Furor is a new independent Brit flick, which has been made defying ridiculous odds. An airtight budget, limited equipment, a small crew, a huge cast, and filmed at a breakneck pace. There are a hundred reasons why this movie should have failed and never have reached anywhere close to completion. Movies with crazily bigger budgets and far greater resources more than often fall flat on the ground. What kept Furor alive, what kept it fuelled? Was it luck or was it maybe careful planning? Or could it have been the sheer determination of everyone involved?

Vic Marke also known as the Guvnor, is the writer/director of Furor. Vic and Zara Pythian have been the core driving forces behind Furor. Like everything that starts it life, Furor has grown from a seed into what could well be a mighty forest. All independent movies are risky ventures, and it takes considerable courage to travel such a road, especially with a movie such as Furor. Furor is a risk taking adventure not just as a business venture, but also in the very nature of the movie itself. Furor is a dark movie, darker than most movies of this kind. No easy safe routes have been taken, no soft options adopted, no considerations for an audience faint of heart. Yet through the darkness of Furor shines a light that beams from all independent ventures. The same light that shone from the first independent movies made by today’s great filmmakers such as ‘Battle Squad’, and ‘The Last Gun’, independent movies made by Steven Speilberg, or ‘Finian’s Rainbow’, made by Francis Ford Coppola. It’s the light that reveals what independent movies are. They are the foundation and the very lifeblood itself of the entire film industry.

Rather than creating an article on the movie itself, this is a collection of thoughts and feelings that were experienced and taken away from some of the cast and crew involved in the filming of Furor. All very different people. All different backgrounds. All different tasks and roles to play. All finding their own unique path to Furor. What you’ll find through reading all of these different stories, are firm similarities that repeat themselves throughout. Determination, belief, respect, but probably most importantly, friendship.

Zara Pythian: – Actress – Screen Fighter – Producer.

After reading the synopsis for ‘Furor’ I was excited to learn about the story behind my character ‘Emily Grimes, but at the same time anxious, as Furor is a dark, controversial film that is set to make a statement, and I personally had to take time to decide whether or not I should challenge myself and take on the role.

As an actress, playing the role of’ Emily’ is a huge emotional challenge for me and I hope to portray her in a light that captures the audience emotionally too. I am aiming for them to feel sympathetic towards her innocence and understanding concerning the consequences of her revenge, but a the same time have a great feeling of remorse towards her ‘victims’ even though they know what she has been through. The film is quite an emotional rollercoaster and there are some very pinnacle points, not just for ‘Emily’ but for the audience as well and I’m looking forward to seeing the end product, watching reactions and listening to people’s feedback once they have viewed the DVD.

I am honoured to be working with a great cast and crew, Rob Ho, Paul Reeves, Natalie Celino, George McCluskey, Rob Comrie, Kayley Marke, Scott Clist, Adam Oakley, Lee Charles, Troy Dennison, Rocco Scalercio, and of course ‘The Guvnor’, the rest of the gang and also with George and Mandy Johnston of Total Combat who have developed the awesome fight choreography for the film.

There is always a brilliant team spirit in front & behind the camera and alongside the excellent graphics, portfolios, behind the scenes, marketing P.R, merchandise and the musical score, it’s a great feeling to see all the hard work pay off when you finally sit down and watch the finished film, popcorn in hand… and remember all the bloopers!!!

Zara Pythian On Myspace.

Personal Best Academy.

Rob Ho: – Actor – Screen Fighter – Producer.

Part: – Mr Lung.

“I am Rob Ho and I play the role of Mr Lung in the Indie Film Furor. The tale is of a young woman’s innocence, taken callously by a number of Mr Lung’s gang members. Zara’s character, Emily, seeks vengeance on all those who have wronged, with rage as her weapon.

I am a member of Zara’s Screen Fighting Team and I have been learning the craft from her as well as from Vic Marke (Producer/ Director).

It is the first film where I have been given a fair amount of dialogue to engage in. Whilst I have no acting qualifications per se; I get my experience from the more seasoned actors on set.

