Interview with Angela Dixon, the star of Howard J. Ford's 'Never Let Go'.

I had always wanted to be an actor growing up but I didn’t really think that it could be more than a dream. Then, at the age of 16, I played the part of Barbara Allen in ‘Dark of the Moon’ at college and it appeared that I had some talent. At that point it started to become a reality for me.

indieactivity: Did you study acting?
Angela: I studied drama at college, University and finally I went to drama school. So all in all I studied drama and acting for 6 years. Although the real learning starts when you are actually on the job. Once out in the real world I was lucky enough to have a mentor in the form of the late Stefan Gryff. I worked with him for 8 years in his one to one screen acting tutorials. He was a huge supporter of my work, he gave brutal feedback and genuine praise in equal measure. I don’t think I would be still acting if it wasn’t for him.

indieactivity: What acting technique do you use?
Angela: I am a visceral actor so I like to involve all my senses. Acting is not a cerebral exercise for me although a lot of preparation, planning and thought goes into my work. I guess I’m more method than anything else. I was first introduced to Stanislavsky when I was 16 and his methods still form the foundation of my technique. I also do a lot of improvisational work outside of film which means that I have developed a very fine tuned reactional muscle which keeps you real and live in any interactions.

indieactivity: You are experienced. How much work: creative, energy of focus do you put into your scenes?
Angela: I give 200% and more. Which is not always a good thing for my health and well-being. It can create intense stress levels and set up excessively high expectations. I wouldn’t have it any other way though. Why bother to do anything if you are not going to give it your all?!

indieactivity: You have worked on: Offensive, Never Let Go, A Dark Reflection, The Warehouse, Dead End, 31 North 62 East, Sofia’s Diary. How has each impacted your work as an actor and career?
Angela: It is hard to quantify. The reality is that each one is a building block. You make discoveries as an actor, succeed / fail hopefully learn from both. You meet people, make connections and so your network grows. Most of my work has been through the network rather than the more official route of agents and casting directors.

indieactivity: How does the work you do on one show say “Never Let Go” compare to, say “Offensive”?
Angela: The principles of working are exactly the same. I applied the same level of detail to my role in ‘Offensive’ as I did on ‘Never Let Go’. The difference is the character arch is shorter and the pressure is less because I didn’t have the responsibility of carrying the story. They were very different characters.

indieactivity: Let’s take “Never Let Go”, for example, how did you prepare for such a role: the cast, the physicality, the terrain, the climate, weather and the demands of the film?
Angela: The first thing I do is read the script several times and identify the clues that the script gives me in terms of who my character is. What are the facts relating to their upbringing, history, modus operandi? What do they actually do in the script, what do others say about them? It’s a little like detective work and then the rest is pure story telling filling in all the gaps using my imagination and my own personal experiences to build a detailed real character.

Angela Dixon as Lisa Brennnan Never Let Go_Gun

indieactivity: When you shot “Never Let Go” How do you create that character from a script into a person?
Angela: Once I’ve done all of the above I then map various specific personal experiences and references to give depth and detail to everything my character says or does. I will have a whole narrative running underneath the actual lines as to what is really going on.

So what you see on screen is not the plot but a whole living breathing real person – if I’ve done my job well enough. Most of the time what we say is not what we mean. The camera is great at picking up what is not said – that’s where the real story lies. It’s not true that an actor should do nothing on screen. You must be alive, thinking and feeling specific thoughts and emotions for the duration of the scene.

indieactivity: How do you stay fresh on a set like Offensive?
Angela: Some actors laugh and joke in between takes. I can’t do that, although I understand different people have different routes to creativity. Consequently, I am not as playful as I am usually on set especially if there is an intense or an emotional scene. I will stay in character all day if I have to which will mean I have to take myself off to a quiet corner. Sometimes people worry about me because they think I am upset. I’m not upset I’m just working and making sure that the end product is as good as it can be. With Lisa Brennan in ‘Never Let Go’ she was with me for months before and after filming.

indieactivity: Explain one creative choice you took on set?
Angela: Acting is a continual process of making creative choices and the best choices are the ones that have the most risk attached to them. In “Never Let Go” I played against the script a lot in order to bring out Lisa’s vulnerability. It’s hard to make a woman in such a heightened state of anxiety likeable. So if you take the first telephone scene with Clarke.

I could have played it that she is angry with him which is what the script suggests, but if you take my objective of that scene “to make you love me and our child” I had to say the same words in a way that would keep him onside and give my character what she needs. I needed the audience on my side otherwise they wouldn’t go on that journey with me. These were all conscious choices.

indieactivity: Describe a memorable character you played?
Angela: Lisa Brennan (Never Let Go) is the most memorable character for me. I don’t want to look back – it’s forward all the way!

indieactivity: What do you want most from a director?
Angela: I want a director to talk to me as an adult (many people like to infantilize actors). I like them to collaborate with me, be clear about their vision and what they want at the same time, being open to what I have to offer and trusting my ability as an actor. Above all I need to trust in them and be trusted by them.

indieactivity: What actors do you long to work with?
Angela: I love Patricia Arquette in “Beyond Rangoon” – it inspired me to travel to Myanmar when Aung San Suu Kyi was still under house arrest, Jessica Lange in “Francess”, Robin Wright in “Wonder Woman”, Glenn Close & Meryl Streep in just about everything – the list is endless – wouldn’t it be amazing to work alongside them?

Angela Dixon as Lisa Brennnan Never Let Go_Gun

indieactivity: Why?
Angela: What they all have in common is edge, intelligence, emotional truth and blinding talent.

indieactivity: What advice would you give to actors?
Angela: If it’s not essential for you to act, don’t do it, there’s a lot of heartache, sacrifice and rejection. If you must act then apply to the top 5 drama schools and keep trying until you get in. They open doors. Find a way to keep positive through the rejection because if you think you’re not worthy you won’t work. Be resilient, be proactive and build networks of people within the industry who you respect and like. And remember networking is not about what you can get from others it’s about what you can do for others. Be generous.

indieactivity: Briefly write about your career?
Angela: The truth is that my role in “Never Let Go” is the pinnacle of my career so far and what I want is to build on that. I have worked in the theatre and in film but I made a choice twelve years ago to focus on building a portfolio of film work. I worked on student films to start with then built a network of contacts within independent film. I made some terrible choices and had some successes to – all of it was a learning experience that brought me ever closer to the opportunity of playing Lisa Brennan. I am ready for the next amazing opportunity.