Greetings to all readers, new and old, and thank you for choosing to check things out here at OneFilmFan.com! As our journey through the independent film arena keeps yielding amazing films done by passionate and dedicated directors, producers, cinematographers, editors, etc., there of course cannot be the total package without the actors and actresses involved in bringing these stories to life. Thanks to a well-established connection to indie director Sean Meehan and his recent short film “Total Performance“, it is a great blessing to have the opportunity to present this interview with a third member of the acting team, lead actress Tory Berner. With a very grounded, realistic, and simply human performance, Ms. Berner was a major catalyst in making the film the success it is. So, how about hearing some thoughts to our questions from the proverbial horse’s mouth? My interview with Tory Berner!
OneFilmFan: So, tell us first about the girl who is Tory Berner. In broader strokes, where did life begin for you, where have you landed, and how did acting become a part of it all?
Tory Berner: I grew up in Rye, NY and have been involved in theatre my whole life—participating in local community theatre and school plays. I graduated from Boston College with a BA in Theatre Arts, but spent my last semester “abroad” at NYU Tisch. I am now based in Los Angeles pursuing a career as an actor.
O.F.F.: How did you further learn the art (ie: mentors, influences, and schooling)?
T.B.: Acting has been a passion of mine since day one—I was singing before I could talk. There wasn’t anyone in particular that influenced me to do it. I got involved in summer stock theatre when I was 17 at the Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield, MA. I played Sharpay in “High School Musical 2” and we did about 60 performances that summer. After that summer, I was quite certain I wanted to make a career out of it.
O.F.F.: I see from your bio that you began in film via the 2012 short, “Afterglow”. Tell us a little about that first experience and how it further influenced your desire to act.
T.B.: That was a fun experience. It was really my first experience on film. I was friends with everyone involved, so it was a very comfortable environment. After that, I knew I had a lot more to learn about on-camera acting. I have always been so used to stage acting, and they are two completely different animals.
O.F.F.: Something else that leaps out to me is your appearance on a rather well-known TV show on CBS called “NCIS: Los Angeles”! How did that opportunity come about? Had to be exciting, yes?
T.B.: That really came about through networking. I know someone involved with the show and he was able to put me in touch with casting who let me audition for the role. I had a great time. Everyone was super friendly.
O.F.F.: Being new to the acting scene, how hard is it when you’ve found your passion and having to face not only the potential rejection any time you try out for a part, but also so much competition in general as an actor? Fortitude seems to be the name of the game, eh?
T.B.: Indeed. My saving grace has been my day-to-day job as a sales rep for a jewelry company called Julie Vos. I’m an account manager for West Coast sales. It keeps me grounded. Right now, I’m really trying to lock down representation, so I can have more opportunities to go out and audition.
O.F.F.: Do you see yourself moving in a direction that favors film roles? Or are you staying open to any and all possibilities, whether big or small screen?
T.B.: I am open to anything. The more I can learn, the better.
O.F.F.: So, onto your current project, the short film “Total Performance”, currently available online. How was this opportunity presented to you?
T.B.: One of the producers of the film, Korey McIsaac, is also a BC grad and approached me about the project. I auditioned a couple times in NYC and landed the role.
O.F.F.: Tell us a bit about the character you play in it, Cori Sweeney.
T.B.: She is a go-getter. I like how she approaches things head on. She seems very confident in all aspects of her life, but is actually highly sensitive and vulnerable. It was fun to play around with that.
O.F.F.: Honestly, after watching how the film plays out for your character, there was some deeply emotional material involved. How did you get into the headspace of Cori, who has to face not only other people’s issues, but ultimately, her own?
T.B.: I always take a few moments before each scene to get in that headspace. My Meisner training was also a big help. I tried to see everything through her eyes and really let myself be affected by the work.
O.F.F.: How about working with fellow actors Steven Conroy, Timothy J. Cox, Caitlin Berger, Anthony Rainville, and Paul Locke?
T.B.: It was good times all around. I really enjoyed working with them—very talented people.
O.F.F.: How about some thoughts on working with director Sean Meehan? Silly moments from the set that can be shared?
T.B.: Sean is a wonderful and talented director. Super easy to work with. I can’t remember anything specific (we filmed it over a year ago..) But, we were always silly in between takes—really fun, light-hearted set. It was great.
O.F.F.: What other projects are on the horizon or would you LIKE to be involved in?
T.B.: I don’t have anything coming up. I’m really open to anything right now—whatever will get me out there and seen. As I said, I’m in the process of looking for reps, which would be a huge step for me.
O.F.F.: Independent films, whether in feature length or short form, really do present the chance for story and character to dominate, rather than fancy special effects, etc that can sometimes take away in the bigger budget movies in Hollywood. There’s room for it all, but how do you feel when it comes to raising more awareness and promotion of indie film and those who make them?
T.B.: I think word of mouth and social media are huge.
O.F.F.: I was also noticing you were a former apprentice at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Can you expand a little on that? What other organizations related to acting are you finding yourself drawn to currently, if any?
T.B.: I loved WTF. It was a 9-week program composed of many different things—improv training, talk-backs with the mainstage actors, stagehand work, open mic nights, scene study, and more. I actually won the Improv Cage Match with my 2 female teammates (one of which has a recurring role on the TV show “Grimm”. Her name is Jacqueline Toboni). We beat out all 66 apprentices—it was a blast.
O.F.F.: It needed to be asked to wrap things up here. What is YOUR favorite film of all time? Why?
T.B.: That is a tough question. My favorite TV show at the moment is “The Affair” on Showtime. I don’t know if I could narrow it down for films–I would have to say “It’s a Wonderful Life”. I have an old soul, so those movies really appeal to me–and I grew up watching it with my family, so it’s been a part of my life for quite some time.
And something tells us that with the measures of devotion to her craft, the fortitude to accept the challenges of getting an acting career off the ground, and the enthusiastic and straight-forward attitude presented here in this interview, the film world will be hearing more from Tory Berner! And let’s hope soon! In the meantime, it is apparent Ms. Berner is making ends meet and looking to take the next steps necessary to gain that position as a professional actress, whether via indie films or Hollywood. Maybe even both! So, while we hold our collective breath for Tory’s next project, why not check out her performance directly via the following means:
The aforementioned short film, “Total Performance”: here
I would like to extend another heartfelt “Thank You!!” to Tory Berner for her willingness to do this interview! Always a privilege to connect with up and coming talent from the indie ranks, and remember folks, these could literally be some of the next bigger stars in film! So help that happen by showing your support in any ways possible to give some deserved recognition to these artists and they strive to see film dreams come to life! Stay tuned for more here at OneFilmFan.com! Until next time, spread the word and thank you for reading!
