Cleavers: It Runs in the Family (2019)
Director: MJ Dixon
Writer: MJ Dixon
Stars: Georgie Smibert, Gemma Louise Troughton, Paul Rogers, Jessica Michelle Smith, Holly-Anne Dodkins
Deputy Jody Ann Howells, a survivor of the Still Rivers Massacre, is on the trail of a young woman, on the run after being found on the scene of a horrific murder, a young woman who may be connected to her past. As Howells closes in on her she discovers that the killer she faced all those years ago may still be alive and kicking and he has his sights on a family making a cross country road trip, only this time he’s not alone.
Date & Venue: Saturday 12th January 20:00
Park Inn by Radisson Palace, Southend, Church Rd, Southend-on-Sea SS1 2AL, UK
With Cleavers: It Runs in the Family premiering at Horror-on-sea Film Festival I got a chance to ask actresses Georgie Smibert and Jessica Michelle Smith a few questions about what we can expect from the film.
Cleavers: It Runs in the Family Interview – Georgie Smibert
Q. Cleavers: It Runs in the Family has been selected to play at Horror-on-Sea Film Festival, what can people expect from the film?
I think audiences should be really excited about this film. CleaverS is the 8th film in the Mycho horror universe and it brings together all the great features of a Mycho film. You have strong female characters, intertwining story lines, great cinematography, interesting characters and creative deaths. In addition, despite being almost entirely set during the day, you still have MJ’s standout use of colour which has become a defining feature of Mycho films.
Q. You play Jody-Ann Howells in the film. Can you tell us a little bit about you character?
Being set several years after Cleaver: Rise of the Killer Clown (2015), Jody-Ann is no longer the bright eyed, innocent Deputy Sherriff audiences first met. She is haunted by events from her past – some of which happened in Cleaver, and some which audiences will soon discover. In CleaverS she is forced to face the truth and must decide what she is truly seeking – justice or revenge.
Q. What sort of preparation did you do for the role?
A large part of my preparation for the role was working on the Oklahoma accent. I work with a fantastic dialect coach from Australia, so we had lots of Skype sessions in the lead up to filming. In addition, I got to fill in the gaps of what has happened to Jody-Ann between the end of Cleaver and where ClearverS picks up – what has she been doing, where has she been travelling to, what mistakes has she made and who has she hurt along the way. That sort of preparation is always a lot of fun and really helps me when filming.
Q. Did you make any changes to the character from how it was written in the original script?
Not that immediately pops to mind. MJ is a fabulous writer and he is always keen to talk to you as he writes to get your ideas, which is refreshing. He is very good at writing strong female characters, and I think his openness to feedback and input is a key factor in this – plus he has some great inspiration in his lovely wife Anna.
Q. Did you experience any issues whist filming Cleavers: It Runs in the Family?
Yes, but nothing that couldn’t be fixed. Before we started filming, we had a lot of actors drop out, so we delayed the start of production by about three weeks. That was their loss because all the new actors were absolutely amazing, and I can’t imagine the film with a different cast!
It was also really hot when we filmed. It was a blessing and a curse. The heat and sunshine meant the locations looked amazing and it really adds to the film… but it does make the days a little harder when it’s 30C+. That said, I’m Australian, so I would much rather be hot than cold. I get grumpy when I’m cold!
Q. What was one of your favourite moments during filming?
Oh, that’s hard… only one! One would have to be my first day of filming. It was great to be back in Jody-Ann’s shoes and to be filming with the entire Mycho team again, plus I was acting opposite Jimi James and Holly-Anne Dodkin, who had also both returned from Cleaver. Seeing everything come together and come to life for the first time was amazing – I knew this was going to be a fantastic film and I was just so excited to be a part of it!
Q. What do you think makes Cleavers: It Runs in the Family stand out in the horror genre?
I think it really hits the mark on gore, humour and storyline. Often films miss out on one of these, but I think CleaverS does really well at keeping audiences entertained through strong intertwining storylines and clever humour – but also, it doesn’t shy away from some pretty cool deaths with amazing practical effects.
Q. Do you have any other projects which you are currently working on?
I finished filming another film this year which should be released mid-late 2019. That film was set in a post-apocalyptic Britain, and I play a young English woman fighting for survival. I also just filmed something for Channel 4 which should air early in 2019.
My future filming schedule is quiet at the moment so I’m spending my time developing some of my own work until something else comes along that diverts my attention.
Q. What advice would you give to someone who is looking to get into acting?
For me, the key question to ask yourself is – ‘If I never make any money from acting, would I still want to do it?’ If the answer is yes, then no matter what anyone ever says, never give up. The industry is hard, but if you have a love for acting, for the pure pleasure of acting then the people you meet, the experiences you have and the projects you create will outweigh any money you make. The more you get into it the more you realise that it isn’t about fame and it isn’t about the money… if that’s what you want then there are easier ways to achieve it.
