When entering a highly competitive field like acting, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the struggle to get that first big break. However, it always helps when you have support along the way – even if it comes in the unlikeliest of places.
That situation serves as the basis for the new comedy series BREAK A HIP, created by Cameron Watson and now streaming its first three episodes (of eight this season) on its official web site and Vimeo page (see more links below). The third episode can be viewed at the end of this article.
BREAK A HIP focuses on a special friendship that forms between two actors at completely different stages of their careers. One is a young upstart named Wincy (played by newcomer Britt Hennemuth), who’s aspired to be an actor ever since childhood.
Having finally convinced his parents to let him pursue his career, only to have his time at Juilliard end after a year, Wincy arrives in Hollywood, only to discover that “making it” is easier said than done.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is the older, highly temperamental Biz (played by Emmy-nominated actress Christina Pickles, ST. ELSEWHERE, FRIENDS).
Once a vibrant young talent who first came to prominence through England’s theatrical scene, Biz and her husband emigrated to the States and were soon courted by Hollywood’s biggest studio moguls.
No sooner than they moved to California than Biz’s husband died unexpectedly, leaving her widowed and seemingly forgotten by everyone, including the very industry that once sought to make her a star. In search of someone to help her manage her daily affairs, Biz puts out an ad for an assistant.
Enter Wincy, who in search of a job, answers Biz’s ad, and soon becomes both her caretaker and constant companion. Gradually, Biz takes Wincy under her wing, and they begin a seemingly wacky journey that both tests and strengthens their budding friendship in unpredictable, yet humorous and heartwarming fashion.
Guest stars include Peri Gilpin (FRASIER), Priscilla Barnes (THREE’S COMPANY, JANE THE VIRGIN), Oscar winning actor/screenwriter Jim Rash (who co-penned 2012’s Best Adapted Screenplay winner THE DESCENDANTS) and Octavia Spencer (Oscar winner for her role in THE HELP).
In addition, 6-time Emmy winner Allison Janney (of THE WEST WING, MOM, and countless other film and TV roles) stars as the twisted landlady Niblett.
Originally based on Watson’s feature length screenplay LONELY ON THE MOON, the real inspiration for BREAK A HIP came thanks to his memories of when he, like his fictional counterpart Wincy, was a struggling young actor in Tinseltown hoping to just get by – and when his life was unexpectedly turned around thanks to an aging, yet cantankerous actress who was all but forgotten by everyone.
“I was hired by an older English actress who lived in a one room studio in the heart of Hollywood by herself. Her husband was dead, all of her friends were dead, and she had no one,” Watson remembers.
“She was a lovely, complicated woman. And she was alone and frightened. And that often came out as mean.”
Strapped for cash and any semblance of a steady job, Watson became her assistant and caretaker. “I drove her to the market and to do errands and would make sure she had everything she needed and she would pay me what she called ‘mad money.’ And I needed that mad money at the time,” he remembers.
As time went on, though, their friendship grew, as did their trust and respect for each other, and the memorable moments that they shared would serve as a primary foundation for BREAK A HIP. “I loved her deeply and she taught me a lot,” Watson says. “We developed a very strong dependency on each other and the absurdity of our adventures together are what inspired the script.”
The interplay between both core characters – one a young man with unlimited potential, the other an older woman at the twilight of her life – is not just something that Watson feels makes BREAK A HIP distinct from other web series. In fact, he adds, that kind of relationship has always proven to be a source of fascination.
“I think the duo it revolves around is a unique pairing. They are at opposite ends of life’s spectrum. One young and new, one old and finishing up,” Watson says. “That dynamic interests me a great deal. It is the cycle of this life we live. I don’t think there is anything out there on the web exploring that relationship the way we do.”
With a cast comprised of some of Watson’s closest friends and fellow actors, production of BREAK A HIP’s 8 episodes took place over 9 days.
Having worked with a relatively small crew, Watson says the show’s production was all the more memorable thanks to the talent and determination of those on both sides of the camera.
“I am lucky to have crackerjack producers on my team, so it was a very happy, funny set. I was blessed,” says Watson, who also encourages aspiring web series producers to look for people who are equally talented and skilled as they are. “Surround yourself with the best people you can. It will pay off.”
BREAK A HIP comes at a time when TV and film portrayals of older people with complicated lives are already popular among audiences. “‘Old is in’ right now in the entertainment business, so our window seems right,” remarks Watson. “There are a lot of stories on the air and in theaters about older men and women going through troubled times and funny transitions, and that is very exciting.”
Yet, he adds, the show’s characters and hilarious comedy will make his series a hit with young and old alike. “Also, we are finding that the young twenty-something crowd really responds to this story. They can plug themselves into it on many levels,” Watson says. “That has been a great thrill for us. They relate to their parents and grandparents and the divide between the generations.”
Regardless of its future success, Watson says his biggest goal for BREAK A HIP is one that’s not just simple, but also one that’s exemplified through each of the show’s characters and moments.
“I just want to tell a story from my heart; a story that means something, that has value, and is funny and bizarre and entertaining and lands with a truthful resonance. That’s my goal.”
BREAK A HIP proves that some of the greatest friendships people can have aren’t bound by age or life experience. Through the show’s memorable pairing of a young man whose life is suddenly changed thanks to an older, yet adventurous actress, BREAK A HIP also demonstrates that when it comes to friendship, connecting is everything.
“We spend our lives trying to connect to people. At the end of the day, (connecting) is what matters most,” says Watson. “Connections of the human heart. That is what feels good in this life. Connection.”
Note: Regarding closed-captioning, Watson says: “It is not closed-captioned yet, but we are in the process of making it so. That will be available very soon.”
Episode 1 of BREAK A HIP can be viewed here:
ON THE WEB: http://www.breakahip.com/
VIMEO: https://vimeo.com/user20918236
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/breakahipthewebseries
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/breakahip
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