I am excited about this project as I see it as an action horror. I truly believe that the story, acting and the action are well balanced. From a personal point of view, my role in Furor will surprise a lot of my friends, as they will see me in an absurdly different and evil way.

One challenge for me was the fight sequences. I would say that the fights have been the most challenging for me to date. I least expected to be fighting Zara with a ‘bladed’ sword, and I was most concerned with getting the choreography right, as one move in error would have proved fatal. The other fight scenes involved my character fighting five men. The Fight Choreographers George and Mandy Johnstone guided me with their Keysi Fighting Method, and I hope I did them proud. They, together with Vic have made me look superhuman!

I am also Co-Producer of the film and how I would describe my role would be somewhat administrative, with interpersonal application thrown in. There is a wealth of talent in the cast and crew, which will make Furor an undeniable success.”

Rob Ho On Myspace.

Rob Ho On Movievine.

Sharon Uberoi: – Associate Producer.

I became involved with Furor when I was posting Bulletins promoting Furor. Through the postings, I had an artist on my friend’s list who in turn contacted and are most likely to be used on the film.

I haven’t had the opportunity to meet any of the cast members though can feel tremendous warmth and sincerity from all the cast and crew. It’s amazing how the team gels and am delighted to become a part of the crew.

Sharon Uberoi On Myspace.

George & Mandy Johnstone – Total Combat Academy: – Actors – Fight Choreographers.

Total Combat consists of Mandy & George Johnston. They have both trained in various different martial arts such as Jeet Kune Do, Kali, Silat, Brazilian Jui Jitsu, Savate, Thai Boxing and the Keysi Fighting Method. They both have over 20 years experience in martial arts and run Total Combat Academy in Glasgow city centre. The academy teaches classes which are specifically geared towards street defence situations.

They recently decided to start the Total Combat fight team to concentrate on bringing the aspects of the arts they learned to screen fighting and fight choreography in a unique and creative way. They are currently involved in fight choreography for the movie “Furor” which has a few very violent scenes. Both George and Mandy are very proud to be associated with what promises to be an extremely memorable project.

Total Combat Academy.

Total Combat On Myspace.

Troy Dennison: – Special FX Make Up – Actor.

Part: – Officer Steve Dench.

I was standing in mud. In a forest. In Northampton. And Vic says to me “can you do broken bones?” Of course I said “Sure” Then I get the Furor script emailed to me and read it and start banging my head against the wall at all the nasty, horrible death scenes! It’s brutal and it pushes boundaries and I like it!

I’ve been doing make-up for eight(ish) years. My background is in construction, engineering and art, something I pulled together when I was designing and building theatrical sets. I’m actually qualified in Theatrical and media make-up, Fashion and photographic, wig making and face and body painting (and photography too!) among others.

I’ve spent a huge amount of time working in theatre, with a nice smattering (it’s a REAL word!) of indie films and road safety campaigns. The coolest thing in the world is to have your kids checking out buses to spot the “wear your seatbelt” poster that their Dad did!

I suppose my interest in make-up started when I was a kid and my parents dragged me to see Star Wars for my ninth birthday. I was hooked and went out of my way to find out how they did all that cool stuff in the movies.

Now I get to do it myself. Which, lets face it is DAMN cool! It’s challenging, and fun and always different and this film is stretching me to produce stuff that REALLY makes people take notice.

The flip side of my coin is the fact that I’m playing Officer Steve in the movie.
A make-up artist that acts? It’s not as weird as you might think (heck! Savini does it all the time). I actually held off on putting myself forward for a role in Furor for the longest time, because I wanted to provide my full commitment to the FX work. Then a role came up, and I was sorely tempted (I actually taught Performing Arts for a couple of years and have several acting credits to my name). So I put myself forwards as one of the nurses in the mental hospital. I got offered Steve instead, and while I was gutted (not in a Rob Ho kind of way) that I don’t get a death scene now, I was damn chuffed that I’m going to appear in the opening and closing scenes of the film. Steve is one of those cops that’s been there and done that (the T-shirt is in the forensics lab for bloodstain analysis!). He’s always at the crime scene before Carter and Graham and likes the people he works with. My first weekend of filming as Steve was surreal because in TWO of the scenes I did I had to produce some incredibly nasty, bloody effects and THEN act in front of them!

