Matt Cici, a Maple Grove resident, makes his silver screen debut in a new film called The Center. Cici, who has been acting since 2003, has also expanded his talents to directing and assistant directing. His new movie, The Center, follows Ryan (played by Cici), a recent college grad stuck at a dead-end job. Ryan seeks comfort in a therapy group called The Center, led by the charismatic and manipulative Vincent Alexander. Ryan quickly becomes immersed in the cult-like group, where he learns a lot about himself, the life he has taken on, and how his decisions affect those around him.
The film, which has been in the works since 2008, started out as a zero-budget production. Charlie Griak, the writer and director of the film, has worked with local Minnesota actors and producers to build the film.
Cici met with Maple Grove Magazine to talk about his experience working on the film and what it means to him to work on a local film and its local impact.
Maple Grove Magazine: What made you decide to do this film?
Matt Cici: It came at a perfect time for my life. I had just finished wrapping a feature film as an assistant director in South Dakota. As I was driving home (an eight hour drive), I heard that a funded feature film was casting. I was interested in working on a project that was local. The role of the lead really struck me, so I decided to submit my headshot and resume. Ryan [my character] is sort of lost in his life. He's intelligent and quiet, and has low self-confidence. I felt connected with him, even though he had some darker qualities. It felt like the perfect time in my life to do something I thought would be challenging.
MGM: Did you learn anything about yourself from working on this film?
MC: I think there were so many things that I did learn about myself. One of the biggest take-aways was the professional scale that I took—meaning, the production was so well-organized and I watched everything come so fluidly into motion. This was my first feature-length film, so I also gained confidence in the acting side of my profession. I got a lot of confidence from the cast and crew. It was more of a professional growth for me.
MGM: What was it like working with a local cast and crew?
MC: I did get a lot of surprised faces when I told [the cast and crew] that I was acting. I'd just completed a feature-length film that we were showing. I'd never really shown that acting side. People didn't know I acted. Everybody here in the Minnesota area is kind-hearted and caring—not just the Minnesota nice thing. The people we were working with—government, city, locations, etc.—everybody is willing to help out. Minnesota is a thriving art community, and it really shows. I've worked in a couple of other cities, too, but Minnesota is all about collaborating.
MGM: Do you prefer working on location or on a set?
MC: It would depend on what project I'm working on. For me, there's something exciting about working on location. Maybe that comes from my theater background where you can get a different performance with every show. You have to do a lot of finagling to put it together and find a location and make those elements work perfectly with the rest of the production schedule. There’s a freedom in working on location—it isn’t meticulously laid out.
MGM: Is it easier for you to get in character when you're on location?
MC: I think it is, and I feel like that's the case because when you're on set, it's kind of like you're home. If you go into a restaurant you've never been to before, you look at all the details and make it an experience. As an actor, that's what their role is—to take it in. There's a part of you that's human that you can never get rid of. If you're in a place you've never been in you get to take it all in—the mood of the place, the colors, the spacing. If this is the place that the scene is happening in, to be able to explore that, I think for me it's been almost more enjoyable to work on location.
MGM: How did you get your start in acting?
MC: I started out when I was in 8th or 9th grade. We were in English class reading the Diary of Anne Frank, and we were doing “popcorn” reading. I was this one character, and I said this line and everybody in class started laughing. As I reflected back on that, I thought it was kind of fun. The next year I auditioned for a show and I got a role. The next year I got a role I didn't really want, but I used it to challenge and help me grow. The next year I auditioned and got a lead role with a ridiculous number of lines. I got involved with community theater in Anoka. I did a couple of one-act shows in Hennepin. I had good directors that suggested I do this. I was never aware that there were scholarships for acting and film-making—you show up and it's like an audition but you have to show a very large range—and I won one of those. It’s this fascination of being someone else—it's like living out a fantasy. As an actor, you can be all the different things you've dreamed about. People enjoy suspending their disbelief by going to films and shows. I decided to do film-stuff as an extra credit opportunity, which I continued to do in college as well.
MGM: You have also done some work behind the camera, directing and assistant directing several films. Do you relate to the project differently than when you are in front of the camera?
MC: Definitely your focus is on the film and the story. The passion is still there, but I think that the way you approach the project is completely different. As a director, your primary focus is getting the best performance out of the actors. If you can't focus on getting those performances, your film is going to fall flat. The assistant director has to make sure things run smoothly or the way they are planned to run. I'm super organized as a person, so I like to take the role that makes sure things run smoothly. As an actor, your mind is really in the role of that character. You're so focused on who this person is in that moment, their relationships with people and objects. The cool thing about film is that with so many focuses, it all comes together beautifully.
MGM: Do you have a preference between acting and directing?
MC: I do love both of them equally. They're about creation. With acting, you're living with this person and creating an entirely different life with yourself. It's so challenging, yet enjoyable. It's like taking this person and putting them in your own life. With the character of Ryan, he was very lost, and he made me question my own choices because the character is questioning his choices. He was getting himself involved in something that was way beyond his own reach, and if we'd had time to do physical research I'm sure it would have been so much more. Directing-wise, I love creating something from a very large idea and putting a lot of things into a final product. I really think that if you have an idea you're passionate about making, it's more than just one character or story, it's about getting all of that in every shot.
MGM: What advice would you give to someone interested in breaking into the film industry?
MC: I'm always looking forward to getting into something new. Check local film resources from students of all ages. Check out organizations in the Twin Cities here, like workshops and classes, discussions and forums. Organizations like the Minnesota Film & TV Board are helpful. Volunteer for local festivals and be around film-lovers and people who make films. Film is about networking and the people that you know. Make connections and look for organizations that will help you. Word hard—the harder you work, the more people will start noticing.
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Check out Cici’s performance at the Minnesota premiere of The Center at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival.
If you go:
What: The Center
When: Wednesday, April 22 and Friday, April 24
Where: St. Anthony Main Theatre, 115 SE Main St., Minneapolis
