Scream Of The Bikini

Photos: Alan Mercer

'Scream of the Bikini' is a 1960's action-spy-thriller by acclaimed South American director, Fernando Fernandez. Jasmine Orosco and Paola Apanapal - in their English language film debuts - are Bridget and Sophia: gorgeous super models by day, brutal bounty hunters by night. Murder, intrigue and pillow fights await our beautiful leading ladies at every turn, as they match wits and martial arts with a coterie of madmen and women bent on world domination. Filmed somewhere in South America in 1966, and poorly translated and dubbed by Germans, this unintentionally funny James Bond meets Barbarella love child plumbs the seedy depths of the international fashion model/psycho-killer underworld with a boldness that only a gun to the head can provide.

Now if only any of this were true. What is true is 'Scream of the Bikini' is the winner of Best Comedy at the ThrillSpy International Film Festival and 3 Maverick Movie Awards including Best Director. Written by Bill Robens and Kiff Scholl, who also directs and stars along with Rebecca Larsen and Kelsey Wedeen, the film is a wacky send up of a 60's style spy thriller.

Once again my British buddy Brett Ashworth is the one who pointed me in the direction of these talented filmmakers. Richard Levi and I met up with Kiff Scholl, Rebecca Larsen and Kelsey Wedeen in the courtyard of the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood to talk about this labor of love and take a few snapshots.

AM: How did this film even get started?

KS: It's interesting because my co-writer Bill is a fan of classic films. I had come across a film by Jesus Franco, who goes by a different name on every movie he made. He was a German living in Spain and South America.

AM: What film did you see?

KS: The film I saw is called 'Kiss Me Monster' and it was sort of a female James Bond move. I thought it was so funny and unintentionally so. We were looking for something to do that would be a late night Theater piece. We launched the idea with Kelsey and she said this would be a better movie.

AM: Did you have a budget?

KS: Getting funds for a movie is almost impossible so we sort of assumed that it wouldn't happen. Kelsey encouraged us to go forward and start writing, so we wrote a couple of scenes and got Rebecca involved.

AM: How did you know Rebecca was the right one?

KS: We knew she was brilliant and that nobody else could play the part. So we wrote about four scenes and decided to film them with the camera we had handy. The idea was so out there style wise to dub an entire film when they're speaking English in the film, then why dub it?

AM: Yes why did you dub the film?

KS: Dubbing is part of what made those fun movies so funny! The bad translations and the disembodied faces from the voices. The idea is the South American actors are speaking English phonetically and the film shipped to Germany to be dubbed into English by Germans.

RL: Which is never mentioned in the film.

KS: Critics notice it and audiences comment on it a bit. They don't need to know exactly what it is we're doing. As long as we're consistent and true to it and that was our goal all along.

RL: There is a "Can't put your finger on it" tone that is coming across better than we ever thought it would.

AM: How many screenings have you had of the film?

KS: About six or seven so far.

AM: Are you happy with the audience response?

KS: We are elated.

RL: Every time somebody watches it, we worry that they aren't going to get it. Every time somebody laughs at something new.

KS: We thought it would be one inside joke. We thought only our friends would like it. We knew we had talent because we are award winning theater makers. We figured this was something that could work.

RL: But we were also so close to it so of course we think it's brilliant. There is always that nerve racking thing of "Are they going to get it?"

AM: Did you show it to other people as you were filming?

RL: At nauseam.

KS: We did, but not to great results. It was in such pieces and without the dubbing and the score. People would watch it and say, "Um, it's funny!?! Will it work in long form?"

AM: How did you know what to change?

KS: Vision. I had a clear vision of this from the moment we sat down to put pen to paper. I had people say, "Are you sure you want to do this under the guise of being directed by Fernando Fernandez?"

RL: Kudos to you Kiff for not giving that up. Directors are so often swayed by that doubt. I think the only reason that this movie is so good is because Kiff said, "I know what I'm doing." The star of this film is the style.

KS: I knew what I wanted from the beginning.

RL: He didn't let it go even when people were saying, "I don't know."

KS: "You'll see" is what I kept saying. Our editor was concerned while we were doing the dubbing. I said to the actors who were dubbing, "Now you're a different actor and you're living in Germany. You look at that character and tell me what kind of voice do they have? Feel free to over act." On camera I said, "Act pretty or evil." There is a sort of lazy, evil, beauty. For the voice over I wanted exuberant over acting. It's about the dichotomy.

AM: Hi Kelsey, nice to meet you!

KL: I'm sorry I'm late. Nice to meet you.

AM: were you involved in this film from the very beginning?

