The 3-round spectacular will be held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on November 30, 2016.  To donate to this worthy cause, click here to visit Matt’s fundraising page.

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Ever since Saban Brands and Lionsgate made the announcement on May 7th about making a new live action Power Rangers movie, the topic has been the talk of the town including trending on Facebook. Speculation has been rampant about release dates, the cast, and the director.

One person who is throwing his hat in the ring for the director’s chair is Power Rangers SPD’s own Matt Austin. After his stint on SPD, he has gone back to directing short films and TV shows and is currently directing his feature film Pretend We’re Kissing. Here’s his statement:

If I were to helm the Power Rangers Reboot, I’d try and make sure the whole thing retained an adventurous/tongue-in-cheek tone – even though I’m sure it would be set against the backdrop of the end of world. I don’t think this needs to be “dark” but I don’t think it needs to be campy either. At the end of the day it has to be kid friendly. (Every adult AND kid I know loved The Lego Movie.) I think it’s sad that there are little boys and girls obsessed with Spider-Man and Superman and they can’t even go see the films of their heroes. On an economic front, that doesn’t make a lot of sense either. That’s a lot of tiny bums in seats they’re missing out on.

On a content note, it wouldn’t make sense to try and compete with the X-Men, Iron Man’s and Captain America’s. They just can’t, even with the nostalgia factor. I’m very looking forward to seeing The Guardians of the Galaxy. It looks like it has a great sense of humor. Things like that movie, other teen hero flicks like Attack the Block, films I grew up with like the Goonies or The Last Starfighter, and even Pixar’s The Incredibles, would be the wells I would draw on for inspiration. I also think it would be fun to have it set in the 90s, when the show premiered.

I don’t know how many “well-known” directors are going to be attracted to the project, so if it’s going to be someone new and unknown, why the heck can’t it be me? I have directed teen series (Mudpit), my documentary on John Hughes (Don’t You Forget About Me) certainly has made me a bit of an expert coming-of-age films and my experience as an actor on the series is nothing to sneeze at. If Marc Webb, a filmmaker with zero action movie experience (500 Days of Summer) can be hired to do Spider-Man (B unit did all the action sequences), based on his style and attention to character, story and relationships, why can’t I go from my past shorts, features, and my recent film (Pretend We’re Kissing) to this?

[audio:http://awwman.com/podcasts/NPS134.mp3]

Show Notes

Hosted by: Lisa J
Topics: Chatting with Matt Austin about his time on the show and his cast members, his near-death experience, his upcoming project “One Day You Will Paint A Sunset”, and much more!

Links

Matt Austin is still raising funds for his short film “One Day You Will Paint A Sunset”, and he has special perks for ranger fans!

For $51, you can talk on Skype with him for 15 minutes! Anything you want him to do or talk about…well, almost anything. For $101, you can get a personalized voice mail message or ringtone. You can visit the film’s fundraising page on IndieGoGo for more information:

http://www.indiegogo.com/One-day-you-will-donate-to-One-Day-You-Will-Paint-A-Sunset

As of today, there’s only a little over 24 hours for these offers, so don’t miss out!

For $51, you can talk on Skype with him for 15 minutes! Anything you want him to do or talk about…well, almost anything. For $101, you can get a personalized voice mail message or ringtone. You can visit the film’s fundraising page on IndieGoGo for more information:

http://www.indiegogo.com/One-day-you-will-donate-to-One-Day-You-Will-Paint-A-Sunset

As of today, there’s only a little over 24 hours for these offers, so don’t miss out!

[youtube width="480" height="360"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P0pDM9nIMc[/youtube]

[youtube width="480" height="295"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAzaC4zGuf0&NR=1[/youtube]

Matt Austin (Bridge from Power Rangers SPD) is raising funds to shoot his newest film One Day You Will Paint a Sunset. One of the ways he’s raising funds may be beneficial to you.

