Jefferson as Victor in "Throttle" (2005)

What did you learn from your experience in Amsterdam that has helped you as an actor/writer/producer here in America?
I learned fearlessness above all. I learned to say YES to anything, and sort out the details later. As a performer or a producer, that is the single key to my success. No fear of failing, because after all, failing is learning. Failing is growing stronger. Failing is what happens between moments of great success. So if failure is part of the process, why fear it? It has to happen, it makes you better, and so accept it. This is what I learned in Amsterdam, because we fell flat on our faces more than once, believe me!

It also widened my world view, which was great. I met people from all over the planet, and as a result, my work and stories and talents were richer.

Speaking of “richer”, you know what else I learned? That poverty often goes hand in hand with living the artist’s dream. No kidding, that’s true. (laughter) I mean, I knew that fact going in, but what I learned is to accept being broke, and although I’ve lost several potential girlfriends because of it, I am comfortable with struggling financially from time to time. It has all been worth it, believe it or not, because the adventures I’ve had, and the joy I’ve helped bring to people, is worth more than fat cash. Sounds cheesy, but I really believe it’s been worth the struggle.

Ask me when I’m 70 and have no retirement plan, though, and I may give you a different answer. (laughter)

But part of moving to Denver was to shore up that side of things, and so far, it’s working out.

Anyway, that’s not so interesting or glamorous to talk about, so let’s get away from finances.

After Amsterdam, you moved to New York City without much of a safety net. Can you describe the greatest challenges of moving to New York to be an actor?
Well, I guess we’re going back to finances after all! The greatest challenge for a beginning actor in New York City is paying the bills, in my opinion. It’s such an expensive city, and a beginner usually doesn’t get great, paying work right off the bat, so there is a lot of time consumed just paying rent.

The other challenge is keeping at it. It’s easy to get sidetracked in Manhattan, with all the nightlife and sights to see… You also get a ton of rejection, which is part of the business, but demoralizing just the same. So staying persistent, confident, and keeping the faith in what you’re doing is the other huge challenge for a beginner.

About how long did it take you to establish a network of friends and contacts, and how did you do it? Did you have a guiding philosophy or approach to “the biz”?
Within about a year and a half I had my network built to a level where I was almost always working on a play somewhere or other. Not getting paid much, but my scripts were being produced, I was working regionally and locally, and I was steadily climbing up the ladder of “success” as an actor, writer and producer. “Success”, however, has many definitions… I was viewed as hugely successful by some peers, while others thought I was still on the ground floor. Interesting concept, “success”.

How do you build a network? Well, you go see a ton of stuff, you audition for a ton of stuff, and you have the courage to approach someone you want to work with and find out how. At first, it’s hard, but networks grow exponentially, so soon it reaches a workable level. I was very lucky to meet a producer, Helena Webb, right at the time she was starting a production company. She liked my writing and acting, and produced about seven of my scripts within a four or five year span. She was key to my upward movement in the city, for sure… the second angel in my life. How many of those do you get? Four? Five? I want to know when I’m about to run out… (laughter)

As for “a guiding philosophy”, I had none, except to take any job that came my way. Later on, I could be a little more picky about what projects were worth my time and energy, but at first I made a pledge to do any show that would have me. I did some stinkers, but I met a bunch of cool cats along the way, and I would have missed a lot of valuable connections if I had turned things down at that stage.

In New York, you’ve had your scripts produced, you’ve acted, you’ve produced… what are you most proud of and why?
Most proud of… hmmm… I don’t know. Every show was unique, and I had some great experiences… My first regional job was somewhere around 1997 or 1998, and it was a great feeling for me, playing Elvis in “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” in Virginia. It was my first six-week contract, a real paying show, and they flew me out to do it! I was giddy. Did a ton for my self-confidence.

Helena Webb’s company, THEATRIX, put up my script “Slap ‘em Down” in 1999, I think, and it got great reviews in several theatre rags. Equity contract, an incredible theatre and set and director and cast… That was a high point, for sure.

My proudest moment to date, though, I guess would have to be when a Dutch company decided to produce my screenplay “Billy’s Bad”. It was my first jump into film – first screenplay sold and first leading role in a movie, and it was a HUGE turning point. To make the transition from theatre to film, well, it changed my life, my outlook, and my possibilities. And I sensed it at the time; I could sense that my career had just taken a MASSIVE step in a good, new, different direction, and I was extremely happy about the whole thing.

Over the past several years you worked with many of the same people producing a series of low-budget independent features. What inspired you to move into film production, and what are the most challenging aspects of making your own films?
That first film I just mentioned, a guy named Joggem Simons produced it and his brother, Hidde Simons, directed it. I saw these two guys make my movie on a shoestring budget, and it was so much fun for everyone involved. I realized that you didn’t need a gazillion dollars, and you didn’t need a studio, and I was hooked. Granted, it didn’t play worldwide and generate money to retire off of, but it didn’t matter. My goal was always to tell stories, as I said, and suddenly this wonderful medium, which previously wasn’t available to me, presented itself.

Kipley Wentz, a long time friend and colleague of mine, was another actor in the film, and I guess he was similarly inspired, because he dragged us all the way to Vancouver, Canada to shoot HIS script on a shoestring budget, “Much Ado”. And guess what, I loved that experience, too! So much so that I took another one of my scripts and did the same thing in Denver a year later.

Making your own movie (the one in Denver I took the lead producer role) is one of the craziest things you can do. The many different skills and areas of expertise involved are mind-boggling, which means there are many different places things can go wrong. Add to that the lack of sleep, the huge group of people counting on you, and the constant financial strain, and you have a job that can potentially fry your brain.

