​  Canadian actress Lanie McAuley has established herself in cinema. With credits such as: Aeris, Lost After Dark, The Unauthorized Melrose Place Story, Center Stage: On Pointe, and others, she has portrayed everything from professional dancer to snowboarder to a Hollywood starlet like herself. It wasn’t so long ago that she had booked what she describes as her first “real” acting role in the Syfy production Scarecrow. The public likes scary movies and Syfy likes to air them to their large viewing audience. Needless to say, actresses like to act…which led a newly graduated (from university) McAuley to audition and win the role of Marcy in Scarecrow. In only three short years, Lanie has accomplished some major achievements in her career (as evidenced by her resume and the many awards and festival screenings which they have garnered) since 2013’s Scarecrow. Looking back at this entry into film, McAuley has a deeper understanding of what her involvement meant for her at the time. Scarecrow afforded the actress the opportunity to test out all of the abilities she had been working so hard to perfect as well as infusing her with the confidence that she was an actual member of the acting community; at least, she understands this now…she reveals that she may not have been so sure of herself at the time. It’s a lesson for all of us to witness via Lanie McAuley; we often see in others the self-assuredness we think that they possess even though the professionals we are witnessing may be unsure of themselves. The view from inside the bubble is always different.
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  Scarecrow is a film about an otherworldly Scarecrow who is released from his imprisonment by a group of young people (unwittingly) and then terrorizes them. It’s not groundbreaking but it is entertaining. Horror films are like pizza, not always presenting something original but yet always enjoyable. As Marcy in Scarecrow, McAuley and her on-screen boyfriend Chad (played by Keenan Tracey of Bates Motel, The Returned, and others) are the couple which release the Scarecrow. Marcy is a typical nice, girl-next-door who is unfortunately drawn into a fatal situation by Chad’s antics. For the many of us who have not starred in a horror film, the experience of acting in one is quite taxing. Constantly running in fright, screaming at the top of your lungs (something which Lanie was specifically asked not to do in the audition due to constant noise complaints), exhibiting the hysterics that the role calls for…well, it can be draining. McAuley recalls, “You wouldn’t think about it if you haven’t been a part of a film like this but, it’s always exhausting to cry throughout a number of scenes.”

​ A staple of the genre is the use of special effects. Makeup and prosthetics empower the actors and the audience with the believability needed to gain the realism to invest in the story. McAuley found the long hours required in the makeup chair and the discomfort of prosthetics liberating rather than cumbersome. While she confirms that her mother was unable to watch her in the film in a “detached” state, it aided Lanie greatly in finding the character. She admits to the experience having created some difficulties as she states, “How the illusion worked was this: I was guided through a hole in the wall until my head, one shoulder, and one arm were coming out the other side where the camera was. They attached a prosthetic torso to my neck and shoulder and then arranged clothing around it to cover the area where it was attached. Because I was precariously divided between two sides of a wall for over an hour, there was a team of people around me making sure I was as comfortable as possible. The crew made sure to brief me on any safety concerns and procedures because during this time I was effectively blind (due to the white-out contacts I wore to appear truly dead) and unable to remove myself from the wall with the prosthetic attached. I remember Britney Wilson coming over to me between takes and holding my head up with her hands to give my neck muscles a break. It was a pretty elaborate process, but it was cool to see how it came together.”
  Anyone can be intimidated when they first enter into the professional world; for someone like Lanie who had been working her entire life toward this point, it was particularly intimidating. She advises young actors that being involved in a horror film allows you to channel that nervous energy into the role of a victim very effectively. While much of McAuley’s training had given her the chance to practice her talent, the knowledge gained working on an actual movie set brings with it an equally valid knowledge base. Scene and character work is one thing, but there’s a great deal to be said for set etiquette and general set experience. Knowing whom to listen to, where to be, how to approach blocking, how to hit your mark, how to find your light, being aware of the crew working around you, learning everyone’s names, making sure you acquaint yourself right off the bat with the director, the ADs, Scripty, and anyone else you’ll need to interact with…these are all practical parts of a well-rounded actor. It’s the little stuff you don’t think about when you’re around it all the time, but when you’re the newbie on set, everything feels foreign. 

