Indie Actor Spotlight: Tim Jacobs – star of the upcoming indie sci-fi ‘District C-11’

On April 20, 2016 By ruthIn Featured Actor/Filmmaker, Upcoming Flix19 Comments

I’m always intrigued by indie sci-fi films and today I have the privilege to highlight an up-and-coming indie actor, who happens to be the boyfriend of my good friend/colleague Ashley. If you remember in 2013 I posted an interview with Tim Jacobs when he was working as an extra on RIPD.

Tim has been one of my consultants for my script, as the two main characters are stage actors and so a large part of it involves scenes in a theatrical play. So I’m more than happy to feature him on my blog in the hope that this role will get him more film and/or tv work in the future. This time around Tim is the co-lead in an indie sci-fi thriller District C-11.

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District C-11 is a action-packed, plot twisting sci-fi. The story is of two cops in the not too distant future is who are tasked to patrol the streets of Boston at night in a city being broken by corruption and a villain named Stanton Creed. As they get closer to the source of the city’s woes, they find themselves closer to death asking themselves two questions. Do they fight for whats right and risk their lives? Or do they join the bad guys and become part of the problem?

Starring: Corey Spencer, Tim Jacobs, Richard C. Bailey, Lance Williams, Alaina Gianci, Jordan Lloyd & Mark Resnik
Directed By Wes Williams II
Written By Ralph Celestin
Produced by Camp 9 Films

Check out the trailer:

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The film is set in Boston and it will have its premiere at
Boston Common Lowes Movie Theater on Thursday 4/21.

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Here’s my Q&A with Tim about the film, as well as his background as an actor and the challenges & experience working in theater vs feature films.

TimJacobs_DistrictC-11

How did you get involved with this project?

That is quite an interesting story. I saw the audition notice on multiple social media channels and thought it sounded like a good story. I went to the open auditions and read for the part of Grey Gideon. At the end of the first round of auditions, I was told that they loved me, but I was too tall. Later that month I received a call asking me to come back for another round of auditions. Again, they gave me great feedback, but again were unsure about my height. At the third and final callback, it was down to me and another incredible actor (Nicholas DiMaio) and after some great readings with different scenes partners, we were left without a verdict. Wes Williams II (the director) called me 3 weeks later as I was on the phone with another director and offered me the part after again telling me how my height was restrictive. I accepted and could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

DistrictC-11_bts2 — On set with Corey Spencer

DistrictC-11_bts1 — Close up shot hitting the ground

Tell us about your character and how it fits into the story?

Grey is a hell of a character. He is a good cop, a good partner, and good friend… mostly. He upholds the law, but is ultimately driven by revenge for the death of his parents. He has a substance abuse problem and doesn’t like to let people get too close to him. His partner Trenton (Corey Spencer) is the one real exception to that rule. In the movie, things don’t always go Grey’s way and it tends to get a little… messy.

Being that you’ve done small supporting work in big-budget films (RIPD), how’s your experience been like in an independent film but in a more prominent role?I’ve now worked on multiple big budget films and TV shows (Spotlight, The Girl on the Train, Allegiant part 1) and it is always a toss up whether the set is going to be friendly and organized, or harsh and chaotic. Without mentioning specific productions, I have seen some of the worst set management in the bigger budget films. Thankfully, the crew of District C-11 and the most of the smaller movies i’ve worked on have been really professional. I know that i’m lucky because I have heard horror stories from many of my actor friends.

A shot of most of the crew after the last shot of the day

Having a more prominent role is a rush. You are always getting called for something (hair, make-up, rehearsals, etc) so you really take advantage of the down time you have. I loved being in the thick of it and being able to collaborate with the director and Director of Photography (Rajah Samaroo) regarding different takes on shots and scenes. It really is a labor of love because there are times when you are waiting for lights to be set up or lenses to be changed and all the extras have been let go for the night and it’s just you, your scene partner, and the freezing temperatures.You question why you are doing this at all, but if you really love what you are doing, and believe in the project, those thoughts don’t last too long.

