Se7en Questions with Filmmaker & Actor
Gregory Blair
Who are some of the artists or some of the works
that inspired you to get started in your field? Of today’s current artists, who do you draw inspiration from?
I was into movies and theater at such a young age; I don’t think there were any single strong influences, because I loved it all and consumed as much as I could of every genre, medium, etc. But if I think about today, I admire those who have dared to be their unique selves and succeed because of taking risks: directors like Nicolas Roeg, David Lynch, Ken Russell and Peter Greenaway. writers like Stephen King, Anthony Burgess and Armistead Maupin, and actors like Doug Jones, Judy Davis, Meryl Streep and Bruce Campbell. Quite a variety in those groups, but I did say I liked a wide range!
What have thus far been some of the negatives of being an indie artist in your field?
I think the pluses and the minuses are just two sides of the same issues… and the same issues that are in all parts of this (and any) industry—not just indie film
For example: the freedom to break rules and do your own thing is glorious and can foster unimaginable creativity, but it can also breed unprofessional behavior, unfair scenarios, broken commitments, etc. Unions and the big studios have been designed to (generally) protect people from that better. But we know (too well, lately) that bad things can happen anywhere.
I find you learn from the negative occurrences and gravitate toward the people who you can count on to be above board and brilliant at their jobs. It’s the school of hard knocks, to be sure. But you can end up better for it. I hope I have.
What have thus far been the positives of being an indie artist in your field?
The love. Because so few are making big bank in the indie world, the reward is in fulfilling your passion to create art. That love of the craft creates a special bond and tone because you’re all happy to be doing what makes your heart sing; no one’s there dispassionately, just to make a buck, like at most office jobs. We could all walk away to a more lucrative and steady stream of income, but we don’t… because this is our passion. To be surrounded by people who sacrifice so much to live their dream is a humbling, beautiful thing.
What have been your favorite completed projects to work on up to this point? Can you tell us a little bit about them?
Every project has immeasurable joys and a handful of challenges. Making my first film, Deadly Revisions, was very difficult, but I wouldn’t have missed it for anything; it brought a tremendous sense of accomplishment to see it through. It also made making my next film, Garden Party Massacre, a much easier and more enjoyable experience. And then working as an actor on Adam Steigert’s Fang up in the Finger Lakes of New York: the cast and crew was great, the makeup and gore effects were wild, and the location was a real treat. I could honestly do just that sort of gig for the rest of my life and be deliriously happy.
What projects are you currently working on or have planned for the near future?
Well, I’m slated (as an actor) to film Dustin Ferguson’s Robowoman and Nick Hunt’s Safe Place in the coming months and both Garden Party Massacre and Fang should be out late Fall this year. The treat is how disparate my roles are in all those projects. I’m a spoiled man-child in Robowoman, a tragic psychopath in Safe Place, a hilarious dumb blond in Garden Party Massacre and a creepy caretaker in Fang. I’m living a character actor’s dream.
Where do you see yourself in a few years and what would it take for you to consider your career a success?
I’m not one for rigid barometers for success and whatnot. I would say I’m successful to a degree already… and will always have a way to go to be more successful. Besides, there are so many ways to be successful and/or measure success; money, fame, status, happiness.
Ultimately, I think only the last one is really relevant because if you’re not happy, nothing else really matters. And I’m happy with what I’ve accomplished thus far, considering my beginnings, my personality, my resources and all the things that make up my life. But I remain hopeful and excited about what I may achieve in the years to come.
If you couldn’t do this anymore, what career path do you think you would have followed and why?
Well, I got a Master’s in Education, so I’d probably have become an instructor of some sort. In a way, that’s part of what I do in my art. To me, art has two goals: to teach and to amuse. The best art does a little of both, I think. So, if I were a teacher, I hope I’d also be a little amusing! I think all life should be, frankly! It makes everything so much more worth living!