​  Scarecrow was an excellent entry into the life of a working actor. The film scored many achievements including multiple nominations and wins at the 2014 LEO Awards. Many great actors started their career in horror films. Scarecrow gave Lanie the opportunity to work with Lacey Chabert (the actress who played Gretchen Wieners in Mean Girls) whose work (along with Drew Barrymore’s in Scream) has been so inspirational in movies of this ilk. McAuley refers to being in a horror film as a rite of passage for many actresses, though she states the paramount importance of always being mindful of the difference between cinematic/make believe violence and real-life violence. Lanie McAuley has proven that there is no type casting in her career. With a variety of roles to her credits, she comments that she’d like to possibly take on a Rom/Com next. Her role in The Unauthorized Melrose Place Story reveals that this twenty-something actress would be right at home in LA on the set of a soon to be released love story starring Lanie McAuley…no scarecrows or prosthetics, please.

​  Eclectic is the word that best describes Romy Teperson. This actress was born in South Africa and then spent part of her childhood in America before her family finally settled in Australia. This experience gave her a great deal of self-reliance but more importantly, it infused her with the ability to discover all the aspects of her identity rather than relying on others to impose a sense of identity on her. This is a strength that has served her exceptionally well as an actress, allowing her to be authentic in both dramatic and comedic roles. This is an obstacle for even the most accomplished of actors. In films like Next Door to the Velinsky’s and Unforgivable Sin, Teperson plays intense characters, sometimes with fatal results. In the popular Australian TV series (now airing on Netflix in the US) Swift and Shift Couriers, Romy appears as Sally Enfield the secretary to Amanda Doyle (played by Australian Household name- Amanda Keller). Enfield is the sympathetic, never-winning, type of struggling assistant who audiences can both relate to and laugh at/with. Varied performances such as the aforementioned productions are evidence of the diverse palette Romy has cultivated and commands.
  Teperson joined the ensemble during its second season, after it was already an established hit. Joining an already established and beloved TV program meant that she would have to prove herself amongst the cast members with which the public already had an affinity. The program is set around the staff who work at the ‘Swift and Shift’ Courier Company in the central business district of Sydney. Episodes have been partly filmed in Australia, India, Thailand and the United States. It centers around the constant management head to head disputes between Courier Company Manager Keith Warne (played by veteran Australian actor Ian Turpie), and corporate head management mogul Amanda Doyle. It’s highly unusual to amend an already successful cast with a new actor but Romy came highly recommended by the series’ producer Joanne Weatherstone. As a seasoned producer with many awards to her credit (Oscar nominee, Logie Award, Australian Comedy Award for most outstanding TV Comedy, and an Australian Writers Guild Award), Weatherstone has been the force behind production such as the feature film Babe, Inja, Baywatch, and others. She professes her validated confidence in Teperson declaring, “Romy’s exceptional professionalism and unique on-screen presence is highly sought after both here in Australia, and internationally. In particular, her unique spin on an exceptionally challenging genre to master- Comedy - truly does set her apart from the rest of a country of actors perhaps not so often exposed to this style. Her instinctive ability to master this is a testament to the unique find we have in this actress.”

​  A major reason for the success of Swift and Shift Couriers is the approach which director/writer/producer Paul Fenech cultivates with the cast. While he sets a base script, Paul openly encourages prolific improvisation during filming. As a performer on the show as well as the driving creative force of the show, Fenech seeks out actors like Teperson whom are comfortable and adept in this approach. Romy states, “A lot of the script in Swift & Shift was loosely written, with a huge emphasis on improv and re-writes on set. We would always do several takes of our scenes together. A few would be as written in the script; however, several others would be riffing off whatever came out of the improvised last take we did. We were given the freedom from Writer/Director Paul Fenech to replay the scenes in accordance with what we felt was ‘the funny’ in the scene. So a lot of the dialogue that eventually made it post-edit was actually us riffing off a base script and adding our own spin on it.”
  Romy’s film roles have been visible to audiences for some time now but this Australian TV comedy role of hers is reaching a global audience with its addition to the Netflix lineup. It’s proof of Teperson’s universal appeal as well as the program’s. For the fans Romy has already gathered, this gives greater visibility to the ease with which this actress performs lighter roles. Paired with Amanda Keller, one of Australia’s iconic comedic voices, was a dream come true for Romy and required her to be on top of her game as well as coming into her own voice as a comedic actress. As the saying goes, iron sharpens iron and Teperson credits this experience with the growth she achieved as a member of this lauded comedy. She reveals, “I suppose I am not afraid of going ‘outside the norm’ for the purpose of getting the funniest material possible. I’m shameless when it comes to going after ‘finding the funny’. I will do whatever it takes to get the biggest laugh; whether it requires physically pushing the limits or playing a character who may not necessarily be the most comfortable or pleasing to play.

