An accomplished writer, model and talent agent, Amy Philbert has built a solid foundation in the industry that sees her move forward with the release of her first film, Connie. Now, in honor of Women in Horror Month, I talk with her about her early writing days, the formation of her modeling and talent agency A.S Plus Modeling and the shooting of her debut film.
Me: Hello and thank you for taking the time to do this. First off, when did you get into horror in general?
Amy Philbert: Hello, Don! Thank you so much for allowing me the time to be a part of your Women in Horror Segment! I am truly honored to take part in something so awesome and inspiring! I became introduced to horror when I was pretty young. I would say I was maybe around the age of 10.
Me: Were you into genre films growing up? What films specifically got you into watching horror movies?
AP: My dad was a classic film watcher and got me into them. The first film I really enjoyed watching with him that sparked my interest was the comedy horror, Young Frankenstein, directed by Mel Brooks. I loved the humor behind what was supposed to be a horror genre. It was like nothing else I had ever seen before and I fell in love with the creativity and spin on it. As I got a little older, I remember watching the classic horror film, The Exorcist, and I was absolutely hooked! I felt like for a film that was released in 1973, it was ahead of its time and it resonated deep within me. I loved everything about these films and they still remain a classic favorite of mine to this day.
Me: What was the initial inspiration to get into the industry? Were you initially attracted to a specific aspect that appealed to you?
AP: I have always been a writer, being published in a poetry book and taking a stab at writing books, however, I never really felt like it was exactly the style I was looking for. I looked into my love for modeling and film and decided to dip into scriptwriting. This was when I wrote my first horror film, CONNIE, which is now in post-production editing. I think I was highly attracted to the idea of seeing what I created in my mind come to life on screen. In a book, anyone can still see what they want in their imagination as they read on, but in film, I could create exactly my vision for everyone to see and be inspired by.
Me: With a noted interest early on in writing, when did you first discover your passion for writing? What styles were you initially attracted to?
AP: At the age of 9, I discovered creative writing in school when we were assigned to write a fictional short story. From there, I went into poetry as I went on in school and my English teacher presented teachings of different poetry styles. I then went into attempting to write a short novel, but that was short-lived as my mother disapproved of my writing style and ridded me of my prized piece. I was at the age of 14, working on what would have been a piece very similar to Twilight, even before Twilight was a thing. I spent many years of my life enjoying writing different genres from poetry to dramas to fictional pieces in book form, but still not feel fulfilled with what I felt I could do. It didn’t dawn on me in my younger years that I could be creating scripts until I was in my mid-twenties and picked up writing again after nearly a decade of being absent from it.
Me: In addition to this, you also discovered an ancestor with ties to the horror genre in Fay Wray. What did this discovery do to launch a new chapter in your career?
AP: Once I found out that I was related to the well-known Scream Queen herself, Fay Wray, I felt like I actually belonged and had found my purpose. I am very different than my immediate family and always felt like I didn’t fit in. I didn’t know why I was drawn to writing and to film, and why horror films seemed to suck me in. I felt very frowned upon for my art form. When my uncle told me that I was related to Fay, I just knew I was okay to be where I was in my skin because it simply ran in my blood. I never got the chance to meet Fay as I didn’t even know I was related to her until long after her passing. She is from my grandfather’s side, but I never knew him or that family history as he passed when my mother was still a teenager. As I progressed further into my acting career, I also discovered that my grandfather was well in with some major actors in the state of Arizona. He was friends with Wallace and Ladmo from the Wallace and Ladmo show, which was a big hit in Arizona, and he often bowled with them. The Wallace and Ladmo show ran solidly from 1954 through 1989 and aired each weekday. I was able to attend luncheons in honor of the stars of the show a few times and was honored to meet celebrities such as the late Sandy Gibbons and Linda Rae Jurgens, who is known for her role on Top Gun with Tom Cruise. I also had the honor of meeting a man by the name of “Top Hat Larry”, Larry Chebowski, who actually bowled with my late grandfather. My relation to Fay and being in the presence of these greats and many more, I felt as though I was finding who I was meant to be. As you can imagine, I was very welcomed into this circle of industry people because of my relation to Fay. I received a book that Sandy Gibbons wrote and autographed for me and was honored that many members at the luncheons also rotated my book around the tables and signed for me. There have been some times where I felt like I lost my purpose, but when I open that book and read the kind words in it from these legends, it sparks me right back up!
Me: Shortly afterward, you started your own modeling company, A.S. Plus Modeling. Where did the inspiration come from to start this company? What do you hope to accomplish with your work with this studio?
