Interview by Audrey Larson

Jim Vines is a professional screenwriter, script consultant, and author. He compiled and edited interviews with 16 screenwriters for his book "Q & A: The Working Screenwriter: An In-the-Trenches Perspective of Writing Movies in Today's Film Industry". Jim lives in Los Angeles, CA. 

Introduce yourself:

My name is Jim Vines. I was born in 1963 in New York City, but grew up in Beverly Hills, California. My parents were in the film and TV industry. Since the day I was born I’ve been a performer, somewhat of a comedian, and very creative. I started making Super-8 movies with my friends when I was eleven. During the 1980s I worked as a stuntman, still photographer, and I even carried heavy equipment around movie sets (they call that being a “grip”). I also worked at some big talent agencies, but those jobs were basically just office gigs. I officially began my career as a screenwriter around 1991. Though I had optioned a script or two just a few years later, it wasn’t until 1997 that I sold my first script. That script was actually produced—a thriller titled The Perfect Tenant—and was released on cable TV in 2000. Since then I have optioned many screenplays, have been assigned to write or adapt other scripts, and even had another movie produced a few years ago, but it has yet to be released. In 2004 I posted my short comedy, That Darn Bill, on YouTube. 

How did you get started in screenwriting? 

When I made movies as a kid, we never used a script of any kind. Remember, this was back in olden days, long back before everyone had a video camera. (Back then, pretty much the only place you could find a video camera was in a TV studio!) No, we used what’s called Super-8. It was actual movie film and it came in 50 foot cartridges. We didn’t even have sound! (Super-8 sound film showed up in about 1973, but I didn’t get my hands on it until 1979.) But anyway, we didn’t have to worry about writing dialogue because there wasn’t any. So the most I’d write was some sort of a brief outline. This happens, then something else happens…that sort of thing. It wasn’t until I got into high school that I had the chance to shoot on video tape. I did these goofy sketch comedy shows and we scripted everything. I loved coming up with crazy characters and writing dialogue for them. It was during those high school days that I also wrote my first screenplay; it wasn’t much, but it was the first. After high school I wrote some very short one-act plays, which I actually got to perform on stage at a few small theaters here in Los Angeles. I didn’t write much after that (I got married, had a daughter) and it wouldn’t be until the late 1980s that I decided to get back to writing screenplays.

What is your pre-writing process? 

I always tell budding writers to draw up some kind of an outline before they begin writing their script. You really need to know what the story is about, if it all works, if it makes sense, if it flows. It’s like planning a trip across country. You probably wouldn’t want to get in the car and just start driving. No, you’d want to map out your route. If you don’t, you could end up irretrievably lost. As for myself, I outline my script pretty extensively. I write what are called “scriptments,” which is a combination script and treatment. My scriptments are pretty detailed and can be 40 or so pages. Once I have the scriptment written, I sit down and write the actual script.

How long does it typically take you to complete a feature-length script (including editing)?

I’ve written a full-length screenplay, editing included, in less than 3 weeks. Was the script any good? Well, it wasn’t bad, but if I had taken more time on it, it would’ve been so much better. But I typically write a screenplay, outline and editing included, in 4 to 6 months. I know some writers who take a year or more to write a script. That’s fine if you’re not under a deadline, but if you’re lucky enough to sell an idea, or if you get a rewrite assignment (rewriting another writer’s screenplay), then you need to work fairly quickly. Producers won’t give you 9 months or a year; they’ll give you anywhere from 6 weeks to 3 or 4 months.

What part of screenwriting do you find most difficult? 

For me, the hard part comes after the screenplay is written. It’s getting the script out into the world and getting agents, managers, producers, etc. to read it. There’s a lot of wait, wait, wait in the film business. You have to have patience. But if you’re asking what the most difficult part is during the writing process…well, it’s just staying focused on that one idea for months and months. You have to make sure you love the idea you’re writing because you’re gonna be living with it an awfully long time.

When coming up with an idea or writing a screenplay, how do you balance commercial viability (sticking to somewhat of a “formula”) with originality? 

