Scottish actor Joshua Duncan chatted with #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about being a part of the vertical drama industry.
How does it feel to be a part of the vertical drama industry?
Rewarding! I have a lot of gratitude for the vertical drama industry. Actors, and creatives in this space have been given opportunities never seen before. The work is consistent, and lucrative. ‘Back in the day’ (before verticals) I would argue a stereotypical Actor, graduating from drama/acting school did so with a lot of anxious thoughts.
You would pass out and think “right I need to land an agent, and then land 1 or 2 well paying shows as guest star or make a West End/Broadway appearance, and then bloody hope more success springs from that. Typically that’s like finding a needle in a haystack.
Whereas with VD’s it’s a whole new league of their own. In specific regions per month there are multiple week-long productions happening. Actors are cast and on set within 1-2 week windows, and pre-production is speedy. And indeed one project can, and does lead into the next one.
I’ve had the incredible luck to travel far and wide doing this, and I mean the very East to very West; China and then Canada, not to mention Lithuania – just phenomenal! And the people I’ve met are brilliant, connected to what they do, having a contagious enthusiasm on set, it’s pretty cool.
How was your experience filming “The Duke’s Wayward Wallflower”?
I could talk about a lot here, so many challenges within a short time frame. I’ll keep it brief. Production was outstanding! DeNoise were some of the first people I met in this industry, and I hold them in high esteem.
Yeah, they went above and beyond for this project. The locations were stunning, the period costumes, and I had about 12 of them were carefully selected, and managed by the brilliant Celine, and Anty who work in house with Denoise, were at one point undressing, and dressing me into the next costume, while I was simultaneously learning my next scene, taking in notes from the director, trying to balance on one leg for a swift change of socks to then get refitted with the mic as well as stuffing my face with a sausage roll!
Script in one hand, food in the other was Mandricks signature. This was a helluva lot of fun to shoot. High octane energy with everyone on set. There were days where extreme cold weather made my hands turn blue, and the wind called for head covers to protect the Dukes much spent time hairstyle. A huge thank you to Rebecca, and Sophie!
My co-lead Poppy in “The Duke’s Wayward Wallflower” was a joy to work with. Our chemistry grew parallel to our characters which was really cool. A larger than life laugh, she’s fiery like ‘Felicity’ compared to the icey duke, and I felt the contrast worked magic for our characters, and the story.
What did you like most about your character?
This is a convoluted character. The script is fantastic so I could draw a lot from that. Duke Mandrick. Oh ok wow, it’s great I’ve only just noticed this now! It’s in the name ‘Duke’ and ‘Man’drick; King and man. That is to say carrying out a role of a civilised man, the Duke, and also carefully revealing in the cracks of his character, his more primal, animalistic urges, the man.
Which isn’t easy, it’s about finding a real balance of statue-like aristocratic etiquette, while teetering on the edge of a powerful, subtle desire towards Felicity. Had I not been directed by the amazing Ella Grace so meticulously, Mandrick would still only be on paper. Ella comes from a theatre directing background. She goes into an atomic level of detail in nuances of character, and analysis of the script. What I love about her is the ability to offer precision and fun.
How does it feel to be an actor in the digital age? (Now with streaming, technology and social media being so prevalent)
It’s mixed. There is a thing now where it’s not about your skill, it’s about your status as well, with influencer culture driving decisions. Ok, this is nothing new, stardom has always been here but social media presence is a real thing so there sometimes feels like a need to ‘perform’ and a lot of the actual opportunities or castings are facilitated by social media.
We have a lot of agency now as actors; we can post, publish, and become our own gatekeepers essentially because of this technology. Streaming has also changed much of the status quo. Some time ago me and the boys would make a whole thing of going to the cinema to watch the new movies, and have a big feast and make an event out of it. Streaming has now reduced this so there’s that.
What is your advice for young and emerging actors?
Help other actors, and people in this space. Don’t let yourself become demoralized. I read ‘Endurance’ by Alfred Lansaing which recounts the story of Captain Shackelton’s 1914 expedition to the Antarctic. After the ship got trapped in the ice and sank his men faced many challenges. Complete horrors from starvation to hypothermia, but as leader of the crew, the thing he feared most was the demoralization of his men. Let that sink in (no pun intended) Despite rejection we’re all incredibly resilient, just keep going!
This isn’t a sole enterprise, and I would not have had the experiences I’ve had without genuine connections, friendships and support. To offer a more pragmatic answer; specificity. Find out what characters you’d fit and zero in on those.
My friend, Olivia co runs “Cast Studio” in London where the USP for actor headshots offers character guided expressions, select postures as well as costume to really capture character essence –– which is exactly what CD’s are looking for from submissions. Game changer!
What do your plans for the future include?
I have a few things going on here and there. For now, I’m just “chavin’ awa” which is Doric (Scottish) for “carrying on” and learning to take things slowly. “Slow is smooth, smooth is fast” – US Navy Seals. That’s from the film ‘Shooter’ . I have a feature film coming up this spring/summer which tackles the Faith question, and I’m also writing poetry, which I think is important.
What does the word “success” mean to you?
Success? Internal, external? Success that can be measured? Fame, Blockbuster success, celebrity status? No, I don’t look at these things as success. To put it simply, an abundant life.
What would you like to say to your fans?
Firstly, Thank you for your continued love and support, I am ecstatic at the warm and welcoming interactions I get daily. It is truly amazing to see how this genre of film making is actually bringing many people together, and nourishing a community. Not only virtually I’ll add; there are clubs, in person award events, and organized, collective meets and greets too.
Stoked that this may continue. And I’m all with you when I say I hope that we will see stories that will inspire, encourage and humor in ways we haven’t in this vertical space yet!
To learn more about Scottish actor Joshua Duncan, follow him on Instagram.
