Chad Michael Collins – High Moon

By starrymag | May 30, 2019

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) Please tell us the premise for the film High Moon.

A) High Moon tells the story of Colt, a gunslinger from the old West who hunts werewolves after they murder his wife. After tracking down the gang of lycan outlaws responsible for her death, he kills them and visits the grave himself. Almost two centuries later, he finds himself mysteriously re-born into the present day, where he sets out to once again eradicate Willie Price (Tom Zembrod) and his gang of howlers as they terrorize a small town. It’s an action-horror-western film, one that hearkens back to the glory days 80s films, and one that embraces the camp of that era while also melding a few fun genres together.

 

Q) What made you want to be a part of the movie?

A) Everything, honestly! My 10-year-old self got more and more excited with every page of the script I turned. An undead cowboy gunslinger, werewolves on custom choppers, a hot rod, tons of action and a lot of comedic elements – it really speaks to everything I’m about as an actor, so saddling up to play Colt was the easiest decision in the world!

 

Q) How was Colt originally described to you?

A) Colt is a throwback, to a time when men were rugged men, where there was a pride in being capable, tough and self-sufficient. The old West had an element of survival-of-the-fittest, of Darwinism to it, and Colt is a product of that time. He’s independent, he’s stoic, he’s a hard charger, but not without his redeeming qualities. He’s a man on a mission, and that mission is vengeance, so he’s not afraid of letting niceties get in the way of his priorities.

 

Q) Was there anything you added to the character that wasn’t originally scripted for you?

A) Yes, it was a great collaboration with writer/director Josh Ridgway. We tailored some dialogue to Colt, as we’d make discoveries while we filmed. So, there was definitely some lines, some actions that weren’t scripted that really fit the character and the scenes we were shooting. I also came up with the modern day “tactical” look for Colt, the idea of trading in his duster for a tactical police vest over a tank top. Of course, we kept the cowboy hat on him!

 

Q) Talk about working with acting icon Sean Patrick Flanery.

A) Icon is definitely accurate! I was a huge fan of his coming into the shoot and he didn’t disappoint. Performance-wise, he was brilliant. He was funny and on-point and he brought a lot of extra laughs and entertainment to a character (shady Mayor Bob Barlow) that could’ve fallen flat in less capable hands. Sean was also a gentleman and a heckuva nice guy. He was fun to talk to, very intelligent and dynamic. He was for sure “The Most Interesting Man On Set!”

 

Q) What advice did director Josh Ridgway offer that you took to heart while filming?

A) Josh was very much about exploring things in the moment, which is pretty fun and freeing for an actor. We’d decide take-by-take if something worked or played, or if it fell short, and we adjusted accordingly. Some directors are script guys, some are technical guys. Josh had an eye on all the things so every line, every beat, every action was flexible and adaptable. He trusted me a lot to bring Colt to life and that was something that made filming High Moon that much more enjoyable for me.

 

Q) What were some of your favorite memories on screen and off screen from filming?

A) For me the most memorable scenes were the action sequences. As an independent film, you’re really having to maximize efficiency – every dollar, every hour, every day counts. A lot. There are no do-overs. So, the action scenes were really fun and exciting because we were figuring out the stunts and fight choreography as we went a lot of the times. The coordinator saw that I was capable so he trusted that he could throw me in there with the stunt guy wolves (pun intended) and I could hang, which made it a blast. Off screen, it was fun taking in the state of Texas, as I had never been before. I enjoyed the people, the landscapes and the way of life there thoroughly.

 

Q) How did the film go from being titled Howlers to High Moon?

A) The name change was out of our hands, as our distributors switched it to High Moon. We felt the title still worked, but Josh called it Howlers because it nailed everything the movie is about – old-timey werewolves and all the fun that entails. High Moon does give the movie a more western feel, which it has throughout so it still works!

 

Q) What did you personally take away from being a part of this project?

A) As with any independent film-making endeavor, you learn a ton. Everyone has to wear many hats and, as the starring lead, I enjoyed doing that. Some days it would be working hand-in-hand with the stunt guys, some days it would be really collaborating with the director. Others I had my writer’s cap on and others I would be spending time with some of the producers, who were new to the film-making game. Indie films are always a labor of love and it’s the camaraderie that I enjoy the most about the process.

 

Q) You often take on dramatic roles. What is it about this genre that draws you to it?

A) Yeah, I do tend to find myself in more intense, action-oriented fare. High Moon definitely had its share, but it also wasn’t overly serious either and there were chances to lean on my funny bones for this one which was a pleasure. With Colt going from the 1860s to the modern day, there was a lot of fish-out-of-water humor built into the character, which was a blast. So, the role was really the best of both worlds.

 

Q) What advice would you give up and coming actors and actresses?

A) I always tell actors to take ownership of their careers. Many you meet are very good, talent-wise, but with no real sense of the business or how to treat their careers like a business. I discovered acting while I was already working in the entertainment industry, so my journey has always looked different. But with any industry, there are systems, hierarchies, bureaucracies, players, taste-makers and more. Knowing who and what they are and how they operate is a way to help support your career and get you working on sets faster. Many actors shy away from networking and learning the business, which only hurts them in the long run.

 

Q) What are the recent projects that you are working on that fans can look forward to?

A) There’s a big one a-comin’ that I can’t say anything about yet, but later this year I’ll be starring in an episode of the new AMC Shudder anthology series “Creepshow,” as well as in a holiday movie called The Christmas Cabin.