In the Lyons Den: The Actors
Part Three
“Have you found a reservation sheet yet,” a Brevillier Village employee yells from behind the front desk. Filming at that same receptionist station ended only minutes before. Short of a few lights in the lobby the desk was functioning as normal.
The offices, well, the offices weren’t normal. Not yet. A cast and crew of more than 25 people crowded into the conference room and spilled out the front doors of Brevillier’s Ball Pavilion. A trail of cables snaked around the corners of the office hallways, while the indoor carpet entrance mats were rolled up waiting to be placed again. People visiting the facility were greeted not only by a film crew, but also a large Widow Creek Films van and a stock of unused wheelchairs and walkers.
No, this was not normal. An entirely normal Saturday at Brevillier Village won’t happen for a few months. Considering the interested onlookers, both staff and residents alike, the filming of director John C. Lyons’ Schism is an exciting addition to the weekend.
On Oct. 21, Lyons had scheduled to shoot five scenes. By the time I made it to the location, he had already cut one from the agenda. Filming, like any art, is a meticulous exercise. Getting a shot right sometimes includes sacrifice. For the actors, anything that is given up is a worth it if it means being in front of a camera.
The Star
Terry Smith hunches slightly as he puffs on a cigarette in the visitors parking lot. It’s a cool October day and Smith is standing around in grey sweatpants and a camel-colored jacket. The combination is odd, suggesting his character’s unwanted stay in a nursing home. It’s his attempt to cling onto a different life while being stuck in a place that doesn’t require fashion above a pair of sweats.
As Neil, Smith’s wardrobe is complemented by a look of exhaustion that illustrates the intense emotional core of Lyons’ story.
“A lot of actors who I’ve been in films with are impressed,” said Smith. “The screenplay is gripping.”
Of course, Smith may just look exhausted because the maintenance man at Mount Saint Benedict’s Monastery spends much of his free time acting. Smith is veteran actor of the stage and screen, at least on an independent film/community theatre level. His credits include the North East, Pa. stage production of Oscar and the Roadhouse Theatre adaptation of Richard III.
In previous attempts to talk to Smith, we didn’t connect because he was shooting a film in Amish Country, about an hour and a half drive away from his home. A long drive or, in the case of Schism, a working weekend is all part of that passion to perform that even an unknown actor has.
Acting for the first time in the lead role of an independent feature is not just about passion, though. Like many people who’ve read the screenplay or heard about the project, Smith found that the emotional role was something worth taking to heart.
“I felt and immediate closeness to Neil,” said Smith. “I just loved to have the chance to play him.”
The Support
Lori Clapper, who plays the head nurse at Neil’s retirement facility, finished her scenes for the day, but decided to stay for pizza. The Schism production has no pay scale, but the performers do get lunch.
Clapper is a performer. The WCTL morning host considers what she does every morning to be part of the urge give people a show. A transplant from North Carolina, Clapper’s buoyant personality made the actress a common player in independent and industrial films.
“I’m pretty transparent,” Clapper explains when I ask her about a “radio voice.” Transparent or not, she has a quality that has made acting a constant part of her life, from stage productions as a child into films later in life.
It’s not uncommon to meet stage actors on the Schism set. One actor in particular, D. Art Dows has been acting for decades. Since his retirement in 2000, Dows has made the stage a second home. At one time or another Dows has been on the three major community theatre stages in Erie. Currently he can be seen in the Director’s Circle production of Blood Relations.
In Blood Relations, Dows plays Lizzie Borden’s ill-fated father. It’s a significant role, but in Schism Dows is just hoping to appear in as much of the production as possible. You’ll see him in the background of many of the production’s scenes.
Why is an actor who is starring in a stage production a background player? Dows answers that question with a question: “How many movie roles are there for my generation?”
Of course you could also answer the first question by saying Schism has gained its talent based on what the star Smith calls its “gripping” screenplay. For the 15 or so actors and extras recruited for the outdoor scenes (including myself), fighting the cold fall air or the impatience from the seemingly countless number of retakes comes from both a passion perform and confidence in the project. With those two factors on his side, director Lyons, the cast and the crew continue to forge ahead.
This article is part three in a series about John C. Lyons upcoming Erie-produced feature Schism. More articles will follow as the production progresses. For more information on Schism visit www.SchismMovie.com.
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