I am perpetually grateful to other journalists, agents, and publicists who regularly notify me of rising stars within the entertainment industry, and in the case of Chantelle Albers, that is exactly how I was alerted to her most excellent talent and skill. Recently, I had the opportunity to conduct a brief Q & A with her in which we outlined and celebrated her amazing career thus far, including her most significant and upcoming works.
Photo Credit: Paul Smith
RH: Why did you decide to pursue a career in entertainment? What kind of training have you had to prepare you for this profession?
Photo by Rochelle Perry
CA: I’ve always had a strong passion for the arts and performing, even as a small kid. Today it’s something that I can’t live without. I was in plays and training in theatre as a kid and throughout high school. Some of my favorite training came from Meisner, Stanislavski, Stella Adler, Michael Chekhov, Eric Morris, Alexander Technique, and voice/dance lessons. When I went to college, I received a BFA in Theatre Performance, then moved to Los Angeles. I was really lucky that I was exposed to so many different types of acting and training methods so that I could expand as an artist and see what works and what doesn’t. Doing this opens up your ideas and talents to creating stories as a whole. You learn how to create a show whether it be film or theatre. When you’re engulfed in a project and you have something at stake in more than one area, you become that much more invested in the project. Investing in your work is what makes it great.
What was your first professional job in the business and what are your memories of it?
The Late, Late Show “9 Ladies Dancing”
Way back to when I was a kid, I was in a group called Kids on Broadway, a singing and dancing group that performed for about a year and a half. I remember being thrilled to be a part of it and I was able to meet other kids that were into the same thing as me–acting. It was definitely an outlet for me growing up that I am thankful to have had. If I could remember a strong feeling about this memory, it would be intense joy.
How did you make the transition from theater to film/TV? How difficult/easy was the process?
For me, the process was all about keeping the same truth in each of the two art forms. Always living in the truth, which is the moment. When we are acting we can’t experience anything but the present moment, and that is true of both film and theatre. Never push the work, make the moments happen for you in the script, create the relationship in front of you, and the acting will work. Over the years I’ve improved in the overall acting of theatre versus film by adding details to the work. Staying true to the given circumstances your character has is how I stay grounded and present in every role whether it is film or theatre.
As Melissa White in The 6th Friend
I realize that The 6th Friend is the first film where you are not only the star, but you are the producer too. How different was this experience compared to others where you were just acting?
This experience was a lot more immersive than any other film I have worked on. Building it from the ground up was a learning experience and a great accomplishment for myself and for our team. I would like to keep creating movies by producing and creating jobs for more talented actors. By acting and producing, you have a stake in more areas than one, which makes you invest in the project that much more. In a way, it is very stressful and the pressure is put on, but in another way, it is very fulfilling as an artist. I love creating stories and having a say in how the story is told. Investing deeply in a project makes it that much more special when you finish it. It’s a way of filmmaking that taught me so much and made me eager to make another!
Photo by Bob Delgadillo – © BOB DELGADILLO
The 6th Friend is a horror film, a genre which always seems to do well in the independent film circuit. Why do you believe horror films connect with audiences so well? What do you believe makes a great horror film as opposed to just an average one?
I think that horror films do well in the independent market because they can be so universal. Being scared and thrilled is something that people all over the world can feel, and being scared is a universal feeling. Laughing is often word-based, and comedy is harder to read universally because of translations. Horror is often told through action and is expositional, so it is more relatable and able to scare people all over, versus a smaller market. I think the more you entertain people with action, the bigger your market because the more relatable you are to a wide audience. Even though the action of the storytelling is important for horror, what makes it great is having strong relationships with the other characters, and in turn, the audience. The audience becomes invested when the characters are invested in each other. Another important aspect of horror is adding comedy to the movie. You’ll often see a lot of subtle comedy in great horror movies.
What was the best part about filming/producing The 6th Friend and what was the most challenging? Also, any plans for the distribution of this film that you can share?
Some of the best parts of filming and producing is having creative input on the project. We were a team, and so compromises had to be made at certain points. But being a part of leading the team was very creatively fulfilling to me, especially as a woman in the filmmaking industry. In other movies where you are only acting, you have no creative say a lot of times because there is already a team taking care of things. I actually like doing both. It’s nice to just act in movies because it’s less pressure, and it’s also fun to produce and act in them for the creative freedom. The 6th Friend was actually already released in theaters in January through The Asylum, and you can now get it on all VOD platforms: iTunes, Amazon, Fandango, Vudu, Google Plus, YouTube rentals, etc.
Any other upcoming works you can share?
Yes, I have another horror feature coming out this year called Reawakened, and I have a sci-fi melodrama coming out called The Desert that was produced by the creators of Grimm. I’m also attached to an upcoming comedy set for release next year!
What is your favorite season of the year and why?
I love summer because not only is the weather nice in most areas of the country, but there is also a vibe in the air of being carefree and adventurous. I love going to outdoor movie screenings, and summer is always a great time for filming out of state too! Summer is my little gem out of the year.
Photo by Fernando Cano
Again, I cannot tell you how impressed I am with Chantelle. She brings beauty, vitality, knowledge, skill, and positivity to every project in which she is blessed to work, and those essential attributes tend to permeate all areas of her life. Her outlook is one of joy and expectation, and even in the event that something unexpectedly surfaces in an attempt to bar her from her ultimate goals, she is savvy enough to consistently identify a way to ensure that she eventually reaches every one of her personal and professional goals. In time, I have no doubt that people worldwide will recognize and extol the glorious giftedness this woman brings to the screen, and I am honored to count myself as one of her committed champions. I hope that my readers will consider checking out her links below and perhaps even giving her a follow on the preferred social media platform. While much of her work is still unknown to the general populace, I have no doubt that Chantelle is on the very precipice of virtual stardom. Indeed, I can hardly wait to see what is in store for this starlet in the days, weeks, months, and years to come!
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Love her!
