Jan Janssen comes to NewsChannel 7's "Reel Talk", originally from Marshfield, WI. While growing up as a star running back and kicker in high school on the Marshfield Tiger football team, Jan fell in love with the movie, "Rudy" and never looked back.

When his aspirations of playing football at the college level faded out due to injury, a new passion was born. This passion sparked an interest in acting and screenwriting which led Jan to Rochester, MN. There he wrote his first feature screenplay "Second Chances" based on his football experiences and took his first acting class. In less than two years time, he performed in seven Rochester Civic Theatre plays and appeared in several local TV commercials.

In 2005, Jan paired his writing and acting experience along with his filmmaker's eye, to win the nationwide Ford Video Casting Call sponsored by American Idol. You can now spot him all over town in his prize, a new Ford Focus with license plates that read, "2 HLYWD". With this recognition, he has since landed roles in two independent feature films "Side Effects" and "AfterThought."

As a writer, Jan has most recently been recognized as a Semifinalist in two of the nation's top screenwriting contests for his script, "The Crayola Kid." His script placed in the top 200 out of more than 2,500 scripts in both the Creative Screenwriting Expo and Francis Ford Coppola's American Zoetrope Screenwriting Contests. Jan also received recognition from the Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting sponsored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as his script advanced into the top 10% out of 4,899 scripts received.

Jan's take on all films is that there's something to be gained from every experience at the theater. And yes, he's an avid supporter of seeing films in the theater for the full cinematic effect.

Some of Jan's favorite movies include: "Good Will Hunting", "Dead Poet's Society", "Casablanca", "Citizen Kane", "E.T.", "The Sound of Music", "Fargo", "Field of Dreams", "Sunset Boulevard", "Adaptation" and "Swimming With Sharks".

Make sure to tune into NewsChannel 7's "Reel Talk" every Friday at 5 p.m. to hear Jan's take on what'll be at theaters near you each and every weekend.