KL: Yes, I decided to executive produce which is a big job. I didn't realize quite how big it was when I started. Really we all did the job. We were a great team. Everybody pitched in and did a lot. Rebecca and I costumed it ourselves.

KS: There was a crew of six.

KL: We did every job ourselves.

AM: How much fun is that?

KS: It really was fun. We knew we were diving into a gigantic project so it better be with people we loved.

AM: Did you ever think you might not end up being friends?

KL: You can't work on a project this big, even though it's a low budget indie film, without some tension. This was a hundred person cast.

RL: I would say that when you get passionate people who are intelligent and have opinions together there are going to be points when it gets big and hard. No matter how much you love somebody if you disagree and you're passionate it will be passionate.

KS: Especially when you're a first time filmmaker. All of us have worked in film before, but for all of us as a team to do our first project together on such a stylized concept. It was inevitable we would have miscommunications and misunderstandings.

RL: We kind of planned for that. This film is going to have intentional bloopers.

KL: We had a code word and if things got too intense we would say unicorn. (laughter)
I think we only had to use it twice.

AM: How long did it take to get this project finished?

KL: We didn't shoot like a normal movie. We shot on weekends and sometimes we'd take a month off if we were all doing another show.

AM: How did you keep up the continuity?

KS: That was to our advantage. For them to have longer or shorter hair was all part of the gag.

KL: The safety belt was the style. It's a beautiful way for first time filmmakers to jump into something because every mistake we could credit to ourselves. As long as the other humor flies then the things we couldn't control still work. If we didn't have the style down it wouldn't have worked because it would have come across as clumsy or cheap.

RL: The way we do it, it's deliciously clumsy.

KS: It's incompetent to the point of hilarious. We couldn't be incompetent. We could make mistakes but we had to be true. That was the other reason we dubbed the whole movie. With no sound on set you never had to wait for an airplane or a bus passing by. It was always to our advantage. It also gave us the opportunity that if the actors didn't know their lines or didn't have time to learn their lines, we could just feed the actor their line.

RL: I didn't know my lines ninety percent of the time.

KS: The actor could just recite them which gave the actors that fabulous flat bad actor quality that is easy to nail when you are a good actor in that environment.

KL: And I think we were lucky to have this huge pool of talented comediennes to choose from because we've all been in the theater comedy scene for so long. We knew we had people that we wouldn't have to do rehearsal with and we could count on them.

AM: Is that how you got Taylor Negron?

KS: Yes I had met Taylor and directed a reading of one of his plays a couple years ago and we hit it off and have been friends ever since. I called him on a whim and asked if he would like to do a little cameo in our movie and he said yes. I was floored and so honored. His appearance in the film is one of the gems of the movie.

KL: Talented people like to have fun. We weren't asking him to come on for six weeks. He has such a great sense of humor that he nailed it.

RL: All these people were like, "Sure what am I doing that night?"

KS: These people said, "Sure I'll drive in the pouring rain to a strange house in Glendale.

AM: Can a movie like this be made again?

KL: We set it up for a sequel.

KS: People really want to see a sequel. They want to see more. There is also talk of a half hour series instead. I think that the one thing the movie sort of suffers from is the length. It lends itself to short form.

KL: We were up against something in doing this genre. Because the pacing of those films is so horrendous. We tried to watch some of the original movies from the sixties and we couldn't get through them. We were up against a challenge there. We wanted to emulate a sense of that pacing for comic value but we re also appealing to the MTV generation. We walked the middle line with the film.

KS: Some people think we nailed it and some think it could use a little trimming. That's always the case. I'm sure some people think 'Avatar' could use some trimming.

KL: I think the gags would work even better in a series on Comedy Central or on the web.

RL: You can have a long pause that is hilarious.

KS: Ultimately it was a great learning experience and fun!

AM: Are you looking for distribution?

KL: We just signed with a sales agent. We are looking for distribution. We would love to do a mini-theatrical run like second tier kind of thing in smaller cities like college towns. We're not sure if we're going to get that distribution or not. We already have an offer from someone who can do the DVD and Cable market.

RL: That was our original goal. It might be bigger than we thought. If there are people out there who want to make a movie, don't spend your money on film school. Just make the movie. That will teach you everything you need to know.

KL: We didn't wait for anything. We just started making the movie. We used the people that we had. We shot on the days that we could and it came together. The money came. The costumes came. If you put that energy out there you will make a movie and that's really why we're all here.

AM: That's very inspirational. It's good for people to know this. A lot of times what holds people back is not having all they need.

KS: It becomes overwhelming.

KL: Sometimes you do overwhelm yourself but if you take a leap of faith and jump in and start doing it, doing and following through is the most important thing.