He’s currently auctioning off on eBay his SPD Red Ranger suit that he used on Operation Overdrive’s “Once a Ranger” teamup. It’ll be signed by Matt and Brandon Jay McLaren (Jack from Power Rangers SPD).

You have until Tuesday, June 28th, 2011 to own this rare item. Good luck!

(Courtesy: Twitter)

(Courtesy: The Emperor via Starpoints Rangercrew)

(Photo courtesy: Greg Aronowitz)

(Courtesy: barnyardfx.blogspot.com)

(Photo Credit: Patrick Kerney)

GENERAL QUESTIONS

Q: To start off with, how did you get into acting?
A: I played a thug in a play in grade three, begged my parents to get me an agent, but they said no. They didn’t want me to get involved in the industry at such a young age. Years later, I was asked to try out for the lead in my high school’s annual play. I got the part. The rest is history.

Q: You’ve done pretty much everything under the sun in the industry, whether it is writing, directing, composing, producing and acting. What advice would you give to people aspiring to get into those fields?
A: Just do it. Things have changed rapidly since I started. Computer programs are available for almost everything now. You can get a cheap camera and shoot, edit and screen your film to a massive audience thanks to YouTube, etc. Find someone in your city that does what you want to do, pick their brain and maybe shadow them for a while.

Q: Speaking of doing everything under the sun, what would be your favorite field to be in and why?
A: My absolute favorite is writing music, especially the songs I write for my daughter.

Q: What is your favorite character you’ve played and why?
A: I really enjoyed playing a character in a short film called Broke Body Saints. He was a street kid. It’s a character I rarely get to play because I’m often typecast as the “quirky” character.

POWER RANGERS QUESTIONS

Q: Let’s launch into the Power Rangers questions. How did you get the role of Bridge Carson in ‘Power Rangers SPD’?
A: I auditioned. My flailing around was apparently fun to watch. Actually, Bridge’s dialogue was written in a very particular way. Somehow I was the only one that made him sound like a real person.

Q: What would be a standard day for you on the Power Rangers set?
A: 5 a.m. – wake up. We all pack ourselves into a minivan. Arrive on set. Get into our wardrobe. Shave. Eat some avocado, Nutella, eggs, green tea. Block the scene. Block the scene again. Laugh at a Styrofoam monster. Laugh at Cruger as he accidentally walks into a wall. Pass out on the set as they light. Shoot it from MULTIPLE angles. Lunch. Do the whole process over again. Be taken home. Go for a run. Sleep.

Q: Do you have any behind-the-scenes stories you would like to tell us about?
A: There was one time we were shooting our training scenes where an extra stunt performer kept wiping out (purposely) in the background. We found it very hard to keep from laughing.

Q: Do you wish in any department that Bridge was developed differently?
A: Sure. I wish he could have had an episode where he lost his powers so he could touch people without his gloves on. That and I wish he and Boom had had their own spinoff.

Q: For fans who don’t know, you created a documentary on the Ranger fandom called Mor-FAN-ominal. What is it about the Ranger fandom you find so interesting?
A: I find it so interesting that unlike many other cult/sci-fi stuff, you guys are fans of something specifically made for kids, but I totally get it. I’m a big kid at heart and often find myself completely entertained by stuff my nine-month-old daughter watches!

Q: Where you a fan of Power Rangers before getting the role of Bridge and if so, what do you think of the newer seasons compared to the older seasons?
A: I wasn’t a fan, to be honest. I liked my season cause I felt like I was an X-Man. I always wanted to play Speedball from the New Warriors. This was sort of, kind of close. I think people are missing out if they think of Power Rangers as it was 10 years ago. The episodes that came just before and after me have wicked effects, awesome stunts and some great talent.

DOCUMENTARY QUESTIONS

Q: To segue a bit, can you tell me a bit about your newest documentary Don’t You Forget About Me?
A: It’s about the lasting impact John Hughes had, why his films resonate deeply with people compared to other teen flicks and why he retreated from Hollywood. We cut to wicked interviews as we (the filmmakers) take a trip to Chicago to try to get the missing interview for our documentary, Hughes’s.

