In my neverending quest to recognize those who are consistently laboring in the film and entertainment industry to succeed in a business where so many tend to give up or fail, I was incredibly pleased to discover that a filmmaker I had interviewed a couple of years ago recently made her first Lifetime movie! I was so excited for her that I reached out to Rachel Amanda Bryant for a follow-up interview, and I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to present her to my readers yet again!
RH: Since our last interview, you have had some incredible opportunities come your way. Last time we chatted was back when the short Jet Set LA was out. If I am reading things right, is there news about that project that you can share, even in brief?
RAB: Yes! So last time we chatted, I was telling you about my horror short film Jet Set LA, and the director/writer (Colin Lawrence, who also directed In Bed With A Killer) and I are now exploring meetings to create a feature-length version of the story. He wrote a feature-length version of the script, and we are considering producing it. I will be the same character as the short, and this will expand the story a bit. Hopefully, we will know for sure if we will be able to get that made in the next couple of years.
I see a few other projects listed with which I am not familiar. What can you tell us about some of these other works?
The Campus
The Campus was actually just retitled Death Day because it got a new distributor who repackaged it. It will be available to purchase as a DVD at Walmart starting in the Spring, which is super exciting because it will be my first time I can walk into a store and get a DVD with my face and name on it!!
The Campus is a horror feature film in which I am the lead. It’s about a young woman, Morgan, who’s estranged from her father, and when he unexpectedly dies, she heads back home to see if she can find anything of value on his property. However, it is revealed that her father was cursed, and since he’s dead, the curse has been passed on to Morgan. She’s now trapped on the property, unable to leave by any means, and she is being chased by the Devil. He’s attempting to take her soul one piece at a time. She dies and comes back to life over and over again, each time weaker than before, and tries to fight off everything from zombies to ghosts to monsters, to finally the devil himself. It kind of feels like Groundhog Day, if you’ve ever seen that classic Bill Murray Film.
The Campus
It was an awesome film to be in, I was constantly covered in blood and other special effects to sell the idea that I’m being physically and emotionally destroyed by the devil. Overall, the reviews were positive, which I was really happy about, because it was my first time leading a feature. I am a badass woman who doesn’t just roll over and let the Devil take me down… I fight back! There is a fair amount of graphic gore in the film, so people who are sensitive to that probably shouldn’t watch, haha.
If interested, click here for the link to the trailer.
The After Party
The After Party! This is a film I produced and starred in. It’s a twilight-zone esque short film that explores themes of social media obsession to narcissism to finally realizing that our actions have an effect on other people. It’s shot in black and white by my incredible friend and DP Brook Willard, and wonderfully written and directed by my friend Colin Costello. It’s had a great festival run so far, and we have a few more fests lined up for this year. It’s won awards, including the Best Thriller award at the Women in Horror Film Festival, and it was nominated for several awards (Best Supporting Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Editor, Best Director) at the recent Idyllwild Film Festival! I was so excited to rep the film there and at other fests, as I was actively involved in the production of the project and Colin and I worked very closely together to make sure we created an effective story. I pitch this film as The Twilight Zone meets The Shining.
If you are interested in watching the trailer, please check it out here.
Solitary Confinement is a feature film that will be released this year, it was shot in 2016, so I’m excited to see how it looks! It is a horror film (see a pattern in my credits! haha) that centers around a “reality game show” where contestants are asked to stay in a small cell, similar to what an inmate in solitary confinement would experience. The winner is the contestant that lasts the longest… but there is a twist here, that maybe I shouldn’t give away–haha! I’ll just say, things aren’t quite what they seem and these contestants are in for more than they bargained for.
In Bed With A Killer
Recently, your first Lifetime feature, In Bed With a Killer, premiered. What can you tell us about your role and how that fits into the overall story? Any behind-the-scenes moments you would like to share about that film?
