by Now available on VOD from Wild Eye Releasing is Tsunambee, another classic CG masterpiece. The movie is a wild throwback to the classic creature features of yesteryear wherein a cool sheriff (Stacy Pederson) teams with a band of locals to horde off a tornado of killer bees. Who knows, it could be as huge as Sharknado. Here’s our exclusive interview with said sheriff, Stacy Pederson.
When the script arrived and you read the name ‘Tsunambee’ on it what was your first thought?
That’s the fun, good, and bad thing about auditioning. You never know what you are auditioning for until the script arrives AND your first day on set. I thought the script was fun and I knew it was going to be shot sequential, which is something I haven’t gotten to do in a very long time. I liked that element. As for the storyline about bees and zombies, well… if I’m being 100% honest, I never thought in a million years it would get picked up… so….
The film knows exactly what it is, and yet it’s played seriously – but is there any other way to play it?
I’m a stand-up comedian in real life. The more straight you play something, usually the funnier it is. I am just a small element to the film. I didn’t write, direct or shoot it, so it’s not my vision. I can see a lot of ways to make it a little more fun with over-the-top humor, but that’s not the direction they were going for. My job is to do my best in supporting their vision and overall goal for the film.
How is it working opposite… well, nothing? It must be all about using your imagination in those bees-are-attacking scenes?
I have teenagers. I get a lot of blank stares and zero reaction from them no matter how dramatic I am as a parent. I’m completely used to it.
Were there were some good laughs on set?
Sort of… through chattering teeth. It was cold! Several days the temp hovered around zero and there was no heat in the old house.
What kind of direction did Milko Davis offer? Did he encourage you to improvise?
Milko knows what he wants in a scene and shoots quick and to the point. We didn’t improvise much at all. We did a lot in-between takes of goofing off and making things up, but stuck as closely as we could to the script when the camera was rolling.
How empowering was it wearing that sheriff’s outfit?
VERY! My older sister and younger brother were Marines and star athletes and I’ve always been the wimpy artistic middle child. I felt like a badass for about three seconds when I put the costume on until I had to pick up a gun and realized I had no clue how to hold one. Then I felt like my usual insecure, clueless self.
Is it hard to find good, solid lead female roles – like this one — these days?
Yep. Absolutely. You have your basics when it comes to my age and being a woman — the Mom in a film, the wife in a film, the MILF in a film, the doctor/nurse/receptionist/shopping clerk in a film, and that’s about it. When you have clout as a female actor there’s more work and opportunities for you, but when you’re just another has been/could’ve been the roles are few and far between with a lot of people clamoring for them.
Finally, are you scared of bees in real life?Zombies… that’s another story -- or film maybe… Rock Hard \m/
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