We recently connected with Michelle Arthur and have shared our conversation below.
Michelle , appreciate you joining us today. One of the toughest things about progressing in your creative career is that there are almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?
Some of the most unexpected issues I faced in my creative journey were setbacks from behaviors of cast & crew members on a film or TV series. Whenever I’m on set I give 110%. That’s due to my respect for the Producers/Directors, and I want to do whatever I can to make the project a success.
I started in the entertainment field, as most do, as a Production Assistant and Background Artist. Then I gradually moved into speaking parts as an Actress. Once I had enough set experience, I felt confident to tell a few stories of my own by taking them from paper to screen. That cannot be done as a one-man band. It’s true it takes a village to make a film.
It goes without saying then that a very important part of the process is casting roles and crew positions. It’s a given to hunt for those who look the parts and have as much extensive experience as can fit the budget. I also instinctively looked for those with natural mannerisms that matched the prospective characters so they had a more seamless transition. In other words, they would be playing a type of themselves rather than having to adopt foreign accents or ways of being. Having a cast as authentic to the story as possible simply makes it more believable for the viewers.
What I learned, however, is being on a team is a 3-legged stool. It’s not enough to just have talent and skills. Marketing and behaviors are the other two legs. Without all three, it can make or break a project.
Sure, if someone has a large list of followers on Instagram that’s an eye-catcher. But if they don’t promote your film even once, it’s useless. I would never hire someone based on sheer popularity numbers anyway as the art of the craft is paramount. Making a story come alive is key no matter how many viewers watch it. To assure some PR, however, posting about the film or TV series in a flattering way at least 3 times needs to be in their contract. It guarantees publicity and why wouldn’t they want to do that? If they don’t want to promote the project positively, then they don’t belong on it, which leads me to the third leg.
Whatever personal issue someone has, he or she will bring that to set. People might think it’s separate and should not cause a problem but it transfers. For example, one of my team members flat out said ‘no’ to helping our Associate Producer move some tables to arrange for lunch. He is a large man and the AP is a thinner woman who needed his assistance. We had a small crew and we were on a time crunch for that location. I was so rattled by his reply that it could have ruined the next scene about to be filmed in one minute. Instead I directed every ounce of energy to the scene at hand and blocked him out of my mind entirely. If I wasn’t determined though, it would have delayed the shoot. Without available time, we would not have been able to get the takes we needed.
A couple of months later I noticed that same man posted on social media that he has a rebellious streak. He stated he’s had it since childhood and his mother used to laugh about it. Perhaps his mom did not care, but he potentially ruined my film. Regardless if you’re on a million dollar studio set or an indie that costs less, a Producer wants and needs the set to operate smoothly. There’s simply no time for bad behavior that can be costly. Some may say, reshoot or reschedule. That is not always an option on a tight budget. Even if you have a large budget, producers aren’t interested in wasting time and money. Who is?
The way to resolve behavioral issues is to hire an HR person for the film shoot and production in general, which I highly recommend, especially if you’re a female filmmaker. If someone wants to be difficult then I can call over “Bruno,” or whatever his name, to deal with that guy so I can keep working efficiently.
Another answer is to take time to scroll their social media posts over the last several months. Any red flags, move on. I guarantee those red flags will come to set with them. Had I seen that man’s post about being rebellious then I never would have hired him as he held us up several other times. In addition to not knowing his lines, I recall asking him: “Can I get just 10 minutes of your time?!” He wouldn’t get off his smartphone in the middle of shooting his scene.
Literally millions of Actors are running around Hollywood. Being disrespectful and unappreciative are two words that don’t work for any Producer/Director I know. Study their background. Get it in writing. Might as well hire an Actor who brings a 3-legged stool to set instead of a broken one.
Michelle , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Growing up in the Midwest, California’s movie business seemed quite removed. However, I had a second cousin, the late Todd Miller, who was a Tap Dancer and Actor. I recall seeing him on TV when I was about 6 years old.
Todd danced in “The West Point Story” with James Cagney and Doris Day, and performed with several iconic actors, such as Judy Garland in the Oscar-nominated 1954 version of “A Star Is Born,” Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse in Golden Globe-nominated “Silk Stockings,” and Robert Wagner in “Stars & Stripes Forever.” He was my paternal grandmother’s nephew and inspired me to get my feet wet, so to speak. I gave him a “Heavenly Thanks” on the credit roll in the feature film “The Wisteria Manor.”
It wasn’t until 1999, with an initial move to Los Angeles though, that I stepped onto a Hollywood set. I was headed to a meeting with my magazine publishing job when I had to walk through a commercial being filmed outdoors in order to get to the right office. One of their Background Artists and I bumped into each other and spoke briefly.
Surprisingly, he invited me to the filming of “Family Law” in a couple of days from then even though he wasn’t in a position to do that. When I arrived, he then persuaded the 2nd Assistant Director, who was overseeing Extras, to add me in. The Actress Dixie Carter was in that episode. I recall we were not allowed to look at her as happens sometimes with famous names to keep everyone focused. Now no one can since her passing, except through photos or moving frames, and that’s the beauty of this field’s longevity.
