Marc, how did you find your way into the realm of filmmaking?

I graduated from the school of hard knocks, that’s how my father would put it. I became a Jack-of-all-trades and a master of none, a Primordial soup for the makings of an independent filmmaker, which by the way is no walk in the park; until you try it yourself, you’d never know how much goes into making a film.

I’ve logged over two decades as a filmmaker, which means I now have a body of work that I can look back on, transporting me to a specific time and place in my career and in the history of my life. It’s both challenging and rewarding. I like the sound of that, so I’ll keep at it for a while longer.

How long have you been participating in the 48 Hour Film Project? What are the steps you take in the process to make the best possible film within the constraints of the challenge?

The 48 ages you, causes gray hair, elbow wrinkles, takes years off your life, it’s brutal, unforgiving, and I enjoy every minute of it. So you’d think I would’ve learned better by now, but I’ve been competing in the 48 Hour Film Project since 2011. Assemble the team first, both cast and crew. They’re invaluable, so you need to encourage them, empower them, and feed them–a happy belly is a happy team. The 48 has a list of rules and restrictions, but I’d add: Having fun should be the priority, and pay no mind to whether you think your film is good or not, just finish your film and turn it in on time.  

As team leader, DP, and one of the producers, you are the driving force behind the success of ConspiraTOURS.
What are your tips for putting a good team together?

You take no for an answer. Film industry professionals already know what the 48 entails. For example, if an incredibly talented SAG actor such as Mary Rachel Quinn agrees to be on your team, they either share your passion for what’s possible or they owe you a very, very big favor. I ran out of favors years ago, maybe that’s a good thing. Evan is a talented writer/director who has been on my team for almost a decade. Each and every year, I always have to beg him to be on my team, and as our friendship has grown, the number of days that he takes to reluctantly acknowledge and finally agree to my request is now down to only a week or two.

How did the Hillsborough Lodge become a possible location for this year’s film?

It’s not what you know, it’s who you know that happens to have a constant overview of everything that is happening in your town. And I know Shaun Drinkard, a friend who happened to be president of the Tampa Downtown Partnership. Shaun introduced me to Mike Huster, a Freemason at The Lodge in downtown Tampa. Next thing you know, Mike was giving me a personal guided tour of The Lodge. It was love at first sight, I fell hard for that place, and Mike practically had to drag me out so he could return to his work. These kind of locations never happen, never, unless they do, and this time it did.

What were the special challenges/considerations you encountered with a location like this–HQ of a secret brotherhood??? Seems like you built a trusting relationship between the Freemasons and your team.

Freemasons have such a rich history, and the Lodge is in the National Register of Historic Places, so this was more than just a take your shoes off at the door situation. You can feel and smell the history when you walk in the door, a time capsule of almost a century of care and preservation. From our conversations they knew we’d be considerate and respectful, so much so, that it convinced two Freemasons to actually become part of our team. So now we had two members of our team who were native to that environment, they talked the talk, they knew what was and what was not, they were the real deal.

How do this year’s wins make you feel? And what are the next steps for this film?

Should I buy lottery tickets, go play poker in Vegas, start doing daredevil stunts? — for one minute, I’m feeling lucky.  I obviously did not do this alone, it was only possible because of my team. I had no idea how long it would be, how many 48s it would take. My record shows you will likely fail more than you succeed, but with some luck, it is possible you could end up finally creating some movie magic, and I think we did. I hope our film is enjoyed many times, and if we were to be really lucky, our film would help unravel the conspiracies surrounding the Freemasons.

Evan, tell us about your work, hobbies, and passions related to film.

When not working on issues like the national debt, the solution to world hunger and finding the cure for hair loss I spend most of my time as a commercial photographer and video production professional. I work on advertising and corporate media for local and international clients. I enjoy woodworking, landscaping my yard and waiting for my kids to fall asleep for the day. 

What is the history of your involvement with this 48 Hour team?

I first met Marc when he was my competitor at a 48 Hour event long ago. The bitter rivalry became too intense and we knew we had to either join forces or destroy one another. Our whole team is a collection of the best and brightest in our respective circles that we enjoy working with in the professional world as well.

How do you feel about winning Best Film, Best Director, Best Writer and three other awards in the Tampa competition?

The awards we took home were very exciting, especially Audience Choice, and we have won many of these awards in the past.
The Writing award definitely is only half mine–the cast improvised so much of the script that they deserve as much credit as I do, especially Mary Rachel who is an unstoppable force of creativity. It’s an honor to have been awarded Best Director and I was sure that it would be our last award of the night. Winning Best Film has been a dream for a long time and finally earning it after all these years was humbling, to say the least.

