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Showing posts with label Batman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Batman. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

The Man Behind the Makeup: Anthony Misiano (aka Harley's Joker)

You may know him as "That awesome Joker guy!!11!" but with a little more research you'll find out that this "Joker guy" is more than  a first rate cosplayer. Well, for starters, he's a man. With hopes, dreams, aspirations, and a life of his own (an obvious observation, right?). Tell that to the massive amounts of fangirls. His life was instantly changed by accidentally becoming an underground cultural phenom- and that is exactly what makes this so interesting.
With over 77,000 likes on Facebook, would he call himself famous? Not exactly. Read on for his reaction to his new reputation, upcoming projects, and just how much longer he plans on embodying the green-haired villain.

Lindsay:  We know by now that this unpredictable fame has all stemmed from a simple passion of yours. What impact has this had on your life, and the lives of your friends, family, and loved ones?
Anthony: Nothing at all, really. The only change is that now I have to spend about an hour or two on Facebook every night "tending to the beast". Aside from that, it doesn't exist in my life. People who say I'm "famous" don't understand that it's a very tiny niche sub genre of nerd that I appeal to, haha. Also people don't tend to understand the HUGE difference between being popular on Facebook, and success. They are not one and the same.

L: I suppose being popular on Facebook doesn't pay the bills...so there's been no professional advancements that have stemmed from this?
A: Not a one in any way whatsoever at all.

L:  Hm, I think something has to happen if you keep at it. Clearly 77,000 people see something in you. That must be reassuring in some way. A good number of those people think you're a heart throb, what do you think of that?
A: It's silly. I'm a noodley, goofy, mildly funny looking, furry muscle-less man. People
are sure to wake up from it all sooner or later.

L: You're working on a web series, The Batman Chronicles, how do you get into character as the Joker, aside from the two hour makeup job? 
A: Actually the makeup is closer to three and a half hours. We shot The Batman Chronicles film back in June. It was a fantastic experience. Getting into character is hard to describe, but it's similar for any role I think. In everyday life you're very aware of the world around you, or at least you try to be so that you don't die. When you're acting on camera, you have to almost zone out and erase from your mind the fact that there are cameras and technicians and lights and microphones and everything else, so that you can essentially play pretend very well and exist in the moment of the scene. With the Joker it was no different. The primary difference being the character himself is a bit emotionally unstable and extreme. So it required me to just really let myself go completely and stay worked up a little between takes depending on the context of the scene we were shooting.
  
L: How does your interpretation of the character differ from your predecessors?
A: Every actor brings a tiny slice of themselves to every role, no matter how big or small the role or the slice. I suppose the other reason every actor is different is because we all had different scripts to work with. I just hope that I successfully did my job of making every moment as honest and as true as possible. 

L: I  feel like you will have delivered the performance your fans (yes, fans) are looking for. When in character as the Joker, is there anything you wouldn't do?
A: I don't think there's ANYTHING the Joker wouldn't do if it was a means to him achieving his goals, whatever they may be.

L: Do you see a light at the end of the tunnel? Planning on hanging up the Joker costume any time soon?
A: Absolutely, I'll be hanging up the coat and tails in the near future.
Fresh faced

L: What personal projects are you working on currently? 
A: Right now the only project I'm working on is a web series called "Reel Butter". It's a comedy show I do with Ryan Cerutti on YouTube. We review movies, talk about entertainment news, etc. Aside from that I'm actually trying to avoid getting involved with too many projects
at the moment simply because of how invested I always get in anything I'm working on. Given my plans to move across country in a few months, I need to save every cent I can.

L: Are you going to continue as an actor, or would you like to get into directing? What is the ultimate goal for your future? 
A: I've been acting for fourteen years, and directing for about seven, I don't plan to stop either anytime soon. The ultimate goal I suppose would be making my living doing these things and not having to support myself otherwise.

L: A typical day in your life would consist of...?
A: Waking up earlier than my body wants, going to work, coming home, eating, tending to the beast that is the Joker Facebook page, editing an episode of "Reel Butter", and sleeping. Then I repeat.

Messing around on "Reel Butter" - So educational! Sort of..!

L: On any given day, you can't live without...
A: Oxygen.

L: Ahhhaa, yes I suppose I set myself up for that one. What are the top two songs in your playlist as of right now?
A: "Downfall" by Matchbox 20 and "Starman" by David Bowie.

L: If you could play any character, who would it be and what actor would you consider to be your overall inspiration?
A: Jack. No specific Jack though, there have been hundreds of characters in literature and film over the years named Jack, and most of them great parts. I would gladly take any of them on. As far as inspirational actors go, it's tough to say. For the sake of giving you an answer I'll simply name one of my favorite actors, Dustin Hoffman.

L: Anything you want to say to your supporters?
A: You're all nuts. Keep up the good work, you sweet, silly, creative, talented, eccentric bunches of people with weird taste.

L: Thanks so much your time! Best of luck to you and all your future plans.
A: Thank you!

A few things for you to check out that we've mentioned:
Reel Butter
The Batman Chronicles
Moonflower
Joker Facebook


I'll leave you all with this... seriously, this is in my apartment at home- in my kitchen.
Watching you.
Every. Time. You. Cook.
After like 15 years you barely notice him it.
I promise.
HA. HA. HA SO FUNNY




Thursday, February 21, 2013

The Dream Life


I was able to catch up with QuentinRyan, Warner Bros. prop replica artist who got his start from the love of none other than "The one named Sailor Moon". His newfound success has skyrocketed all at the age of 22. He is an exceptional artist, and an all around great guy.

