Interview: Allison Powell Delivers a Sincere Female Teen Sex Comedy

Allison Powell amused audiences with the recent World Premiere of her coming-of-age female sexuality indie comedy film Banging Lanie. Hailing from North Carolina, Allison studied theater and pursued film acting in Los Angeles. She ascended through the indie scene as writer and star of the short film Black Widow: Origins, which received wide appraisal and toured the country with Geek Film Fest.

Allison invested herself in her local community theater in Raleigh, North Carolina during her early years. By the age of 10, she played Roo in Winnie the Pooh, one of her first acting roles. In addition to gaining momentum with Black Widow: Origins as she progressed through her career, she has also made appearances in numerous indie films, most notable of which is the LA Film Festival favorite, The Axe Murders of Villisca.

Most recently, Allison garnered attention for Banging Lanie, which served as her first directorial effort. She also wrote and starred in the film, as well as co-produced the project with Lauren C. Brooks. The story follows Lanie, an intelligent high school senior, who discovers that she is not meeting all the requirements in the hierarchy of needs. Determined to succeed, Lanie applies her scientific knowledge to dating, but eventually realizes that sexuality is much more than just physical touch.

Banging Lanie made its World Premiere in March at the Las Cruces International Film Festival, the same city in which it was filmed. After receiving an overwhelmingly positive response and impressive acclamation from audiences at the festival, Allison plans to take Banging Lanie back out on the festival circuit once it restarts after the unprecedented pandemic shutdown.

indieactivity : How did you get into the business?
Allison Powell : I’ve always loved performing and spent a large portion of my childhood and adolescence at the local community theater in Raleigh, North Carolina.  One of my first roles was Roo in the Winnie the Pooh when I was ten. Being able to let go of the worries of the day and step into another character’s problems made me fall even more in love with performing as I grew older.  I eventually majored in Theater and moved to LA to pursue film acting…..which is where I fell backwards into filmmaking.

indieactivity : What made you want to create your own projects?
Allison Powell : The actor’s life is hard–you give up a lot of creative control and end up practically begging for an audition. I wanted to play roles I saw myself playing, which were not the roles I was being called in for. Making my first “big” short Black Widow: Origins was a chance to show off my strength and depth. Most roles I played before were typically victims or naive students. I totally fell in love with the ability to control the story being told on screen and shared with the world. I continue to act, but I have also fully embraced producing and directing as creative outlets and jobs.

indieactivity : Briefly explain the story of Banging Lanie?
Allison Powell : Banging Lanie is the story of Lanie, a High School senior who suddenly discovers that she isn’t meeting all the requirements laid out in the hierarchy of needs. Believing her scientific knowledge can be applied to dating, she makes a plan to change that — by sleeping with her first crush. What she encounters is that friendship and connection are about much more than physical touch.

indieactivity : Where did you find the inspiration for this idea?
Allison Powell : I was inspired while talking about past relationships and realizing that my dating life was a) pretty non-existent, and b) hilarious. A lot of the awkward moments in the film are taken from my own personal experience from entering the dating world at an older age.

indieactivity : What were the first steps you took to make it happen?
Allison Powell : Writing it. Everything comes from the script. Without the story and vision, nothing gets done. Once I had a rough draft, I asked for notes from a few trusted friends and made tweaks before hosting my first table read. That’s where I learned the most about the script, what the problems were, and also how much people related to it. Once the script was in a good place it was all about finding the perfect team to help me execute the idea.

indieactivity : Anything you wish you could “do-over” on the project?
Allison Powell : Dealing with some production issues I lost sight of taking care of my actors in the way I should have. I know that not all of them had the best experience on set. I would like to go back and check in with them more often, make sure they are happy, comfortable, and feel part of the team.

indieactivity : What can you tell us about your crowdfunding experience?
Allison Powell : Have a team with you! Crowdfunding is essentially a mini production in and of itself. There are producers who ONLY worked on the crowdfunding campaign and helped raise funds in a major way. Crowdfunding is a viable way to fund a project, but you have to be willing to put in the hard work to create a solid campaign, build a good team around you, and do the grunt work of getting the word out there about your project.

indieactivity : How do you balance both acting and creating?
Allison Powell : It’s tough sometimes to find the balance. Now, when I’m approached about producing a project, I’ll look over the roles and see if there are any I am right for or could play (and I will always offer to audition to prove I’m a good choice!). If there aren’t, it doesn’t mean I won’t produce the piece, but it’s a huge incentive.

Plus, if I end up playing a role, I will either not pay myself as an actor the day(s) I’m filming, or offer a reduction in my producing rates, depending on the size of the role. Coming to filmmaking from “in front” of the camera does give me tons of advantages though: I know some of the best working actors in LA and can get them to audition, I run casting sessions in a way that allows actors to feel the most comfortable, and I read scripts with a strong eye on characters and objectives. But long story short–if there is a project I’m creating myself, it will be one in which I can also perform.

indieactivity : Any tips for other actors looking to create their own projects?
Allison Powell : DO IT!!! Creating your own work is one of the most fulfilling experiences you can have as a creative person. Also, producing gives you an understanding and appreciation for how hard EVERY crew member works, what they do, and why you truly need a village to make a project happen. Start small–film scenes with a few friends on your phone. Buy snacks for everyone, hire someone to film it (still on your phone) and play around with cutting it together. You’ll see why you need a sound person, a production designer, an assistant director, and you’ll be out around $100. Filmmaking is basically the same steps at any level, so spend less and learn from your mistakes, rather than going all in and not being satisfied with a project you spent several thousand on.

indieactivity : What do you want to change about the film business?
Allison Powell : Obviously I’d love to see more diverse filmmakers getting funding and opportunities to make films. But I’d also love it to be easier for actors to create their own work. Actors are storytellers at heart and have so much wisdom to share with the world, yet SAG-AFTRA makes it difficult for actors to make their own independent films. All feature films that are SAG must pay their actors–even if the actor is also producing, director and/or writing (or any combination thereof!). That means that an actor who wants to put their rate on screen (or bump their production budget at all by forgoing a day rate) can’t make that choice. Ultimately, all artists should be paid a living wage, but you should also be able to choose to put your salary towards other needs in the film.

indieactivity : Who is your creative idol and what do you love about their work?
Allison Powell : I’ve always admired Jodie Foster. From a young age she took roles that interested and challenged her. Her poise after so many years in the public eye is inspiring. Plus, she also felt the creative calling to do more in her career and began to direct and produce stories that she felt were important to be told. I’ve always felt that being a storyteller is one of the most important jobs in the world. Stories are how we define everything in society and the more stories we see and hear from perspectives different from our own, the more understanding we have of others. Jodie Foster embodies that idea in her work.

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