216 – She’s a Big Time Actress, Director and Producer: Tom interviews Elena Evangelo

Episode 216 – Elena Evangelo
[00:00:09] Welcome to Screw the Commute. The entrepreneurial podcast dedicated to getting you out of the car and into the money, with your host, lifelong entrepreneur and multimillionaire, Tom Antion.

[00:00:24] Hey, everybody, it's Tom here with Episode 216 of Screw the Commute podcast. We got Elena Evangelo. Wait till you hear this. I mean, this lady has been on the cover of Time magazine Elena's Work as an actress. She's. I'm getting a hernia, lifting up her resumé that she sent over. She's been around a long time doing this to high levels, including films and network shows. She's on a Netflix movie, Motley Crue. Listen, look at this list right here. This is just a couple highlights. Shameless. The last ship, Castle, NCIS Justified Revenge Body approved. G.I. Joe. House. CSI. Oh, my goodness. Plus, that's he shot over 100 commercials and print campaigns. So, I mean, I haven't been so excited about a guest since I was at a Hollywood party and Fran Drescher was starting to get into a fight with someone, so I'm thrilled to death to have have her here. I'll introduce her formally to you in a minute. Hope you didn't miss episode 215. That's sample flash briefings. You'll hear me on Amazon shortly. And their flash briefing section. I started off with public speaking tips and then we're going to expand protection dog tips and Internet tips and all kinds of different flash briefings where you can grab a little quick things on your Alexa app or your echo devices. So watch for that. And hope you didn't miss our automation book. We've been giving away its $27 e-book. It's called How to Automate Your Business. And it's helped me. Just one tip in this book has saved me seven and a half million keystrokes, allowed me to handle one hundred and fifty thousand subscribers and 40000 customers without pulling my hair up. So grab this at Screwthecommute.com. It's a freebie for listening to this show. Screwthecommute.com/automatefree. Now our podcast app is in the app store. It does all kinds of cool stuff that you'll never figure out in a million years. So what do we do about it? We made screwthecommute.com/app and we've got all these screen captures and ways to show you how to use all the fancy features so you can take us with you on the road. Our sponsor's the Internet Marketing Training Center, Virginia. Distance Learning School, which teaches legitimate techniques to make a great living, either working for someone else or starting your own online business or hey, why not do both? I have been doing it since 1994 when the commercial internet started. This is the true lifestyle business. So check that out at IMTCVA.org. And if you're law enforcement, first responder or military, we've got extremely big scholarships to help you out to thank you for the things you do for us.

[00:03:33] All right. Let's get to the main event. Born and raised in Manhattan, Elena Evangelo, is an actress, writer and filmmaker. She's a graduate of Vassar College with a B.A. in English and French. Elena went on to earn her MFA. I think that's the master of Fine Arts from USC School of Cinematic Arts. And she graduated Phi Kappa Phi. She's a recipient of the Jeffrey Jones Screenwriting Scholarship and Ray Stark, Ted Turner MGM Award. She continued her education in Paris studying French theater with NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Currently, Elena is directing and co-producing LA muse that I'm going to let her explain what it's about. In addition, she's directed shorts, ads and book trailers, including The New York Times best selling author Kimberly McCreight's where they found her. She also teaches acting at Warner Loflin Studios and is a published poet and is in pre-production for a feature length film. Listen to this. Show Pig. Elena, are you ready to screw? The commute.

[00:04:45] Let's do it.

[00:04:47] I got to be extremely careful with you because I saw you on YouTube. kickin' butt on four guys trying to kill you and chop your finger off in that movie Siren.

[00:05:03] I'm formidable. I am a force to be reckoned with.

[00:05:06] I am not gonna mess with you at all. I'll tell you what. But I will think, ah, sweet friend Patricia Kara for introducing us. She's the fine number nine on deal or no deal. And it looks like we've got like a new three amigos or something going. Every picture I see is you and Patricia and Leia. I think is her first name. So she'll be on here one of these days too. So tell us what you're doing now. We're going to take your way back and see how you came up through the ranks. So we're going to ask your business tips for this type of business. And of course, I want you to explain L.A. Muse, because I really couldn't understand it.