Quentin dishes about unusual talents, his luck with love, and his new life he has to look forward to. It was my pleasure chatting with him-  so read on for the exclusive inside interview (and sneak peek at the new Sailor Moon 2013 merch)!



Lindsay Taylor (LT): Let’s go over the basics, shall we? We all want to know how you came to love Sailor Moon.
QuentinRyan (QR): I remember watching Sailor Moon with two of my childhood best friends every single day as soon school would let out. Those two childhood friend's are males also. I literally would rush home from school and we would all watch it.  As soon as I watched the first episode I was hooked. The story line behind Sailor Moon is what caught me. I had never seen a team of dominate females be in the lead the way Sailor Moon and her fellow teammates were. I was so used to an all male force, that the change is what caught me the most. I am a strong believer in equality, and in my opinion, Sailor Moon brought a balance in Anime and proved that females can do just as much as a males. Not to mention the amazing transformation sequences.
LT : Do you have a favorite character?
(QR): Sailor Pluto, hand's down! It's hard to choose, but she is my favorite.

LT: What about prop making? How’d you discover your natural ability to make such breathtaking replicas? How did that start?
(QR): It’s actually  kind of random. I stumbled across a YouTube video of Sailor Moon and after I had watched it I went on eBay to browse and see what kind's of Sailor Moon toys I could find. Well, I kind of went into shock when I saw how much they were selling for – hundreds and even thousands. So, I decided to make a brooch myself. Admittedly I wouldn't consider my first piece's masterpieces, but I taught myself over time and with more patience, and investments in higher quality materials, they grew into what they are today. Making props is an extremely time consuming business. I do everything myself. Almost all of my props are hand sculpted from a single block of clay when I first design them. Usually I sculpt a design for a new prop at least three time's before making it official. If it doesn't make me smile, I will not take a picture of it. I don't care if I sell one single prop. My goal is to make them because I love them, and I plan on making every piece I see in Sailor Moon – and then onto other things!

Flawless Sailor Moon Season 1 Compact


LT: Your hard work clearly shows, they are so beautiful. But… I’m curious, are there any other hidden talents you have I should be aware of?
(QR): This might be weird to hear for a guy, but I am extremely flexible. I could squeeze myself through the bars of a jail cell if I wanted to.

LT: On your newfound and hard earned success, what keeps you grounded?
(QR): Laughing. There isn't one day that goes by where I don't laugh at something. I'm a pretty sarcastic, joking and cut-up type of person My friends are another thing that I need more than anything else in this world when thing's get crazy or I'm extremely stressed out. Our personalities are similar, so we always laugh and joke around. I love them dearly.

LT: Can you tell me a little but more about your success in the prop industry? I know you’re working with Warner Brothers, how did this all come together?
(QR): I've been so lucky to have worked with several production companies. Most Sailor Moon fan's know of Shivnath Productions, the company who made Sailor Moon The Movie (Independent Short). Working with the director, Elana Mugdan and her crew was incredible and they are all friend's of mine after it was finished. I was first contacted and asked to make prop's for The Dark Knight Rises (2012) for the character Selina Kyle (Catwoman) and they had found me on both Google and Facebook. That is probably one of my most cherished experiences so far. Afterwards, I was contacted again directly by Warner Brothers and was asked to join the Warner Bros. Entertainment Team in December 2012 as a full time artist for on-set films. I never would have dreamed that I would have had any chance of that, but I couldn't be more excited and I accepted their offer. I didn't want to leave my business here behind, so I will always make Sailor Moon replicas and other replicas/props in my spare time.

LT: That’s a wonderful opportunity! I know you’ll do amazing things with them. We’re going to switch gears for a second, Valentine’s Day just passed, the ladies want to know if you spent the day with a special someone..?
(QR): Nope, I'm single. I gave up on love for a long time, but here recently I realized that giving up only make's life harder, so I'm just waiting for the right person to walk by me. I love romance, especially old-fashioned romance. I'm the 'lay on top of a hill, bundled up in a blanket, counting the stars at night' type of guy. I think relationship's should be something to remember and couple's should do things to look back on. I give it my all.

LT: Well, that sounds too good to be true… (Hear that girls? I’m sure there’s already a line for him somewhere) Along with finding love, What dreams do you have that you want to accomplish, or what job are you after next?
(QR): In the future I see myself doing exactly what I'm doing now. Making props for movies is what I want to do. It's something I love and it makes me happy, so I'm making a career from it. When I start working with the Warner Bros. Entertainment Team in September 2013, I will be living in Burbank, California close to their studio. I hope I can stay there permanently!

LT: Sounds like a dream. Do you have any special words for your fans who have been there from the start, and watched you gain this success?
(QR): Most definitely. I would not be where I am today if it wasn't for them. Their support and love has gotten me through the hardest times of my life, and I love each and every one of them more than I can ever express in words. Their words, support and love I will cherish for the rest of my life. I love them all.

Here is a sneak peek picture of the new Sailor Moon (2013) Season Two, Moon Crystal Power brooches -- also these are the same designs for the new 2013 communication watches that will be released this month! 


There you have it!
Quentin is most definitely taking off, but he's still super active in all forms of social media (thankfully!)


Something strike your fancy? Browse his Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/moonjustice
He's hip: http://quentinryan.tumblr.com/
Stay updated: http://www.facebook.com/moonjustice/info

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