​I was blessed to have a multi-country upbringing (Born in South Africa, living as a child in America, and then growing up most of my life in Australia) so my humor and comedy style is malleable and reflective of that. I grew up watching a lot of comedy television, so a sense of timing was something that I had been exposed to and innately mimicked for a long time. Comedy is not a huge commodity in Australia. It’s not what most Australian actors are either exposed to/nor gravitate towards. Having grown up in the states and being exposed to/falling in love with a lot of American comedy television…it certainly set me apart from a lot of other Australian actors who perhaps culturally had grown up with more dramatic based television/film.” This statement proves that Romy Teperson is an actress who is aware of her own strengths and simultaneously appreciates the differences between what her fellow actors bring to roles, never expecting them to be the same and appreciating the eclectic nature of the vocation she has chosen. Eclectic is the word that best describes Romy Teperson.
 
 

There are a number of attributes in a model’s quill which enables them to hit on target for the brands that make use of them. Charisma is a given. Attractiveness is also important but countless models have proven that beauty is perceived differently by different consumers (to say nothing of different generations). Perhaps most beneficial to the models themselves is versatility; the ability to transform one’s look makes for an eclectic and more successful career. Natalia Gorelova has the ability to present herself as edgy, sporting a pixie cut. She also can achieve that soft “young mom” look as she did with her work for US brand Green Giant. Her versatility plays as well on screen as it does in print. Transition is nothing new and not at all unexpected for this model. Gorelova was born in Russia and was still a young girl when the country underwent a very turbulent time. Her parents decided that New Zealand was a calmer environment to raise Natalia and her sister and moved the family there. While she had studied English in Russia, she soon realized that the practical application required her to return to her language studies. Always eager for a growth opportunity, she soon excelled. Being challenged is part of what fuels her. Her modeling in campaigns with Green Giant and other US brands has her now considering relocating to the States. One wonders if Gorelova will ever settle in one spot. It’s not likely but it is also what will push her to new and interesting paths in her career and life.
Natalia openly admits that she is fascinated with the US. The opportunities it affords in her chosen career of modeling are seemingly endless yet not without obstacles. There are plenty of qualified professionals vying for the work there, which in no way intimidates her. In her modeling career she learned that while some companies are looking for a type, they often know exactly who they want as soon as they see you. Realizing that you simply have to be yourself can enable one to seek out work without attaching to it emotionally...easier said than done. When her modeling agency sent Natalia to the Green Giant audition, it wasn’t long before she was offered the role. Gorelova declares, “I was so excited about it. It’s so cool that the commercial played in the USA! When you live in other parts of the world you are really aware how much film, TV, commercials, etc. originate in the US. Being in a US production feels like you are playing in a major sports league. It means to me that I am marketable there.”
The Green Giant spot was filmed in Oamaru. This town is located in the South Island of New Zealand and is part of Waitaki district. It’s known for its neo-classical style architecture in the historic part of town. The commercial depicts Natalia as a young mother shopping in a grocery that is located in a beautiful and luscious broccoli field. The 3AM call time and pushing grocery carts around in the dirt (of the store lanes), did not detract from the experience for Gorelova. She admits to always having a positive outlook stating, “I think for the most part, we had a great time working together and (hopefully) the reason is because I listened to the directions well and gave them even more than I did casting. I’d like to think that I am easy to be around and am so happy to be given an opportunity to perform. And when talent is happy, the crew is happy too. You want good vibes on set, everyone benefits from that. There are many reasons to support how great it is. First, working with so many talented people is inspiring to no end! Second, it’s always fun to do big budget projects. Third, I get to travel to the most interesting, remote and unheard of locations... which I highly doubt I would ever get the chance to visit without my career! Every time I do those types of shoots, I feel euphoria for days after the project has ended.” That good attitude also creates positivity in those Gorelova works with. Gary Romano is an Executive Producer, Head of Production, and Partner at Brim & Brew, a prominent agency. The Green Giant spot was the first time he worked with Natalia Gorelova. Romano comments, “Natalia and I worked together on the Green Giant commercial campaign as well as Jaguar and others. She has the extensive experience, the unique look, the unparalleled prowess, and the prolific mindset necessary to thrive in the industry worldwide, including the US. She has been at the top of the New Zealand modeling scene for over fifteen years now, and her renown and prolific and successful output continues to flourish. She has modeled for many big-name brands in the consumer goods and fashion arenas.” Natalia’s talent and professionalism brought her to this project but her hard work and upbeat demeanor endeared her to professionals like Romano and others who have enlisted her for other successful campaigns.
Looking back at her time on the Green Giant shoot in Oamaru, Gorelova remembers the excitement of the work rather than the long day and encumbered mobility. She notes, “I’m always grateful to be working in a career that I love. I never planned on being a model ...I’m so fortunate. I feel that it’s important for me to work really hard to respect the good fortune I’ve received. I don’t want myself or anyone else to ever think I don’t understand how great this opportunity is. I’m going to keep working hard to make the most of every possible production that comes my way.” 