Sometimes you just have to take an old idea and update it, make it your own; you have to make it fit the times. There are plenty of movies from the past—going back to the 1920s—that have been updated and tweaked. I think A Star Is Born has been made something like 5 times in the past 80 years. Or, sometimes, you merely have to take an old idea and change the gender of the main character(s). That's what they're doing with the upcoming Ghostbusters movie. There's an old saying in Hollywood, which goes something like this: "I want something familiar...but it has to be completely different!"

What challenges are there when writing for film that aren’t present when writing for other mediums— like a play or novel?

Unlike in a novel, in a screenplay you can't wander off into scenes not entirely relevant to the "spine" of your story. In other words, if Indiana Jones is rescuing a damsel in distress from some creepy cave, you can't suddenly have him flashback to when he as a kid, rescuing a dog from a storm drain. No, with a movie you have stick to the story; it must always be moving in a forward direction. Dialogue is also very important in a screenplay. Dialogue that wanders aimlessly (unless it's pertinent to the character), or dialogue that isn't relevant to the story you're telling, is forbidden. Also—and this is so so so important—unlike plays and novels, screenplays need to be very visual. You're telling your story not only with dialogue, but with images (which will be important to the producer reading your script). Be a visual, cinematic screenwriter and you'll go far. 

Who are your favorite screenwriters? What are your favorite movie or TV scripts? 

I don’t really have any favorites. I do really enjoy William Goldman’s work. He wrote Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, which is one of my all-time favorite movies. I love Woody Allen (his stuff isn’t always great, but at least he’s usually pretty interesting, and his output is amazing). I think Shane Black can be a terrific writer. One of the best…and this is going way, way, way back to the 1940s…was Preston Sturges. Go watch Sullivan’s Travels and you’ll understand what I’m talking about. The man was truly amazing. I also think the stuff they’re doing on TV/cable nowadays is pretty interesting. It used to be that television was considered a wasteland, but now it’s far more inventive than what’s out in movie theaters!

What’s next for you? What projects or screenplays are you working on now?

I just wrapped up a rewrite assignment for a producer. I was glad to finally get done with it because I really wanted to get back to writing my next novel. Writing novels is my main focus right now and I honestly don’t see that focus changing any time soon. But don’t worry, I haven’t given up on screenwriting. It’s a great gig!

What advice or tips would you give to aspiring screenwriters (especially young ones)?

You need some brains in your head if you want to be a writer. So definitely stay in school. If at all possible, go to college. Consider going to film school. Most of all, start writing as soon as possible. Experiment with different types of writing. Write prose, write screenplays, write poetry, keep a daily journal. Remember: In your teenage years you’re not writing to sell, you’re writing to learn. Also, if you want to write you need to do more than sit around playing video games or goofing around on the Net. It’s so important to get out and live. You have to meet people and get involved in interesting things. Everything you do will eventually factor into your writing. The more you do, the more you know; the more you can write about with a degree of honesty.

Any activities/exercises you’d suggest for young writers to get better at screenwriting? 

You should be reading scripts written by professional screenwriters. Don’t read just three or four, read fifty…read 100! Don’t just read them, study them. If you can get printed copies, underline words and phrases you find interesting or funny or entertaining. This will help you come up with a writing style of your own. As you go through these scripts, underline words you don’t know and look up their meaning. Build your vocabulary. There are also several good how-to books available. Go online and get some suggestions from other writers, then read a few of these books. But I cannot stress enough how important it is to read pro scripts…or the importance of sitting down and actually writing material of your own. Get your writing critiqued by writers who know how scripts are put together. You should also be reading novels. So, those are all things that are high on my “to do” list for budding screenwriters. And finally, something to think about: Learning to write a screenplay that you can potentially sell can take a few years. It won’t necessarily be an easy thing, but if you really want to write movies or television shows, you have to put in lots of time and effort. But it’ll be soooooo worth it, you’ll see.

You can visit Jim's website, The Working Screenwriter, and follow him on Twitter @WriterJimVines. 

By Sara Peters

A dialogue is a written or spoken conversation between two or more people. Most of us have many dialogues daily. With all the real life experience we get, it seems like writing dialogue would be as easy as making toast! But dialogue is one of the most difficult parts of writing to master, and it also happens to be one of the most important. Below are some pointers on dialogue. 