AP: I am a plus-size model and actress, and after experiencing hatred from the talent agency that I was with, I decided that I never wanted anyone else to ever feel the way I was made to feel. In a nutshell, I was told that I would never be successful and someone close to me even asked if I was going to be forced to lose weight to fit into that “model” stereotype. I wanted to create a platform for anyone and everyone who had a dream and was willing to work to get it, and that is exactly what I did with AS Plus Modeling, LLC. My husband, Mortimer M. Philbert, Sr. was my great push into not being afraid and into taking the leap to become an inspiring business owner. I now represent babies, kids, and adults of all ethnic backgrounds, body types, and so much more in modeling, film, television, commercials, as well as a few other screenplay writers.
Me: As well, you started getting involved with your first feature film, “Connie.” Where did the inspiration for this come from? Were there any unique stories about its conception?
AP: I came up with the concept for CONNIE after waking up from a nightmare. I have no idea what the dream was even about, but the last image I had in my head was that of a demonically possessed girl. I just couldn’t shake it and felt like I needed to get a story on paper for it. It originally started off as a very close replica of The Exorcist, but knowing what a classic piece that was, I didn’t even want to attempt it and bring shame. I pondered on the piece and what I could do with it. Then! It dawned on me. I began looking into mental disorders, as I had a grandparent that suffered from bipolar disorder and many other illnesses. To my discovery, Schizophrenia was a mental disorder that I felt I could bring light to through this film. Lots of patients who suffer from Schizophrenia are thought to experience demonic possessions and hallucinations, and this was the perfect fit. This film can be thought of as The Exorcist meets The Sixth Sense. It is extravagant, has an amazing twist, and a very talented cast!
Me: With a cast of experienced and talented indie actors, how'd you settle on the cast getting involved in the film?
AP: Being a talent agent, I already had a bank of talent in my registrar, but I honed in on Arianna Harris as the lead actress. She just had the look I needed to pull the film off and I knew she had the talent and skill to make this character come to life. I was also working as Casting Director to Hollywood actor, Diezel Ramos, and with knowing him personally and through film, I knew he would be able to pull off the macho, yet very emotional role of the father, John. I had another actress in the role for the spot of the younger sister in this film, but due to her family moving, I had to replace her and put out a casting call where I was able to get the very talented young actress, Delilah Hefner. The role of Connie herself was replaced three times for various reasons. The second actress we had for the role of Connie underwent some extensive health issues and required emergency surgery just two weeks before filming. In my time of desperation, my daughter, Erica Serna, came to me and asked me if she could audition for the part. She had been at my side, often filling in for other actors who, could not make a rehearsal call (which we did over a series of months to prepare for filming) and over the course of a few weeks, she had already memorized the entire script. So, I let her humor me in the parking lot of a car repair shop as I was getting an oil change on my car, and needless to say, she took the stage! She showed her dedication to the acting career she often said she too wanted to be in. I had never seen her in that light as a serious actress, but she managed to pull off the role of Connie in this psychological thriller/horror film like I never imagined it would be portrayed. After losing the original actor, who was supposed to be joining us on the east coast from Arizona, due to COVID travel restrictions at the time, I replaced him with another actor for the part of Dr. Le Monte. Unfortunately, that actor was not a good fit for the film, and just one week before filming the second half of CONNIE, I asked my very talented husband, Mortimer M. Philbert, Sr., to take on the task. He had done some acting as a child and teen, taking part in an Afro Sheen commercial as well as Coca Cola commercial, so he wasn’t a complete stranger to the acting world. Luckily, he was able to pick up the lines in a short time and had an outstanding performance!
Me: What was the set like while shooting the film? How did the cast and crew react to the type of film being made?
AP: CONNIE was filmed in two segments. We started in early July of 2020 and finished it in early December 2020. Since the main cast are adolescences, we had to work around school schedules and I wanted to break the film down so that we could focus on bringing a quality to the film that could be felt by the audience. Shooting on set was pretty laid back, in my opinion. My husband and I received lots of compliments on the food, which my husband was so kind to cater himself, as he is an extremely talented cook, and also, on the professionalism that was present. I am a detail-oriented person, so I did my best to be sure my I’s were dotted and my T’s were crossed.
The first half of the film was filmed right in our home and on our property, so we had the luxury of catering great meals and providing a stay for some of the actors and their families. The second half of the film took place in a medical school that was utilized to portray a hospital and later on, a mental hospital. This was a bit trickier as we had a slight trip and did our best to host the same quality of foods to our cast and crew. Everyone involved was extremely taken in by the script and were all so supportive of the project and remain to be. I think the second half of the film has a much deeper impact on the message, and Arianna did an amazing job portraying the main character of the story. I was directing the second half of the film and Arianna’s skills were so amazing that I actually had to stop filming as I was in tears. She was also able to impact grown men in a completely different section of the school who heard her performance and stopped in their tracks with her powerful and moving performance.
