Acting Coach on Set of Movie “Not Ready”

Acting Coach on Set of Movie “Not Ready”

We all know that when groups of people get together and function as a team, there are some people that stand out from the group. Like a captain on a sports team or a valuable player. It doesn’t lessen the spirit of the team when it happens. In fact it strengthens the team, and the other team players have a role model or a new drive to excel to the position, or beyond, of the person that stands out.

Director Matthew Marshall mentoring actor Bree Hamilton.
[Photo by Louise McBride]

Bree Hamilton is one of those actors. During the shooting of the film “Not Ready”, director Matthew Marshall kept speaking about Hamilton.

The Production Team is trained to watch for raw talent from any extras. There are signs from these “yet to be cast in bigger role” actors. At iFilmGroup we don’t think of extras having a “small, unimportant role”. Every role contributes to the finished product.

If you look hard enough, one can find the hidden gem or sparkle of a star yet to be born.

Matthew Marshall gives testament to this. When operating a few years ago through his m & s Marshall Productions, he encountered a young extra in a movie he was working on. He knew she had something that was special, and it was natural talent of expression and a mind-set to take on hard to play characters.

iFilmGroup’s Acting Coach and actor- Helena Rose coaching Bree Hamilton on the set of “Not Ready”.[Photo by Louise McBride]

After being cast in many roles and some leads, this actor is also an acting coach and teaching young actors like Hamilton, how to take on the role. Helena Rose, plays a dog walker in the movie, “Not Ready”.

While on the set, Rose helped Hamilton. Hamilton was scheduled two different days of shooting to play a PSW in the movie. The director Matthew Marshall told the other Production Team Leaders, "We are watching a star in the making.”

Don Hickey, iFilmGroup’s Community Engagement Manager said, “It would be great to see these two actors excel in the industry and, we today, on this set have both of them together, working in the same movie.

Helena Rose applying make-up on actor Lee Highgate.
[Photo by Louise McBride]

One will quickly learn if you are ever on a movie set of m & s Marshall Productions and along side, the support organization of iFilmGroup, that there is respect and honor towards the goals of others.

This summer had many high temperature and humid days. One can tell, just from the Production Team that they are all proud of the work of all actors and crew, along with all the family members and supporters of this film. Many times actors held more jobs than acting. Helena Rose was doing make-up on actors and keeping the canine actor in a happy state.

Both co-founders of iFilmGroup, Matthew Marshall and Don Hickey love it when people in their group anticipate the needs of others and attend to the job without being asked.

Hickey says, “Here we are producing movies that people care about and involve people (for some) whom otherwise would never have the opportunity to act or be on crew in a movie, and we do it as volunteers.

There are costs, and we try to cover expenses, but our purpose is not to make a profit. Our purpose is to make award winning movies that include all ages, especially youth and seniors working together.

Hickey likes to ask… “What did your kids do this summer?” I know iFilmGroup kids had good fun and took on new skills. Skills like…

• Presentation

• Timing

• Speaking with movement for auditions

• Building pose

• Confidence.

• Memorization of lines.

• Control

• Improved attitude

• Working with a team.
  And best of all… learning to be humble and also forgiveness.

Think about it for a minute! Humble, because you might fluff a line and have to do it over again. Forgiveness, when your line is perfect, but the actor playing opposite you fluff their line and you have to retake the shot or somebody spoils the take with a cough or sneeze during a take.

“Quiet on the set” is another favourite of Hickey’s. Mouths closed and cell phones are off. Yes, parents, they can do it, it’s expected on a movie set. They also learn about patience…. they have to wait quietly between scenes.

Seniors that join us on productions really enjoy working with the youth. Seniors feel young again… how good is that?

PHOTOS BY LOUISE MCBRIDE

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iFilmGroup
London ■ St. Thomas ■ Chatham-Kent
Ontario - Canada
WEBSITE - www.ifilmgroup.org