DIALOGUE MUST SERVE A PURPOSE

Dialogue serves two purposes: 

1. To move the story forward
2. To reveal something about the characters

Read through your writing carefully, and make sure each line is doing one (or both) of these things. If not, you don’t need it!

DIALOGUE IS LIKE AN ICEBERG

In university, I had a writing professor who drew a picture of an iceberg on the chalkboard every time he talked about dialogue. “Make your dialogue like this iceberg,” he would say. 

Why? 

We can only see the part of the iceberg that floats above the surface of the ocean. Most of the iceberg is hidden below the water’s surface. This is the way your dialogue should be, too. Look at this example line below:

“Sweetheart, please don’t embarrass me again.”

At the tip of the iceberg, we know that someone is asking another person to not embarrass them. 

Under the surface, we can tell three things: 

1. These people are probably close, because the speaker uses “sweetheart.” 
2. The speaker is trying to be nice, by saying please. Saying “please don’t embarrass me again” is a lot different than saying “don’t embarrass me again.” 
3. These people have a past together, because the speaker says “again.” We don’t need to know exactly what happened last time – the important thing is that we know it happened. 

DIALOGUE SHOWS CHARACTER

The way a character speaks is called voice. Voice can be revealed through dialogue, and tell us a lot about them. Here are a few questions to ask yourself while you are creating a voice: 

1.Where did my character grow up? 
Are they from a loud and rambunctious family where they have to speak up to be heard, or is their family small and quiet? 

2. How old is your character? 
A 60-year-old is probably going to speak very differently than a 13-year-old. 

3. How does your character feel?
Someone who is sad will speak very differently than someone who is happy. 

4. Who is your character with?
We speak differently around our friends than we do our teachers. Consider the ways dialogue might change depending on who your characters are with. 

READ & LISTEN & READ ALOUD

Read examples of dialogue in books and scripts. Keep a journal. Write down lines that you love. Write down bits of dialogue that you overhear. Over time, your dialogue will become sharper and more focused. 

When you have written your own dialogue, read it aloud. It may seem silly, but dialogue in your head is different when spoken aloud. 

RHYTHM & FINE TUNING

Dialogue, when done well, can feel a lot like music. It has rhythm. It has flow. One way to help with rhythmic dialogue is to consider word and sentence length. Make your sentences contain long, medium and short words. Make your paragraphs contain long, medium and short sentences. This helps keep everything exciting and fresh. 

Happy Writing!

Interviewed by Audrey Larson

Michael W. Reid has been interested in screenwriting since he was 19 years old, but only became serious about it after retiring from his job 5 years ago. He's written 5 scripts ("Pranks", "Making Your Bones", "How to Handle Your Bullies", "Reunion Crashers", and "Retribution") and has his own production company, Two Guys from Brooklyn Films. He is also a director and part-time actor. He has studied at the Gotham Writers Workshop. 

How did you get started in screenwriting?

I became interested in screenwriting after reading Taxi Driver as a teenager. I also read all the works by Ingmar Bergman.

What is your pre-writing process?

I like to think about my subject before I write. I like to make an outline before I begin. I believe you must know where you are going before you begin.


What part of screenwriting do you find most difficult? 

I think the most difficult part of screenwriting is grammar. It is very important to know grammar.

What was the most rewarding moment of your career so far? 

I belong to a meet-up group for screenwriters. I believe it’s rewarding to speak to others and get their opinion of what you are writing. It may hurt sometimes, but it's rewarding.

Who are your favorite screenwriters? What are your favorite movie or TV scripts?

A couple of my favorite screenwriters are Aaron Sorkin, Ed Burns and Woody Allen. Some of my favorite movie scripts are Taxi Driver, The Tenant, Juno, and The Seventh Seal. Breaking Bad is my favorite TV script to read. 

What’s next for you? What projects or screenplays are you working on now?

I am currently working on a short film called Retribution— three victims exact revenge on a serial killer from the afterlife.

