Part Two of Steampunk Granny's Interview of Director/Actor Patrick Devaney

                                                       

 

Hi, my little zombie snacks. I’m back with Part 2 of my interview of Director/ Actor Patrick Devaney where we learn more about the First Zombie series on television and Devaney’s character in Ryan Scott Webber’s Pretty Fine Things. Join me now as I learn more about the world of Independent Film

Marie Gilbert: “On your IMDb, it has you working with Ryan Scott Webber and Pretty Fine Things, and you are an actor in that film, right?”

Patrick Devaney: “Yes, I’m one of the leads and I play Thomas Banner, one of the three Banner brothers that are the main protagonists as well as the anti-heroes of the film. We are three brothers who are criminally insane in different ways and we come home because our dad’s health is failing, so it’s a very creepy story. We play psychopaths in it and I get to work with Joe Parascand, who I love working with. I’ve directed him before, I’ve acted with him and I love it, but I also get to work with Adam Ginsberg, who is just fantastic, so the three of us as the brothers in this movie... I hope everybody gets to see this because they are going to really enjoy it.”

                                           Patrick Devaney, Joe Parascand, Adam Ginsberg

                                                                  

Marie Gilbert: “Joe Parascand is in the film too? He’s the one that introduced me to you. He’s been very good at promoting people and he knows that anyone that he sends to me is someone that I’m excited to interview. I met Joe because of The Soulless. So...now you’re wrapping up on the Zombie Hunters: City of the Dead and I see in your bio that you do star in non-horror shows like Elementary, Law and Order, but is your love really for the horror films?”

Patrick Devaney: “I would say that up to a point, my love has always been for horror films and for sci-fi films. I find myself going more into the science fiction/fantasy realm of horrific things and my favorite director in the world is Guillermo Del Toro. I mean, I love Pan’s Labyrinth and could watch it every day, and the Hellboy movies. The things he comes up with, that dark fantasy and the science based fantasies? I love that, and I’ve been working more towards that.

My first move towards this, while we were doing the second season of Zombie Hunters, I made a short film called ‘Aemorraghe, which is a based on a story from Heavy Metal Magazine back in  1982 that I read as a teenager. I found the artist, an amazing illustrator named Caza, and got the rights to it and wrote, produced, and directed the film. It was shot by Mark Boutros and the crew from MGP, and stars Vivienne Cleary, an amazing actress that carried the weight of the film in ways I could never have even hoped for. But yes, it’s definitely the vein I want to go more into. It’s pure science fiction and science fantasy. It has some horrific elements to it in terms of theme, but overall it’s a positive film and yeah, it just got into its twenty-first film festival this year.”

Marie Gilbert: “Wow, alright.”

Patrick Devaney: “Yeah, I’m pretty happy with that.”

Marie Gilbert:  “I would want to see this.”

                                                                     

Patrick Devaney: “I’ll send you the link and the password for it and you can watch it online; the screener that the festivals watch.”

Marie Gilbert: “Okay and you have to let us know how it does at the festival. When is the festival?”

Patrick Devaney: “The next festival that we know it’s in will be the Patterson Film Festival this Spring. It’s already done twenty others since it premiered at the Macabre Faire Film Festival last January, and I’m waiting to hear from about forty other festivals it’s running for over the rest of its public run. We tried to book it in two-hundred-fifty of them. We got about a twelve percent acceptance rate, which is pretty good.”

Marie Gilbert: “I would say so. Now, what was the film that hooked you onto horror and science fiction as a child?”

Patrick Devaney: “Whenever I talk about this, I always blame my mom. When I was an infant, she would sit me up in front of the T.V. with her and watch the original Dark Shadows first run. As I was growing up, I would sit next to her and she would explain, ‘Okay, now that’s Barnabas and he’s a vampire and Angelique is a witch,” etc. And, what’s really cool is that I just got to meet Sharon Smyth who played Sarah Collins in the show! I got to tell her that story and that was very cool. She’s a wonderful lady and if you can meet her, she’s amazing. It started for me from there and for horror stuff, but the first movie I remember seeing on television that really scared the hell out of me was a T.V. movie called Let’s Scare Jessica to Death.”

