Aimee Garcia and Paul Campbell star in “The Cases of Mystery Lane” a new, original movie premiering Sunday, March 19 at 7/6c on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries. We at Survived The Shows had the pleasure of chatting with Philip Granger about his experience in the making of the movie and what people can expect. Check out the full interview in the video below!
What’s the main element in Milton’s character and the movie in general that fascinates you the most and drew you to join The Cases of Mystery Lane?
PHILIP GRANGER: Well, there’s a couple of really fantastic things about this project. First, the script was incredible. It’s very, very funny. And the two leads, Paul Campbell and Aimee Garcia, have such incredible chemistry and they are really, really hardworking actors. They care deeply about what they do. And then the director by the name of Mike Roll. I’ve known Mike for a very long time and he originally worked on a TV series that I started in many years ago and then we hadn’t had the opportunity to work together until this project came together and it was a perfect fit. The character is funny, he teaches How to be a private investigator at a Community College. A little bored with his life, these two make his life very exciting, because they’re all uncovering all kinds of murder mystery things.
So they kind of need me [Milton] because I am a retired detective who now teaches private investigating, which is what they do. All kinds of mayhem happen and we become very good friends in the movie. So the best part is that the actors in the script and the and the director is a perfect fit and that was grateful to do it.
For all the people that are looking forward, just like us, to watching The Cases of Mystery Lane, how would you describe the movie if you had just 3 words?
Heartfelt, funny and adventurous
What can you tease about Milton’s journey throughout the movie?
He becomes very good friends with the cases. That’s what happens. And he befriends Paul’s character in the movie, and I think that’s the part of it. I’ve become kind of a mentor to them and that’s the thing that happens for him. He finds more life through them because they’re doing what he wishes he was still doing. So it’s exciting for Milton, he just wants to get back into the game of being a detective again. So he does it vicariously through these great people.
Acting-wise, what’s been for you the biggest challenge you experienced in portraying Milton?
I had a lot of dialogue and it was very, very specifically written and we shot a great deal of it in a condensed way. So that would have been the most challenging part, just that we were busy shooting scene after scene after scene in my character and he was moving from one day to the next and that was challenging. But other than that, I’ve been doing this for a long time. So my part in it is to contribute where I can bring my imagination where it’s necessary and just do be prepared to be professional and have fun doing it. That’s really it.
What kind of advice would you give to all the people among our readers who are trying to pursue an acting career?
I am also the senior academic officer and active department head of a very prestigious acting school in Canada called New Image College. We’re a Conservatory program. I believe it’s a craft that you need to work very hard at understanding the craft of acting, because you have to remember that when someone gets to make a movie, they’ve invested so much time. That could take 2-3 years to make that happen, right? And then they get to film it and they don’t have time to waste because if they do, the director doesn’t get the shot, they want it or they have to cut a scene. So you have to take it really seriously, because it’s a profession.
You have to understand that it’s about the story that you’re telling and bringing the truth to the character, that is not about you as the individual.
Everybody has their job, they’re all doing it the best they can, and we’re all doing it to make one thing happen, to make the best film possible.
So my advice would be to stay humble, to look at the world from a place of curiosity, to realize that everybody in the world has their Rd, that they’ve traveled and be empathetic to all. Because to play a character well, you need to understand them. Where they’re coming from, how they became who they are and what they’re fighting for in their lives. Every character has an insecurity, their beautiful part. So I would say if you wanted to study, train as active, find an acting play at school, conservatory, university, look into what they’ve done, look at how many successful people they have in their alumni. And then go and train.
We train actors in our program for two years. And during that time, they do 3 plays, 2 films.
They’re always performing in front of other people because that’s how you learn. And through those experiences they become stronger inside themselves. They find their true confidence. You can’t lie. Even though the character might not be telling the truth, you need to be able to find truth in you. So being an honest person, being benevolent and kind, realize that everybody has their job and that you’re just a little part of the clock. You gotta look at acting that way.
I worked as a waiter when I was in school and I climbed underneath the house and leveled the floors. And I did all kinds of terrible jobs, but all the time I was doing it was like, ‘I’m going to do this, I’m going to do it’. Then I went to theater for free, and I did films for free, and I did anything I could just to be able to do it. When I got my first job, I was like, ‘I hope I don’t screw up’ and I just kept working and I’m still working at it. Every part that you do will have a something else that you have to uncover in yourself and here’s the best thing of all as an actor.
Everything you know in your life should be for everybody. Everything you know in your life is valuable.
So your pain and the beauty and everything you know is your gift because your experience and through that experience you draw some wisdom. Also if you have to play a particular type of character – maybe they’re sad, or maybe whatever’s happening – you have access to that. And that’s, I think, the best advice I could give to anyone wanting to pursue acting. Do some theater as well and make sure you take it seriously. Because it’s not easy and everybody that’s making those films, they have a lot invested. And then it makes it easier when you’re doing things for others. It’s a lot easier to do than when you’re doing it for yourself.
If anyone among our readers is interested in Philip Granger ‘s acting school, you can find all information on New Image College and its acting program at the following links:
http://newimage.ca/programs/acting/
The Cases of Mystery Lane, with Philip Granger, premieres March 19 on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries.
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Chiara
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