Q: What inspired you to take up the calling of creating this documentary?
A: Teenagers are much more of a product now and aggressively marketed toward. I look around and feel like there has been an innocence lost. I felt like Hughes’s films were so important to building my character. I was sad to think that didn’t exist for current teens in the same way.

Q: Is there anything you would like to say about the documentary?
A: The documentary really starts at the end of our journey. Going to Hughes’s house. I wish we would have shot the ups and downs of trying to make the film for four years, but we didn’t. Read the blog for more insight, it’s like a prequel to the doc.

WRAPPING UP

Q: To conclude, career wise, what are you currently up to?
A: Trying my best to get one of three features off the ground (one of them being the Power Ranger documentary). You know anybody with cash lying around?

Q: Any last words?
A: Be courageous.

Thank you Matt for taking the time to have this interview conducted. You can check out more about Matt’s new documentary at Don’t You Forget About Me The Movie, which of course then links onto the production blog at Don’t You Forget About Me – Blogspot. The DVD is being released in Canada on Tuesday, November 3rd. While it is not currently available in the United States yet, be sure to check out the Blogspot (linked above) for more news on when wider distribution will occur. Thank you for reading.

(Courtesy: Evangelion via Rangerboard)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0fPLN459_I[/youtube]

The movie will be available in Canada on November 3rd in stores and iTunes, and HMV is currently taking pre-orders. No word on when it will be available in the US, but info is coming soon.

(Courtesy: Don’t You Forget About Me: The Blog)

To learn more about this documentary, go to the official site or check out their blog.  

 
VERNON WELLS

As POWER RANGERS TIME FORCE’s insurgent commander Ransik, Vernon brought a human face to the leader of the mutant militia and the first real exploration of civil rights in the show’s long history. One of the most well-known character actors ever to appear on Power Rangers, Vernon has appeared in such classic films as Commando, Weird Science and Mad Max, and television series including MacGyver!

DANNY WAYNE STALLCUP

As part of the original stunt team for MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS, Danny has been in the suits for creatures from Putties to Rito Revolto to Elgar as well as the original Black Ranger stunt actor for MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS: THE MOVIE! But to fans of the series, Danny’s biggest role will always be his trifecta of performances as the human alter ego, suit, and voice actors of POWER RANGERS WILD FORCE’s Jindrax.

CHRIS VIOLETTE

Amidst a sea of Red-to-Blue conversions, as Schuyler “Sky” Tate of POWER RANGERS SPD Chris Violette was not only the first Blue Ranger to be promoted to Red, but also played the first second generation Power Ranger in the series history. Chris has also appeared with fellow alums Monica May, Kelson Henderson, and Barnie Duncan in Greg Aronowitz’s Labou.

MATT AUSTIN

Best known to PR fans for his turn as the vertically inverted Bridge Carson in POWER RANGERS SPD and creator of the upcoming Power Rangers documentary Morfanominal, Matt is an esteemed actor and director currently hard at work on an exploration of the societal impact of John Hughes’ movies.

(Courtesy: Power Morphicon)

(Courtesy:  Blue and Orange Power at Star Points RangerCrew)

(Courtesy: anzupeach via Morph A Day)

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=NOD3GTEC

On the panel: Alycia Purrott, Matt Austin, Greg Aronowitz, and Bruce Kalish

(Courtesy: puperazzi from Rangerboard.)

Other projects, a baby, zero money and lower than expected response to my “casting call”, has meant a major delay in the recutting of this short film and it’s adaptation to a feature length film.

So for now, enjoy this 9-minute piece:

(Courtesy: cyberblue from Rangerboard.)

Show Notes

Hosted by: Lisa J
Topics: Interview with Matt Austin (Bridge – Power Rangers SPD, Green Ranger)