[00:05:52] L.A. Muse is a feature length doc. And as most documentaries, it takes a long time. It basically follows this underground sort of L.A. art scene that's been happening and growing and growing here. And it's it's really when I first stumbled on and it just was so captivating because it just I had no idea was happening. And there were so many people flocking to it and it was just potent and magical. Reminded me of what I imagined, the Parisian salons and the 20s have been like Stein was hosting people. It felt like that kind of level of creativity and bustling energy. So we started following these models, art models that put this together, these events together. And some of these events almost go to like a rave level or like Cirque de Soleil level. And there are artists that are doing life drawing, basically, but it feels full of inspiration and so potent and this amazing arts coming out of it. So the documentary explores what is the relationship between artists and Muse. How does a model transcend to Muse and where that inspiration comes from? It's really, in the end, probably a love song to downtown Los Angeles. We are in the editing phase finally and we're chugging along, so hopefully I'll be all wrapped up mid next year.

[00:07:12] All right. Now, what is your role as producer shooter? Editor? What is.

[00:07:18] I'm the director and a co-producer on it. Now, Jamie Fox is my producer on it.

[00:07:23] Now, I saw that. Is that THE Jamie Fox?

[00:07:27] No, wouldn't that be cool?

[00:07:34] You know, so as us mere mortals here outside of, you know, Hollyweird don't really know what producers do. Could you possibly give us a definition of what a producer does?

[00:07:50] There is a reason you don't know what a producer does. I think it real. There are so many kinds of producers, executive producers, hands up producers, money people. There's so many levels of participation on the producing level. They're the ones who are getting down and dirty and doing everything, all the organization, getting all the cast and crew doing, you know. And then there's ones that are giving big chunks of money for the projects happening. So it really is a little bit of a broad term. That's why it's so mysterious, because it's a perfect jack of all.

[00:08:22] So speaking speaking of that, then there's documentary. So was this your idea from the start? Or is the collaboration? Your idea? Okay. So then what do you do with this idea once you once you come up with it?

[00:08:36] Well, you know. So for documentary, it's you know, I had to approach the people that I was being entranced by and see if let me give me, you know, access to them and to this world if they would let me be invasive for five years of filming. So so they were they were all really generous, really onboard. And just I just learned so much from them. And really, it's just such a labor of love for them. And the documentary is a labor of love for me and the people that I have involved in it, because, you know, we're doing it, you know, for so long and trying to stretch out an almost no budget to do this, because it's sort of like all self-propelled. And wonderful, because what's nice about the documentary process is it is it can continue to change and grow with you as you're following all these things that they're putting together to give this really amazing slice of life of what what's happened downtown L.A. You know, I know like in the art scene with this very moment.

[00:09:40] So I was just corresponding with Lea actually today and I gave her an idea for a movie. Can I. Can I tell you the idea? Everybody does is very close to so. So I'm the human. Remember that although you don't know me that well, but I'm an Internet expert. I've been doing this for since 1994. And so my here's my ideas. I think it's like three sentences. Okay. The main character's a rich Batman kind of guy made fortune online. He throws a contest with a $10 million prize for hackers and spammers, gets them all in one place and then kills them all. That's the story. I know you like it.

[00:10:28] It has intrigue. It has justice.

[00:10:29] People would love this and probably couldn't do go fund me. Everybody on earth would give me money. So. So. So take us back. Did you always want to be an actress as a little girl?

[00:10:42] I. I did. I really did. For better or for worse.

[00:10:50] I see it as a resume. I hear you. I think you could say you made it.

[00:10:56] Yeah. So I always I always did. I always you know, I was in everything that could be on. And even when I went to film school, I was in everybody's student film. I was like, what do I do? That's how you get there.

[00:11:11] So you did great. Yeah. So, yeah, fun. All right. So what was your first paying gig?

[00:11:19] You remember the first paying gig as an actor? Gosh, I can't. I think it actually was Felicity.

[00:11:32] Maybe we got to call one of those three agents you got.

[00:11:35] I think it's Felicity. Yeah. As Felicity. Yeah. There's a pool party scene and I don't remember. I think I said something.

