INTERVIEW WITH ACTOR WILLIAM CLIFTON BY LANCE GARRETT FOR WICKEDPIXEL.COM

William Clifton stars in the current Wicked Pixel Cinema production, DEADWOOD PARK, directed by Eric Stanze. Clifton has been acting on stage and in internationally released independent movies for twelve years. Clifton’s first experience working with director Stanze was on SAVAGE HARVEST (released in 1995) in which Clifton had a starring role.

As the DEADWOOD PARK shooting schedule moved into it’s final days, William Clifton was asked to speak about his experiences on this set compared to his days of shooting SAVAGE HARVEST.

Q: How did you feel when you were first told you had the role of Jake in DEADWOOD PARK?

CLIFTON: I had hoped for a long time that I would get the part. I almost felt certain that I would get it, but then, because of the fact that so much was riding on this movie, and the fact that there were investors involved, I became unsure. In this situation, the director and producers want the best for the job, and because other people’s money is involved, they have to absolutely pick the actor that will deliver what they need. Personal feelings and friendships must be set aside. They have to be objective. This is what separates business from personal. I knew this, and I knew it would be a challenge for me. I knew what I had to do though, and I did the best I could. I was auditioning like everyone else, and I didn’t want a freebie. I like to earn what I get. I’d like to think I earned the role of Jake. I believe that Eric, Jessica (casting director), and Scott (executive producer) determined, impartially, who should be Jake. No personal feelings had anything to do with it. When I found out, I was happy, and a sense of responsibility came with it. I was ready for it. It was time. I am so grateful.

Q: Describe your experience shooting DEADWOOD PARK compared to shooting SAVAGE HARVEST more than a decade ago. What differences do you see in how the production is run, how the set functions, how you are directed, etc.

SAVAGE HARVEST was done twelve years ago. The summer of 1993 is when we started. I remember being ecstatic when I got a part in that movie. Everything that happened on the SAVAGE HARVEST set was all first experiences for me, and everything was positive. Shoot dates were organized, and everything was planned. What I look back at and notice, compared to today, is that one key factor has not changed: Eric Stanze, and Wicked Pixel Cinema in general, are respectful of others in planning their shoots. If there is any difference, it is only that they are more meticulous about it today.

Some things that are different are the amount of locations and the numbers of people involved. SAVAGE HARVEST was shot at about four primary locations, all within the state of Missouri. DEADWOOD PARK is being shot across the country, from here in the Midwest, to the East Coast, in more than 10 locations.

In 1993, we had around 25 cast and crew members. Now we have maybe three times that amount, ranging in ages from around 10 (the kid actors) up to people in their 60’s. And then there is the budget. DEADWOOD PARK’s budget is more than thirty times bigger than the budget was on SAVAGE HARVEST.

Q: From an actor’s standpoint, how did you prepare for your role in DEADWOOD PARK... and how is that preparation different compared to how you prepared for SAVAGE HARVEST in your “early years”?

In SAVAGE HARVEST I was basically playing myself. So I didn’t really do much except think about what I would do in the situations my character was in. For DEADWOOD PARK, I was not playing me. I was playing Jake Richardson, a successful businessman who’s twin brother was killed as a child.

To prepare, I lost weight (about 30 lbs.) and read the script about 25 times. I did a character analysis, taking all the info from the script to construct a biography. I also analyze each line I have, to understand why I am saying what I say as Jake. Then, if that isn’t enough, I figure out what words I must stress to convey the meaning of the lines the best way. You would think that saying, ”Children.” at the end of scene 29 would be easy. It’s actually pretty complex.

Q: What are your thoughts on SAVAGE HARVEST 2? What differences do you see between the original SAVAGE HARVEST and its sequel?

For SAVAGE HARVEST 2, I was on crew only, and that was only for a short time, as I was too busy with other commitments. Because of this, I happily have no idea what will be happening in HARVEST 2 as far as the story goes. I will be waiting to see it like everyone else, and it will be a total surprise. I do know that Jason Christ did the project out of a love for the first SAVAGE HARVEST, and that the sequel is safe in his hands. He did well as a director, and I enjoyed crewing for him.

Q: How did SAVAGE HARVEST contribute to your progression as an actor? Now that shooting of DEADWOOD PARK is nearly over, how do you feel DEADWOOD PARK has contributed to your progression as an actor?

With HARVEST, I had my high school acting experience as my training for the movie. I worked on HARVEST, giving it the best I could. I was satisfied with it, and I made a bunch of new friends. It was cool to have been in a movie, but after a few years, the people who had made SAVAGE HARVEST kinda moved on and forgot about that project.

For years after, I always intended on pursuing acting, but my personal life messed that up in some ways. Things changed eventually and I got the bug back big time. I got an agent and started doing acting work professionally. I did live theatre and worked in T.V. All this was happening for me, all the good things I had wanted. I was a member of two acting unions, had the best agent in town, and was making a lot of contacts throughout this business. Only one thing that I desperately needed was missing. I didn’t know if I could really act. Maybe others thought so, but I wasn’t convinced. DEADWOOD PARK was the opportunity that I needed... to learn if I could act or not.

I needed the biggest challenge I’d ever had, and I got it. I learned a lot during the first week-long shoot on DEADWOOD PARK. I reached for things in me I had never tapped into before. I brought out such emotion that I would shake and cry sometimes, after the scene was done. I grew up that week. I know who I am now, and what I am to be from now on. I am an actor. I can do it. I was made for it. Rich or poor, happy or sad, I am an actor. It is what I do best. I walk a little taller now because of it.

