‘Seriously Red’ (SXSW 2022) Interview With Writer/Actor Krew Boylan And Actor Daniel Webber

Gracie Otto’s comedy-drama film, Seriously Red, had its premiere at SXSW on 13th March to much critical acclaim. Funny, heartwarming, and delightful, it’s a fantastic film that tells a classic story in a new and unique way. 

I had the opportunity to check out the film a little early, and I sat down with writer/actor Krew Boylan and actor Daniel Webber for a short chat about the film. From how you get into the zone for these roles, to our dream tribute performance, here’s my conversation with the two talents. 

Introductions

Sarah Taylor: How are you guys?

Daniel Webber: Good. Very good. Yeah, really good. We’re kind of both recovering a little bit. We had our premiere last night.

ST: How did it go?

Krew Boylan: It was really fun.

DW: It was brilliant, yeah.

KB: It was the first time we, [or rather] our film was in front of an audience, so we were like really —

DWl: A little bit nervous.

KB: Deeply nervous, honored that they were there and gonna watch our movie for the first time. It was sort of like, felt like the naming of a child or the version of the child and the christening or something. I don’t know, but yeah, it was fun. 

Production of Seriously Red

ST: The film was so much fun to watch and it just made me smile. It made me laugh, made me cry. It’s a fantastic film to watch. It has this fun energy while you are watching it. What was it like making the film? Did you have that energy as well?

KB: Yeah, it really did. And that’s so nice that you feel like it translated because … it’s really rare sometimes in this industry where that everybody’s [energy. T]he synergy is the same and everybody has this same energy and drive and to tell this story and the whole cast and crew were just on the ride and ready to just —

DW: So on board!

KB: Yeah. [E]xplode with everyone’s own personal creativity ’cause everyone’s, you know, everyone’s creative if you’re making a film.

DW: And I think we shot through COVID, essentially, and nobody had been working for 6-7 months. There was just so much [excitement. E]verybody was so excited to get back to work and not just work, but work on something that was really beautiful. We all felt something, there was something really nice here that we could dig into. But there was so much, I think some people had so much to give, which is rare. I think we all appreciated work a lot more maybe even than we did in the past, just because we hadn’t been able to do it.

“Research”

ST: How much did you guys know about the world of tribute acts and impersonators before making this film? Was that something you were aware of?

KB: Well, I was pretty aware I was, I mean, yeah, I’d done a lot of research. I’d been to Vegas to watch a bunch of tribute performers and to have a chat and to try and make sure that I was doing the world some sort of justice and that I understood what I was writing about. But I also grew up dancing and singing and acting and kind of part of like a dance troupe as a kid and that did give me a little bit of insight just because we did travel a little bit. We did see different tribute shows along the way. Also, some of those people that I grew up with would go on to do musicals and tribute shows and the whole gamut of dance on cruise ships and all the different varieties of theater, entertainment. I had a pretty good idea of what it is. And then also what I wanted to write about that sort of subculture. 

DW: It was pretty new. I mean,I’d also done Vegas, but for some reason, it just didn’t really land on me. I think I just thought they almost did it as a hobby more than a profession. And then you dig into it and it is a culture that they can really be successful at. And that was really surprising to me. I didn’t realize — and it makes sense — if you can’t get Elton John, you get the next best thing for your event is and they pay them handsomely. Obviously, it’s probably the top 1% that actually get paid really well, but no. I thought it was a really interesting sort of subculture, such a unique world we haven’t seen on screen before. So that was quite exciting to dive into.

Preparations

ST: How do you prepare for this role? Did you try your hand at any tribute performances yourself?

DW: I didn’t have time. I came on — I had two weeks before the cameras were rolling, so I definitely didn’t have time to do that. Maybe we’ll do it a Dolly and Kenny act, something Vegas. 

ST: Did you have your own personal playlists while you were filming? Music to get you in the zone? And if so, what was on your playlists?

KB: I did. I had the whole soundtrack, the whole wishlist. What did I play? I mean, my favorite is — “Jolene” is definitely one of my top Dolly [Parton] songs. And what do I love of Kenny? I love heaps of Kenny. 

DW: I was kind of the same. I mean, the soundtrack to play is the one in the movie. It’s just one that informs you [of] the energy and the mood and the pace and [the] vibrancy of the film. [O]bviously what a lot of Kenny. A hell of a lot of Kenny. (To Krew) Then I also found you gave me a great one. I listened to a lot of the Teskey Brothers while I was up there. A bit of a bluesy vibe, country.

Let’s Have Fun Here

ST: If you could be a professional impersonator for one day — not Dolly or Kenny — who would you be and why? 

DW: That’s tough. Actually, my first thought was that Elvis would be fun. Yeah. He would be just so much fun to do. There’s so much to work off and those outfits are incredible. I don’t know if that’s my person but…

KB: Who would I be? Gosh, for one day. Well, that’s such a good question. I need to think about that. Maybe someone with great outfits and fashion, maybe…

DW: Would they be like you or completely different?

KB: Totally different. It’d be really different. Oh, can you leave that? I have to come back to that. I love, wanna think about that all day. Like there’s different lives I’d like to like explore.

DW: It’s funny ’cause that is our job as well. In some ways. I mean, obviously, we’re not music [artists]; we’re not around singing all the time, but that’s kind of what we do. And that’s what [is] bizarre about this film — sort of acting out in its meta way, our own lives putting on characters. 

Actors Playing Impersonators Impersonating Persons

ST: Was that a strange experience to be you acting as someone acting as someone else? 

KB: [It] was a bit weird. (To Daniel) It wasn’t weird for me, but was it for you? 

DW: Yeah. I, at first, saw [that] it was like a judgment almost on my whole life. Like, “Oh my God, I’m this guy.” I do play a little character and I did [have] a crisis of identity. Like, “Who am I? What am I? Do I exist? What is this?”

How They Learned to Perfect the Craft

ST: Yeah. Oh, well, yeah. I imagined as I was watching it, I was like, how do you get into this zone of being someone within someone else?

KB: Do you know what though? I mean, when you’re really consciously [imitating] an artist trying to consciously do that, it takes you a minute, but we do it all day. We are putting on slightly different versions of ourselves, or really consciously trying to be not yourself and more like someone else, especially in this world of social media and filters and touchups and fashion and getting a bigger butt or different lips, cheek[s, etc.] So it’s not as far to reach as you know.

DW: Lke [Krew] said, when you’re sort of honing in on something, you’re looking at specifics, [for example] how do they talk? How do they walk? What seems to be their emotional center or base, and how do they operate through the world? Once you hone in on those things, it’s like anything. It’s rehearsal, it’s exploration. 

Seriously Red at SXSW

Are you in Texas? Are you partying hard and enjoying yourselves or just relaxing or are you busy? 

DW: Still pretty busy!

KW: We’ve been pretty busy, but it’s so nice. To be around people and have a community spirit and appreciate being next to another human being and not having a mask [on]. And we — through the joys of life, despite what else is happening in the world — it’s nice to have [the] joy to remember that we’re all human to then push on and with the struggles and the heartbreak that’s happening. I’m very conscious that I’m personally very conscious that I’m having a really nice moment and that there [are] a lot of other destructive things happening. It is very lovely to be able to sit next to people and have a laugh. 

Seriously Red is definitely a bright spark in a world that is not a great place at the moment and brings a sense of joy and entertainment that is definitely needed. With an amazing soundtrack, a beautiful story, and fantastic actors, it’s not only a piece of art but a truly enjoyable experience.