LIGHTSWITCH : INTERVIEW WITH ACTRESS LARA DIGNAM
Interview by Isabelle B. Price and Magali Lehane on January 18, 2010 for Univers-L.com.
Can you tell us about your career (studies, training, previous projects…) ?
I've trained at a Screenwise in Sydney and done various workshops interstate and overseas. I have a musical theatre backround and have done heaps of short films, theatre, pantomime and a couple of feature films.
Did you dreamt about being an actress when you were a child ?
Definitely! I always wanted to be an actress or a dancer although I tried a few other things first...
How did you get into that short’s project ?
Saw it advertised on the internet, went along to the audition, the rest is history.
Why did you say yes to play Lara ? What, in this character, won you over ? And in the story ?
Character-driven drama that gave me a lot of scope to create a character who was really different from the others that I'd played. The story appealed to me because it was so open ended and can be interpreted differently depending on whose watching.
How did you worked to become Danielle ? Was it difficult ? Is she different from what you really are or are there things in common ?
Danielle is more sheltered than I am in terms of world experience and with that comes her idealism. I am definitely a romantic too but probably more pragmatic than Danielle is.
How long lasted the shoot ?
7days.
Danielle’s youth and spontaneity is matching perfectly with Shauna’s strength and confidence. How did you worked to get that chemistry between you and Kylie Watson ?
We were really lucky in that we get along so well and became good friends on set. We were comfortable together which meant that developing chemistry in front of the camera was that much easier.
What scene was the most difficult to shoot ? Why ?
Probably the break-up scene when they get back from the coast trip. We filmed it at the end of a really full-on week and we were exhausted. it was a really emotional scene though so maybe this worked to our advantage...?
What is your best memory during the shoot of Lightswitch ? Or any funny thing that happened in the set ?
So hard to think of one moment...We had a ball everyday! Any of the nights involving the Hunter Spyder were always great fun.
In your opinion, what is the main message of the short ? If you had to remember only one thing about it, what will it be ?
The main message would be to seize the moment and make the most of opportunities to experience new things.
Do you feel like any responsibility towards the homosexual and bisexual communities ?
I felt a responsibility to portray the emotions of the character, not her sexual orientation, to me that is incidental. The story is about being true to what you want and what you're feeling and having the bravery to follow it through. I guess you could say I felt a responsibility to give these communities a truthful character, rather than one that is gay or straight.
Can you tell us about your projects now ? Are you working on a new movie, or anything else ?
I'm looking at doing another project with Nat and Emma over the summer and looking for more projects for my own theatre production company.
At the beginning of the short, you jump over a sidewalk with your cycle. Did you trained yourself for that scene or are you a bike familiar ?
I can ride a push bike but have no training other than when my Dad taught me as a child! We made the accident look more traumatic with camera and sound effects- in reality I just fell to the side onto the grass.
What do you think about romantic cycle rides ?
A great place to develop chemistry while enjoying the beauty of coastal Australia.
You are fluent in French. Do you want to tell something in French for your audience in France ?
J'espere que vous aimez le film ! et que vouloir c'est pouvoir.
