Sam Trammell – White Rabbit

By starrymag | March 4, 2015

By: Lisa Steinberg

 

 

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

A) I do have a couple things coming out. I’m not sure when the movies will be coming out. I did a movie called The Aftermath with the same group of people and a movie called Three Generations.

Q) Please tell us the premise for your film White Rabbit and about your character.

A) It’s about a troubled teen, Harlon (Nick Krause), who has a tough home life and it’s about how he was raised. He was bullied in school. We follow his life and his family life at home. All of these factors come together to produce an outcome. It’s a story about bullying and about acceptance. It’s really beautifully shot. There are some really powerful performances. Nick Krause is amazing and Britt Robertson is fantastic. I play Harlon’s father, Darrell. I really was drawn to this story because the character has such a great arc. You follow Harlon from being a kid to being in high school. Darrell just has huge changes. He’s a real supportive father at first and is very tough. Then, he gets mixed up with substance abuse and has a whole other turn around at the end. I sort of connect with my son. I feel like I have a connection with him, but it is not a positive one for Harlon. That was very interesting for me, to play someone who thinks he is doing good for his child when he is not.

Q) There is a darkness to the role. How did you connect with the character?

A) The fact he is a country boy living in a rural town, I felt close to. I grew up in some towns like that in Louisiana and West Virginia. As far as his substance abuse, I talked to people and I did a lot of research on it. Then, you have to figure it out and find it in your body and go for it. It’s sort of a real physical challenge for me as an actor. I really loved playing a character that was under the influence of things.

Q) What was the most challenging aspect of filming for you?

A) That was definitely one of the most difficult. Then, as a person, I didn’t always agree with what this person thought. That was a challenge finding the heart to be him. But it was a great challenge! I enjoyed it. It was fulfilling artistically for me. But it’s always a challenge when you’re sort of stepping outside your own ethics, ideals and points of view.

Q) Did the cast chemistry come naturally or did you take some time to bond?

A) I didn’t get to work with Britt, but Nick and I worked together and we had a little bit of time to hang together before the shoot, which was nice. When we were shooting, for me to do this character I really didn’t want to bond with him too much. I didn’t want to spend time with him or talk to him too much because I had to be such a hard ass and Nick is such a nice guy. I didn’t want to empathize and didn’t want to feel a lot of empathy. I didn’t want to get that mixed in with the whole thing. You need different things when you do acting work. For me, with this one, it was most helpful to stay on my own. He was really great to work with though and a talented actor.

Q) What was it like working with director Tim McCann?

A) I enjoyed working with Tim so much that we did a movie together again the next summer together. I had watched some of his movies and I am just a huge fan of his. He is a real artist. He has a knack for catching beautiful shots and for catching raw moments that are unrehearsed and little things that happened. He loves life that happens on camera and he loves gritty, raw, real stuff. I just respect that and that is my aesthetic as well. I like the moments that you don’t know are going to happen and make scenes alive. This is definitely a dark story and he really goes for it. He captures the real highs and the real lows. It’s an unflinching view of it. He really captures it.

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

A) You have something that is written and I talked to them a bit about the character. We talked on the phone and I remember with the script we may have made some slight changes. I brought what I brought to it and really went for it. There were some of the drug scenes that probably had a little improv in them. That was a lot of fun.

Q) What have you taken away from your time working on the film?

A) I bonded with Shaun Sanghani, who was a producer, and Tim, the director. I really was impressed with what Tim did. I had a sense it was going to be good, but when I saw what he did I was really kind of blown away, especially with the little bit of money he had. So, we went off and wrote something together (the three of us) and shot it the next summer. It was a great experience. We’ve had a good professional relationship.

Q) What is it about White Rabbit that will draw viewers in?

A) I think a lot of people have gone through this if they are bullied or not accepted. We have all been an outsider at some point and I think a lot of people really empathize with Nick’s character because of that. And this movie just really captures the local feeling, color and scenery of where we shot that it just draws you into the world in an almost tactile way. A movie you are watching with your eyes, but you can really almost feel the heat and the grass. Tim did such a great job of capturing the area. I hope that the young people who see it will be a little more empathetic to people who seem like they are outsiders. In the film this person is having trouble at home and that is not helping with him at school. Hopefully, adults that see it will be a little more open minded about their kids’ passions and just communicate better and listen. I think if that happened with this family Harlon wouldn’t have done what he does in the movie.

Q) You are a part of social media. Have you been enjoying the instant fan feedback you receive?

A) It’s really amazing! It’s really incredible. With Twitter, random people from where ever can say something to me and I can say something right back. It’s really has allowed people in the entertainment business to just connect directly with people who are supporting them and enjoying their work. I really like it and I think it’s good for everybody.

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

A) I really love Britt Robertson in this movie. She gives a great performance. Some of my favorite scenes are ones between her and Nick. Even though I didn’t get to work with her, I hope I get the opportunity in the future.

 

 

White Rabbit is available on VOD now! Check availability: http://whiterabbitfilm.com/