A previous guest on a past Women in Horror Month spotlight, I welcome back Amanda Megan to talk about some of her latest projects and upcoming film "Black Sheep."
Me: Hello and thank you for returning to this! Since last we spoke, you’ve continued your success in the scene acting in films like “The Legend of Crick Foot” and “Blood and Breakfast” among others. What do you recall from your experiences working on these films?
Amanda Megan: I am grateful that I had the opportunity to work with so many new (well new to people) actors, directors, and producers. I felt safe and had fun working on those sets.
Me: As well, you’re also in the upcoming film “Ssssstoner Snake” as Paula Wannacracker. What initially attracted you to the role?
AM: OHH! This one was SO FUN. It was such a different type of role for me, and the script was hilarious.
Me: Outside of acting, you’ve also moved into directorial work with several projects including the segment ‘The Morning After’ in the upcoming anthology “Head on a Writer’s Block.” What initially inspired you to take this role?
AM: I actually did not direct in this anthology. There were a lot of moving parts for it, Shannon Atkins directed my segment, but I only acted in it. I played the leading lady in The Morning After short. I was attracted to the story and the cast and crew who were already involved.
Me: Were you ever given any instructions about tying it into the other segments in the anthology or allowed more creative freedom?
AM: I can’t really answer this since I didn’t direct it. I do know that Shannon and I had a lot of discussions about wardrobe and dialogue to make sure everyone was comfortable. To my knowledge, we didn’t really have to tie it to any of the other segments - the wraparound is what made everything make sense.
Me: Another of your upcoming projects is working on “The Sabilla Six” with Shannon Atkins. With a stacked cast of talented indie actors and actresses involved, what was the set like while shooting the film?
AM: The Sabilla Six is stacked with tons of talent from all over the DMV and further. The set was also fun, safe, and respectful. We had very few issues when filming. I think our biggest struggle was everyone’s schedule. That’s the risk when you have such talented people - everyone’s booked for other gigs. Shannon does a great job of keeping everyone on track, making sure everyone is fed, and that we get things finished in a reasonable amount of time.
Me: You’re also involved in the upcoming “Black Sheep.” What can you tell us about the film?
AM: A LOT! Black Sheep is actually my baby lol It was my concept, I wrote it, and then Todd Martin finished it out and made it even better than I imagined. Chanda Rawlings plays our main character Lucy Van James. Lucy is an aspiring actress who has to decide how much she’s willing to tolerate to live out her dreams. We start filming in June, and our Indiegogo campaign starts on March 7. DJ Patton is a co-person on all of this. We’ve been hard at work preparing for the last year, probably even longer than that.
Me: With a cast of experienced and talented indie actors, how'd you settle on the cast getting involved in the film? What characteristics did you look for with each performer that they brought to the table that helped bring the production to light?
AM: We actually had everyone send in auditions for Black Sheep. DJ and I both made the decisions on who got what roles. It was difficult because there are SO MANY talented people out there. We picked the people who brought the characters to life the best. Some of them really made the character their own. Everyone really brought their A-game. We hand-picked the crew, which was also difficult because we know so many people for their crew skills as well.
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: We start filming in June so I can’t speak to how they’ve reacted…. Yet. They have all read the script. Everyone is very supportive of it. The feedback we usually get is “Wow I know so many people who have had to deal with similar scenarios to the ones in the script” or that they’ve experienced similar things themselves.
Me: Do you recall having any odd or funny on-set stories about yourself or any of the other cast/crew members?
AM: There are always funny memories from on set. One of my favorites that happened recently was with a cop character being played by Jon Bolling on the set of Sabilla Six. He called the actor by his real name instead of his character name, he was so in character that he didn’t even realize it until after we called cut.
Me: As you’re also involved in the upcoming films “Quattro” and “Following” from Key 13 Films after working on “These Things” earlier, what about their style and approaches keeps bringing you around to work with them?
AM: I’ve worked with Matt Anderson and the Key 13 team a few times now. I enjoy with work them because they are always easy to work with and they take feedback and ideas well. I feel respected by Matt, and I know we make a good team like we did when we made Anna Key. I also want to make sure that they are keeping their cast and crew safe and comfortable so I usually work as the Intimacy Coordinator for their films. Major props to them for bringing one on so after, there’s a huge push for that right now.
Me: What else are you working on that you’d like to share with our readers?
AM: Black Sheep is my main focus this year, but I do have a role in the next Sharkey Video production, and Facemelt Features is working on getting SpiritBoard funded - I have a super cool role in that also and I can’t wait to bring that one to life!
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: As always, don’t give up on yourself, but set and keep firm boundaries. Always ask for referrals or escorts if needed (you can’t be too careful.) There are a ton of people out here willing to help, so don’t be afraid to reach out. The Networking part of it will get you so much further than you realize!
This interview ran as part of our 2025 Women in Horror Movement series. Click the banner below to check out all the featured interviews in this series:
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