Q: Give us your thoughts on working with fellow DEADWOOD PARK cast members Lindsey dee Luscri, Jason Allen Wolfe, and Bryan Lane.

Lindsey and I got to know each other during the Arkansas shoot. We talked a lot and spent a majority of our time together rehearsing. Lindsey loves to talk, and it’s great because the topics are always interesting. She is fun to work with, and is always prepared to do what she needs to do. I am glad she is a part of this movie. She makes it easier to get through the hard days, especially when the temperature is freezing on set, and we are in our fall wardrobe still.

I had heard of Jason Wolfe because of his work on CHINA WHITE SERPENTINE. People have told me about how great of an actor he is, and that he is very intense. So I started wondering if I’ll be good enough in the scenes we have together. Then we met at the cast and crew BBQ and I discovered that he is a good guy... no big deal. Then we got to our first day of shooting together. We started working and I realized that he is as serious as I am about this stuff. We did the scene together... and at the end I felt like I’d found a brother... an equal. I admire and respect Jason. He makes me proud to be an actor. We both attended the same Method Workshop at different times, and it’s neat to see the lessons I learned being put to use by someone else.

Bryan Lane was cool to work with. There were some scenes where he and I are confronting each other about past events in the story and you could feel the tension in the air. In the scene, we would hate each other, intensely... and the crew could feel it in the air. Then Eric would say “cut” and Bryan and I would be laughing about how absurd it would be for us to really hate each another. Bryan’s too funny. I could never hate him.

Q: DEADWOOD PARK is being shot at many locations. What have been some of your favorite shooting locations for this production?

I enjoyed shooting at the old, abandoned amusement park. That is the neatest thing to see – a dilapidated amusement park, withering away. Seeing old roller coasters, and other rides being taken over by vegetation. It’s very surreal.

My favorite location by far was the Coy Farm in Stanton, MO. We had a house to ourselves to call home for the week long shoots, and the weekend overnight shoots. We had breakfast in the mornings and great dinners in the evenings. I even had my own room! Very sweet. The set was a short drive down the road.

Q: Describe the crew working behind-the-scenes on the production of DEADWOOD PARK.

They are a mix of new and old faces. They are supportive of what I need as an actor and they get the job done. They are professional and serious about what they are here for. We have a fine group of folks working hard to make this movie a success, and I would like to work with them again in the future. Special kudos go out to the crew on the first week-long shoot at the farmhouse location. They helped me grow by giving me the room I needed.

Q: You are also an associate producer on DEADWOOD PARK. Describe some of your duties as an associate producer.

I haven’t done much, really. I have helped with fundraising and finding some shooting locations. I also got us an army tent that we will use for a WWII scene. I tried to mainly focus on acting. I feel that acting is my most important job right now.

Q: What do you think the finished movie will be like?

I think it’s going to creep people out. The visuals alone will have people squirming in their seats. There is a lot to see, and a good story to bring it all together.

Q: What are your thoughts on working with director Eric Stanze again?

I trust Eric. It is hard to find directors that you know will handle the work you do in the best way. I know what I am doing for this movie will be handled the right way, and the end product will be worth my efforts. I have never once left a Stanze production thinking I wasted my time. I doubt I ever will.

Some folks in the crew think this is it for me, since I’m moving to California soon after the film is done. I want them to know that even though I am in another state, it doesn’t mean I can’t come back for another movie. Everything’s negotiable. And hey, it’s Eric. I very much want to work with Eric again. Come on! What am I gonna do... say no to him? Duh.

Q: Have any strange things happened on set?

Well, there was the time Jason Christ had a bat staring at him while he set a light up on a ledge above a stairwell at the old farmhouse. The bat was just a couple of feet away from Jason. The bat just stayed there, never moved, and we still got the shot done. Now that I mention that, I am reminded about our first night out there at the farmhouse location. Around dusk, the bats started flying around us. They flew over, beside, and in between us. They did it for about five minutes and then they were gone. It was pretty cool. It only happened that one time.

Q: What is it like shooting through such a long schedule? Have you been affected by dramatic weather changes (very warm to freezing cold)? Is it difficult to stay enthusiastic about a project (and not get burnt out) on such a long shooting schedule? Or is the chance to “settle in” an advantage to a long shoot?

It is okay to shoot for such a long time, but it is difficult. So many things can happen over such a long period of time. And you have to put off a lot of plans and reorganize things to make it through the long haul.

Little things like haircuts become an issue. How long should I go until my next trim? Did they cut off too much? Will it match up to the scene we shot last week? Was I more tan back then than I am now? I have to stay around the same weight as I was when we started shooting last September. If this was a big budget movie, and we were all making a healthy salary at this, we’d be done in two months, max. Since most of us have other jobs to pay the bills right now, we mostly use weekends for filmmaking. Not all, but most of DEADWOOD PARK is being shot on weekends. That’s the way it goes when you are at the bottom, working your way up. And that’s why a production like this goes on for many months.

I don’t think I ever lost my enthusiasm for this project, even though it has gone on for a long while. I very much hope we have at least one more shoot out at the Coy Farm. I’d like to have breakfast out there with everyone one more time.

Wickedpixel.com, 2005