I could talk for ten hours on the challenging aspects of filmmaking, but that would bore everyone. The bottom line is that you give all of yourself for a year or more to make one 90 minute movie… with no guarantee of success. Hell, some people never even get their movies to final print. It’s scary and exhilarating and fun, but you have to be the kind of person who can go there!

As a director and producer, what qualities do you most admire in the actors and filmmakers you’ve worked with?
No diva attitude. That’s the main thing I respect in an actor. Someone who shows up prepared, is open to all the last minute changes and adjustments, and delivers a quality performance without all the fuss. A director or producer has SO much on his or her plate, the last thing they need is to deal with petty theatrics that almost always come back to insecurity issues.

Which means, I guess, I admire confidence in an actor. Not arrogance, but confidence. Someone who says, “Don’t worry about me, I’ll do my job, you focus on what you need to do, and we’ll all walk out of here happy.”

Next to that, I admire persistence. I know so many people who say they are actors but haven’t been to an audition in months. Or people who take a passive approach to this incredibly competitive career. I admire the people who aggressively seek work, promote themselves, stage things themselves if nothing is in the works, and always keep an eye on the prize. Sometimes that can be annoying, the aggressive thing, but mostly it’s something I respect. Because ain’t no one out there gonna hand you a job, right? You gotta fight for it! (laughter)

You say it IS possible for actors to remain in a smaller market like Denver and make their living as performers, but you mentioned a “mentality” or “skill set” that would be needed. Care to extrapolate?
Sure. The odds are worse, obviously, because there are fewer jobs, but there is also less competition, so those few jobs might actually get to you. Going to NYC or LA for a few years is a definite bonus… that old saying “you can’t get there from here” holds true. Sometimes you need to leave, prove yourself, and come back.

But not always, and this goes back to the “well-rounded” question… If there’s one movie being made this winter, I can apply for five different jobs, because I’ve learned how to do all these different things. How can it hurt to try your hand at editing or directing or producing? In a small market, you’ll stand out, and become more valuable.

In addition, these skills have translated nicely into other fields, and now I get offers to write speeches for people, edit highlight reels for actors, produce parties and premieres, write copy for different websites… all things I never was offered in Manhattan. The crowded scene in Manhattan meant there were very talented people working for free, hoping for something to break through. In Denver, there are less people with these skills, so I get paid to do them more often than not.

Kipley Wentz & Jefferson in "Much Ado" (2002)

Over the years you have initiated a lot of your own work rather than just waiting to be cast in other people’s projects. Why is it important for you (and actors in general) to generate your own work?
It’s simple… to work steadily, you need to have exposure. Small market or big market, if they don’t know you’re there, or what kind of talent you have, they might miss you in the piles of headshots on their desk. Sure, you can go on casting calls and have an agent, but the choice is out of your hands (“I’m an inch too short? Okay, thanks.”) Some people go out, get cast all the time, and that’s great. I’m not tall, gorgeous, or trained at Juliard, so I wasn’t getting cast all the time. And often, I was sent out on the completely wrong calls.

So I started initiating things. My first successful script, which played at the Melk Weg in Amsterdam, was written for me to play the lead. Then later, in NYC, Helena Webb was producing plays, so I started writing a ton of scripts for her to use, and made no bones about it being for anyone but her company… of which I was one of the main actors. I wanted to write and star in a film made in Denver, but no one there knew I made films, and no one knew what kind of actor I was, so I set up an LLC and went at it.

This doesn’t always mean you have to pay for it, god knows it’s expensive to make a film or even stage a play… but sometimes there are people out there just waiting for someone else to initiate a project, and once someone does, they jump on board with all kinds of things to offer, from money to talent to connections.

The key thing is this: there’s a lot of talent out there, and they are hungry to work on good stuff. If you start a project rolling, you’ll be surprised at how many people will jump on board and solve a lot of the problems you might have been worried about. That saying “build it, and they will come”? It’s true. I was amazed at how many people rallied behind me whenever I started up some kind of project. They’re out there, waiting for a leader… it’s incredible what you’ll find if you just say YES.

Remember what I said about fear of failure? Let go of that and put on a show. You’ll get respect, you’ll get exposure, and you’ll get the satisfaction of having made something happen.

In your opinion, what is the role of the artist in our society? Why do we need actors and theater?
That’s a question with no good answer. Or a bunch of cliché answers. (laughter) I think the role of the artist in our society is really three roles: education, escapism, and catharsis.

There’s a lot going on around us… an artist can narrow the focus on one issue, inform an audience on that issue, question all sides of that issue, and perhaps even make an audience feel a new or different way about that issue. Education.

An artist can also let an audience just disappear into a magic place for a couple of hours, which is very important in this busy, stressful, wild world. Two hours of laughter and enchantment, two hours of leaving everything outside the theatre doors, well, that can be worth more than gold. Escapism.

There’s something wired into our genes, I can’t explain the “why” of it, but us human beings feel the need to share and experience and be transformed by it. We need to have an outlet for our emotions from time to time, a good cry, a harrowing scare, a belly laugh. We need to emote, it’s part of our very nature, and theatre can take us down that road. Catharsis.

Way back when, someone stood up from the campfire and told a story of a great hunt his father went on years ago. There was embellishment, of course, and with hindsight, perhaps, the speaker might have drawn a few conclusions. And most everyone around the fire sat in rapt attention, taken to a magical place for a few minutes… That’s our role in society. To tell stories. We like stories. We like them very much.