Interview: Jorja Cadence and Colin Price Talk Acting, Black Fawn Films

Recently we had the chance to talk with actors Jorja Cadence and Colin Price about their careers while they were guests of Black Fawn Films at Fan Expo Canada in Toronto.

Was acting always the first choice for the both of you or was it one of those happy accidents you just stumbled across?

Jorja: Oh no, I’ve been at this for a while. I lived in Australia, grew up there in a very small town, so it wasn’t even possible for me to do auditions until I got older when I moved to a city and went to University, then I moved to Canada. I’ve been acting or performing in some form since I was young but I’ve only been seriously doing it since I moved to Toronto five years ago.

Colin: I’m the complete opposite of that, the ‘happy accident’. (Laughs) I wasn’t looking for it when it came knocking and I figured why not, let’s roll with it and I haven’t looked back since, so far so good.

So how did the two of you get involved with Black Fawn Films?

Jorja: I auditioned for The Heretics, I never had anything to do with them before that, but I loved the script so much, did a couple of auditions, booked the role and really never looked back.

Colin: I originally got involved with them through Bed of the Dead, that was my first film with Black Fawn, and then I followed that up with The Heretics, it was a small role and Jorja kicked my ass. (Laughs)

What do you think fans love most about independent horror, like what the people behind Black Fawn do?

Jorja: It’s really accessible to fans, conventions like this one, Fan Expo, they can come down and have access to all of the films, meet the directors, producers, the different casts. It’s nice to have that one on one with the people involved in the films, something you don’t get to do at every convention.

Colin: I think they have a lot of creative freedom though too, to stick to their instincts when they’re making it and not have to answer to too many people.

Jorja: Yeah, they can just make the films they want to make and the fans connect to that.

What was your experience like Jorja, on The Heretics and Colin, on making Bed of the Dead?

Jorja: I had a great time. It was my first big role in a movie, the crew, they were all amazing. We shot in a very difficult location, at the cabin, and in order for that to be ok, because there was no electricity and we worked very long days, you wanted everyone to be into it and it was a great atmosphere to work in, we had a great time.

Colin: Bed of the Dead was my first lead role and that was a great experience with them, to be part of that. I was invited back for The Heretics, for a smaller role, and that was a memorable couple of days. Just to go back to Jorja kicking my ass, in the movie she comes at me with a knife and I fainted, collapsed and banged my head on a table. I had to go and get five staples put in the back of my head because of that.

Jorja: Apparently that’s the take they used as well, it looked so realistic. (Laughs)

I think what makes Black Fawn a good company to work for is they create a great family atmosphere, which helps the actors and crew get through those long, tough days.

Jorja: Yeah, exactly. It makes it all worth it, everyone is putting their heart and soul into it and you can tell the people high up are doing that too, and it makes the actors feel more committed to what they are doing. They do a lot of practical effects as well, not a lot is done in post-production, so we did pretty much everything and it’s a lot easier to work those long hours and days when you are working for people like this.

Colin: Well, in Bed of the Dead, for example, my final scene was re-written, so how the movie ends was not the original plan of the script. I was literally in between two queen mattresses on a chair, and I was supposed to get ripped apart and basically that was the first time I ever meditated because I was between these two mattresses for what felt like three or four hours. They were doing all the makeup, throwing blood on me, it was just very uncomfortable…and then they went with how it ended. (Laughs)

So what are you both up to now?

Jorja: I just finished a couple of episodes of Good Witch, a Hallmark show, completely opposite of The Heretics, a different kind of magic involved there. I also did a David Bowie bio picture in early summer called Stardust, and another movie called Happy Place, and a kids show so yeah, it was a busy summer.

Colin: I just finished a movie this spring called Still the Water, spent about a month out on Prince Edward Island, so that is now in post-production and I imagine it will enter the festival circuit in the new year. There is a short film I have coming out as well, and then just the hustle of auditioning and trying to land that next project.

Jorja: Colin was working with Ry Barrett from The Heretics on that movie Still the Water.

Colin: Yes, we play brothers in Still the Water and it’s awesome, I can’t wait for everyone to see the movie, the script was unreal.

I want to thank Jorja and Colin for taking the time to talk with us.