Having just been recently released on video, the massively-backed crowdfunded effort Book of Monsters has been getting rave reviews for its mix of comedy and practical effects as well as it's impressive female-driven cast. I was able to sit down with one of the stars of the film, Michaela Longden, to talk about her early career and the film itself.
Me: Hello and thank you for taking the time to do this. First off, where did you get the urge to go into acting?
Michael Longden: From a young age I wanted to be an actress. Watching films was a passion for me I always got lost in films and the stories they told. It was kind of an escapism for me and I idealized those who appeared in them.
Me: Were you always into genre films growing up?
ML: I was into all films growing up. Horror was a more recent development as I used to get quite scared of the horror genre. I remember Beetlejuice horrified me as a child growing up. I actually loved films such as; One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Sound of Music and Moulin Rouge growing up. Quite a mixed bag.
Me: Is there any specific type of character you prefer playing?
ML: A character that has a strong emotional journey is always a welcomed challenge. I do quite enjoy the challenge of playing a darker character as well, something that makes you really have to engage your imagination in. These characters enable you to be so playful. Straight out of drama school I did a short film called Demented which you can watch on Youtube and I played a psychotic nurse; this was a lot of fun. I’ve learned so much in terms of acting since that film so would love a similar challenge now. I also absolutely love the comedy genre- they provide such a fun filming environment especially if they allow for a little bit of improvisation.
Me: Having worked on plenty of short films early in your career, what tools and skills do you acquire working on those that transferred to feature-film projects?
ML: All skills are transferable. Working on short films definitely helps you build up confidence in the character choices you make as well as understanding about the technical side - what a long/wide lens is the different shooting jargon etc. Technically I approach my characters the same regardless of whether it’s a short or feature. I love to use actions and objectives, to find out what my character's motives are throughout and how these might change. To live in the moment when filming and listen.
Me: That brings us to your new film 'Book of Monsters.' What can you tell us about your character Mona?
ML: She is a feisty one, not afraid to stand up for what she believes in and a fighter all the way. There is a vulnerability there which we see later on and she also encounters a dark transformation which was a highlight for me to play.
Me: What specifically drew you to the role?
ML: I can identify a lot with Mona. We are both strong, independent women and fighters. I don’t want to spoil the film but Mona has a significant change halfway through the film and that was incredibly exciting to play with. These character transitions are always something to look forward to when filming.
Me: What kind of preparation do you take to get into the character? Once on set, what do you have to do to stay within that mindset?
ML: I do a lot of preparation to activate my imagination. I give my characters a background, a history. I do work to understand their motivations and objectives in each scene and their drive/ambition in the film and consider their relationships to other characters in the film. It is important to understand their own personal history. How is their home life? What are their dreams?
Once on set for me it’s about living in the moment, listening and responding to other characters using all of my senses. I have faith that all my research is now in my subconscious and I fully engage in my imagination so I can immerse myself in the role.
Me: With the amount of comedy present in the story, was that a challenge to incorporate that aspect into the character?
ML: I think because of how bolshy Mona can be implementing the comedy in her character wasn’t too difficult. She is very brash and blunt and I think I was able to source a lot of comedy from that. I was also very fortunate to have a lovely scene with a German exchange student - Paul’s writing absolutely superb in this so it wasn’t hard to find the comedy in that situation.
Me: Is there any specific trait from your past that you incorporated into Mona's character?
ML: I have always been very protective of my friends as a child as I never had a huge family so I could definitely draw on that. I did, however, enjoy school and was rarely told off or rude to teachers so I guess those character elements definitely did raise some differences but they were so much fun to create.
Me: How did the cast and crew react to the type of film being made?
ML: Unanimously with love and passion. We all had the same vision and we were excited and delighted to embark on it together. It was an incredible amount of fun but everyone maintained a professional attitude throughout.
Me: Lastly, do you have any other projects coming up you'd wish to tell our readers about? Thank you again for your time.
ML: I have recently played lead character Kim in the short sci-fi film ‘Terminal’ which is running the circuits right now, (LA Raw Science Festival and NanoCon International Film Festival) so if you can check it out it might be playing near you. We just won ‘Best Short film’ at Starburst Film Festival which was incredible. We hope that a feature film is on the cards for this film as the short has been received so well. There are a few more projects in the pipeline but I am unable to say too much about these at the moment. There is obviously a hope that a sequel will happen for Book of Monsters so fingers crossed as I would love to be part of that. I have also started to write my own short film ‘Gaslight’ which I am excited about as it’s my first time attempting to write.
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