KS: That and surrounding yourself with talented people who you know and love and trust.

To learn more about this unique film check out the web site http://www.screamofthebikini.com/Scream/Bikini.html

Marlena Shaw! A Legendary Jazz Singer

Photos: Alan Mercer

Lighting: Eric Venturo

Make-up: Rudy Calvo and Angela Johnson

Marlena Shaw is among the most versatile and charismatic jazz vocalists on the scene today. Her performances feature an artful blend of pop standards and straight-ahead jazz tunes. Her extroverted stage presence gives her an edge over other vocalists, and clearly, singing live before an audience is where she feels most comfortable.

Marlena Shaw began her career in the 1960's and is still going strong. Her music crosses genre boundaries with unusual ease, as she has made her mark on jazz, R&B, disco, and soul music at various times, all without changing her sharp, soulful musical personality. Marlena has her strongest fan base in the African-American community and during her long career has been able to see her music honored by the next generation, in the form of samples from her songs that have appeared in today's hip-hop recordings.

Marlena suffered a setback at the beginning of her career when she botched an audition with legendary Columbia Label talent scout John Hammond because she was so nervous. However, she didn't give up. She continued to sing in small clubs. Then in 1966 she landed an ongoing gig with the Playboy Club chain, and her career took off.

The connection with the Chicago-based Playboy firm led her to cross paths with the city's Chess Records, a blues-oriented label known for discovering such famous artists as Chuck Berry and Etta James. Marlena was signed to Chess's Cadet subsidiary in 1966 and recorded a moderate hit, a vocal version of 'Mercy, Mercy, Mercy.' She recorded her first full-length album for Cadet, 'Out of Different Bags.'

Meanwhile Shaw continued to hone her jazz skills with a vocalist slot in the prestigious Count Basie Orchestra. At her first rehearsal with Basie, at the Sands hotel in Las Vegas in 1966, she thought she had blown another major audition when Basie left the room after she sang a number. But as she recalled later, Basie returned with two glasses of wine, welcomed her, and said, "Save your voice, sugar, you're going to need it for tonight."

Marlena's second album for Cadet, 1969's Spice of Life, contains several songs that are among her best-known recordings. 'Woman of the Ghetto' and 'California Soul' are pop perfection. 'Woman of the Ghetto' is a jazz-tinged political pop song similar to the social-themed recordings of the period. 'California Soul' was later sampled on the hip-hop recording 'Check the Technique' by Gang Starr.

In the 1970s Marlena returned to straight-ahead jazz, becoming the first female artist signed to the Blue Note label and recording five albums there. The title of one of them, 1974's 'Who Is This Bitch, Anyway?,' gave a clue to the evolving approach of Shaw's stage show, which mixed humor and improvised monologues with music. Shaw's virtuoso vocal stylings often evoke comparisons to Sarah Vaughan and Dinah Washington.

Marlena continued to cultivate her "pop instincts" as well. In 1977 she moved to the Columbia label and capitalized on the growing popularity of disco music with her 'Sweet Beginnings' and its 'Go Away Little Boy' single, which became another of her most famous songs. She recorded three albums for Columbia, spawning several major dance-club hits. The single 'Don't Ask to Stay Until Tomorrow,' from 1978's 'Acting Up' album, was the theme song of the highly successful film 'Looking for Mr. Goodbar.' Her final album for Columbia is a deliscious disco classic entitled 'Take A Bite' featuring a stunning Scavullo portrait of Marlena in a see-through blouse. Check it out in Google Images and see for yourself!

Even though she has never become a household name, Shaw is something of a fixture on the jazz nightclub scene. Her routines mix her hits with virtuoso treatments of standards and her own compositions, complete with formidable "scat" singing skills, and her improvised comedy is always a part of her music. She tours on an international circuit and accumulates fans in such places as England and Japan. Two compilation albums, 'Go Away Little Boy: The Sass & Soul of Marlena Shaw' and 'Anthology,' brought new listeners to her older music, and fans of all ages frequent her shows.


I have been a devout follower of Marlena Shaw's music for many years now. It's easy to recognise her as one of the best in her field. I have 175 Marlena Shaw songs in my I-pod! They are all outstanding. This is the third time I've had the honor of working with Miss Shaw. We shot these new photos in Newport Beach, California with some help from Eric Venturo, Rudy Calvo and Angela Johnson. Do yourself a favor and check out her music which is all classic!

AM: Marlena I know you don't like giving interviews, so thank you for talking to me.

MS: It's so much better if you can just catch me talking because nobody can ask questions.

AM: What are you up to next?