Marie Gilbert: “I think I remember that one.”

Patrick Devaney: “It was a weird movie about vampires and had a very strange take on them and it scared the hell out of me. But, for the sci-fi stuff I grew up watching Star Trek even the first run Star Trek, and before Star Wars came out, there was a wonderful show that came out of England called Space 1999. It stared Martin Landau and Barbara Bain from Mission:Impossible and it was a beautiful science fiction show on BBC in 1975 and that hooked me into sci-fi instantly and then two years later, Star Wars came out and I was done, totally addicted. I was a nine year old kid watching Star Wars and saying, “Okay, I’m done. You can end it now, I’m good!”

So yeah, that strange combination of character-driven horror and over-the-top science-fiction, I always try to combine those two things and hopefully, I can be doing this for the rest of my life.”

Marie Gilbert: “You write a lot of the scripts, so you’re a writer, director, actor and producer, so what hat do you like to wear the most?”

Patrick Devaney: “Currently, I really enjoy being someone else for a while and, I enjoy acting in different things. I get to work at least one if not two days a week on different network television shows, mostly as background and sometimes featured roles, but mostly general background. I get to watch those kinds of crews again, and that helps me in being a director because now I can see what actors really need from their crews and their director. I’m really enjoying that a lot right now and also to be able to work with guys like Joe Parascand and Adam Ginsberg and to act with that level of ability; to work with those guys and bounce back and forth from them? That was just a total gift.

        Photo courtesy of photographer John Sheehan                                                       

But I really love doing it all. For example, I’m currently writing a web series that we will start filming in May with an upcoming producer named Lauren Loizidis.  We created this fictionalized version of Mastic, New York, called “Mastic PD”, where all these strange kinds of things go on and we are members of the police department and have to investigate them. This is a project based off characters from the Ormsby’s Cinema Insane universe, created by John Sheehan. I’ve been writing that with her for maybe three months, but she’s also one of the new Zombie Hunters, so it’s very interesting. I get to direct her in scenes, but she’s also my new writing partner. It’s an interesting dynamic where we are wearing different hats with each other now; a different way of doing it. But, I work some aspect of this every single day. I’m doing some kind of production every day and I do write every day, even if it’s just a note to myself saying ‘make sure you finish that story about the cop that did this…’. Yeah it’s a daily task, but I love it.”

I'll be stopping part two here, my little zombie snacks and returning on Tuesday with part three of my interview with Independent Director/ Actor Patrick Devaney. Don't be late. There is more to learn.

Pretty Fine Things

                                                         

My friend Ryan Scott Weber is doing a kickstarter for a new picture called Pretty Fine Things. One of the stars is a good friend of mine, Joe Parascand and he shared a synopsis with me on what the movie would be about. Check it out and then check out the information for the Kickstarter. Tell Ryan that Steampunk Granny sent you.

                                                           
                                                                        

Synopsis: When the search for a missing girl turns up empty, her friends encounter 3 serial killers that may be involved in her disappearance. Joe Parascand, Edward X Young, and Patrick Devaney will play the 3 serial killers who are brothers in this film. It will be the first time that all 3 of them will be together in the same scenes in any given project. Joe has been most known for the Mary Horror/Sheriff Tom trilogy as well as another trilogy of films called THE SOULLESS. Edward has been known for over 60 films, including Mr. Hush and the Green Monster.

