get a quote and get started taking your career into your own hands.
And this is just the first steps of NBF Productions. Stay tuned for more.
Narrow Bridge Films 