Pop-Culturalist.com

Keli Price stands out as a versatile storyteller, celebrated for his immersive and dynamic performances in acclaimed projects such as Sleep No More, Bandit, and Two Sides: Unfaithful. His creative talent extends behind the camera, with notable works including Murder at Hollow Creek, Hellfire, and Karma’s a Bitch, showcasing his prowess in crafting compelling narratives both in front of and behind the lens.

Pop Culturalist had the pleasure of catching up with Keli to delve into the world of Price Productions, discussing their exciting lineup of upcoming projects and the captivating narratives that drive their creative vision. Keli also generously shares invaluable advice for budding filmmakers seeking to make their mark in the industry. Additionally, he offers insight into his recurring role in Season 2 of Rap Sh!t, adding yet another layer to his multifaceted career.

PC: Your production company has such an impressive slate of projects that are coming out this year. Each is so different from the other. What types of narratives are you most attracted to telling? What can you share about what’s ahead for your company in 2024?
Keli: That’s a great question. Our first film was a movie called On Thin Ice. It was an ode to my great grandfather. He was an immigrant Jew who came to the States in 1923 for a better life, escaping the anti-Jewish pogrom in Poland. He quickly started speed skating and became a well-known speed skater in the tristate area. But he wasn’t able to skate on Olympic ice because of the double stigma at the time.

I grew up hearing his stories, and I always wondered what it would be like if I weren’t able to win a Golden Globe for a movie I produced or win an Oscar, etc., and not being able to reach the pinnacle of my career because of who I am at the core. That really struck a chord with me. So I went and put this documentary together for him as an ode to him.

But I had never been behind the camera before. I never produced before. I never directed before. I wrote it, directed it, and produced it. I put it all together from scratch, put the talent packaging together, the financing together, the distribution, and everything.

I had a great team. My brother was an instrumental part of that film. He edited the movie and went to the interviews with me. My mother was also a huge, huge part of it. It was a real family affair. Everybody put so much time and care into it because it was a personal story to us. But athletes started reaching out like Evander Holyfield, Allyson Felix, Louganis, and Robbie Rogers. It ended up becoming a much bigger movie than we anticipated.

Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures came on board and distributed the movie. People came to the screening and hired me to produce their movies. That’s how our company was born. Now we make about five movies per year, approximately.

You asked about movies that we gravitate towards and that’s why I mentioned the first movie that we made because it was a social justice film that was really important to tell. So any content that comes to me that has an important message behind it that could help people in some capacity, I’m interested in. But we also make a lot of action movies. I just love cinema in general.

I grew up on movies like Die Hard and those ’90 action films. Then we get to movies like Ordinary People or A River Runs Through It. Those are movies that struck a chord with me as a young kid. I gravitate towards dramas like that and festival darlings as well.

Our company is very eclectic in the sense of the films that we take on and we’re pretty diverse. We have a documentary coming up this year in addition to a lot of action and horror films that we’re doing.

Our second documentary is a really cool film called Mad Props. It’s about a guy named Tom Biolchini who always wanted to be involved in the film business, but couldn’t really get into it. He started collecting movie props and would go around the country to auctions to find the greatest movie props of all time. The movie is such a history of film. He takes you on this journey of finding the volleyball from Castaway and the ball gag from Pulp Fiction. It’s all these little fun instances of him locating these major movie props from some of the most notable films of all time. It’s a really important story to tell for people who love film, cinephiles.

We’re super excited about that. That gives you an idea. Then we go from that to a film like Hellfire that we have coming out through Saban Films, and that’s a high-octane action film that’s a lot of fun with Stephen Lang and Harvey Keitel. We actually have another movie coming up as well with Dolph Lundgren. Stephen Lang just kicks butt man like in Avatar. He’s a rock star. But in this movie, he does such a great job as well.

PC: As you’ve now delved into writing, producing, and directing, how have those experiences behind the camera impacted the way you approach your work as an actor, and vice versa?
Keli: That’s another great question. The first time I wore all three hats was in a movie called Wolf Mountain, where I starred in, wrote, and produced it. It was such an interesting opportunity for me to be behind the scenes while also acting in the movie. I remember being in a scene and seeing a light falling. As soon as the scene ended, I immediately ran to fix the light.

You’re wearing all these different hats, but I’m somebody who has always operated that way. I work well under pressure, I work well when I’m kind of on the go like that. It’s all about the specific person. There are some people that might want to focus on one thing, whether that’s write it, produce it, or just act in it. I love that too.

