Cheryl Allison Interview on Directing Upcoming Documentary Honk

I’ve been acting, and singing for over 30 years. My career has primarily been onstage performing in Broadway productions, regional theatre and film/TV. I started my production company 6 years ago. We produce films that raise awareness about human rights and social issues. My advocacy was sparked after starring in a feature film called No Letting Go that was based on a true story. I played the mother of a young son who had a mental health disorder.

In researching the role, I realized the stigma that surrounds mental illness. It sparked a passion in me to tell the stories of marginalized groups. I’ve performed at the Kennedy Center, for then President George H. Bush, and have been blessed with regional Emmy® nominations and other accolades. But, I feel the greatest success of my career has been highlighting stories of marginalized individuals or subject matters that can spark conversation and hopefully bring forth understanding and awareness.

indieactivity: How would you describe your work as a director?
Cheryl Allison (CA): I approach directing from an acting standpoint. I think my background gives me a unique perspective. It allows me to look beyond the perfect shot set-up and dive into how to best tell the story from a performance perspective. I once watched a film that primarily used master shots throughout the film, but the emotion and storytelling was authentic, so it worked. I gravitate towards documentaries as there is nothing more powerful than a true story and a person opening up their heart to share it with audiences.

Watch Official trailer for HONK directed by Cheryl Allison

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How did you get into directing?
Cheryl Allison (CA): On set as an actress, I would watch the director and the Director of Photography and how they set-up shots and created the exact look they wanted for the scene. While my co stars were at the Craft’s service table eating I was having onset training by watching these great directors. Those moments ignited the spark within me. I have only worked with a male director on set, and I felt like there needed to be more female perspectives in film.

How do you choose a project to direct??
Cheryl Allison (CA): I’m not interested in directing a film to add credits to my name. The subject matter has to matter to me and create a passion for telling the story. I gravitate to films that address important issues and highlight marginalized groups. Nothing against some of the made for TV soap opera type movies but that just doesn’t interest me. That’s why I love documentaries. My last film, HONK, happens to be about a dumped domestic goose that literally ran up to me and chose me to help him. I never thought I’d make a film about a goose, but he was marginalized. He was dumped by no choice of his own and left at a park to try and survive. So, my advocacy extends to all creatures great and small.

What uniqueness can female directors bring to Film/TV/Cinema?
Cheryl Allison (CA): Unfortunately, we have the unique experience of being objectified and marginalized in our industry so when we look at a story I believe our experience as women can find nuisances and peel back layers in the script that perhaps white cisgender male counterparts can’t. When you see the world through a lens of having to fight for equality and women’s rights, you have a life experience that is powerful and that can be brought to the project.

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Briefly explain your latest work?
Cheryl Allison (CA): HONK is a documentary being released on Nov. 15 by Vision Films. Honk is a goose who was dumped at a local park during COVID. When I was taking a walk by the park, he came running up to me and even tried to follow me home. I began spending every day with him and through the course of our journey together, I realized how dumping domestic geese and ducks is a real problem.

They aren’t wild, they can’t fly. They are farm animals and people buy them as babies at Easter or birthdays for their kids as pets but when they get too big they dump them thinking they will be ok. I began posting and sharing videos of HONK and me on social media during this time and he went viral worldwide. People all over the world began following him on Instagram and were invested in his well-being and our story.

He was giving people hope and joy during a very difficult time for our world. People were on lockdown and every day they looked to see the latest update and video on HONK. While I was looking for a bird and waterfowl sanctuary to relocate him to, we Zoomed with schools, Girl Scout troops, and other children’s organizations and he became this ambassador for dumped ducks and geese.

He has over 75K followers on Instagram and has truly started this HONK movement of love. His fans have a hashtag #lovelikehonk. I could never have imagined this little goose would capture hearts around the world. He has changed my life and I’m so grateful I stopped and listened to him when he came running up to me for help. It’s a lesson for all of us. Waterfowl and birds have emotions just like cats or dogs. They feel love, grief, fear etc. His story is so beloved that I was given a grant to make the film and have two children’s books published about our story.

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Explain key challenges on your last film?
CA: The hardest part was that I shot the entire thing during COVID. I couldn’t hire a film crew. We were literally on lockdown in Dallas. So, my spouse was my Director of Photography and did a fantastic job!

How do you advise directors to find projects?
CA: Network! Film festivals are a great way to make connections. Also became a member of Women in Film. They have great seminars and groups to connect with.

How can filmmakers finance their projects?
CA: If I had that answer, making films would be so easy! Ha! Seriously, if you have trouble finding an Executive Producer to fund the film, an indie filmmaker can start a crowd-funding campaign. In the case of documentaries, look for grants from organizations that support documentarians and/or are involved in the area of your subject matter. You can also look to have your film fiscally sponsored by a non-profit.

What do you want from an actor during a production?
CA: I’m an actor’s director so I want to collaborate with them. I want them to be willing to try something different with a take if necessary. I understand what it’s like to be on set as an actor, so I feel I have a way to make them comfortable and feel safe to experiment with their character. At the same time, you often have a tight schedule, so I need my actors to come prepared and know their lines inside and out. When you aren’t searching for lines then you can really open up and dive deep into the acting choices.

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How do you prefer to work with a producer during a production?
CA: I like autonomy and thankfully in the last few documentaries I’ve been hired to direct, I have been given that. I need space to let the story unfold. Documentaries are made in the editing room and when I edit I like to have some space to begin the process of chipping away to reveal the story. Editing is much like a sculpture. You chip away and the image is then revealed.

HONK is about to be released. Did the film complete a festival run?
CA: Yes! We have been to 33 film festivals so far. Our famous goose has received numerous accolades including Audience Favorite at Dances with Film, Best of Fest at Columbia Film Festival, Best Documentary Feature at Tri-Cities Film Festival, Audience Favorite at Mostra Animal International Film Festival in Brazil, Award of Excellence at IndieFEST Film Awards, Audience Choice Award at the SF Indie Green Film Festival, as well as several nominations.

Where can we watch HONK?
CA: HONK will be released on all TVOD platforms on Nov. 15. So, you can find the film on AmazonInstant, AppleTV, Vimeo etc. as well as cable on-demand – Dish, DirectTV, Comcast, Spectrum etc. DVDS will also be available on major online retailers including Amazon, Best Buy, etc. The documentary is 47 minutes and perfect for all ages.

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