Are mermaids television’s new vampires?
Gillis hopes new series make a splash
Zombies had their 28 days of fame and walked. Ghosts still appear here and there. Vampires are so dead. Will mermaids become the new supernatural character of choice for TV and film?
Siren, a new Vancouver-shot series, introduces the idea of a small fishing town, Bristol Cove, that celebrates once being home to mermaids. When a mysterious girl (Eline Powell) appears one day, the human filet count starts rising. Forget that whole “chicken of the sea” reputation put forth on shows such as H20: Just Add Water.
As they appear in Siren, or the 2015 Polish cult hit The Lure, mermaids are top-tier predators with bones to pick with humanity.
“Are mermaids the new vampires? I really hope so,” says actor Tammy Gillis. “Siren is a thriller with mermaid legends come to life, and it certainly is showing them in a way you’ve never seen them before. I’m excited.”
Gillis has a recurring role in the series as Marissa Staub, one of the local constabulary baffled by the goings-on. Like so many Vancouver-based actors, she is used to making her coin acting in programs that showcase the dark fantasy side of storytelling. Her list of acting credits includes Supernatural, Reaper, Endgame, Ghost Wars, and appearing as Jill in the sixth season of ABC’s Once Upon a Time.
Even with all that background in programs with devoted cult followings, Gillis says fan-generated advances for Siren have really been surprising.
“Honestly, I had no idea about the whole mermaid world and culture, which is pretty incredible,” she said. “There are all these people who are sending in videos where they have recreated themselves as mermaids and inserted themselves into videos. The involvement and time fans devote to this is amazing, and it really does make you feel like your work is reaching them.”
Gillis hopes to see Siren make a splash. It’s every actor’s dream to land on a show that has a lifespan, and Hollywood North has had its share of big wins in that area, too. But to make a hit, means you need to have something extra. Gillis thinks that Siren is very strong in the effects department.
“The mermaids’ makeup in the pilot was all done specially for it, and it looks amazing,” she said.
“Then there is all the unique underwater shooting. Obviously, I can’t say anything more than what you get to see on the trailers.”
Gillis favours working in all genres and her resume reflects that. Besides her dramatic roles, she appeared in the recent Hallmark Channel movie Frozen in Love, with Rachel Leigh Cook and Niall Matter.
Finding comedic roles has always been a priority for Gillis, but she admits that there isn’t a lot being produced in the bustling B.C. market. In 2016 pursued her comedic chops directing the online series The Support Group.
“The three creators came to me, as I had worked with them previously, and asked if I would be interested in directing,” she said. “And I thought it was a great opportunity to have some fun, play around and get really, really challenged. It was a huge learning curve for me.”
Web series are on the rise as more and more broadcasters come looking for new content. With the tradition of shooting pilots and exploring new stories that way largely being shelved, it’s come down to creative teams becoming micro-studios to try to break out new material.
“The amount of work involved in not only producing and shooting the shows but also the incredible effort required to promote it is just huge,” Gillis said.
“The independent film Menorca that I was involved in hit all the right notes (earning her a Best Actress award at the 2017 UBCP/ACTRA Awards in Vancouver) and had a fantastic run of festivals and so on, but the effort it takes to get people’s eyes on the project after its done is massive. It’s worth it, but it doesn’t pay the bills.”
She’s confident that the feature film adaptation of W. Bruce Cameron’s A Dog’s Way Home, starring Ashley Judd and in which she has a role, will be a hit.
The sequel to A Dog’s Purpose, it tells the story of the adventures of Bella, an abandoned pit bull cross who is found by an employee at a local Veteran’s Association. Following all the animal abuse controversies around A Dog’s Purpose, which marred the film’s potential success, Gillis says the shoot was extra careful.
“They showed a lot of concern throughout the whole filming to be sure that the animals — many of which were from rescue agencies — were treated very carefully,” she said. “I think that this is going to be a very special film, and one that will really move a lot of people.”
Gillis really can’t discuss the film beyond that, but she will discuss another one of her career highlights, as a spokesmodel for the underwear company Ginch Gonch.
“That was so much fun because I got to travel around the world and do all kinds of crazy things as part of the process,” she said. “Many of the people involved with the team are still friends of mine and I work with them now.”
From gaunch to ghosts, dogs to dogfish, Gillis is another Canadian talent on the go in Vancouver’s busy local film and television scene.