                                                            

He has also had great roles in Sheriff Tom vs the Zombies, Witches Blood, and Zombies Incorporated - all Ryan Scott Weber projects. Patrick has been most known for his web series, Zombie Hunters: City of the Dead (filming of episode 11 for this series should be this fall and Joe will have a role in it), his short film, Aemorraghe, and he, too, has had great roles in Sheriff Tom vs Zombies, Witches' Blood, and Zombies Incorporated. Add to the above the facts that you'll see some creepy twists and turns and wind up with a dark film that will be as fun to watch as Ryan, his cast, and crew will have had making it.                                                                         

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Ryan Scott Weber

Phone: (908) 644-8712

Email: weberpicturescompany@gmail.com

 

Anticipated NEW FILM from

RYAN SCOTT WEBER

‘PRETTY FINE THINGS’

LAUNCHES ON KICKSTARTER

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ryanscottweber/pretty-fine-things

Weber Pictures Company has announced a fundraising Campaign on Kickstarter.com for its

new film, PRETTY FINE THINGS.

Planned to all be filmed in New Jersey in October of 2014.

From Ryan Scott Weber, the writer and director of the 'Mary Horror Trilogy’ comes the

horror/suspense thriller 'Pretty Fine Things'!  When the search for a missing girl turns up

empty, her friends decide to take matters into their own hands, but what they encounter is

much more than they bargained for.

Owner Ryan Scott Weber (Born February 24, 1980) is an American film director, screenwriter,

producer, cinematographer, actor, editor and musician.  Ryan Scott Weber has had his films

spotlighted at the biggest Horror convention on the east coast: CHILLER THEATRE!  All three of

Weber's films have screened to SOLD OUT crowds at CHILLER THEATRE and Weber has also been

one of their featured guests.  The extent of what Weber has done in the last three years is

extravagant.  He has completed three feature films each for under 5,000 dollars, a TV series, and a

short film.  It’s amazing what can be done with a budget this small.  Weber Pictures Company and Atomic

Kid Productions is located in Bernardsville, New Jersey.  Weber also plays the drums and

previously released two albums with the Trustkill Records Band Crash Romeo with the first being in 2006 and the other in 2008.

 

Weber has a distinctive directorial style.  He manages to make what appear to be big budget movies for little money.  Weber’s first feature film, Mary Horror, was released in 2012 with the sequel, Sheriff

Tom Vs. the Zombies, released in 2013.  The final installment, Witches Blood, and the short film, The Legend of Zeke, were released in early 2014.

 

“We are ready to take Weber Pictures Company to the next level by making a film with a proper

budget, which will allow it to become the best one possible.” 

 

Other conventions that Weber has attended are Monster Mania, Philly Comic Con, BizarreAC, and Parafest, to name a few. Weber's second film, Sheriff Tom Vs.The Zombies, was also a selection of The NJHORRORFEST in New Jersey and MACABRE FAIRE FILM FESTIVAL in Long Island. "We are at a point now where we are ready to make something really great" said Weber about his newest film, Pretty Fine Things.

 

We need your help to spread the word! www.facebook.com/prettyfinethingsmovie   FOLLOW us

on Twitter via @Weberpictures, @ryanscottweber to stay involved.  Tell friends, co-workers and

classmates!  Be apart of Indie Horror history. . www.weberpicturescompany.com

 

###

For additional information, please contact Ryan Scott Weber at maryhorror@gmail.com

 

Steampunk Granny Chats with Actress Kaylin Iannone from The Soulless

                                                                      

 

Thanks to Joe Parascand who played Sgt. Benton in the film The Soulless, and Christopher Eilenstine, the director of The Soulless, I was introduced to one of the younger actresses on the set, Kaylin Iannone.

                                                                            

The Soulless is a story about the apocalypse, but with a new type of zombie and stars Jason Propst, Jennifer Teska, Michael Chartier and Jeff Caplan. Kaylin Iannone stars as Nicole Peterson at the age of twelve.

What’s it like for a young girl to be in a zombie movie and surrounded by the shuffling dead?  Find out with my interview with Kaylin and her mother, Kelly.

                                                                      

                                       Kaylin and Mom on set of Law and Order

Marie Gilbert: “How did Kaylin get started in acting?”

Kelly Karaban Iannone: “Kaylin was doing karate and was doing well with that and we went to watch a demonstration; a karate team. While we were there, there was a theatre company and they were doing a review of a show they were currently putting up. She was only six at the time.