But if it’s the acting you love – never ever give up no matter how hard it may feel. Celebrate every little win, support your peers and be nice to people. We all need to support each other in this industry. Oh, and remember… it’s a marathon, not a sprint!
You can find out more about Georgie Smibert by checking out her website or following her on Instagram
Website: www.georgiesmibert.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgiesmibert/
You can find out more about the feature films playing at Horror-on-Sea Film Festival and details of tickets on the website.
Cleavers: It Runs in the Family Interview – Jessica Michelle Smith
Jessica Michelle Smith?
Q. Cleavers: It Runs in the Family has been selected to play at Horror-on-Sea Film Festival, what can people expect from the film?
Well the first time I will see the film will be at Horror-on-Sea, so it’s going to be really exciting to have the cast back together to watch the finished film for the very first time. I can tell you that CleaverS is a carefully plotted horror with some very calculated kills. It’s got some fantastic storylines which run alongside one another, and MJ has done a brilliant job of having all of these separate stories come together. The film is full of tense moments with jumps and scares, and I love that it has many strong female characters in it too. We’re all in for a treat!
Q. You play Tanya Harvey in the film. Can you tell us a little bit about your character?
I would describe Tanya as a troubled but misunderstood teenager. She has fallen in with the wrong crowd in school and has begun using drugs to help her concentrate on her studies. In my mind, Tanya also uses these drugs as a distraction from home-life as she hasn’t fully accepted the death of her mother, and so she’s very bitter towards her new step mum and family. However, with the challenges that she is presented with in this film, she really comes into her own.
Q. What sort of preparation did you do for the role?
Tanya is quite a multi-layered character, and so the hardest part of preparing for the role was establishing her needs, motivations and having a full understanding of why she behaves the way she does. I had my own thoughts in mind regarding Tanya’s backstory, but when I met with MJ and discussed how he saw the character, it really helped to fill in any missing blanks. I think the most important thing was figuring out when we were going to reveal her vulnerable side.
Q. Did you make any changes to the character from how it was written in the original script?
I absolutely loved the script when I first read it – everything was so clear, and you could imagine exactly how each scene was going to look because of the detail that MJ had gone into, and so I kept Tanya as intended. The only thing I’d say that I tried to change is people’s perceptions of Tanya; on set, the rest of the cast and crew would joke saying that everything is Tanya’s fault because her family would never have met Cleaver if they didn’t go on that road trip, which they went on for her. However, I see Tanya as someone who is very misunderstood; her attitude comes from the fact that she doesn’t want someone to be replacing her mother, and that’s the way it’s seems to be going because her Dad is so infatuated by his new wife – she is trying to protect her small family. I think the rest of the cast and crew secretly know this anyway, they all just liked to wind me up and say it was Tanya’s fault for everything ha. I’m protective over her!
Q. Did you experience any issues whist filming Cleavers: It Runs in the Family?
The traffic and air noise! We were filming on a closed, private road, and yet we seemed to get interrupted by vehicles every couple of minutes… and if it wasn’t road vehicles, there were airplanes in the distance. When we began filming, the weather was absolutely lovely, however a few weeks in we got this horrible freezing and rainy weather which wasn’t nice – especially when you’re in summer clothes ha. Apart from that, I didn’t experience any issues on set – I don’t know if we were just really lucky, but it was just an absolutely lovely bunch of people to work with who all got along.
Q. What was one of your favourite moments during filming?
The cellar scene – I was really looking forward to this when I first read the script, and it definitely didn’t disappoint. It was awesome being covered in blood and dirt and really getting into the drama. I also loved the very first day on set, which was when the family first met Mary Beth (Holly-Anne Dodkins)- the weather was lovely and the whole family were alive and together.
Q. What do you think makes Cleavers: It Runs in the Family stand out in the horror genre?
There’s great character development in this film and so you’re invested in these people – no one is there just to add to the body count. It also has some strong female characters in it too, which is a bonus.
Q. Do you have any other projects which you are currently working on?
I am coming to the end of a theatre production at the moment, and then have several film and television projects lined up for the New Year, but it’s still early days so I can’t talk much about them right now.
Q. What advice would you give to someone who is looking to get into acting?
I personally believe that it doesn’t matter about where you have trained or what qualifications you have got – the number one thing you need is passion and self-belief. Don’t focus on other people, because it’s not about them, it’s your journey. I 100% agree with networking as well, because that’s how you’re going to get yourself out there. And also, be nice – you want people to want to work with you.
You can keep up to date with details of Jessica Michelle Smith’s future projects by following her on social media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smithj05/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/smithj05
You can find out more about the feature films playing at Horror-on-Sea Film Festival and details of tickets on the website.
Published in various websites, Philip is a reviewer who is best known for his interviews and media coverage of independent projects including; films, books, theatre and live events. Always on the lookout for something different to cover!
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