Interview With Maine Event Films Director and Actress, J.R. Fortin & Megan Salisbury

The biggest key to his success for the father, producer, actor, director, and writer, J.R. Fortin was being taught work ethic at a young age. Starting at 12 years old, every summer he was putting in full-time hours. Outside of the entertainment industry he's worked for the same company for 14 years and helps run operations for a Fortune 500 company. By implementing his leadership style that he used to get to where he is, Maine Event Films has had a solid five-year anniversary as of November 12th, 2022.

J.R. Fortin is best known for his series, Hearts of New England. In this series, he alone has won 30 awards and the series as a whole has won 60+ awards. The series is based on his character, Sebastian, coming home from war but not being able to escape war because his dad is the head of the mob.

J.R. has been on over forty film sets and has been the lead in Suicide Hotline and For Bobby. His first film appearance was in the movie Paper City Burn Out.

Vocal readers, please enjoy my interview with J.R. Fortin.

Hi J.R., we're thrilled to interview you today. Congratulations on all of your success thus far as a leader, influencer, director, and more. How would you describe yourself in three words?

J.R. Fortin: Empathetic, Leader, and Obsessed.

You were asked to direct a horror anthology based on stories written by authors in the state of Maine. What can you tell us about this series, and the authors?

J.R. Fortin: I was reached out to by my good friend Stephen Conicelli about doing this. He tossed my name in the hat and luckily they green-lighted me the privilege to bring Maine author's visions to light. This will be based off of short horror stories written by local talent. It's very exciting to get to be a part of this. This will be a lot of five to ten-minute shorts.

We are currently planning to film the first horror story NightLight. They say you need to have friends around that mention your name in a room of opportunities this was the second opportunity I got because of a great friend Stephen Conicelli in two weeks. I would not be where I am today without his help.

What does the anthology mean to you personally and professionally? How can our readers check it out?

J.R. Fortin: There is so much talent in Maine and it's up to visionaries to bring it to life. Most of the stories are short with cliffhangers and I look forward to directing this. It means a lot because they knew who I was which feels like progress. My goal with this series is to show the world my directing capabilities.

As an influencer and leader, how do you navigate the unexpected challenges that occur behind the scenes?

J.R. Fortin: Challenges are inevitable, especially in the independent film industry. You have to remain calm as hard as it is if you panic it will impact everyone around you. It's not the challenges you face that will be remembered but how you reacted to them.

"A great leader is someone who puts their people before themselves. Someone who is willing to go toe-to-toe with anyone despite position or opposition. A real leader never counts his achievements but rather the achievements of those who worked with him, you would not act selfish but selfless because the success of your people means more to you than your own success."- J.R. Fortin:

What are you working on as of late?

J.R. Fortin: I was currently cast in a little Christmas story written by Josiah Pitchforth. I play the local sheriff. We are aiming to continue filming Hearts of New England in March 2023 and currently casting for the film Nightlight.

Any other exclusive news you can share with us first?

J.R. Fortin: Maine Event Films will be aiming to put out a record amount of content this year. The goal is to put out at least four to five films in 2023.

Fill in the blank below:

I lead with…

J.R. Fortin: Empathy, integrity, and passion.

My influence will…

J.R. Fortin: Inspire others and motivate them to be obsessed. You have to be obsessed to be successful in anything you do people question my sanity all the time with all I take on which is a good sign that I'm hitting the next level people talk about.

2023 will be…

J.R. Fortin: The year I show the world my worth.

Keep up to date with J.R. Fortin on social media:

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/JRFORTIN.OFFICIAL/

Instagram: @j.r._fortin

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinfortin89

IMDb: https://m.imdb.com/name/nm7581802/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

New England-based actress Megan Salisbury is best known for her work on "The Business of Christmas." She is patiently awaiting the release of many other films. She attended AMDA in New York and Los Angeles. And she is passionate about bringing characters to life on screen. Megan has worked with J.R. on numerous projects and describes him as incredibly resilient, and an active problem solver. As well as a one-man show; producer, actor, director, and writer. Megan always looks forward to working with J.R. and learning more from him because has such a wealth of knowledge and is a great resource to learn from in addition to being a great friend.

Vocal readers, please enjoy my interview with Megan Salisbury.

Acting is being someone else in an authentic way. What is your process of tapping into your acting roles?

Megan Salisbury: What is really important to me, when trying to tap into a character, is doing the research of who that person is. It's hard to understand why a character would make specific choices if you don't know the person underneath. And everything you need to know is in the script. It's important to notice the subtleties of your character, what their relationships are with other characters around them, how they speak, where they're from, and what they do for a living. So I would say my process includes a very in-depth script analysis.

How did you and J.R. meet and start your creative collaboration?

Megan Salisbury: J.R. and I met on a film set of a funny, holiday-themed short. He was so much fun to work with and we exchanged numbers at the end of the shoot. He called me a couple of months later and offered me a role in his award-winning show "Hearts of New England" and ever since we've just been buddies.

How's it going with the projects you're working on now?

Megan Salisbury: It's going great! We just finished shooting "DNA." Which is a short film written and directed by J.R. where I played the role of Ashley. Right now, I am focusing on modeling and music, while auditioning and awaiting the next acting opportunity. More to share soon!

Who is an actress that inspires you and why?

Megan Salisbury: I really look up to Aubrey Plaza. She isn't afraid to take risks and put her own wacky twists on characters. She is unapologetically herself and it makes her a pleasure to watch on screen.

Please fill in the blank:

I enjoy acting because…

Megan Salisbury: It's a universal language.

Being an actress can be…

Megan Salisbury: Challenging, but so rewarding in the same breath.

Follow and connect with Megan Salisbury:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/megan.salisbury.39

Instagram: @salisburysteakyo

IMDb: https://m.imdb.com/name/nm4953397/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0