[00:11:46] So. So I'm actually sag aftra. But I mean, it was totally a joke. I mean, I did TV commercials one hundred years ago and somehow I got into SAG aftra. So but tell us a little bit about the business. You know, this is an entrepreneurial podcast and people like to know the business end of things because you you do all these different shows, different production companies. How does the money flow and how do you make sure you get paid and all that stuff?

[00:12:22] Well, the nice thing about agents is they make sure you get paid. I'll be honest, I don't I haven't had to chase them. I mean, I can chase jobs, but chasing the money, the money comes when you book a job like it's very, very formal. But chasing the jobs is definitely a very first of all, as an actor, what's frustrating is that you don't. You do need an agent and a manager as the go between. So you can't just do it yourself the way the system is set up. As of now, you can make projects of your own that you put yourself in. But in terms of these, you know, the casting director to access those casting directors who are doing the TV shows and the movies, you need the gatekeepers of the agents, the managers. So it's hard to keep your motivation going when there's pockets of time that are slow and, you know, not to turn on yourself and to find new ways to reinvigorate yourself and how you go after this so that you can sustain a career and have stamina in it when going gets tough. And not just when everything is working out.

[00:13:27] You dig your own jobs up sometimes or as it always come through agents and managers.

[00:13:30] Most of them come through my agents and managers. I do. I do. Relationships also start playing a role like I did a pilot with Tony Shalhoub, the Heart Department. And that cast was phenomenal. Felicity Huffman and I just. And I was to John Arquette, just an amazing cast. And everybody thought it was gonna be on the air for CBS. I have never aired. There was like was seen as the frontrunner, like the top pick. And somehow it never went anywhere. But I did get to kiss John. So it was a great. It was it was a great group of people. Tony Shalhoub brought me back from Monk, but that was him. And that was that was an amazing.

[00:14:13] Yeah. So if you do a good job or don't play the diva and people really like you, then it can be a direct call from them?

[00:14:20] Yeah, absolutely. And that's why I do see why Scorsese says he works the same team of people, the same editors, the same for years and years and years and years. And so many people do that because we find your tribe and people that get you. You can have that shorthand with or you know or you know. But it's just it's it's really.

[00:14:40] Being nice, seems like being nice and being on time and being professional seems like it would be a good idea to me. I don't know.

[00:14:50] Oh, yes. And I've seen a lot of not nice as well.

[00:14:52] Yeah, that's what I mean. And then I have I have something in development out there with a big production company. And they told me, they said, Tom, we really love the show. And they took me all over town and shooting the sizzle real and all this stuff. And they said, we really love the show, but don't quit your day job. So they said there's gonna be a 40 percent chance of selling on cable, they said. So I thought, okay.

[00:15:19] Everything is like that, though. I mean, you you think have all the right cast and the right to have everything, the perfect package and it doesn't go or take a decade to go.

[00:15:27] Did you ever see something sell after a long time when you gave up on it?

[00:15:32] No, no.

[00:15:35] Yeah, absolutely. Because it's been like two years and they said, yeah, I could take this.

[00:15:44] I'm watching my husband go through that. He did a graphic novel called Slots. Robert Kirkman, The Walking Dead, like his company. And it's this amazing book. And it's been you know, it's to get it to go to the next level of getting produced is, you know, a whole other road.

[00:16:01] Well you just shoot the trailer for it.

[00:16:04] You need a showrunner. You need to attach great people to it. And then the engine starts moving. But it still does not take it to the last stop. Yeah, I guess it'll be a long road from there.

[00:16:16] Wow. Yeah, that's a tough, tough deal, though. What's this show pig?

[00:16:19] Show Pig is actually also a production company name show pig film.

[00:16:28] Yeah. I went to the site and didn't get to far.

[00:16:34] I think it came from my experience as an actor. Like a show pig honestly. There's something about it.

[00:16:42] Yeah, well, you're not fat, but it's I don't know how it came about.

[00:16:48] I just feel like you're just you know, you're doing your song and dance and hoping people will like move on to the next competition. You know, it's just but it's also something about making like just teasing. They're taking this also seriously because there is there is one thing about it that is a soul sucking stuff. And also amazing is that there's duality of just being like the greatest love and also really painful at times. And so it's it's inconsistent and it comes and goes. And you again, you have only so much control. So when things are going great, you're like can sustain this. And then there's always those dips anything and any career.

