Brian:
Was the Selena experience your
introduction into the performing world and was
that your inspiration to pursue a career as an
actor?
Jeff: I
had already done tons of theater before
"Selena". It's really funny how I got
the part, as minuscule as it is..... I had heard
about an extras casting call going on, so I
decided to drop my picture off to see if I could
maybe be in a crowd scene. The next thing I knew,
I was doing wardrobe fittings and getting two
days off of school! I was only thirteen at the
time, so the whole experience of being on a $20
million dollar movie was amazing! It was
interesting to see Jennifer Lopez before she
became JLO. I don't think anyone had a clue as to
how huge she would soon become.
It's funny -- I was the
only kid in the scene who was asking the director
for his opinions. I think it kind-of put him off
a bit, that this little pipsqueak was asking him
all these stupid questions, like what thier
budget was. I was such a nerd. But it was still
tons of fun, and I think I learned a lot from it.
Brian: Two of the biggest Scream Queens have different
perceptions about theatre work. Brinke Stevens
doesnt like it, preferring the immediacy of
film. Debbie Rochon enjoys it though,
apparently, she hasnt done a lot lately
because she cant afford to. Which category
do you fall under? Are you a Stevens
or a Rochon? As a playwright and
stage director, I am interested in your response.
Jeff:
Well, first and foremost -- I'm a Jeff.
hahaha! No seriously, I respect both of these
women so much. Debbie has been very supportive of
me, and Brinke is truly a great friend. She has
really pushed for me in so many ways, and has
been there for me through a lot of bullshit.
Anyone would be stupid not to hire these two
women. They bring so much professionalism to any
set.
So back to the subject --
I think that theater is so very important. It
takes so much discipline. It's also a wonderful
way of emotional release. Film is like that too,
but it's a much different process. I find that in
film, with the wrong director or editor, your
performance can be ruined in the wrong hands.
That's why you have to take what you've learned
from theater, and use it when you're working on a
film. So I guess to me, they are both very
important. If I had the ability to juggle both, I
would definitely try my hand at both. I can
honestly say, I do miss the theater a bit.
Brian:Your
segment in Cremains is the most effective
in that film. How intense was the process for
that portion and how closely, if at all, did you
relate to the character you played? In fact, you
appear to still be a teenager when that was
filmed.
Jeff: I
had no idea what the hell I was doing. Luckily, I
had a great director. I remember we had a lot of
laughs, but when it came down to the scenes,
there was definitely an intense vibe going on. I
could easily have related to the character, but I
was so inexperienced, I think I was just trying
to figure out the whole low-budget b-movie thing.
For the budget and equipment, however, I think
Steve (the director) really pulled it together.
And I WAS a teenager! I believe I was only
fifteen at the time.
Brian: I
think that Dead and Rotting is my favorite
of your available films. How was the experience
of working with Tammi Sutton as, both, a co-star
and as a producer on that film? Wouldnt
that, essentially, make her one of your bosses,
also?
Jeff: Yeah, Tammi was great! I loved working with
her -- and she was a great producer. I haven't
kept in contact with her over these last few
years, but she is a wonderful person!
Brian: I
really enjoyed the first segment of Bad Movie
Police. I thought it was energetic,
wisecracking and fun. Do you appear in the third
installment of the series? While I love Arianna
Albright and Lilith Stabs, I was truly
disappointed that the rest of the cast
didnt appear in the second installment. Was
there any particular reason for that? It almost
looks like they were filmed in different states.
Jeff:
You'll have to check out the third installment.
That's where I get a lot more screen time. I
think there were time contraints that led to all
three guys getting cut from the second episode.
But I can tell you that all three episodes were
shot in L.A.
Brian: I
thought Hellbound: Book of the Dead was a
very interesting film and that your character was
very similar to the "Alice character
in the original Friday the 13th film. Both characters were artists and had
many moments were they stared off,
contemplatively, into space. But off of the
mood and onto the gore were those real
maggots that you had to contend with in the final
scene and what did the effects artist use to
create that torrential mess that poured out of
the stab wound of the zombie character at the
end?
Jeff: Hellbound was probably one of my favorite characters. I
really appreciated that role, and I was extremely
concentrated throughout the project. The
character really went through the ringer, and you
almost feel like "why the hell is he doing
this? He loves her so much, that he's willing to
lie for her". I found that intriguing about
him. It's about how far will a person go for the
one that they love. I definitely found a place in
myself doing that role.
As far as the gore -- I
wasn't around for a lot of the "insert"
shots, so I couldn't tell you about that.
Brian: Do
you have a favorite film role or film experience
or both?
Jeff: Two
of my favorite roles are Home Sick
(2005) and Hellbound (2003). I'm
excited for Home Sick to finally
come out, because when it does, it will kick your
ass! haha Should be coming out before the end of
the year. I believe they are working on the 5.0
surround right now. That was probably the
best time I've had on a flick.
Seriously, I've found that
every movie is an experience. Good or bad, it's
an experience.
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