What advice or tips would you give to aspiring screenwriters:

My advice I would give is: pay attention in English class, learn the format and tell a good story.

Any specific screenwriting books you would recommend? 

I would recommend Pilar Alessandra’s book “The Coffee Break Screenwriter”; it really breaks down everything, especially rewriting. Also, “Screenplay” by Syd Field.

Connect with Michael on his Twitter profile or LinkedIn profile. You can also visit his production company's Facebook page.

How did you get into screenwriting? 

I didn't really get into screenwriting, I have always been a screenwriter. When I was in middle school I just started writing scripts and my friends and I would make them. I got more serious about it as I got older when I started reading other scripts and books on screenwriting. While I also direct and produce, I look at myself as a screenwriter first and foremost. 

What is your pre-writing process? Do you plan a lot or jump right in to writing?
 
I am too impatient to do a lot of planning so I am more of the jump in type but there are some things I always have to do first. Once I get the idea, I'll first come up with a one sentence logline to describe it. It doesn't have to be a perfect or groundbreaking logline, just a good focused sentence. Once I have that I am confident I truly know what I'm writing about and I'll expand it to a paragraph and then a page. If I have a good one-page outline that's when I'll often start writing my script. Sometimes I'll go longer on the outline, sometimes I'll use index cards to outline it-- but for the most part I just need a good solid one pager with a beginning middle and end so I have an idea of what I'm doing. However, it all starts with that sentence and having a basic focused idea to launch from. 

What part of writing a script do you find most difficult? 

Oddly enough it's character names. I struggle with that because every name sounds stupid and when you're naming a character it has to feel right. If we are talking about the writing process it's usually pages 35-50 because that's when you're initial enthusiasm has died, a new idea has popped into your head that always seems far more exciting and the end seems so far away. The most important thing is to push through that because every new idea always seems better because it's new and you'll get stuck in a cycle of writing 30 pages and giving up if you do that.

What do you find most rewarding about screenwriting? 

Finishing the first draft. When I know I completed the thought and it will no longer be terrorizing my brain. Yes I will do rewrites and polishes, but that is all much easier than creating a world from scratch and completing the idea. 

Who are your favorite screenwriters? What are your favorite movie or TV scripts? 

I find much of the great writing is on TV now. Vince Gilligan with Breaking Bad and Matthew Weiner with Mad Men do amazing work and those are shows that 20 years ago would have been feature films. Game of Thrones is always fantastic. With feature films I love Charlie Kaufman, Michael Mann and Quentin Tarrantino. Alexander Payne does great stuff and JC Chandor is quietly putting together an impressive string of films.

If you got to write the screen adaptation of any book, what would it be? 

Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It would blend my two greatest passions - running and film.The story of that book is incredible and I've been thinking about adapting it forever but the rights have been purchased already. 

What’s next for you? What projects or screenplays are you working on right now?

I've been trying to get one of my scripts made so it's caused me to turn more towards the business and directing side of things. I'm making a short film in August and then in the fall I think I'll try to see if anything inspires me. I go through these phases where I feel dry for creative ideas and like I'll never have another good idea but something always pops in my head. It's good to let your brain recharge sometimes and not work on anything for a few days, weeks or months.

What advice or tips would you give to aspiring screenwriters? 

If you are working on a screenplay, write every day. It's a discipline and you force yourself to write new pages every day whether you know what you are going to write or not. 1 page, 10 pages-- just write. Get a routine and stick to it. Once you loose the momentum it's very difficult to get it back. Beyond that, write the movie you want to see. Everybody else will tell you what it should be or what you should change but that is the movie they want to see. You are the gatekeeper and need to keep your voice so don't feel like you have to listen (unless they are actually producing the movie or investing in it). In the end, if you're going to present something to the world it should be something you love, not something that is written to please others.

By Audrey Larson

You may have heard about our exciting new program Summer of Screenwriting. It’s free and open to youth 18 and under. And the best part— you can live across the country from us and still participate! We’re so excited to see kids sign up from California, Oregon, Montana, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and New York (in addition to our home-base of New England). 

Why did we start this program? 

