Myouterspace: If you’re in a movie called “Mega Python Versus Gatoroid”, there’s a good chance you’re getting eaten, or at least dismembered. Was faking a messy death scene with a CGI monster fun or was it a slog to shoot?

Patrick Hancock: I loved shooting my giant alligator death scene. I did have to wade out to the center of one of the swampy lakes at the LA Arboretum to shoot it. The murky water was waist-high and the bottom was covered with thick mud. The production team advised me not to go completely underwater during the takes because of the bacteria in the water, but I was screaming and hollering and ended up dunking myself fully underwater every time. I figured that if I was really getting munched on by a 50-foot alligator on steroids, I would probably disappear from sight. I felt like Shelly Winters in the "Poseidon Adventure" when she splashed dramatically backwards as she died. I doused my face with bottled water and then took a 45 minute shower afterwards... there was lots of mud!

As for the fun, Deborah Gibson has actually been a good friend of mine for many years, so it was surreal and exciting to be standing in a swamp with her getting ready to shoot this intense scene together. I think the fact that we are friends in real life added to our friendship onscreen. I adore shooting any scene, especially one like this. I like the teamwork it takes to get the shot perfect.

About a week later, we had to re-shoot our close-ups for my death scene because some technical trouble made some footage unusable. This was challenging, since it was a different day and we were picking it up mid-action. I had to focus and remember what I did physically before. We did it in two takes. The whole scene onscreen will probably only be a few seconds long; it's amazing how much work goes into every shot.

Myouterspace: what’s it like having to be scared of a monster that isn’t there? Do you get to see concept art? Does the director describe for you what would be there?

Patrick Hancock: I had to use a lot of imagination - and also not think about it too much. They didn't really show us any concept art, so we all just pictured the gators and snakes for ourselves. For some reason, I kept thinking the Gatoroid might look like the dragon in “Fantasia”, so that’s the mental picture I used. They did give us points to use for sight lines where the creatures would be added in post-production later. For instance, I was screaming at a spot on a palm tree as I became a gator snack.

Our director, Mary Lambert, was awesome. She knew exactly what she wanted and gave very specific directions while we were shooting, which was extremely helpful. She really knows how to talk to actors. The key for me was to not judge the circumstances as outlandish, but to really go after the reality of the scene. Even though the story is campy, you have to play everything super serious, otherwise it just won't work. And, ironically, I think that commitment makes the final product even campier and funnier.

Myouterspace: Speaking of camp, “CGI schlock” often gets short shrift from the oh-so-serious, but “B” monster movies are more than a guilty pleasure…

Patrick Hancock: I love this genre! I think people really like these kinds of movies because they are so fun and escapist. The storylines are clever, really. And this one stars two '80's pop singing icons! The filmmakers on this particular movie definitely were in on the joke. They had fun with it but never made fun of the material as they were creating what is sure to be a B-movie masterpiece!

Myouterspace: You’re a hard-working actor in Los Angeles. What’s your advice on working your way toward getting a great part like this?

That's the million-dollar question. Every actor has a different journey and I'm still trying to figure out mine... I've quit several times over the years, but always seem to find my way back to this crazy career because I simply love the actual act of acting itself. There's nothing quite like it, and I find it endlessly fascinating.

I always suggest finding a good acting class to start with, one in which you feel like you're always challenged and growing. I think studying acting is like going to the gym; you continue to stretch and tone your muscles. You don't just work out at a gym for a few months and expect your body to stay in perfect shape forever. You have to keep working at it. Then there are workshops and plays and showcases and readings and student films and auditions and so on... it's a full time job that pays a lot less than a part time job (at first). Your ego takes a beating, so you learn to get pretty resilient. You also learn many other trades that you never thought you would ever do: catering, bartending, apartment management, temp work, filing, yodeling and many more. I happen to be the self-proclaimed "Best Catering Busser in LA County". I can out-buss anyone, anytime...

Seriously, there is so much luck involved – and that means you have to be ready when the opportunities present themselves. I've studied with Howard Fine for many years, and he has taught me how to think for myself on set. I love having his class to go to every Monday night to keep exploring this work and learning about myself.

My role in "Mega Python Versus Gatoroid" came from a friend’s referral, which got my demo reel in front of the casting people. I still had to audition. I got the news on the exact day I was contemplating moving back to New York City to pursue theater. I was literally on the phone with a friend of mine, lamenting about not being able to get any paying work here in LA, and then the casting director beeped in and told me I got the part. I took it as a sign to stay and keep trying on the West Coast!

Myouterspace: Have you started having nightmares about giant snakes?

Patrick Hancock: I loved the scene with the actual live python in the laboratory at the beginning of the movie. Deborah got to hold it and wrangle it, but I kept my distance. I did not have to a do a lot of acting that day, since I'm actually super afraid of snakes. The team decided to add this real fear of mine to my character's storyline, which was a fun creative collaboration for me.

One story I tell my friends is how mega cool it was that we shot at the LA Arboretum right near the big house used in "Fantasy Island". I kept pointing to the sky and saying "Da Plane!" to myself. I hope the crew thought I was just going over my lines.

Myouterspace: Now that you’ve been through it yourself, what are your thoughts about the future of actors performing with computer graphics?

Patrick Hancock: I think special effects just keep getting better and better, but real actors will never be fully replaced. At least I hope not! It will be difficult for a computer to replicate real human emotions and reactions in the moment. I also worked in front of a green screen a lot for a movie called "Blades of Glory", in which I was one of Will Ferrell's skating doubles. It was fascinating to learn how the CGI process works. But it still took a real person to create the movements.

Myouterspace: What was your biggest challenge as an actor on set? What was unexpected?

Patrick Hancock: The biggest challenge on-set is keeping your energy constantly up for all the action, since there is a lot of waiting around for set-ups and technical work. I had to pace myself, take naps and make sure not to graze too much at the Kraft Service table. What was unexpected for me on this particular set was how much I missed it once it was over. I hope you all enjoy the final product as much as we did making it!

“Mega Python Versus Gatoroid” premieres Saturday, January 29th at 9 PM/8 PM Central on the Syfy Channel. See Syfy’s page at:

http://www.syfy.com/movies/originals/index.php?pageid=145