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Throwing a Slumber Party for the World: The Lisa Renley Interview Experience Pt. 3 Gilchrist: What are your eight greatest regrets in life? Renley: Participating in that cheese-eating contest. Winning that cheese-eating contest. Shooing away Andy Warhol's ghost when I saw him at my 17th birthday party. Not humping Garrett in the back of the van when I had those four chances. Not buying that genuine piece of the Berlin Wall on Ebay. Not taking enough chances. Not enjoying myself (this is not a reference to masturbation here) as much as I should. I need to be more happy. Gilchrist: What are 10 things you want to do before you die? Renley: Play raquetball with James Gandolfini. Participate in a cheese eating contest. Win a cheese eating contest. Sleep outside the Skywalker Ranch and attempt to return both Episodes 1 and 2. Pet a mup. Learn to play the clavichord. Throw a slumber party. Throw a slumber party where Jay Bauman, Garrett Gilchrist, John Brugmann, David Ashe, Mike Stoklasa, and Rich Evans all attend. Throw a slumber party where everyone (except me) is forced to kiss everyone else. Star in Episode III (kidding). Gilchrist: Okay, last few movies .... talk about Where's Deathlist. Renley: Ahh, finally talking about my movie. About time. Gilchrist: Your movie. Renley: Where's Deathlist was my directorial debut. I was going for something avant garde esque, and I feel personally that that was achieved. It was my first time working with actors, and some of them were a bit difficult to work with. Mike refused to drift apart from the script and simply would not improvise the way that I had planned. A lot of the times we couldn't follow my storyboards as much as I'd like, but there has to be some give and take ya know. The movie was saved in editing basically. Thank god for that. Overall I was pleased. Gilchrist: Now, Clowns and Suicide. Renley: Clowns and Suicide is the latest BSC installment. It could be out very soon perhaps. The fact that I haven't exactly talked with Jay in a couple months prevents me from knowing. It basically was shot every sunday over the last summer. I really like the script, and I'm quite interested to see how it turns out. There's some very funny gags in it, and definitely some quality acting from people. It should be good. Gilchrist: This was advertised as your first big lead role. Renley: I'm in it almost too much. You're sure to get sick of me. Gilchrist: Do you think the general public is sick of Lisa Renley? Are you overexposed like J.Lo? You are the Rewind-nominated actress. What do you think of awards like that? Renley: I'm actually confused about them somewhat. Can I say that? Gilchrist: Sure! We love confusion. Confused how? Renley: I like that people are recognized for quality work. I think that's wonderful. But some of the stuff is hard to actually judge. It's like taking art and picking it apart. I don't know really what I'm saying. But it's difficult for me to think that art can really ranked in that way. I'm think I'm talking nonsense though. Gilchrist: I noticed that at the Rewind awards last year, comedy actresses were all noted as "supporting." while drama actresses got "lead." Renley: Right. I didn't understand that. Gilchrist: Did you feel you should have been up for actress? Renley: I don't know. It's hard for me to feel like I should be awarded at all for the Michelle Porter from homeroom role. Gilchrist: But didn't you feel that you were better than ... say ... that one girl from the dancing movie? Queen of the Dead? Renley: Okay her, yeah. I thought extras in other movies were better. But the rest, not so much. Gilchrist: You starred in a remake of that film, or sequel. Renley: Well, I got to dance with Dan Gorgone, and that's every girl's dream. No, it was fun. I had big shoes to fill though. Gilchrist: Talk to me about the reknowned fucking masterpiece, Ghostbusted 2. Renley: I think the director for Ghostbusted 2 was by far the best looking and most talented I have ever worked for. He needs to actually finish the movie though, so that I can see it. Hmmm. Gilchrist: It is being held hostage by Mike Stoklasa. And some David Ashe-directed footage no longer exists. Wait a second .... best looking, most talented. David Ashe directed some of that! You cheating hussy! Renley: I am a two timer. You know my history. Gilchrist: Speaking of cheating and two timing, what are you working on now? Renley: I'm in another amateur movie. I'm going to become the John C. Reilly of the amateur world. It's a (hold your breath) drama. I know I know. I'm sorry in advance. Really. Gilchrist: What's it called? Renley: The title is very complex with lots of deep meaning. It's called "You and I". It's directed by this guy who I went to school with awhile back (other than Jay). His name is Toby and he has hopes of being famous one day. It's about 3% done and I've got about 7/900 of my scenes completed. It's basically going to be awhile. But it should be a good movie. It has potential to say the least. Gilchrist: What did you think of the script? Did you hate it? You hated it, didn't you? Renley: I didn't so much hate it, but it needed lots of work. And it's gotten lots of work. It's basically a love story. It's a drama and I play a woman (that's right) who three years ago lost her boyfriend to cancer. She has severe issues dealing with the loss. And basically it's about her struggle to find love with someone new. Gilchrist: How did this come about? Renley: I got involved because I had to borrow Toby's camera once last semester. Last semester I took a production course (and found that I should stick to acting, but anyways), one of my partners backed over our light kit with his car. Yup, that's right. He literally demolished the $700 thing. And the film department basically banned