Junior theatre arts major Andrea Penaherrera has been cast as one of the leading stars in the upcoming short film, “Love and the Small Print.” “I first got interested in acting when I was 6 years old. I fell in love with musical theatre, and I wanted to audition for Broadway, but when I got older I focused primarily on theatre,” Penaherrera said.
In the film, she plays the character of Vanessa, a beautiful, confident and successful young woman who is secretly cheating on her boyfriend, Mark.
“I am not as harsh as Vanessa’s character, but I definitely can relate to her insecurities. I mean, everyone has them,” Penaherrera said. “Although she tries to put out that she is so strong and she can walk all over whoever she wants, she is truly insecure deep down, and I try to show that side of her.”
“Love and the Small Print” is a 17-minute drama that explores the tensions and complexities that arise in relationships through three couples. The film touches upon relatable themes, such as following one’s dreams, love and infidelity. The script even goes as far as putting the characters in extreme situations dealing with abortion, domestic violence and suicide.
Director Adam Lawrence and producer Ramfis Myrthil found their inspiration for the concept of the film through their own life experiences dealing with love. “I really wanted to do a short film that was realistic. Our concept was let’s do something controversial, and relationships was the first thing that popped into my mind because it seems as if, no matter how old you are or what walk of life you have, everybody has experienced relationship problems,” Lawrence said.
“Love and the Small Print” has been submitted to the Cannes Film Festival, which is an annual festival in Cannes, France, that debuts films ranging from all genres from all over the world. “The ultimate goal is to touch the masses with our film and have them relate to our stories,” Myrthil said.
What does it take to create your own short film or pursue your dream of becoming an actor? The actors and producers on set were willing to share some of their own advice for college students who are interested in pursuing a career in the film industry.
“Do not take any moment for granted, even in college listen to everything that is said in class. I feel like I took my time for granted in college, and I would have learned so much more if I took advantage of the things that they offered me. And just really anything you can get do it because every moment, every movie, every play you do, you just learn from it,” Christina Bonal, who plays Jessica in the film, said.
“There is a lot of mental preparation and a lot of research involved in acting. You do not want to just blurt out words, but you want to make it believable and live in that moment. You want to take pride in your work. Stick to it. It is definitely not an easy industry to break into, but hard work pays off,” Lydiana Medellin, an extra in the film, said.
“The one mistake I notice many actors, writers, producers, directors, etc, is that they treat the industry as a hobby or are nonchalant about their career. As an artist, it is important to understand the basics of how films are made and put together, as well as honing your craft.
A great actor is always training or working on projects. This applies in other areas of production as well; a great screenwriter will write every day to better their writing. College students should take classes in front of the camera as well as behind the camera,” Myrthil said.
“Try to get out of your bubble. Don’t be afraid to try new things because, otherwise, you will never get the chance to grow as an actor,” Penaherrera said
BOTEP, which stands for Beast of the East Production Company debuted the trailer of the short film on Feb. 14.