Yes! I really loved shooting this film (It was originally titled Deadly Romance, but the network renamed it In Bed With a Killer). We shot on location in Guthrie, Oklahoma. I play the role of Heather, a true-crime obsessed barista who keeps trying to figure out what happened to her friends who’ve disappeared. It’s a great supporting role in the opposite, opposite the lovely and wonderfully talented lead Jennifer Taylor. Jennifer’s character, Lena, moves to this small town, and I befriend her, trying to make her feel welcome etc. But soon I reveal that I think a killer lives in the town, and she just thinks I’m paranoid…
This film set felt like camp because we were all staying at a haunted bed and breakfast together in this small town, and so we’d play games and chat and have dinner together after we’d wrap in the evening. It was so so much fun, and I became close with so many of the cast and crew. I loved working with and becoming friends Jennifer Taylor, Jade Harlow (who plays Jenny), Rachel Rosenstein (who plays Ashley) and Ryan Patrick Shanahan (he plays the romantic lead, Michael). They are all so incredibly talented and we worked together and opened up to each other to make the scenes as good as we could with such a quick shooting schedule.
Also, one of my really really good friends directed this film (Colin Lawrence, this is our third project together), and he was so great. He was upbeat throughout the very stressful process of shooting a feature, and his shot ideas and motivational nuggets for the actors really made the story great. He and his wife just had a little baby, Aedan, I am so excited and happy for them!!
Photo: Hareth Tayem
I notice a couple of upcoming things in your credits, most notably Merrily. What can you tell us about this film, your role in it, and where/when it is supposed to be released?
Merrily is still in the process of being made. I haven’t really shot anything for this yet, but I am hoping I will be shooting more of the film this year. It is a beautiful dream-like film that the director, Robert McAtee describes as “if Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol had a love child.” He is raising funds to finish up the film.
Any other upcoming works you can mention?
Hmm, a lot of promos this year… I did voice a character for a new animated series Punk Rock Possum that’s supposed to come out in 2020. Not sure yet where it will be distributed though. I hope that because this Lifetime movie I was in is getting good reviews and that people are noticing my work, I do more stuff for Lifetime. I would love to do a series of movies for them! We shall see 😉
You are one of the young indie actresses who seems to be “making it.” What is your advice to other young people who might be considering becoming an actor?
My advice would be to keep making your own stuff. Producing my own work opened doors for me and allowed me to meet so many other filmmakers that want to work with me. Always be creating, always be trying to tell your story. And I would also remind young actors that it’s a marathon, not a sprint, so be prepared for ten to fifteen years of smaller things before the big projects start along a long.
When not acting, what do you like to do for fun?
Leseee, I love watching star wars and I love playing with cats… Haha. I love to travel and I’ll be going to New York this spring to explore the city a bit. I also hope to be going to Italy in August!! Also, I really love doing jigsaw puzzles, 1000 pieces or more, so if anyone has any awesome puzzle recs 😉
Photo: Phil Warren
No matter the genre of film or television your prefer, there is no denying the fact that Rachel is one who deserves an abundance of respect for what she has accomplished thus far in her career. It requires a special kind of tenacity to keep plugging away at your dreams and hopes in spite of the myriad of curveballs that are hurled towards you that could seriously impede your journey. Rachel has remained unstoppable no matter the significant disappointments and setbacks she has faced along the way, and she has never compromised her beliefs in order to achieve quick, fraudulent success. I have a sense that Rachel will continue to make a splash in the indie film world as well as the mainstream world of film and television by continuing her unshakeable conviction to quality storytelling. Moreover, because she has aligned herself with several friends and colleagues to provide her with the vital support she requires, I tend to think nothing will deter her from her ultimate objective.
If you get a chance to look up the movie In Bed With A Killer on Lifetime (I’m not certain when the next showing will occur), I advise you to check out Rachel’s performance in this first of what we hope will be many network/cable movies. Additionally, if you are so inclined, I invite you to check out all of Rachel’s links below and consider following her where applicable. While I probably won’t watch all of her films (I’m not a true horror aficionado), I do enjoy supporting those who are making their way in this difficult, competitive business, and I can hardly wait to see what the future holds for Amanda!
FOLLOW RACHEL
