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Indie films short for independent films are movies that are produced outside the mainstream film industry.

According to the Casting Calls website.

Indie films offer greater opportunities for creative expression than its counterpart.

Tonight, we meet two actors who will share their experiences in indie films.

I'm so happy you're joining us.

From Los Angeles.

This is KLCS PBS.

Welcome to Everybody with Angela Williamson, an innovation, arts, education and public affairs program.

Everybody with Angela Williamson is made possible by viewers like you.

Thank you.

And now your host, Dr. Angela Williamson.

Alan Delabie is our first guest.

Alan, thank you so much for being here.

It's a huge pleasure for me.

Well, it's a pleasure for me as well.

And not only that, but for audience, too, because you actually flew here to finish the third in a trilogy of the movies that you've written and produced.

Right.

So how did you start with this series?

Acting.

I mean, independent film is so important.

When I started this project, it was like a small web series and.

And then for some reason, my friend from Los Angeles said, you should do a movie with that.

And I felt something special with this character.

And I developed more of the concept.

And yeah, it's happened like a feature.

And then I the first place I didn't expect to do a trilogy, he didn't.

Yeah.

Yes.

Flowed from what?

From the first movie to the last.

So what made you think that you needed to continue this?

My character needs to give more.

So I think when I create this character, you don't want me to say goodbye yet?

Yet?

Yet.

So basically, because what's so interesting and why I'm so impressed with you is not only do you star in this movie, but you also write this movie and produce it.

So do you feel that when you are when you are writing this character, that the character just kept talking to you saying, there's more for me to say and do?

Yeah, yeah, sure.

And I guess if I was more chance to interact with bigger production like a Netflix and do a TV series and I think we can because this character is so special in my eyes and, and we have a lot of, of connection because it's us and you're in Europe so we speak in this movie in English and French.

Eventually you want to you believe.

And so I'm going to believe as well that this can turn into a series and a series on Netflix.

And I love it because now when you do a series, you can drop 13 episodes at one time.

Yeah.

So if this was to become a series based on we're getting to the third part of the series, I mean, how do you transition that to a series at that point?

I mean, I can reboot.

I can reboot.

Thanks.

Explain to our audience, reboot, reboot.

That mean you redo it again and different way.

But the concept stay the same.

I mean, I don't want to completely change my character.

I won't improve my character for sure, but I don't want to cut the best part of the drama.

yes.

Which is really important because that's what carries the story while you are able to continue it through I number three right now, which is you just finished shooting, but then you also two was really interesting too, because you not only are you in front of the camera, but you're you're writing the characters, but you're producing as well.

I want to talk a little bit as a producer.

How do you find these different locations so that you can continue to tell this story from country to country?

So just simply we rent, we rent some some location, and we we also shoot inside the location.

So, I mean, like if you are inside an apartment, it's you can do everywhere.

And it just a establishing shot can be you can nowadays with you can shoot in Paris and you can fake in Los Angeles.

You have these three locations.

You finished in Los Angeles.

And we were so happy we were able to get you before you left.

And now you need to as a producer and then also to write writer as well.

You need to pull this all together in the edit Bay.

How do you do that once you have all of these different locations and now you're you now need to put it together so that now we can see the third part of the series.

My character needs to travel to travel.

That's good.

I love it.

Yeah, I need to travel.

And it was in love.

It was falling in love with this character name Melissa Jordan.

And so, yeah, Melissa Jordan.

She's played by Christina Okello.

Okay.

Yeah, Christina Okollo.

She's.

I guess she's an actress from Atlanta.

so you brought her in from Georgia?

Yeah.

wow.

And so.

So basically what you're doing is you're taking actors all over, not just from one place, but you taking them here in America is.

Actually actually, I met her in.

In us.

Really?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Because when we when we start to do this project, one of my friend introduced me some different people.

But what I love, it's to make the difference.

Okay, so I love that.

Not something stereotypical.

I don't like that.

Well, in you can do that.

And when you are shooting independently and moving away from mainstream because you're able to tell your own story.

Correct.

When I when I read the script, I have this vision.

This vision and was simple when I said I have the look the way the way I watch, you know, and sometimes when you think about it and you receive it shot from actor, actress, and you have to find out who is the best for the part.

And then when I saw this actress, she reminded me, Angela Bassett, she had this a strong voice and Grace Knox in for for this film.

We need a character like that.

You needed someone that was strong and had I mean, when we think of Angela Bassett, we think of just her tone in her delivery.

But there's a little bit of sultry behind her.

So.

So you got this and this actress.

So how do you get her to deliver it the way that you envisioned it?

She was just a natural.

No, she she was natural.

