Since making his film debut in the lo-fi cult hit “Clerks” in 1994, actor Brian O’Halloran has appeared in more than 15 independent and major-studio movies and nearly 60 theater productions. His latest project, “Hooking Up,” finds him working with Warrington-based filmmakers Jeff Siegel and Vince Scordia, who just completed work on their first film. After the movie’s direct-to-DVD release last December, O’Halloran sat down with dtown to talk about his work both in front of the camera and behind it.
The Little Indie That Could
“I’m not even supposed to be here today!” With eight simple words, O’Halloran introduced a phrase that’s since become entrenched within the cultural lexicon of 30-somethings and Gen X’ers everywhere. The now-famous line and countless others that made “Clerks” an instant comedy classic opened Hollywood’s doors to director Kevin Smith. And while the actor in front of the camera has yet to match his friend and colleague’s success, the film opened many doors for O’Halloran as well.
Prior to his big-screen debut, O’Halloran had been working with local theater companies in and around Red Hook, N.J. “Kevin [Smith] held auditions for the movie at the First Avenue Playhouse in Atlantic Highlands [N.J.],” he recalls. “I had done some stage work there, and the owners called me to suggest I audition.” O’Halloran, knowing nothing about the film, actually missed the first two nights of auditions. Fortunately, a third day was scheduled, and although all the principal characters had already been cast, his audition went well. O’Halloran was called back the next day to read a scene from the movie.
“Kevin [Smith] loved it, and when I asked him who the characters were, he told me they were the two clerks, the two main guys,” O’Halloran says. “I said, ‘Didn’t you already cast those parts?’ He told me not to worry about it.”
With his role secured, O’Halloran became immersed in the world of shoe-string-budget “indie” films. Funded primarily by Smith borrowing money and financing production costs via credit cards, “Clerks” was shot around the working hours of the convenience store that served as its setting. Further complicating the process was the harsh reality surrounding most independent productions: There was no guarantee the film would ever see the light of day.
“We loved it but figured it would be too raunchy for a mainstream audience,” O’Halloran recalls. “At the time, I thought it’d be just be something I’d have to show people at parties to say, ‘Hey, I was in a movie.’”
The film’s fate, of course, took a wildly different turn after sold-out screenings at the Sundance Film Festival, showings at Woodstock ’94 and even a college tour where producer Scott Mosier screened the film for students across the country. “It was a lot of word of mouth,” says O’Halloran. “VHS tapes and rentals kept getting passed around.”
Life in Show Business
After the unexpected success of “Clerks,” O’Halloran continued doing live theater, which he still does regularly today. “It’s raw talent at its best,” he says. “It’s the actor’s medium. Once that curtain goes up, he’s in full control. If he wants to take the performance to a higher level, he can keep people on the edge of their seats.”
He also regularly lands parts in big-budget productions. Besides roles in other Smith films such as “Dogma,” Chasing Amy” and reprising his role as Dante Hicks in “Clerks II,” O’Halloran recently shared a scene with Reese Witherspoon in the tentatively titled film “How Do You Know.” Still, his pedigree gives him a distinct appreciation for independent filmmaking.
“You have to give these filmmakers a lot of credit for their passion and drive,” he says. “With ‘indies,’ a lot of times you need to beg, borrow and steal just to get the film completed, and even then, no one may ever see it.”
O’Halloran had similar experiences with his roles in comedies like 1997’s “Groupies” and 2007’s “Brutal Massacre.” The former, for instance, took 10 years to complete. “The money just ran out during post-production, and the filmmakers held fundraisers to get it done,” he says. “By the time they had the money, they had to update the news footage they used in the movie.”
The attraction for O’Halloran is in the collaborative vibe. “Most times with big-budget films, you’re just in your room,” he says. “You rehearse, do your scenes and move on. In the ‘indie’ circles, there’s more of an ‘all hands on deck’ kind of thing.” He also appreciates the ingenuity it takes to make the movie happen. “It’s easy to solve problems with money, but for these, you need to be more creative,” he continues. “If you can’t get the equipment for a giant crane shot, you move the location to where there’s a high building you can shoot from. I’ve learned a lot through osmosis, and when I hear there’s a problem in production, I can usually come up with a solution.”
That knack has also garnered O’Halloran work behind the scenes. Currently, he’s on-board as the associate producer for the upcoming film “Keeper of the Pinstripes,” which follows the adventures of a boy, who’s caught stealing from Yankee Stadium, and as a punishment, is sentenced to work there. “I knew the producer through my fiancé, and he had just bought the rights to the book the movie is based off on,” he explains. “He told me he could get the funding if I could help guide him through the process.”
According to O’Halloran, the film is off to a strong start: “We’ve got some corporate sponsors, and Major League Baseball and the Steinbrenners [the majority owners of the Yankees] are on board, too.” The film is the first since 1942’s “The Pride of the Yankees” to be endorsed by the franchise. O’Halloran’s project was also the last film to be shot in the old Yankee Stadium. “I’m very happy, and I’m looking to getting it off the ground,” he says
Back to His Roots
For all of O’Halloran’s big-budget roles and his recent donning of the producer’s cap, his affection for “indie” films led him to “Hooking Up.” The film, shot in Bucks County with Siegel and Scordia behind the cameras, is a comedy that follows two groups of high school students as they navigate the weird, wild world of teenage sexuality. Like “Clerks,” the film was shot with whatever money the crew could muster. But in reflecting the times, the grainy black-and-white film of its predecessor was replaced by digital video. The production team was also able to snag Corey Feldman and Bronson Pinchot, most known for his co-starring role on the sit-com “Perfect Strangers,” in supporting roles.
“I love working with first-timers,” says O’Halloran. “Vince [Scordia] and Jeff [Siegel] were great. They really had their technique and organization down pat. They’re very aggressive and passionate. I’d love to see what they could do with a nice 12-million-dollar budget as opposed to equipment, money and time constraints.”
It’s projects like these that still excite O’Halloran. “I think viewers need to realize that with independent films, you’re not going to have the high-quality special effects or glamorous movie stars,” he offers. “But in the same right, you’re going to see a way of storytelling that’s more honest as opposed to a vehicle just to promote the next big starlet, who’s suddenly wearing a wet t-shirt.”
While the 1990s was a great time for independent films with directors like Smith, Quentin Tarantino and others breaking into the mainstream, O’Halloran says, the current environment is even better for newcomers. “There’s so many different ways to get your film out there,” he says, pointing to the vast menu of titles on Netflix and the recent trend of promoting films at comic book conventions. He also notes the ease with which media can be distributed at little or no cost through the internet. “It’s great for the paparazzi and filmmakers too,” O’Halloran laughs. “Even the tools to make movies have become cheaper,” he continues. “It’s much more freeing. If you don’t have a million dollars, you can get by with a few thousand. You can buy a decent high-definition camera and edit it on your laptop. Back in the day, you needed six gigabytes of memory in a computer to edit a movie. Now I think I have that on my phone.”
For more information on “Hooking Up,” go online at www.morbidmindproductions.com/hookingup.