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Interview with Gregg Corbin

Whiskey, Whiskey. The contest’s wrapping up. Jameson Whiskey always has a Canadian Film competition and I got the chance to talk to one of the many contestants Gregg Corbin about his production, Beyond The Met. His short film shows him trying to cover the inside of a bar but the bouncer doesn’t permit him. So naturally, Gregg dons some tights and prepares to face the big guy in the ring. I asked Gregg a few questions on what went into this production of his.

 

HNMAG: What inspired you to enter the competition?
Gregg Corbin: What inspired me to enter the competition was Hammer and Tong, the production company who collaborated with Jameson whiskey to put on this competition. As myself and the 2 faces of Hammer and Tong were sipping chili infused vodka in the W buildings rooftop hot tub one evening, James Kingstone turns to me and asks “so, do you want to be a director?” from that moment I was entered into the competition as one of the 9 directors.
HNMAG: Were there any challenges you came across while shooting?
Gregg Corbin: There were certainly challenges which arose while shooting. The major challenge I experienced was actually communication between the Met and I. It was difficult to coordinate with one another schedules, sometimes difficult to actually get a response from the staff I was working with, and eventually ended with the Met opting out of the project completely. This resulted in me choosing to part of the film directly outside of the Met, rather then inside, in order to keep my film alive.
HNMAG: How did you prepare yourself for the wrestling match?
Gregg Corbin: I had a strong passion for wrestling in my teen years growing up. With a little backyard wrestling under my belt I figured it couldn’t be too hard to take a couple body slams in a ring. Well It turns out little did I know, there was a lot more to a match such as match psychology and performing moves safely. I ended up joining All Star Wrestling training school in order to prepare myself properly for the match. This taught me proper technique, form, as well as bumping skills.
HNMAG: What was the best part of making the film?
Gregg Corbin: The best part about making the film was the opportunity to fulfill my childhood dream of actually getting into a real wrestling ring. I thank All Star Wrestling for this. I reached out to All Star wrestling once I began training with them, upon doing so they provided the facility, their time, as well as the ring for the shoot. I have a great deal of respect for the owners of All Star such as Nathan Burke, the trainers such as Anthony Fujimura, and the other stars of the league. They welcomed me in with open arms and I continue to train with them today.
HNMAG: Was it hard to find an actor who could wrestle with you?
Gregg Corbin: It was not hard to find the actor who could wrestle for my film. I was actually in personal training and my personal trainer happen to also be a wrestler. During our sessions at Club 16 Surrey Center, Slavko Mistric expressed he was also an aspiring actor. My opponent was literally staring me in the face 3 days a week. I know I made the right choice as Slavko ended up with the award for best supporting actor for the film Beyond The Met out of the 9.
HNMAG: How long was the shoot?
Gregg Corbin: The shoot was split up into 2 days. the first shoot was the in ring wrestling which ran about 6 hours. The second shoot was the footage outside of the Met, as well as the opening scene of the film which was shot in my bedroom. The second shoot ran about 6 hours total as well including travel time and gear set up. Hats off to Hammer and Tong who gave me the opportunity for this project, were very supportive along the way, and helped bring this film to life.

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