Oddly though my favourite day (as an actor) was when I had NO effects to work on, just straight acting. It was great fun to bounce dialogue off Nat and Paul and I’m looking forward to working with them again in that capacity soon.

The coolest things about this production… the total commitment that the cast and crew put in. Every single one of them believes in the project and that reflects in every aspect of what they do. And they are, without a doubt, some of the nicest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.

Troy Dennison On Myspace.

Avone Keene: – 2^nd Unit Camera Operator – Sound – Lighting – Actor.

Part: – Police Officer – Mental Patient.

Hi, I’m Avone Keene and I am part of the Furor crew. My initial function was to film behind the scenes/ making of footage of the production of Furor for both Internet and DVD extra’s and promotion. As well as this I have been involved in the crewing, helping out on all aspects of the production from lighting, sound and 2nd unit camera. Which was a great experience working across the whole production.

As well as crew I offered to take part in a small cameo role as a police offer which is part of Carter/Graham’s unit.

I first became involved with the project after meeting Vic (the director) and Zara on a production of another film before contacting them through Myspace and coming down to set on the first day of principal photography.

I think that the project will be a great success and that is due to the team put together by the director/producer a group of people that are dedicated and professional and willing to work hard on a project that so many people believe in.

Avone Keene On Myspace.

Robert Comrie: – Producer – Actor – Screen-Fighter.

Part: – Teek.

I’ve been doing martial arts for about 22 years, boxing, kick boxing, and Muay Thai boxing. I am also a fitness instructor. My biggest influence and role model has without a doubt been my older brother Owen Comrie. My Brother Owen has in his time won, English, British and World kickboxing championships. He started training me in Karate when I was 17 years old.

I am a member of the Black salt screen fighting team with 13 times world champion Zara Phythian, been with them for two years and enjoying every bit of it. I have always been interested in acting since I was a child, using a cam-recorder to do so. I like playing the part of a baddy, not because I am like that in real life it just appeals to me more. Also been in the movie Chameleon, and Shiai (game of death). My big break came when a good friend and martial artist Master Vic Marke, who chose me to play the part as a henchman in the movie Chameleon.

At the moment we are in the middle of filming a movie called Furor (The rage of the innocent), I play the part of a henchman called Teek, a very sharp dressed Jamaican speaking bad guy, I am Jamaican born so it was no problem to speak the lingo. Having such a good team (Vic marks-Director) also (Zara Phythian) and all the rest of the actors have made this movie the one to watch out for.

Robert Comrie On Myspace.

Aryavarta Kumar: – Composer.

When I finished reading the script of Furor, I felt chills go up my spine. It’s a dark story about revenge and I was excited to start writing the musical score for the film. After some discussions with producer Vic Marke, we felt the best way to capture that eerie feeling was to use choir chants and an orchestra. The creepiness and eerie feeling will slowly build up through the film. Of course, there will be some important musical themes that capture the concepts of revenge and justice as well. One of the tracks called ‘Veritas Domini’ is available to listen on the Furor Myspace site and is a blend of a suspenseful feeling with an eerie overtone that turns into something epic towards the end. The piece is a teaser of things to come. I’m excited to be part of the Furor crew and helping make a great film.

I’ve always been interested in movie music – hearing the big Hollywood feature films in theatres and being wowed by the some great themes. People never forget a great theme (such as Jaws, Jurassic Park, Gladiator, Braveheart, and many many others) when it accompanies a movie. It’s even more magical when the music perfectly fits the film itself. And that’s really where the art of film scoring comes in. It’s all about revealing characters’ feelings and helping the audience become part of the movie whether it’s a drama, suspense, or a romantic comedy. There’s a fine line between making the music too subtle and making it too bombastic, but this really depends on the film itself. For Furor, there will be parts of the movie which are much more subtle alongside the character development and there will be parts that are more dramatic for other scenes. It’s going to make a great impact on how the audience feels about each character.