So, we spoke to the owner of the theatre and we asked him what happens and how does this work and he told us to come out for auditions. I started following their webpage and we went over for the auditions for The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Kaylin got a small part. She was a little forest animal in that first show. Kaylin started doing theatre from there. Kaylin loved it so much that my husband and I got her an acting coach just to help her audition better; never looking for anything to happen with it, but at the end of the session, the coach said, “I want her to see this manager.”

We met with Eileen DeNobile and Kaylin was signed up. Kaylin has done voice overs and has been on Law and Order, but it really started with stage and Kaylin has twenty one shows under her belt and she’s in rehearsals for her school play, The Little Mermaid and she is playing the part of Ursula. Kaylin is so excited about this part; she wanted it so bad.”

Marie Gilbert: “So Kaylin does more stage than film?”

Kelly Karaban Iannone: Yes, it keeps her busy. It gives her something to do and it’s with a nice group of kids. Even when she’s done shows with adults, it’s always a nice group of people. Kaylin can just as easily have a conversation with a four year old as she can with a sixty year old.

Neither one of my kids will ever be afraid to stand up in front of people and talk. I remember being their age having to do an oral report; I was sick to my stomach, but not Kaylin. She’s not afraid to talk in front of people. She started acting at six and can continue until she’s ninety-six; it’s a nice hobby.”

Marie Gilbert: “How did Eileen DeNobile help Kaylin get parts?”

Kelly Karaban Iannone: “She helped Kaylin get the voice over for the National Forestry Association and a speaking part on Law and Order.”

Marie Gilbert: “What was her part?”

Kelly Karaban Iannone: “She played the part of Tina, a student of a piano teacher who was accused of murder. The title of that episode was “Totem.”

Marie Gilbert: “Has Kaylin in other movies besides The Soulless?”

Kelly Karaban Iannone: “Kaylin and her younger sister, Carlee, just did a short called the Legend of Zeke. It’s like Frosty the Snowman meets the zombies. Ryan Scott Weber is the director of that.

Marie Gilbert: “I just did an interview on Ryan.”

Kelly Karaban Iannone: “Yes, I read it.”

Marie Gilbert: “How did she get the part for a zombie movie The Soulless?”

                                                                            

Kelly Karaban Iannone: “Well she had done some webisodes for Christopher Eilenstine and he liked her work. He was going to use Kaylin in another movie Dahkranon Rising falling, but that was put on hold and he approached us about The Soulless. Even though Kaylin and I would watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer together, I was concerned because Kaylin is not a scary movie kid. But she got to see how they put the zombies together and watched as they put on their makeup.

                                                                    

                                                                      

She saw the cast before and after makeup, and plus, Christopher explained the whole premise of the show to her and she liked being the heroine and kicking butt. There was this one part where the other little girl, Alexandria Gonzalez who plays Melisa was attacked…and it…was… very upsetting. The other girl’s mother and I had to leave the set during that scene; we could not watch it.

Marie Gilbert: “How did this scene affect Kaylin and Alexandria?”

                                                                      

Kelly Karaban Iannone: “It was rough, but Kaylin and Alexandria would get themselves in the mode. Kaylin did what she had to do and so did Alexandria. The two of them did an excellent job and you could see that they are friends and it showed in the movie. They are troopers and never complained.

Marie Gilbert: “What were the hours like while filming? Did it interfere with her schooling?”

Kelly Karaban Iannone: “No, Chris was always good about working around her schedule because Kaylin knows that school comes first. There were days we started early in the morning and worked until late and days that were really cold, but she had a great time.

Marie Gilbert: “How old is Kaylin?”

Kelly Karaban Iannone: “Kaylin is fourteen now, but when she started the movie she was only twelve. She’s five foot eight now, but when the movie began she was only five foot five.

Marie Gilbert: “The other actors were older than her. How did they relate to Kaylin?”

                                                                       

Kelly Karaban Iannone: “Jason Propst who played her father in the movie is like an older brother to her. That had a fantastic relationship. He’s moving to Colorado and I know Kaylin is going to be devastated when he does.