MS: I'm on my way to Europe again.

AM: And you are looking forward to it?

MS: Am I ever! I have a ball over there.

AM: There are a lot of youtube videos of your performances from Europe.

MS: Yeah there are and I love that!

AM: I love your history, like the fact that John Hammond discovered you!

MS: Well the funny part about all this is John told me I needed more experience at the point he was working with me. He brought me in to New York and I had an audition for him. He had Ellis Larkin play for me and you can't get no better than him. He thought I needed some experience and that maybe I could even get with Count Basie. (laughing)

AM: You did work with Count Basie didn't you?

MS: Yes a few years later.

AM: How long did you play with Count Basie?

MS: I'll be honest, I don't really remember. Now this is sounding like an interview. We're not going to do it this way! (more laughing)

AM: I understand. I have been listening to the blue note albums and they are phenomenal. I really like "Just A Matter Of Time."

MS: I like those also. I remember I was planning on leaving Blue Note at that point.
I had one of those attitudes.

AM: Do you enjoy running into your fans?

MS: Yes, I was in Palermo when my husband and I were walking down the Mediterranean and I said to him, "There's some black people down there."
He said, "How can you tell they are black people?"
I said, "I can tell by the way they're walking." Sure enough as we were approaching each other we introduced ourselves and one of the guys was just carrying on. He was saying how much his Dad liked my music. We were laughing about that.

AM: I also really like your Columbia albums. I'm loving "I'm Back For More." What do you like?

MS: I like that cut. It's ok. I've done so many songs I don't have preferences.

AM: Well you are great at all of them.

MS: I'm not going to sing any song I don't like. For the most part I sing things I like, especially in Europe and Japan.

AM: You are still doing a lot of your talking and rapping in concert aren't you? You are world renowned for that!

MS: Certainly, some places I go it's like stop singing Marlena and just talk.

AM: What about playing piano?

MS: No I am not giving up my nails honey! That's all I got left for people to look at.

AM: But you've played on an album before.

MS: Oh on at least two albums I have played Gospel piano.

AM: Are you a sports fan?

MS: Oh yes, I like it all except hockey. I don't know what it's about. I especially like football. Somebody sampled "Woman Of The Ghetto" and of course changed it a bit. They played it during last years playoffs.

AM: How did you find that out?

MS: I'm watching the game and all of a sudden I hear something I recognize and say to myself, "That's me!" My son was outside ringing the bell and I'm pointing at the TV. He wanted me to open the door so when he got in I grabbed him and hugged him and he's saying, "What, what?" I told him that's me! He had already been hearing the sample on the radio.

AM: When you get sampled does it bring you more attention?

MS: I don't know. I know the mailman brings the checks since I published it.

AM: Do you love living in Las Vegas?

MS: Absolutely, I would not live anywhere else, unless somebody gave me a Palace in New Zealand. I love it there.

AM: I am in love with the songs "Blackberry Winter" and "Things Don't Ever Go My Way." You sing those songs so good.

MS: Those songs are so good and written by Loonis McGlohon. He was a dear, dear friend of mine who lived in Charlotte, North Carolina. He passed away a couple of years ago. He was the first person to actually call my attention to the fact that the South had something to offer! I was thinking it was old trees with dead people. You know what I'm saying? I come from that era so when I met him he had such a way about him so I couldn't help myself but to love him and his music.

AM: Does he have more music you could record?

MS: He had many songs. I had tried to get "Blackberry Winter" recorded with several companies that I had been with. It took an arrangement that people could relate too. It took Dave Hazeltine to make it work. If I can get Dave and we can look at some of the other music then who knows? It's hard because Dave's schedule is really busy and let's face it, I'm traveling all the time myself.

AM: Marlena I must bring up the fact that you are so sexy! Can you comment on that for me?

MS: You know a lot of different writers over the years have called it sassy rather than sexy. I think it's in the eye of the beholder!!! (laughing) Yes darling!

AM: Well I certainly like it and I think you are designed to sing that swing and sass!

MS: My uncle had a lot to do with it. I learned to sing that swing by listening to him play trumpet.

AM: Do you ever just sing for fun?

MS: I always sing for fun even when I'm being paid, so nothing has changed.

AM: I read somewhere that someone called you a natural singer. Do you know what that means?

MS: I think this particular person, who I believe was Judith Schlesinger, meant like a natural resource, like water. My singing is so natural. I took one lesson in my life and that was because I was breathing incorrectly. I wasn't using my whole diaphragm. I went to a lady in Vegas. She taped the lesson and told me I didn't really need any singing lessons.

AM: Why do you think your fans love you so much?