1. We love screenwriting
2. It’s hard to find resources for youth on the subject
3. Most kids like movies or TV
4. But many kids have never seen or read a screenplay, let alone written one
5. And have we mentioned we love screenwriting?

Our goal is to introduce kids and teens to screenwriting by providing hand-picked resources, videos, tips, spotlights on successful screenwriters, and everything else they’ll need to get started on their own screenplay. We’re even running a contest for New England residents to submit their short (max 20 pages) script to win prizes. 

I got interested in screenwriting many years ago, before I was interested in filmmaking. I liked writing, especially novel writing. The more I practiced screenwriting, the more I realized that I think very visually— which lends itself well to screenwriting. I soon found it was easier for me to express my vision as a screenplay. 

I also found that I didn’t know anyone else my age who was screenwriting. That’s why an important element of Summer of Screenwriting is connecting young writers. We created a private Facebook group for participants to share, discuss, and connect with each other. We’ll also be doing several live stream discussions or chats that participants can listen and participate in. FYP’s Young Writers Meet-Ups are also a great opportunity for local participants to join together, play games, and discuss screenwriting. 

And don't think that Shay and I won’t also be participating! We are working on FYP's next short film script-- so we’ll be writing along with everyone this Summer. 

By Shay Martin

Recently, Audrey and I attended the Best of The Boston 48-Hour Film Project 2015 screening and awards at the Kendall Square Cinema in Cambridge, MA. It was a really great experience and we wanted to share it with you. For those of you who don't know what the 48-Hour Film Project is, you can visit their website here. It's a really cool project and worth checking out. 

The only way I can describe the Kendall Square Cinema is an alternative movie theater. In addition to standard new releases, it shows many films that you won't see at other theaters, including independent films, restored classics, and foreign films. It also hosts many local premieres, benefit screenings, and film festivals. But that's not the only way it's different. Your first clue that you are not in a standard movie theater is the menu: filled with all the theater classics like popcorn, candy, soda and water, it also goes further. Much further. It includes not only refreshments, but dinner items, and specialized food like vegan cookies and edamame. Very cool!

Exciting things are happening at FYP! First of all, we've organized a casual meet-up for teens interested in screenwriting to come learn, create, brainstorm, and have fun together. The YOUNG WRITERS MEETUP will take place at the Barnes & Noble Cafe in Walpole, MA on Wednesday May 20th at 6 pm. Bring your friends, a snack, and get ready to explore the movie script. We hope to see you there! 

Second, our short film DRAWING INSPIRATION will be premiering to the public online this Thursday (May 21st) at 8 pm. We'll be hosting a live stream Q&A discussion simultaneously so you can get your questions answered by the Directors (Audrey & Shay). We've worked hard the last few months to make this film the best it can be and we're so excited to share it with you! Check out the film's page to read about the cast and crew, and view exclusive behind-the-scenes photos from filming in our gallery. 

We have so many ideas for future events, programs, and films -- but we want to know what YOU want too! What film or acting opportunities are you looking for? What areas of film are you interested in? What resources are you looking for? Shoot us an email and let us know. Help us spread the word about FYP by sharing our website with friends and those who might be interested. 

Stay tuned... More events to come! 

By Audrey Larson

FYP we will be filming a 3-minute short film for the White House Student Film Festival this Sunday (AHHH! 3 days from now!!!). Shay and I have been consumed this week with final script edits, prop lists, wardrobe plans, location scouting, finding extras, storyboarding, and so much more. 2 years ago we were busy with the same items for our debut short film, "Countdown" which was filmed over the course of 4 days in February 2013. I dived into the FYP "archives" and found a fun list of lessons we learned from those 4 amazing, stressful, fun, chaotic days. 

So without further a do, I present... 27 lessons from filming "Countdown"! 

