The back of my head made the film trailer – YES! I act and fight star Zoe Bell in Raze, on official Midnight Selection at TriBeCa Film Festival in NYC April 21st.
More about Tonya Kay: IMDB tonyakay.com themostdangerouswomaninhollywood.com
I love working with director Robert Sexton – we’ve shot several projects together including the Trace Adkins “Got My Game On” music video, Death Angel “Dethroned” music video and a tv pilot, too. But this short film was one of the most trying sets I’ve ever been on (Robert!) because not only was I basically nude in full body paint with hours and hours of special effects latex applied, but all that was done in 30 degree weather at night! I could see Robert’s breath it was so cold, when we shouted direction to us actors. The entire crew wore mittens and stocking caps. But me? Just watch. The things we do for ART!
But With a Whisper from Robert Sexton on Vimeo.
Behind the scenes on the Horror Haiku set filming of The Art of Murder:
Seraph Films chooses viewer-submitted haikus and turns them into short films released weekly. I’ve admired director Gene Blalock‘s film work for some time now and was amped when he asked me to star in ‘The Art Of Murder‘ Horror Haiku. In addition to being a ‘killer’ film maker, Gene is also an active animal rights vegan and to my delight, Devin Goodsell, the other star of the film is an animal rights vegan, too! The only killing this cast supports is the movie kind. Enjoy the fettered fantasy of film making in The Art of Murder:
A master at work Arterial Blood Spraying The art of murder
Producing short films with your artist family is one of the greatest joys. In Los Angeles, I feel fortunate to say my artist family are not only my best friends but also all top notch actors, directors, writers, sound designers, crew and venues managers. Currently working. Why I really wanna be in L.A.. Please enjoy my artist family’s teaser short, Wish You Well:
Wish You Well
starring: Jason Paul Field http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2321387/ http://jasonpaulfield.com Tonya Kay http://imdb.me/tonyakay http://tonyakay.com
written by: Daniel Capuzzi http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2274656/
directed and edited by: Robert Beaucage http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0064283/
sound design by: Neononous http://thunderlush.com
location thank you: Federal Bar http://thefederalbar.com
Winning awards always feels like finding a twenty dollar bill to me. Makes me feel fortunate, giddy and like spending it on twenty gawdy and sparkly items at the dollar store – one of the best feelings in the world!
I’ve been the recipient of BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS (LA Movie Awards 2011) for my portrayal of Kielle in Silver Lake as well as BEST COMEDY ENSEMBLE (Indie Intertube Awards 2012) for my starring work as Princess Peach in Video Game Reunion. But this award has got to be the coolest. I mean where else, besides Bad Movies on Redbox, can one win the HOTT HOTTNESS AWARD – let’s get real! Consider that the film I was awarded this in is the horror movie, Creep Van, and there were plenty of nekkid titties in the film. Consider I only had a 4 minute cameo – with some great comedic dialogue, hand to hand stunt combat and yes; the biggest special effect in the film. Consider that the award giver is Bad Movies on Redbox. All of a sudden that twenty dollar bill just turned into one hundred – dollar store, here I come!
I’m seriously honored to receive this coolest of cool awards. Please check out Creep Van on iTunes or Amazon, enjoy a clip of my work below and some extra special set photos where you can see the inner workings (literally!) of my severing scene.
How do I describe Midday Games film? High-concept, experimental, no-budget film making. Midday Games is non-traditional in every sense of the word.
Yes, I am saying non-traditional here. This obscene actor and rampant danger artist whom has been known light her burlesque pasties on fire is calling Midday Games film highly experimental. First of all get this: it stars two raw vegans. Total coincidence, but delightfully true: Tom DeMar and I are both high raw vegans and you will see our plant-based bodies in detail. That in itself makes this a rare casting.
