Exclusive Interview: Elliot Toby Cable (Dead Again)

Exclusive Interview: Elliot Toby Cable (Dead Again)

What attached you to this movie – DEAD AGAIN?

The way I got involved was pretty novel for me actually. A few years ago, I was in a short film
called “Positive Action”; my character was a young police officer who had to deal with an
infected person (a zombie essentially). The first few years of my career I played a lot of
policemen funnily enough. As far as I’m aware Steven saw the film and reached out from
there. He told me that he had the perfect part for me that he’d seen I could do, but wanted
me to push it further as this was going to be a feature film – no audition or anything! I
absolutely love playing policemen to be honest, it’s always great fun being in all the gear,
the story was interesting – it reminded me of Shaun of the Dead mixed with Hot Fuzz – and I
love a good zombie shoot ‘em up!

Tell us a little about your character, PC BRODY?

I went through a long process with PC Brody, trying to work out who he was and why he
ended up in Little Pitchfield. There was a tonne of background work done, but eventually we
landed on this story that he was the righteous type. Always believed he had the moral high
ground – he lived by the police code and refused to stray from the rules. He was born to be
on the force and would live & die by the badge kinda thing. The reality is, Brody is a great
cop. But the story goes that his uptight attitude and morality rubbed someone up the wrong
way and got him shipped out of the Met Police, down to some rural, backwater town to
teach him a lesson.

It was fun and interesting for me to play a character like that – to go from that extreme end
of the spectrum, to having to throw in the rule book when all hell breaks loose.
How does this character differ from other characters that you’ve played?
There was a really great arc for Brody in this film. It was the first time I’ve played a
character’s story right the way through; his career pretty much starts and ends in Little
Pitchfield. So being able to take on Brody at his most up-tight and confrontational – near
enough fresh out of the academy – into what is eventually him being a team player and
survivor in such a short space of time was a fantastic experience.

What was your most difficult scene? Why?

Some of the scenes in the library were difficult actually for a number of reasons. Firstly, we
had to work out a way to barricade ourselves into the room with the furniture that was in
there, and then find a way to make a barricade that wasn’t too difficult to build and
dismantle; mainly because we had to build it all on camera, so dismantling between takes
couldn’t take too long!

The other reason was there were some very intense scenes in there with a lot of actors in a
confined space and a lot of moving parts. On the flip side, we had a lot of fun in that room;
we had the fantastic Mark Wingett busting the film wide open with a larger-than-life
character. “IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD” was a particularly difficult moment to keep it
together…

How was it working with STEVEN M. SMITH?

It was very intense but a great insight into grassroots filmmaking. Everything was done so
efficiently and quickly that we got this film shot within a week. The great thing with Steven
is he knows what he wants and he can communicate that clearly which is very helpful for
actors. But in equal measure if me, Tony, Mark or one of the other cast members had an
idea, in spite of the time restraints, he was always open to hearing us out and considering
our ideas which really helped to bring us in and make us feel like we were a part of the team.
It was the purest example of a team effort, everyone pulling their weight and sweating for
the production to be finished. I have a lot of respect for Steven and this type of filmmaking.
What was your favorite day on set? Why?

Every day on set with Tony Fadil was brilliant – we got on so well and always made sure we
had fun. Likewise, when Mark stepped onto set for a few days that was always a great
laugh. That being said, the day we had all of the supporting artists come in to be the
zombies has to be the best day for me. Running through an old manor house being chased
by some brilliantly made-up zombies and then shooting them down was like living in a video
game. It was such a unique experience and I really loved it. The SA’s were also so lovely and
generous to everyone on set, they were just so excited to be there – they wanted photos
and everything – they really made Tony and I feel famous!

What movie or event from your childhood turned you on to the film industry?

There was no single event I can remember, but I was always performing when I was a kid –
whether it was jumping around the living room in an imaginary world or singing and dancing
to my parent’s home video camera. So, when I realised you could turn that into a career, I
jumped at it. Naturally, I did a lot of plays as a kid all the way through school, then whilst at
university I discovered filmmaking and have been hooked ever since.

Name your top 3 horror films on all time?

The Shining
A Quiet Place
The Ritual

Who inspires your creativity?

My friends & family more than anything. I have some really amazing friends who are so
supportive. Likewise, my family support everything I do. So, if anything, my biggest
motivator is trying to impress them and to make them proud. That in itself pushes me to be
better and inspires my creativity.

What’s next for ELLIOT CABLE?

Thanks to COVID, not a lot! I’ve managed to secure a few roles in feature and short films over lockdown
which has been a lifesaver and motivator, but predictably a lot of them are on hold until summer.
However, I was lucky enough to have a small part in an upcoming Marvel film at the end of last year (I
hope I’m allowed to mention this…) which is very exciting! But aside from that I’m currently writing a
few things with my first self-produced short film in production to shoot in March 2021. Otherwise, just
auditions auditions auditions!