1. Kids need food. 
2. Lots of food.
3. That food should never be candy. 
4. Or else they will break into laugh attacks
5. Sometimes laugh attacks can bring real tears - which is good... if the scene is sad
6. Sometimes you just need a snack break
7. But there is a time for food. And there is a time for filming. Don’t let them cross. 
8. Attempting to confiscate Oreos from the Producer/Director is a stupid and potentially dangerous activity. 
9. You will need to hide them. 
10. Very well.
11. Filming outside in February in Massachusetts = Very. Bad. Idea.
12. You will need hot water and lots of tea.
13. Or else the Directors may just freeze (kidding...)
14. Except the Associate Producer is somehow immune to cold... We are all in awe, Sarah.
15. Even doggie “actors” need to be properly taken care of and kept warm.
16. A fake bomb is not a good prop to make last-minute
17. Don’t let cast members go home in their costume. Do not. 
18. Tears are really hard to produce. Even with onions.
19. Some people like eating raw onions.
20. It is near impossible to get the smell of onions out of your set.
21. Remember to take a group picture when everyone’s actually there.
22. Don’t bother the makeup artist. Ever. You will be yelled at and possibly speared with a makeup sponge.
23. Always leave the camera on. Or else you may miss a perfect shot.
24. Nerf guns + boys = Chaos
25. Remember continuity.
26. Remember continuity.
27. Remember continuity. 

We'll be back soon with more announcements about our newest short film! 

Interview by Shay Martin

Monica Saviolakis is an actress, singer and lifestyle model in the Boston area. She has appeared in a national commercial for Dunkin Donuts, as well as several regional commercials including those for Pure Hockey, Town Fair Tire, Bertucci’s, and many more. Monica has also worked on many corporate and training videos for several large companies like Google, BOSE, Staples, Liberty Mutual, and Merrill Lynch. She has acted on the set of over one hundred films, web and television shows, commercials, industrials, and print campaigns. I was privileged to attend a workshop by Monica Saviolakis about breaking into the business of acting for commercials. She was amazing and fortunately for me (and you) she agreed to be interviewed for this blog. Read on about her journey in the acting industry, and her advice for aspiring young actors. 

A brief summary of your story. I found it inspiring. 

I went to school for theatre, and tried to focus on Musical Theater because I love to sing.  After graduating in 1998, I traveled throughout New England, working in Arts Administration and Box Offices at prestigious theaters like the Williamstown Theater Festival, the Arden Theater in Philadelphia, and McCarter Theater in New Jersey.  I also lived in NY for a short time, working at City Center during the day in Development, and as a singing hostess at Ellen's Stardust Diner at night. After realizing New York City wasn’t going to work out the way that I had hoped, I moved home. I got married, and took some time to raise my family. After being home for a while with my girls, and going back to work outside the home - I got laid off... And I quickly went back to doing what I loved. And, thank goodness I did – I have been happily acting, singing, and modeling as my job since January 2010!

What's your best advice for child actors? 

The best advice I can give is Don’t Get Discouraged! There is so much that goes into a casting decision, and most of the time, it has nothing to do with your talent! So, think of every audition as practice for the next one.  Keep at it, hone your craft, educate yourself as much as you can on the process and on the craft. When the role is right, it will hit! I have to tell myself this on a daily basis!

Any advice for the parents? 

This one is tough! As a child, I did lots of theater with my schools. My parents drove me day in, day out, pick up , drop off, over and over… They were not happy that I went to school for theater. But they were proud of me for following my dreams. And now, even in my late 30s, my parents support me every day. They watch my girls, they ask me what auditions I had, they show their friends the commercials I am in. Their support means the world to me, and I think especially the younger generation needs their parents' support more than anything. 

How do you keep your head up after rejection?

Again, this is a tough one. Even today I find myself in a bit of a slump because I just learned I lost a major role! I had a great audition, even better callback… it was out of my hands. I did my best, I dressed the part, researched, practiced my Boston accent… everything! Turns out – I was just too young for the role! Out of my hands… Go in there, do your best, and like I said before – think of each audition as practice… My motto after every audition is “onto the next!”

On a side note, I came across this article from Backstage.com, Helping Young Actors Deal With Rejection, and thought it would be a nice touch to add to this question!

Anything else to add?

I commend any young child who knows at a young age that this is what they want to do when they “grow up”. Have a good head on your shoulders, have a great support system in your family and friends, and keep the “onto to next!” motto close. Practice makes perfect, and this business is no exception.

