Mike Bash, a veteran at Heart-Beat Productions, is a supporting actor for IN SEARCHING. He’s playing the role of Vincent, a homeless man with a heart-of-gold that guides our leading character Jon during the night. We love having him on board not only because of his excellent experience in the industry, but also because of his awesome sense of humor. It’s always awesome to get to know who you’re working with more intimately, so we asked him about his influences.

What was your biggest influence in your initial decision to make movies?

My initial influence would probably have to be actors like Jim Carrey, Robin Williams, Gary Oldman. Daniel Day Lewis – as I got into college, I started to see his brilliance. Tom Hanks.

I think it’s something that can’t be done today… they were playing outside of their type, they were playing – they were just great actors. They weren’t great at “this”, or great at “that.” They were just great actors.

What’s your first movie that inspired you to be involved in film production?

I would have to say the first movie that really inspired me to look at filmmaking versus just acting was NETWORK by Sidney Lumet. Paddy Chayefsky wrote it, Sidney Lumet directed it. Just incredible. Just amazing watching his trust of the actors, how the whole story was told, and how he – again – just trusted his actors to tell that story, and it made me actually want to eventually try film.

Cool. How about media. Do you have any books or films that you find particularly influential?

Audition by Michael Shurtleff is amazing. I think world-wide, it’s one of the best books going. Aside from the different view points, and the different tent poles he has in there that make up a great acting performance.

For filmmaking, I don’t know so much. ‘An Actor Prepares,’ Uta Hagen. Just a lot of really great books that we had to read in school that I’m sure everyone’s already heard of. They don’t need to hear more about. [Laughs.]

Thank you for sparing us.

[Laughs.]

Is there someone in the industry whose talent you particularly respect, or aspire to achieve to a similar level of success one day?

Man. So many. I mean… you look at people like Tom Hanks again, you look at people like Denzel Washington who is, just, always good. Just always so well prepared, and just brings such great energy to his roles. I mean that’s… a crazy question; there’s so many people!

I’ve been watching a lot of TV lately, too. And a lot of these TV. actors, how they come in, be serious regulars, and go on and do other things, and how they fit so well into their characters, and they develop them over the years, over the seasons – that’s something I definitely aspire to.

If you could work with any actor or director, who would it be?

Well, definitely Sidney Lumet. But he’s dead, so I can’t do that.

Maybe someone who’s alive….

[Laughs.] Yeah. Awe man. So many names….

As far as directors, I don’t know names as well as I’d like to. The guy who just did ARBITRAGE with Richard Geer [Nicholas Jarecki]. I forget his name, but he was a great, great director. And as far as acting – man – Tom Hanks, De Niro – ESPECIALLY after SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK just to show that he still has it in the tank. Bradley Cooperr, Daniel Day Lewis. I mean, how long do you have? There’s so many amazing actors out there.

I’m hearing Tom Hanks a lot here.

I DO love Tom Hanks! Yeah, he’s an every-man that’s been able to do so much with his career, and he’s just a normal looking guy – I love it.

Mike Bash is an every man too. We want to support bring Mike Bash’s acting to that next level. Check out our Kickstarter to contribute!