Shradha”

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And Shradha you hit the nail on the head and saved me writing time. The process was exactly like u described. And to show u guys what we’ve accomplished here’s a link to teaser of subHysteria. Lemme know your thoughts.

While I’ve done a bunch of TV commercials, short films, print ads, hosted a TV show etc I knew my first feature film had to be more than a unique opportunity. It had to be a breaking point.  

subHysteria wasn’t supposed to be my first feature. I had signed up for another movie with an extremely challenging character but that project was put on hold just before we started filming. And in the interim I auditioned for subHysteria. I remember the auditions distinctly. I read a casting notice with a tag ”Middle Eastern Male Actor over 30 years old Needed for Innovative Film”. I’m not middle eastern but I’ve been told i could pass off as middle eastern. But over 30 I wasn’t and don’t look it either. I still submitted. I had pulled it off with my TV Pilot (Barely Legal) where the character was supposed to be in his 30′s. They later adapted the character to be in his 20′s. I was faintly hoping for the same to happen with subHysteria. I had 2 monologues in my repertoire and wasn’t sure which one to perform.  But the audition process was quite the unusual. There was no monologue to be performed, no sides to be read. Instead I was given a shared time slot with around 15 other actors. And my audition was a group audition much like the first round of American Idol. We were all given the scenario of the movie – “16 passengers stuck in a subway car for 36 hrs” and we were asked to improvise the same. There was chaos, madness in that room. Some a true reflection of the given situation while others a craving for the spotlight. And as my bunch of actors stepped outside another bunch entered the room. 2 days and 200 actors later I received an email from the director asking me to be a part of the film. I accepted. The character now is Indian and of the same age as I am. Its extremely exciting to be part of a cast that is made up of people from Mexico, Canada, Nigeria, Korea, Turkey, Italy, Venezuela, Jamaica and the US. Its a true representation of New York. Some of the actors have flown down from their respective countries to be a part of this movie while others like myself have made NY a base for a while now.  

The principal cast is made up of Osvaldo Benavides, Ginger Kroll, Isabella Cascarano, Elaiza Gil, Sally Gifford, Hector Palma, Rebeca Aleman, Shannon Lower, Brian Schlanger, Estelle Bajou, Quadiri Bolare, Gayle Da Costa, Hwalan, Tommaso Matelli, Cem Uyanik and myself. We’re the 16 stuck in the subway car.

But the challenge has only just begun.

subHysteria has no script. And intentionally so. There is an outline but the whole movie will be improvised. The last time a movie was improvised was in the 1950′s. Improvisation means a great deal to an actor. Its gives you an enormous liberty to take risks and live your character in its truest form but on the flip side if not done with definition it could also be you falling ground. To overcome the latter all 16 of us were put through a fun but grueling process of improv exercises by the director Leonard Zelig. All along the process there was a high level of secrecy about our characters. While we’ve discussed character details with Leonard, we’ve been forbidden from talking about our characters to the other actors. That instead would be a process of discovery when we’re stuck in the subway. And that is reminiscent of life. You hop on to the train without knowledge of the people you’re traveling with. 

Also in the past week we shot backstories of our characters. Again with a high level of secrecy from the rest of the actors but tomorrow there won’t be any secrecy when we’re all stuck in the subway car together. I can’t wait to get on set.

Stay tuned for all the details.