Recently, I made my NBC debut on a show called Grimm, which is filmed in Portland, Oregon.
You won’t know it from my two scenes in this episode but I am a beaver.
The episode leaves our antics pretty open-ended which could mean that us three beavers will be back again. So far, no contract on the table so no promises. Still, I’ve got my fingers crossed!
In the meantime, here’s a link to the full episode on Hulu.
Let me preempt two obvious questions about this video with two easy answers: yes, those are real pigeons and yes, the fat guy driving the Malibu (that looks to the untrained eye like an El Camino) is me, Shawn Telford.
At the end of 2010, I was cast in a Washington State Lottery commercial that was filmed on the Olympic peninsula in a small town called Sequim, pronounced ‘Squim.’ Here I would like to point out that ‘Squim’ is not the the best named city in Washington state, that award goes to Tillicum, pronounced ‘Till I cum.”
Seriously.
We began shooting this lottery commercial super early in the morning, which meant I had to take the first ferry out of downtown Seattle at something like 5 in the morning… yeah, I know, that’s like the butt-crack of dawn and I’m heading deep into teen-vampire territory… Needless to say, I had an advanced copy of the Cave Singers’ album “No Witch” to keep me company. As I drove off the ferry, I turned up my car stereo and let the album fill my ears as I drifted through the dark morning following a trail of commuter tail-lights deeper into rural Washington, which, as it turned out, happened to be the perfect introduction to the Cave Singers’ new album. In fact, my preview/ interview of the album/ band can be seen here.
During the day we filmed, I must have parked that car 20 or 30 times. At one point early on in the day, the 1st AD turned to me and said, wow, you’re a good parker. Not only did he look relieved but he also looked grateful. As if it hadn’t occurred to him or anyone else how important parking ability would be to not only this role but for this whole commercial. In fact, not once throughout the entire audition process did anyone ask me if I could parallel park let alone drive a car. Well, the truth is, I can do both. And I did. All day long. That and put a tarp over the car, which I must have done 50 times.
But, don’t believe me, see for yourself. And buy a lottery ticket.
“I don’t care what you do, I don’t care what song. Just make it weird.”
This was Brent Amaker’s one stipulation.
“And try not to spend too much money.”
That was his second.
He told me this over lunch one afternoon in Ballard. And that was, literally it. We were off at the races.
I’ve known Brent for years. There’s always been mutual affection and admiration for one another but never an opportunity to properly work together. Until now. Naturally, I said yes.
Following our business lunch that afternoon, I conceived and eventually directed the new music video for Brent Amaker & the Rodeo and I was sure to include some of the weirdest characters I know, namely the performance artist Ernie von Schmaltz and roller derby skate legend Re-Animate-Her.
But I seriously couldn’t have done this video without my friends and fellow collaborator/conspirators Ty Migota and Elayne Wylie.
Furthermore, we couldn’t be more thrilled that IFC asked to exclusively premier the video, so naturally we let them. And then, the cherry on top is their description, and I quote! “Seattle director Shawn Telford lets loose John Waters meets David Lynch style and everyone gets their freak on in this video for “Man In Charge.” Just when you think you have the song figured out, and possibly even the sexed-up Elvis under control, in comes Seattle rapper Tilson (The Saturday Knights). Crazy train honky-tonk, all aboard!”
John Waters, David Lynch and Shawn Telford… all in one sentence. Who would’ve thunk it?
But don’t take my humble word for it, read the whole article here on the IFC website.
Shawn Telford is now a brand. The video really says it all. And more. A whole lot more.
Chillaxing in my Trailer
This SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY!!!
Yours truly will be making a special appearance on the show “Leverage.” It’s the one that stars Academy Award Winning Actor Timothy Hutton. (Best Supporting Actor for the 1980 film “Ordinary People.”)
I’ve got a great little comic scene with another of the show’s stars Gina Bellman who some may remember from the British sitcom “Coupling,” which was based on “Friends” except that the Brit version was much more funny. And much more raunchy. Which I like.
Needless to say, Gina and I have a very sexy scene together that, one would hope, will live in infamy. Or at least be as memorable as that death scene in TV’s short lived “the Fugitive” wherein I played the logger… the logger that died. Remember?
A funny tangent, or two… when my dad saw ”the Fugitive” episode, he called to tell me that I should have known better than to be standing so close to those logs as they skidded by. It was dangerous and that I should have known better. After all, a few summers before, we had logged the property, cut, bucked and skidded the logs ourselves. I should have known what I was doing… Well, dad, I explained, those were good times, weren’t they?
