DOUG JONES

A couple of months before the production, my good friend Phil Donlon told me he would be directing a short film and would like to have me play the Homeless Man. I almost committed right then and there because I would jump in front of a train if Phil asked me to. But after reading Sun Kim's evocative story, beautifully scripted by Larry Wilson, and really connecting with the Homeless Man character myself, I fell madly in love with this project. I met with Phil again before flying to the shoot in Chicago to discuss my character further. Phil Donlon is a director with such artistically detailed vision. I trusted that vision for the film and for my character from the start.

Once I arrived in Chicago, the real fun began. All us out-of-towners piled into Producer Steve Ordower's house for a week long slumber party with some filming involved. It was a very efficient production set up with each of the three producers having a specific expertise to bring to the film - Phil as director/lead actor, Steve as sound designer, and Jim Andre as director of photography. All of them are very good at what they do.

Phil Donlon had such a task ahead of him directing and acting in the lead role, but I watched with amazement as he tirelessly devoted himself 100 percent to both. Working with him as an actor and a director were both equal delights. Even though I had no scenes with her, our lead actress, Jennifer Pae, also brought such a face of understanding light to the production.

As with any film shoot, we did endure some long days and some cold, windy weather on the pier, but when working on a story with such brutal reality, inner turmoil, and a voice of reason that leads one home to the redemption through Jesus Christ, it was easy to forget any physical discomfort along the way. On the plane ride home, I remember feeling satisfied that we had captured an important and well crafted story on film.

Doug Jones
Los Angeles, 2004

BIOGRAPHY

The youngest of four brothers, Doug Jones was born on the 24th May, 1960, in Indianapolis, Indiana, and grew up in the city's Northeastside. After attending Bishop Chatard High School, he headed off to Ball State University, where he graduated in 1982 with a Bachelor's degree in Telecommunications, with a minor in Theatre.

He learned mime at school, joining a troupe and doing the whole white-face thing, and has also worked as a contortionist.

After a hitch in theatre in Indiana, he moved to Los Angeles in 1986, and has not been out of work since - he's acted in over 25 films, many television series (Including the award-winning Buffy the Vampire Slayer, his episode 'Hush' garnering two Emmy nominations) over 90 commercials and music videos with the likes of Madonna and Marilyn Manson.

Although known mostly for his work under prosthetics, he has also performed as 'himself' in such highly-rated films as Adaptation with Nicholas Cage and indie projects such as Phil Donlon's A Series of Small Things.

But it is his sensitive and elegant performance as 'Abe Sapien' in Hellboy, which stormed to the top of the U.S. box office in the spring of 2004, that has brought him an even higher profile and much praise from audiences and critics alike.

Doug is married and lives in California.