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Q: What’s one of the most memorable experiences making this film for you?

So many. The first time action was called. I wasn’t even really in the scene, but it was an incredible high. Working with our fight choreographer (Sisouk Vongbandith) and getting to know all the incredible film people in Boston. I did have a favorite scene to shoot though. It was my partner Trenton, Franchesca (Alaina GIanchi) and myself in a car driving around. The cameras were on rigs so there was no crew around at all with the exception of the poor sound tech (Jack Garrett) ducking in the back seat. It was real, honest work between just the actors with nobody interrupting us. We drove back and forth on an abandoned road for about 30 minutes just doing a bunch of takes. It was so different from what we had been used to and was a great experience.

Q: You mentioned you worked as an extra in ‘The Girl on the Train’ (which trailer has just dropped). What was the experience like working on that?

I was a passenger on the train 😛 I sat a few rows behind Emily Blunt. Unfortunately it was the last days of shooting so i didn’t really get a chance to network much. It was a really fun set though. The director [Tate Taylor] was wonderful and the entire crew seemed great to work with… that could also have been because it was the last couple days… I didn’t know a whole lot about the story going in so it was fun to pick up what was going on by listening to the director talk to Emily between takes. All in all it was a very professional and courteous set.

Q: You have a pretty extensive experience in theater, which do you prefer between making feature films & theater work?

They are so different! The first answer that came to my head was theatre. There is nothing like live theatre. If you mess up, you have to find a way to fix it right then and there. There are no second takes, no redos. What you give is what the audience gets. The adrenaline is incredible. It’s also nice to do the script in chronological order. You always know where you are and what you’re supposed to be doing/dressed like/ what scars are where. Not so in film. In District C-11 we shot the second to last scene on our second day of filming. It took a little getting used to. However, I also love the ever changing always moving nature of film. It keeps you on your toes and the chance at second takes allows you to explore many different ideas and options. I guess i don’t have a clear answer for you there.

Q: What’s next for you after this film?

I moved to NYC last year and am pursuing work here. I’ve done a few smaller projects and been on some big budget TV shows. I haven’t been on Law and Order SVU yet, so according to my actor friends, I’m haven’t been inducted into NYC television acting yet. I’m hoping this movie showcases me and can help propel me higher up. I’m working with a few people I know and getting in with the right people. It won’t be long before I get another great part!

Photos courtesy of PERSONIFYD MEDIA

For more info, check out District C-11‘s official website and on Facebook

Hope you enjoy the interview. Thoughts about Tim and/or ‘District C-11’?
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Upcoming Flix Spotlight: R.I.P.D and interview w/ extra Tim Jacobs

On July 18, 2013April 4, 2014 By ruthIn Featured Actor/Filmmaker, Upcoming Flix40 Comments

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Summer is a great time for action comedies! When I first saw this trailer earlier this year, I thought this is a crazy mash-up of Men In Black (but with dead people) meets Ghostbusters… with The Dude and Green Lantern, no less.

After Detective Nick Walker (Ryan Reynolds) is killed by accident, he is recruited into the Rest In Peace Department (R.I.P.D.) and partnered with veteran officer Roy Pulsipher (Jeff Bridges). The R.I.P.D. is an organization of dead police officers tasked with protecting the living from arrogant, malevolent, bloodthirsty evil spirits who refuse to move into the afterlife

Apparently the story is based on a comic book by Peter M. Lenkov. The movie’s directed by Robert Schwentke who apparently passed on directing the sequel of another action comedy RED, and also stars Kevin Bacon and Mary-Louise Parker. Interestingly, both Reynolds and Parker have two movies coming up in the same weekend, Reynolds lends his voice in the animated feature Turbo and Parker is also in RED 2 (review coming soon).