And I know there needs to be worry about that because the first time I met her, I felt it.

And every character fit very well on this project.

So because you just knew that they would fit perfectly into that specific role.

Yeah, she's.

She was very good for for this part.

Wow.

Okay.

And so talking about parts, we talked about the female lead.

Now I want to talk about you and how you write for yourself, because that's really interesting.

I mean, that's very talented that you can write a character and write about, you know, you're picturing yourself and then you're able to deliver that on screen.

So how do you do that?

I love puts put in the table all ingredients for make my acting stronger and stronger.

That's what I want.

I love improv.

I saw film after film.

I think I. I elevate everything.

Quality and acting.

That's.

You can be happier right now.

But and then a couple of months after you said, okay, in the next will be better.

Well, in you have continued to do that from the first movie to the third movie.

And so we've already talked about the future of what we would like to see for this series.

Yeah.

Before we end our conversation today, and thank you so much for letting me just pick your brain about how you go through this process of not only developing these characters, but talking about your actresses and how you choose your locations.

I mean, our audience really likes to hear that behind the scenes.

But what I think is important in and I know it's a question that I would like to ask you is how do you see Allen's career five years from now, where we're where would we see Allen?

What?

What will you be doing next?

Stealthy first.

Yes.

Yeah.

Still L.T.. And who knows?

Who knows the future.

And nobody knows.

And so keep doing what I love the most movie.

And we'll see.

We'll see.

Because I know my ambitions is.

Is huge, of course.

But.

But, you know, we never know.

It's it's can happen.

And but the most important thing is to stay into it.

The rest is not the you know, if you became a big star is good but if not, it's okay.

And but the best thing is to stay yourself and be happy at what you get already.

And what you get out of it is you're fulfilled out of the characters you get to write.

Yeah.

And the new project.

Yeah.

Talk about the new project.

The new project, the ship that will be.

I think we elevate more everything and because we learn from our mistakes.

Right.

So it's and so Lewis, who is co-director and the executive producer.

So we are very deep into it because we learn some lesson from some little mistake.

We it's happened sometimes, but it's not a big mistake.

You know, it's but, you know, when you want to improve your work, you need to always look back.

Exactly.

I believe that as well.

And so you're looking back and looking towards the future of how you will produce this next project.

Yeah.

Well, will this next project be in more than one location?

Yeah, London.

And we she, we, we rent some place in L.A.. We rent some place in L.A.

Right now.

We can shoot a movie anywhere because it's not like used to be.

It's.

You have a a a small camera.

You can go everywhere.

And my mentor, I'm lucky David works.

He's a director of Kickboxer.

Okay, so you teach me.

So much good things.

And so, yeah, it's good to have a knife.

Huge experience in professional like that.

And I mean, that's the perfect way to end our conversation is the importance of a mentor.

And so with that being said, our viewers will be listening to your story and they want to hear from you.

So how can our viewers get in touch with you?

You have in single Instagram, Instagram, you have also Facebook.

Yes.

And you know, my YouTube channel on YouTube.

Okay.

We'll make sure to share all of that as well.

Alan, thank you so much for spending time with us.

I mean, this has been a year in the making.

So, so glad to meet you in person and to hear about what you're doing.

But most importantly, I can't wait to see what you do next.

So thank you so much.

And come back and meet our second guest, Michelle Thomas, in.

Brandon met a girl.

On a dating app.

He finally found the courage to ask her out.

No answer.

He started to pen.

Was he being.

Sorry?

I didn't respond.

I was driving.

She must be a keeper.

Welcome back.

Michelle, thank you so much for being here.

Thank you.

It's a pleasure.

And you have done so many wonderful things using this art form.

That's what I know.

I know.

It's like, I have done so much.

I don't think about it until someone tells you.

But I mean, I'm just so and all of you.

But before we get to why you're here today, just tell us a little bit why is this platform so important to you, Michelle?

The filmmaking platform?

Gosh, because it seems to me, you know, I began in Missoula, Traveling Children's Theater.

It's something like that when I was like a little kid.

I was six and I was a dancing tree and something like snow White, Right?

So I was barefoot on a stage.

Yes.

And it was really this kind of like visceral feeling of the stage on my bare feet.

I thought, this is this is really cool.

And then as I grew, I went into video productions in high school and through Leslie Duran, who's this amazing teacher, I learned a lot about what we would call now creating content.

I learned about that and my classmates and I would shoot, we would we would write and shoot and edit and everything.

Our own news pieces that would get aired throughout the state, music videos and things like that, where we really started to learn how to use our voice or how to use my voice in that way because I it was such an outlet.