Marie Gilbert: “Before we get Kaylin on the conference call, what are your plans for her future as far as education?”

Kelly Karaban Iannone: “I just want her happy. If this is something she wants to do, then I’ll do what I can to help her, but my thing has always been about the acting that it’s a fantastic hobby, but it’s a hard life. You don’t have to be in front of the camera to be a star; she could do editing, teaching drama, video production, makeup like on Face Off.

 

Kelly calls Kaylin on a conference call

Marie Gilbert: “Hi Kaylin. I was chatting with your mom on her thoughts about your part in The Soulless and now I get to question you.”

Kaylin Iannone: “Hi.”

Marie Gilbert: “Kaylin which do you enjoy more, stage or film?”

Kaylin Iannone: “I love going on stage because you get one shot and one shot only because you don’t get to do takes over and over again, but then on film; you do get to do it over until you get it right. This is the first film that I’ve ever done, so I think that I’m going to start leaning towards film.”

 Marie Gilbert: “What was it like for you to be in a zombie movie? You started when you were twelve, so what was it like on that first day knowing that this was a scary movie?”

Kaylin Iannone: “Absolutely amazing. There were so many people there, and the makeup and the cameras, I said “I feel like a movie star and this is so cool.”

Marie Gilbert: “You weren’t frightened of anything?”

                                                                     

Kaylin Iannone: “No, because I saw their makeup being put on…otherwise I would have probably been scared.”

Marie Gilbert: “Would you consider doing more scary movies?”

Kaylin Iannone: “Absolutely!”

Marie Gilbert: “Is there any movie coming up or that is already out there that you would love to be a part of?”
Kaylin Iannone: “I was thinking I would love to do a movie like the Hunger Games trilogy.”

Marie Gilbert: “What about the stage? What stage show would you love to be the star?”
Kaylin Iannone: “Wicked, absolutely, hands down, Wicked.”

Marie Gilbert:  “Which character?”

Kaylin Iannone: “I would love to be Elphaba.”

Marie Gilbert: “Great show and great part. Kaylin, you’re fourteen years old. What are your plans for the future and what would you do if you didn’t stay with the theatre or films?”

Kaylin Iannone: “I’ve wanted to be a veterinarian since I was very little, so I would probably be a veterinarian.”

Marie Gilbert: “Is there any new parts in film or stage coming up for you?”

Kaylin Iannone: “Well I’ve got the part of Ursula in my school’s production of The Little Mermaid coming up.”

                                                                

Marie Gilbert: “How are you preparing for that part?”
Kaylin Iannone: I’m working with my vocal coach to be able to get out there with my voice and working on my lines.”

Marie Gilbert: “How will you play Ursula differently than Disney?”

Kaylin Iannone: “I would do it a little differently and I’ve been working on her walk.” Marie Gilbert: “When is the school play?”

Kaylin Iannone: “In March, the 26^th and 27^th.

Marie Gilbert: “Kaylin, we’ll end the interview, but I wanted to say that you are a very talented young lady and very pretty. I did get to view some of the scenes with you in The Soulless. You were great and I’m wishing you the best of luck and whatever career you choose, you have that winner attitude and that will get you through the toughest times. Thank you Kelly and Kaylin for taking the time to do this interview with me.”

Kelly and Kaylin Iannone: “We appreciate you interviewing us. Thank you.”

                                                            

There you have it my little zombie snacks. I really enjoyed speaking with Kaylin and her mother and I can’t wait until the movie is out. I’ll keep you all updated on when and where you’ll be able to see The Soulless. Remember this is not your run of the mill zombie movie. FORGET EVERYTHING YOU KNOW ABOUT THE LIVING DEAD...THE RULES HAVE CHANGED!

You can find Joe Parascand’s interview here and here, and Christopher Eilenstine’s interview here and here. Ryan Scott Weber’s interview is here.

