Today's interview is with actor/producer Cary Woodworth. His film the
Beginning and the End, is currently screening at select theaters in New
York. Cary has also acted in some Mandarin language films in China. Check
out his imdb profile.
Justin Samuels: You produced The Beginning and the End. Was this the first film you
produced?
CW: No. I produced several shorts and a feature before that. Funny enough,
this was the first film that I produced remotely! I was in China acting in
a TV show at the same time that we shot the film. So I met everyone in
person months later!
JS:Can you say anything about The Beginning and the End plot?
CW: Yes. It's the story of a couple and key points that shaped their
relationship together. And it's told in a very brilliant way: The
beginnings of those moments and then the ends of the same moments.
JS: How do you like producing as opposed to acting?
CW: I don't enjoy producing as a whole. And I love and NEED to act. However, I
love to help people, develop stories, connect dots and raise money
though..so I will keep doing that and in that end I will continue to
produce, but I know what I need to do and living the life of the character
is an ultimate joy for me. Producing is by far the most challenging job.
It requires you to be mommy, daddy, organizer and leader of the group at
the same time. Can be very rewarding though..knowing you produced this!
JS:How did you learn acting? Did you take lessons, study it formally at the
university, etc.?
CW: I studied at Mason Gross and Meisner at the William Esper Studio and later
scene study with various teachers including Gene Loesser, Wynn Handman and
now Mimi Lieber. But life definitely helped!
JS: How did you like your part Jake in Last American Guido? There you play a
crew member trying to exploit the lead character Tommy. Was it a fun role?
CW: It was alot of fun! I got to work with Christian Pedersen playing a pair
of goofy reality show crew trying to get anything we can and doing whatever
it takes. We were separate from the rest of the film but almost every
scene because we were capturing it so we had our own funny storyline going
on at the same time whether or not the camera was capturing it!
JS:The Honeymoon Suite screened at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival, right? What
was it like having your work shown at Tribeca?
CW: Yes, but I've had my work screened at Tribeca before. A film called "Three
Wheels". But it is awesome to have a film that plays in your town. Your
family and friends can mob the theater. And Tribeca is such a great
festival. From the programming to the staff and parties!
JS: Have any of your films been screened at other film festivals? If so which
ones?
CW: Honeymoon Suite went on to screen at maybe 50 film fests: Tribeca, Palm
Springs, London, France, Italy, Hollyshorts, etc!
I've done features and shorts that have screened in festivals literallyvall around the world. Here's a few:
Rule of Three
Three Wheels
Red Doors
JS: What's the importance of having your work screened at a film festival?
CW: It's important. It gives people to see a film that wouldn't normally get
the chance to have a regular screening to screen for an audience.
JS: What is Honeymoon Suite about?
CW: A hotel manager at high level hotel in Beijing, China must tame an
American guest who is not at all what he appears to be.
JS:What was it like learning Mandarin? You're getting a number of parts in Chinese films. What's it like working in Chinese films?
CW: I never formally learned Mandarin. I learned it on set, and from Chinese drama scripts I worked on in Mainland China. I speak, write and type but always am learning. Working on Chinese films is a lot like working on an indie film in the US that's exciting to make but the conditions are much rougher.
JS: You've done a lot of acting, and you just produced a film. Is there anything else you might try your hand at in film?
CW: Possibly directing when I'm 73!
JS: You're in a film that's in post production called Julia. Any comments on this film or the character you play in it?
CW: I play Scott, a high and mighty, trust fund Med Student that rapes a girl. Scott is pure evil and he eats that for breakfast.*
JS: What other upcoming projects should we look out from you?
I just wrapped a feature film, a dance film called Beijing Carmen that I
shot in Beijing and Yunnan China. I played the lead, Cohen, a dancer and
choreographer. I'm not a dancer so it was quite a feat! It should play
worldwide. I also will be the lead in the feature CL28 which will shoot in
NYC in September this year. Also look out for Laura Point by Daniel
Antebi!
JS: Any advice for those who wish to get into acting or film in general?
CW: You got to have strong skin for the business of it. But always regularly
check yourself and remember why you're doing it and have fun.
CW: It's important. It gives people to see a film that wouldn't normally get
the chance to have a regular screening to screen for an audience.
JS: What is Honeymoon Suite about?
CW: A hotel manager at high level hotel in Beijing, China must tame an
American guest who is not at all what he appears to be.
JS:What was it like learning Mandarin? You're getting a number of parts in Chinese films. What's it like working in Chinese films?
CW: I never formally learned Mandarin. I learned it on set, and from Chinese drama scripts I worked on in Mainland China. I speak, write and type but always am learning. Working on Chinese films is a lot like working on an indie film in the US that's exciting to make but the conditions are much rougher.
JS: You've done a lot of acting, and you just produced a film. Is there anything else you might try your hand at in film?
CW: Possibly directing when I'm 73!
JS: You're in a film that's in post production called Julia. Any comments on this film or the character you play in it?
CW: I play Scott, a high and mighty, trust fund Med Student that rapes a girl. Scott is pure evil and he eats that for breakfast.*
JS: What other upcoming projects should we look out from you?
I just wrapped a feature film, a dance film called Beijing Carmen that I
shot in Beijing and Yunnan China. I played the lead, Cohen, a dancer and
choreographer. I'm not a dancer so it was quite a feat! It should play
worldwide. I also will be the lead in the feature CL28 which will shoot in
NYC in September this year. Also look out for Laura Point by Daniel
Antebi!
JS: Any advice for those who wish to get into acting or film in general?
CW: You got to have strong skin for the business of it. But always regularly
check yourself and remember why you're doing it and have fun.
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