Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Courchaine.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Well, Gerod and I had been working together on different, short films, and different formulas for a webseries. It wasn’t until November 2017 when he told me to have a look at a screenplay he sent me, which was SoundClout. I could not stop laughing, I could see the whole pilot in my head, the characters, the scenarios, the locations, it was perfect, and I knew it was the perfect time for it. So we dove head first, ran into all the different problems a low budget project does until we developed the team we have now. Everything has been falling into place recently, but we work very hard for it to be that way.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Absolutely not. Gerod wrote me in originally as, DJ Headset, my first but certainly not last character name. We searched high and low for a co-star, nobody could do it how we wanted. Gerod even tried, and of course, he did well, but we needed him to direct. We finally met with our now producers and actors, Terrell Barno, and Roman. We casted Terrell, as Forrest Dump, my goofy loveable co-star. We went to do some rehearsal shoots, test our chemistry on camera when we got a phone call from a friend of his explaining to us Terrell had been arrested and would be in jail for the next ten days. Gerod and I looked at each other and said just our f**king luck. Sure enough ten days later, Terrell called us and jokingly said: “What are we waiting for let’s shoot!” We of course laughed and we went on to make our concept pilot and every episode to date.
Other struggles include recasting characters that are uncomfortable with their characters choices. Which to me as an actor you should be willing, it’s your job. But due to the nature of the show, there is a lot of discomforts all actors are faced with, but it’s our job to separate character from self. After many recasts, and many rewrites we have finally locked down our all-star cast that is always ready to push the envelope.
I could go on forever, but we role with the punches and we never give up.
Please tell us about SoundClout.
I think what we’re most proud of as production team, and miniseries is the diligent work we’ve put in to grow with Atlanta. Our first episode premiered on THEA, chooseatl’s new streaming service for local Atlanta creatives, needless to say, I was nervous how it would do. Within days it was the most popular thing in humor, and for a couple of days it was the most popular on the network. To see our baby be so well received was all the validation we needed to keep grinding.
It was also very nice to see all the people who didn’t believe in us come out of the woodwork wanting to work with us, we respectfully declined, and continued to beef our team up with people that work with us to create the best possible miniseries we can.
I think what sets us apart from others is we have become fearless, we are unique, and we are a way to connect people to the rap world here in Atlanta. Although we make it a satire, it’s good for everyone to laugh at themselves every now and again. We trying to connect communities, and bring down social stereotypes that otherwise separate people who would have never known they’d enjoy each other’s company so much. Atlanta is a very diverse and budding city, and we’re trying to let the world know that this isn’t the Hollywood of the south, this is Atlanta, and we have a story to tell.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Eh, a couple of different things that are neither here nor there. It wouldn’t be SoundClouD had everything not gone exactly how it has.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://soundcloutseries.wixsite.com/website
- Phone: 6786027044
- Email: SoundCloutSeries@gmail.com
- Instagram: @SoundCloutShow
- Facebook: @SoundCloutShow
- Twitter: @SoundCloutShow
Image Credit:
@themindbodyproblem
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