Kalliope Barlis - Interview
Kalliope is an award winning writer, director and producer of Kalliope’s From Fear to Freedom and bestselling author of Phobia Relief: From Fear to Freedom. As a coach, she loves helping people get over their fears and bad memories through creative visualization in order for them to gain their freedom. She was born in and grew up in New York City and gives talks and NLP trainings, internationally.
What's the absolutely necessary ingredient to be a good actor/director/screenplayer?
Here’s the most absolute ingredient to be a good Actor - Express your unspoken thoughts through non verbal behavior. This means that before your say your lines, feel the mood, think what your character is thinking and let their thoughts speak through your eyes and body.
Here’s the most absolute ingredient to be a good Director - Have fun creating different shots from different angles and use more cameras for different angles than you think you need so that you get different perspectives in the end film. And of course, film the mistakes, where the actors or people documented in a documentary laugh about stuff. People look forward to these moments at the end of a film because it makes the entire film more relatable. Laughing at our own mistakes is as human as it gets.
First and last cinematographic crush?
The Godfather was my first cinematic crush.
My Octopus Teacher was the last most recent cinematic crush.
How old you were when you decided you wanted to be a director?
Too young to mention. Lol.
I was in a classroom and remover thinking I was going to be famous for doing something special.
For you a Film is...
A film is a sequence of events that teaches us something we didn’t know before or that brings insight into our own life to make us grow. Well done, it moves us in ways we are not used to, opening us up to new possibilities within our selves. And if it makes us laugh, that’s the best.
What do you feel when you're directing?
I feel very clear, centered and concise in everything I do. Every moment counts because as I guide someone to overcome their fear, there is only one take. So everyone on set has to be tuned in. Sound, film and especially me to the person I’m guiding have to be connected. As a whole process, the person being guided to overcome their fear has the safety to do so.
You can go to the Movies with an actor/director/screenplayer that you love. What kind of movie do you choose and with who you're gonna whatch it?
I watch comedies and documentaries and I’d go with Meryl Streep.
Audrey Hepburn used to say “Nothing is Impossible”, what do you think about it?
She’s right but I believe the imposible is possible. That’s what keeps me doing what I do which is train people to get over what stops them from living the life they want.
Can you live just of your passion?
Not quite, you still need to eat and breathe. But, Passion is a motivator. It’s not the motor that gets things done. You can be passionate about what you do but you still need to do it. So passion alone does not provide the skill or the talent to complete a task. But, passion can propel a skill to complete a project with mastery.
What's more important talent or luck?
Both luck and talent are important only when combined with practicing/doing any skill. When you spend time doing something, it creates talent so that the luck will come. Luck is really being at the right place at the right time. And by practicing/doing what you love, someone will notice your talent or you’ll be in touch with an opportunity to rise you up to where you want to go.
You must go to a desert island but you can bring with you just one movie..
Best in Show. Just love the improv.
Have you ever accepted a movie to direct/ a script to write even if you didn't like the project?
Nope.
What's the best compliment you have received about your Job?
The best compliment I received about my job is “You changed my life” and “Your film won Best Anthropological Drama because you truly care for people and it shows in your film.”
Are you satisfied about your career?
Yes, I’ve done what I love to do and I will continue doing what I love to do.
Do you have a good luck charm?
Yes, it’s a combination of a dragon bracelet and a photo of my family.
Which is the worst moment on set ?
It’s so “worst”, it shouldn’t be mentioned.
How do you feel when a job you've been part of it's ending?
I always think what’s next! And I start working on it.
Have you ever lied to get a job?
While I was in college, I was hired by a doctor to take dance lessons from his ex-wife. I had to pretend I was marrying someone to learn the dance of their culture that she was teaching. But, I was really taking lessons from her to find out if her boyfriend was living with her so the doctor wouldn’t have to pay her alimony. I did it one time and couldn’t do it again.
If you should win an Oscar your first taught would go to....
The Academy then God… I would thank God for giving me the brains to do what I did good enough to win an Oscar.