I was raised in a small rural community outside the town of Parker, Colorado. I grew up riding horses and shoveling, well you know…. Ever since I was a little kid, only two things moved me with enough passion to ever put into words. Weekly Bronco games with my Pops, and Acting. Spending most of my life secluded from average society, I was unable to pursue the latter to any real extent. I’m not complaining however, I did enjoy country life, but urban centers have their perks too. That covers the first ten years of a fairly All-American childhood.

Here’s where things get a bit more interesting, I moved to the aforementioned small town of Parker where I went to high school, played a little ball, made a little love, and got down most nights. This is also the time in my life where my passion for acting was rekindled. Wait hold on, not really. You see as much as I wanted to act, I didn’t really fit in with the “theater crowd.” I was on hold for awhile, but I found a happy medium where I could be close to the entertainment epicenter of the 4,000 strong student body of Ponderosa High School. What medium could that be you wonder? Well how about building sets for future performances. I know it wasn’t my calling, but I was in the middle of things, and even some of my input about actual productions was taken to heart.

I felt I was on track, where the track lead I had no idea.

So, four years later my best friend at the time, (we’ll call him Phil, because that’s his name) have graduated and have begun to ponder what’s next. His decision to move to California and pursue law and politics left reasonable excuses to visit the coast.

It wasn’t long before I had him convinced that he, I, and a Talented but aimless young director should produce a script that we had been mulling over, so we did.

I flew out in the summer of 99’ to begin principle on a short film that we had allotted two weeks to finish. Dark in nature and with me playing the lead, and Phil counting the beans as only he can, we started the shoot. After the first “action” was called the nightmares began, creative differences, constantly changing scripts, Phil trying to referee, extras and co-stars not showing up to set, you name it, happened. Believe it or not we actually did get everything done, however through the devastating breakup between the director and his girlfriend, “Within the Darkness” was shelved, making this experience a total bust. However, I don’t give up real easy.

My next conquest would be one back here in Denver. I got wind of a local director named Tony, who was holding auditions for an upcoming short called “One and a Half” I looked into it and found that this kid had “real” backing from the school he was attending.

I felt I needed a role in this thing to get myself started again. Not expecting much, I went to the open call hoping to get some supporting role, and was floored to learn that I had won the lead role (probably nothing to do with talent seeing as I was the only one who could grow facial hair in the room) This didn’t deter me, I was going to make the best of it. When the day came to begin shooting, I was excited. Things were the way I had always imagined a real set would be. Catering set up off to the side, people bringing me coffee. Uniformed Denver police officers on set for firearm safety and traffic control.

It was a big deal. The buzz was that the producer had been working on getting this piece viewed by a panel for official selection at Sundance. Though a rumor, all these things made me feel like I was getting somewhere. I was seduced by the magnitude, it was awesome. The shoot went without flaw; working on this project was great for the experience and the people I met. Than catastrophe yet again, another director whose lack of direction and ambition lead to the second shelving of a project I had been highly involved in less then two years.

I took this as a sign to slow down and stop pressing so hard for things to happen, so I focused on my other responsibilities as a small business owner (a small trucking firm in Denver) and I kept my ear to the sidewalk for upcoming opportunities. It wasn’t till last year that something finally came down the path. It wasn’t through cattle calls, or getting involved in local theater groups, no it came through the simple act of shooting the shit with a fellow movie enthusiast and amateur director. We talked about horror flicks, some of his past work, some of mine; and all over beers and some arcade games at Dave and Buster’s some obscure night in early 2003. And that’s how Hank and I came to making movies. I finally found a director who has the same drive as I do, and the will obtain what he wants. Plus it’s a big bonus to not have projects being shelved all the time.

That is my movie career to date so far, not as impressive as some might of thought, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Everyone has to pay their dues, and I’m paying mine. My one real honest hope is that anyone who has seen my work has laughed and told a friend about it, I honestly hope I’ve been able to distract people from life for a few minutes of a stressful day, because I know watching a movie does that for me. But making a movie….well there’s nothing like it, especially with a crew and director like this. I’m very proud to be apart of BraxtanFILM.

You keep watching em’, we’ll keep making em’ Thanks a bunch guys.

Your actor on the inside,

J. Michael Weiss