[00:17:26] Now, you know, as long as you had this really nice career, you've had the run in to the casting couch kind of thing. Haven't you?

[00:17:36] You know, not that much, honestly.

[00:17:39] You know, it occurs, right? It's still dangerous.

[00:17:43] I know people have some stories that are really difficult, like really upsetting. And certainly all the things that I've read that people experience. I have fortunately never been a situation. I mean, I think there's a couple of times, but I saw it coming and I just pivoted out of it. People weren't as aggressive or, you know. So it wasn't it was not it was really so minor.

[00:18:08] What would you suggest if if some young person was wanting to go to Hollywood, what to watch out for?

[00:18:14] Well, I really I really think that, first of all, you never meet people anywhere by in a professional setting. Sometimes people make like, hey, it's just me. Come to my place, you know? You know, that that sort of thing can be a trap. Maybe not. But I mean, I'd have had managers in the past work out of their home. So it doesn't necessarily mean. But I just think in general, it's better to make sure you keep yourself out in the open or in an office professional environment as a safety precaution.

[00:18:41] If you get a good manager does that shield you somewhat from these people.

[00:18:46] It definitely does, but I do think, you know, the biggest thing is to be if it feels a little tiny bit off, don't risk it. You know, first off, leave, you know, or say, hey, you know, come up with something and you need to make, you know, make to pivot out of it, because in the end, you have to trust your gut. So like there's one time one time I was doing a audition and the casting director on Romeo Juliet sort of thing and you actually kissed me audition like that's not part of the story. Wait, wait, wait. And that's me. Yes. But, you know, I pulled away. I disengaged. Thanks so much. And walked off.

[00:19:25] Yeah, I guess it's harder when, you know, you're trying to get your first couple of jobs and the rent's due And, you know, there's probably a lot of pressure on people.

[00:19:34] And it's in it's it's you know, it's and it's shocking with so many crosses a line like that, like, you know, me, I immediately recoil. But it was it was such a surprise at first what is happening? So and that was ages ago. But in general, I do think you can feel it when something is off, you know? You know it your gut. But again, it's it's all very tricky some people are really slick.

[00:19:57] But see if they would have seen you in Siren kicking butt on four guys at once. They would have never tried that. So tell me about the prep for that. If you can recall, you know, that was in the days of fights. You know, it's fight scenes, basically. So did you like workout? Did you have special trainer?

[00:20:20] That was like an early. That was ahead of its time in terms of who was one of the first like It's just so long ago. It was you know, I am the director and some of the people I knew were involved in it and acted in a very, really well versed in the martial arts. And the Kito, especially in the they they taught me the things that I was supposed to be doing. So but I was a gymnast, so I really.

[00:20:48] Okay. Yeah. Cause usually you were running away from this this guy with his shirt off and you did a cartwheel in the middle.

[00:20:59] But if I took a triple back flip.

[00:21:01] But you had me, I'm telling you they were gonna cut your finger off and then the episode ended it. I'm like searching YouTube where's the next one.

[00:21:10] I met my husband on that Web series.

[00:21:15] So I'm looking at this big, long list of credits of years and massive. Tell me what work you're most proud of. And don't say the one in the theater.

[00:21:32] Got to resist that. It was an amazing time because it was a collective of 20 or so women putting this like these these pieces together, we all work together. We come together and we performed it. It was a really excellent, amazing time.

[00:21:51] Well, I mean, I've got to tell people what we're talking about. I'm not going to say the actual title because I have to like the episode explicit on iTunes. So it says nice boobs, put it that way. But more slang for that.

[00:22:15] We actually had t shirts that were made and had a lot. We were like. Yeah. You really shouldn't wear that.

[00:22:25] So that's your most proud moment now.

[00:22:29] That was my most I actually really loved being part of the dirt. I love music.

[00:22:34] The dirt is the motley crew. Is it is it considered a documentary?

[00:22:38] No, it's it's in there. It's a it's a feature on Netflix.

[00:22:43] I know. But I mean. I thought the first opening scene said this is a true story.

[00:22:49] Was it's based on the book that the motley crew wrote. So in terms of that, yeah, it's it's it's based on their that they wrote the book.

