Rachel Amanda Bryant: A New, Inspirational Face in Indie Horror

Known in the horror genre as Women in Horror Month, February has become that much more important with the #MeToo movement sweeping across Hollywood. The beautiful, kind and talented writer/producer Rachel Amanda Bryant recently broke into the indie horror scene starring in Jason Horton’s latest Gas Money Pictures film, The Campus. Receiving quite the critical praise for her performance, Rachel is emerging in the industry with a promising future ahead. In celebration of Women in Horror Month, Rachel took time to chat with PopHorror and tell us her story.

PopHorror: Hi, Rachel! Thank you for taking the time to speak with me.

Rachel Amanda Bryant: No problem at all!

PopHorror: So, what was it like being stuck in your own Groundhog’s Day of a horror in The Campus?

Rachel Amanda Bryant: It was interesting. I hadn’t shot a movie quite like this before, and since we shot out of order, it was especially confusing and disconcerting. I would be like, “Wait, where am I now? What just happened?” Jason and I took a lot of notes prior to being on set, so we’d know where we were going to be emotionally in every given moment. That really helped, but there were still moments where I thought, “Wait…I’ve done this already. Haven’t we shot this already?” (laughs) It was kind of like that because we were using the same location, and I’m wearing the same outfits. Then I’d remember the makeup is different for each sequence. “How is it different? Oh, my head is bleeding. Okay, now I remember where I am.”

It was challenging in a wonderful and beautiful way, where we explored the story, figuring it out like a little puzzle. It was great. It was fun. And it was slightly confusing (laughs). But it reflected the way that Morgan (Rachel’s character in The Campus) wonders what is going on at first. It was kind of like me on set, wondering what section we were in.

PopHorror: (laughs) I’m sure that added a bit of authenticity to it.

Rachel Amanda Bryant: Oh, yeah. There was some of that confusion naturally happening on screen (laughs). It was fun though.

PopHorror: So, going back a little in time… how did you become involved with The Campus?

Rachel Amanda Bryant: Robert Bravo, the special effects artist for The Campus, is a friend of mine. We became really good friends just from working on set together. Several years ago when we first met, he mentioned that he does blood effects. At the time, I was getting ready to produce and star in a horror short and I was needing someone who knew how to do blood effects. It was very serendipitous. We came into each other’s lives and we continued to recommend each other for different projects.

When this project came up and Jason was looking for his leading actress, Robert mentioned to him that I could take the makeup really well. He had already done a lot of the makeup on me in some capacity. He knew I wasn’t allergic to latex. He knew I could handle appliances on my skin. He knew my skin wouldn’t breakout with rashes from the products. So, that’s how I ended up speaking with Jason, and I was essentially just offered the role because of my relationship with Robert.

PopHorror: He made a good choice! The critical responses were very good about your performance, and I completely agree.

Rachel Amanda Bryant: Well, thank you!

PopHorror: Your character, Morgan, doesn’t come off as intimidating in the beginning. It’s surprising that she makes this turn and becomes a tough fighter.

Rachel Amanda Bryant: Yeah, I think people are relating to her more than they thought they were going to. At the start of the film, she isn’t very likeable, and she’s bratty and entitled. Yes, she has had a rough estrangement from her father, but she’s also not very nice to her sister or other people around her. As the movie goes on, she recognizes some of her mistakes and it’s really subtly done, which I can totally appreciate. Jason and I worked well together, and my performance was a lot of me trusting his direction of how much more or how much less emotion was needed at different particular parts. I had to trust that the process was working and that he was guiding me in a way that was really going to work for the project.

PopHorror: That’s very interesting to hear, and it makes a lot of sense. So, when you got involved with The Campus, did you know what you were getting yourself into with all the blood?

Rachel Amanda Bryant: I knew, but I didn’t know (laughs). I knew that I would be having a lot of makeup effects. The shot where I get a bucket of blood to the face near the end was not in the script. It was a last moment decision by Jason. I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into, but that is also part of the fun. You really don’t know what it feels like being covered head to toe in blood is until you do it.

