The Adventure Club

It's a funny coincidence that I last posted in this blog during the same week Sam first performed on the Ottawa International Children's Festival stage ... and loved it! The part I left out was that he quizzed us on the way home that day: "How do kids get to be on TV?" he began, and the back-and-forth led us to Googling AMTI, the Ottawa-based modelling and talent agency I knew about. We found ourselves at their open call a few weeks later.

We took our time doing the acting classes and audition training, finally registering him on Casting Workbook and Actors Access in January 2014. His first commercials, for Zoomer Dino and Dukoral, began airing about a year ago. Last December, he booked Winter Hymns, a short by Inflo Films -- who also cast him in the The Big Crunch in August. And he got the role of the classroom bully in a Lifetime TV feature called Mommy's Little Girl. Things seemed to be happening quickly, but we were surprised when he landed the main lead role in Trilight Entertainment's The Adventure Club!

We were flown in to Regina five days before shooting started so the young actors could get to know
each other and build some friendship chemistry, get their wardrobe sorted, and "front load" some tutoring (which is sometimes hard to work into a shooting day). It was a bit surreal that the driver who met us at the airport just bee-lined to Sam - he recognized him from his head shot which, it turns out, is pinned up in every production office of the CBC Soundstage! We had a day to settle into our suite, do a grocery run, and just relax. (Sidenote: Jenn and Javier - the other parents on set - are awesome and I am learning a ton about the business from them!)

From Sunday to Thursday, Sam hung out nearly nonstop with his The Adventure Club cast mates, Jakob Davies and Dalila Bela, playing a lot of Xbox, soaking in the terrace hot tub, hitting the arcade, and sharing meals. They were instant friends and have had a blast on set and in the suites! Director Geoff Anderson is clearly relieved. This movie just wouldn't work if the kids' relationships looked strained.

He also got a tour of the CBC Soundstage, where they were creating the clubhouse (which is just so cool..) as well as building some other set pieces for the Science Museum scenes. Geoff offered him his pick of the BMX bikes they club uses to get all around town, and he got to see the go-kart (Penelope) that "Bill" loves with all his heart. Then it was on to wardrobe, where they pulled together six outfits that work for "Ricky" and that Sam feels comfortable in. He really likes the clothes (and he gets to keep them - bonus!)

Of course, the run-up days were also all about running lines and talking through the scenes. It was especially important to Sam that he was well prepared and could nail his scenes - given that the other two actors have dozens of major film and television credits under their belts. They've been doing this since they were 5 years old! (Momager pride: Sam has been totally solid with his lines and has taken direction like a pro).

Hard to believe we're here, but Sam is taking it all in stride - like this is just the way he planned it...