MS: I'm so blessed to love them all. I have no real answer for that. I know that I have been chosen to do what I do so I get on with it. I don't want to hear no excuses. If you really take the time to be in a loving mode, because let's face it we've all had times when we are mad at the world, you will return to a loving place.

Jesse Johnson

Jesse Johnson began his Hollywood career being a stuntman on various A-list films like 'Total Recall' and 'Charlie's Angels' to name only a couple. The British native has been doing this for twenty years. Along the way he started writing and directing his own smaller action films.

He has written four of the eight movies he has directed. Most of his work is concerned with outsiders, loners, and misfits looking for the missing piece of their lives. Not content to make another shoot em' up, he bypasses the typical action movie staples for more cerebral and emotional styles.

His latest release 'Charlie Valentine' won the best screenplay award at the Monaco International Film Festival, 2009 and also won Best Picture at the Pasadena AOF Film Festival in 2009.

Johnson has a black belt in "Lau Gar" Style Kung-Fu (Under Neville Wray) and competed at tournament level (semi-contact) where he ranked nationally in the UK from 1990-91.

This filmmaker is a family man living in Los Angeles with his wife and daughters. I have been familiar with his films since 2005's 'Pit Fighter.' I had a chance to photograph Jesse Johnson a couple of weeks ago. He is warm and witty in person with a contagious smile. Richard Levi helped out with the photo session and then we learned a little more about this talented creative and athletic man.

A special thanks to my Facebook friend Brett Ashworth in England for suggesting this blog.

AM: Hi Jesse, I see by your film credits that you are a stuntman in all these A-list movies. Are you a stunt coordinator?

JJ: No I'm not. I did stunt coordinate a couple of pictures and decided it wasn't where I wanted to be.

AM: Why not?

JJ: You have to be particular about what you want to do. There are a lot of people who desperately want to be stunt coordinators and it takes time and a commitment and I wasn't prepared to do that. I have always wanted to be a writer and a director. I came here to do that. Stunt work offered me a chance to finance those endeavors.

AM: Do you have a philosophy you live by?

JJ: You have to be passionate about what you do, not just work wise, but also how you live your life. If you don't fill your life with things that you are passionate about you become an angry person. I didn't want to become that kind of person. I do enjoy doing stunt work a day or two on different sets. It still makes my heart beat. I still can't sleep the night before I do one of those gags. I go in and do it, then I focus back on my writing and directing.

AM: What's the most dangerous stunt you've ever done?

JJ: It's a really boring answer and not the answer you want to hear.

AM: That sounds interesting.

JJ: The truth of the matter is, and this will hold true if you ask this of almost any stuntman, the most dangerous stunt is the smaller one that you forget to prepare for. It will be one that you think is going to be easy so you don't warm up for it. Those are the ones that usually catch you. The big stunts that you spend two weeks rehearsing are safer. There are things that can go wrong but not as often.

AM: Can you give an example of a small stunt?

JJ: I had a day job doing a commercial where I wrestled a Samoan wrestler. I thought it would be in and out. I ended up getting a compound fracture from that. I got whisked off to the hospital and they had to put the bone back in my leg. I thought it would be an easy job and I almost lost my foot!

AM: That's horrifying!

JJ: It was such a small stunt and look what happened!. It put me out of work for six months. It's funny how it works. Now getting back to the answer that people want to hear. (laughing) Walking the plank into shark infested waters in the China Sea during "Cutthroat Island" was a blast. We shot in Malta and Thailand. I could see the sharks circling around and frothing up the water because they were in a frenzy. That was pretty interesting.

AM: I don't know how you did that?

JJ: The sharks take a minute to figure out you are in the water so we had to get rescued out of the water before the sharks could get us.

AM: I'm assuming that you go from stunts to writing.

JJ: Yes, I take my computer to the set and I write when I can.

AM: Do you write the films that you direct?

JJ: I'm about 50/50 at the moment. I have directed eight films and I wrote four of them. The other four were assignments, work for hire.

AM: What's the main difference between writing and directing?

JJ: It's very difficult to make a film. When you write you are very aware that you are your own task master. The moment the script becomes financed it becomes a group endeavor. It's very easy to lose the ability to make the movie yours again. The integrity of your story can be damaged in the production stage. The most damning of all is post production. If you're not involved with that, it can be very difficult to not be compromised. It took me about six movies to find my way of traversing those waters.

AM: What were you doing wrong?

JJ: I started out very argumentative and feisty. I would physically challenge people on set who got in the way of my artistic goal. For three films in a row they relieved me the moment the film was finished. I had control of the set because I was scary and yelling in people's faces. I was aggressive and got what I wanted. It was all for nothing because the minute we finished filming the producers took over the editing, so they got what they wanted.