Thanks Monica for your time and wisdom! You can learn more about Monica by visiting her website, and following her on Twitter and Facebook. You can also find her on IMDb. 

Interviewed by Audrey Larson.

Twin actresses, Chelsea Summer and Brooke Star Noriega, filmed guest starring roles on the recent episode "Under Pressure" (Season 5, episode 12) of the Emmy award-winning comedy "Modern Family". We had the honor of interviewing Chelsea and Brooke about their experience filming Modern Family, getting to meet other cast members, and how their acting career began. Read on for the full scoop! 

Tell us about yourselves: 

Chelsea:  Brooke and I are 14 and live in the Antelope Valley. It’s about an hour northeast of Los Angeles, California and is considered the high desert. We both attend Desert Sands Charter School, which is an independent study program that allows us the flexibility of filming during the school year. Our similar hobbies include music, (we both play piano and guitar), archery and bike riding.
Brooke: And our independent hobbies are dancing and baseball for me,
Chelsea: And gymnastics for me.
Brooke:  Oh and we both just picked up learning to ride the penny (skate) board which is fun, and we both ride rip-stick (skate) boards!

When did you start acting? What got you started? 

Chelsea:  Both of us got our start in musical theater when we were 7 years old. Our older sister Brittni was auditioning for a local community theater production of “Disney Musical Spectacular”, so we auditioned too and got in as “Newsies”. We both caught the acting bug and that began six straight years of performing in theatrical shows, both musical and dramatic.  I like acting because it allows you to pretend you're someone else for a little while,
Brooke: And I like it because its fun and I get to make people laugh!

How does being twins help advantage or disadvantage you in the acting industry? Do you ever have to compete against each other for a particular part? 

Chelsea:  Our Mom has always told us we were blessed to have two market opportunities in the industry.
Brooke:  Yeah, one as twins,
Chelsea: And the other as individuals.  Sometimes we audition for the same role, but we try and support one another with ideas, like, different ways to deliver the same lines.
Brooke:  But we are “teammates”, so we root for each other no matter who books the role. I can’t think of any disadvantages, unless the Casting Director were to like both of us but could only choose one, and didn’t because maybe he/she thought it would be too hard for either of us to lose out getting the role, but honestly, we would probably never know if that ever happened.

Tell us about getting to work on the show “Modern Family”. What was the auditioning process like?

Chelsea:  Omg! Filming on Modern Family was sooooo much fun!! We met some really nice sets of twins that day [of the audition]! Some we are still friends with. Our Mom coached us on line delivery and having different vocal emphasis choices when delivering the lines, and then when we met with the Casting Director,
Brooke: Who was really nice to us,
Chelsea:  And he helped us make the best choices. When we left, we wished all the other twins the best on their audition.
Brooke: We felt like whoever got the roles, we would “know” them and be happy for them. Of course….secretly, we hoped we would book the job! Haha!
Chelsea: After the first audition, the Casting Director narrowed down the selection of twin sets to four, out of approximately 12-15 “first call” twin sets, to now go on to the “Producers Session”.
Brooke:  That means to meet with the Producer, Writer and Director of the show. As a matter of fact, this was our first time going to a “Producers Session”, so we didn’t know what to expect,
Chelsea: And thankfully, we were ultimately chosen for the roles of Piper (myself) & Zoe (Brooke)
Brooke:  It was a very happy day getting the call that we booked the job from our Agent!

What was it like working with the cast of Modern Family? How long did it take to film the episode? What would you say is the biggest difference from filming a movie and filming a TV show? 

Brooke: We only worked with the two boys on the show,
Chelsea: Rico Rodriguez & Nolan Gould, and they were both very nice.
BRooke:  We did get to meet and take pictures with Eric Stonestreet!
Chelsea:  He was so funny! He asked us all kinds of questions, and for some reason, we kept answering them EXACTLY the same at the EXACT same time! It was so funny!
Brooke:  Right? We NEVER do that! He asked our Mom if we always do that, and she laughed and said, “NEVER”! Haha!! It was great to meet him!
Chelsea: We filmed for two days, one day on location at a school, and one day at the 20th Century Fox studio lot.  As for the differences between filming television and feature films, from the experiences on both that we’ve had, I’d say, features take longer to film, more takes, and television shows move along pretty quickly because they have shorter time frames to work with to get the scenes done.

