[B1Media] [dvdtown.com] Please support us [Image][Image] Main News DVDs Forum Win Stuff! Tell [Image][Image] a friend About [News - logo]News and annoucements : [News - logo][new reviews] [dvdtown articles] Stefanie von Pfetten -- Rising Star [Posted 07.02.2001 8:03:05 PM] [1917] [dvdtown.com article] - logofits your DVD [Image] Other headlines : One of the nice things about covering DVD releases is that you get to run across a film that received only a limited theatrical Lord of the Rings release or a project created specifically for the DVD format. For example, I had the opportunity to review the interactive DVD "POV (Point : Who needs Star of View)." While the disc only hints at the promise of interactive media (it doesn't quite become anything special), "POV" provides a nice Wars on DVD ? showcase for the talented Stefanie von Pfetten. Apple DVD Player In "POV," Miss Von Pfetten plays Jane, a former model-turned painter who's become a bit of a recluse as well. She spies on her neighbor updated across the street from her apartment. However, little does Jane know that others are spying on her as well. "Madame Butterfly" I chatted briefly with Stephanie recently (May 29, 2001). Living in America, we mostly hear or read about "rags-to-riches" stories, as if from Columbia in the actors were trying to sell their lives as movie extravanganzas. Or, there are a select few who sound like they hate being a public February figure, as if they'd rather be doing something other than acting. Von Pfetten, on the other hand, sounds perfectly normal (a compliment, I assure you!) and genuinely excited about working in the film business. Columbia to release "Don Stefanie began living on her own as soon as she turned 18. She attended the University of Vienna in Austria, eventually majoring in Art Giovanni" History. While a student, she traveled extensively all over Western and Eastern Europe, admiring the sights and sounds of the Continent. Stefanie enjoys traveling so much that she finds it therapeutic to take a far-away trip every so often in order to "get away from it all." Some folks call it She has been to Argentina, Korea, Thailand, and all over the United States. brilliant Upcoming projects featuring Stefanie include "40 Days & 40 Nights," "Trapped" (July 24, 2001 on the USA Network) and "The Wedding Dress" "Barabbas" (September 2001 on CBS). announcement, cover and menu The following are some excerpts from my interview with Miss von Pfetten: shot Eddie: First things first--how do you pronounce your last name? Why buy DVDs when Stefanie: It's "Fetten," without the "P." you can WIN them ? ? E: Are you originally German? Universal ? S: Yes, I'm a first generation Canadian. My parents immigrated from Munich. announces "The Musketeer" E: So, I take it that you speak German? S: Yes, fluently. "Kiss Of The Dragon" shot and E: How long have you been acting? info S: It's been about four years now. "Don't Say A Word" E: Did you go through some training for acting? Acting school? menu shot S: I did take some acting classes when I came back to Canada (from Vienna). Lord of the Rings E: How did you get started? What was your first acting gig? on DVD August 2002 S: (laughs) You often hear these stories about these actors claim to have gotten a nice, important role because they got lucky. The truth is, a lot of actors start out small, and I don't mind admitting that my first job was a commercial for Molsen beer. That was a lot of fun, and being Canadian, kind of appropriate. (laughs) But, I got TV roles at about the same time that I started doing commercials Most read right now : E: Did you do some modeling before you began acting? DVD Recorders: Not S: No, I've never modeled before. (laughs) People always ask me that question, and one day, I'm going to have to say yes just because I There Yet get asked that so much. A.I. on DVD - Full E: What are your favorite films? Was there something that you watched that inspired you to take up acting as a career? details and cover S: Yes, I have two favorite films, actually. I loved "Dangerous Liasons," and I'm really admire the cast: Glenn Close, John art Malkovich...and especially Michelle Pfeiffer. I would like to be able to make a period film some day. Also, I loved "Breakfast at Tiffany's." Ever since I saw that film as a little girl, I've wanted to be an actress. Boom in TV seasons boxed sets E: What was it like working on "POV," considering how you had to shoot different timelines? S: It was a complex, complicated shoot. We had little prep time. We really had no rehearsals at all. We would just show up on the set, and "Star Trek: The we would begin shooting. Shooting took place in a little under two weeks. We went pretty fast, too. Sometimes, we shot up to fourteen Next Generation" pages a day! on DVD in March E: Wow, that's faster than even on a TV show! S: Yes, most TV shows film only about seven pages a day. E: Was it difficult to juggle different emotions, dialogue, and responses at the same time? S: You could say that. I mean, it was so different from any other production, completely non-traditional. Also, I am in basically every scene of the film, so it was really hard work. It was my first time shooting digital as well. Digital video requires different lighting set-ups from traditional film, so we were res[Ads - logo]Advertisment: experimenting a lot on the set. E: Are you an artist or a painter like Jane? S: No, acting itself