AM: How did you change?

JJ: Around film four I realized perhaps the aggressive stance was not the way to go, for me at least. I then became the nicest guy in the world. I tried to please everyone and made a lot of friends. In the same way you try to keep your wife happy, as in a happy wife is a happy life, I tried to keep my producers happy. I think I went overboard and the film was compromised by me, which is worse than having someone else compromise it.

AM: It sounds like that would be hard to cope with.

JJ: I literally took some time off and looked at what was really going on. I decided to hit a middle ground on the two styles, and on the last two films I made, I am very pleased with how they turned out. It might be a maturing of character on my part. It's a little easier now.

AM: I notice you have a theme to your characters as loners and anti-heroes.

JJ: It certainly seems to be, doesn't it?

AM: Why is that attractive to you?

JJ: I've always been interested in people that were driven by goals that weren't necessarily money related or revenge related that we've seen a hundred million movies about. I've always been interested in the guy that wants to play life on his own rules and not compromise his own ideals, whether or not we agree with it or not, they are ideals that the particular character doesn't want to compromise. I'm bored with the whole revenge plot. I'm a romantic and I'd like to think there is something else out there.

AM: Do you want to stay in this genre for your future films?

JJ: I'm not sure. The truth of the matter is you can't make a movie about a story you're not hungry for because it takes about a year and a half of your life. Then you still have to sell the film verbally so it's got to be something you're passionate about. The moment I stop being passionate about it I will move on to another subject. I don't think I've licked it yet.

AM: You are getting better and better reviews with each film aren't you?

JJ: Yes a lot of it is understanding how to traverse the creative process when you are working in a group. I feel that had I understood what I know now, when I was making "Pit Fighter" and I do stay up at night dreaming about having a chance to redo that film because the script was something special, that I could do a better job.

AM: Why were you less happy with the finished film?

JJ: There was so much in-fighting that happened. We lost all of the interesting parts of the script and ended up with all this violence in the pit fights and machine guns. The heart of that story was so much deeper and there was only a very small amount of that left in the film which is a pale shadow of what was in the script, that got the film made in the first place.

AM: Why do you think this happened?

JJ: It was purely through my lack of understanding how to express what I wanted to the producers at the time. I feel that as a writer some of my early works are just as good as the ones now, but it's the ability to get what you want into the finished film that I have achieved during the last two. Maybe I'm just working with better producers, who knows?

AM: You tend to work with a lot of the same actors. Why is that?

JJ: I love working with the same actors. I think we are all growing at the same time as artists. There is a familiarity there.

AM: Does that make the work easier?

JJ: I don't look for easiness in an actor. If you look at some of the guys I continue to work with, these are not guys who are known as being easy. Ease is not something that is necessarily attractive to me. What is attractive to me is that indescribable something that when five guys are on the screen, your eyes keep going to the same guy every time. The guys you see me keep coming back to are the ones that have that chemical magnetism, and believe me they aren't always the easiest to work with, but there's something about them you can't put your finger on. There is a technique they have, whether they are conscious of it or not, it is something that's very interesting. It's like alchemy.

AM: So even if an actor is not your favorite personality you can put up with the trouble for a good film?

JJ: I love the challenge of trying to figure out how to work with them. You'll have fights sometimes but that's OK. They're artistic fights and that's fun.

AM: Do you invite actors opinions?

JJ: Always yes, absolutely. You will run into actors who do not want to be involved. They just want to be guided and I can dig that style too. You have to love actors to do what we do. I have an enormous love of the craft and what they do.

AM: Do you see yourself ever acting?

JJ: I have tried acting in every film but I always get cut out! (much laughter) I had quite a big part in "The Butcher" and it was cut down pretty small I must say. It was a very awkward conversation with the editor. He was beating around the bush. Finally he didn't say anything at all. He just showed me the movie. I said, "So you cut me out!" He said, "Well...yes."

AM: Do you think you can act?

JJ: I think I'm a good actor. Every once in a while I'll put myself in a picture that a friend is producing or directing to remind myself of the absolute catatonic fear that grips me before I do that. It's a good thing to appreciate what these guys have to go through before they enter their artistic process, dealing with that fear of standing in front of a crew and doing the actual basics of what's involved with the craft. Let alone putting your own artistic thumbprint on it. To do that once and a while to remember what it's like is useful. I enjoy doing it.

AM: What films are coming up for you?