I got started writing film music back in 2001 when I worked on some short films and collaborated online. It was a great learning experience. Having a musical background really helped (I was trained on the classical piano for over 14 years). From there I moved onto bigger indie productions. A Joker’s Card, an indie short, was the first score that got pressed on a separate soundtrack CD and also won a Silver Telly (2005). From there, I worked on several other indie features and shorts, honing my craft, and writing music that spanned Western orchestral all the way to oriental. Earlier this year (2007), I was part of an award-winning teaser for The Rapture, which also won me a Bronze Telly (2007). I’ve since expanded into music for other media applications such as corporate videos, computer games, TV shows, cell phone ringtones, webpages, and any other new media that needs music.

Every single project challenges me in a new way. For Furor it’s going to be the ability to write musical cues integrated with choir to express the feelings and moods in the film. It’s going to sound great and it’s going to make a great movie experience. I was really fortunate to meet Vic Marke and Zara Phythian. We’ve had some great laughs along the way and it’s really helped us build a great film making team. That’s something that really excites me about Furor: the chance to work with people that I can trust to make a great film.

Aryavarta Kumar On Myspace.

Natalie Celino: – Actress.

Part: – Detective Carter.

I play the role of Detective Carter in the movie Furor. Carter is a very headstrong and hot-tempered woman. Her anger does at times dominate her actions, which often results in her detective partner calling for her to keep control of herself.

I became involved in the movie when Vic and Zara spotted my Myspace profile. The contacted me regarding the role of Carter, and the rest is history.

I think Furor is an amazingly well written and directed movie. You can’t help but share Emily’s anger as you see each scene of the movie progressing. And you truly do feel her innocence and the physical pain that she goes through as that innocence is gradually lost as she deals with her enemies in quite often, brutal fashion. Considering what happens to her you can understand why she wants revenge so badly.

It’s amazing to see how each one of the cast is so different whether it be race, culture, accent etc, yet when we are on set we all bond as one. I have met very many talented people whilst filming Furor, and many which I wish to remain friends with in the

future.

Natalie Celino On Myspace.

Paul Reeves: – Actor.

Part: – Detective John Graham.

I first started chasing my desire to be an actor when I was 19, starting out in local theatre productions, then working up to small TV roles. Furor will be my first film acting role, and I’m quite pleased there is a little gore in the movie, because one of the things that got me interested in being an actor was reading about and watching movies made by guys like Sam Raimi, Ted Raimi, and Bruce Campbell, all of that old ‘Evil Dead’ crew in fact. They all played a big part in my desire to be an actor. Look how those guys started out, and look at them now.

I have mostly been a computer game developer and artist most of my working days, and have been lucky enough to work on a few famous games, like Grand Theft Auto, and Micro Machines. I still enjoy making games, but I’d like to explore this acting ride a little bit more.

I really enjoyed playing the character Detective John Graham in Furor, there’s more to him than meets the eye, and it’s fun knowing that when acting out the scenes. And if the action scenes in Furor are even half as exciting on film as they have been watching them being filmed, this is going to be a wild thrill ride of a movie.

I think what has helped to make working on Furor such an amazing experience, and ultimately what helped to make Furor itself, was the mixture of personalities involved, how well everyone got along with each other, and how strongly everyone believed in the project.

Paul Reeves On Movievine.

Paul Reeves Website.

Paul Reeves On Myspace.

George McCluskey: – Actor
Role: – King

I came back into acting about two and half years ago, in that time I have been involved in some twenty five to thirty projects. I have two feature film releases due for Winter 2007, Furor being one of those. I have a feature to film before Christmas and another to film in the New Year and talks of a third to be filmed October this year. I also have quite a few short films lined up as well.

But it’s all small steps and you just move on one day at a time.

