Making Monsters; A Sneak Peak Behind the Scenes of the Horror Film, Maya.

The first month of the year is over!

January was a fantastically abundant month and oh man, did it fly.  I've been posting a lot of behind the scenes pictures and video clips on my social media because the month was filled with travel, prep, filming and shoots.  Since I haven't have much time to explain the shift back to my 'normal,' I figured I'd start you all off with an explanation about the film I've recently been cast in as well as give you some special, first looks at our behind the scenes process.

 

One of the biggest things that filled the first month of this year was my work on the film 'Maya'!

'Maya,' is a horror film written and directed by Paul C. Hemmes (Scream Machine).  The film, as he describes it, 'is a straight up horror movie; written by and for horror fans. Our intention is to make a smart horror movie, one with depth and sophistication, while maintaining the elements horror audiences have come to love.''

I play Maya, and my character is somewhat of a mystery.  The story centers on a group of friends who go on a hiking for what they think will only be a few hours, however, as soon as the hike starts so do the dark and perplexing occurrences.  

The group first stumbles upon Maya, mysterious and alone in the woods.  Finding Maya gives them a semblance of hope, however ends up giving rise to more questions than before.  The story follows the group, and Maya, as they continue on, attempting to gain a grasp on the dark and insidious occurrences happening around them. 

I'm extremely honored and grateful to have the opportunity to bring Maya to life.  I was extremely impressed with the script and am having a lot of fun creating the character.  Creating the character for Maya goes a little further into character development as not only am I working on her attitude and demeanor, but undergoing physical changes as well. 

The first week of the year found me on a flight to LA where I soon met and was fit for prosthetic pieces by the insanely talented artist and director, Joe Castro and his lovely assistant Lisa Lex.

   Walking into to Joe's fx house, I was immediately greeted by severed heads on shelves, bloody body pieces laying on tables and a giant green screen to my right.  

I felt right at home.  
I slipped on some gym shorts, huge tube socks and a trash bag shirt.  

And  then they started:

 Oh, whoops, there goes my sight!

 Thank the gods, I'm not claustrophobic!

 Then I wait....

Then he wraps...

 

J/k

Now I wait some more....

 It takes all 3 of us to remove the mask..

 woah! It's my face!!!

 Too cool!

 Thanks, Joe and Lisa!! 

The crafting process takes about 2 weeks after the initial casting, so it was back to character development, costume fittings and meetings until we filmed our first scene.  
The entire experience has been unique.  I'm working with teams of artists I'd never worked with before and creating a character unlike any I've ever portrayed.
I'll be back with more behind the scenes and pictures of my changes as we continue to film! 
In the mean time, you can find me on 
Twitter: @VictoriaPaege
IG: @Pocketsized21
FB: Facebookcom/VPaege

Are you a horror fan? What's your favorite? Old school, slasher films? Dark mysteries? Psychological thrillers?  Monster movies??
Let me know in the comments below!! 

See you all next time!

~Vee.  

My First Glamour shoot EVER!

I know I've been talking about this for 2 weeks ... but it's here:

 TODAY (12.16.2019)

You can get the physical copy of Shutter Magazine at any and all Barnes and Noble locations WORLDWIDE!!!!

This was my first ever GLAMOUR shoot and my first time working specifically with gels.*  I had the pleasure of working with photographer (and author of the article) David Byrd of  Reality Reimagined  as well as hair and makeup artist Lauren Edmonson. 
I was told the theme of the article and the look that David was trying to achieve for the article and we went from there.  It can sometimes take a few minutes or hours to feel comfortable working with brand new teams of people, but as soon as I met both Lauren and David, I was immediately relaxed and fully comfortable.  David has a theater background so was giving me stage direction during the shoot which I adored, and Lauren and I bonded over skin care products and routines. 

