MICK THYER TALKS THE LONG DARK TRAIL
"Acting at a ten is easier than at a three"
Daniel John
As written and directed by Nick Psinakis and Kevin Ignatius, ‘The Long Dark Trail’ is a story of tragedy as the ‘Stand by me’-ish innocence of two young boys meets the darkness of the world. Some of which you get to represent. Where did you find the stamina to play into the kinda pure darkness of what your role is and represents?
The beautiful thing about working with the two directors, Nick and Kevin, is that we have a built in trust. I knew if I went there they would either tell me less or more, go further. Most times, I feel, an emotionally and physically demanding role is easier than working with subtleties. Acting at a ten is easier than acting at a three, there are things you hide and keep underneath the surface when you play a character who is less extreme, it doesn't mean he doesn’t feel as much, but he does not express it in the same way, as he buries it. Playing this role, I could take it all the way, not hold back anything. Not let anything be buried. The darkness you talk about is simply believing in the text. The man was pure evil, nihilistic. Nothing matters. It’s him and the world and people come and go. That’s fun because I think we all feel that way sometimes, it’s just leaping into that energy.
Some actors would say immersing oneself in a character with such negative energy can be harmful emotionally if you do not know how to protect yourself from it?
Yes a role will stick with you when it is emotionally draining but it’s more to do with what’s at risk. I played a character, Brad, in a play by Craig Wright called 'Orange Flower Water', where he is grappling in the moment that his wife is leaving him for another man. To go through that heartache and pain, night after night on stage was really tiring and sometimes harmful, each morning I started my preparation for that role by walking and listening to music, allowing my senses to provoke thoughts and feelings. I longed for that show to be over so I could be normal again, and not an emotional wreck. The role for 'The Long Dark Trail' was different because the risk element was different and I only had to live in this character’s shoes for a short time. He only carried about himself so the emotional depth was different. He loved no one but himself. He seeked only his desires. That I could dance back and forth in, and let go much easier.
What can help with keeping negative energy from a role at bay?
What helps is people saying “great job”, or having a wife and two boys to go home to and get a cuddle from. Knowing that people love you for who you are and for what you do for a living. Also a nice beer or glass of wine helps too.
French actors call this á plusieurs couches, that even though knowing it will prove difficult, they are still drawn to wards playing more raw characters because they are more multi-layered and exist further away from their own natural, good, selves. Someone "bad" actually requires some acting?
I want a role that challenges who I am in the world, and makes me question my own philosophies. I love layered characters that are broken and are seeking redemption. I love characters who embrace the power of the human spirit. Someone who can achieve the impossible. Who can overcome any obstacle thrown his way and achieve the object of desire. I choose roles based on the story. Is it a rewarding story and one that needs to be told. Stories allow us to see ourselves in a heightened, dramatic way and play out our lives on screen. I want that. I want a role that makes me sweat blood and tears, and have to reach deep down into my own psyche for the truth. A challenge both emotionally and physically is what I always seek.
With your first acting credits being some twenty or so years ago now, where do you think your interest for this comes from?
It’s a great question. I think my interest was always in the make believe and the power of the make believe. Sometimes when homelife was stressful and chaotic, I could escape in the films I watched. 'Dead Poets Society', 'The Last of the Mohicans', I could see myself on–screen living another life. I always loved adventure and films offered me that reality. To now be involved in movie magic is a dream come dream. Each day on set is fulfilling my childhood fantasy. I think that interest and drive to escape and live as someone else has never left me. It’s once again about the challenge. I love to test myself and that’s what acting does. It keeps me alive.
There’s a bit of a gap now between when we last saw you in a film. Does your focus, perhaps in also writing and directing, lie elsewhere these days?
My career has taken many twists and turns and I’m so grateful it has. I always had an interest in directing and writing and for a few years that took my main focus, directing for the stage and writing and teaching for the screen. My focus switched mainly because I couldn’t wait for the phone to ring to audition for a role anymore and I was raising two sons. I chose to be an active participant in my career and I always loved to be behind the camera, or directing actors on stage or being alone in the early morning hours writing on the page. It was relearning how to wear different hats but it still focused my energy on being a storyteller. Stage was my first love but sadly audiences are not getting out of the house as often these days to see theater. My energy and focus has definitely switched to film and I truly find it’s my home now but if there was a role out there for the stage that felt right, I’d snap it up in a second.
Can you use your own playwright-mind to get into the mindset of a character, or would you consider that to be stepping onto the toes of the actual writer's vision?
I had a great acting teacher who always expressed balance, to shut off your mind to a part of you is impossible, it’s also denying a truth in yourself. So I try to embrace a role or character first from my impulses and they may lead with my writer mind or director mind or actor mind but generally I find they are all the same mind. It’s a mind that wants to be as creative as possible in revealing that character’s truth, sometimes a word has the truth, sometimes an action holds another truth or sometimes my own memory and experience can help reveal the truth in a character. It all becomes a huge melting pot where I feel if approached truthfully I no longer know where the impulse came. I may sometimes need to remind myself through practice and concentration but I also love to be surprised on the day we are shooting or to have something go completely wrong and you are just acting from a true organic reaction. On a first read however I do find my writing mind may creep in and look for gaps in logic or character leaps that seem inauthentic or plot points that feel cliche or formulaic. But also at the end of the day I put trust in the writers that they have done their job and now it’s time for me to do mine. Which is to act truthfully in the given circumstances.
Do you have anything else coming up for us to look forward to?
Yes, I just wrapped on 'Cheat' with 418 Films and the amazing Corinne Clay who led the film. Nick and Kevin, the two directors, put together a wonderful team of actors, Danielle Grotsky and April Clark to name just a few and an incredible crew with our DP Connor Smyers and First AC Aaron Hill, Gaffer Oscar Martinez and Grip Alex Foley, Alex Hughes doing SFX Make Up and Shannon Ignatius working costumes and production design. It was like a big family where we ate and slept together in the same house. A truly memorable experience. I’m also directing a film on the tip of the eastern seaboard out here in Cape Cod this coming spring, current working title is 'Pink Moon'. And hoping to have something going in Australia next year. It’s just wonderful to be moving forward as an actor and filmmaker and I’m very grateful for the people who continue to provide me with opportunities to do so. It’s not always easy but it’s the most rewarding thing for me to be doing.
