By: Victoria Stevens
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 11/18/2020- As the threat of another shutdown hovers in the distance, many companies are unsure of what the future will hold for them. Will they survive another shutdown or will they have to close their doors for good? Will this second shutdown leave them financially unstable or will they pull through during this holiday season to get through to next year? These unsettling concerns are affecting small and large companies worldwide. Actor Kevin Leigh, the creator of Farmer Pig Productions, has experienced many of these setbacks, which has pushed back his goals for his company.
“Moving forward with my film production company, I wanted to be able to do more projects. We were going to shoot some weddings before COVID but those got pushed to the side sort of speak. We are hoping to get more into shooting weddings and commercials next year when this COVID situation lets up. That way we can book more clients and open up more avenues for financial reasons,” said Leigh.
Farmer Pig Productions was created in 2010 with the help of Leigh’s brother Alain Le. The company’s name, Farmer Pig, was a dedication to their late father who supported their acting work when they were just starting out. The company creates many different types of projects from short films to comedy sketches.
“We started creating sketches after we became burned out from the number of short films we were producing every few months,” explained Leigh. “Short films take a lot of time and effort to make. From the preproduction work to the editing process, it took a while to get each film together. Therefore, my brother and I decided to take a break from short films and create simpler projects like sketches. We call these projects, “quick and dirty shoots” because they are quick and easy to do with a lot of room for improvisation. At the time we were thinking about creating sketches, we were watching a BBC show called Big Train which inspired me because their sketches were funny in a childish, playful way. They didn’t really make sense but were more of nonsensical humor. That is how our ideas manifested to what they are today.”
Being an experienced actor, Leigh had the knowledge and skill set to keep his company productive during the recent shutdowns that our country experienced. He came up with a way to include other artists in his projects without having to ever leave his home.
“We shot our very 1st web series while in quarantine, called “Shelter in Place”. My brother and I starred in the 1st episode to kick things off. After that episode, the idea was to pass off the quarantine challenge to another actor who would then follow the format that we created to shoot theirs. They would create a character type and then walk us through their day during the lockdown of what they would do as that character. They could make up the entire episode or use their everyday activities to react off of in a funny manner, “said Leigh.
Leigh’s goal is to become a SAG Performer that travels from coast to coast. He enjoys working on many different projects at one time. As he continues to develop his film company, he plans on working on more weddings and small local commercials. He will still shoot short films and sketches online to keep his followers entertained, but hopes that these projects will be accepted into film festivals in the upcoming years. With so many projects under his belt, he hopes that one day he will find his dream role that will showcase his talent the best.
“I haven’t played my dream character yet. I have played a family man who has gotten murdered, a few cop roles, but not my dream role. I am really particular and push myself really hard so it might take some time to find that great role,” explained Leigh.
Leigh has a couple of independent films that he is currently working on at this time which has been keeping him busy.
“I am supposed to play one of the main antagonists in an assassin film, which is supposed to be the main bad guy. I don’t usually play villains very often so when I do, I get really excited. I am trying to break out of getting pigeon hold into a specific role. I like to have variety and not stick to one thing,” said Leigh.
With so much experience as an actor and director, Leigh had great advice for those that are just starting out.
“If directors are just starting out, I would say follow what your dream is. Don’t just think about what you want, go ahead, and just do it. My brother and I didn’t think much about starting the company, we just went and created it. We went out, bought the equipment, and then started filming. After a while, you can involve your friends and get other actors involved which will grow your experience and skillset. It’s a matter of putting your foot down on the peddle and just pushing forward, “expressed Leigh.
Photo Credit: Kevin Leigh
For more information: Instagram: MonsieurKevon / FarmerPigProductions
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