Posted in: TV | Tagged: BYUtv, Caitlin Carmichael, Dwight in Shining Armor, exclusive, interview, roadkill
Caitlin Carmichael (Roadkill) spoke with us about BYUtv’s “Dwight in Shining Armor,” the differences between working indie film & television.
Caitlin Carmichael is always ready for that next big acting adventure since her acting debut at the age of four in the web series In the Motherhood in 2008. She’s since been working her way up as child actors usually do, appearing in various shows like Fox’s The Mick, Syfy’s Z Nation, ABC’s Agent Carter, Crackle’s Chosen, and CBS’s Criminal Minds. Her biggest break is a starring role in the BYUtv fantasy series Dwight in Shining Armor playing Gretta, a gothic princess who has magically slept for a thousand years when she is unintentionally awakened by Dwight (Sloane Morgan Siegel), a Gen Z teen, while finding her out of place in the 21st century. While promoting her action thriller in Uncork’d’s Roadkill, Carmichael spoke to Bleeding Cool about the Brian J Adams and LeeAnne H. Adams series, differences between her indie and mainstream work, and her fondest memory of the fantasy series after it wrapped in 2021.
‘Dwight in Shining Armor’ Star Caitlin Carmichael Breaks Down TV Grind
Bleeding Cool: Since you’ve done a variety of film and TV work over the years, how does it feel doing an indie project where you can take more risks within a more constrictive timeframe compared to the demands of something more mainstream, like ‘NCIS’ or ‘Dwight in Shining Armor?’
Carmichael: With indie filmmaking, I’ve been blessed throughout my career to work on some incredible films and with independent filmmakers. There is a sense of authenticity from a few select creative vessels left undisturbed, and you see a project, for better or for worse in indie filmmaking. It typically aligns exactly with the writer-director’s [Warren Fast] vision. That is so special because you’re not being dominated by any outside forces, and there’s the sense of true creative authenticity that I love. In a typical indie film, the cast and crew tend to be on a smaller scale, and it creates a tight-knit family within the people working on the set. If you’re lucky enough to work on a film like ‘Roadkill’ where you’re doing all-night shoots, you get a bit delirious in the late hours. That late-night bonding helps form the synergy with the cast and crew, and it creates invaluable memories working in such a tight-knit community where creative decisions are so valued and where authenticity is right aligned with the writer-director’s vision and script.
When you work on a more mainstream project, does it feel like it’s a little more constricted creatively, or do you play with what you have?
Not always constricted, but a lot of things can be subject to change at the last minute. When you’re making an independent film, the script is more rigid in those thematic elements are a through line throughout the entirety of it. Whereas I feel like sometimes things are more mainstream, especially working on TV story points and season arcs can be shuffled around at any given moment. Being able to work on something that usually upholds its creative authenticity with original drafts of the script is special. There’s a sense of true passion in watching a writer-director bring that vision to life that hasn’t been disturbed by any outside forces. Maybe “disturbed” is not the right word but brings that vision to life that hasn’t been molded or evolved in any way from its original version.
Was there a particular TV experience that stood out for you?
Particularly memorable for me working on ‘Dwight in Shining Armor when we received the series finale script in our end boxes; we were like kids on Christmas morning and immediately opened our emails. We all sat and read it together, and there was such a sense of fulfillment and we had honestly become our own biggest fans at some point, if that makes sense. Not only did we work on the show, but we were so invested in the story and were so passionate about it and so close with these characters that had lived inside of us and in our hearts for three years. Being able to see everything tied up in a perfect little bow was so satisfying for us, and it left us feeling an indescribable sense of pride and accomplishment in those moments and true happiness. We were literally like fans getting to watch a sneak peek of their favorite show before the last episode came out.
Dwight in Shining Armor, which also stars Joel McCrary, Danielle Bisutti, and Evan Hofer, is available to stream on BYUtv. Roadkill, which also stars Ryan Knudson, Danielle Harris, Fast, Trenton Hudson, and William Childress, is available in theaters and digital.
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