Hall Brothers Make Waves with Exciting New Film Roles
Spencer, Justin and Tyler Hall Creating Large Body of Respected Work
NEW YORK, NY (May 3, 2010) – Collectively, Spencer, Justin and Tyler Hall represent an acting juggernaut with more than 20 years experience honing their craft on stage and in film. Yes, what is amazing is that these three well adjusted kids from the suburbs of Long Island are just 9, 11 and 13 respectively and continue to gobble up one meaty role after another.
From one project to the next, the Hall Brothers (www.thehallbrothers.com) garner rave reviews from the directors, casting agents and fellow adult actors who come in contact with them. They universally point to a maturity level uncommon in young boys, a readiness to learn and an endearing, playful side that seems to brighten the cloudiest of days.
The brothers attended their first “red carpet” event this week in Fairfield, Connecticut at the premier of the short, “Fishbowl”, directed by Ryan Duff. This entry into the annual Cinefest Festival features all three Hall boys, with young Spencer cast as the lead (Jordan) in a heartwarming tale about a boy and his pet goldfish. Tyler plays Spencer's older brother Michael, a teenager with an attitude and a natural resentment toward his younger sibling as he struggles to win the love and attention of their mother.
Justin, meanwhile, appears in the latter part of the film as an energetic boy playfully catching mice in the woods in order to secure a delicious meal or two for his pet snake back at home.
Together they forge an unusual bond, contemplating subtle aspects of life and death, amidst the beauty of nature, culminating in Jordan's heroic decision to set his beloved goldfish Steve free.
“I can’t say enough about the Hall brothers,” said Duff. “It was my first time working with younger actors and it’s very difficult to find young, well trained ones. Spencer, Justin and Tyler all were so well trained and mature for their ages. There was such a huge gap between them and the other actors who auditioned that it was a no brainer for us to pick all three boys for the film.”
Duff said the 12 ½ minute film was one of 15 films selected for Cinefest and that the festival is well regarded not only on campus among faculty and students but throughout the community as well.
Other exciting projects now on the schedule for the Hall Brothers include:
- The Counterpane Fairy - A little boy (Justin) is entertained by visits from the Counterpane Fairy, who treats him to stories associated with each of the squares in the counterpane. She has him concentrate on one of the squares until it turns into something like a doorway into the story. Once inside the story, he becomes its lead character until it fades out as if he's awakening from a dream. Director John Knowles and his Panman Productions are behind this film that will screen in June at the Brooklyn International Film Festival and features a number of prominent young, upcoming actors. “Our casting director, Melissa Gonzalez, was instrumental in finding Justin for the lead role of Teddy,” says Knowles, a rising star himself in film direction. “Melissa saw a lot of young boys for this role but knew right away that Justin was perfect. She came to me and said, ‘this is your lead role’, and so we stopped the process then and there.” Panman Productions is an interactive production company based out of New York City that focuses on live broadcasting, film, fashion, art and social media. After being introduced to Live production at Plum TV, Knowles worked to adapt the Live production model to his endeavors online. He helped to create and build the Roger Smith Social Media Program and was the executive producer of the 2009 Roger Smith Shorts Film Festival which generated six original short films. (For continuous updates on this unique project, visit the films’ blog site at http://thecounterpanefairy.tumblr.com.)
- The Amazing Christopher – Another student produced short, The Amazing Christopher is a story about a young boy who has never experienced (until now) the magic of his own imagination. According to director Naomi Davis, who employs the use of “green screen” techniques in the film, “the entire cast and crew of "The Amazing Christopher" loved and enjoyed working with all three of the Hall Brothers. As my star, Justin was engaging, on point and always in tune to what I wanted from him as the director. Justin and I worked together very closely and I was pleased to see how easily he was able to transform himself into Christopher, a boy who has never experienced the magic of his own imagination. All three boys were a joy to work with and I look forward to seeing where their talent takes them.”
- An Act of Passion – Forrest McClain is the director on this experimental short that cast Spencer in a pivotal and challenging role. The film follows a detective, whose life seems to revolve around a haunting event that took place in his past. When confronted with a murder, the detective is ordered to interrogate the only suspect, a domestic robot. In order to discover the true motives of the murder, the detective travels into the mind of the machine, confronting its broken form of an identity. The film is about forgiveness and our own identities. Spencer plays the innocent manifestation of the robot's identity, which consists of a boy, a young man, and the murdered woman. “For one so young, he had an amazing understanding of the complexity that the film represents,” says McClain, who came away from his experience on the set with Spencer extremely impressed by his work ethic, tenacity and insight. “We would do a few rehearsals before a take, I would give him some notes, and some experiences he could relate to. Spencer would completely use all the direction I gave him. I have not even seen adults take to direction that quickly, but Spencer can.”
- Paxil – Directed by Nick Massey, this short film examines the negative effects this potent drug can have on young children. Tyler stars as the main character that is unnecessarily prescribed this medication hoping for a quick fix, but winds up having the opposite effect on improving his outlook on life. Rather, he becomes angry, rebellious and depressed, and his family is forced to deal with the consequences. “He is a great little actor,” says Massey of the 13-year old Tyler. “He took direction extremely well, knew when to turn it on and when to turn it off. He would go right to work and was so professional.” Massey said the role called for Tyler to bring out moments of great anger, followed by bouts of depression and boredom. “He didn’t miss a beat,” says Massey. “Tyler was just great all around and I would love to work with him again. He has a very bright future in this business.”
- All My Sons – This reprise of an Arthur Miller classic will have Spencer Hall in its cast for a 10 day run May 13-23 at the Turtle Shell Theatre in Manhattan. Its director is Shawn Rozsa. Based on a true story and set shortly after World War II, it is about love, honor, integrity, and the consequences of a clash between morality and war. All My Sons looks at how far one will go to achieve material comfort and an improved social status through hard work and determination. The play in essence presents the darker path of the drive to achieve the American Dream and the greed of wartime profiteering. Spencer impressed the casting crew and director and was given the opening night performance, along with 6 others productions during the run of the play. “Spencer is a natural talent,” says Rozsa. “He is very aware when he performs, makes smart choices and does not try too hard. He takes direction very well and is always prepared.”
Something truly unique and exciting is brewing in the entertainment world – Spencer, Justin and Tyler Hall comprise the acting, singing and dancing Hall Brothers, a real life triple threat! Ranging in age from 9 to 13, the brothers have fashioned a collective footprint that has directors, agents, music arrangers and fellow actors singing their praises. With more than 30 films, plays and music videos under their collective belts, The Hall Brothers keep raising the bar for young performers. These three young boys are mature, disciplined and focused beyond their years and the industry is taking note of their immense talent.
