I Will Rise – Five Films By Anita Cordell | 051 - Actors Talk - Come Inside The Acting Business

Meet Actress - Producer Anita Cordell
 
I did not produce because it was the love of my life or anything. It was a way for me to become a part of a project called the 168FilmProject

Though I've known Anita Cordell for several years as a Facebook friend, I only recently had the pleasure of meeting her in person. Anita was the producer and acted in an award-winning short film called Charismata that played here in Austin at the Attic Film Festival.

It was my pleasure to meet Anita at the Attic festival and to attend a screening of Charismata, which also featured an appearance by the director, Joni Adahl.

I knew then that I wanted to have Anita as a guest on Actors Talk and I'm excited that she is here to talk about working as an actor in a Non-L.A. market (she's writing a book on that subject) and about her work as a producer, primarily of short films. Take a look at Anita's credits on IMDb and you'll see that she's acted in and/or produced close to 20 short film projects.

Anita is proactive in her career. She's dynamic on-screen and off and she has some terrific insights into what it takes to forge an acting career in a non-L.A. market.

 
Anita has not stopped at just waiting for the opportunities to get cast. She started up River Productions back in 2011 and jumped into producing films, not only for herself, but for others.
 

http://youtu.be/6WvYoYhNZIM

From PK to Producer of a Five Film Series on Human Trafficking
Cast Shot From the I WILL RISE Project

Anita Cordell, a PK or preacher's kid, was born in Tulsa, OK but grew up mostly in Kansas. Like a lot of preacher's kids or other kids who grow up with a strong involvement with church, she got her early theatrical training there. Though at the time she didn't know that's what she was doing.

She was just doing what all 'church kids' do - singing, acting in skits, reading Bible verses aloud for class or congregation, etc. But those skills were developed over time and would pay off later as an actress on stage and more recently in commercials, television and in films.

Here's some biographical info from Anita Cordell's Website:
Anita is often seen in local and regional commercials in the Midwest, as well as many Independent films across the country. She is currently the Spokesperson for Slim4Life, which is airing in many Mid-West markets, she is the current HyVee mom, and she recently shot a National Print job for Dairy Queen.

Anita Cordell resides in Kansas City as a VoiceOver, On Camera and Print Actress, as well as a Commercial/Film Producer with 6 nominations associated with her productions, including 2 for best actress. Anita has also worked in over 30 film projects including several award-winning films: 'THE LAMP', 'ALPHA, BRAVO, CHARLIE' and 'BONNIE & CLYDE VS. DRACULA'. She also co-starred in PITCHING HOPE and she also holds the starring role in LIVING WATERS, her first short film to co-produce and her first film to receive a best actress nomination.

In 2012, she awarded the recipient of the Robert Altman Education Grant along with 9 other Film Professionals in Kansas City. This grant allowed the recipients to take a Fast Track class focused on Film with UMKC.

Anita has also had the distinct honor of sitting on a panel of judges for the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) to judge Regional Emmy® nominations from 2008-2011 and she is a member of the Kansas City Women in Film.

She is represented by Exposure, Inc., in Overland Park, KS; Anita has a BA in Business and Marketing from the University of Kansas. She is married and has 3 beautiful children and a dog named Max-a-Million-Braveheart-The-Bruce.
Breaking A Leg In A Non-L.A. Market
Anita and I talked for just over an hour and I've edited down that conversation into a more manageable time of around thirty minutes.