Anna Hopkins – For the Record

By: Jamie Steinberg

Q) How was the series “For the Record” originally described to you?

A) It was so quick, like once I got the offer and once I was on set. So, I was sort of learning about the show kind of as we were doing it. I had no idea about the whole music aspect. At first, I was thinking that it’s hard enough getting the rights for a song for a feature film. They said, “No, no, no! We have access to all this music.” So, that was huge surprise, and it was really, really awesome. But, yeah, it was described to me as intertwining stories and the place that music has in our lives and how music is linked to our memories and nostalgia. So, I thought it was a really interesting take.

Q) Where do we meet your character Angela?

A) The show opens with myself and Julian’s [De Zotti] We are in the midst of breaking up. That sets up the tone. We’re splitting up our record collection. There is a whole short film that the show is based on. So, it’s a reimagining of that short film. Then, my character moves on from that phase and she becomes really jaded about love. So, she sort of tries to steer her niece out of thinking that love is a fantasy. Then, by the end of Angela’s arc she kind of gets a little bit of a new outlook on relationships and I think she’s ready to jump in.

Q) What were some of your favorite songs you watched being performed?

A) I think something that was really special was watching Johnny Orlando perform his song in episode 2 – “The Broken Hearts Tour.” I know that song was used thematically in certain ways. In that episode, we got to hear a broken-down acoustic version. So, we got little personal concerts, too, which was nice. I got to know Johnny Orlando a little bit. He’s such a young, talented guy who’s obviously doing very well and he is just probably going to become the new Justin Bieber. So, it’s nice to be able to see his performance.

Q) How did you shake off a long day of filming?

A) Especially with short form stuff, you’re putting in a lot of hours in a day and you actually don’t have much down time. [laughs] So, it’s actually just work, work, work, go home, fall asleep and go back. Before I knew it, my episodes were done. This was shot right before the holidays last year. So, I just used the rest of the holidays to relax.

Q) What were some of your favorite moments from filming the series?

A) Again, everything moved so quickly. These are ten to eleven-minute episodes. Especially in short form, everything is sort of heightened. We have the breaking of the vinyls, which was super fun to do. Then, I also really loved working with Alexandra Beaton who plays my niece. We got to have a really fun day outside shooting episode 2. It was really freezing and we were making each other laugh to stay warm. Also, shooting in Yorkville during the holidays was really beautiful. There were beautiful Christmas decorations. So, the whole thing was really great.

Q) What sets this series apart from other musical based series like “Glee” and “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist?”

A) I think what’s interesting about this show is that the music is there in a very nostalgic way and I think that people can really relate to the ways in which music brings us back to specific moments in our lives. I think listening and also smell – those are the two senses that can bring you back to a memory really quickly. So, the way they use music in this with all of the heightened emotional beats that they are connecting the music to I think is really, really relatable to people. We all have our songs that make us remember our first love or a breakup – these big pivotal moments in our lives. That’s what this show is really about. It’s just very, very relatable.

Q) You are a part of social media. Have you been enjoying the instant fan feedback you’ve been receiving to “For the Record?”

A) Yeah, I think it’s always really nice to see that people are enjoying it. I guess it was the second episode that aired on Johnny Orlando’s YouTube channel, which has a very big platform. So, we had a lot of young people coming out saying they loved the episode. Especially during this time, it’s nice to feel like you’re connecting with other people.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who are fans and supporters of you and your work?

A) Well, thank you so much! It’s always nice to know that what we’re doing connects to other people. Often times we’re working in pretty isolated environments. So, the best part about it is hearing feedback and getting some positive results from that. And hopefully affecting people and having them feel happy and entertained during this period of craziness in our world is always a really nice thing to hear.