PopHorror: I have an idea what special effect makeup feels like from Halloween fun, but I don’t think I’ve ever drenched myself in fake blood.

Rachel Amanda Bryant: It’s a lot different than being drenched in water because it doesn’t just dry off of you. It sticks to your skin, which it’s meant to do, of course. It’s a substance that is meant to leave its presence on the skin. You should definitely try it! Just go ahead, spend a day and cover yourself in blood and then you’ll know what I went through (laughs).

PopHorror: That might be a fun thing to do at my day job. just show up covered in fake blood (laughs). So, going back to your character as Morgan, what was your acting approach?

Rachel Amanda Bryant: Preparation for this character definitely involved knowing where I was going to be mentally and emotionally during each moment of the story to be sure the continuity was right. Another thing was knowing where this girl was coming from. I think she has a lot of anger in her heart at her father. In the end, I think that she really wanted to have a relationship with him again.

PopHorror: Without giving any spoilers, I, for one, really liked the ending. There was a lot of character development from Morgan. I know you mentioned the difficulty of filming this project out of order, but what else would you say might be the most challenging part of this production?

Rachel Amanda Bryant: I would say being covered in blood for 8 to 12 hours on certain days. It was very uncomfortable at times. There was one sequence where the blood was very sticky, and it stuck my tank top to my skin. And it was almost like taking a Band-Aid off, but it was my entire stomach.

PopHorror: Ouch!

Rachel Amanda Bryant: So, that was a painful experience. I think everyone on set felt really bad for me (laughs).

PopHorror: How far into summer did you shoot The Campus?

Rachel Amanda Bryant: We shot pretty much the month of May.

PopHorror: So, it could have been worse with middle of summer heat.

Rachel Amanda Bryant: Oh, exactly!

PopHorror: What was your favorite practical special effect to work with?

Rachel Amanda Bryant: You know… it was probably that eyeball gag. It was one of those times where everyone on set was constantly laughing because I looked absolutely ridiculous! Especially when you think about the fact that in between takes, I’m just sitting there chatting about stuff like what I’m going to have for lunch tomorrow while I have this eyeball hanging out of my head. And people always wanted their picture with me because of how ridiculous and gross it was. It’s just not something you see every day. It sticks in my mind as not only super cool looking, but also really fun. It was a lot of me being silly like holding up the eye as if I’m looking at someone (laughs).

PopHorror: I’m a fan of practical special effects myself, and that is one thing that stuck in my mind from the film, too! So, looking back before this role, how and when did you begin your career in film?

Rachel Amanda Bryant: I started acting in high school doing Community Theater. When I went to college, I started doing some student films. Since then, it’s been progressing to the next level up. I’ve been getting a lot more opportunity, and I’m growing as an actress. I think, as an actress, we never really stop learning. It’s all about human behavior and, because of that, I think I will always be like a sponge, ready to grow in my craft. So, I’m excited to see where I’ll be in my craft in about 5 years. It’s been a few years now, building a foundation and doing what I love, and it’s super fun.

PopHorror: Looking at some of your current and upcoming projects, I noticed that you’re involved with the film, M.F.A.?

Rachel Amanda Bryant: I am. Leah McKendrick and I know each other from college. She was the writer and producer of M.F.A., and she plays a role in the film. She asked me to play a small part in it. I have been unable to attend any of the screenings for it just because of my own schedule, but my character was pretty small, and I’m not sure I made the final cut of the film. It’s a tremendous, very important movie, especially in the time right now of the #MeToo movement. Leah is a really amazing filmmaker, and I’m excited to see what she does next. She has a very good sense of story, and M.F.A. indicates that she has a long career ahead of her.

PopHorror: Have you always been drawn to the darker side of films like The Campus and M.F.A.?

