Interview: Callie Schuttera

Today is a special “weekend edition” of “Writer Wednesday” with actress and writer Callie Schuttera.

Callie Schuttera is an American-born actress and producer who grew up in Cincinnati Ohio. Callie is known for her iconic role in Zach Cregger's 'Weapons' and her appearances on shows like 'The Rookie' and 'On Call'. Callie earned international acclaim on the festival circuit for her performance in 'Blue', which took home a slew of awards including multiple wins for Best Picture and Best Actress. Callie can also be seen in the family comedy 'The Last Conception' and voices Vivian Lobdow, on the popular Darkest Night podcast. Callie earned a B.F.A. in Acting from the College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). After moving to Los Angeles, she co-created Poison Pictures Film House with her wife, Gabriela Ledesma. Poison Pictures is a leading indie producer of feature films, music videos, and documentaries.

Hi, Callie! Thanks for taking some time to chat with me.

Thanks for reaching out :)

Your new film The Exit State premieres at Screamfest in Los Angeles this month (Tuesday, October 13th, for those in the LA area who may want to catch it). Tell us a bit about the film.

The film is political thriller/horror about a group of American citizens who attempt to illegally flee the United States to Mexico, to escape an authoritarian regime. They arrive at shelter they believe is safe in politically neutral territory but their ‘safe house’ becomes a dystopian nightmare.

Will it be showing at other film festivals or be coming to streaming or on DVD?

Screamfest will be our major film screening before moving to streaming a couple of weeks later!

When did you first know you wanted to pursue acting? How did you get started in the industry?

I knew from a really young age, maybe six or seven. I got as much training as my parents would allow me to. Classes, camps, and then a BFA in Acting from a conservatory program.

When I moved to LA I was lucky to land an agent right away, and I learned a LOT from those first few years of auditioning.

Your most recent screen appearance was as “Alex’s Mom” in Weapons. What was working on that film like?

That was a very cool experience. I was a huge fan of Zach’s previous film Barbarian so I was thrilled to audition for the project even before I knew the details.

Being on set was surreal - not only was everyone so talented (cast + crew), the scale of the project was massive. So the feeling that something iconic was being made was palpable.

You’re the co-writer of both The Exit State (with Josh George and director Gabriela Ledesma) and Blue (also with Ledesma, who directed both films). I would love to hear about the writing process for those films.

Writing is a passion that kind of bloomed for me in late twenties. I had always enjoyed it but the older I get, the more obsessed I am with writing scripts.

My writing process with Gabby is usually quite harmonious. We always say she can ‘see’ the film and I can ‘hear’ it. She’s very in tune with the camera’s trajectory and I’m more drawn to dialogue.

Adding Josh into the mix was a ton of fun. He brought a great perspective to our process and was crucial in world-building and creating the plot’s landscape.

Also regarding the creative process: as an actress, how do you usually work on crafting your performance? And does that process differ when it comes to scripts you wrote versus characters in movies or shows you didn’t have a hand in writing?

Each role feels like a new puzzle, so the process is never exactly the same. That said, I do always keep a little character notebook that contains some of a character’s backstory, their key thought patterns, and their astrology (whether you believe in astrology’s validity or not, it’s a great way to explore a character).

The main difference in playing a role you’ve helped craft is that there’s a lot of subliminal character work being done as you write and rewrite. When you go to prep the acting, you realize that a lot of the character’s nuance is already engrained in you.

Who are some of your strongest influences, both as a writer and as an actor?

As a writer, I’m heavily influenced by Adam McKay, and Jesse Armstrong - they’re both writers who unabashedly comment on real world politics, and some of society’s most dire current circumstances. Their lenses always includes humor without sacrificing the severity of their subject matter.

As an actor, I’m a massive Hannah Einbinder fan right now. I love how much joy translates from her work. I think she’s fearless yet lighthearted and an incredible human being.  Her work in Hacks and Camp Miasma (Jane Schoenbrun is another fantastic writer!) were some of my favorite performances of the past couple years.

You and Gabriela co-founded Poison Pictures, which produced both Blue and The Exit State. Your website states your mission to “collaborate with the best up-and-coming filmmakers in LA and around the world to create high-quality products from start to finish.” What’s coming from Poison Pictures in the near future, in addition to The Exit State?

We are feeling very at home in the horror/thriller genre so we’re putting a lot of our energy behind two other narrative scripts in the same wheelhouse. What I love about both of them is that, like The Exit State, they boldly venture into contentious subject matter, not just to agitate, but for the sake of progress.

In addition we are working on a very special documentary about an organization called The School of Sexuality Project. They teach science-based, fun, shame-free sex-ed to K-college kids and hold community events for adults. We’re very proud to be a part of their cause and helping to take their mission world-wide.

And my usual final question: What is your favorite book, and why (if you feel like sharing)?

The Social Animal by David Brooks. I love all of his work but this one is very special. It blends economics and psychology while drifting in and out (seamlessly) of narrative storytelling to illustrate its points. It left me understanding my own human nature, perhaps more than anything I’ve ever read.

Check out Poison Pictures website for more about the company, and of course the ScreamFest page for the full roster of movies and talks.  Callie can also be found on Instagram and IMDB.