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Q & A with the co-lead actress – a conversation with LEIGH GRAVES, who plays Grace in the film.

Q: How did you become involved with the film SMS Sugar Man?

I was introduced to Kaganof by one of his close friends at his favorite hangout, the Bohemian, which is also one of the SMS locations. A few months later he called me for a meeting. I think he just believed I was right for the part.

Q: The film deals with sexuality in today’s fractured world. What is your take on the story?

The story is complex depending on whose angle you are analyzing sexuality from. Grace loves to use and abuse her sexuality, she wants everyone to be in love with her, even Anna. Her sexuality has much to do with power and status, for instance she taunts Sugar man with the fact that Selene wants to have sex with her. Selene on the other hand comes close to healing her clients through her next-to-godliness sexuality and a more nurturing quality. And Sugar man is a warped, cynical human being who has had a taste of love through a woman he has made a living out of exploiting. The master always falls in love with the talented genius of his class, and I guess this is the case with the Selene and Sugar man. Their love wills the destructive element in Grace, for her (or Sugar man’s alter ego) to succeed, love must fail.

Q: How does the film deal with female perceptions of gender, and specifically, sexual relationships; and power?

I think the film demonstrates that sexual energy used to gain, control, or manipulate power is a dangerous and very addictive game to play. Sex becomes synonymous with money, which equals power. As regards relationships, there is only one choice between love and power; love fails every time a relationship is based on power. This is the choice our characters face. It is clear that Grace’s choice is power, and Sugar man eventually chooses otherwise. It is easy for women to be lured into the underworld of sex and even be excited about it. I know that I even began to think it was exciting.

Q: The casting of the film was almost part of the improvised approach to the script. How was the casting of this film different to other films? How did you feel about the process?

The casting seemed to be a part of the improvising process that’s true. To the point, Aryan was investigating the characters but also the actors to see if they could handle this kind of material which requires one to be very comfortable with their sexuality and be able to portray that. I think some of the potential actors involved were uncomfortable with some things and Kaganof either used it to his advantage or simply said thank you but I cannot work with you if you cannot give me what I require. It was definitely cast through a process of exploration and intimacy.

Q: The film did not have a script – it was workshopped. Can you explain the process? Did it carry on through the shooting?

We spent a week finding the characters and then exploring them in various locations. Then we set up several improvisations to push the story, which was largely going to be based on the way these characters interacted with each other. When it was clear who these people were, we began weaving together the elements and the plot, which was completed only half way through the shoot, but ideas were still added, right till the very last second. Every time someone added something unique or Aryan perceived a moment that could be used, we shot it.

Q: How comfortable did you feel to contribute towards the creative process?

Very comfortable. I have worked like this before although it was not a cell phone shoot, but I was trained to create characters and story lines constantly at University so it came quite naturally to me.

Q: How did you approach the rehearsal process? What was different in this process to your previous roles?

Well, after we all got told to take our kit off I approached the rehearsal process with caution ha ha!! No, actually, it was easy because I clicked with the girls and I knew I could trust them and I knew that we would all be generous in giving as well as taking the focus, which is crucial in an improvisation situation. I was concerned about this beforehand because I knew that the other girls had no real acting experience, but they were great. What was different was that we had to get our kit off to get comfortable with nudity and intimacy. Yes, it did help. And yes, everyone felt a bit weird at first.

Q: Your performance as Grace is a tour de force. Grace is a hooker in the film. What is her attitude toward sex?

As I mentioned before, Grace’s attitude towards sex is wrapped up in her power issues. She uses her sexuality as a tool to gain power, but lust, ambition and greed, all products of power, slowly begin to eat away at her. She is spinning rapidly towards the direction portrayed by the crack whore. But she is feisty as a cat and loves to get at Sugar man by having sex with Selene. On a deeper level, it is Sugar man’s ego that is seeing Selene seduced by the power lust and greed that Grace personifies.

Q: Grace is in a certain way Sugar Man’s alter ego. How did you reconcile this in your role?

Every person has a male and female side to their being, and the film explores this idea through the sexual relationship between Grace and Selene. “I am not a woman” is a line I picked up from a quote read by Kaganof in our improvisations, and I developed this idea. I wanted Grace to reflect a strong masculine side, which is Sugar man, as well as a feline side that reflects the other characters in the story. She/He is a person of “nine faces” or “nine lives”, to use the cat metaphor, that become more and more distorted in her quest for power.

Q: How did you prepare for the role of Grace?

I dug into my sexual archives and brought out the grittiest aspects of my own sexual issues and explored them. I have been with both women and men so I know how sexual dynamics can switch and change, I know how to feel like a man and I know how to make another woman feel desired. My co-star Deja also knows how to do this very well. This has nothing to do with being gay, but everything to do with belief and imagination. The more you can believe, the better an actress you become. I reached for desperation, power and lust and believed in it so much I allowed it to make me high. True acting is getting high on emotions.

Q: What was it like to work with Kaganof?

Mostly amazing, sometimes a pain in the ass, but always an experience to remember. Kaganof asks a lot and I love that about him. I also always want to push to the extreme. Like Kaganof I like to control things, even story lines, so I get a bit pickled if its not going my way. But those are issues every actor has to deal with and what usually ends up happening is that the director becomes a father figure and you become the child that is ever willing to please and gain approval. So of course I want to please him and I am pleased when he is happy and I am a sulky difficult child if I don’t get enough of his attention. He was a good Daddy/Director, harsh, gentle, impulsive, demanding and comforting.

Q: The role is very challenging. How did you feel about the nudity required of you for the role? What is the extent of the nudity in the film?

Well, at first I was not worried at all, then I went through a brief worrying period during the rehearsal because some girls were very uncomfortable and then suddenly I thought, hmm maybe I should be more uncomfortable. But then I realized bugger that, I’m actually quite comfortable with my body, and for the sake of the story I think nudity is essential, I mean, we are hookers! Also I believe in taste, and I think Aryan will portray the nudity in way that it adds to the meaning of the story and is not merely a gimmick. There was topless nudity, nobody was required to remove his or her underwear, and mostly we were allowed to do what was comfortable.

Q: This the first feature film to be shot using mobile phone cameras. How did this technology work for you as an actress?

The most beneficial thing is that because the Director Of Photography is making use of the lighting that is natural, or quickly set up, it means it is easier to stay focused and in character. You get much more out of a scene, and there is much leeway for shooting quick scenes that one has just thought of. It is easier to maintain an emotional charge working this quickly.

Q: You did your own makeup and wardrobe. How do you feel about this and was it successful for you?

I am not great at applying make up so it was a learning curve. To be honest I do not think it’s a good idea to use items from your personal wardrobe. In building a character you want to move away from yourself and items that remind you of yourself. For example, every time I wear that shirt now I feel like Grace! But the costumes worked well for the characters we aimed for.

Q: The cast and crew were a small group. About 12 people in all. How did you all work together?

Wonderfully. It was a great crowd, and because it was small, the intimate scenes were made easier.

Q: Do you think this will revolutionize the future of film making, and if so, in what way?

I have mixed feelings. On the one hand I think people will watch the first cell feature for the experience, and then go back to normal film because its high resolution. However, cell phones and technology will only advance, and this will inevitably change things.