Extra Time: Actress Lydia Lakemoore talks about the upcoming short

With the short being screened at the New York Short Film Awards this Friday where it's nominated for both Best Comedic Short and Best Writing in a Comedic Short, lead actress Lydia Lakemoore who plays the troubled Seven spoke to us about making the film and working with Rianne Pictures.

What were your initial thoughts about Extra Time when you first found out about the project?

Before the script was released all I really knew about the film was that it was going to feature female football players, which I thought was awesome. But at that point I had no idea how poignant the story would turn out to be. My biggest memory on reading the full script was experiencing an overwhelming need, or want, to tell Seven's story. She felt like an old friend. I cared about her. 

How did you prepare for the role of Seven?

I kept going over and over the script, reading and re-reading it, each time trying to find another detail that would give me as much information about Seven and her world as possible. Caris' writing is great because she writes in a way that you can picture her characters really clearly just from reading the character's language, so in a way she makes it easy for you. Some writers give you very little and you have to make up their world but Seven already existed, in the script, all I had to do was bring that person to life. 

Parental divorce is the main storyline in Extra Time, how did you find exploring this subject on film? 

It's a difficult topic because it's so personal to each individual and it can bring up feelings that you might not have thought about since you were a teenager. For me, as someone in their 20's playing a teen I had to resist the urge to feel sorry for Seven. I wanted to protect her and tell her that it will all be okay in the end, but you can't play a scene with hindsight. I had to just let myself be completely vulnerable to what Seven was going through. 

Football is another big part of this film, did you have any concerns about portraying a footballer?

I was really excited! I mean, I'm sporty but yes, I suppose I was apprehensive that I wouldn't live up to how good Seven was as a player. I wanted to make sure I could do her playing justice. But mainly I couldn't wait to get going and start practice! In my head I'm as good as Messi.

Many of the cast had previously worked with Rianne Pictures on previous films, what was it like to be a newcomer to the team?

At first I was really nervous about it. I was conscious of being a newcomer before we started filming, and with it being such a large cast I knew how out numbered I was going to be. But I was welcomed in with open arms and really made to feel part of a big team, it was great. They're a super encouraging group with Caris leading the way and everyone just made me feel so at ease, I felt silly for being initially worried. They are like a big filmy family, that sounds really cheesy, but they really are. 

You were nominated for Best Actress for your role at The Monkey Bread Tree Film Awards, how did you feel when you found out the news?

Really thrilled. It's not why we do the job but it's a boost to know that you've effected someone enough for them to nominate you. 

The film is due to play in New York later this week, will be it weird to know your face is showing on a cinema screen across the pond?

Very. I still can't quite get my head around it. 

What was it like working with the writer and director, Caris Rianne?

She's awesome, and hugely inspiring. She's a female writer and director who writes great female roles that aren't cliché and we need more of that in the industry! Plus she's lovely which is always a bonus. I feel very luck to be working with her.

What’s next for you?

I'm waiting to start ADR on a feature that I filmed for earlier in the year, that's out in 2017 which will be cool to see.

What do you hope people will take away from watching Extra Time?

I'd love for people to gain a level of peace from it, whether that be teenagers going through parental divorce and seeing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel or a parent who gains a potentially lost perspective of their teenage daughter, or even a friend who gains an idea of questions to ask their best friend during a really difficult time in their lives then I'm happy.

Extra Time will be screening on Friday 9th December at 10:30pm at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia theatre, 2537 Broadway at 95th Street, New York, NY 10025-6990 for ticket information please visit www.theshortfilmawards.com