Rachel Amanda Bryant: No, actually. I kind of fell into this genre. I’m much more of a dramatic actress. In the case of The Campus, it’s not a campy horror film. Even though there are moments that are pretty funny in it, Morgan is very grounded, real and has very honest reactions to everything. There’s not a bunch of winking at the camera. I ended up in horror because I worked with an indie horror filmmaking company called Seraph Films. I was cast in one of the few short, non-horror films they’ve done called To Kristen with Love. It was written and directed by Gene Blalock, who tells the story of an ex-girlfriend’s suicide. Honestly, after I was cast in that project, my career changed. I played the on-screen character inspired by Gene’s ex-girlfriend and it really opened up a lot of doors for me since they are a more established filmmaking group.

More recently, I produced a short horror film called Jet Set L.A., and we’re in development of our feature version of it. It’s essentially about cannibals. The reason why my producing partner and I chose horror as our genre was because we wanted to tell the darker side of modern-day bed and breakfasts. What if this concept is just a vehicle for serial killers to find victims? When you start there, I think it’s easy to get into the horror realm. At that point, I figured I’m a full on horror actress now, so I’ll embrace The Campus and get covered in blood! (laughs)

PopHorror: I noticed that you have a couple projects coming out. Can you tell me anything about them?

Rachel Amanda Bryant: Yeah, I can talk quite a bit about The After Party, since I’m also helping to produce the film. It is complete and we’re going to have a premiere at a film festival this spring. This short film is like a Twilight Zone episode. It’s filmed noir style in black and white, and I play a social media queen who is a little insufferable and needs to learn her lesson (laughs). It’s beautifully shot, and I think it will resonate with a lot of people because it’s a conversational piece about social media and how some people idolize others based on their Instagram account. The film isn’t necessarily judging the world of social media, but it is more about renegotiating our relationship with technology and making better use of our time.

In real life, I hope that we can find a happy medium. I think there is a beautiful thing about having the world in the palm of your hand, but we need to be capable of putting our phones down and living in the moment. I think that social media can be used for a lot of social change and fun. But, it can also be a little addicting at times (laughs).

PopHorror: That is very true! To wrap things up, I have two more questions. First, what is your favorite horror film?

Rachel Amanda Bryant: I will say that I’m not a huge horror fan because, oddly enough, I get grossed out (laughs). I know it sounds weird and entirely ironic since I was just there doing it, but it’s hard for me to watch people being hurt and tortured. I hurt for them. But I will say that I loved 1986’s Aliens. The survivor mentality in Sigourney Weaver’s character inspired my role as Morgan. She’s badass, and that film really resonated with me. I also enjoyed 28 Days Later, and I recently have been watching the Insidious and Conjuring franchises.

PopHorror: All very good answers! My last question is a bit more serious, but I think it is important to ask, given the times. As you may know, February is Women in Horror Month, and I feel like everything going on in Hollywood with the #MeToo movement makes this time of year that much more important. Is there anything you would like to say in regards to the #MeToo movement and, especially, to any young women trying to get into the industry?

Rachel Amanda Bryant: I’ll start by saying that I’m really happy that the #MeToo movement is happening. I have dealt with my fair share of that, and for a long time, I just told myself that it was just part of the job. I know I wasn’t alone in that thought process, which is why it took awhile for certain stories to come out and people to speak up. We had just been accepting it as our reality being actresses.

That being said, I do see shifts happening, and I’m excited to see a more fair and loving community that is not based on someone using their position of power to exploit others. I’m grateful that it’s happening, that I can be a part of it, and that I can serve as an example of how to be a strong woman in this industry to younger actresses. What I would say to younger actresses, actresses my age and even actresses who are older… you are not the only one who this has happened to. It’s going to be okay. Continue to do what you think is right. Eventually, you will find good people to work with.

PopHorror: That is some sound advice. It’s important to keep moving forward. I think that pretty much wraps everything up. Thank you again for taking the time to speak with me, Rachel!

Rachel Amanda Bryant: Definitely! Thank you, for watching The Campus and supporting it! I know I appreciate it and I’m sure the producers, cast and crew do as well!

With several producing, writing and acting projects in the works, Rachel is just getting started. The Campus may have been her first leading role, but it likely won’t be her last. Stay tuned to PopHorror for updates on Rachel’s future endeavors!