JJ: There are about four or five we have in the works at the moment that are very interesting. There's a thriller that takes place in a cabin ski lodge. A little bit of a change for me, but that's challenging in it's own sense. It's an ensemble piece which I'm very excited about. It's more of a horror piece if you were going to classify it. Then there's a film that's very, very personal that I wrote with an actor which is about a South London villain. It's an epic piece and one we are actively developing with the London Film Council which I'm really, really excited about.

AM: Will you shoot over there?

JJ: That will be shot in South London all on location. It's really fun. I think it's a take on a familiar subject which is to me highly original and hasn't been done before. It's a first person movie which I've never done before. He talks to the camera. It's something that is exciting to me.

AM: So you must be very excited about this!

JJ: The unfortunate thing now is that I am no longer naive as to what can ruin a movie so as we're putting these films together there'll be offers and different ways of making the film, but as I am no longer naive, I can see that the film won't be good if I pursue it that way so you end up being less gung ho about things.

AM: But you still have your stunt work all the time.

JJ: Absolutely I've been working on "Thor" out in New Mexico.

AM: Do you meet people on the big film sets that you want to be in your films?

JJ: I can do that, but I would never be so obvious as to approach someone on a set to be in my movie. It would make me a very unpopular stuntman very quickly. If you were to do that you would want it to be organic and be subtle.

AM: So really, you keep your two careers very separate.

JJ: I keep them very separate. For the most part, there aren't very many people on a set who know that I write and direct.

AM: Are you just another stunt guy?

JJ: I rather like the anonymity of it. I'll go to the dressing room and work on my laptop. It's probably one of the most wonderful, fun and exciting summer jobs you can have. I'm very, very lucky to be able to do it.

photos: Alan Mercer assisted by: Richard Levi

To learn more about Jesse Johnson visit his web site http://www.jessevjohnson.webs.com/

Night of a 100 Stars with Sally Kellerman

Sally Kellerman

For the past twenty years Hollywood super-agent Norby Walters has produced the "Night of Hundred Stars" party at the Beverly Hills Hotel for past Oscar winners and nominees along with more than a hundred celebrities from all fields of entertainment. It's always held the night of the Academy Awards with giant monitors all over the ballroom while dinner is served and folks get to catch up with old friends and talk to the press.

Sally with Larry Hagman

This year I had the pleasure of attending the event with my friend Sally Kellerman, who is a nominee herself for her performance in the film version of "M.A.S.H." We had a great time and got to visit with many of her peers. I took a handful of photos and got to visit with some of my favorite celebrities and old clients.

Sally with Bo Derek

Some of the luminaries I met include Larry Hagman, Stephen Collins, Mary Wilson, (an original Supreme) Stefanie Powers, Francis Fisher, Sean Young, Mimi Rogers, Martin Landau, Karen Black, John Corbett, Bo Derek, Hector Elizondo, Loretta Devine, Robert Loggia, Fred Willard, Michelle Lee, Lainie Kazan, Bruce Davidson, Don Murray, Edward James Olmos, Gary Busey, Ed Begley Jr., Perry King, Buzz Aldrin and many more.

Sally with John Corbett

The event is so huge that it's impossible to see everyone or get to say hello so we did the best we could. Our table included my good buddy Soul Songstress Freda Payne and actress/Grammy winning singer Tia Carrere.

Sean Young

I had the chance to document comments from Fred Willard, Tia Carrere, John Corbett, and Bo Derek. So here are the photos and the conversations from a memorable night in glamorous Hollywood!

Fred Willard

AM: Hello Fred Willard, are you excited to be here tonight?

FW: Yes I am. I'm very excited because this is a wonderful event where you get to see people you haven't seen in a long time. I'm not rooting for any particular film.

AM: I've got to tell you that you are one of the most talented men in the industry. I love all your film work.

FW: Well thank you, that's very nice!

Martin Landau with date and Sally

Tia Carrere

AM: Hi Tia, How exciting to have you sitting at this table. I love your music.

TC: Have you heard the new jazz album? It is my favorite. I wish I would have won the Grammy for this one because it is my favorite of all my records.

AM: Are you going to be making more music?

TC: Yes I will be starting later this year probably singing in English. It's always been a passion of mine. I started out singing before I acted in movies.

AM: Do you find it a challenge to be an actress and a singer?

TC: The Grammy win helps! It gives me the stamp of being a serious artist. I just haven't figured out how to make a living as a singer. That's what makes acting so great.
I have always performed but it's been more for my heart. It's gotten tougher and tougher to make a living in the music industry.

AM: Well thank you for making the effort because I really appreciate your work.

TC: Thank you so much. That is so sweet.

Sally with Freda Payne

AM: Hi Bo, Do you enjoy coming to events like this?

