RED HOPE

INTERVIEW KEVIN T.COLLINS
( French version - click Here )

JF - What can you tell us about you ? How did you start working in cinema ? Wich character you are dreaming to play and in what kind of movie ?
Well, I’ve been acting since I was six years old, although that was mainly theatre and musical theatre. But as soon as I made my first student film at 16, I was hooked on the idea of making movies for the rest of my life. Plus, I’ve always loved going to the movies, and I thought, that’s one job I’d probably never get tired or bored of. So that, I suppose, was that.

As for roles and characters, I try to find something new and unique about every role I play, but in the commercial realm, that goal is not always terribly feasible. But honestly, my favorite roles to play are those with no rules or boundaries, who can say or do anything at any moment: like Lucifer or Beelzebub, both of which I have played, or the heroin-addicted homeless man I played, or guys like Marc Sobieski, who have no filters or borders, and the imagination is free to go where it likes at the slightest urge.

JF - It’s clear that you are really talented. A lot of scenes in this movie are total improvisation. Do you like it ?
Well, it has its advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, you’re free to say and do virtually anything, which is incredibly liberating for an actor. But there’s also always something to be said for well-crafted dialogue, honed over and over again by a great writer.

In this case, though, it was great to just let Marc and Arthur play with each other, to improvise the way the characters themselves were clearly doing, and Keith was great fun to play with.

JF - What can you say about the movie ? ( the story, the script )
Well, I was struck by the story almost immediately, even the first draft that I initially read, which could only have been described as "Frenglish"...
But the concept was so engaging, and the characters needs so dramatic that it probably wouldn’t have mattered if it had been written in "Swahileniglish". It was obviously good drama, and actors live for that.
Plus, I’ve always had a thing for futuristic, apocalyptic storylines, so this was a great excuse to delve into a fantastic fantasy world for a little while.

JF - How did you like working with French Director ? The communication was easy ?
It was interesting. For the most part, though, it wasn’t that different from any other project I’ve worked on. A lot of directors have trouble communicating with actors, and they don’t even have as good an excuse as a language barrier. But, these two guys knew exactly what they wanted, and it didn’t take long for Keith and I to read between the lines of what they were saying to get them what they wanted. At least I hope we got them what they wanted…

It seems like it was good to play with Keith Hamilton ? ( Arthur manning )
Oh, yeah, Keith was the best. I threw everything I could at him, especially in the improvised scenes, and stayed right there with me, neck and neck, and never backed down. It was wonderful working with him one such an interesting and creative piece.

JF- What are your projects for the future ? Any movies to come...?
Yeah, I’ve always got something going on or coming up. I have two films, shot this past summer, and the summer before that, respectively, that are currently shopping for distribution.

One is called "Inbetween", and follows a young man who on the eve of a bombing has second thoughts and tries to escape his former life and start over. We shot the film mostly in London, but also Birmingham, Brighton, and Flint, Michigan.

The other film, "The Sickness", is about five scientists, trapped in an underground laboratory, studying a super-virus that ultimately escapes and kills them all. Both films are hitting the festival circuits this year, and looking for distribution here and abroad.

I’m also a singer, and a songwriter, and I just finished recording a studio album of the new musical “Sophia’s Fall,” which is based on Milton’s Paradise Lost. And “Angels,” a musical in which I originated the role of Lucifer, is going to Broadway this year, and I hope to be going with it. I also hope to start work soon on my second acoustic rock album, Inbetween.

You can always check out what I’m up to on my website, www.kevintcollins.com

JF- Maxime and Anthony are writting the script of RED HOPE for a feature. It seems like Marc Sobiesky will have an important place on this movie. Will you enjoy playing this character again ?
If they’ll even have me back! Sure, I would absolutely love to flesh out this guy some more. I feel like we just barely scratched the surface of both the characters and the story, and the world in which this all takes place. So, yeah, if they’d have me, I’d be there in a heartbeat.

Does a lot of person tell you that you look like “ Steve Buscemi “ ? ( wich is real popular in france )
No, I’ve never heard that before.
Are you sensing my sarcasm?



Well, to tell you the truth, it bothered me at first, mostly because my brother looks like Brad Pitt, and here Iam getting told on a daily basis, “Hey, you look like that funny-looking guy from Fargo!” Not great for the self-esteem. But I actually embrace it now. It may even help me get parts sometimes.

I’ve been toying for a while of writing a screenplay about a father and son and seeing if I could get him to do it.
Maybe someday…


Thanks Kevin...JF