Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Macromedia's Flash Player. Click here to get the latest flash player.
Jon's Interests
General
Acting (www.jonmcphalen.com), screen writing, film making, electronics, snowboarding (just discovered this passion). I used to race karts in Texas so I'm a big racing fan as well, particularly Formula 1, CART, and IndyCar.
Music
Classic rock: Zeppelin, Hendrix, Aerosmith... am also a big fan of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and especially enjoy the Counting Crows. And if I'm feeling a little rowdy, Kidd Rock fits the bill.
If you haven't heard Gary Lynn Floyd -- he's fantastic and you should check out his stuff. I actually asked a musician friend (James) to help me transcribe one of Gary's songs so I could play it on my guitar!
Movies
Saw "Grindhouse" on opening day and LOVED it -- just balls-out movie-going fun. If you like Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino movies this is for you.
Probably too many to list, but all-time favorites are "Braveheart" and Brit-coms written by Richard Curtis ("The Tall Guy," "Four Weddings and a Funeral," "Notting Hill," "Bridget Jones," "Love Actually," "The Girl in the Cafe").
A friend asked me about my favorite action movie -- I'm not much for them but I can say without hesitation that I loved "The Island." It has all the action and explosions of a Michael Bay movie, but this one had a brain too (i.e., an interesting story). Too bad it didn't do as well [financially] as some of his other films....
And being a fan of Chiwetel Ejiofor (an amazing actor, in my opinion) I saw Serenity (in theaters, then bought the DVD), which lead me to Firefly (on DVD) -- which just kills me because I really wish there were more episodes. What were the network execs thinking?.... I'm with a lot of people hoping that Joss Whedon is able to do a Serenity II. I'd love to see a movie where Mal and the Operative work together.
Television
ER, MythBusters -- I watch a lot of Discovery Channel, and have appeared on it! (JFK double for "Unsolved History"). I've recently become a huge fan of Firefly and Angel -- both Joss Whedon shows (thank God for DVDs)
Books
Presently reading a really good book on screenwriting called , "Save the Cat."
About me: Easy-going, California guy. I enjoy acting and working with electronics (embedded control and programming). I play guitar and sing a bit to relax and entertain myself.
Halloween is my favorite day of the year, and my "day job" is in electronics having to do with prop control, especially cool Halloween props (see www.efx-tek.com).
Who I'd like to meet: Interesting, articulate people who have an opinion and won't demean or attempt to humiliate me for having one that differs from theirs.
Actors I admire ( and would like to work with ):
Emma Thompson (who can do no wrong as an actor), Ed Harris, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Vigo Mortensen, Parminder Nagra, Bill Nighy, Tom Hanks, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Rachel Weisz, Drew Barrymore, Sean Bean, Nathan Fillion.
