La Libertad: Who have you really enjoyed working with?
Nicole: This is a hard question, because I feel like every project I work on I learn something from all the filmmakers. I really enjoy working with Armando because he is a very talented writer. I have a hard time with writing but I can tell him an idea I have and he can magically bring it to life on paper! Also, everyone I've worked with on Progress, from the script supervisor to the director, is so passionate about what they do, that it just makes the entire process amazing!
Armando: Let me be brutally honest here, before producing Progress, I was always asking myself "why did I come to Hollywood?" This team showed me that the best and most talented always end up in Hollywood. So yeah, I really enjoyed working with them.
La Libertad: How did you get into producing?
Armando: Two funny things happened: 1) technology allowed everyone to make a competent movie for a few thousand and 2) the studio-driven movie industry collapsed like a neutron star. So I got into producing because !) I can and 2) because otherwise I would starve.
La Libertad: What inspires you?
Armando: The Internet. People see a picture of a cat and think "LOL" -- but I think "now, that's a GREAT idea for a movie!"
La Libertad: How long have you been acting?
Nicole: Ever since I was little I would perform in plays both at church and at school. I even created an original character for a sketch comedy show in high school that got me notice for a college scholarship! My mom even said when I was young she would catch me practicing different faces in the mirror, haha! It wasn't until about four years ago though that I actually started pursuing it professionally!
La Libertad: What was your favorite role?
Nicole: One of my most favorite roles was from a play called "Entropy General." It was a dark comedy that took place in a hospital and I played Becky, a terminally-ill 9 year old who lived in the hospital. I know it's a little grim, but being able to play a little kid was amazing. Becky was very spirited, lived life to the fullest and used her imagination to transport her to different worlds. It was such a joy to bring her to life and not to mention the entire cast and crew were amazing to work with. Another favorite role of mine is when I played a magical princess in a children's show called "The Beautiful World." It was great to see the kids in the audience be transported into another world and really connect with the message!
La Libertad: What other languages do you speak?
Nicole: Sadly, only English. I've taken 6 years of Spanish classes and still can't speak it! Oddly enough, I can read it fine and understand what people are saying!
Armando: Spanish, of course, and Italian. I'm learning Korean, since I live in Downtown LA.
La Libertad: Where have you traveled to?
Nicole: I've been to Mexico, Scotland and England. I think my favorite place by far is London and I would love to be able to go back!
Armando: Europe. I was in Berlin when it had a wall dividing it in half. London is also an interesting city, full of contrasts. It's like a town of Dickensian characters dressed in modern clothes.
La Libertad: What other talents do you have?
Armando: I'm a musician. I used to be a classical guitarist for several, several years.
La Libertad: Any upcoming projects?
Nicole: I do have a couple in the works actually! The biggest thing is the web series Progress. I've been working on it for quite sometime and very soon we will actually start filming the first couple of episodes! And Armando and I have two other projects in development as well. I will also be directing a short film at the end of the summer called Penny that stars the lovely YouTube celebrity Traci Hines! And in terms of acting, I am attached to a project that is based on a book series, but nothing has been officially announced yet, so I'll have to get back to you on those details later!
Armando: Oh, yes. We're developing Greg and Emilia,
which is something of a cross between a RomCom and a "fail" wedding
video. We're also developing a horror series based on popular
"CreepyPastas." Stay tuned.
Nicole: I hope that I can continue acting and producing for many, many years! Armando and I are actually starting our own production company, and we are focusing on high quality web series and digital content.
Armando: We're about to launch our ProdCo formally -- I guess that's more of a "what are you doing right now?" than a "what are your future goals?" but it's the culmination of a long and demanding process Nicole and I started when we met.
La Libertad: Please tell us about Progress
Armando: Imagine if Sherlock Holmes was a hacker. A cyberpunk-detective finding his nemesis in the form an encrypted file posted online by someone who claims to be Jack the Ripper.
Nicole: Even though it is a story that takes place in Victorian England about Jack the Ripper, it still is very relevant to what is happening in many countries world-wide. One of the biggest questions that our story addresses is what would happen if our internet is censored and no longer free? It also deals with the issue of realizing that sometimes our leaders don't have our best interests at heart while in power. Our story incorporates a lot of really important questions and ideas, but gives viewers the freedom to interpret and respond in their own way.
La Libertad: Who is involved?
Armando: We're all Hollywood veterans with a firm belief that the Internet is the next step in entertainment. We were amazed at the culture stemming from the web and we were looking for a story to develop all these ideas about hacker culture, gamer culture and alternate-reality culture.
Nicole: Everyone on our team is passionate about what they do. And it's no doubt that each person has some really great credits (like our director Brad doing visual effects for Marvel, our Costume Designer doing wardrobe on Matt Greer projects and our creator Armando having written screenplays for both Latin TV and American features for over 20 years). However, the best part about the team is how much we end up learning from each other and becoming better artists everyday.
La Libertad: Any challenges?
Armando: Breaking the Hollywood formula. We worked very hard to come up with a novel idea and a story that can't be predicted.
La Libertad: You have already shot the series teaser?
Armando: It was great! I was absolutely amazed at the talent of the cast and directors and the magic that came when their work combined in that studio.
Nicole: The entire process was an incredible experience. I feel so blessed to have worked with such an incredible team - all who donated their time to help us complete it. Every step of the way (pre-production to production to post), Progress has been met with passionate and creative people who gave all they have to this video!
La Libertad: Please tell us what is steampunk?
Armando: Retro science fiction in the style of Jules Verne or H.G. Wells. Imagine all the things you have today made with the technology of a hundred years ago.
La Libertad: What makes your project different?
Armando: This is a story that you can identify with. The hero is not a rich aristocrat or valiant explorer, but a regular working-class Joe with a job behind a computer who feels the world is closing upon him.
Nicole: It is also different in the fact that it is much darker than most of the Steampunk projects out there and even though it does take place in a different time period it still deals with current issues. Not to mention, the ending it awesome!
La Libertad: How are you getting the word out about this project?
Nicole: The best way for fans to get involved is by sharing our video! They could even donate to our fundraising campaign at www.progresstheseries.com. Very soon we will be launching an official Indiegogo campaign as well!
Armando: We have two other websites: WikiPunchProgress.com and VirtualWhitechapel.com which are part of the universe of our story. You can find these sites online and they have secret clues in the form of riddles about the murderer's identity.
Nicole: Our character's also have their own Twitter pages and we have a Facebook page for everything related to Progress. All of these outlets will keep everyone informed on upcoming events as well as the progress of Progress (pun intended).
Interview by Libertad Green
Photography by Libertad Green
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