Mean, moody and menacing King is the epitome of every bad boy. Advisor and right hand man to Lung, King is very influential in the running of the organisation. A stone cold killer, he respects very little and that which he does respect he’s loyal too, but only to a degree.

I worked with The Guvnor and Zara last year, instantly taking a liking to them both. I sent them a message to wish them well with the film and basically one thing lead to another and I somehow landed the role of King.

It’s unbelievable to think that this is a low/non-budget film. The quality of the footage already looks high production, the acting is of a high standard and there is family attitude going on, on set. There are no egos anywhere to be seen and everyone is pulling together as one.

Regardless of what happens with respect to DVD sales or bums on seats in the cinema, if we can all look back and say that was one hell of a production then that’s all that really matters.

George McCluskey On Myspace.

Nick Sheard: - Actor.

Part: – Father John O’Malley

I started acting only 2 1/2 years ago and have since been in about a dozen student and independent productions, ranging from bit parts to leads. I got involved with the ‘Furor’ team through my good friend and fellow actor George McCluskey, who mentioned me to Vic, he watched a film of mine on the net and offered me the part straight away, no audition, which I was pretty chuffed about! Father John is a good part, not a great deal of screen time but integral to the plot, and it was great working with everyone else, Zara’s a lovely girl, Vic’s a great bloke and knows what he’s doing (well he gives that impression at least!) and I find it hard to believe some of the actors had never done any acting before, they were great to work with. Also hard to believe it’s been made on a shoestring, the trailers I’ve seen look very professional, hopefully it’ll give everyone’s career a boost. Can’t wait for the screening and I’d love to work with these guys again.

Nick Sheard On Myspace.

Scott Clist: – Actor – Screen-Fighter.

Part: – Ryan.

Born in Bridgwater, Somerset. Started training in martial arts at the age of 11 with Shotokan Karate but if I really think about my martial arts training began with my father teaching me and my brother how to box in our living room with sofa cushions as gloves, I think I must have been about 5 or 6 when that started.

After studying karate for about 10 months I moved on to kickboxing where I have stayed training now for about 17 years, whilst also studying jkd kung fu, Thai boxing (Muay Thai), boxing, Ninjutsu and Krav Maga (An art I would like to study further and one day teach) In November 04 I became a British open champion in WTF full contact sparring.

I also study MMA or mixed martial arts and am currently on the British Cage Fighting circuit as a semi pro fighter and have a sponsor spitfire-equipment.com

My character is Ryan, a leader of a street level gang working for the character Lung.

Ryan is a great character to play as he has this slightly unstable edge and a real evil streak and I love the challenge of trying to get that across on screen.

Furor is an amazing project and I am so lucky to be part of it, breakings a few taboo’s and it’s a bit of a dark movie, I think it really shows that British independent cinema is making some really great movies. There is so many talented people working on this project and I think the end result will really that.

I first met Vic Marke (*writer/director) and Zara Phythian in Jan 06 when i attended one of their screen fighter seminars, Vic took my details then for a future project and we have kept in contact since. I saw Vic and Zara whilst I was working at Seni 07 on my sponsors stool and Vic said he had an upcoming project, 6 weeks later I was on board as Ryan in FUROR.

Watch out British independent cinema cause the rage is coming.

Scott Clist On Myspace.

Lee Charles: – Actor – Screen-Fighter.

Part: – Leonard.

I came back into acting about two and a half years ago, in that time I have been involved in some twenty to thirty projects. I have two feature film releases due for Winter 2007, Furor being one of those. I have a feature film before Christmas and another to film in the New Year and talks of a third to be filmed.

Lee Charles On Myspace.

Adam Oakley: – Actor.

Part: – Benji.

