Robin Dunne – On The Twelfth Day Of Christmas

By: Jamie Steinberg

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

A) It’s been kind of a busy year. I started out writing and directing a movie early in the summer called A.R.C.H.I.E. It’s a family movie about a girl who finds a stray dog and finds out he can do all of these amazing things because he is a robot. She wants to keep him so she tells him that he can’t let anyone know about his special abilities, but of course, he can’t help to do that. It’s a sweet movie and we got Michael J. Fox to do the voice of Archie. It was pretty cool! It was a lot of fun and I have just done the final color correction and sound on the movie. It was a lot of fun! Then, I rolled right into another movie that I wrote and starred in called The Adventure Club, which is kind of like a kid’s adventure movie. It pays homage to The Goonies because these three kids find this “wish box” that grants wishes so they try to figure out what they are going to do with it. Of course, there are some evil archeologists who want to use it for evil so they have to keep it away from that. It’s a fun movie and Billy Zane was in that.

Q) What made you want to be a part of the film On The Twelfth Day Of Christmas?

A) I’ve done a couple of these Christmas movies before and this one wasn’t too bad. Usually you are shooting in the middle of boiling July and you’re wearing jackets and mittens while they are blowing fake snow at you. In between takes you are usually dying of heat exhaustion. This one wasn’t too bad because it was later summer that we did it. It was a lot of fun and I had a hand in writing that one as well.

Q) How did you get involved in the making of the movie?

A) First of all, the Countdown to Christmas movies are always fantastic and Hallmark does such a great job at wrapping up the holiday season. It’s always fun to be a part of those. I did one a couple years ago with Mel B. They are just really nice, fun, heartwarming movies to be a part of. Also, I’m very close with the production company and the producer Rob Vaughn is a very good friend of mine. He came to me with the story idea and asked me if I wanted to write it together. We collaborated on the script and that was in the winter (January or February). I finished the script and forgot about it because I went on to other projects. Rob called me up a few months later and said, “The movie is green-lit. Since you were one of the writers would you like to be in it?” I said, “Absolutely! That sounds like fun.” It was a blast! I loved the character, playing a radio DJ. It was a blast and we shot in an actual radio station. hanging around those guys was a lot of fun.

Q) What was it like working with your costar Brooke Nevin?

A) Brooke and I have known each other for years and years. We’ve become friends and were always kind of hoping we’d work together. So, this was a great opportunity to do that. There is something different when you get to work on a movie with your pals. Working on a movie is the best job in the world, but when you get to work with your friends it just makes it that much better.

Q) How were you able to balance your role as writer and actor?

A) It was such a nice collaboration that we were all just on the same page trying to make the best movie that we could. we would just bounce around ideas. When ever there was a question about the script Harvey Crossland (the director), Rob and I would collaborate – Brooke as well. That’s what makes it fun, when everyone is on the same page and same goal of making a great film.

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

A) I loved hanging in the radio station. It was kind of difficult in a certain respect because as an actor some of the energy you get in a scene is playing off your fellow actors and other character in the movie – that tennis match with great scenes. A lot of the scenes where I was in the booth were just me, the microphone and the camera. I would have these long speeches into the microphone pretending like I am hearing someone on the other end. So, it was almost like doing a little bit of a one man show. It was still a lot of fun. I got to feel like a real radio DJ for a minute and that was a blast. The other thing was what I jokingly said to the guys. When we were going in when we started production that movie starts with us in college. So, my character and Maggie meet in college and then they have this little romance as they drive home for Christmas. Then, they don’t see each other for ten years. So, when she meets up with Mitch again he has fallen out of love with Christmas. Jokingly, when I went in to start production on the film, I said to Rob and Harvey that I didn’t know how easy it would be for them to make me look like I was in college. I said, “I’m kind of getting on, but if you could slap the makeup on a little thicker then hopefully we’ll be okay.” That was fun, too. Playing a character at two stages of his life was great because I had to approach those two different segments differently and that was a challenge and also a lot of fun.

Q) What are some of your personal favorite holiday traditions?

A) We’re a big movie family and I think that is one of the reasons why Christmas movies are great because Hallmark does these marathons and that’s what we love to do during the holidays. We love to cook some food, eat some meals and sit down and watch movies. Now that my birthday is over, I kind of look at this time of year in two different stages. It’s my birthday and now that is over it’s time for Christmas. It’s starting to get into that relaxing, chilling at home by the fire with movies. Nothing could be better!

Q) What do you hope fans take away from watching On The Twelfth Day Of Christmas?

A) I think Mitch is a character who has a love for Christmas and a love for the holidays, but he has some difficult experiences in his life that cause him to kind of turn his back on the holidays and Christmas. Only when Maggie is able to bring him back out of that funk he is in is he able to see that, yes, life can present challenges to you, but don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Still hold on to what you love and don’t give up on those things. Hopefully, people take that away from the movie that no matter what challenges life throws at you there is still some beauty in the holidays and you should always believe in it. Also, look what you have around you and cherish those things. Cherish what you have in your life.

Q) You are a part of social media. Are you looking forward to the instant fan feedback you will be receiving?

A) It will be a lot of fun. I’ve only done that a few times in my career, but it will be a blast because (and here is the beauty of social media) it has opened us up to this other aspect of movies, TV and the entertainment industry in a way that people will be able to interact while the movie is happening. I’m looking forward to watching the movie and being able to tweet out certain things that I remember, things that happened or funny little instances.

Q) Fans still recognize you from your work on the show Sanctuary. How does that make you feel?

A) I loved “Sanctuary!” It was a wonderful time in my career and like I said earlier (when I was talking about working with your friends) it was definitely a show that I was fortunate to have those experiences. It was a job of mine, but I am also a fan of the show myself. Anytime anybody stops me or talks to me about “Sanctuary” I’m always so happy to engage with them because I love the show as a fan. I think it was a great series.

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

A) I’d like to say thank you for being a fan and supporter. I appreciate people who have followed my career and like the things I do. I am working as hard as ever trying to continue to make good TV and movies that people will continue to love.