 Blonde
Floridanative Sheynne Rivers grew
up as a horror movie loving kid
in a show business
environment. At different
points both her parents were
musicians and/or actors and her
mother currently runs Lipstick
Model and Talent Agency in South
Beach. However, it
took the added boost of
performing in her three senior
plays in high school to convince
Sheyenne she had what it took for
a career in acting. Once that
hurdle was cleared Sheyenne
started going out on auditions
and began working in
infomercials, national
advertising campaigns, plays, and
commercials. Eventually she won
the small five-minute part of
Betty Ann in the horror film
‘Dark Woods’ for Fear
Films. She must have made a good
(make that great!) impression
because she followed that with a
starring role (make that TWO
starring roles) in the
company’s next film – a
terror trilogy called
‘Realms of Blood’ for
director Robert J. Massetti. In
the movie Sheyenne plays two
wildly divergent characters in
both the first (unlucky Julia in
’Pain Killer) and last (The
Goth wannabe Raven in ’Blood
Runs Cold’) segments.
That’s not all – she
also had a hand in writing the
screenplay for her two segments
in ‘Realms of Blood’,
wrote a couple songs for the
soundtrack, and is now the Vice
President of Operations for Fear
Films. Ambitious? Oh yeah!
It’s in her blood. Since
then Sheyenne has appeared as
Carol in the film ‘Dark
Queen’, is in pre-production
for another horror flick
‘The Woods are Alive’.
She currently fronts the rock
band I Digress who has just
recorded the album
‘Justice’. Thank
God she had time to answer a few
questions for racksandrazors! OWEN:
How did you get involved in the
independent horror scene?
SHEYENNE:
I went to an audition for a local
independent horror production
called "Blackout"
and met up with Director and
President Robert J. Massetti of
Fear Film Independent Productions
and Jon Fish Producer and
President of Avalon Productions.
I was not chosen for that part,
but was asked to basically
show up at the set of
another local film
production named "Dark
Woods" that Robert was
helping out on that day. I went
over the scene for about 5
minutes, got a quick synopsis of
my character and just rolled with
the camera. On that set I met
local actors Trish Dempsey and
Bob Glazier who I would end up
working with on the set of my
latest film "Realms
of Blood."
After having done "Dark
Woods" and talking
at great extent with Robert
Massetti, he asked me if I would
like to star in Fear Film's next
low budget production, I said yes
and we started working on story
plots and that is where my entire
independent horror fetish got
started.
OWEN:
So you are from an entertainment
background, your mother and
father are both in the business,
have they given you much advice
on your new label as scream
queen?
SHEYENNE:
Advice, huh? Well, my
mom having introduced me to
my fave Scream Queen, Elvira in
the film "Elvira
Mistress of the Dark,"
thought it was great
and encouraged me
to try and be well
rounded with my acting as a
"Scream Queen."
So, I definitely followed
her advice by getting involved
with "Realms of Blood"
because I was able to
portray all different kinds of
characters, just in this one
film, and it was a blast!! My dad
pretty much said
"That's cool, let me know
when the movie comes out!!"
OWEN: In that
film you starred as well as
recorded for the soundtrack...was
it more exciting to act or record
the music?
SHEYENNE:
It was great fun to do both. I
think it made it a lot more
interesting in the fact that I
had a lot of insight on where
this film was headed since I
helped write 2 of the 3 segments,
was Production Assistant and also
Associate Producer. Having been
working on this movie at almost
every area and from the
ground up it was very cool to tap
into that and get some great dark
styled lyrics and music to go
along with it. If I had to pick,
though I would say acting in the
film was the most exciting
because I got to work with a lot
of great people and learned a lot
from all the people I worked
with. I learned so much from this
production because I was able to
be apart of it so much. It was
like a baby that I got to see
grow up and that to me was an
amazing experience!!
OWEN:
You also perform in the
band 'I Digress' which records on
an independent label. What do you
think are the advantages of being
with an independent production
both in films and recording?
SHEYENNE:
Well, we are actually not signed
with any label yet, but just
finished our debut album entitled
"Justice" and will have
it available independently on our
web site and at local retailer's
at ready for radio quality by
early December of this year.
We will be seeking major
label representation once our EPK
(Electronic Press Kit) is
finished, which should be around
the same time as the album is
ready. We have been plugging
this project on an independent
level for quite a while and have
learned the importance of
independence in this business is
so that you can do what is in
your heart with your music rather
than to have to possibly
comprise. So what we have
done is played our music and
produced our music from the heart
and hope that everyone likes it
and that it might spark some
attention from labels. However,
if it does not we
will continue on doing what
it is we love to do. http://www.idigresstheband.com/
OWEN:
As far as independent
films, the huge advantage again
is doing what you want with the
story and being as original as
possible and knowing that
something you have done, if it
becomes a great success, was none
other than because you busted
your butt to do so. There is a
great feeling you get out of
finishing productions that
you had the control
of. If it flops entirely,
you know it was your fault
and have no one else to look
towards except for yourself.
SHEYENNE:
I believe that working
on an independent level is a
great place to start and a great
place to end up. I think you
should try to do it all and
experience it all, but also get
back to your roots and get back
to where you came from, which for
mostly everyone is
independent!!
OWEN: As a
musician are you looking forward
to playing an egotistical
recording artist in 'The Woods
are Alive' – will it be a
fun sort of exercise?
SHEYENNE:
We have not started shooting the
film yet, but I have definitely
started to search for the right
kind of egotistical character. It
is definitely going to be great
fun to play that kind of a role,
especially when people wonder if
that is how I really am!!
Just for the record I am not the
Diva type. I don't have to have
all green M&M's and I don't
need 20 different kinds of
bottled waters, but I can
definitely fake it!! LOL!! I am a
picky eater, though.
OWEN: Do you
have a most and least favorite
film project?
SHEYENNE:
I really have enjoyed
all of my film experiences
because I just love what I do
plain and simple. I think once
you start to have a least
favorite film project that you
might need to take a break for a
little while. I have definitely
had some stressful days where
there were very long hours and it
was hot and I could fall asleep
with my eyes open, but never once
thought, "Wow, I could've
done without this
experience." In fact, being
in those tiresome stress ridden
situations have helped my acting
be more realistic at times and I
always look back at times like
this for reference on how to play
those types of characters. As an
actor every experience in your
life, good or bad, can be
used in perfecting your
craft.
OWEN: What makes
you scream in real life?
SHEYENNE:
Horror films!! People actually
can't believe how scared I get in
horror films especially since I
act in them. When the set is
creepy enough I will even get
scared on the actual set. I am
definitely afraid of the dark and
haunted houses also!!
OWEN: So do you
find a lot of irony then in the
fact that you are starring in all
these horror films?
SHEYENNE:
There is a ton of irony in that!!
However, I find that it
definitely helps get me into
character as well as amusing
everyone around me a great deal!!
We also get some great outtakes!!
OWEN: What
projects do you have lined up in
the future Sheyenne?
SHEYENNE:
Me and my partner John D'Angelo's
 company, I Digress
Productions, along with Avalon
Productions have just finished
writing the script for a
psychological thriller called
"Figments."
It has a ton of horror elements
to it and has a great plot twist
and tons of special features
planned for the DVD to help give
the audience a deeper look into
this twisted plot. You can check
out the teaser poster and more
info soon on http://www.figmentsthemovie.com/
OWEN:
Thanks Sheyenne and all the best
to you both in life and career.
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