Yet another exhilarating casting announcement was presented today concerning Nick Belial’s upcoming crime/thriller film, To Avenge. Delaware native Nick Mielnikiewicz will be playing Dean Anderson, a role which he and I discussed with moderate detail in his recent interview. While I was previously unaware of this multi-talented young man, Nick brings incalculable talent, attainable aspirations, and impressive training to this diabolical character and timely project.
RH: Nice to speak with today Nick. I recently interviewed James Robinson, and now I get to interview you, too.
NM: Thanks for the opportunity, Ruth. And yes, I worked with James on Delaware Shore. I was doing boom operation. I had some interactions with James, and he was a great guy to talk with. I’m glad I get to work with him again.
Before we discuss your upcoming role, I’d like to know how you decided to pursue a career in film.
My entry into film didn’t come too late in life, but it wasn’t incredibly early either. I came across the idea of film as a potential career choice in the midst of a gap year I was taking. I had just finished high school. I was homeschooled, so they sent me my diploma. Actually, let me clarify. I didn’t have a home curriculum that I used. It wasn’t a traditional homeschool program. The program was connected to a private school. So I decided to take a year and take some time off school and do a little soul-searching.
I had the opportunity to be a set photographer for this film called Yes, Your Tide is Cold and Dark, Sir. The film was directed by Chris Malinowski, a local filmmaker. His mother and my mother both worked at Christiana Care. He was in need of a beach house, so we offered our beach house. And my mom mentioned to them that I was doing amateur photography at the time, so they invited me to be a set photographer. Looking back, I wish I had done a much better job of doing it ’cause I was so under-prepared for it. But being there on set and seeing what it was like was quite an experience. At the time, it seemed that filming something was essentially where someone would write a story, and I was making it a visualization by taking these photos. And to me, that was something that had never clicked when I was watching movies. But when I was there, I was seeing it made, and I knew this was what I wanted to do.
Since then, I took an English degree at the University of Delaware that had a concentration in film. So it was a lot of film theory taught by Professor Thomas Leitch, who I also learned was the advisor and teacher for David Acord, who went on to work for Lucasfilm. He now does the sound for all their movies…for the Star Wars films and Guardians of the Galaxy and so much more. While I was doing that, I got affiliated with the University of Delaware Film Club called Real Productions. To this day, I am still affiliated with them. I now let them do their own thing because I don’t want to get in the way of the students who are leading their own projects, but I’m there as a support system. So if I come across film projects or opportunities or if they need help, I always try to throw them a rope
I’ve actually been trying to branch out and expand my bubble, especially more into Philadelphia. I haven’t done anything in Baltimore, D.C., or New York City yet, but I’ve managed to keep myself very busy with local productions. I got affiliated with the group Wilmington Film Mob which is the Delaware film community that has over five hundred members last time I checked. It probably has more by now. Through them, I got affiliated with a filmmaker named Ryan Hunter, who has a production company called Curious Iris. At that time, he had Raghav Peri as the producer for his web series, which is still going on, called Sheisters. I talked to Raghav one of the days we were shooting, and I was telling him how I was really looking for any and all projects to do pretty much whatever. He mentioned to me that he was looking for people to help him with this project called Delaware Shore. So he gave me the job of being boom operator. So I was working with Rob Biello on sound, and I think I only had two or three days when I wasn’t on set. Otherwise, I was there for the whole production. And that’s how I met Nick Belial, the director of To Avenge. He told me about his project, and it sounded really interesting at the time. So here I am.
Since then, I have been throwing myself around. I’ve done a few “extras” gigs recently. I was an extra for M. Night Shyamalan’s Glass for one of his reshoots. Just recently, I did a one-day “extras” gig for Creed 2. They’ve been shooting locally for that. My next task is to try to find an agency or representation so I can expand my bubble even more. I’m really gunning for the most I can do. This is absolutely what I feel passionate about, and I see no sense in just stopping locally and keeping this thing as a hobby. I want this to be a thing I pursue for the rest of my days. I want to be like Eli Wallach and Christopher Lee, who are in their nineties and still doing film.
Please tell us about your character in To Avenge.
Well, my character’s name is Dean Anderson, and I’m one of four men who is on the boardwalk and harasses Vera and then goes on to sexually assault her.
It seems like you have more experience behind the camera than in front of the camera.
I would say yes and no. Lately, I’ve been making acting a priority for me. Partly in terms of accessibility. I’ve found it’s a lot more accessible for me to participate in film by me just being a human being and acting as different human beings on camera. But I’ve done a fair amount of crew work as well. I’ve been a production assistant. I’ve handled cameras, sound…I’ve done a bit of editing. I am trying to get well-rounded in everything. I’m looking into costuming and makeup and building stages. But acting is what I really want to focus on. I feel like ultimately being a career actor is what I want to do. I’d also like to be a director and a writer. I feel the best thing a director can do is act and be on the ground floor with the people. So when you have to direct these actors, you can get into their headspace and figure out what you need to say to them so you can get your ideas across to them and then you both have a mutual idea of what you want to accomplish.
With your role on To Avenge, will this be your biggest role to date?
Oh, absolutely. I really appreciate Nick for giving me the opportunity to have not necessarily a lead role but a significant role.