is sort of an art, so actors express themselves through their work anyway. The paintings in the film were done by a Canadian artist. E: Have you ever had a problem similar to Jane's, where fans get a little too intrusive into your private life? S: My problems have not been with fans, really, but with men. Sometimes, some people just get too forward; any girl who's a bit on the attractive side will face that problem at one point in time or another. E: So do you believe that films should be responsible for observing a kind of "moral divide" between fact and fiction? S: Well, no, because freedom of expression, speech, that's very important. An artist needs to be able to express himself in order to convey his perceptions of he the truth...However, in this day and age, the reality of stalking is very serious and very dangerous. E: Yeah, I understand what you're saying. The other characters made me feel really uncomfortable when I was watching "POV," and I'm not even a girl! S: Exactly! It can get really unnerving sometimes when you find yourself caught in a situation like that. E: Are you familiar with the DVD format? Do you have a DVD player? S: No, I don't have a DVD player, but my family does. E: So you've played around with the "POV" disc, then? S: Yes, and it's pretty interesting. E: What's your favorite storyline on the disc? S: Probably the one with the cop. E: I noticed how it was so wet and rainy all the time in "POV." Is it like that year-round in Vancouver? S: Not really. We happened to have been shooting in the middle of winter...February of 2000. But yeah, it was really cold and dreary that time of the year, but most of the time, it's nice up here in Vancouver. E: Just curious, I couldn't help but notice on IMDB.com that you were in the recent production "Valentine." Yet, the site says that your scenes were deleted from the final cut. What happened? S: What happened to my role happens fairly often in the industry. We have an 11 PM curfew here in Canada, and we didn't finish my scenes that evening. I had a schedule conflict the next day with a TV show called "These Arms of Mine." So, I ended up not being able to finish my scenes for "Valentine." E: But do you still get listed in the credits at the end of the film? S: Most of the time, people take their names off of a movie. It's a tough call, because you DID act and you DID get paid. However, so many roles are small parts with only a few lines, so it's up to the actor if he or she wants to keep his or her name in the credits. E: I noticed the made-for-TV film "Amokfahrt zum Pazifik" on IMDB. Were you hired because of your German speaking abilities? S: Yes, that was a German-language film about a hijacked train. The crew came over from Germany, and we filmed everything in Vancouver. That was made for German TV. [Image] E: Have you ever had instances where people recognized you, walked up to you, and said "Hey, weren't you in..." S: Oh, yeah, most people don't know my name, but they'll say, "Oh, weren't you the Russian assassin on '7 Days?'" I can do all sorts of accents. E: You can do a Russian accent? S: Yep. E: Other than German and English, do you speak any other languages? S: Yes, I learned French in school--it is mandatory in all of Canada. I also know a little Italian. I have a grandmother in the Italian part of Switzerland. E: How do you approach acting? Do you train like those Method actors? S: Well, when you're in an emotional scene, it does help to reach inside for something personal to stir up certain feelings. However, you don't want to do that for every scene or every role. E: Here's something not related to movies and work--what are your favorite CDs? S: I love the Dave Matthews Band. I just got back from LA for a business trip, and I...was able to go backstage and watch the show from there. That was a really cool experience. The "Magnolia" soundtrack was also really good. Aimee Mann is so talented. E: Do you know how to play any musical instruments. S: No, I just do some singing. (laughs) E: What about some of your hobbies? S: I'm really into active sports. I go windsurfing as much as I can. E: I used to live in Seattle, and my family and I would often visit Vancouver just for fun, see the sights, and buy some maple syrup. Just kidding. (laughs) What is the primary reason why Canadians visit the States? S: Hm, I'd have to say it's mainly for shopping. There's just so much more stuff in the States than in Canada. My mom and I used to cross the border and come back with a carload full of things. (laughs) E: Well, Stephanie, thank you so much for your time. I hope to see more of your work soon! S: Thanks! Stefanie von Pfetten's Filmography (selected) : Film : "40 Days & 40 Nights," "The Invitation," "Sole Survivor," "In the Name of the People," "Little Boy Blues," "My 5 Wives" Television : "7 Days," "The Wedding Dress," "Cabin Pressure," "Trapped," "Beyond Belief," "Freedom," "These Arms of Mine," "Hollywood Off-Ramp," "Runaway Train," "First Wave," "Y2K," "The Sentinel," "The Net," "Betaville," "Madison," "Expresso" RELATED LINKS: Review of Point of View ------------------------------------------------------------------------ // the latest movie posters : [Buy Harry Potter (Double Sided) at AllPosters.com] [Buy Spider-Man (Double Sided) at AllPosters.com] [Buy The Lord of the Rings - Fellowship at AllPosters.com] Buy the poster Buy the poster Buy the poster 855 [Image] [Image] [Image]