BD: Yes occasionally, but not too often.

AM: You're more a nature girl aren't you?

BD: I live up north on a ranch so it is fun to come and see old friends. It's nice, I like it.

AM: You are just so beautiful in every way.

BD: You're very nice. Thank you.

Sally with Lainie Kazan

AM: Hi John Corbett, Do you have a favorite film tonight?

JC: No, I am just so happy to be here. I love coming to this event and seeing old friends.

Loretta Devine and Freda Payne
Sally with Stephen Collins

Sally and Mary Wilson

All photos by Alan Mercer

Tour De 4Force: A Super Group

All photos: Alan Mercer Lighting: Eric Venturo

This 5 member group is comprised of SCHERRIE PAYNE, JOYCE & PAM VINCENT, THERESA DAVIS - all former members of well-known and highly successful singing groups (Supremes, Tony Orlando & Dawn and The Emotions, respectively) - and JIM GILSTRAP, who is considered to be one of the most prolific and successful session singers in the industry.

Tour De 4Force also gathered the support of many other successful and respected artists on the Quiet Moon CD - including former Temptations lead singer, ALI OLLIE WOODSON. Woodson's vocals are featured along with the groups on the Gilstrap-penned "Four Walls" and "Heaven Bound," a song originally recorded by Chaka Khan & Rufus under the direction of Quincy Jones.

Buoyed by loyal fans who have followed the careers of these talented performers through the years, TOUR De 4FORCE is already enjoying a favorable response to their formation, as evidenced by the multitude of hits to their music playlist on their Myspace page - over 100,000 in the first 3 weeks!

AM: How did this group come about and what does it mean to you?

JV: TD4F means everything to me because I am with such good friends from a long time back.

AM: Was it something you were looking to do?

JV: No, but I was happy to get involved.

AM: What would you like to see happen with this group?

JV: I would like to see us shoot for the moon and at the worst we can fall among the stars.

AM: I know this started as a solo project for you Scherrie, so what happened?

SP: Yes but I ended up with my dearest friends Joyce and Pam Vincent, who I have known since 1968 in Detroit, and my dear ‘play brother’ Jim Gilstrap, the maestro of background singers and a fabulous songwriter. I am just meeting Theresa Davis who is fantastic. I LOVE her I just LOVE her. I am so happy that this evolved the way it did. It’s because God meant it to be that way.

AM: Do you prefer this to a solo project?

SP: Oh yes, absolutely. You can do so much more.

AM: What are your plans with TD4F?

SP: We plan on releasing the album before the end of the year. Our first single is called 'Godsend.' We’re going to go as far as the road will take us.

AM: Do you think your experience as a Supreme helps?

SP: I think so, yes. We have Joyce and Pam from ‘Tony Orlando & Dawn’ and Jim Gilstrap has been in about every major album that’s been released, and Theresa comes from the ‘Emotions’ so we all came together with experience and a lot of love.

AM: How did you get involved with TD4F Jim?

JG: Marcia (our manager) and Scherrie called and asked me to sing on the album so I did that and went home and forgot about it. Then they asked me to be a part of a group. That was very exciting to me because I love Scherrie.

AM: I’m very familiar with your credits!

JG: I’ve been very blessed to work with Stevie Wonder and Quincy Jones. I also do a lot of TV commercials and movies.

AM: You are the man who never stops. You are more successful than a lot of the famous names we know.

JG: I feel really lucky because I have worked with everyone in the business; Burt Bacharach, Henry Mancicni, so many.

AM: Does it feel good to be the only guy in this group?

JG: Are you kidding? (laughter) It feels great.

AM: Do people know you sang the ‘Good Times’ theme song?

JG: I make more money now than I did when it was on the network. They play it like seven or eight times a day. I also sing the theme song from ‘Baretta’ with Sammy Davis. It’s a pleasure to sing with these ladies.

AM: Pam how did you get involved?

PV: We were called in to do some background work for Scherrie. Then the magic started to happen in the studio. We had such a fabulous sound with all of us. It kind of evolved into a ‘force.’

AM: Are you excited to be a part of it?

PV: I am ecstatic! This group just formed right before our eyes. We sound great together and we all love each other. It’s the perfect recipe. You can’t go wrong.

AM: Theresa, how did you get involved with TD4F?

TD: I received a phone call from Marcia Parks. She thought my voice would blend in with the other members.

AM: How long were you with the Emotions?

TD: I was with them for four years.

AM: Do you think it helped to have this experience?

TD: Oh sure any experience will help. I’ve done a lot of touring.

To learn more about Tour De 4Force visit their MySpace page http://www.myspace.com/tourde4forceofficial