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Rolling With The Punches in "Savage Instinct" part 1

© Lory-Michael Ringuette

Actors must keep an open mind about unusual roles that come along. Some years ago, after weeks without a solid lead or an agent's call, I happened upon an intriguing classified ad in the Sunday Paper. It was asking for "tough types" to read for a low-budget 35mm action feature. Since my previous credits included such roles as a country sheriff, a chronic gambler and even a murderous zombie, I thought, "Why not a tough guy?"

I arrived at the audition site, an empty warehouse/office building about 15 minutes early of the 10 am call. It was locked tight and so quiet that I double-checked the address. It was the right place but no one else had arrived yet. A few minutes later several cars pulled up and the casting crew made its entrance, rushing in and out with chairs and even a movie poster for the wall. Before my eyes, a makeshift reception area was set up.

Meanwhile, would-be stars and starlets were lining up. Cattle calls generally bring out hundreds of young hopefuls who are dressed to kill, but not literally, like this bunch. At first it seemed like a police lineup, but after a few minutes of friendly investigative chatting it became clear these were just your average folks who happened to look like they belonged on "America's Most Wanted".

While waiting I passed the time reading credits on the poster that had just been hung a few minutes before. It was for the feature Kill Squad (1980), produced and directed by San Jose, CA filmmaker Patrick Donahue, who was now ready to tackle his second theatrical venture, Savage Instinct.

At last my turn came. I was led to an empty back room where Donahue was conducting interviews himself. He came across as a low-key, regular guy with whom I immediately felt at ease. I read for a bit part as a drug dealer. Things seemed to go well, but there had been times in the past when I felt good about an audition and walked away with nothing. Sometimes it's just a matter of whether or not you fit an image in the casting director's head. In other words, luck.

More then two weeks slipped by without a word from Donahue's New Gold Productions. As far as I knew, things hadn't panned out, and so the never-ending quest for work continued. Then a few days later came an unexpected call. An unfamiliar woman's voice on the other end of the line said simply, "production meeting tomorrow, 10 a.m." Since I had interviewed for several other projects during the past two weeks, the call caught me by surprise. After a moment of dumbfounded silence I replied, "Ah, have I been cast in something?" I later found out that most of the cast had heard about their roles for the first time that night as well.

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