TAEM- The Arts and Entertainment Magazine originally interviewed director & producer Jason Croot for our April 2011 issue. We have recently learned that he has not rested on his laurels but has been very busy on several new projects. Jason, tell our readers about that production that you were working on during that first interview with you.

JC- Hello TAEM readers, over a year has passed since our first interview and I have learnt so much about filmmaking in that time, it’s so true that doing can be more educational than studying; I was working on Le Fear my debut feature film during the first interview.

TAEM- Tell us of its success and where it has been seen.

JC- After pulling out of a distribution deal I decided to give the film away for free online and over 10,000 have watched the film and we have had some good reviews which gave me the confidence to make a sequel.

TAEM- Since that time you have finished two more films. The first is titled Meeting Place. Tell us about this film and the theme behind it.

JC- Meeting Place  is a Coffee and Cigarettes {Jim Jarmusch} art house style film very different from my comedy films, it is set in a London Café and we filmed over 50 actors some of which take on 2 roles they strike up a conversation with their second character, we filmed character one the actor got changed and we then filmed character two the actors created their own characters and wrote their own pieces, I was very impressed by the cast and their creative minds. It’s an original 100 % improvised film created by some very good actors, the film will be released online in December and we will announce it on our Facebook page.

Which I hope your readers like.

TAEM- Describe the characters and tell us about the actors that played those roles.

JC- We have some wonderful characters created by the actors these range from friends, long lost mother and daughter. sibling rivalry, James Bond Fanatics,  relationship breakup, a couple of real nutters plus some very vivid conversations, we have a strong cast and actors that really worked on their craft, I’ve worked with several before the likes of Kyri Saphiris, Leila Reid, Denise Moreno, Victoria Hopkins, Ksenia Kaas, Videlle Shah Thomas, Catherine Balavage, Tony Resta and Claudia Coulter, I also like to work with actor’s making their acting debut’s in feature films as often these actors really display fantastic debuts we have Catalina Caraus a pop singing sensation, fresh out of drama school actors Roxy Sternberg, Nicholas Gauci, Sophia Konstantellou and Joanna Finata and the rest of the cast such as Tom Bonington, Mia Vore and  Alexandra Salafranca have some good acting credits behind them.

TAEM- We understand that you not only directed this film, but that you played a role in it as well. Please tell our readers about how you were able to wear both hats and how doing so gave you a deeper insight to this film.

JC- I love acting and Improvisation is my thing I couldn’t resist having an almost silent cameo playing alongside Dana Zatkova-Gordon

An actress I believe you have interviewed Dana plays my wife who never shuts up even when I tell her I’m leaving her she still rabbits on, I loved directing the actors in Meeting Place and I’m sure there could be a sequel if the first movie does okay.

TAEM- Your next film, Le Fear II: Le Sequel is said to be a film within a film based on your original movie. Please give us an insight into this work and how it was related to the original production.

JC- Le Fear II: Le Sequel would have to be the film that wet’s my filmmaking appetite most of all we have a strong production team behind us in Julian Lamoral-Roberts & Steve McAleavy.

I finally had a bigger budget to work on and we had a very strong cast, it is loosely based to the first film in that Carlos Revalos the director in the film played by Kyri Saphiris decides to make a sequel, so your readers don’t get to confused we are filming a film being made! Carlos plays the director in the film he approaches a executive producer Dirk Heinz played by British TV and Film Star Andrew Tiernan, Carlos is very naïve and put’s his own money into the film his 22^nd to date which he hopes will be a blockbuster film noir film but he is given the world’s worst film producer Efi womonbongo from Nigeria the clash of personalities really creates a wonderful comedic film the characters in the film are all great and I’m very excited about this film we have already had some of the film reviewed by an huge Hollywood producer which I cannot divulge his name and he loved it we have a strong ensemble cast of TV and Film actors and if this film doesn’t do well I will quit filmmaking!!! Updates can be seen on our Facebook page.

TAEM- Are the characters and actors in this film different from the first one, and where can it be seen?

JC- Kyri Saphiris is the only guy from the original I toyed with the idea of bringing some actors from the original but when I was writing the scenes it didn’t work, when I say writing the scenes these where plots as once again this is a 100% improvised movie, we are in post production watch this space.

TAEM- Tell us about Stephen Southouse

JC- I worked with Stephen on several occasions starting with ‘Song of King Solomon’  we have very 2 different visions, Stephen’s is more artistic where as mine is more gritty drama and comedy, recently we have parted ways to work on our own films.

TAEM- Jason, we have always asked those artists that we interviewed to keep in touch with us so that we can update their stories for our readers, and you have just done that. I want to thank you for your time in this interview with our publication and wish you much luck with all your new projects.

    TAEM

Thank you for having me again

Best wishes Jay Croot
IMDB

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