Lara Adine Lipschitz Talks Hitting Rock Bottom And Making ‘Chin Up!’ [Interview]

If you were a kid in the 90s, you probably recognize Lara Adine Lipschitz from your TV screens (say, SABC1, every weekday afternoon). If you’re a kid of the todays though, you’ve seen her in commercials for Dstv or on stage in Jersey Boys. Basically, she’s done a lot. But the life of an actress can be tough and now Lara’s set out to show us just how difficult it can be when you hit rock bottom with the web series she’s starring in, writing and directing: Chin Up!.

AD: I hate to scratch open long-closed scabs but I guess a lot of people our age will remember you from YoTV. I actually remember you specifically from learning to drive the old K-53 in this training yard and my instructor pointing to another car and going, “There’s that girl from YoTV learning to drive in that other car over there”, and it was you. No joke. I have no idea how or why I remember that but I do.

None of that is a question, I’m sorry. Maybe instead walk us through your career up until this point. What projects have you worked on?

Lara: I started presenting on YoTV in 1998 and worked there until 2008. In that time I grew up, finished school and went to Wits to study Drama. Once I graduated in 2010, I produced and starred in my own one-woman show called My Uncle Oswald, which I put on at Wits and PoP Art in Maboneng. I then had the pleasure of performing at the National Children’s Theatre in Pippi Longstocking (yes, I have most definitely paid my dues). I then landed a featured role on SA’s favourite soap, Isidingo in 2011. I was then invited to join the South African touring cast of Jersey Boys, which gave me the opportunity to perform overseas in Singapore as well as at Monte Casino’s Teatro and Cape Town’s Artscape Theatre.

That kept me very busy for the better part of 2012. I have landed a couple of nice tv and radio commercials over the years to help pay the bills and make sure I attend regular singing and dance classes to be ready for that sudden audition. Ah, the exciting life of an actor.

 

AD: Web series aren’t exactly a popular endeavour in South Africa. It’s not like they don’t do well – just look at (sigh) Jozi Shore – but for every “series” of that “quality”, there’s a dud. Hell, I helped script one such dud for a brand at some point. It happens. With that in mind, what brought you to the idea of doing a web series?

Lara: The internet is just amazing, isn’t it? I mean it’s worldwide! And relatively free, give or take a cup of coffee at Wolves. So I chose to do a web series because its accessible on a global scale. Its helped a lot of people get discovered you know, eg, Justin Bieber or every talented child that gets seen by Ellen Degeneres.

It’s also the way entertainment has been heading for a long time and I just finally caught on. People hardly watch TV on their TVs anymore. Hey, I don’t even own one. They watch downloaded series on their laptops. People are always on their phones or laptops and can easily view a video (or ten) in between returning emails at work.

AD: You’ve also gone the extra mile here and crafted this series as something akin to Extras, but with you playing yourself. Why go that route rather than invent a character?

Lara: I started a blog about my acting career. About the day to day happenings of being an actress in Johannesburg, South Africa. My thoughts on acting and auditioning. This collection of writing was the start of my show. I took some moments from the blog and rewrote them into little screenplays.

So many hilarious and often times hard to believe things happen to me at auditions and so I just decided to start sharing my experiences. The choice of acting as myself just felt right and kind of happened naturally. I didn’t think about it too much.

AD: From what I understand, some of the stuff that happens in the series is actually based on your real experiences in the industry? How much of this is “real Lara” and how much is just amusing stuff that comes to mind?

Lara: It’s based very closely on “real Lara” experiences. I find the best and funniest moments are usually truthful. You just cant make that shit up.

AD: Tell us about your crew. Who’s working behind the scenes to make this happen?

Lara: My crew consists of Devin Toselli as the D.O.P and… that’s pretty much it. Glen Biderman-Pam helped with the writing and directing in the first episode. Richard Aaron helps with the editing. I have some kind and generous people helping me on the third and fourth episodes, which are in pre-production at the moment.

I don’t have any budget to hire crew and pay them accordingly so people are doing me some amazing favors. The first episode I didn’t even think about the sound and so we ended up recording it on a cellphone, which explains the poor sound quality. I am looking for a sound guy if anyone is keen to help.

AD: You’re writing, you’re starring, you’re even sort of directing. How much experience do you have in each of these disciplines?

Lara: I’ve been acting for many years, but the writing and directing are fairly new skills that I’m developing as I go.

 

AD: Walk us through the process of putting together an episode. Tell us how you get from Point A to Point Z on the show so far.

Lara: I usually get inspired by an awkward situation that I have recently been in, like an audition or a visit to my agent. I keep notes of conversations that I think could work in my show so that when I sit down to write up an episode I already have a collection of ideas for the dialogue. Once I have written up the first draft of the episode I start to draw up a short list of actors to invite to play certain roles. I then find the locations, source the props, write up the call sheet. Basically everything a producer, production manager, art director and casting director would do for any shoot. It takes just as much planning and organising to get things to happen.

I also watch other series and films in a similar style to get references for the D.O.P and for myself as an actor. I like to chat to the actors I have cast about their roles and the script. Bounce some ideas around and then I undoubtedly edit and re/write the script. Then I will go over to the editor and start editing the footage.

AD: How much experience do you have working in comedy productions specifically?

Lara: I studied improvisation and physical comedy at Wits, which not only gave me the edge, but also the basis for comedy performance (so lame). My one-woman show was a physical comedy performance and it is definitely a highlight of my career so far. I love making people laugh, it’s got to be the best feeling when an audience erupts with laughter and completely terrifying when they don’t. That’s what makes comedy so daunting, I guess.

I have even considered trying my hand at a little bit of stand-up comedy, but my balls haven’t dropped yet. That’s another thing about comedy. There is still the notion that women can’t be funny, even though Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are successfully breaking that stereotype. So I like to think I am, in some small way, following their lead by writing and acting in my comedy series.

AD: Where do you see this project going? Do you see your team growing? Do you want this to develop a big audience or are you doing it more as an outlet for yourself and your skills?

Lara: I see this project getting a national and international following,  getting sponsorship and funding so that I can pay my crew and hire more people to help me. I started my show as a way to take control of my career showcase myself as a comedic actor.  It’s gets tiring going to hundreds of castings without landing a role. Or worse yet, not even getting the opportunity to audition as there aren’t any roles for my “look”.

So I decided to take my career into my own hands and create a role for me, as well as my friends who are in the same boat. At the end of the day whether or not people like what I’m doing doesn’t matter. The important thing is it’s keeping me motivated and constantly working on a project that is completely my baby. I’m learning so much about writing and acting for camera, as well as editing and managing a production.

And there you have it. Lara is learning to be a fucking all-rounder – if she can do all that, why are you sitting on your ass and masturbating all day? Go make something. Follow Lara on Twitter, ‘Like’ her on Facebook and follow Chin Up!‘s progress on YouTube.