[00:22:59] No technically that's not a documentary.

[00:23:02] No, no I can't. No, no, not that one.

[00:23:05] Ok. So. So it's basically a feature film based on the book that Motley Crue wrote. And so what did you like best about that?

[00:23:15] You know, it was shot in New Orleans. It was such an amazing cast and crew. The energy on the set from down from the wards. Every every department I ever was so happy to be there and to be involved in this that it had particularly amazing, an amazing quality to it. And I love I love music. I love Motley Crue. So it was just fun to be part of to play Tommy Lee's mom. And is that, you know, back in the day and she's actually Greek. So I got to speak some Greek.

[00:23:49] He's wearing his sister's pants or something?

[00:23:55] He's wearing his sister's pants. His sister actually contacted me. Which is I think we like to actually contacted me on Instagram. You know. It was just such a really awesome experience.

[00:24:08] Well, speaking of Instagram, I understand you are like a supreme cook. You're really good at cooking, right?

[00:24:16] I'm so gifted at it. You should see you what I did for Thanksgiving. I was the person who brought inedible food to the party. It was like such a bomb. But I keep trying. I just saw it in the trash.

[00:24:38] So how did you meet Patricia?

[00:24:41] Patricia and I met I don't actually know how many years ago, but it's a long time ago, was one of my first print jobs. I believe it was for herbal life. There were four women on the shoot and we were all supposed to be a different ethnicity and we all happened to be Greek.

[00:24:57] Well, I was going to say think you guys shared cheekbones or something.

[00:25:03] Thank you for the compliment. Yes, she's got amazing cheekbones.

[00:25:07] You do too. You sisters? What is this? You know, I was baptized Greek Orthodox. No, but it's. It's actually Syrian. And it's kind of a mistake. My dad came from Antioch, Syria. And when he got to Ellis Island, they couldn't read it. And so they said, all right, you're Sam Antion. They named you from where you were born in those early days and. Yeah, but right there. And then we settled in this little tiny town. There wasn't a Greek church for 100 miles. But anyway, I was baptized Greek Orthodox so I can be one of the gang.

[00:25:51] Yeah. Yeah. Totally you are. 100 percent. So I to actually go on a circle and find out that all of us were Greek. I was supposed to be, you know, Latino like I was was gonna be something else.

[00:26:05] So I shouldn't ask you to make me some kiba or Syrian bread or anything or grape leaves.

[00:26:13] I mean, I I do try. Or, you know, whether you will like it or not. But I will do it.

[00:26:21] So. So what's what's going on the horizon for you?

[00:26:27] I'm actually really excited about this this film I'm about to direct end of January. Beginning of February. It's about body dysmorphia. It's written by these two. Amazing.

[00:26:37] What is that exactly?

[00:26:39] Body dysmorphia and OCD. It's when it's basically you you have a dysmorphic idea by your body. You feel like it. You see it and it's very distorted way psychologically.

[00:26:53] Okay. Because I had a secretary years and years ago was I mean, literally look like olive oil from Popeye. She told me she felt her legs looked like elephant thighs and she was like the skinniest girl I ever saw. Is that what you're talking about?

[00:27:09] Yeah, exactly. A very serious illness. So debilitating. It's very easy to minimize it. It's it's it's really.

[00:27:17] So do you have real people in this film that have that or are you finding actors?

[00:27:21] The writers of the project have lived with with forms of OCD and BOD. So yeah. But it's it's really cinematically told. I'm really excited because it's so expressionistic as opposed to just literal. I can get so expressive with how this is shot. So I'm super excited too.

[00:27:42] All right. Now I gotta to get back to the business a little bit. So are you an independent contractor when you direct the film or you W2 person? How does that work?

[00:27:52] It depends on the project. Some things are independent contractor. You know, I don't I don't have at this point, a lot of it is my own. This is where I'm creating my own opportunities. So I'm building my real my resume as a filmmaker as well. But then also there's stuff that's also a labor of love like some things. I'm like. I will do that because I'm excited to part of that. So it depends on what it is.

[00:28:20] So it could be a W2 sometimes and it could be an independent contractor.

[00:28:25] Some of it's like I'll do it for free. So it just depends on what it is and who it's for.

