Jason Dolley – Helicopter Mom

By starrymag | May 1, 2015

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) What are the recent projects that you are working on?

A) A lot of them have been for classes. I’m still going to college right now. Work wise, it has been a little difficult keeping busy. There is a not lot of good stuff out there for people my age. From what I hear from my other friends, that’s the case. It’s just a weird transition period for me now, but I’m hoping that will pick up sometime soon for me.

Q) Please tell us the premise for your film Helicopter Mom and about your character Lloyd.

A) Lloyd is a very introspective guy. In a lot of ways, it comes as a reaction to his mother who is overbearing and wants to be involved in every little aspect of his life. Lloyd is going through high school, kind of on his own (which he is okay with), but he is also starting to figure out how he feels about girls and some guys maybe. He is coming into his sexuality and not sure where he is at. His mom is very much wanting to be involved with that process. She needs to learn how to let him deal with his own stuff.

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

A) When I read the script, it was kind of late in the day and it had been a long day. I was half reading the script and said, “I’m going in for it tomorrow so I have to at least look at it.” When I did, I found myself not stopping. I kept going. When I was reading it, I wanted a group of really great actors and have it be open to improv and connect in the scene. I thought the script was written with that in mind. We ended up shooting it. We had Salome [Breziner] (the director) who would give us the scenes the way it was written in the script and then ask if we wanted to change it up and play around. She said, “I’m not going to call ‘Cut’ until I want to. So, just go.” That was exactly what I was hoping for, which was great. We have a great group of actors in this piece and they were all in the moment and and we were all very connected. It was a lot of fun!

Q) What did you add to your role that wasn’t originally scripted for you?

A) There was one specific thing that Nia [Vardalos] and I added to Lloyd and Maggie’s relationship, which was a hug. One of the scenes is Lloyd’s birthday and Maggie gives him a hug, but doesn’t let go. Lloyd says, “3, 2, 1 and let go.” That was just a thing that Nia and I found when we were messing around and trying stuff on set. That ended up being the thing that we stuck in other places in the movie. I think it is in their twice. That wasn’t in the original script at all. It was just something we found on the day.

Q) Was there instant chemistry when you began working with Nia who plays your mother or did you spend some time to bond?

A) There was chemistry right away I think. When I went in to read with her I had been in before and knew what the scene was. I went in with a piece of paper with the lines on it and ready to go. The director called “action” and Nia started talking, but she was not saying stuff from the page. She was making up stuff completely out of nowhere. There was a moment in my head that felt like it lasted ten to fifteen seconds, but in reality it was probably only a split second where I was processing that we were going to improv. It was like, “Oh? This is what we’re doing. Okay.” We read for about five to ten minutes, at least, where we were making up things. Finally, the director had to stop us and she said, “This is great! Can we maybe do the actual scene now?”

Q) What kind of advice did director Salome Breziner give to you that you took to heart while filming?

A) We had a lot of freedom with her. It was scary in some ways, but also really freeing. We had just wrapped production “Good Luck Charlie,” which is a sitcom. We got to mess around in rehearsal, but once we began shooting we had our lines and we have our blocking, which is put together and polished. It is that form that it had to be in. With this, we could just do whatever we wanted when ever. We could do as many takes as we needed and make up whatever lines we wanted to. It was a really cool stretching experience as an actor to know that I can do that and I’m cool with it now.

Q) You have great comedic timing. Is it something that has come natural to you or have you had to work to hone it?

A) I have had a lot of time to hone it. I’ve largely been working on sitcoms for the past ten years or so. Maybe there was some to begin with, just a general sense of how it is supposed to feel. I’ve done tons and tons of sitcoms and it just clicks in your mind eventually. You sort of develop a sense for it and it becomes second nature.

Q) What were some of your most memorable moments from filming Helicopter Mom?

A) What sort of surprised me was Skyler Samuels who plays Carrie (Lloyd’s love interest). We didn’t have any chance before we shot to really get to know each other or read with each other. The first scene we shot was a goodbye scene, which was an emotional thing because of the history that has happened with these two characters. We didn’t know each other at all and it worked. It felt like we just slipped into a relationship and it was like we had already been friends for ten years. Again, that was incredibly lucky, but really cool to see.

Q) Why will people want to take their time to see the film?

A) I would hope the chemistry from everybody because I think that really comes through and there is a connection to our characters and each other. I also think that people are also going to really love the dad character, Maggie’s ex, who is played by Mark Boone Junior. He is so sweet and lovable. It’s kind of different for him. He was on “Sons of Anarchy” and is this gruff looking guy, but he is such a sweetheart in real life. It comes through on screen and I think that’s something people are going to love when they see it.

Q) You are a part of social media. Are you looking forward to the instant fan feedback you will receive when people watch the film?

A) Yeah! I have Twitter, but I’m not terribly good it. I have Instagram now, but I’ve never used it. I’m late to that game, for sure. I’m not terribly social media savvy, but I’ll get to hear right away if people like it. Instant feedback is a new thing in our generation. You can immediately say “I like this” or “I hate this” and you get to know exactly how they feel right away, which is really scary especially for me.

Q) Is there anything else about the movie you want fans to be sure they know?

A)  It was so much fun and it’s different for me from going from “Good Luck Charlie” to this. It deals with sexuality and some different themes that people might not have seen me deal with on screen before. I think that will be cool for people to see. Also, know how blessed we were to make this.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) A huge thank you to anyone who has ever watched anything I have done! It’s surreal thinking it’s on. People are going to be watching the movie and it’s cool. It’s incredible to have people watch. We go on set and it is so much fun. That’s why I do it! I do it because it is a really rewarding experience. Even with “Good Luck Charlie” you forget people watch it. There is a weird disconnect from what you do on set and then realizing it goes out and people watch it, follow it and care about it. It’s weird to me, but very cool!

 

 

Order Helicopter Mom on iTunes:   https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/helicopter-mom/id977290990