In After Midnight, Catherine Annette plays a TV newscaster who poses as a stripper to find her sister’s killer. While working at the club, she quickly realizes that everyone is a suspect and that other dancers are being targeted. She must work fast to find the killer to seek her revenge before she becomes the next target. In this exclusive interview, Annette talks about working with her legendary co-stars (Richard Grieco and Tawny Kitaen), the equally well-known Fred Olen Ray, who directs, and her nerve-calming techniques when shooting racier scenes.
It has to be said – this film definitely entertains! Is that what attracted you to it in the first place, that it encompasses an enjoyable and captivating storyline?
Before I even read the script I was onboard because I love Fred Olen Ray’s work. After reading it I was even more excited because it was such a fun and exciting script. I loved the Twin Peaks feel to it and knew it would be a blast.
Was it an audition process, or did you know director Fred Olen Ray before signing on?
I worked with him on Super Shark and am honored that he called me in to work with him again. I suppose my audition was being able to convince Super shark Fans worldwide that I actually was eaten by a gigantic, school bus–‐sized flying shark.
Had you seen any of Fred’s previous movies – he’s a bit of a legend!
Yes! I love all of his movies. The crazier the better. We’re all in this business to entertain and to get people to smile, and I think he hits the nail on the head with his genre.
You’d done the comedy The Co–‐Ed and the Zombie Stoner before this; it is refreshing getting to work across different genres? And is there a genre you prefer to work in?
I actually shot this movie BEFORE Coed and the Zombie Stoner. I worked with Dylan Vox on After Midnight and he was awesome enough to call me in to audition for the Coed and the Zombie Stoner. I love all genres though. I originally got into the industry for comedy, and that will always be a favorite of mine, but I absolutely love horror movies and B movies. I’ve worked on all sorts–‐ studio films to no–‐budget films, and I have to say that there’s something to be said for the creativity and camaraderie that comes through with limited budgets and timelines. I just love a production that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Art and entertainment has a very important part in our culture, but we’re just making movies. We’re not performing heart surgery. It should be fun, and when a production is, regardless of the genre, that’s what is refreshing.
Do you get nervous doing saucy scenes? If so, what’s a good nerves–‐calming trick?
No, I don’t get nervous because everybody on this set is a professional and its part of the job. There have been sets that have been unprofessional and I see girls that are very uncomfortable, but luckily this was a crew that respects the actors. At the end of the day, it’s just work and no different from any other scene–‐ we just have to get a good performance and make the day! If there is any nervousness, I’ve found the best thing to do is to talk to a costar, acknowledge that it’s going to be really friggin’ weird, and to laugh about it.
You’re obviously very young – but I imagine you’ve seen some of Richard Grieco’s work on 21 Jump Street and Booker. As such, were you a little intimidated to work with him?
I wasn’t intimidated–‐ I was super excited! It is always great to hear that you are working with great actors because you know they will make your performance better, and you get to learn from them. Richard and Tawny were great to work with and very sweet.
You’re the star of the movie, but yet Richard and Tawny’s names are on the poster. Does it frustrate you at all? (Whatever the case, your name will be on the sequel poster for sure, right!?)
Haha! I hope there’s a sequel! I would love to murder a few more people in some form or another! It doesn’t frustrate me at all. They’ve worked hard and sacrificed to become legends in another! It doesn’t frustrate me at all. They’ve worked hard and sacrificed to become legends in about it. If I wanted to, I could get raw files of all the posters of the movies that I’ve been in, photoshop my face and name on them, hang them in foyer, and drink tea amongst them in the morning, but that’s not why I’m in this business.
How important a marketing tool do you think the internet is in promoting independent movies?
Internet marketing is one of the most powerful tools available today, if done correctly. In studio and larger scale films, more money than most people realize is budgeted to marketing and advertising. It’s hard to come up with even a fraction of that money in independent films, so it is necessary to come up with creative ways to promote the movies. Social Media is a great way and inexpensive avenue. It’s great that Fred Olen Ray already has such a large fan base–‐ all he has to do is post something online and it creates a great buzz.
I see that you’ve also written a couple of short films. Are you writing anything at the moment?
Yes–‐I’m writing the full length feature of Fairar Days, which is going to be very absurd and fun to shoot, plus a couple other comedies in the bag that we are pushing to pre–‐production. I also just worked on edits of the script “Not So Fast My Tooth is Loose” by the hilarious Tony Roberts. We just started post production, and I can’t wait to see the finished product.
After Midnight releases on VOD October 28
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