[00:28:30] Now, does a director normally have the overall skills to actually be a shooter also?

[00:28:37] I did go to film school for my masters, so I did. You do learn about all the modality and all the aspects and you do sound good. Being DP, my my first project used was as a DP, but I do think that are people who have dedicated all their focus on each of these, you know, professions are far superior to me as a cinematographer. I can shoot. I've shot things about the documentary myself. I shot other things. Well, I've also I've also edited things on my own. So I'm, you know, so depends on the projects.

[00:29:15] So what do you shoot with? If you were if you were on your own, your own equipment don't want to, you know, rent red cameras and stuff. What would you shoot with?

[00:29:25] Well, for myself, I have a Panasonic GH2, because it's I like the small format, like not invasive. Really good, but they have interchangeable lenses. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Totally. And the quality on it's awesome. It has a very cinematic feel as opposed to some more so than the Canon did at that time when I got this camera. It was really it really gives beautiful results. But it's always been a while. And so Sennheiser mics depending.

[00:29:56] So there so somebody is calling you for a job right there.

[00:29:59] Well it's always a telemarketer on that phone. That's my home phone. The telemarketing phone.

[00:30:06] Yeah nice robocall.

[00:30:09] Yes, exactly. Yeah. So.

[00:30:12] Yeah. So I got a Canon 7D and you never figure it. Can never figure it out. Both I figured out then I forget by the next time I have to use. I just use my cell phone now.

[00:30:26] What's scary is how I mean like something to do yourself perhaps as an actor would like you please take this in two hours and send it to us. And you do it on your phone.

[00:30:35] The quality of the cameras. Yeah. There's certain TV shows with these things nowadays.

[00:30:39] Yes, truly. And it's you have every app on your phone that can cut it down at some polish too. Add title parts to it. It's so easy to do self-takes.

[00:30:47] Yeah. Yeah. So I just got a Gimbel. You know, the stabilizer thing and. Yeah. Yeah. I'm having fun with that. It's got a cool app with it. Oh, you can shoot. You know, Instagram stories. You know, it just lays it all out for you. And you hit the button then. So shoot one and a half seconds and then and the Gimbel like rotates the head of the camera for you automatically and puts music on it. You know, 30 seconds later, you got a complete story for Instagram. So, yeah, but this stuff is available is just as crazy.

[00:31:22] It is amazing. It's so amazing how far things have come. I love technology.

[00:31:27] Wow. Boy, we're really thrilled to have you on to get a little insight into the real world of Hollywood that you've infiltrated so beautifully over a long time. So so thanks so much for coming on. And so what what if people need to get a hold of you or people want to see your films? Where should they go to keep track of you?

[00:31:49] Definitely I post stuff on my Instagram. I have Elena Evangelo on Facebook as well. And I also have a web series I'm putting together as well that have some really great actors in it. Coming up also right around March or so.

[00:32:21] So so let me try to spell show pig for them. So when can we go to there to see something at that site?

[00:32:33] Yeah. Show pig. I want some more material on it. Before I really build this thing out. So when this web series happens, that's show pig gonna be up and running fully. Yeah.

[00:32:43] Well, beautiful work. Thanks so much for coming on, Elena. We really appreciate it. It's not our usual fare of just people selling widgets, but very, very interesting. And you've had a long career. Kind of reminds me. Who's that one? Oh, there was a soap opera that's been around. Susan Lucci. You got her beat. You know what I want to make? I'm going to make a pledge right now. I'm never having her on this show. I'll have you and Patricia.

[00:33:20] When she calls you tomorrow. I take that back. Let's cut that part out.

[00:33:31] Where's that recording of Elena? I lost it somehow. So anyway, know you're so sweet. Appreciate you coming on and. You know, I love Patricia to death and I can't wait to meet Leah and we're all going to get behind in all your projects and watch you from now on.

[00:33:49] Thank you. Can I get that in writing?

[00:33:55] Yes, absolutely. Yes. Send the request to my Juneau, Alaska office. We'll get back to you. Don't call us. I can tell you to keep your day job because you're actually doing this stuff. Yeah, it'll be awhile before I hit the Hollywood streets. That's for sure. So thanks so much. And we'll catch everybody on the next episode. See ya later.

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