us from using any of their stuff. But we still had to finish shooting (we did an utterly horrible Christmas documentary which I refuse to share with even my roommate). So I had to call Toby to ask if I could borrow his very expensive camera. It costs somewhere around $3000. And nervously, he allowed it. But in exchange, he's making me play the lead role in this feature length movie. So the next couple months of my life are going to spent doing that. Gilchrist: It was originally a short, right? And you were supposed to play a supporting role. Renley: It was never a short. I was told it was a short. They lied to me. Bastards. Yes, they knew this all along. Gilchrist: Oh, wow. What bastards! Renley: Exactly. Toby's pretty professional when it comes to shooting. Lots of expensive equipment. He seems to know what he's doing. I feel myself becoming more dedicated to the part as it goes on. It's a ton of work... very emotional stuff. But that's actually what I like. Gilchrist: What's the difference between working on this movie and working with Jay? Renley: Much much different ways of directing. Neither way being bad though...just different. Gilchrist: How so? Renley: I'm more restricted with this movie. My character is pretty defined. There's not a whole lot of room to move. But in this one my situations are way different than anything from BSC. It's different, but I'm enjoying it. Gilchrist: Would you see yourself doing drama in the future? Renley: Yeah, definitely. I like it actually. Too much for my own good. Gilchrist: More than comedy? Renley: I like them both for different reasons. I'm better at drama. I wish I wasn't, but I am. I don't have the timing needed for comedy. Gilchrist: You would say that? Renley: I like comedy better. But looking at my own skills, I can do drama better. I do love comedy. Just wish I didn't suck. Gilchrist: You wouldn't think you sucked if you actually watched your own movies. Renley: I do, just not the bad parts. Gilchrist: You don't suck. I suck. I wish I didn't suck. Renley: I enjoy doing comedy. I really really really do. And I'm still working with it. And I'd like to continue with that genre. Gilchrist: So what have you learned from your time spent as an amateur actress? Renley: Mostly...how to work with other actors...how to listen to them...play off them...things like that. And how to take criticism and mostly direction. Gilchrist: Do you think you've grown at all as a person bring an actress? Or the opposite? Renley: Definitely. No, I've grown. It's an outlet for me really. I'm very subdued and mellow normally. And I get a chance to break free from that mold when I act. I love that. And I don't have to make excuses for why I'm that way. I'm acting. And it's actually great practice sometimes for dealing with things in life. Relationships ... break ups ... things like that. Gilchrist: What are your plans for the near future? Renley: Graduate. Move. Start looking for something to do. I guess I mean...start looking for a part, or just some kind of acting experience. I mean I've been acting, but really get serious with it now. Perfect things. And take it anywhere other than Madison, Wisconsin. But I'm not running from anything. I'm running to something. Too many people are moving these days. Gilchrist: If everything went perfectly, what would you wind up doing? Renley: I'd star in a movie with Johnny Depp and Rich Evans. It'd be an epic. It'd be a huge collaboration effort amongst these 3 directors ... Garrett Gilchrist, Mike Stoklasa, and Jay Bauman. And there would be a slumber party afterwards. If everything went perfectly, I'd be acting in something that I was proud of. It doesn't have to be a big budget though...just something I can really sink my teeth in. Gilchrist: Something good. Renley: Yup. Gilchrist: How do you want people, eventually, to remember you? Renley: It's ok if they don't remember me. I want to be a positive influence though .... like Christina Aguilera. I don't know. I still haven't figured this life thing out quite yet. Gilchrist: Please don't be Christina Aguilera. Promise me Lisa. Renley: I can't do that. I just can't. Gilchrist: Then will you sing for me? Renley: I'll think about it. Gilchrist: I want to get hit by a train. Renley: I want you to get hit by a train. We're insane. You must tell them that John Brugmann took over for part of the interview. If there's something that offends somebody, it was him. Gilchrist: (laughs) As usual. Any final words? Renley: Okay, Brugmann wanted me to say something at the end of my interview here. I think it's stupid personally, but I promised him. He thinks there's too much tension right now amongst amateur comedy groups. And he just really wants everyone to get along and have a slumber party together. Like I said, it's stupid. But I promised him. There ... I said it. I hope he's happy. Oh, and he also has this idea for the end of Gorilla Interrupted. He thinks that Mike Stoklasa and Rich Evans should have to kiss. I think he said something about Garrett and David Ashe too. Gilchrist: I ain't kissing David Ashe. Renley: I'm not sure....something like that. So yeah, someone forward that idea along to Mike. That's it. Gilchrist: That wasn't exactly philosophical. But it works. Renley: I'm not philosphical. Gilchrist: Where am I? Renley: I can't help you. I'm lost as well. The only thing that is certain in my mind is that I was the director of Where's Deathlist. That was me. Gilchrist: I still can't believe you can't watch your scenes in Pervert. Renley: You wouldn't be able to either. Gilchrist: Watch them! Thanks for all your time. Renley: No prob. Oh, and one more thing ... I'm pregnant. And I don't know who the father is. That is all. Gilchrist: What the shit? You can order lots of Lisa's past work for the price of a blank tape, at www.blancscreencinema.com.