Jessica Mazo – Actress, Interview, Model and partner in Martini Productions (which you can read about on our sister site Razberryjuice.com), pretty much sums up our tag line “Entertainment Online”…..there is a whole new generation of actors, writers, producers etc who instead of waiting for the big time to find them, are taking control and wringing out every last opportunity the online world offers, so we were particularly happy to meet up with Jessica and have a good old fashioned question and answer session…..
Tell us a little bit about yourself how you got into acting and film making in general?
“I started when I was about 11 years old taking classes and performing at a great local theatre that was close to my home. I also sing and love music, and so I wanted to be a musical theatre actress on Broadway. When I went to university, I started to explore other professional interests such as government and advertising, and after college I worked in several other fields before finding acting again. I was lucky to already be in such a large market as New York City, and I started taking classes and auditioning. I started off doing theatre, which I still love, but I discovered that I also love acting for film and on the web. I love being on-camera, and it can be a lot more gratifying than the theatre, in that you have a final product of your work that you can always use to show people your acting skills.”
So have you always wanted to be an actress, I noticed from your site you like to write as well?
“As corny as it sounds, I always wanted to be an actress, ever since I was very small. I always loved being dramatic and making up stories and performing. I always liked to write as well. I haven’t been able to write any fiction, and as an actress I should really learn to write screenplays so that I can give myself roles! My talents seem to lie in writing non-fiction. I love writing about my own experiences, and I have tried writing a memoir in the past. There definitely was a point in my career where I considered focusing on writing rather than acting. But I wasn’t able to give acting up. It’s in my blood (even though no one else in my family acts)!”
Can you tell our readers what films or projects you’re working on at the moment?
“I have a role in the web series Mythos that’s shooting now, a horror feature coming out called Disgruntled Employee, and another feature film I worked on that’s coming out soon called Broken Side of Time by Gorman Bechard. I’m also producing and hosting a tourism show with Tom O’Brien and Martini Productions for Qbo Media TV, and I am set to star in a short film that Tom wrote called Pillow Talk.”
How hard is it for an actor to make a living today, let alone hit the big time?
“It is extremely hard. Most actors need to find another way to earn money to pay the bills while they pursue their acting career. My advice is to only pursue it if you love acting so much that you would be okay with it if you never “made it.” There are no guarantees of work in this business and a lot of times, it has nothing to do with how talented you are. It’s more about what the director is looking for in that particular role. Because it is so difficult and so unstable, I would say the three most important personal qualities to have in pursuing an acting career are confidence, perseverance, and resourcefulness.”
For anyone reading this, who fancies a career in acting or film making, are there any courses or classes you could recommend.
“Yes, I would recommend anyone looking to get into acting to learn and practice their craft as if it were an instrument. Take an intro to acting class, scene study classes, and improv. But one of the best ways to improve is to get out there and do it! You learn by falling on your face, but once the scrapes and bruises are gone you’ll be much stronger for it. When I first was trying to become an actress in NYC I didn’t know what I was doing, so I joined a theatre company called Love Creek Productions where I constantly did plays with them and I learned so much.”
If we zoomed ahead 10 years – where will Jessica Mazo be? Possibly behind the camera directing?
“Gosh that’s a really hard question, and to be honest with you, I’ve never considered directing, but that’s a great idea! I definitely wantto still be acting and hopefully making a good living for myself at it. I also see my partner Tom and I doing really well with Martini Productions, working on various projects from fiction to documentaries, corporate videos, actor’s reels and headshots, and also tourism videos. I want to travel the world!”
The final four….Just for Fun
If you had to interview someone in a bath tub who would it be?
“Niki Minaj”
Which movie do you wish you had been cast as the leading lady in?
“Black Swan. I love ballet, and getting to play such a complex character with such an arc would have been amazing. I am a big fan of Darren Aronofsky’s films. I love that dark, creepy style.”
What’s your favourite type of Food?
“Is ice cream a type of food? I also love sushi, soup, and anything with cheese!”
Do leprechauns live in Ireland?
“Yes !”
To find out more about Jessica Mazo check out the sites below
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2511222/
http://www.youtube.com/user/MartiniProductionsNY?feature=guide
Reel: http://youtu.be/yXPNDyYXFBQ
{jcomments on}
Leave a Reply