Me: Do you recall having any odd or funny on-set stories about yourself or any of the other cast/crew members?
AP: Oh yes! I am laughing now, just remembering it! We were all at my house the night that the cast and crew came in. I had actors coming from all over the United States to be in this film, so as they were all arriving, we were going through dry runs and I had instructed one of the background actresses to do her part, which included Hollywood actor, Diezel Ramos. The look they had on their faces during this scene actually made me fall out of my seat and I was on the floor, cracking up! Another fabulous memory for me was in a scene I had with Arianna at the beginning of the movie where I had to slap her. In the first few takes, she would move her face as my hand came near, but at one point, she didn’t move, and I ended up slapping her pretty hard. I ruined that scene because I was so shocked and walked out of the shot. I felt horrible and didn’t think she would stop moving! Her reaction was hilarious as she responded with, “hit me harder!” after my continuous apologies to her. Arianna is such a trooper and was very dedicated to this scene.
Me: Being the writer, director and acting in the film, did it challenge you to be involved in various capacities at once on a project like this? How do you balance those priorities during a shoot?
AP: Filming CONNIE was an absolute challenge! It was very exciting and rewarding, but I definitely learned a lot from it. Like I mentioned before, I am very detail-oriented, so I did my best to be 110% prepared for anything and everything. After completing the writing portion and getting the guts up to film it, I began with the first step of being my own Casting Director. I knew exactly what I was looking for, so it made it fun and interesting to see all the audition tapes that came in. Once I picked the perfect cast, I moved on to location management. I knew what I wanted to portray and was extremely blessed to come across the owner of the nursing school, who so willingly let me utilize her facility. Because I was heading up the entire film, I hosted every rehearsal and became somewhat of an acting coach to the cast, guiding them through emotions and portrayals of each character. During filming itself, I had a ton of support from my husband who catered to every need of every actor, actress, our cameraman and our youths’ mothers. He was able to manage all the little details while I was in another area of the home or property filming, and even stepped in to take still shots during filming. We were also blessed that Arianna and Delilah’s moms were so wonderful about helping out where needed and were just so flexible to anything that came our way. My husband and I went to bed later than everyone so we could clean up and cater to those we were having stay with us, and we would wake up earlier than everyone so that before I had to get my costume on and begin filming, I could re-organize everything that needed to happen that day while he began breakfast for the entire cast and crew. As we all know, filming a movie is never sequential, so I had to be sure to be on top of what scenes we had lined up and when.
Me: What is the projected release date for the film?
AP: Right now, an official release date has not been set. We are hoping to submit CONNIE to film festivals in the 2021 year and be able to publicly release it in 2022. I have a dream to premier CONNIE at Radio City Hall in NYC, exactly where King Kong was released in 1933. I want to be able to share the same excitement and honor that my Great-Great Aunt Fay Wray did when she became best known for her role as Ann Darrow in the classic horror film of her time. I’m not sure I will quite make it there, but I can say that I was told by a very close friend that Netflix and OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network) may have an interest in picking up CONNIE through their networks.
Me: What else are you working on that you'd like to share with our readers?
AP: The latest project I am working on is a brand new Disney pilot. I have been given the opportunity to be the sole Writer of the pilot, was named Casting Director, and was asked to do voice-over work for this project. I have also teamed up with my husband, who owns High Profile Entertainments & Productions, Inc., and is in charge of creating a theme song for the pilot. He created the beat, I wrote the lyrics, and my daughter, Erica, who was also asked to be the lead actress by the Executive Producer, is also the singer of the theme song.
I am also working still on the feature film, Raw Power, which begins filming in March 2021. This project has allowed me to be Casting Director, Location Assistant, Script Editor and have also been cast to play the part of Dr. Carter by the producer of the film.
Me: Lastly, being that this is Women in Horror Month, what special message do you have for any women out there looking to join in the industry in any capacity as you are one yourself? Thank you again for your time!
AP: My special message to any women who are looking to join the industry would be… do it! Stop being afraid. Expect that the answer will be “no”, but keep in mind that there is a “yes” out there for you. Stop body shaming yourself or letting anyone else body shame you. Stop thinking you’re not good enough to follow your dreams. Surround yourself with positive people who will uplift you and push you to follow your dreams. Have confidence in yourself, your work, and your capabilities, but also be open to taking constructive criticism. Lastly, and very importantly, make sure you are protected in anything you do. Be sure to research and have whatever you need in place, whether it be a good manager, NDAs, an attorney-whatever you need, do not sell yourself short. Invest in your skills and you will go far!
To check out the work of her modeling and talent agency, check out their official website:
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