Gillian Leigh Visco, actress: ELSEWHERE, NY

Gillian Leigh Visco stars in ELSEWHERE, NY

1Q: Tell us how you became involved with Elsewhere, NY, and how you prepared for your role.

I had worked with Tom Wilton previously on features Pale Horses (2014) and Vinyl (2010) and he said he had a friend coming to town who was interested in making his first feature film. I love Tom’s approach to making films, so when he asked if I’d be interested in working with him again I jumped at the opportunity.

I first met Jeff when Tom brought him to the bar I was working at and they ran the premise of the film they were brainstorming by me. In between making cocktails I’d come over to the end of the bar and see the headway they were making. Over the next few days, Tom finished up the script and we got to work.

In my preparation for the role of Jen, I had to explore the darker sides of myself in order to justify her actions. No one is perfect, especially in relationships, but I didn’t want her to come across as a girl without a heart. I wanted the audience to feel the authenticity in her struggle and her flaws.

2Q: Cinequest Film Festival is hosting the US Premiere of Elsewhere, NY. Explain to us how it feels to bring this film before US audiences for the first time, and what do you think their reaction will be to your film?

It’s always hard to predict how an audience will react to a film, especially when my experience of it will never be unbiased. However, I hope that the movie allows those that see it to reflect on a time where they may have been in a similar situation. I’d be very anxious to know what people think.

3Q: What was your best and/or worst experience while making Elsewhere, NY?

Guerilla style filmmaking can be stressful. Finding locations is probably the hardest part since you’re on a time crunch and it’s nearly impossible to find an empty quiet bar. We had to get creative – as in close down the bar I worked at (after working an entire shift), sneak in the crew, and shoot the scene after hours. Talk about running on empty (and risking my job!) Of course, this way of working is equally the hardest but also best part. Shooting in this style is almost as if it’s happening in real-time. It allows you to really dive into character in a way that’s not possible otherwise. Everything feels fresh because we really don’t spend too much time on any one scene. It moves and flows so fast that you can really stay in character and live in their world.

4Q: Festival audiences often have to make hard decisions about what to see, and the catalog descriptions sometimes run together. In your own words, why should people see your film?

It’s a film about relationships. It explores those temptations that sometimes arise and the consequences (and conflict) of love and lust.

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