Mepham grad, actress writes science fiction short

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After seeing an opening for a role in the horror movie “Where Demons Dwell: The Girl in the Cornfield 2,” Michelle Lulic, 23, of Bellmore, reached out to its director, Ryan Callaway. She put together an audition tape and then received an email at 1 a.m., asking her to be on set the next day. Lulic said that she is used to this kind of frenzy — it comes with breaking into the “typical-New York City-actor grind.”

Lulic moved to Manhattan one year ago and, along with acting endeavors, is writing her own science-fiction short film to be produced this coming year. Before she was casted for the role of Adelaide in Callaway’s horror film, the director and his team were more than halfway done with the project. Their leading actress had left the film due to a scheduling conflict and they needed to replace her so they could reshoot her scenes and move forward. Callaway said the only change this made to the film was that Lulic brought more maturity to the role than he had originally imagined. “But it didn’t deviate,” he added, “And I liked what she presented.”

Lulic said she broke the character down from her own perspective. The film, currently available on Amazon Prime, follows a young woman named Adelaide who must be brave after a demonic presence is introduced into her life. “It took a lot of reflecting on how I would feel in that situation,” Lulic said.

Lulic graduated from Mepham High School where she was involved in the Skull and Bones Drama Club and was a member of the Merrick Theater and Center for the Arts outside of school. “I was kind of figuring myself out and what I wanted to do,” she said adding that she had always wanted to stick with acting, but was unsure if it was the right career choice.

Lulic loved to write and pursued a Journalism degree from Rutgers University, from which she graduated in May 2015. She was involved in its television network, RUTV, and was able to form a bond with students with whom she shared similar interests. Together they shot films for their own enjoyment, which fueled Lulic’s passion for acting. She would browse various casting sites online and travel to Manhattan for auditions. This paved the way for roles in short films and television shows, including three episodes of the Travel Channel’s “Mysteries at the Museum.”

A self-proclaimed geek and science fiction lover, Lulic wanted to tell a dystopian-style story that would resonate with a modern audience. She dug through her previous screenplays and story ideas, before finding her muse in an old draft about artificial intelligence. “It’s really about the human experience and modern-day communication,” she said. Taking inspiration from the Netflix series “Black Mirror” and the 2015 Alex Garland film “Ex Machina,” Lulic wanted to explore what would happen if technology and artificial intelligence merged with person-to-person interactions.

Lulic wrote the main character for herself, describing the process as a very personal experience. “[The protagonist] grows from characteristics you see in yourself, the people around you and what you might not connect with,” Lulic said and added that the process required curiosity and elements of surprise.

Lulic’s other acting endeavors include an off-Broadway appearance in the comedy “Laugh Out Loud, Cry Quietly.” The satire of online dating will premiere for one weekend only in February. Lulic will also be one of the faces in a series of ad videos for the mobile strategy game Titan Wars.