Interview - Monica Zelak (Actress in Getting Away (2018))

A hard-working indie actress with a strong and growing catalog of titles under her belt, Monica Zelak has also added modeling and cosplay to her fanbase as her resume continues with plenty to like. Now, in honor of her appearance in the short Getting Away, I talk with her about her start as an actress, her previous roles and the experience shooting the short.

Me: Hello and thank you for taking the time to do this. First off, where did you get the urge to go into acting?

Monica Zelak: Thank you so much for your interest in Getting Away!

I suppose I have always had an "urge" to get into acting. Ever since I was a kid I always enjoyed stories, and the art of storytelling. I remember watching The Little Mermaid and wanting to be like Ariel, sing and perform for an audience... except I would remember to show up on time... :P

Me: Were you always into genre films growing up? What films specifically got you into watching horror movies?

MZ: Growing up I was into all kinds of genres, mainly comedy, but also action, drama, suspense, thriller, rom coms... I don't think any specific films got me into horror, I think the appeal for the genre stemmed from it being "taboo" and something your parents didn't want you watching, so naturally, you wanna watch it.

Me: Is there any specific type of character you prefer playing?

MZ: I don't think I really have a specific type of character I like to play... I just enjoy entertaining others.

Me: With plenty of short films early in your career, what tools and skills do you acquire working on those that transferred to future film projects?

MZ: Working on short films, you learn to adapt quickly to your surroundings and you become close with your cast and crew in a shorter amount of time, which I feel allows for faster and better on screen chemistry. You become resourceful on a small budget, form a team like mentality, and learn to help where you can.

Me: Having worked on a variety of genres in your career, how do you prepare yourself to work in these different genres and vastly different tones?

MZ: I feel the best way to prepare myself in working in these different genres is by simply putting myself in the character's shoes. With all the experiences life has thrown my way throughout the years, I feel that it is easy for me to relate to others. I do my best to understand the character's thought process by exploring their immediate surroundings so I can figure out why the character is/was/ended up the way they are.

Me: That brings us to your latest project, the short "Getting Away." What can you tell us about the project?
MZ: Getting Away was filmed about 3 years ago... Adam Kirkey had reached out to me about wanting to shoot a horror short and told me that it's basically about a woman who rents an AirBnB and is waiting for her boyfriend to arrive when she begins getting weird texts to her phone... Someone is enjoying watching her and terrorization ensues...

The AirBnB that was used was in the middle of nowhere about 3 hours away from me (the drive alone could have been it's own psychological thriller just trying to find the darn cabin!) We worked throughout the cold night pretty much non stop and rewarded ourselves afterwards with the roast Adam prepared (no props used in cooking, Adam made us real dinner!) and a Mr. Bean VHS copy we had found in the cabin.

Me: What drew you to taking on the role of Brenda? Was having worked with many of the cast and crew previously a big influence to doing so?
MZ: Having previously worked with Adam on his feature film: "Sir John A and the Curse of the Ant-Quenched" I had zero hesitation accepting the role of Brenda. Also the fact that it would be a horror film... obvs.

Me: What was the set like while shooting the film? How did the cast and crew react to the type of film being made?
MZ: Since it was such a small cast/crew, the set felt like being home with the fam. We were serious when we had to be... well, I was at least... but lots of laughs were had and it was an absolute thrill being part of the journey in creating Getting Away.

Me: Do you recall having any odd or funny on-set stories about yourself or any of the other cast/crew members?
MZ: Odd and funny stories...
1) The kitchen is no place for a woman. I cut myself within minutes of Adam trying to get a shot of me cutting potatoes... If you look closely, one shot my finger looks fine, the next, it has a bandaid... lol!

2) It was SO COLD that co writer and terrorizer, Mathieu Lemarche, came up with the brilliant idea to throw a towel in the dryer on HIGH, and had it open and ready like a matador for when I ran back inside after the outdoor takes.

3) Even with that brilliant idea, I still caught a cold. Was sick for at least 3 days afterwards. Totally worth it.

Me: Lastly, what else are you working on that you'd like to share with our readers? Thank you again for your time!
MZ: Please stay tuned! Working on my website and more photoshoots in the near future! Thank you so much for your time, interest, and support!
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