What are your visions and hopes for the future as a director and writer?

I made the choice at a young age to stop pursuing filmmaking as a career. It wasn’t for me. I am now actively involved in the film community strictly as a hobby and I am thrilled to see something that was done just for fun reach an international level of competition.

So, what’s next for you?

I don’t know about you, but I smell a series…

Mary Rachel, tell us about your exciting career as an actor, teacher, producer, writer, and director.

For the past 30 years, I have been lucky enough to be a professional actor with a focus on film and television. I have portrayed roles in feature films such as Nicholas Sparks’ Dear John starring Amanda Seyfriend and Channing Tatum; Bloodline featuring Kyle Chandler and Sissy Spacek; LBJ directed by Rob Reiner and starring Woody Harrelson; Fantastic Four with Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan; Trial By Fire with Laura Dern; Confirmation starring Kerry Washington; and more.

In recent years, I have appeared as everything from a disapproving mother (Doctor Cynthia Thornton) in Netflix’s Outer Banks to a zombified truck driver in AMC’s Fear of the Walking Dead. 

I also look forward to weeknights where I get the opportunity to teach improv to aspiring actors, corporate climbers looking for confidence, and those who are just looking to laugh more. 

I always say that if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. This is why 15 years ago I jumped to the other side of the camera to produce, write, and direct various award-winning short films and documentaries outside of my successful acting career. 

What is the history of your involvement with this 48 Hour team?

Almost every year, two superheroes of filmmaking unite. If you’re lucky enough to be invited, you’re a part of the fabulous work that Marc Dahl and Evan Smith create. We have been making movie magic together for several years, and each year just keeps getting better–this was the best yet.

I’ve been on sets consisting of a cast and crew of just three people to thousands. Every time you step onto Marc and Evan’s set, which even rivals large studio productions, you can expect the best of everyone to shine brilliantly. That’s their magic. I’m a huge fan and a very grateful friend.

With the SAG-AFTRA strike in full swing during this production, what has it meant to you to be part of this project? 

No matter who you are or what you’ve accomplished, in the entertainment industry you hear a lot of “no’s.” ConspiraTOURS reminds me of the importance of persistence and never giving up on what fuels you. The amalgamation of this team and the beautiful outcome of this project have reminded me that you never know what might be right around the corner.

As a loyal SAG member of 30 years, I am grateful that the Screen Actors Guild cleared me to join the production of ConspiraTOURS. Despite our Unions’ necessary strike, creativity still wins. ConspiraTOURS reignited that flame within which reminds me that I’m right where I’m meant to be.

Tell us about the character of Abigail Hofacker. You’d mentioned you had always wanted to play a part like this. 

My idols are comedic legend Carol Burnett and Diana Rigg who played Emma Peel on The Avengers. The great part of working on a 48 Hour Film Project is the collaborative work that comes along with it. I worked with our team to create the combination of both of my idols to, in turn, birth Abigail Hofacker. This was sweetened by Evan’s perfect script and his invitation to improvise. What a blast!

How do you feel about winning Best Actress and Best Voiceover in addition to the other awards?

It feels absolutely delightful! What an honor to be awarded the accolades presented by The 48 Hour Film Project. Although this is a huge milestone for the team and the film, we are confident that this is just the beginning of where ConspiraTOURS will take us. I am so happy that Marc, Evan and the team are receiving their well-deserved flowers. 

So what is next for you, in addition to a trip to Portugal and an exciting festival run for this film?

As an actor and creator, it has been a career-long goal to perfect the art of comedy. Filmmakers far and wide agree that funny shows and films are far more difficult to deliver because not all humor is relatable – it’s subjective. Though I have sincerely enjoyed all of the amazing dramatic projects I have worked on in the past, the metaphorical toe that has been dipped into the comedic genre has become a full body submersion. The outward and inward success that is ConspiraTOURS has given me the confidence to pursue being a part of more hilarious projects in the very near future. 

As for my own projects, Crescent Lake is an episodic comedy I am writing that covers everything from divorce to pickleball and finding support in the most unlikely of places and people. The vision is a Dodgeball meets Bridesmaids with a twist of Anchorman.

Other projects include The Factory, a multi genre multifaceted collaborative piece in my hometown, St. Petersburg, FL; 1038, a paranormal documentary about the last of the wealthy eccentric Lee Family, in post-production; and A Peaceful Warrior, an observational documentary about Florida attorney Richard Watts, in post-production.

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