Published: July 01, 2009 04:28 pm      

Playing an assassin fun, local woman says

Ever wonder what it would be like to film an intimate movie scene in front of a large group of people? Now imagine that same group of people in their underwear.

That’s exactly how Terri Frye describes performing her love scenes in the upcoming indie flick “Thick as Thieves,” which will premiere Aug. 29 at the Tivoli Theatre in Chattanooga.

“Shooting those was truly acting in every sense of the word,” she said. “When a cast member had to be in their undies for a scene, the cast and crew had to as well, to help them feel less awkward.”

While Frye may be a rookie in film, she certainly is no stranger to performing. After all, she got her start as a vocalist at age 4.

“My dad (Terrell) started working with me,” said Frye, now 25. “He’s a singer, and he wondered if his ability was passed on. I loved it.”

By her mid-teens, she had added guitar and piano to her repertoire and began singing in churches. In 1999, Frye got her first taste of the stage as a member of the Northwest High cast of “Auditory Overload,” a musical and cultural recap of the past century.

After graduating from Murray County High, Frye attended Dalton State College for a while. Then one day in 2005 her life changed in a split second.

“I was t-boned on the passenger side (of my car), then hit head on,” Frye said. “The whole passenger side was up against the right side of my body.”

The accident left her unable to walk very well for a year, and over time she gained 40 pounds. Frye wanted the extra weight gone, so as soon as she was able she began exercising. And she hasn’t stopped.

“I seriously got into it, then I got a job at Global Fitness as a receptionist,” said Frye. “I try to run six miles a day about five days a week and do a weight training routine. It took me about a year to lose the weight.”

Frye’s life took yet another turn in 2007 when she stumbled across information about Chattanooga-based production company Brigand Pictures holding movie auditions. She submitted a photo and resume and received a phone call from casting director Mike Click about a week later letting her know she had the look they wanted.

Frye’s first meeting with Click and director Lloyd Tate proved far from flawless.

“It seemed like the universe was against me that day,” she said. “I got behind an accident and was two hours late.”

Despite that setback, Frye was called back about a week later to read. And called back … and called back again, a total of seven more times. Finally, while on a visit to her mother Linda’s house, she received another call from Click.

“I was walking around in the yard, and he said, ‘We would like to officially offer you the part if you want it,’” said Frye. “I jumped up and down, and started screaming, ‘Mom, I got the part!’ after we hung up. She wasn’t nearly as excited as I was.”

“Thick as Thieves” is the first of a three-part series about a group of assassins. Frye describes her character, Chasity, as a combination of girl-next-door and a girl you wouldn’t want to make mad in a dark alley.

“The character is kind of conflicted,” she said. “She’s really there for her love interest, Holsten (Brandon Michaels). Playing an assassin was fun!”

To prepare for the role, Frye had weapons training and fight training. Filming was done every day in Chattanooga from May to June of last year. So how was life on a movie set?

“It was really hectic but fun,” she said. “Every day something new and exciting happened. I didn’t realize the amount of work that was required — 10 to 15 hours a day. Everybody was always tired.”

Frye forged strong bonds with her cast mates and considers them friends for life.

“There will be an incredible blooper reel because we were always cutting up,” she said. “And one day we blew up a car.”

Following the premiere, Frye plans to continue acting. She said she has several projects lined up with Brigand Pictures and would love to make it a career.

“It’s kind of an escape from reality, to get to dress up and play somebody else for a while,” she said.

She just finished a commercial for Southern Customs, a Chattanooga body shop, which will air on several cable channels in about a month. In the meantime, she rides her horses, works out, enjoys her day job and anxiously awaits the premiere of “Thick as Thieves.” After that, the film will be shown at festivals in Europe and hopefully picked up for distribution.

“I’m trying to get ready,” she said. “I’m excited out of my mind.”



“Thick as Thieves” will be shown Aug. 29-30 at the Tivoli Theatre in Chattanooga. For more information on show times and ticket prices, call the box office at (423) 757-5050. Tickets will be on sale soon.