  

 

I've included a few images from the article but to see them all, head to your local Barnes and Noble or sign up for a free account on the Shutter mag website and download the January Glamour Issue! 
Bring them to the comic and horror conventions I'll be at this year and I'll have something special for you! 
I'll be traveling to filming and shoot over the next few months and want to share over multiple channels- what do you all use? Other than Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat, I have Twitch! If you use it- add me and I'll start using it again !

Until next time, my friends! 

Cheers!

*Gels: Blue and red gels were placed over the lights during shooting.  This technique is how we were able to the color and shadows that you see on my skin. 

The moment we've all been waiting for? It's here.

2019 is in FULL swing and  I have so much going on that it's time for another post FULL of updates!  (& Self reflection)

The end of the year marked a tremendous awakening for me. For almost all of 2018, I focused on family.  We had a ton of very important events and it was time for me to take a moment to enjoy it WITH my family, instead of from a phone in another state. It was wonderful to be around my family and for the first 6 months, I spent all of my free time around them.  It was fantastic to enjoy a little time out but I found I was missing something. I wasn't doing much creatively.  I hadn't done a single shoot and I missed it.  I missed running around working on multiple projects at a time.  I missed interacting with so many people at shows and I missed the thrill of being on set and waiting for those magical words.  
In August, I was a  guest at Comic Con Palm Springs and that started a shift. Opportunities started to present themselves and then
BAM!
I felt something inside of me click, something big..something HUGE.... and I was compelled to grab on and move forward; like our good friend Sebastian. 

Projects and opportunities started popping up in front of me.  Quickly. 
I had only one choice: Take them.   
With the beginning of 2019 already filling up, I made an important holiday trip back home.
Not where I just was, but to my childhood home. The place where I grew up holds a tremendous amount of power for me. It's impossible to express the amount of love and support that I receive from my family there, so instead, I'll show you what it creates. 

A quick Pin-up shoot with Cheryl & Dennis Mong Photography

'What comes of love and hope, togetherness, and an unflinching belief of greatness, creates the strongest power that any one person can hold.'

While away, I had the opportunity to shoot with not only one of my favorite photography teams, but some of my best friends Cheryl and  Dennnis Mong.

 

I was able to spend an entire 10 days away, working a little, but more importantly, visiting with those I love.

I flew back December 31st.  Just in time to ring in the new year and with one day to pack for my flight to LA! What was I doing in LA? I'll post all about it (or at least what I'm allowed to) in my next post!

Thanks for being here through my adventures - what comic and horror shows will you be at this year?  Which ones should I go to?!

Remember you can also follow my adventures on:

IG:  @pocketsized21

Snapchat: NikolaPickle

Twitter: @VictoriaPaege 

Youtube: *I'm working on getting better at this one ...  no posts yet  Victoria Tries Things 

 

 

We Made it! Happy 2019!

Happy New Year!!

2018 is GONE and I'm SO EXTREMELY EXCITED FOR 2019!!

Im so happy for all of the opportunities that I was blessed with last year but am also so grateful for many of the happenings to be coming to a close ; leading the way for

Dun-du-du-dunnn

TONS of new things ALREADY STARTED!

Last year was a very big family year for me. We had weddings (1 being a destination wedding),  retirements, moves, a birth and ANOTHER baby announcement.

At the beginning of the year, I gave myself a goal. I'd spend the year focusing on spending time with family and not so much on traveling with events, but by the end of 2018, I would have set in motion to be back up and running full force for 2019.

A year can be so many things....

A year can take forever to get through but at the same time will fly, whether you make use of it or not. This lends itself for a large amount of growth..... Or regression: if you're not focused.

For me, I foresaw 2018 as a year of growth and self renewal.

No stressing over what I did or didn't accomplish.No senseless worrying.

I would allow things to happen as they would - and hold faith that the universe would guide me to where I needed to be.

Let me tell you; when it rains.. it pours. And this rainfall, my darlings, is the most refreshing and nourishing of the rains.

