Emerging Women in Film Profile Series: Velvet Rhodes

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This month I'm pleased to highlight Velvet Rhodes, a very talented screenwriter, producer, and actor. She's a triple threat who has a passion for screenwriting and filmmaking.  Next week, her webisode series Room for Rent will be screened at the 2011 Action on Film International Film Festival in Pasadena, California. Room for Rent also won 'Best Dialogue' for a short screenplay at the 2010 Action on Film Screenwriting Competition.

Bio: Velvet Rhodes is an actress who hails from London, England. Beginning her career in music playing and singing alternative rock music in several bands and then going onto theatre in London, England. As well as music, film and writing, she is an avid painter of fine oil paintings. Acting since the age of 3, acting is her passion and film making is her joy. She recently starred in and produced The Purple Zone, wrote, directed, produced and starred in The Cell Phone and now is in pre-production for Ticket to Ride. She is also in full production for Room for Rent the Series. Rhodes writes, directs, produces, and acts in all of her productions.

Velvet Rhodes

Miller: What is your favorite genre to write and why?

Rhodes: I love comedy. It is far better to try to create laughter than tears. It just always flows for me, when I start writing something, I see the comedy in most life situations. I would like to try some sci-fi, but I think it will always have a comic twist because that is the way I see the world.

Miller: What is one challenge that you've faced and overcome as a screenwriter or filmmaker?

Rhodes: Balancing a full time job with the creative aspects of life, it is an ongoing day to day effort, but it does seem to be working, although sometimes.........incredibly difficult.

Miller: Where did you get the idea for the webisode Room for
Rent the Series? How have you raised money to produce the project?

Rhodes: The ideas are all based upon my experiences with room mates. Many of the characters are people I have actually lived with. All of the funding has come from personal fundraisers at my home and Indiegogo and Kickstarter.

Miller: Congratulations on your recent acceptance to the 2011 Action on Film Festival. When will your webisode Room for Rent The Series be screened?

Rhodes: The episode will screen on July 23, 2011 Saturday at 8:00 pm Academy 5. I was also recently informed by Del Weston , founder of Action on Film, that we ae having The Velvet Rhodes Show at 10:00 pm that night. The AOF is screening Room for Rent Series, The Cell Phone, The Purple Zone, Ticket to Ride and The New Purple Zone as a special event to show all of my shorts. I am absolutely thrilled!!!

Miller: How else are you promoting Room for Rent The Series?

Rhodes: I have an event spot on Facebook, Twitter and personal emails.


Director of photography, David Bacon and sound engineer,
Ben Chan prepare to shoot scene.


Miller: You have a wealth of experience in a variety of areas. How do you balance your roles as screenwriter, producer, actor, etc. in a project?

Rhodes: I love doing it all. I love acting and have written most of these pieces for myslef to act in. Then producing is something I find incredibly easy to do. It is much like cooking, take the ingredients you have to work with and make something fabulous out of nothing. I love directing as well, it is so exciting to see a great performance come into being with a talented actor.

Miller: What other projects are in development for you?

Rhodes: Fire Sign Girls is the next one. It is about three ladies who have astrological knowledge, magical powers, astronomical knowlege, and psychic ability and are a Leo, a Sagittarius, and an Aries who help people. Again another comedy which empowers women.

Ticket To Ride is a comedy about the middle east where the women take over and turn all of the war sites into amusement park rides, the men are so busy selling tickets to tourists (i.e., the wailing wall ride, the gaza strip ride, etc.) that peace is achieved in the Middle-East.............a comedy that empowers women and is very funny.

The Purple Zone is in development as a full length feature, wherein the Goddess takes over and ends all of the wars.

The Cell Phone is still out there and hopefully will be a comedy series about what people talk about on their cell phones around the world, one week we are in LA the next week in Paris. So, far only one episode is complete.