Acting Philosophy
This
interview with Jeff originally appeared in 2002 on CastingConnection.com as
one of a five-part series called "Actors on Acting", exploring the techniques and experiences of local San
Francisco actors, and written by Bay Area acting fave Leon Acord.
By Leon
Acord
From cop to killer and everything in between, it seems the chameleon-like Jeff Brock (www. jeffbrock.com) can play it all. This journalist-turned-indie film actor has appeared in over 20 locally produced films, including "The City" and "Trinity." He also works as the webmaster for the SF AIDS Foundation. Jeff & I worked together on the short thriller "Foucault Who?" which is currently touring the globe on the film festival circuit. While in Portland recently for a screening we sat down to talk about his amazing versatility.
Leon Acord: When approaching a new part, what's the first thing you do?
Jeff Brock: I'm very much an observer. I was a newspaper reporter for six years. It was really
necessary to pay close attention to the way people spoke, the way they move, the way they think. I took that set of skills,
and applied it to my acting. I think about who I have interviewed that has some elements of 
the
current role. I might go back to the original notes I took when I interviewed that person, re-read the final article,
put myself back into what their rhythm was like, their style of speech, their tone. I studied with Ed
Hooks for a year. I loved him. He was just perfect because he was both nurturing, but also, he would tell it like
it is. A great mixture. One of his precepts is that we contain a piece of every role within us; we have all the archetypes
in us. It may be a big part of us; it may be a tiny part. Finding that one little element somewhere in you, and giving
it free rein: That's the key.
LA: What character or type are you dying to play?
JB: I'm dying to play a hopped-up, speed freak, a complete over-kill of energy, frenetic. I haven't had an opportunity to do that yet. Because I have a lot of natural energy as it is, I would like to funnel that. One of my challenges is to tone down that energy.
LA: What's been your best experience as a Bay Area actor?
JB: Two projects come to mind. One is the feature Not Today. It's a very surreal film, a film-within-a-film-within-a-film. It's both pretentious, and makes fun of pretentious films. It's black-and-white, silent, shot in 16 millimeter, with title cards, like an old Chaplin movie, but set in the modern day. The acting needed to be subtle; it wasn't the old style of silent acting with big, huge expressions. It was a wonderful experience to work on the physicality of the role, conveying these emotions accurately. The other is "Foucault Who?" An incredibly well organized team. We had a great rehearsal process. I felt a wonderful give-and-take with director Jed Bell and writer Wickie Stamps. The timing was also amazing. We shot that film in March, it was edited with an original score, transferred to 35 millimeter by June, was in the SF International Gay Lesbian Film Festival that month. Now it's going to festivals all over the world.
LA: What's been your worst experience, and what did you learn as a result?
JB: My first film project was a graduate student's master thesis. I show up, things are disorganized from the word go. I do one of my scenes, and then I'm sitting for five hours, without any word as to what my wrap time would be. At 2:30 a.m., the director says, "Oh, I guess you can go home, we'll finish the rest of your scenes tomorrow." I go home, and that was the last time that I ever heard from the director. Three-quarters through the film, she ran out of film and dropped off the planet. I've worked with some student directors who are as professional as you can imagine. I enjoy working with a wide range of director types, that's part of what makes this endeavor fun. But it's critical for everyone involved to respect all the other people involved in the production.
LA:
How do you know when you've reached something true, and to stop?
JB: No performance is ever truly complete. Every performance is organic, in the sense that something organic does not have right angles. It's continually mutating, growing. It's hard to find a point to say; "This is done." I feel I've reached something true, or as true as I can get it, when I'm really connected to the other actor, that I'm really listening to what they are saying, not just doing a "my-turn/your-turn" thing.
LA: What's kept you from going LA?
JB: I tend to be very methodical in my career plans. The plan is to move sometime next year. I want to be ready; I want to go into this with both eyes completely open. In acting there's a definite sense of magic to it, it's what I'm most fulfilled doing. But you've got to be aware of the business side of it, of what your niche is where you can make money. The San Francisco independent film community is very friendly, nurturing. Because it's a smaller community, it feels more tight-knit to me. I love seeing people I know at auditions, working with people in multiple projects. I want to take advantage of that as much as possible while I'm here.
LA: Do you have trouble watching yourself on screen?
JB: I really enjoy watching myself on screen. I've always had a bit of a ham in me, from an early age. The first time I saw myself on a big screen was a very emotionally fulfilling moment; it was a milestone for me. But even better was when "Foucault Who?" premiered in the SF Gay Film Festival. It was the Herbst Theatre, it was packed, huge screen, wonderful old historic building. It was a film I was very proud of. When I saw my entrance in the film, I was about to cry, because it was a fulfillment of a life-long dream, to be involved in a quality project that a lot of people were seeing.
LA:
Did you have an "A-Ha!" moment that this was the thing for you?
JB: I can identify it down to the day. I had just started working at the SF AIDS Foundation, in media relations. The AIDS Walk was coming up. We arranged an interview on Channel 7 on the mid-day news, a live interview with me. It was amazing how quickly two-and-one-half minutes can go. When that wrapped, I thought, "I thoroughly enjoyed that." I felt comfortable, like being home, in a sense. After that interview, I started to think: maybe I should start looking at performing as a viable life choice.
LA: What personal sacrifices have you made for your career?
JB: It's a definite challenge having a full-time job. It happens to be a job that I love — I work at the SF AIDS Foundation, as their webmaster. It's very flexible and I have time to go to auditions, to go do filming. As long as I finish my projects, my work schedule is pretty flexible. Still, it's a lot of time involved. As every actor knows, it's busy just sending out your stuff, keeping in touch with all the people, preparing for and going to auditions. Doing callbacks, reading and analyzing the script. Rehearsals.
LA: When will you be able to say, "I'm a successful artist?"
JB: I feel like a successful artist right now. I'm really enjoying the roles that I'm playing. Every film project is like another class. I'm learning something new from every director, every actor that I work with. I get to explore all those kinds of places, all the varieties of human experience. There are not a lot of jobs out there in which you can do that!
LA:
Where will you be in ten years?
JB: I see myself being involved in challenging film roles, as an actor who never stops learning. If you think you've stopped learning, you're wrong. I want to be doing film roles that people are seeing. They don't have to be blockbusters. But I want to be connecting with audiences.
LA: What advice would you give to an actor just starting out?
JB: Don't box yourself in. Every actor should be aware of his or her niche. At the same time, the beginning actor should be open in scoring all kinds of roles. It's been a very pleasant surprise that I've been cast in a wide variety of roles. I had suspicions that I would be pigeonholed into a certain role -- the sweet guy, the nice type. But there have been times when I saw an audition notice on "Casting Connection," and thought, "Oh, I'm not the right look or range or style." But I sent my stuff in on a lark. And you know what!? I got a call to come into the audition, and sometimes I get cast for the very role that seemed out of the blue for me. A skilled director can see within us the facets we can bring out in front of the camera. So, stay open to all the roles and experiences that are out there.
Leon Acord has acted in over 20 films and 15 plays -- Email him at [email protected]
©2002 Casting Connection