In August, I was an invited guest at Comic con Palm Springs, my first show booked through my new cosplay management company, Nerdvana Talent.

Oh Shit! It's Sam Jones!

That Sexy Spider is Missy Mayhem, find her, follow her, love her.

I made brand spankin new friends and got to see many I'd missed. Although I'd gone to Phoenix Comicon in May, CCPS allowed me to debut new outfits, shoot with Firstglance, book with new photographers and inspired me to jump back on my social media to start creating again. I was asked to interview on several podcast and by November, I was invited to shoot with NBMA at Parkwood Studios. 

Thanks, Nader ^_^

That shoot allowed me to meet and work with an Amazing NEW photographer who then hired me for a shoot in December; a shoot that will be not only my first international publication, but is a style unlike ANY I've ever released AND my first publication for  2019!

 

What else happened in December?

I was cast in the Psychological thriller, 'MAYA'
AS
MAYA!!!
I'm beyond excited for this film and I have SO much going on involving it that I will be doing a separate post this week explaining more about it and how to follow along with me and my adventures with the film and everything else!

HAPPY 2019!!!!
WE MADE IT!!!!! 

The New New Girl

6 weeks!

6 weeks since I've signed my lease and I'm convinced there is magic out here.  Of course, Im sure it only shows up if you're willing to work your ass off and give up everything...but I've learned in life the hardest decisions to make often turn out with the most beneficial outcome.
Over the past month I've been doing my best to keep you updated through my
Snapchat: VictoriaPaege
Instagram: pocketsized21
Facebook and even Tumblr  
but for those of you that may be missing my posts, don't have those sites or- just want to read a blog....this is for you. And the pictures guys.
SO MANY OF THE PICTURES!!
Let's start with tonight. I'm sitting on the set of a new TV show waiting to film. If you've ever thought about acting, or even just sitting in the background of a film to 'see what it's like' the first thing to know is that you'll be on set for hours and hours. If you're working background (bg), 8 hour days very rarely exist (it's usually 12 or longer) so music, books, your monologue and sides are fantastic to bring.

If you aren't bg don't worry. You'll get your call sheet the night before and your sides are normally ready for you when you get to the (or your) holding area. By that point you should have an idea of what's going on though so I won't go into too much detail on that. 

Since I signed my lease, I've only been 'home' 5 days. As soon as I moved in I went to Long Beach to visit with my loves Nei Ruffino, JP Roth and Eric Basaldua. It was a double birthday weekend so I ended up staying 5 or 6 days to celebrate and visit.

Then I came to Burbank and found out one of my best friends was going to be in LA for the Creative Artists Emmys in which he was nominated for Outstanding Special FX on American Horror Story. 

He won. 

After that weekend, about 2 days later I flew out to New Orleans for some meetings. It was my first time in New Orleans so I hustled, got my info out to some pretty important people and set up some more meetings. Since one of them fell a few days after I was to fly back to Cali, I pushed my trip forward about a week. 

The actor I was staying with in NOLA had to go film in LA so I had to find a place to stay. Because of this, I called up a cousin I hadn't seen in years and he drove up from Florida to pick me up. I got to see his beautiful home, meet his twins and hang out with his husband whom I absolutely adore. We took a trip to the Portifino Island resort and played on Periscope. 

Then I came back to NoLa for about a week for more submissions and to go to my meeting. When I got back I got another wonderful gift as well- a girl I've known almost 10 years and had NEVER gotten to hang out with in person, just spent years getting to know each other through phone and Internet. I got to meet her family and hang out with her for a week! She showed me around Bourbon street, and fed me the best southern food!!! 

That brings me back to LA. The day after I got back I went into town to submit to a new bg/principal acting agency. I spent the morning there then went to archery ! 