Also, the 70 minute film had a 12 page script rather than the usual 108. I am a lead and you will see, carried a lot of the storyline in my improvisation. Because we shot this 75 min film in ONE CONTINUOUS TAKE (twice) I actually carried around an egg timer to keep my improvised acting beats “on time” – I was timing my beats while we were filming! Timing was of the essence because we had to come in around 75 minutes AND we used three different non-permit public locations with entrances and exits and location changes during the one-take. My character enters the film around min 15 at location 2. Imagine: I know the film has started filming somewhere else thanks to a general text message from the director, I hold the busy coffee shop (no permit) table for 45 minutes waiting to see the actors and camera round the street corner, so I can jump up and disappear and then reappear at the table, hopefully still available, after the camera scans it once without me there. This was the biggest improvisational challenge I’ve ever had!
That, and you will hear that our dialogue is graphically sexual. We’re in this coffee shop without a permit and I can see the other patrons giving me shocked looks while we’re adding a little spice to their morning pick-me-up.
We filmed on a FlipCam: non-traditional! We shot the entire film in less than five hours: non-traditional. The director, Adam Haynes, wrote a sexual scene for my character and I put in a little burlesque piece to make it less graphic and more of a suggestive tease. I really enjoyed the freedom Adam offered us in Midday Games. I enjoyed the creativity the challenges brought out of me. I enjoyed not waiting – for permits, for lighting set ups, for the perfect take – we didn’t wait at all. We just made a movie and honestly, it was an artistic relief to just do it.
We also aren’t waiting for distribution to share the film, either. You can screen the entire film NOW below and at https://mongrel.jux.com. I would rate it R for my followers whom do not wish to hear sexual dialogue or see sexually suggestive content. Please be realistic about your viewing preferences. And for those of you whom like highly-experimental, no-budget film making, please enjoy two raw vegans starring in a film shot on a 100 degree day in Los Angeles called Midday Games.
Production notes for Midday Games:
This feature was shot in under 5 hours, utilizing 2 continuous long takes. Flip cameras were used to shoot precisely because they can record for such extended periods without overheating, and because they are fantastic guerrilla cameras when you’re shooting in public spaces without permits.
The format of this particular script was invented by Adam Haynes (who immediately dubbed it an “improv script”), which he has used to great success on subsequent projects. The actors knew the arc of the story and what specifically their motivations where, as well as necessary conversational details, and the rest they created. This makes the production process much more collaborative and fruitful and exciting.
The movie was created in attempt to show how little production and money is actually needed to make an entertaining and engaging cinematic story. Story is at the heart of all mediums pimping it, and thank goodness for the digital revolution allowing it to assert it’s importance once again!
The end is here and sexy villains always get what they deserve, now, don’t they? In the end.
This was one of my favorite scenes to shoot because co-director Tony Valenzuela was literally DANCING after my takes. As an actor, nothing compares to working with co-directors like Stephen Reedy and Tony Valenzuela – their ability to concept scenes and shots with special effects, sound and editing yet-to-come is outstanding. And when it is done all in service of the magic of a great performance, another level is achieved. This is a level up web series because of these directors.
We used technology to it’s fullest and literally Skyped our first meeting together (pic below) to discuss storyline, cinematography concept and my character, DR CHRISTINA ROSSI’s pivotal power in the story. On set before filming, we circled up, ritual style, sitting on location floor with our knees touching, took some deep breaths and explored the fine line between entitlement vs. altruism DR ROSSI harbors. Skype meetings, ritual explorations and dancing feedback is what sets this co-directing team apart and brings press-worthy performances from their actors, as written about by Starburst Magazine:
“…above average acting. Most notable are (actor) newcomers Bree Essrig and Tonya Kay, both of whom give credible, effective performances for this type of material.” – Starburst Magazine, Webseries Review: Silverwood
My first meeting w co-directors of Silverwood: Final Recordings series
This is about as motherly as my character gets. And that’s a sad, sad statement. Please enjoy “Dark Angels”, episode 7 of BlackBoxTV‘s Silverwood: Final Recordings.
Dr. Christina Rossi on BlackBoxTV’s Silverwood Final Recordings
Dr. Christina Rossi in Silverwood: Final Recordings
