An emerging actress, producer, and director in the indie scene, Amanda Megan has taken her skills into a series of impressive credits in each of the fields she works. Now, in honor of Women in Horror Month, I talk with her about her early interest in acting, her varying duties in front and behind the camera, and some upcoming projects.
Me: Hello and thank you for taking the time to do this. First off, when did you get into horror in general? What films specifically got you into watching horror movies?
AM: Hello! Thank you so much for including me!
I've been a horror fan since I was a child! We had a big family and a lot of us lived together at one point. My uncle Ray used to babysit us on some Friday nights, and whenever he did, we would always watch Indiana Jones. There were 4 of us kids and I was the oldest, so once the little ones fell asleep I would beg him to let me watch Tales From The Crypt, and he almost always gave in. And ta-da, here we are now!
Nightmare on Elm Street was one of my favorites as I was growing up. I wasn't a big Jason fan, and Michael Meyers used to freak me out.
Me: When did you initially discover a passion for acting? What aspect of this industry appeals to you?
AM: My dad says that I was always “a ham,” and always ended up in front of a camera somehow.
I did theater in high school which I LOVED. I really enjoyed the experience and bringing characters and a story to life. I also like the challenge and physical activity it took to pull off the musicals we did, my school only did musicals.
My first film acting debut was for a film called Samhain which came out back in 2020. It was my first time doing anything like this and most of us were newbies, so we learned a lot and made a ton of new friends and lifetime memories.
The thing that appeals to me the most about this industry is truly the art of it all. The story is art, the acting is art, the music and camera angles are art, and even coordinating the production itself is an art form.
Me: Is there any specific type of character you prefer playing? What do you look for in a character to be excited and interested in playing it?
AM: I don't really have a specific type of character that I prefer playing. I don't want to be type-cast. I love playing a challenging character, something that's totally different from who I am as a person. I have a role in Shawn Wright's film Spiritboard that I am sssooooo excited about because it's really going to challenge me as an actress, I'll need to be able to show a lot of range and I'll need to really rely on the production team to make sure things go smoothly and safely.
Me: What do you do to stay in character while on-set? When you're not filming, how do you pass the time between takes?
AM: When I'm on set and not filming, I make time to eat and hydrate first and foremost. Keeping yourself nourished and healthy is sssooo important. You don't realize the kind of energy you're burning when you're on set, mentally and physically. I like to watch the other actors while they're working through their scenes. I'm inspired and grateful to be around so many talented people. If I have “downtime” I'll read through the script or doom-scroll social media if I need a distraction for a few minutes.
Staying in character can be challenging depending on the character. I find that most of the people that I've worked with really feed off of each other, so the more I'm in character, the more the other people in the scene are, and vice versa. It really is a team effort. I make sure to be in the right head space when I get to set too. If it's a tough scene or some controversial subject matter - I channel experiences that I've been through or that people I'm close to have been through. I make sure to have a “safe” person available to bring back to reality after filming.
Me: Having worked on various aspects of film production, do you have any particular preference for working on any?
AM: Hmmm, that's a good question. I love every aspect of it but I think I really found my niche in acting, writing, directing and coaching other filmmakers. I'm not very familiar with the technical aspects of it yet - the lighting and camera ISOs and color gradients and the sound specifics - I don't even know the proper terminology for sound yet so I'm always learning something new.
Me: As a major driving force in the production company Key 13 Films, what initially inspired you to become involved in the company? What do you provide for others through your work?
AM: Oh fun story! So I met Matt Anderson - either via Facebook or through a mutual friend and he needed someone to help with a proof of concept trailer so I went to help out for that. A few months later, he had a post out about “who wants to direct” or like a “what are your goals” kind of post. So I commented on it and said I'd love to try my hand at directing one day. I think that secretly he was fishing to get me, but it worked! The script is what really inspired me to go through with it and knowing that I would be working with people who knew what they were doing and would be able to teach me the right way to do things.