(In his defense, while we were logging, he was always very concerned about my safety)
My friend Dale Smith was a long-haul trucker at the time. Apparently, he was in some Podunk bar in some Podunk town that had a TV tuned to that station. Dale had just saddled up the bar and ordered a beer when he looked up at the TV and saw his old buddy Shawn Telford acting alongside Tim Daly, the show’s star. Dale got very excited and began to tell everyone in the relative vicinity, “Hey, I know that guy! I really know that guy.” But before he could buy a round for everyone in the place, I was dead.
I still like hearing that story… despite the anti-climax. And the sad fact that Dale’s brother also died in a logging accident.
Needless to say, to hear the dirt on Gina or more about our long conversation regarding the ins and outs of working with director Mike Leigh, simply send a note or take me to lunch. By the way, if anyone ever wants to have lunch with me, all they got to do is buy me lunch. It’s that simple.
The nitty gritty: Sunday August 1st 8 or 9PM (check your local listing) on the TNT Network. The show is called “Leverage.” and this is episode 3.8, “the Boost Job,”… or as I call it “The Boob Job,” and I play the boob.
Yours in longing,
Shawn
For the last month, I’ve had the privilege of working at Seattle’s ACT Theater, an experience that, in all honesty, is like coming home. It’s my third play at this wonderful theater and my first with writer/director Steven Dietz, yes, that Steven Dietz, who, in addition to being a terrific and articulate playwright, also happens to be an extraordinary human being.
The play is “Yankee Tavern,” a four-hander that also includes Jenn Taylor, Charles Leggett and Bob Wright. ACT describes the play best:
From the acclaimed playwright who brought us the world-premiere of Becky’s New Car in 2008 comes this political thriller brimming with edge-of-your-seat intrigue. In a New York dive bar five years after 9/11, a young couple find themselves face-to-face with a mysterious stranger who turns what seem like harmless conspiracy theories into a continuous stream of surprising and dangerous revelations in this eye-opening look at the events that forever changed our country.
Previews begin July 30th and the play will have its official opening on Thursday August 5th. It runs through August 29th ONLY. Tickets can be purchased on-line . Half-priced tickets are available for all my friends and family and can be arranged via the theater website, use the discount code “yankeecast” when prompted during checkout.
It’s always a pleasure to get to do a play, in particular this play, which asks very important questions about a very important event. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll grip the edge of your seat.
Until I see you again, yours,
Shawn
In August of 2009, I helped my friends Tim and Charlie produce a short film called “Dishonesty,” the script for which was a finalist for the 2008 IFP Spotlight Award. Although they didn’t ultimately win the award, they decided to make the movie regardless. Good for them. No one likes a quitter. Except for the quitter’s mom… and even she’s not too happy about it.
The film follows a young married couple as they struggle to be perfectly honest with one another, even over the little stuff. Some call it a comedy, some call it a sad, melancholic commentary on married life. I play the husband. My friend Ty Migota was the Director of Photography; the wonderful actress Esra Chelen played the lead.
The film makes its world premier on Sunday May 23 4PM at the SIFF Cinema.
More information and a link to tickets by clicking these blue letters right here.
Although I won’t be signing autographs, I will be kissing babies and bearing skin for photo ops.
It would be lovely to see you there.
In March of this year, I partnered with my friends Ty Migota, a cinematographer with a keen eye, and Amy Enser, an up and coming editor with as much skill as patience… to make a series of videos for a used car lot in Louisville, Kentucky. Why or how Louisville, Kentucky?
Well, suffice it to say, I know people.
We shot all five spots over a crowded weekend with a host of talented actors, including Agastya Kohli, Apeksha Godiyal, Ed Murphy, Laurel Minter, Brandon Petty, Curtis Eastwood, Khanh Doan, Dartanion London, Jane May, Ken Smith, Matt Smith, Darlene Sellers, Marissa Price, Craig Packard, Carl Kennedy, E-Ray Anderson, Talena Bennett and the infamous Rob Burgess, who some may remember as the Bodybuilder in the Bakon Vodka spots I made last summer.
I’m very pleased with how they turned out and look forward to working with all of these talented and fun individuals again in (hopefully) the very near future. In the meantime, here they are:
Visqueen’s “Ward” from Shawn Telford on Vimeo.
One night last year, Ty, Nick and I filmed the Seattle band Visqueen at the Crocodile Cafe. Amy put it together and voila! Music video culled from concert footage!
Some friends and I made a video for an AT&T commercial competition. Though we didn’t win the contest’s grand prize, we know in our hearts that we are, in fact, winners!
a link to The Smartest Man in the World
