EVAN'S BLOG - PART V

ON ACTING

I have always loved acting since I was very young. The very first time I acted was in a recreational program's production of Delia Ephron's "How to Eat Like a Child". I still remember that I had so much fun. I continued to act in every school play possible and also in a youth summer theater program, Weston Drama Workshop in plays like "The Philadelphia Story," "Carousel" and "Camelot." My director from "The Philadelphia Story" asked me if I would like to be her assistant director on a middle school's production of "The Music Man." I enjoyed this experience and learned a lot and loved working with this director, but I knew that acting was what I liked to do most.

After post-graduation studies, besides working, I began auditioning for community theaters. So far I've been cast in more than 20 productions! Since I'm I'm a huge Stephen Sondheim fan, two of my favorites have been "Into the Woods" with the F.U.D.G.E. Theater Company and "Assassins" with The Lexington Players. When I was still in school, I was also cast as Doc's assistant in "West Side Story."

Before filming began on GIRLFRIEND, I was in "The Sound of Music" by Stephen Sondheim's mentor (Oscar Hammerstein and his partner Richard Rogers). I've also performed in "Annie Get Your Gun" whose music and lyrics were by Irving Berlin, but was originally produced by Rogers and Hammerstein. I've also appeared in Rogers and Hammersteins's "Cinderella" and "Carousel."

During my filming on THE REPLACEMENT CHILD and GIRLFRIEND I've learned that acting in film is very different than acting in theater. Justin explained it to me by saying acting in theater is 'big' and acting in film is 'small' and more true to real life. There are other differences in theater and film work too. When you are in a play you perform the same story from beginning to end at every performance. When you act in a film you usually prepare for different scenes of the story each day. This was really fun and great for me. I'd get a Call Sheet the night before so I could study the script and be prepared for the scenes we'd be shooting the next day.

Some nights after shooting Justin and I would talk on the phone in case I had any questions or concerns or in case he wanted to talk some things over with me. I think these talks were helpful to both of us.

Another difference between theater and film is the time you work. Plays I've been in have performances mostly at night with a couple of daytime matinees. On a film shoot you might have to work during the day and on other shooting days you might have to stay up all night to shoot night time scenes. As I mentioned earlier, while filming GIRLFRIEND I learned that in film you usually shoot scenes out of order, because of different actor's schedules and availability to work. I usually didn't have a problem with this except on one occasion. I had shot an emotional scene at the the start of filming, but the scene that made me feel emotional was shot much later. I had a hard time when the later scene was shot because I felt my character should respond emotionally. Justin talked me through it, reminding me that when the film was edited together, the way I felt my character should respond is exactly what would be seen. This was a learning experience for me.

I love both theater and film and hope to have the opportunity to do all kinds of acting. I'd like to do more film, television and theater work. I'd like to perform in dramas, comedies, romantic comedies or maybe even a soap opera like "Days of Our Lives"! I'd even like to do commercials and voice-over work!

CLOSING

I am so glad and so lucky that Justin's family moved to Wayland in our junior year of high school and that we became friends. It touches my heart so much that Jerad, Kristina, Justin and everyone that worked on GIRLFRIEND had belief in me and gave me this amazing opportunity. The entire experience of making GIRLFRIEND has been an amazing, incredible fun experience. I loved being able to act every day, to learn so many things and to get to work with everybody who worked on the film, in front of and behind the camera! Many of them are now dear friends to me that I love very much. I have so many wonderful memories of this amazing experience, acting in what I hope is only my first feature length film.

WRAP-UP. A MESSAGE FROM EVAN:

To Our Supporters, Fans, Family and Friends:

I'm looking forward to all the fun stuff that can happen for our film GIRLFRIEND. I want to thank every single person who has donated to Indiegogo to help get our wonderful film out to as large an audience as possible. Everyone who worked on the film put a lot of effort and love into it. Each of your donations will help spread the love and help us reach our goal. Please continue to tell about GIRLFRIEND and our Indiegogo campaign. "Like" GIRLFRIEND on Facebook and post the Girlfriend-Indiegogo link (www.indiegogo.com/girlfriend-2) there too! Spread the love by continuing to get the word out to family and friends. Every little bit helps and counts.

Again, thank you all so very much for your help and generosity to help GIRLFRIEND be released in as many theaters as possible.

Remember to keep checking in here on Shaun's blog and GIRLFRIEND's official site for updates.