Check out the latest trailer…

… and featurette w/ the cast:

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Today we’ve got a special guest on this post…

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Tim Jacobs, a stage actor who worked as extra on the film – check out his profile on IMDb. Thanks to my friend Ashley (aka Tim’s girlfriend) for introducing us. Tim played one of the evil souls (deados) share some of his experience on the set. Check out our interview below:

1. Tell us what your role is in R.I.P.D and how you ended up getting involved with this project

R.I.P.D. is about of evil souls (deados) that escaped judgement and are hiding out on earth. The R.I.P.D. (Rest In Peace Department) is in charge of finding and arresting these offending souls. In the movie, I was one of the Deados that worked closely with Hayes (Kevin Bacon) to bring about the end of the world as we know it.

The casting process for this movie was unlike any audition I’d done before. Boston Casting, an incredible casting agency in (you guessed it) Boston contacted me about the audition. They were looking for a very specific type of person. They had to be over 6 feet tall and physically fit. The auditions themselves were incredible! You know you’re going to have fun when they don’t give you specifics, but tell you to wear “clothes you can move in.” The actual audition consisted of push-ups, pull-ups, jumping rope, box jumps, and various other physical activities including showing off some stage combat skills. Things went well and they picked a small group of us that day.

2. Did you get to work with any of the main cast?

The part of the story that I’m a part of is kind of the climax of the movie. It takes place on the roof of a building that was meticulously replicated in a giant warehouse. The set was entirely surrounded by green screen. It felt like we were in a giant green circus tent. The actual set was the exact size of the building it was modeled after, and with all the people on it, you could find yourself next to any number of cast members.

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RIPD_setpic2 — Reynolds, Bacon and Bridges on set

We worked mostly with the main cast (although the stand ins were used from time to time) but we were instructed to maintain professionalism and not get all googly eyed when they walked by. They were all very nice. Jeff Bridges seemed to be one of the nicest guys around, Ryan Reynolds was very focused on the work, and Kevin Bacon was hilarious! We were with them for a good portion of our shoot and we did chat in between takes or sitting outside.

3. What’s a day on the set like? I learned that you have to wear a certain costume to play one of the dead monsters (Deado)?

I maintain relationships with several of them on Facebook even now. Once the call comes though, we would have to quickly move into position as they set up the shot. When you are actually on set, everything moves very quickly and you always have to be aware of the people, cameras, and your Assistant Director.

Everyone was wicked nice though. The director (Robert Schwentke) was very good at letting the actors know what he wanted and how to better achieve it. The entire crew would help you out and answer any questions you had about anything. It was a wonderful work environment because everyone seemed to be on the same page.

The costume I wore was not much more than somewhat formal street clothes. But on certain CGI shots, we got to wear the “grey suits” (see below). These icons of the fashion world were made of a nice stretchy material and had the one size fits most feel to them. Luckily we didn’t have to wear these very often.

4. I understand you’ve done a lot of stage work in various Shakespearean plays? Tell us what project you’re working on right now.

TimJacobs_ShakespearePlay — Tim in a stage adaptation of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’

The Director (Dan Beaulieu) has taken this show and spun it around much like a DJ remixes a song. In fact, we refer to the show as #Ahranjay (R+J) the remix. The show is a lot more intense and interesting than most of the productions of Romeo and Juliet that I have seen. It features Dubstep and live music as the heartbeat and driving force of the action. Among other things, we will be live tweeting during the shows, and finding all sorts of fun ways to interact with the audience. You can find more information on the show at prescottpark.org or find Seven Stages Shakespeare Company on Facebook. If you are in the area, it is definitely worth the $5 donation. Also, it is outdoors so there’s that.

5. What’s next for you? More stage work or are you looking to venture out into TV or films?

There is nothing like live theatre. There are no second takes when you are onstage in front of hundreds of people. What you do is what you get. The adrenaline (butterflies) I get during a live show can’t be compared with being on a movie set. But movies have their own fun. You don’t get the instant feedback like in theater, but instead there is a long wait to see your art. It is truly a lot of fun, even as an extra, to be part of a movie. I will keep auditioning for all sorts of performing arts, and whoever wants to work with me ultimately decides the steerage of my course.

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Thanks again Tim for the interview! Check out Tim on Facebook.

Hope you enjoy the interview. Thoughts on this post, well let’s hear it!