The Kid’s Got Talent

Getting a New Perspective

with Ian Briceno

Welcome back, Rollers and Posers, to the official blog for DEATH’S VISAGE! About time we get rolling again, right? With much excitement, we got in touch with Ian Briceno, the talented actor who portrayed Timothy Kinney on-screen. While he relived his experience on-set of the production, we could almost feel like we were right there with him seeing it happen right before our eyes! The kid’s got talent, that’s for sure! Check out what he said below:

What’s your fondest memory of filming DEATH’S VISAGE?

“Probably the special effect makeup because not only was it the day after my birthday, but it also looked really cool, and I really enjoyed how it helped me get into character.”

What prompted you to pursue an acting career?

“Ever since I was three, I have wanted to act in movies, so I started to take acting classes at six—” (WOW) “—and just kept going. I’ve been to so many cool places because of it.” (You go, Ian!)

What did you do to get in the headspace of your character?

“It didn’t necessarily take me anything to get in the headspace of Timothy because from the beginning of the filming process I felt a connection to this character and his personality. On the days that I was playing a different side of Timothy, though, the special effects make up definitely helped me get in that headspace.”

Who is your mentor, and what advice did they give you?

“I’ve had many mentors in my acting career, but some of the best advice I’ve really gotten is to keep going if you make a mistake because it’s not like the audience is ever going to know, and sometimes the best takes are the ones you improvise.” (Mic drop.)

What’s one positive thing you can think of from the DV set?

“One positive thing I can think on the DV set is that all of the actors were so good. They were really in character and were always ready when they needed to be. It taught me that I needed to be prepared, and I got to learn a lot from being directed by Mark and also from the DP, who helped me understand the camera and blocking.”

What methods did you use to memorize your lines?

“To memorize my lines, all I did was just read through them every night (even when I wasn’t shooting) and then rehearse them a lot once I got closer to the shoot day.” (You heard it here straight from the actor, himself: repetition is key!)

What do you think is the best way to receive criticism?

“The best way to take criticism is to use it to improve and get better.”

What’s one fun thing you did exploring your character?

“Some fun things I did when exploring my character was really getting to know him and his personality, to be able to connect to him. He has a very creepy smile, so I spent a lot of time practicing that smile, and I would scare everyone in my family by constantly talking to them as Timothy from the painting world.”

What are some lessons you learned from playing Timothy?

“At the end of the movie, I had to do a scene that was very emotional, and I had never done that before. I thought a lot about things that made me very sad in the days before the shoot so that I could make sure that Timothy felt those things on camera. That was really hard.” 

Do you have a favorite accent to use when acting?

“I can’t do many accents, but the funnest one to do is probably my country/southern accent.”

What is your dream role as an actor?

“My dream role would probably be to play on the show similar to Stranger Things, considering the fact that it’s my most favorite show. I’ve watched it since I was six, and I love the actors. It’s what really got me excited about acting. I would really want to work with a group of young actors on a series like that.”

And with your talent, Ian, we have no doubt you will do just that!

It is truly inspiring to hear from our cast and crew, and this is definitely one to remember. We wish the best of luck to everyone who has contributed their time and talent to this project as we could not have done it without you…

…Wait, did you think that was the final post? We’re only getting started! Be sure to keep up to date with DV’s social media accounts as well as the website for any blog posts or Twitch stream updates. Until next time!