This Week with Jasmin Arroyo and Dan Ingram…
On This Special Edition
of #TwitchTuesday:
A BTS Look with DEATH’S VISAGE Actress, Jasmin Arroyo, and First AC, Dan Ingram.
In case you missed this week’s #TwitchTuesday, we sat down with Jasmin Arroyo, who played Elise on DEATH’S VISAGE, and Dan Ingram, the film’s first AC to hear a little bit about what their takes were on shooting the film and how to best go about filming for aspiring filmmakers.
For Jasmin, a quick TV show was all it took for her to realize she wanted to try her hand at a career in acting. She recalled the way the show affected her and how “it” just clicked in her head as this was what she was missing in her life. The show not only evoked emotion but also proved to her what she wanted to do for people; entertain. Having her focus split between family, children, and the further responsibilities of holding a job made her path into acting rather challenging; however, her recent film experiences show just how resiliency and dedication can get you! Fast forward to being on-set with DEATH’S VISAGE, she recalled some of her favorite experiences during the interview, namely with the makeup crew, commenting on cool is was to watch everyone transform into their characters before her eyes. While makeup may have helped her to get into the physical aspect of her character, she described how she activate her mom energy to get into the headspace of “these are my kids, and I’m going to treat them like my kids.” Additionally, just like a real life family, she convinced herself that her cast mates were far from strangers but instead family members to help her achieve the feelings of familiarity and comfort. Her attitude to help her get in character? “They’re going to do what Mom (and Wife) said.”
For our aspiring actors and actresses out there, Jasmin offers the following advice:
Allow your inner chid to reappear. While she said her “mentor” was the acting class she took, she remembers the teacher telling her to not get bogged down by all of the judgement and limitations of the world and to allow your inner child breathe into the art.
Focus on what you need to do. The amount of time and dedication to putting a film together can be overwhelming; it is take after take after take, but if you love it, you are thankful for getting that day done and then move onto the next one.
Pay attention to your movements in front of the camera. Blocking can both improve and hinder an actor’s performance, so when on camera be sure to keep in mind where you’ll be best for the lens and keep things concise.
Do what’s best for the film. As Jasmin said, herself, “Yeah, it can be shocking (to see certain scenes removed), but it is neat to see how everything turned out in the end. Do what’s best for the film, and in the end it will be great.”
Work hard, and give it your all. “Have passion for the film, and know that it won’t always be perfect. You won’t always get it done right the first time, but if you just keep persisting, remember than everyone there is still learning and growing as filmmakers. You are in it together.”
To connect with Jasmin, follow her Instagram account at @jas_sotomayor.
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Annnnnnd now for Dan Ingram to take the spotlight! First AC and all-time fan of the film, little does everyone know that he only spent a few weeks working closely with the DP on the visual style of the film. A little of his talent, though, definitely went a long way! From loving the view of the special effects makeup to watching the actors flip the emotional switch in a split second, the introduction to the characters in the film were his favorite moments within the project to shoot. Although they were subtle, they were incredibly layered. On the other hand, though, certain scenes were challenging to film, such as when they were zooming in on a dolly toward the lead actress’s ear and went from a medium into a closeup shot. It was very surreal, and communication was key, but for a weird setup for a weird shot, it all paid off in the end. Even Dan said, despite the challenges, it was really cool to see and shoot!
When it comes to filming, though, any camera just won’t do. Dan mentioned how he just upgraded to the Black Magic 4k camera, and although it is on the cheaper end of the professional standard, it is incredibly user friendly and shoots in 4K with a big LCD screen and a good lens. As someone who likes being experimental when filming, it is also relatively small, which proves to be beneficial for those awkward angles.
As most camera crews know, weather can be a pain, especially if the project is taking place in Florida. According to Dan, LIGHTING IS EVERYTHING. “It is so crazy important [and it] communicates everything about the shot. You’re on thin ice if you are in Florida. You’ll get the white balance, exposure, focus, everything you need, annnd all of the sudden everything is blue because, well, it’s Florida. You readjust and then it starts all over again.” Too bad we can’t control the sun. He advises, though, to just work with what you’ve got. Additionally, we learned that indoor shots are definitely easier since the outdoors can cause the lenses to fog up, the cameras to overheat, etc. Nature sure is great, but sometime not in Florida!
As we neared the end of our time with these talented filmmakers, we asked Dan what he learned while working on DEATH’S VISAGE. The first thing he said? You could tell how important it was to the crew. It was deep rooted with connections to Tommy Castillo, whose spirit could be felt throughout the entire production. This was not just a film; this was something being done on a very personal level. Additionally, he was happy to see this great example of a power film and just how much it can mean to the people creating it. No wonder the cast and crew have become like family!
Finally, Dan’s advice to the future filmmakers of the world… “It is important to get on-set, do Facebook and GroupMe, and network. Just go for it! As long as you’re there and care about [the project], you’ll do fine.” CREW MEMBERS, always have tape and a sharpie on you (just a heads up!) Most importantly, though, “work as a unit [and] be someone who’s fun to work with.”
If you want to work with Dan or check out his socials, you can find him here
Instagram: The.DanIngrams
Website: www.Dan Ingrams.carrd.co
YouTube: Dan Ingram