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​  “I’ve never made films to win awards. I make them because I believe in the power of cinema and storytelling. I think they can heal, change, transform, and make a world that is better; one which respects diversity and is more equal in terms of opportunities. A safe and healthy place. I make them for a reason, to do something good to someone. I’m fortunate that I love my job and have a career that makes me proud. There are many more films that I want to do. The awards will always be a result of hard work, dedication, passion, and focus, but are never the motivation in making them.” These are the words of the celebrated director of photography (DP) & producer Jean Paulo Lasmar of Brazil. Whether as the driving force behind his own films (such as O Condominio, Um Pé De Chinelo, and most recent Thunderstorm) or as a valued collaborator on productions like: Looking at the Stars and Mosquito: The Bite of Passage, his films have been recognized and screened in Hollywood, Brazil, Italy, Spain, France, Munich, Hong Kong, and virtually every film capitol in the world. The film community is a culture that not only produces entertainment on a global scale but they heed each other’s work on the same massive level. Lasmar is recognized as a progressive contributor to the group. As a filmmaker and artists, Jean Paulo acknowledges the opportunities that his talent provides for him. In addition, he is aware of what his abilities can allow him to do for others. This is what led him to conceive of, and create his film for the Junior Blind Olympics. Artists can choose to use their chosen medium to make themselves feel above society or to create the conversations in society that are in need of being brought to light.
  Lasmar’s wife Silvia Faraco (an artist and filmmaker in her own right [director of Ecdise]) unwittingly brought him to the project. Jean Paulo states, “My wife was a volunteer at Junior Blind of America, teaching kids with disabilities how to express themselves through painting and sculpture. The amazing stories she told made me interested in their world. One day, I was told by my wife that the school needed someone to take photographs of their event the Junior Blind Olympics. I wanted to be a volunteer and help non-profit institutions like Junior Blind of America.  When I spoke to Mrs. Lois Booth (Senior Director of School Aged Services at Junior Blind of America), she asked me if I could shoot something with video instead. During the filming, I was able to capture the atmosphere of the event and many of the athletes. It was a very inspiring situation. I caught myself many times with watery eyes as I witnessed these blind and multi-disable athletes achieve great things.”

​  For Lasmar’s film about the Junior Blind Olympics, he served as director, director of photography, & editor. The production depicts this day of rigorous competition for the blind, visually impaired, and multi-disable athletes who become champions for life. The documentary film produced for Junior Blind of America (a non-profit that helps children, youth, and adults reach their greatest potential) was the winner of an Honorable Mention (Category Wonderful Films) at the 2015 My Hero International Film Festival. Because of the altruistic nature of his involvement, the production was vastly different than the large and well equipped crews with which Lasmar is so often surrounded. No budget meant Jean Paulo would shoot using natural light in HD, alone and using his Canon 5D Mark II, lenses, tripod, and a boom microphone. Lasmar is known for his tendency to simplify things no matter what scope of the project is, which served him well in this situation. His goal is always about telling a good story with the camera; capturing images that will support the story, framing it in the most effective way to convey the emotions of the characters, and making good use of the light. The basics of filmmaking become essential in a production such as this. It took every bit of his creativity and skill to utilize one camera to create compelling scenes that rival what many productions capture with an array of different cameras and effects. 

​  As is so often the result for those who attempt to serve in a situation such as this, they are compensated with their spirit becoming elevated. Jean Paulo Lasmar confirms this much with his statement, “In this film, I focused on capturing the event and the heart of what the institution does. I didn’t want to interfere with the athletes, their moments of concentration, or affect the order of their world. These children are very aware and they know when you are close to them. They react to it. That being said, I tried to capture the action as close as I could with long lenses. There is a very palpable reality at this event, one which I am trying to communicate with the cinematic reality; the one that I am framing and capturing to tell a story. During the filming, I was so close to their emotions that I could feel their senses as they ran to the finish line, as they shot an arrow, climbed to the top, or learned how to perform a different sport. Their faces, their smiles, the excitement of everyone involved really affected me…it was so inspirational! There were moments when I cried, laughed, rooted, and felt for them. To me they are all winners. I’ve never seen anything like that before. More than any sport or event I’ve witnessed, it translated the greatness of the human spirit.”