Wednesday, April 22, 2009

The Colonel returns to Television

Unfortunately due to being on a mission. I was unable to alert people to the fact that once again I have appeared on national television on one of John Vaughan's short films.

My previous role in Valour garnered much attention and I regret not having the chance to milk it again in time for the television premiere for Easter Monday, April 13th. However, all is not lost: because from now until May 5th, John Vaughan's My Dad is being streamed on the new RTE Player service and you can watch it right there now!

My Dad is the story of a Ryan a young laddie who writes an essay about his hero who happens to be his father and in doing so discovers that heroes may not be as they seem... It stars Michael Liebman [Omagh] , Dave Duffy [Fair City], Jonathan Ryan [The Tudors] and of course, me!

The following is an excerpt from EMPIRE last year because I don't have time to write anything about the movie myself.

Empire:- Lt. Colonel Creedon, this is your second cameo appearance on international screens. What was it like to go to the film set again?

Creedon
:-
Let's say "supporting actor" this time, they don't give awards for cameos really and my performance almost won the movie an award, but I'll get back to that. The experience of the set? Oh that was amazing, even better than the first time - it really is like a perfectly executed military operation, everyone knows their skills and assigned jobs and they do them. From the director who is like a General all the way down to an extra who'd be the private or dumbass civilian in the crossfire [Laughter]. It's very strange to be in a situation where I'm not the most knowledgeable or professional person present, it's exciting when you have no idea of the plan.

Empire:-
No idea? But didn't you read the script?

Creedon
:-
Hell no! Only my scenes [Laughter]. No sense in reading too much. Scripts are like books, there's no pictures or diagrams and they're too long. Besides, I wouldn't have wanted to spoil the ending [Laughter].


Empire:-
This time, somewhat bizarrely - you're not playing a member of a military force? How is it possible that you could "be" someone else convincingly?

Creedon
:-
Well obviously I've been on clandestine operations posing as someone else, but this experience is quite different. It appears I'm more prolific and even more talented then I - nay, than anyone thought possible. Vaughan cast me in the role not actually because of my extraordinary acting talent demonstrated before but instead for much the same way as he cast me if for example, when he wanted an authentic military presence for Valour; he was casting on the basis of what I know – but this time I was cast in the basis of what I don't; namely football. You see football is a daft game, I’ve never really played it properly but seeing a load of lads in shorts kicking an inflated leather sphere between each others legs is a bizarre waste of time. Such feats of athletics and training would be far better served if they joined the armed forces and volunteered to fight ragheads in Afghanistan, but that’s another argument. Now originally the script called for a corrupt referee, who feigned incompetence in return for a brown envelope, but my own "improvisation" on the field, demonstrating a total lack of football knowledge was milked by
Vaughan who changed it so that one of the other players was corrupt instead. A fascinating process.

Empire:-
What accolades have you yourself received for your performance?

Creedon
:-
Well, I was coached by Jonathan Ryan himself, who explained that the referee must project his instructions and cautions through the use of his whistle. But I really couldn't take his advice because I thought it would make me look somewhat professional and thus negate the true purpose and motivation of my character, and I'm glad I did because I'm so convincingly incompetent - that it's funny. Everyone who watches it laughs - not at me like I'm an idiot but in they way they do at Will Ferell, Jim Carrey or even Adam Sandler [although in his case I don't know why]. It was my comedic performance that was nominated for
"Best Comedy Scene" in The Action On Film Festival in Pasadena, California last year. Sadly I lost to an actual comedy film - Beach Cops and My Dad was left only with the "Best Short" award.

Empire:- As for John Vaughan - What was is like to work for a director whom the Australian film classification board branded “too tough” when rating the film?

Creedon
:-
There's no such thing as too tough when making a movie, there's only such thing as censors who are complete pussies! Yeah obviously there was a violent scene where we see a man's tongue being cut out but originally Vaughan was speculating on using some quick cuts and editing trickery to convince us that a sheep's tongue the actor would be holding was a real one. It was a good call to instead "imply" the man's tongue being cut out instead as it would have had the short banned in many countries forcing him to remove it and turning the movie into shit because other then my scene it's the best bit really. Vaughan is a wonderful director – but he’s only as good as the people he surrounds himself with. For as long I’m one of those people, he’ll always succeed.


Empire:-
Will we see more Colonel Creedon on screen, would you like to play someone more like yourself perhaps?

Creedon
:-
Hmmm, I don't know, I don't really want to walk down the road of R. Lee Ermey or Dale Dye yet. While I have the utmost respect for them I don't want to have a public perception of me as a "Movie-Marine." I'd like to juice up a few roles with "Whopperness"; bring my own idiom to a role a bit like Rob Riggle does, he's been on The Daily Show, The Office and in Stepbrothers and while he's not typecast as a military man, he infuses his performances with his own personality and military ethos and they're all the better for it. Most people who watch him don't know he's still a reserve Marine Officer - he's a Major in the USMCR. So maybe I'd follow Riggle's example before I retire then follow Ermey and Dye's footsteps [Laughter].

*Since the time that article was published Major Rob Riggle was promoted to Lt. Colonel, Congratulations Rob.

8 comments:

Civilian Overseer said...

Empire:- Lt. Colonel Creedon, this is your second cameo appearance on international screens.Empire:- Will we see more Colonel Creedon on screen, would you like to play someone more like yourself perhaps?

What's up with your rank, are you a Short Colonel or not?

Master Guns said...

The following is an excerpt from EMPIRE last yearLast year, of course when he was still an O-5. No doubt the "interviewer" was excessively coached on the protocol for addressing Creedon during the "interview". The first question serves to establish his actual rank, and this is subsequently shortened to just Colonel as it usually is in speech protocol.

C'mon, Look I hate defending the man, but it's people like you that jump the gun and destroy all the precious evidence there is against him or make it look like there's a load of people out to get him, making him increase his guard. Don't be so over-zealous. There is much time to lull him into a false sense of security - before we really strike :)

I'm really annoyed that this video isn't available outside the Emerald Isle. When will it be on the YouTubes?

Unknown said...

I heard Wossy gave this short film a much coveted "Five Mickies" on the tele the other night??

Can I ask is the Colonel turning into one of those acting queers with all this acting bullshit???

Constance said...

I went and clicked on those three actors IMDB links... why is there no mention of them having been in this film? I looked further on the IMDB. Only one mention of "My Dad" which was an independent film, but not this one. No evidence of this film at all.

I can't get to the video either... Maybe both of those "screen shots" from "the film" were 'shopped? I mean, we know how good he is at that sort of thing.

Lastly, can anyone translate for Cubaboy?

Civilian Overseer said...

Guns "People like You", please explain what people like me are like, I do so enjoy being labeled. Should I start wearing a Star of David?, We wouldn't want people like you to get confused with people like me now, would We.

Connie, Explain Cubaboy?, impossible!, the man is a poet, a slightly homophobic one granted.

Unknown said...

Sorry Constance, "Wossy" or Jonathon Ross is a film reviewer, chat show presenter, radio show presenter and bon vivant who has trouble with his 'r's, hence Wossy. On his film review show on BBC he gives a rating scale of one mickey (bad) to five mickies (good). He gave "My Dad" five mickies......??????...oh people no...not like that no no (Dick Dietrich style).

Constance said...

Oh, Jonathan Ross! I know him only because of the Ricky Gervais connection. Are you seriously telling me that Jonathan Ross:

a) saw the film
b) gave it his highest rating
and
c) said so on National Television?

That is very impressive.

Constance said...

Well if no one else is going to say it...

Author! Author!