Mason Mecartea stands out as an actor and filmmaker, known for his role as Dan Shelter in Stranger Things and as Cole in the highly anticipated Terrifier 3. With a career that includes productions like Popular Theory and Secrets on Greek Row, Mecartea is also dedicated to directing and producing films through his company, The Day Productions, where he has released works such as Smashing Pumpkins and Ax to Grind.
What was your experience like playing Dan Shelter in Stranger Things, one of Netflix’s most popular series?
Stranger Things was a dream come true experience. I’ve had a poster of that show on my wall since season 1. I used to pray and journal that I would love to be on something LIKE Stranger Things, for years. It was just wild when it happened. After arriving to set, everyone was so welcoming and down to earth. I remember chatting and hanging out with the cast a ton while in between set-ups, and spending a lot of time with the greatest HMU team ever. The environment was incredible. Every detail is so expertly considered on that show, especially when walking through the production sets. It seriously was like I had walked into a Time Machine. The funniest thing was I had no idea my character had a name until the episode came out. It was such a cool gift to see Dan Shelter in the credits. What an epic 80s name right? That was an amazing experience I’ll never forget.
What can fans expect from your character Cole in the highly anticipated Terrifier 3? How did you prepare for this role in such an intense horror film?
Cole is a really fun firecracker thrown into the mix. There’s a lot that he’s not aware of, considering Art The Clown and the previous events that Sienna and Jonathan Shaw are still recovering from in the last film, so he’s got a lightness and naivety to him that proves he really is just living in his own world. He’s pretty silly for sure. Cole is Jonathan’s college roommate, which makes for a tough-love, brotherly, bond between the two. As for preparation, it was fun to bring a lot of myself into Cole with his quick and witty energy. He’s not like most college jocks. Really digging into Cole and Jonathan’s dynamic was one of my favorite aspects to dive into. Learning about the backstory of this rich world that Damien has crafted expanded my mind a lot for the character as well. It helped me figure where I fit in the scheme of things. As for the film, the setup and payo`s are so excellent in this movie and I think fans are going to have a blast seeing where the story takes these characters.
You have worked both as an actor and a filmmaker. How do these two roles complement each other in your work?
Before I fell in love with Acting, I was very interested in becoming a director. As I’ve gotten older the worlds have merged a bit and I end up finding time to do both, thankfully. I love learning and I feel like I’m always going to be a student. When it comes to production and being on sets, I’m always wide-eyed and soaking everything in. I have so much respect for directors and every single crew position on a film set. I think playing on both sides of the camera truly opens your mind to how integral each and every position is.
Under The Day Productions label, you have produced and directed films like Smashing Pumpkins and Ax to Grind. What are the major influences behind these productions?
‘Smashing Pumpkins’ was a project that I started with one of my best friends, and closest collaborators, Hunter Romanillos. He’s a fantastic Actor/Writer. We both found that we have a shared love for classic 80’s horror and everything John Carpenter. Feeling like this aesthetic and atmosphere was a world we wanted to play in, as actors and directors, we wrote a short film to accompany a feature script we have written. It was a fantastic time, and any lover of the Halloween Holliday should check it out on YouTube. The same thing happened with Ax to Grind. Selena Turner, actress/writer, and I made fast friends and knew we wanted to act in something together. We landed on a concept that we felt stretched us as actors and went for it. Starting ‘The Day Productions’ has really opened the door to producing projects with my friends that excite me. I continue to grow and learn with each project and it’s the best thing to do in between Acting work.
As a director, what do you prioritize most when creating a narrative, and how does this di`er from acting in a story?
I try my best to keep myself invested and excited when crafting a narrative. I try to consider myself part of my target audience as much as anyone else. So, if I’m engaged and interested in what I’m writing, then I know I should keep going and pushing the narrative forward. I’m always trying to calculate if the material is worth people’s time or if the story is worth telling. What does it mean to me or express for me? Whether the piece is for pure entertainment or just vibe/aesthetic, it’s always important to consider these things. As for acting, there’s a mix of both going on. When acting, you walk into a writer and a director’s vision. So, what I enjoy is the collaborative process to tell the same story together, while bringing ideas and formidable character choices to help elevate anything I can. It’s important do your part in painting the big picture with the team. You must come prepared and bring your A-game.
What were the biggest challenges and rewards of acting in a series with the reach of Stranger Things?
It can definitely be scary when popping into anything of that kind of scale. It’s intimidating. You don’t want to mess up or be the weakest link in such a well-oiled machine. I remember doing my prep and walking in with a smile on my face, just happy to go to work. That made a huge di`erence. We’re all artists and just trying to make good work! After the episode aired it led to some more conversations and meetings for sure, but I was just honored and excited to have been a part of one of my favorite tv shows ever made! The biggest reward was realizing that anything can be possible if you put your mind to it with hard work and prayer. It’s wild what outcomes that combination can make.
What are your upcoming projects, both as an actor and a filmmaker, that fans should keep an eye on?
“Terrifier 3”, written and directed by Damien Leone, hits theaters everywhere on October 11th. Coming up soon is a film I did called, “Bad Haircut,” written and directed by Kyle Misak, is an awesome time and I can’t wait for everyone to see what he and his team made. There a several other things in post production and in the works currently, but they’ll be here soon. The Day productions has some projects under its belt that I am very excited to share as soon as I can. If you want to stay connected on what I have in the works as a producer, follow @thedayfilmsco on Instagram to keep up.
Is there any film or series genre you haven’t explored yet but are interested in working on in the future?
I love the horror genre and I really look forward to seeing what else is down that road, but I often think about how I would love to do a straight comedy or drama. Although di`erent, they flex similar muscles, and I would love to explore more material in that realm soon. Eventually learning stunt choreography for any sort of action film would be such a dream.
Follow Mason Mecartea on Instagram