Game of Posts

I just saw the best T.V. I've ever seen in my whole life!!!!
Do you watch Game of Thrones? Did you watch the latest episode?  If you didn't then you need to watch it IMMEDIATELY!!!!! AHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! IT WAS MY FAVORITE!!!!!!!!!!!
**We can talk about it in the comments after my post**
So here I am! I'm finally back.  For now, I have a tiny break in the insanity where I can collect some thoughts and share some randomness.
I stopped posting for a while because at first I didn't think that I had enough to write about.  Then, not writing became habit.  Now I have so much that I have a hard time deciding where to start!
I unloaded the pics from my phone a few weeks ago and realized I had a few thousand pictures just sitting on it. Hahah!!!!  whoops!- that means a lot of picture filled posts are on the way!
Phoenix Comicon was a BLUR!!!!
I kept myself on a very tight schedule this month, getting ready for the convention and then getting the new place I'm staying at ready for my brother and his friend to stay.
I didn't know for sure when or if my brother was going to be coming so I had to make sure to prepare extra early.   I've been filming promo stuff for The Theatre Macabre and getting prepared for the pilot so although I had new prints, my focus was going to be more on the series and promoting the new pin up sketch card Justin Chung and I had.

 Our 2015 pin-up sneak peak

 

Justin also drew this of me as X23 for the Marvel Universe 2014 trading card series

I didn't want to stress about the con so I decided to only have 2 new cosplay.  Tara and I had always wanted to do a group cosplay so, knowing that we were running out of time, Tara found this

  I LOVED IT!!!

We got to working on the ears and Amanda (ModifiedMinds) made us skirts!

Then, we tried on our wigs

 

YAY! Day 1 cosplay was almost done!  I had 2 weeks until the convention.  I found out my brother would be here the Monday before con which meant I had 4 days to finish! Luckily, teaser pics from the new Suicide Squad leaked so I had a new costume in mind.  It took the rest of week for me to order, find and make the outfit and then, late Sunday night my brother got in to town! 

I planned ahead for this con and got things in order before I spent the week with my brother.  It was incredible being able see my family and be able to attend the convention.  

I'll be back with what we did during the week and then I'll do another post on how I got my outfits ready.  Lot's of posts this week. 

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Peace, yo.

Comic Con, Cosplay and Horror!

It's here!!
It's June 1st, the first day of the month and the day after Phoenix Comicon!!!!!!!
Being my first convention of the year and the biggest - I decided to put together a new cosplay with ModifiedMinds!  
Since my past favorites include Vanessa Allen's Female Joker

 

and Tara Huchison's  Ophelia from Larry Alan's, Hamlet and Ophelia

 I decided to play again - this time as the new Harley from the upcoming Suicide Squad movie.  Leaked set pics were up a few weeks ago so I started making everything! I told Amanda what I was doing and she helped me complete my outfit by making the BEST shirt and shorts.  I got everything done FRIDAY NIGHT after the con- I was up painting my shoes until 2am! 

Here are some of the leaked set pics of Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn:

And here is ME

 

Photo: Alvin Johnson for AZ Foothills magazine 

 

Mad Max mask and shirt by ModifiedMinds

 

One of the MOST talented cosplayers and coolest ladies in existence, Freddie Nova 

(Check out her Predator- you'll cum. Guys and ladies. She's just too good.  )

 I'm finishing the bat and have a few more things to add to the costume this week before I shoot as her, including more body paint and tattoos!!  

During the con I also handed out the first fliers for our horror series, The Theatre Macabre!! The first teaser will be out this month! 

What do you think of the new Harley outfit? What about the Joker and all of the tattoos that call out his insanity.... the 'HAHAHA,' 'damaged' on his head and the giant joker on his shoulder/chest?! There are some decisions that look a little crazy but ---

The set pics haven't seen color correcting or anything yet, so things will probably look a lot different after editing. Ughhh and Margot! She's so gorgeous!!!!!!! Plus, she's already got the accent down.  I haven't seen Will Smith in anything in a while either so I'm looking forward to seeing him play Deadshot.  He looks badass too.   I'm excited to see what they do with it!