Me: With your first major acting role being as Angela in “Night of the Axe,” what do you remember your time filming?
AM: I remember so much! This was another Shawn Wright film! I really enjoyed working with him and his crew. They made me feel welcome and safe. I remember being nervous because this was one of the first times I was branching out of my circle of friends into new territory. I remember pulling up to the filming location and thinking “uhmmm is this really it”. We had so many jokes about the home we filmed in. There were a lot of bobbleheads for some reason. I remember meeting Angel Bradford for the first time! She's fantastic and I will always consider her a best friend. The entire cast and crew made it so fun. It was also my first time doing an intimate scene and my partner for that - Shawn Mongold - was also amazing, making sure I was safe and comfortable and covered. He was professional and fun. I'd work with him again in a heartbeat. I also learned that creating an intimate scene is nowhere close to what the finished product looks like.
Me: With other roles including films like “Horrortales.666 Part 2,” “The Blue Hole,” and “Butterfly of Black Velvet,” what tips and tricks have you learned as an actress from working on these films?
AM: I think the biggest tip that I've learned as an actress is that you're not just acting, you’re REACTING. Honestly, that's the best thing I've heard. Also, when you're doing an audition, don't hold back.
Me: As you’re preparing for your first directorial feature “Anna Key,” what are you most looking forward to with its upcoming release?
AM: ALL. OF. IT. I'm so excited to be able to share this with the world. And even more importantly, I cannot wait for the cast to see their hard work come to life finally. It took us a long time to get this together. I want the cast and crew to be recognized for their talent and hard work. There was literal blood, tears, and sweat to make this movie and I want them to be able to celebrate the way they deserve to.
Me: Where did the inspiration for the film come from? Were there any unique stories about its conception?
AM: So my co-pilot for Anna Key - Matt Anderson, owner of Key 13, actually wrote the original screenplay for it. I believe a lot of it was based on a past relationship he had. He had asked me if I would take a look and give some feedback, which is something I really enjoy doing, and have gotten to give some feedback on a lot of other great scripts recently. When I read the script, I was a little in shock because of how much I could relate to it personally. I gave a lot of feedback on it, and we made a lot of changes, and we included some of my own relationship experiences and I truly believe that the combination from both of us is what makes the story as special as it is.
Me: What was the set like while shooting the film? How did the cast and crew react to the type of film being made?
AM: For me the set was busy, I put a lot of pressure on myself to make a good quality film and to make sure the people on set were safe and comfortable. Overall, we had a great team and everyone really came together to support each other. If we weren't able to go pick up lunch, someone else was happy to run and grab it.
I think the cast was able to relate to the film. It's a film where everyone can relate in some way. There were tough emotional scenes, there were fun and flirty scenes. We had to recast a few times because of some of the content but everything worked out in the end.
Me: Do you recall having any odd or funny on-set stories about yourself or any of the other cast/crew members?
AM: Oh there have been so many memories with everyone! We also made it a point to do some lunches or dinners together as team building. The production team took me for Thai food once - it was my first time! There were a few dinner scenes and I remember one had burritos and the cheese we used was expired so that made for quite a funny moment when we realized it.
Me: What else are you working on that you'd like to share with our readers?
AM: Keep an eye out for:
The Sabilla Six currently in production
Blood and Breakfast currently in production
Head on the Writers Block currently in production
Legend of Crickfoot which premieres this weekend
These Things currently in pre-production
Spiritboard currently in pre-production
Barrenlands currently in pre-production
OH And keep an eye out for productions and other media coming from my very own recently announced production company DANCING DEMONS MEDIA GROUP. We're offering so much more than just film.
Me: Lastly, being that this is our Women in Horror Movement, 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!
AM: My message to all the women out there is don't give, know your worth, embrace your authenticity, and remember where you came from. Sometimes things suck, but it's always worth it in the end.
This interview ran as part of our 2024 Women in Horror Movement celebrations! Click the banner below to check out our complete coverage:
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