Gilbert Interviews a Zombie from Witches' Blood

                                                                            

Yes, my little zombie snacks, I got an interview with a zombie. Well, not exactly a zombie, but a woman who played a zombie in the horror film directed and produced by Ryan Scott Weber, called Witches’ Blood. I had the pleasure of interviewing Ryan and actor Joe Parascand on the movie, but how many chances do you have to interview one of the not so dearly departed zombies. Joining me today is Leah Gelber-DeCicco.

                                                                   

 

Well, not exactly a zombie, but a woman who played a zombie in the horror film directed and produced by Ryan Scott Weber, called Witches’ Blood. I had the pleasure of interviewing Ryan and actor Joe Parascand on the movie, but how many chances do you have to interview one of the not so dearly departed zombies. Joining me today is Leah Gelber-DeCicco.

Marie Gilbert: “Hi Leah. I’m so happy that you’re a guest on my blog today and that you can give us some insight on what it’s like to be a zombie in a movie. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and what prompted you to be a zombie?                                                                              

Leah Gelber-DeCicco: Well, I was raised in a small town and have lived here ever since. Since I was nineteen, I’ve worked many jobs over the years in the retail and restaurant industry; going back and forth from being a stay at home mom of two daughters, Frances and Angela. But, in the last few months I found myself wanting to do exciting things; doing something different. I started going to Comic-Cons and conventions where they have celebrities, and the first one I went to was Wizard World with my husband, Frank, this past June in Brooklyn New York. My husband and I got to meet Norman Reedus and we got his autograph and his picture.

                                                                            

Marie Gilbert: Oh my God!  You met Norman Reedus? I love him.

Leah Gelber-DeCicco: Yes, he is awesome and a real sweetie. I’ll tell you what happened. We were there to have our picture taken and hopefully have it autographed, but the people doing the pictures had messed up and it was time for Norman Reedus to leave the area. When he realized that we were upset because of the mix-up, Norman walked back and said, “Don’t worry about it and God bless you.” He went back to the booth so we could get his autograph. I met Anthony Michael Hall and had a picture taken with him. The convention also offered a panel with questions and answers and I was able to talk to Henry Winkler (the Fonz) and he gave great advice on helping me raise my eleven year old on helping her reach her hopes and dreams. I even had a chance to speak with Stan Lee.

Marie Gilbert: Nice!

Leah Gelber-DeCicco: Yes, but I didn’t get to ask the question I wanted to ask. The girl before me asked that question first. My mother, youngest daughter and I got to see the newest preview of The Wolverine with Hugh Jackman and we got his autograph and a picture of him with my daughter, Frances, on my not so smart, phone.

Marie Gilbert: So how did you get the part for a zombie?

Leah Gelber-DeCicco: My very good friend Robin MacArthur told me about the Zombie Walk that they have at Asbury Park. After the Zombie walk there was an after party Asbury Park Lanes and that’s how I met Edward X Young. At the after party they were having contests on the stage and Edward Young was at the bar and we began talking. He told me he was an actor and I asked if there was ever any chance of me being a zombie or something. I love that stuff. He said he would see what he could do. He gave me his information and we became Facebook friends.

Marie Gilbert: So, who was the actual person who contacted you for the part?

Leah Gelber-DeCicco: I’m not sure if it was Edward Young or one of his friends, but I saw a post on how they needed people to play zombies in a film and to contact Stephen Ohlarik. We had to meet at Bernardsville, N.J. on a Friday night.

Marie Gilbert: So how did they get you ready for the part?

Leah Gelber-DeCicco: A gentleman called Dennis Carter Jr., who I didn’t realize I’d already met at the Zombie Walk, did my makeup. We had to sign a release form because we had to fall on the ground after we were shot. The ground was hard and I don’t have a high pain tolerance, so I asked the people in charge if I could be a crawling zombie. I figured if I’m a crawling zombie I wouldn’t have far to fall.

Marie Gilbert: Were you given outfits, or did you have to use your own clothing?