How would you describe your character?
Definitely a deplorable person. There’s a word I learned recently–affluenza. So Dean is definitely someone who is completely suffering from affluenza to the point that he thinks he can get away with sexually assaulting a woman. When I first heard about this kind of person, I thought, “Man, that’s a role that I’m completely morally against.” But I see the character of Dean Anderson as a challenge. And doing uncomfortable roles is something that I inevitably would have to do at some point in my career. This is like my golden ticket to getting into a really nasty headspace and playing a really dastardly person. But then for the sake of the film, regardless of how I personally feel about what the character will be doing, I need to bring this character to life, even if what he is doing is completely against everything I believe in.
I’ve talked with other actors who have to play these unsavory characters, and the hardest thing is to play this role authentically and without judgment. Otherwise, if you don’t play the role that way, the character is no longer believable.
Yeah, then the character is lost. And all that is left is you trying to be something you’re not when it really should be you playing something that in real life you’re not, regardless of how you feel.
So you know James and Nick. Have you had interactions with any of the other cast members?
No, not yet, but I’m very much looking forward to meeting everyone and working with them.
You’re not alone in that. Everyone in the cast is so excited to meet everyone and get started. That doesn’t always happen with productions, but I’m sure glad everyone is genuinely excited about starting. Now, as far as the overall message of the film, considering the current climate in which we find ourselves, why do you feel this is an important film?
I would say it’s important in that our society does face a lot of injustice. We have a lot of people who say they’re here to help and to create a support system, but then you have incidents that get completely swept under the rug. Men rape women and then maybe get a year or two in prison. Sometimes they only get a month. In fact, not too long ago, there was a scenario where a college student had sexually assaulted an unconscious woman, and he got away with it because of his position on the sports team or something like that. It’s a complete injustice, and eventually, something’s gonna bite back in society, whether it’s vigilantism or a radical movement. And it’s not because all these people don’t know how to deal with it. They need to grow a spine and deal with it because if nothing’s gonna be done, someone else is going to take over and get the stuff done and probably not in the right way. It’s just inevitable. You keep punching a wild animal, and it’s gonna bite you.
I’ve never heard anyone put it quite that way, Nick. Interesting to hear everyone’s perspective, and I think you make some very valid points. Now as to other works that you have coming up, of course, Delaware Shore is making the film festival rounds right now.
Yes, they’ve been really strong on getting it out to film festivals, and the last time I checked, it’s won either fourteen or sixteen awards across four or five different festivals. It’s been phenomenally successful. I’m really happy for Raghav. He got Best First Time Director for Delaware Shore. I really think he deserved it. He’s a fun guy and lots of fun on the set. One time, he came up to me and asked me to follow this certain car all around and get sound on it. Of course, if the director tells me to do that, I will. So I was following the car, and it kept speeding up, and I was running after the car, dragging the sound boy behind me. Then the car went off and I stopped. Then I looked over at Raghav and he was just laughing his rear off, and I was like, “Okay, I get it.” So he’s definitely not above having fun on set which creates a good, fun environment for everyone.
In addition to To Avenge, which you’re filming later this year, anything else upcoming you can mention?
I do have some scripts that I’m writing. I’ve been trying to put together some productions of my own. One of them I’m definitely going to try to make, possibly before I get started on To Avenge. But if not, then right after. I have a feature film I’m trying to write as well. I’m kind of in-between whether I want to make it now with the resources that I have or if I want to wait. I’ve kind of foreseen it as something that I could turn into a series of movies or even a franchise.
It sounds like you’re becoming really well-rounded, Nick. It’s clear that this is your passion. I just want to thank you for sharing so much with us, and I wish you all the best in all your endeavors. Especially with To Avenge.
Ruth, thank you for taking the time. I’m very excited to begin work on To Avenge and all the potential projects I have coming up. I hope everyone supports us.
In my years of interviewing actors and other entertainment professionals, I have come to believe that one of the wisest things an actor can do is diversify his/her talents. While some will preach that single focus is best, I think that if one is able to receive training in all the aspects of film and TV, it can only aid that person in his/her ambitions. And in the case of Nick, I applaud him for his enthusiasm for all things film and TV. No task is too menial, and he understands that hard work, dedication, and skill acquisition are all imperative to eventual success in this rather fickle business. Furthermore, Nick understands that “overnight success” is a myth, and he is in this for the long haul. He has a plan that makes logistical sense, and he is committed to gradually building his contacts, his abilities, and his experience. I additionally relish the fact that he values every experience he has had whether infinitesimal or mammoth. As one who is unfailingly amenable to learning on each set and through every adventure, he is one whose groundedness, work ethic, and positive outlook will carry him throughout his career.
While we await the commencement of filming for the upcoming feature To Avenge, I invite everyone to visit Nick’s links in addition to the links for the film as shown below. I greatly anticipate seeing him bring this fiendish character to life in his singular fashion, and his perspective on the significance of this film is refreshing and thought-provoking. Nick has a bright future ahead of him, and I voluntarily cast all my support his way as he systematically follows every step towards his ultimate goal and dream of being a career actor. And I am convinced that if anyone can do it, Nick can!
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