Leanne
Whitney Leanne Whitney made her feature film debut as the thought provoking Laundromat Girl in Brad Anderson's, The Darien Gap which premiered at Sundance in 1996. Next up was a supporting role as the betrayed townie chick, Lisa, in Little Shots of Happiness. She followed up that performance with a larger role in Shucking the Curve as the homeless, speedfreak, Kathy.
She played a featured role as the abused girlfriend of a cop in music video director, Steven Alexander's first feature, Journey into Madness. Then came her role as Cheryl, the traumatized and terrorized girl whose destiny was, at least, to have left Bangor by now in Verow's upcoming A Sudden Loss Of Gravity.
Capping what has been four great years of frolic and frenzy in the Boston and New York film communites, Leanne shot a featured bit, as part of an interracial couple, in Martin Scorcese's latest film, Bringing Out the Dead.
Leanne moved to Los Angeles in January where she recently played a frustrated unit production manager in Dog Park Productions mockumentary,Killing the Vision. Her next project, "Off The Beaten Track" is a hosting gig for the Travel Channel.
Bangor Films Producer-Writer Jim Dwyer
Interviews Verow Superstar Leanne Whitney
Jim Dwyer: What was your first impression of Todd Verow?
Leanne Whitney: Nothing really sticks out from my interview/audition except that I know I was relaxed, so he must've put me at ease straight away. My first day on the set I thought, "This guy's easy to work with."
Jim Dwyer: Were you familiar with his work?
Leanne Whitney: I had never seen any of Todd's work until the New York screening of "Little Shots." I was blown away. Watching it was like experiencing it. His movies have that home movie feel. Almost like you're there with these people, or that you know them really well. Worlds apart from 35mm high-glam bullshit.
Jim Dwyer: How does he work with you?
Leanne Whitney: It sounds bizarre when I try to explain it, but it's almost like hanging out, but being someone else for a month or so. We do a lot of talking about the characters during preproduction, so once we start shooting we hang out and play and see what we come up with. There is no real pressure on a Todd Verow set for the actors, so if Todd can't get a good performance out of you, I highly recommend you choose another craft.
Jim Dwyer: On what levels does Todd click with you and your craft?
Leanne Whitney: He communicates his vision concisely. He knows exactly what he wants, what he needs and what he's gotten at all times, and he's able to tell me in a way that I understand. I cannot help you paint your picture if you don't tell me what color you want or which stroke to use. He does that. I also love it that Todd shoots on DV with a skeleton crew. There are barely any constraints. There is much more intimacy on that kind of set. No huge-ass camera to ignore, no marks to hit and, again, no pressure because "the budget is about to run out and we have to get this take today and the sun is about to go down and the camera hasn't even been set up yet and we won't have time to rehearse so Leanne you better get this in one take."
Jim Dwyer: Were you put off at first by video?
Leanne Whitney: No, I love the rawness of it. When I first saw "Little Shots," in a very vain manner I thought, God, he could've lit me better there, why didn't he choose a better angle of me there. But I quickly realized Todd was all about a different kind of glamour--not the kind I was used to seeing in the movies. Video is a perfect medium for Todd.
Jim Dwyer: Does it surprise you how much the indie film world has changed in regard to respecting video-originated movies?
Leanne Whitney: Yes. I think the demand will grow exponentially now. People are tired of the same crap being released every week. They are desperate for something new visually.
Jim Dwyer: What has been the constant in all the Verow films you've done?
Leanne Whitney: The cast and crew! You don't really have to spend time warming up to anybody. You already know them.
Jim Dwyer: What has changed, if anything?
Leanne Whitney: The camera seems to keep getting smaller.
Jim Dwyer: How are your performances affected by such a small crew?
Leanne Whitney: Even though you get used to blocking out all the crew members on a typical set, you still have to use part of your brain to do that. If you don't have to do that at all it frees up more space in your head to be creative with. You can just let loose.
Jim Dwyer: What have you not explored yet in a Todd Verow film?
Leanne Whitney: I want to go over the edge. Maybe a manic-depressive, schizophrenic or a psychopath.
Jim Dwyer: Does he typecast you?
Leanne Whitney: Todd saw outside the nine dots with me and I will be indebted to him forever for that. He knew I had it in me to play edgy, raw, white trash. I can't say he has typecast me because his movies don't typically have "girl next door" [types]. When I sign up for a Verow feature I expect to go somewhere dark and to play an outsider. However, in "Ex Votos" I think my character is pretty straight up.
Jim Dwyer: Recently you said to me that being yourself is your best asset in Hollywood. Could you elaborate?
Leanne Whitney: There are two parts to my answer. First, auditions. My first three years in this business I would always walk in a room thinking, "What are they looking for?" Well, there is just no way you can know that. I have to go in that room and give a performance as I see it and flavor the character with me. Also, I have to do everything in my power to facilitate that performance. I cannot as an actor be intimidated or nervous. I own that room. I own those five minutes. They should feel damn well lucky to have me there bringing some color and life to their script. Second, the image I sell. When I first started in this business I felt like I was neutered. I look at my old headshots and I'm like, "What were you thinking?" There was nothing concrete there because I was trying to put forth the image of what I thought Hollywood wanted. Well, why would they want what they already have? I have to walk in that room as me, not some bastardized, watered-down version of me.
Jim Dwyer: Will the Internet help indie and underground film?
Leanne Whitney: It will make it more accessible. It's all right there at your fingertips. Long live the underground!
Leanne will star in the Los Angeles portion of Bangor Film's Ex-Votos project.