Christopher Soren Kelly is a prolific
actor, writer, and director best known for starring in Ink (2009) and The Frame
(2014), but whose work has extended across multiple thought-provoking films –
most recently, Infinity Chamber, an
unsettling futuristic thriller in which a man is pitted against an automated
prison completely run by a computer. Upcoming science fiction film The Tangle is currently in
post-production, in large part thanks to a highly successful Indiegogo
campaign, for which Kelly serves as writer, director, and star.
The Movie Sleuth caught up with this
jack of many talents in an interview, in which Kelly details some of his
inspirations and discusses some of his future plans.
TMS: First of all, TMS would like to
thank you for taking the time to speak with us about your myriad projects. It’s
very kind of you.
Kelly: Of course. My pleasure.
TMS: A lot of us at TMS really love Ink, and find it really interesting that
you’d have taken such a huge risk with such a film – lower-budget, very much a
niche film that could have gone either way in terms of reception. The dual role
you play is unique, too, in that so much of the twist ending hangs on your
performance. Can you tell us what inspired you to take on such an unusual
venture?
Kelly: Well, as an actor, you can't really
turn down that kind of role as you long as you trust the filmmakers. I'd worked
with Jamin before, and he wrote the characters with me in mind. It was an
exciting challenge!
TMS: It's an amazing film, and your
performance is fantastic in it. Was it difficult to play both John and Ink,
keeping the ending twist in mind?
Kelly: We shot all the John stuff first, and
then all the Ink stuff. So, in that sense, it wasn't required that I switch
back and forth. That being said, the core of the two characters is the same.
They are just at different points in the same arc. The biggest challenge of the
shoot was just the size of it. It was a very long shoot, and being as low
budget as it was, pretty grueling.
TMS: The symbolism is so subtle, in a
lot of ways -- I didn't see it coming the first time I saw it!
Kelly: Good! That will make Jamin happy.
TMS: You are very adept at playing
characters that completely transform you, particularly when you're in full
makeup. I can imagine the Ink getup got heavy after awhile...
Kelly: Only the chain! (laughs) The chain was
real, and pretty heavy. The costume felt light by comparison. But that was
okay; it added to Ink's existential weariness.
TMS: Yes, that symbolism again. So,
with Ink, there is this wonderful
overlay of the fantastical and the mundane. Then, with The Frame, you continued to explore roles in high-concept sci-fi
and fantasy, and it looks as though you’re continuing the tradition with Infinity Chamber and The Tangle. What drives you most toward
these genres? Do you plan on working with Jamin Winans again in any future
projects?
Kelly: I have always loved sci-fi and the
fantastical, so I feel very lucky to have been cast in interesting films in the
genre. I enjoy things the push our perceptions and allow us to see our world
differently. The Tangle is totally in that world, but I wrote it, so that's not
surprising!
TMS: I'm really excited to see what
you have in store for us all, there.
Kelly: Can't wait to share. The edit is literally
sitting right behind this conversation.
TMS: Did you have any idea the Indiegogo
would find so much support?
Kelly: We were optimistic. I am lucky to be a
largely unknown actor with a bit of his own fan base. And each of the other
actors have established fans as well, especially the talented Nicole da Silva.
But when the money started coming, we were still overwhelmed with gratitude.
It's one thing to plan to ask for help, and another to actually receive it. It
was really rewarding. And we can't wait to share with everyone.
TMS: Now, we also LOVE horror over at
TMS. Your short film, Chasseur, seems so different from your other projects,
yet still so delightfully strange. What inspired you to make it? Do you think
you will explore more of this kind of horror film?
Kelly: Thank you! I hope to make the feature
version of that short soon, within the next couple years. I wouldn't consider
it horror, really. But an intense supernatural thriller, definitely. Chasseur explores a lot of the things I
find most interesting. Good and Evil, moral ambiguity, I love to play with
language in my stuff -- see the Tangle
teaser as an example. Originally it started as an acting piece for myself, and
developed into a worthy short in its own right. It did quite well on the
festival circuit, and we would never have made The Tangle if it
hadn't.
The
Tangle teaser: https://vimeo.com/230305466
TMS: I think it counts as horror,
inasmuch as those concepts play into the general mien of most intelligent
horror films. It’s brilliant and chilling.
Kelly: Sure! I just meant the feature will
probably be classified more as a supernatural period thriller.
TMS: Your characters are always so
delightfully multi-faceted. How do you prepare emotionally for such complex
roles? Does meditation play a part for you?
Kelly: Each role is different, and the
preparation is different. I worked on
Chasseur for a year, for example, but that was a very challenging role for
me. At this point in my career, I trust my instincts more than ever, so
preparation takes a lot less time. But if I understand the character on the
page, I try to find something in the voice and the body that feels like a
natural place for that character. Something to build around. Once that's locked
in, a lot of the rest seems to flow, especially when I'm working off of great
actors.
TMS: Which you seem to do quite a lot,
considering the casts you have worked with.
Kelly: Yeah, I feel very lucky. For working
with the budgets that I have worked with, I have been in some really great
projects with some really great actors.
TMS: Now comes the obligatory
question: What can we expect from you in the coming years? Tell us a bit about
what’s coming down the pike after The
Tangle is released. You mentioned a possible full-length feature version of Chasseur.
Kelly: So after The Tangle, I’m planning on shooting a movie called Crossing the Flood, which is a
metaphysical mystery about two men trapped in an infinite hotel.
TMS: That sounds intriguing, I’m
definitely looking forward to learning more about that one!
Kelly: Then, after that, I hope to make the Chasseur feature which is about a
down-on-his-luck bank robber in an alternate-history South who sells his soul
to the devil. As an actor, I can't wait for people to see Infinity Chamber and The
Tangle! And I have a few other movies coming out soon, and a few more in
production!
TMS: That’s marvelous news! Sounds
like a lot of exciting stuff we have to look forward to from you.
Kelly: I hope so!
TMS: Tell us some of your favorite
films. Did any of them in particular inspire you to go into acting? (And
writing!)
Kelly: Well, I love a lot of films. Here are
some obscure ones that people might like: Burnt
by the Sun, a Russian film about Stalin-era Soviet Union. The Dance Upstairs, a John
Malkovich-directed movie very few have seen. And this little-known science
fiction film, Blade Runner, was a
huge influence on the writing of The
Tangle.
TMS: Blade…Runner? Never heard of it.
TMS: Just one more question, how in
the world did you end up getting stung by a stingray?!
Kelly: (laughs) It's actually quite common.
They hang out in the surf, and I stepped on one.
TMS: It’s not common here in Michigan!
We hope you’re feeling better.
Kelly: I think the transformation into
Stingray Man is almost complete. There is almost no pain in my foot anymore.
Thanks for asking!
TMS: Thank you again for what, we
hope, has been a relatively painless experience talking with us. We're very
excited to see all your future endeavors.
Kelly: Thanks for the chat! And good luck
with all your endeavors as well!
For more information about The Tangle, see the Indiegogo campaign
and its latest update: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-tangle-almost-done#/
Infinity
Chamber is currently available to stream
online via iTunes and Amazon.
-Dana Culling