What was the coolest or your favorite part about it?  

Chelsea: Definitely enjoyed the added attention, like having our hair & make up done and the feeling of importance to the show.
Brooke: Our trailer was awesome and the crew took our “orders” for lunch and served us IN our trailer! 
Chelsea:  Seeing Sophia Vergara & Eric Stonestreet in person was pretty cool too!

Any funny/best moments on set? 

Brooke: Speaking about Sophia & funny moments, well….Chelsea and I heard something going on outside our trailer, and they were taking Sophia to set on a cool large golf cart vehicle,
Chelsea: Yeah, we were trying to check her out in stealth through the mini blinds in our trailer!"
Brooke: So Mom says, “What are you girls looking at?”, and we said, “Sofia Vergara is right outside our trailer”! Mind you this was our first day on set, and Mom says, “here, let me pull up the blinds so you can see her better!”, and both Chelsea and I go, “NO!” and try pulling the blinds back down. We were so embarrassed. Well, Sofia heard all the noise and looked up and saw us, and started chuckling. 
Chelsea: I’m sure she thought we were crazy!
Brooke: And they rushed her off to set, so we never got the chance to meet her and take a picture with her.
Chelsea:  But we did get to meet the other co-star on our episode (Modern Family, episode: “Under Pressure”), Jesse Eisenberg! He was very nice and took a picture with us and Rico.
Brooke:  Chelsea was beaming in that photo, she loves Jesse as an Actor!

Anything else to add about your experience filming “Modern Family”?

Chelsea: Just that it was a very memorable day, and a boost to our acting career. We couldn’t believe that here we were, filming as Guest Stars together, on an Emmy winning show! How awesome is that?
Brooke: Oh, and another cool fact was that one of our good friends was booked as background on the set, and he and his Mom, who is our Mom’s good friend, got to enjoy the day & experience with us! That added to our fun!

Tell us about some other acting experience you've had:

Chelsea: Well, mainly it has been theater, television, film, commercial work, and live vocal performances with our sister, Brittni. Oh and we have made some fun music video’s with Brittni, who loves to film and direct them herself.
Brooke: Also, last year, we filmed as leads in a mini (1 minute) short film called “A Better Place” by Javi Productions, for La Sierra University, and directed by Javi Joseph that won the Caddie Short Film Festival. That was really exciting! We had a big poster billboard on the 91 Freeway in Los Angeles for a week because our film won!
Chelsea: Yes, that was cool. And our sister Brittni was the voiceover narrator and make-up artist on the film, so it was fun working on set with her too.

Any upcoming projects/roles you can talk about? 

Chelsea:  Brooke and I just created our own You Tube channel called “Cover Girls” and we plan to do some fun comedy skits and also share some of our music we write. Hopefully people will want to subscribe and follow us on You Tube very soon!.
Brooke: Plus we are going to be going into a local recording studio this summer to start laying down some of our own tracks and vocals, so that will be really cool! 

What advice would you give to young actors who want to pursue their passion?

Chelsea: I would tell them to enjoy the journey, learn to submit it (meaning the audition) and forget it, you know; do your best, and then don’t think about it again unless you get the call from your Agent and he/she tells you that you booked it! And most of all, remember to be a kid and have fun!
Brooke: Adding to what Chelsea just said, I would say, practice your craft everyday, whether it be singing, dancing, acting, or any skills you want to pursue, and become excellent at it. That is what will set you apart when auditioning for the roles you want. Oh, and don’t give up!
Chelsea:  Thanks for wanting to interview us Audrey, this was fun!
Brooke:  It sure was! Thanks Audrey!

Thank you Chelsea and Brooke for your time! You can follow the twins on their Facebook fan page and individual Instagram pages, “Chelsea Noriega” and “Brooke Noriega”. You can also watch Chelsea and Brooke's episode of Modern Family ("Under Pressure") for a limited time on ABC Family's website (here).