You know, high school is a it's kind of a crazy experience and, you know, and it's very challenging if you don't have a way to filter through your creativity.

And video productions gave that to me.

So then I got into college and I and I started down the mass communications route and I was like, journalism.

It's going to it's going to be journalism.

This is what I will do and it's going to be so great.

And then I started working within that.

Campuses as television system, and I was like, I am not in love with the journalism anymore.

It's a wonderful film, but if you're creative, great people or restricted, right?

I felt like I was Squaws.

Yes.

So I was I was a squeezed chick in this in this thing.

And I and I thought, this is not the thing, you know?

And so I took a theater class, took a couple of theater classes thinking, you know, let me just see.

Let me just see what this is about.

And I walked in to like, I think it was beginning acting or acting one on one or whatever it was in college.

And I went and it was the smell of the stage that paint or the turpentine or whatever, all those things.

And then the bare feet hit the stage.

And it took me to that core moment when I was six and I thought, I'm home.

This is where it is.

This is where it is, this is where I fell in love.

And so, like, you know, I remember the moment that I fell in love.

And that Harriet everything.

yeah, yeah.

And I became a theater, Mama.

It changed my major, like 27 times because it was like fighting that.

What's practical, what's artistic, what is what sets my soul on fire, you know?

And it just kept circling around acting.

And so I did a tremendous amount of plays in a very beautiful, intimate setting that's Eastern New Mexico University.

It's a smaller theater program.

And so it wasn't like getting lost in the shuffle.

You know, these kids who go to USC and all of this, I applaud them.

They're humongous programs, you know, and it's very competitive.

And there it was a lot more nurturing.

And, you know, I was allowed to fall on my face, which I did gloriously at least 500 times.

I think that's all a part of this process.

I mean, you have to be comfortable doing that when you're creative because that's what actually stirs that energy even more.

Right?

Yes.

Let me learn from this mistake.

Let me learn from this moment on a set, on a stage, on a whatever, and figure out how to not repeat it, figure out how to strengthen this thing within me and either overcome it or you know, whatever that is, you know, and and move on.

You don't want to get stuck in that mistake.

You don't want to get stuck going, this was awful.

And, you know, that doesn't taste good, you know?

But when you learn from it and turn it into its own form of light, then you're on to something.

Well, I love how you're you're saying that, you know, it took until you got into college, but it was always there.

It just reminded you where your passion was at.

And then because you were in this nurturing environment, you were able to hone your craft and find your story.

So at what point does Michelle start telling that story based on your perspective?

my gosh.

I'm wondering if I'm yet telling it.

I think I think more because I believe that I've seen some of what you've done.

So, yes, you started the path.

I did start the path.

And I think, you know, I think as storytellers, that's ultimately where we are, no matter if you're an actor, if you're a filmmaker, if you work sound, if you work editing, like we are all so necessary together to tell these beautiful stories, you know, and those are the things that drive us.

And so I don't know, I wonder if I have yet to really tell my story, you know?

So because it is it's a process.

It's I mean, until we are not here anymore, we continually evolve and tell that story.

But I, I do see I see the story of Michelle talking about lost voices or or lost culture.

I also to see a Michelle that is taking her craft and she's taking that and she's sharing that with others.

So I'm trying to give you a heads up about it.

You're so modest, but it's amazing and I'm sure people will email me and say she was a modest but my goodness.

I looked her up.

Yeah.

So.

So tell us how it started.

You know, I when I graduated college, the next thing was Ella, it just made sense.

And so I would I came I did a ton of different types of work.

I worked assistant casting, I worked two post-production and sound jobs, like in facilities.

I'm not a sound editor.

I'm not that fancy.

But they were corporate and I was fired from both of them.

And it was great because if I would have tried to stay again in that in that space where I wasn't that creative person, wasn't the sound mixer at the board or anything, you know, So a piece of me would have died, I think, had I stayed, because I would have not ever been true to why I'm here.

But it took all of that and then and then started booking a lot of films and taking acting classes and booked a lot of films, you know, or a ton of indie films, a lot of lead roles, some starring roles and really enjoyed this process that became being in front of the camera from stage to camera.

There are two different things, you know, and so getting to experience that and then I hit a blip, a little tiny blip called cancer, and I won, thank goodness.

Here we are.

And then I had this great joy of becoming a parent.

And then I had an even greater joy and and journey of becoming a single parent.

So when that all started taking place, acting shifted and I started to go, ha!

And then I had some conversations that led to a film called Edge that I directed that is a documentary about Native American language preservation through a friend of mine.

And that film took me on a very it's a way deeper understanding, and it took me home.