Leah Gelber-DeCicco: I went to a garage sale and bought clothing that I wouldn’t mind if the shoes or clothing were messed up with dirt or fake blood. I have a pair of navy blue sneakers that I used for the Zombie Walk and for this film and I call them my ‘zombie shoes’. I won’t use them for anything else.

Marie Gilbert: You’ll save them for your future zombie roles? Laughing

Leah Gelber-DeCicco: Laughing…Yes and it’s no problem because they’re already wreaked.

Marie Gilbert: Did you meet Joe Parascand on the set?

                                                                                   

 

Leah Gelber-DeCicco: Yes, I did and in fact, he shot me.

 

Marie Gilbert: So, Joe Parascand was the one who shot you? Laughing

Leah Gelber-DeCicco: Laughing, yes, he was Sheriff Tom and he shot me and killed me. Some people when they’re playing zombies they make growling and moaning sounds, but I didn’t make a sound I just moved my mouth like I wanted to eat someone. We were there for hours, but we had so much fun. It was really cold and I was joking around pretending that I was Rose from the Titanic.

Marie Gilbert: This does sound like a lot of fun.

Leah Gelber-DeCicco: As much fun as I had playing a zombie, I always wanted to play the part of someone who screams in a movie and if they ever need someone who can scream then that would be me. I’m a good screamer. Growing up, I was a bit of a nerd, didn’t have a lot of good relationships with boyfriends, and I wrote a poem called “Ugly Duckling” and it was published in an anthology called A Break in the Clouds. I met my true love right out of high school in 1992 and we got married in 1999. He’s a truck driver and I’m a stay at home mom.

Marie Gilbert: If the opportunity comes up, would you want to become an extra on upcoming films or commercials?

Leah Gelber-DeCicco: Oh yes, I would love it as long as it doesn’t interfere with my eleven year old. I would have loved to have my daughter accompanied me that night I played a zombie, but she has asthma, it was cold and we didn’t start until after five. I wasn’t sure if there were sex scenes in the script. You have to be careful when you have children.

                                                                    

Marie Gilbert: Do you kept in touch with the other people who played zombies that night?

Leah Gelber-DeCicco: Oh yes, I keep in touch with Dennis Carter Jr. who was a zombie.

Marie Gilbert: So, the makeup guy was also a zombie. Neat! Marie is laughing.

Leah Gelber-DeCicco: Laughing. Yes, the makeup guy was also a zombie.

Marie Gilbert: Do you keep in touch with the main actors?

Leah Gelber-DeCicco: Yes, with Dennis, Stephen, Edward, Ryan and a few others. They’re all my facebook friends.

Marie Gilbert: A lot of great films are being made more and more by Independent Film Companies and I’m so excited that we have so many talented young directors and producers coming into their own. What is your opinion of Ryan Scott Weber, Joe Parascand and the other stars of Witches’ Blood? Were they fun to work with?

Leah Gelber-DeCicco: They were fun to work with and very nice. God bless them, because I never knew how hard it truly was to do a movie. We were out there for hours and it was cold and dark. You know…at one point a train passed us, and we were wondering if they saw the bodies and the zombies.

Marie Gilbert: I can only imagine what they thought was going on. Thank you so much for sharing your story with me and my readers, Leah.

Leah Gelber-DeCicco: I am so happy that you accommodated me and took the time to hear about my part in the movie. It was just a small part in that one movie, but you took the time to listen. There is one more thing.  My younger daughter’s friends now think I’m cool and want to hang out with me and her. My daughter had a class Christmas party that I had promised to attend, but I was recovering from a recent surgery and afraid that I would not be able to keep my promise. My daughter had told all her friends about my being a zombie in a film; her classmates were very excited to hear about it. Even though I was still in pain and had trouble walking, I went and, seeing the smile on my daughter’s face made it all worthwhile. To experience that moment is one of the most gratifying things you can experience in your life, especially as a mom.

                                                                         

Well, my little zombie snacks, I hoped you enjoyed this interview with Leah Gelber-DeCicco and maybe we’ll see her in other movies. I promise to have more blogs about zombies and the people who play them. Stay safe; run fast.