Actor Don McLeod chatted about starring in the upcoming buddy cop series “Fox and Hunter” opposite Jesse Hutch.
‘Fox and Hunter’
On the idea for this buddy cop series, he said, “‘Fox and Hunter’ started when Jesse Hutch and I were between jobs talking about what kind of roles we wanted to act in. As we bounced our ideas around we thought ‘why not create some short scenes for as cheap as possible to see if it could work?’ That’s when ‘Stake Out’ was born.”
He continued, “We started filming one-minute scenes with an iPhone on the dashboard of a car. We had so much fun doing these that we started writing longer scenes.”
“Eventually, people with camera gear started volunteering to do the camera work and we invited friends to do guest appearances, including Jason Burkart and the late Gabe Khouth for our Christmas episode. Gabe won a Leo Award for his role in that episode,” he explained.
“That’s when we decided to turn it into a show. We changed the name from ‘Stake Out’ to ‘Black and Blue’ and invited friends to be part of the cast for our “proof-of-concept” shoot including Adrian Holmes, Karen Holness, Hrothgar Mathews, Harrison Houde and with the passing of Gabe Khouth his brother Samuel Vincent Khouth stepped in to play his part. A very special tribute,” he elaborated.
“As we shot the P.O.C. we felt another name change was in order and we changed it to ‘Fox and Hunter’,” he added.
Working with Jesse Hutch
McLeod had great words about working with actor Jesse Hutch on this project.
“Jesse and I have a great friendship which comes first. That foundation makes working together really fun. We have respect for each other allowing for ideas to flow without ridicule while at the same time pushing each other to find what’s best for the scene,” he said.
The digital age
On being an actor and filmmaker in the digital age, he said, “While I’m on set acting the digital age doesn’t really change much of anything because I get to focus on the craft and the scene.”
“Some networks, producers and casting put high value on ‘social media’ and the number of followers someone has. That can be difficult for an actor who may be good for a role but not so good with social media.
Future plans
On his future plans, McLeod shared, “The future is unknown so I just keep doing the best I can with what’s in front of me. Jesse and I will continue to pitch our scripts and hope to start filming ‘Fox and Hunter’ soon and I will continue to go wherever I feel God is leading me.”
Advice for young and aspiring actors and filmmakers
For young and aspiring actors and filmmakers, he said, “If you want to make films… what are you waiting for? Go out and make them. ‘Fox and Hunter’ started with just two of us sitting in a car with an iPhone gently leaning on the dashboard. Just start with a desire to learn and be malleable.”
Success
On his definition of the word success, McLeod said, “Success to me is creating. Creating a quality space mentally, physically and spiritually where people know they are loved, valued and feel moved to step into creating that space for others.”
Closing thoughts on ‘Fox and Hunter’
For fans and viewers, he concluded, “My hope is that people who watch ‘Fox and Hunter’ will be entertained by the action and humor, educated by the trials, errors and solutions the characters encounter and elevated spiritually. Challenged to think about what they believe and why.”
To learn more about Don McLeod, check out his IMDb page.
