Joe Feldman
ED- The Eerie Digest runs across a bright new star on occasion and we would like to introduce such a person to all our readers. Joe Feldman is one of those stars. He has had ample training for his career and has appeared on screen, and will soon make his on-stage debut. Joe, tell us about your early training towards acting.
JF- Well, it’s funny you mention that. Yes, I have had training, but it has been so spread out during the course of my life that it doesn’t quite feel that way. I was actively involved with a drama and improv group when I was in middle school in India, and I took some acting and drama courses during high school, but that was many years ago. I ended up taking a hiatus from training during college, where I decided that maybe I should follow a more conventional path. I rediscovered my passion for the arts while unemployed mid-2009, started taking classes again, and the rest is history. I also strongly believe that growing up overseas has lent itself greatly to my acting career. I spent my formative years in various countries around the world and adapting to a new life every three years made it imperative that I have strong communication skills. This, overtime, translated itself into being able to accurately assess those around me. Were they worth my time or not? Did I really want these people to be my friends and why? In my opinion, figuring out what makes people tick is an inherent skill for any actor. I would not be where I am today if it hadn’t been for that skill and those experiences.
ED- Your language skills are also exemplary. How have they helped you in your career?
JF- Being fluent in Spanish and conversational in French has definitely opened up a wider array of opportunities. I have been asked to perform with a variety of accents and have been asked to audition for Spanish plays and films. Those are opportunities I would never have had otherwise. I have not yet auditioned for any French productions, but it would be great to do so at some point! Also, due to my mixed background, I still retain enough of a vague look to be able to feasibly pass off as a variety of ethnicities. Catch me when I’m tan and I can pass as Italian!
ED- You will be appearing on stage in the play ‘Gay: Accept Me If You Love Me’. Please tell us about your role in this production.
JF- Ah yes, this play has been in pre-production for well over a year and I cannot wait for it to open this summer. I cannot say much but I can say that I play the best friend of the son. The play focuses on relationships and brings to light a variety of social and marital issues. It is the inaugural production of Spotlight Comunicaciones, a Peruvian company which has many award winning theater productions in Peru. It is being directed by Gino Tasarra, an award winning director and local actor, and is being sponsored by many local businesses. The play will open July 2011, and I expect everyone there!
ED- You also appear in the webisode series ‘Hottywood Helps’. Please tell us all about this project.
JF- Hottywood Helps is the brain-child of Garfield Garner and Cherrelle Élan, the former a prominent local writer/advice columnist and the latter an LA based actress/writer/producer. I garnered one of five lead roles and had the fortune of working with a great cast and crew. In a series centered on office politics and the dangers of trusting others, the character I play happens to fancy himself as the center of mayhem. The first five episodes have been filmed, with five more scheduled to shoot soon. The first few episodes have begun the festival run and the production recently became an AFTRA signatory. Good things seem to be on the horizon for the show, so I am keeping my fingers crossed. More information on the cast and the shows upcoming release can be found at hottywoodhelps.com.
ED- In 2010 you appeared in a spate of films that included ‘Sisters’, ‘Marco Polo’, and ‘Bit by Bit’. Tell our readers about each of these projects and the roles that you performed.
JF- Sisters and Marco Polo were two of my first big productions and I really have to thank local director Monica Mingo and CEO Terrell Suggs — yes from the Ravens — of Team Sizzle Films for giving me these first opportunities. It was early in my career and I was a little green, but Monica saw something in me and gave me some of my first roles. Bit By Bit is a special project being produced by the National Community Church and directed by Jeremy Sexton. It is centered on the dreams of a comedian and his relationship with his best friend/manager. I play the latter, hoping to push my best friend to success.
ED- In this coming year you have parts in a number of productions including ‘Second World 3: Night Fall’, ‘Right To Remain Silent’, and ‘Scared of Girls’. What are the themes behind all of these and when will they be available to be seen by our readers?
JF- Second World 3 just wrapped, and is a supernatural thriller focused on the beginning of Armageddon and how a group of female soldiers are coping with the changing world. Right to Remain Silent is a drama-mystery focusing around the death of a young girl and the intense investigation that ensues. An exciting cast and crew have been assembled and production has just begun. Scared of Girls is a small short focused on the trials of early adulthood for a particularly shy and confused young man. Expect each of them to be available either late this year or early 2012.
ED- We recently did a number of articles and interviews around Roman Pictures Production, and we see that you are in two of their venues, ‘Signals 2’ and ‘Pappy’s Raiders’. Can you give us a sneak peek into these new films?
JF- As you may know, Roman Pictures is very hush hush about their work, so even though I inevitably know more than the average person, I rarely know the whole story – or even close. Signals 2 is the sequel to Roman Pictures’ award winning Signals, 2008 winner for Best Feature Film at the New York International Independent Film & Video Festival. In the sequel I play Donovan, an emotional rookie FBI agent. There are clips of Signals 2 in circulation and I encourage everyone to check them out either via Facebook or my website at joefeldman.net. Pappy’s Raiders is based on the Vietnam experiences of Jimmy ‘Pappy’ Brown, but as negotiations are still ongoing I cannot definitively say when it will be available to the public.
ED- Joe, you surely have been busy and have left no moss collected under your feet. What other kind of projects are you looking to work on in the near future?
JF- Well I’ll be auditioning for the local casting agencies and looking towards becoming a member of AFTRA and SAG as well as auditioning for new projects. 2011 has already been a productive year with role playing opportunities for government trainees and a number of military industrials lined up. I’ve built a strong foundation and have met some wonderful people in the past two years. I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for me, and I’m glad to have Eerie along for the ride.
ED- Joe we want to thank you for your time and I am sure that our readers will look to hear more from you in the future. We wish you luck in all that you do in your career and ask that you keep in touch with The Eerie Digest.
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