After that shoot the 2nd AD approached me and said: “I think you’re going to like this business!” That was the door opener and I did several background gigs afterwards. Sometimes that meant doing magazine paperwork while in the holding tank between takes. Or it meant rarely calling in sick from the magazine to squeeze in a film shoot, but I enjoyed every minute and it seemed to be the right decision.
In 2002 Naysayers persuaded me to “get back to reality” and a steady income. The truth is, I was surrounded by the entertainment industry with a media career at first so it was never out of sight. I finally got back to my second career with another move to LA in 2014.
When I arrived in May that year, I joined James Franco’s Studio 4 which had just been founded. Through that school I studied screenwriting, acting, and producing with different Instructors. Not only did I learn about the business but I made many valuable connections and participated in several films that Franco produced. In addition to classes and activities there, I was signed on with an agency that cast me in many noteworthy films and a string of TV shows. Those experiences, combined with past gigs and a magazine career, provided a strong foundation for storytelling on the screen.
Coming into this field later in life really sets me apart from most who are entering Hollywood in their 20s. Having life experiences already, I pull from those memories for acting as well as all the other components of making a film. Also the work in magazine publishing has similar aspects to filmmaking. Articles with photos go to print. Scripts with moving footage go to screen. Storytelling is storytelling no matter what format and it all needs meticulously constructed and marketed.
Since 2014 I’ve added about 50 other acting credits and produced, directed, wrote, acted in 5 of my own films — 3 features, 2 shorts. All are award-winning through the international festival circuit and have had positive critic reviews. Those are “Fate’s Shadow: The Whole Story,” “Fate’s Shadow,” “Rings of the Unpromised,” “The Wisteria Manor,” and “V & F.” We are now moving into the distribution stage and those will be released to the general public later this year. My link on IMDb is here and it showcases more details —
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7393387/
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
In 2020 we were in the middle of shooting the feature film “Fate’s Shadow: The Whole Story” when the pandemic hit. Some in the world stopped everything they were doing and hid inside their homes. I kept going as dangerous as it was. We had masks. We were tested before we came to set. We took every precaution we could, yet it was still a health risk. Those who were willing to take the risk were the most devoted and their performances truly shine! Some were cut from the cast so we could keep momentum as something inside me said we can’t stop.
We were in post production when I started feeling ill and an internal pressure grew to finish the film before it was impossible. Then I started showing symptoms and in April 2021 I was diagnosed with cancer. We completed the film in May and I screened it to cast & crew in June 2021. I had my surgeries in July and October that year and I’ve been under a Surgeon’s 3-year watch since then. Luckily I have been in the clear ever since and it’s in the rear view mirror thanks to medical advances.
The great thing about the films I’ve produced over these last few years is that they have lasting power. Once a film is put together it will outlive all of us no matter how many people see it. These are stories I felt important to tell. Hopefully they will help others overcome challenges in their own lives. That is important to me.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
Non-creatives tend to also be drawn to whatever field they’re in but they’re usually in it for the paycheck. After all, work is work. For creatives, or at least for me, I’m pulled to do art regardless if there is financial gain. Perhaps if I was money oriented then my focus would be on projects for that fulfillment. I’m satisfied in other ways though. My soul thrives when I’m doing something I love and working within filmmaking is my passion.
I believe any Artist will tell you that they work odd hours. You’ll see the light on in their rooms at 3 a.m. To them it’s just not work at all. It’s simply what we do. It’s as easy as drinking water. Everyone who is an Artist totally gets it. Other people scratch their heads or shrug and can’t figure us out. It’s hard not to laugh at how opposite we can be. That’s what makes the world go around. It takes all types.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Studio shot: Michelle Arthur — Photographer David Wagner of WagnerLA
For additional photos:
1) DP/1st AD Andrew Giordano with Actress/Director Michelle Arthur on set for the feature film Rings of the Unpromised. Photographer Dan Kennedy
2) HMUA Marianne Beer with Actress/Director Michelle Arthur and DP/1st AD Andrew Giordano on set for the feature film Rings of the Unpromised. Photographer Dan Kennedy
3) Actress/Director Michelle Arthur with Associate Producer Natalie Rodriguez on set for the Fate’s Shadow productions. Photographer Dan Kennedy
4) Actress/Director Michelle Arthur with some of the cast & crew from Fate’s Shadow, the Short Film version: Patrick Stalinski, Linney Allen, Jeff Vernon, Surinder Bamrah, Elena Nesterova, and Stacy Newton. Photographer Dan Kennedy
5) Cinematographer Alex Pollini with Actress/Director Michelle Arthur and Actor/Musician Justice Joslin on set for the feature film Fate’s Shadow: The Whole Story. Photographer Betsy Webb