Exclusive Interview: James C. Burns Talks Call of Duty: Black Ops, His New Film Coldwater and More

James C. Burns is best known for his work in the Call of Duty: Black Ops series were he voiced the character Sergeant Frank Woods. We recently had the chance to chat with James about his work in Call of Duty: Black Ops, his new film Coldwater, and much more. Read on.

AMANDA DYAR: James, thank you for taking the time to interview with us. First off tell us a little bit about your background and how you got into acting.

JAMES C. BURNS: (laughter) I am an actor, because I have no other life skills which I could make a living from! Prior to 2005, I basically made my living as professional Ice Hockey coach. I dabbled in the “acting” biz but had no real commitment to it until 2005. Then it was an all out assault.

AMANDA: You are well known for playing the voice of Sergeant Frank Woods in the Call of Duty: Black Ops series. How did you end up working on the game and what did you enjoy most about working on the series?

JAMES: Fall of 2009--Treyarch wanted to tell a much more nuanced and complex character driven narrative for Call of Duty. They wanted to test full performance capture prior to Black Ops--the characters were comprised of stunt men doing motion capture, voice actors doing the VO and a face actors lip-syncing. Full Performance Capture, however, would have one person do it all there just like in film and TV. They were looking for an actor that had experience playing the “WOODS” type role plus had weapons and stunt training. I auditioned--got the gig doing the test work-- and they liked me enough that they kept me on to play the role on the game.

What I enjoyed most? The teamwork and the commitment to doing the best work we could. It was a great collaborative and supportive environment. I am still friends with the TREYARCH guys to this day.

AMANDA: Your new film Coldwater will release in the US on August 15th. What drew you to this project and the character Colonel Frank Reichert? Also, did your portrayal of Sergeant Frank Woods in Call of Duty: Black Ops play any part in your decision?

JAMES: Coldwater was an easy “yes” on my part. The role of the Colonel was an opportunity to portray a compelling and deeply complex character. From the start, Vince and I agreed the Colonel was not going be a one dimensional A-hole. We wanted to explore the descent of a good man into chaos and dysfunction, and show how good intentions sometimes go very wrong. It also had an interesting parallel with the Woods character from Black Ops 2--so I really was able to just slide right into the role of the Colonel. I also drew upon my experience as a hockey coach and youth at risk mentor to understand the circumstances of the film. It was great role for me to deepen the Woods character I had been portraying for 3 years.



AMANDA: How was working with P.J. Boudousqué on the set of Coldwater and what did you guys do for fun on set in between takes?

JAMES: PJ was awesome--he’s a star--great work ethic, humble, smart, talented, young. I hate him. (smile). Your really only as good as the actor across from you, and I was lucky enough to be on set with a really fun and talented cast.

Between takes? No such thing on low budget films. There is no time off--we shoot 3 to 5 pages a day-- and that’s a lot. So you have to use every free moment to prep for the days shot list. Time off meant, sleep, and maybe a bike ride on PCH. But really, we had a blast on set. Everyone did their work, and we all became family.

AMANDA: What stands out about your work on Coldwater that makes it different from other projects you have worked on?

JAMES: Each project is like having kid--unless you really have a horrible experience--the cast and crew become “family” for life. You see them ten years after, and it like a long lost cousin. It’s what I love about filmmaking, and Coldwater had that quality. What made it a bit more special was that we shot at an actual summer camp in the Malibu Hills which was isolated and austere. It was awesome! We lived, ate and worked all in the same place. The energy and focus fed every aspect of my performance. Hats off to Dave Gare and Joe Billota for making all of this happen.

AMANDA: Do you have any other projects coming up that you would like to mention and where can fans go to stay updated with your work?

JAMES: Nam Zombies Baby. I’ve written a script about a SOG team that get sent on covert mission into the Jungles of Vietnam and end up fighting for survival against Zombies. We are raising finance right now and hope to get strait shooting in the Fall.

To learn more, visit JAMES C. BURNS on Twitter (also Sgt. Frank Woods) and Youtube. Also, make sure to check out the official Coldwater website. Coldwater will screen in select theaters across the US on August 15, 2014. Fans can now pre-order Coldwater on iTunes.