Frank Otis …. even more rebellious with age!

David Black interviews Frank Otis, a very different veteran actor

Today I’m interviewing a favourite actor of mine, Frank Otis. I’ve seen him in some pretty off the wall films, so this one is going to be interesting. Especially as he really is a rebellious guy. I can tell you from experience because we have argued in private messages and online. This is a man that is out to change the world, and I sort of believe he will do it.

DB — Hi Frank. Thanks for making the time to chat to me today. I realise you’re often busy writing plays or rehearsing, so it means a lot. You’re well known in the indie movie industry and have done some really strange stuff. I’d like to start this interview by asking you about your acting background. You started in theatre?

FO — Yes my very first role was as the Prime Minister would you believe? That was for the M.T.C! Oh that stands for Melton Theatre Company. A friend of mine a political activist and actor got me the role, Chris Gaffney. He was the director of the theatre company. He taught me a lot in those early days.

DB — I believe that you write plays too, and have penned well over 50 of them. Can you tell us a bit about your writing Frank?

FO — I started writing when I was still only doing theatre. My first play, a full length one, was called ‘And Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep’, It was a play about childhood abuse and how it effects you as an adult. It was very controversial in it’s time but it has had 6 seasons. Those who have been through childhood abuse didn’t find it controversial only the ones who hadn’t did. I wrote pretty much non stop for 8 years and burned myself out. But now I have started writing again. Have already written one short film and had it made. But that was based on a short play I wrote. I am currently working on a script which is totally new.

DB — Have you found that being a writer has enhanced your acting? If so, how?

FO — When you write about someone you have to understand them. People can see through bullshit very quickly. Everything they do has to be natural for that person or the audience will know. I think it is the same with acting. Someone once told me ‘no matter how bad the person is you have to find something you like about them’. Well I think that is shit. I have played roles where there is nothing good in that person. I think you have to understand them, that’s it. Then your performance is real. I think writing helped me to get to that.

DB — Frank, you have over 100 film credits on your starnow page. I think I’ve seen a half dozen of your films and more than half had you nude in them. This is a subject that often gets discussed by actors — whether to do nude scenes or not. Some are quite worried over this issue. Could you please give me your views on this?

FO — Nudity has been a part of art since day one and I think it will continue to be part of art till the end of time that is a simple fact. You can do so many things with nudity it is no wonder it is used in art. If nudity ever became totally acceptable in society a lot of artists would be fucked.

Having said that I do not do as much nudity as people think. For instance looking back on this year I have had 12 acting gigs. I was fully nude for one feature film, one stage play and one photoshoot. In the other 9, in I was down to my jocks in one but I don’t call that nudity.

That goes for the whole of my career, it is around 25 to 30%, is that really a lot? I don’t think so. It is a fact that some people think I get my gear off for just about everything and yes I do get shit about it, but it is simply not the case. There are not many guys my age who are prepared to do nudity maybe that is why it sticks out.

With me it is not a turn on or anything and I don’t fear it either (although I was a little nervous with the stage play because I hadn’t done it for a while on stage). Nudity is simply part of the craft. To me it is another costume that is all. If I like the script I will do it, end of story!

Should you do nude scenes? Well of course I think you should. I would have missed out on a lot of good roles if I wasn’t prepared to do it. However I don’t have the same problem as say young women. Believe me I am never the eye candy. But if the film or play needs eye candy is the script any good anyway? Most of the time it is not.

Won’t it ruin my career, like I won’t be taken seriously? Well I think that is bullshit too. A good example is Jackie Weaver. She even did sex comedies (and yes fully nude) in the 70’s and I don’t think anyone can accuse her of not being a serious actor.

DB — A lot of actors have mentioned their age in the interviews that they’ve done. Usually because they are worried that roles are given to the younger ones, but that hasn’t been the case with you Frank. You have been so busy over the last few years that it seems to me that you must be virtually sleeping on sets. Do you have any advice for older actors that are just getting into the craft now?

FO — It’s simple when you go into an audition don’t think you know better than the director. I believe that you can learn something from anyone, even people half your age. Everyone has different life experiences so everyone leans different things.

Let them know that you will follow direction, that you understand that it is their vision. Some young directors will think that you will not do that because of your age and or experience. Put their mind at ease.

If you want to go for a role that is supposed to be someone younger, explain to them why you are good for the role. I think it is also very important to believe that you can still contribute to this art form. Never get set in your ways and think you know everything.

DB — I’m going to go one question over the usual amount that I put into these interviews because you said that you want to change the world Frank. Here is your soapbox. What changes do you want to make and how are you looking to achieve them via your acting?

FO — I simply want to live in a society that sees its people as its greatest assist not the collection of money. It is so false and leads to nothing. We are wasting so many good and talented people in our society. People who could make this planet so much better than it is. Why? Because we favour greed. Greed is what is rewarded in this society and I believe it will one day destroy us if we allow it to. Why not have a society based on the common good. Of lifting everyone up, looking after everyone. With over half the world’s population hungry can anyone say this society is working? We can do better, a lot better! ‘You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one’.

DB — Thanks for taking the time to chat to me Frank. Do you have any links so that the readers can follow your career?

FO — Ummm something I am not great at. However you can follow me on starnow and IMDB

David Black regularly writes for Oz Indie Cinema and is the lead singer/ bass player for Darkness Visible