It took me to back to New Mexico to shoot and to speak to a lot of really incredible human beings and start to understand a speck, a grain of sand, speck of the importance of native languages, and the importance of supporting our native brothers and sisters in preserving their language and preserving their culture.

I'm not here to save anything.

I'm not here to save anybody and barely save a dollar.

When I go to the grocery store.

I'm not here to save anything, you know, that's not it.

But to educate and inspire has become a really big part of my path.

And that includes being an acting teacher and an acting coach because, you know, I've learned so much on my own journey.

And to turn around and very much the person who's going to take everything that I've learned and turn around and go, okay, how can I put what I know into some form of message of action so that somebody else can benefit from things I've experienced and classes I've taken And you know, Well.

You talked about the class, and that's so important because that's what strength is.

Your craft.

yeah.

What I also hear too, is how you've looked at how your story is being told in the journey that you lived, you know, through the age of fighting cancer and winning, through, you know, becoming a mother, that's like the greatest gift.

That's the greatest gig Ive ever had in my life.

It's something about that you just feel complete.

And then, you know, being that single mom and knowing that you are everything to that, that wonderful life that you've given, that you use, that you think because you're so creative, you think that gives you a different idea of how to use that.

So when you approach films or ideas, just like you do with Edge, you look at it from a different point of view.

Sometimes I do, you know, as as we all travel through time and space with our individual journeys, right?

We, we look around and it gives us a specific perspective.

And, and so I have a perspective of there's been there's been times and places and people and circumstances and things, right?

These life things that kind of press us.

We're women, you know, not to be, you know, we're women, but like women have a very specific pressure against them.

You're not tall enough, you're not short enough, you're not thin enough, you're not big enough, you're not this like.

And so we have this stuff, right?

So it's just as women in the world, we have a specific perspective of how we go forth with things.

And so life experiences and these wonderful things, you know, heartache, gut wrenching heartache, Right.

Can become its own magic when we lean into the lessons, when we lean into not why did this happen to me, but we lean into this.

What are the lessons here?

I experienced love.

My God, I didn't even believe in love three months before that.

And yet there, there it was.

I experienced it, you know, and you get to learn the lessons that each opportunity is given you in order to be stronger and pass it on to somebody else.

Like that, to me is the greatest gig in life.

That's the gig with parenthood, you know, It's the gig with my my acting students, my clients.

That's the gig with films, you know, that I direct.

I directed a a comedy called Deeply Superficial.

It is so much fun.

It is so silly.

It's this beautiful Melrose Place type comedy.

And we shot a basically a spec pilot 18 minutes long.

And it was a wonderful journey.

It was my first narrative directing and I was able to use even some of my darkest moments to give comedy with these amazing actors and make funny things happen.

You know, they bring their comedy chops.

I bring like my crazy Michelle chops as the director.

They meet in the middle and it's this wonderful experience.

Yeah.

I can't believe our time has gone by so fast.

Yeah, but you promise you'll come back?

Yes, please.

As you move forward with your documentary And also, too, with this pilot was a pilot that.

Yeah, yeah.

We want we want to talk more about it.

But we'll give our audience a little bit a taste of it while we were talking tonight.

But before we move on, you have this incredible acting studio and so I want you to let us know how our audience can find you, because they're going to be interested.

And even if they're not thinking about doing acting, but there's so much that you can learn just to help in your everyday life by taking classes like that.

Thank you.

Yes, absolutely.

Absolutely.

I have a very simple website.

MichelleTomlinson.net.

Rrrpt!

All the things are there.

Shared as well.

Thank you.

Thank you, Michelle.

I mean, it was really I wanted to tear up sometimes because of how you have actually used your experiences to create your craft, but also to how you just spent 13 minutes encouraging not only me, but our audience as well, too.

So, so appreciate you spending time with me tonight.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And you'll be back, right?

Yes, please.

Absolutely.

And thank you for joining us on, everybody with Angela Williamson.

Viewers like you make this show possible, Join us on social media to continue this conversation.

Good night and stay well.

The $75,560, the yearly cost to educate a child in elementary school is $11,440.

The average cost of dream world education arts programing for children for one year, $150.

Is it worth $150 to save a child living in the inner city in Los Angeles from despair?

How do you inspire them?

Give them self-confidence and an incentive to learn?

How do you give them hope?

Can the arts do all that?

Yes, they can.

But funding for the arts tells us we live in a system where the arts are not a priority.

We believe that arts for children is a small investment that causes a ripple effect, a ripple effect that can change the world.

Hi, I'm Angela Williamson, host of Everybody With Angela Williamson.

Thank you for watching.

COX If you enjoy my show as well as all the other shows here on KLCC, please consider supporting the station.

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