Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Actor Spotlight - Stephanie Stevens


Stephanie Stevens returns to the Horror Hotel as alien girl Aeliana in episode "Aliens Stole My Boyfriend" to kick off the 2nd season. She has previously played Doreen Grey in the errie episode "Guillotine" in the first season line up. It is  always a pleasure to have Stephanie on set. Not only is she gorgeous, but she is just fun to be around and a true professional. She is one of the most sought after Atlanta actors with good reason and is adding to her resume exponentially appearing in feature films, short films,web series and commercials. We thought it only appropriate to interview her first in the second season of Horror Hotel.

You are an extremely active actress in Atlanta right now appearing in over 45 feature films in the last few years alone plus commercials, industrials and more. How in the world do you juggle all this while also being a corporate ninja with a busy schedule in itself?

I don't sleep much! And I love my sleep, but I love acting more. My nights and weekends are generally back-to-back projects. While It's tough to juggle, I find that they are balancing for right now and actually make me more passionate about both the corporate world and acting. 

  

 You choose the early bird audition times showing up bright eyed and alert and knowing your lines dead on. Obviously you are a very self disciplined person. Do you work with any particular acting method to flawlessly memorize all your lines? It's rare to do any retakes because of your slipped lines on set. 

It's funny because I'm not a morning person at all. The early audition times cause me to rally and really focus. As I review the script and identify triggers, objectives, verbs, etc, I tend to memorize it through repetition. I also find writing it out helps, and the really old school method of writing it out on notecards works well for me too. Once I really lock into the character and focus, it all falls into place. 

With all of this experience under your belt, what are you looking for when pursuing a new project to work on?

I've been really blessed that the characters for each of my projects are all very different which keeps it interesting. And I have a long way to go. I've only scratched the surface of the acting worked so I'm constantly learning and growing. Personally, I just want to keep pushing and feeling like each performance has evolved. And a great cast and crew is the best gift possible. Positive energy on a set lifts everyone to a new level.   





 What have been some of your favorite characters to play so far?

Villians. There is so much room to explore their characters and devlope them. And there is such variety in approach to being devious, demanding or diabolical.  

Do you have a preference for working on film or theatre productions?

I prefer films because with my time constraints being a corporate ninja, the rehearsal schedules are shorter so I can pack in more film projects than theatre. I love the audience feedback of theatre though. 

 

 What other web series have you worked on and is there any difference to you on working on a web series to working on a feature film, tv, etc?

Every project has its own dynamic to it whether it be film or tv. The most important thing to me is to work with good people that are dedicated to a quality output and are really focused. And it's always a bonus when everyone is really supportive of one another. I find that a lot in the indy scene in Atlanta though. It's a good community. 

  What are the advantages to you for working on a quality web series?

I'm always looking for great footage for my reel, but I also want to put out quality work. A single project can really put you on the map, and Horror Hotel is a project that I'm really excited about!

  Can you tell us about any recent or current projects you are working on?

I just completed a feature film called The Killing Secret. In addition I have worked on Breathe, Refugees and I'm waiting for dates for a couple more projects. I have to say that most of my work is coming from word of mouth from people I've worked with as cast and crew. It's really been a blessing. I love paying it forward to fellow actors and crew. 

Can you give us your overall experience working on the Horror Hotel web series?

Horror Hotel is one of my top projects to have worked on. The level of detail and precision. It was a well-oiled machine that everyone seamlessly contributed too.l And I can't wait to see the final product of this new episode. I'm really proud to have been a part of the web series and can't wait to see how far it goes. Great things are ahead!