There’s nothing like going to Sony Studios, where I have a recurring role on Rap Sh!t, and I just walk in and I don’t have to worry about making the day and everybody doing their job. I just sit there and I eat the awesome food and I chat with the great cast and hang out. There’s nothing wrong with that. But there’s something that’s so riveting for me to wear multiple hats. I personally thrive that way.

PC: I imagine as a writer, you have such a strong sense of who these characters are, but when you cast your actors, you want them to make them their own. How do you create the space for them to do that?
Keli: I think a lot of that is in the direction too and having the director allow the actor to riff and go for it. A good example is when we did this movie called Reboot Camp, where Ivo Raza just let Ja Rule and David Koechner have this moment where they totally riffed. That movie was all about improv. Ivo wrote an incredible script, but there are certain scenes where you could totally improvise. This was one of them where he just let those two guys go. They’re two legends, right? David is a comedic legend. Ivo knew and he said, “Go ahead.” They riffed, and it’s the funniest part of the entire movie.

So I think a lot of it comes down to the director letting the actors be free and saying, “Yeah, the writer wrote this awesome script, but we hired you guys for a reason, so we’re going to let you guys go and do your thing when necessary.” It’s like Mel Gibson in Bandit. Mel Gibson is an absolute legend. We know how talented of a director and actor he is. To let him go do his thing is what you want. That’s why you hire a legend like that.

So yeah, it’s a lot about the director allowing it and the producers making the environment comfortable for the actors and allowing them to feel like they’re in a safe space where they can create. Because I know when I’m on set and I feel the vibe of the set from the producers to the director to the writer to everybody there, I know if I feel comfortable right away. If I don’t, my creative juices aren’t flowing as much, but if I do, I feel comfortable to be myself and create. That’s such an awesome experience to have when you feel that way because the art is so much better.

PC: As you’re writing a project, how do you decide whether or not you’re also going to star in it? What is that decision process like?
Keli: That’s a good question. On Murder at Hollow Creek, I started writing it and then I just pictured myself in the role. There was never a time when I pictured another face. Some writers, when they start writing, envision actors playing the role as they’re writing it. I certainly do that. I envisioned Jack Kesy playing my brother in the movie, and I actually cast him in the role, but I also envisioned myself playing the role of Gavin in Murder at Hollow Creek. That’s just the way it happened because I envisioned it that way. But there were other individual roles where I had people that I hadn’t worked with, rather I saw them in other films. I saw Jack Kesy in this movie called Peel. I said, “This guy is unbelievable.” I actually almost got a role opposite Jack in that project, but I didn’t get it. I thought, “Man, this is an opportunity for us to work together.” That’s how I work. I see people in the roles, and if I’m one of those people, great, if I’m not, then it goes to someone else.

PC: We’re living in such an exciting time in this industry where we’re seeing emerging voices take control over their careers and create their own stories, yourself included. What advice would you give aspiring filmmakers who may want to follow a similar career path?
Keli: Don’t shy away from what you want to do. Many people conjure up potential obstacles they could encounter, but it really just takes you jumping into it to see that you can accomplish certain things. It’s about taking that first leap. I’m so glad that I did that with my first movie, On Thin Ice. I had no idea who to call or what to do, but I said, “Take it step by step. Call a cinematographer that you’ve worked with.” It starts there. Get on the ground and shoot something. Then build from that. We went and shot at Ellis Island, then we shot the next thing. Then we saw how it was coming together. Then we said, we need X, Y, Z to interview. Now we need to build this. Then Evander Holyfield comes on board and then Apolo Ohno. It’s about jumping in, taking risks, and not being afraid. There are so many outlets and ways to get your material out there now.

Don’t be afraid to get out there. Cold call. Call a producer that you admire, a director you admire, and take it from there. Maybe you end up in somebody’s office that you didn’t anticipate. I certainly did. Just be fearless and get out there.

PC: You were talking about this earlier, but you have a recurring role on Rap Sh!t. Is there anything you can tell us about your character in it?
Keli: I play a record executive in Rap Sh!t. I have some fun scenes with Jonica Booth. She’s a fantastic actress, and we had a lot of fun together. She’s very funny. She’s going to be a major star.

This show was so much fun. Meeting Issa Rae was great. She created the show, and HBO Max did such a great job on the show. I’m excited that it got picked up for a second season so I can be in it, and all these actors can get to showcase what they can do because they’re so many talented actors on the show. They deserved a second season. I’m sorry that it didn’t get picked up for #1. They had a nice run and I was honored to be involved in it.

To keep up with Keli, follow him on Instagram.