Interview with Beth Chamberlin of Steamboat and Cell

DCTV Creator Daryn Strauss spoke with Emmy nominated actress Beth Chamberlin, ex-Beth on Guiding Light and now one of the stars of two hit web series, Steamboat and Cell: The Web Series, about the acting process and her role in the online revolution.

DARYN: First of all, I am a huge fan of your work and I love the surge of daytime talent that has come to the web. How aware are you of the online shows coming from the daytime community?

BETH: I hate to admit it but I am very ignorant of all the shows out there. Of course, I know of Venice, Empire, and Gotham, but I know that there are many others out there. However, it makes sense to me that so many online shows are coming from the daytime community. We are the people who have felt the changes in the entertainment world the most. The “canaries in the coal mine,” if you will. It’s great that the canaries are learning to survive and even sing in the present climate.

DARYN: The transition from televised soaps to online programming actually makes a great deal of sense since most soap fans were already very digitally connected. Also, online video allows soap actors the ability to try something new in a flexible format. You’ve worked on two online shows so far, Steamboat and Cell: The Web Series. What continues to draw you to work on online shows?

BETH: Both Steamboat and Cell are series that are well written with characters that challenge me. As an actor, I have always been more interested in character and story than in where or how it is aired.

DARYN: You were an integral part of Guiding Light. Everyone I talk to that was involved with that show speaks about how much they loved working on it, and I think that spirit was brought to the show you worked on with other GL-ers, Steamboat. Since you are also a story consultant on Steamboat, how much input did you have into developing your hilarious character, Tabitha?

BETH: First, thank you. I loved Tabitha. She was so fun to play. In answer to your question, Michael [O'Leary] had the character of Tabitha already set. My role as story consultant on Steamboat had more to do with whittling down the amount of material to a shootable size, while helping to keep the narrative in tact. This is something that can be very difficult for any writer to do with their own material. As Stephen King says, it is like killing your babies.

DARYN: You also make an appearance in the Season Finale of the online thriller, Cell. If you look up the definition of “cliffhanger”, I’m sure you will see a screencap from this amazing episode! Your character certainly came on with a bang! What drew you to the role?

BETH: A good friend of mine told me to take a look at the show. When she first suggested it, I thought, “No, I have no interest in doing another web series at the moment, no matter how challenging the role.” But because she is a good friend whose opinion carries weight with me, I gave Cell a look. From the first episode, I was blown away. Cell was so well written and so well-produced that I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I believe that Cell is the kind of series that makes the transition from TV viewing to web viewing easy and rewarding. It is a leader in a shift change.

DARYN: The final scene is actually the first scene in the entire season that was shot outdoors, plus there was some fight choreography. Can you talk about the process of staging and shooting that scene? Was it complicated?

BETH: The answer is that nothing was complicated on this shoot– challenging because I got in at one in the morning on the day of the shoot and it was my first chance to meet people and get a sense of their rhythm. But nothing was complicated because Mark [Gardner] has a first rate crew in Austin. I cannot begin to tell you how impressed I was by every single person working on this project. They were like a well oiled machine.

DARYN: Much of the appeal of Cell is untangling the mystery about the group that is holding Sarah captive. As an actor, how much were you told about Season 2 going into the shoot? Do you prefer to know the full story arc, or do you prefer to work episode to episode?

BETH: As an actor, what I need is background more than anything. The background is what builds the character, the arc of future story is how I layer my choices. Mark gave me an incredibly detailed background, which gave me a lot of material to work with. As far as future story, Mark gave me what I needed to know to set up what happens in the future.

DARYN: One of the things I love about Mark’s writing and your performance is that within one scene, we see a complete transformation in your character. We first believe she is a caring suburbanite and then discover she is a kick-ass militant operative! Is this duality something we can expect to continue into the second season?

BETH: Thank you again. My biggest concern in shooting Cell was cloaking who the character is in the first moments, but doing it in a way that makes sense internally– that isn’t just a set up. So, I’m thrilled at the journey this section took you on. The answer to your question is that Cell is about the unexpected. What you have yet to know, just as far as who these people are, is so huge. Expect a lot of “OH MY GOD!” moments.

DARYN: Finally, as someone who has appeared on two web series so far, what is your take on the future of online programming?

BETH: As I indicated earlier, we are in a time of transition. Five years from now, I don’t believe there will be much of a delineation between online programming and television programming. What line does exist will probably be the equivalent between primetime and daytime programming. This means that those that are taking the dip now are struggling and clearing the way for the future. Mark and others like him are the pioneers.

For more on Cell, click here.

For more on Steamboat, click here.