My names Adam Oakley and I play the part of Benji in the film Furor. Benji is a bit of a loose cannon really, a lil strange but that has made it all the more fun to play the part, he’s the youngest of the “gang” and usually that one letting every1 else down i.e. pissing himself in front of the “big boss”. I first really got the bug of being in front of the camera when I was on Bad Lads Army on ITV in 2005. This is my 2nd film that I have been involved in after working on The summer of the massacre. It was on set of SOTM that I first met Zara and Vic, (Guvnor) and after having dinner together back at my hotel was asked if I would like to get involved with Furor and the rest as they say is history. Its been wicked working with so many different cast and crew and there is a genuine buzz every time we all step foot on set and get in front of the camera, it just shows how a lil bit of team work can go a hell of a long way. Vic and the rest of the production crew have done a fantastic job putting it all together as well coz it really does look the real deal.

Adam Oakley On Myspace.

Rocco Scalercio: – Actor.

Part: – Joey.

I got told I was going to be playing Joey in Furor rage of the innocent a couple of day’s before the first shoot in Nottingham by my good friend and fellow actor (Adam Oakley) after consistently bugging him to get me a part.

I studied performing arts at college for three years and have two diplomas and have always enjoyed being in front of the camera. I appeared on ITV’S Bad Lads Army in 2005 and had a very good response from the show and I’m sure that Furor movie will have a massive response from the audience it will excite shock and play with their emotions. Joey is the character that I play in the film he is one of the four gang members and also the right hand man of Ryan (Scott Clist) and really looks up to him. There is a real tightness between the gang of four and this developed off screen as well as on. Everyone involved has worked really hard and most importantly everyone has worked together as a team.

Rocco Scalercio On Myspace.

Kayley Marke: – Actress – Screen-Fighter.

Part: - Janell.

Kayley Marke is a former youth Martial Arts World Champion in Forms and Fighting divisions. A member of the UK FSA Black Salt Screen Fighting Team, and now aiming her sights in acting and performance martial arts.

Furor is Kayley’s first Indie movie project after gaining experience in short film projects. She plays the role of Janell, drug-taking sister of Teek.

Kayley Marke On Myspace.

Phil Campbell: – Actor – Screen-Fighter.

Part: – Karate Team Member.

Hi, My name is Phil Campbell. My role in the Furor movie was to play one of Lung’s karate team in a fight scene with Rob Ho and a group of other screen fighters.

I had no prior experience in screen fighting or any type of screen work but was able to use my skills gained from my 15 years of martial arts and 2 years of gymnastics. I decided to attend Zara Phythian’s screen fighting seminar before the auditions for the movie where I was lucky enough to be offered a screen-fighting role.

I compete internationally in creative forms where i perform using a fusion of martial arts and gymnastics. These skills were called for in my role to add extra depth to the fight and give an enhanced overall effect to the scene.

I’ve really enjoyed working with all of the Furor cast and crew and would love to be kept in mind for further future projects to improve my skills and experience within the world of screen action.

Phil Campbell website.

Phil Campbell On Myspace.

Rob Smith: – Actor – Screen-Fighter.

Part: – Karate Team Member.

I’m a 30 year old and I've been involved in martial arts since the ripe old age of 11, and have trained in various disciplines on and off since then. These include Taekwondo, Freestyle karate, kickboxing, Thai boxing, self-protection and MMA (mixed martial arts). I have previously worked as a doorman for the last 10 years, although I now have retired from this lovely occupation, (think I've used up my nine lives now). I have been training under sensei Zara now since March this year and I’m loving the intense training that is carried out at her academy, (she may look sweet and innocent but boy can she kick ass!!!!). I’m currently training in the academies 'edge system' which blends various styles and aspects of martial arts, the 'squad training' which emphasises the competition side of martial arts and have just started the new 'screen fighting' class which teaches fight choreography, stunt work etc, which is how I got the chance to work on this film, and hopefully get the chance to work on any future projects. Really enjoyed the experience of filming and meeting all the different people on set, the film looks as though it is going to be awesome and I’m looking forward to seeing it.

Rob Smith.

Jay Darrell Ingleton: - Actor - Screen-Fighter.

Part: - Karate Team Member.

My name is Jay Darrell Ingleton. I have been involved in martial arts since I was 13 years old ! I started in freestyle karate and have been involved in 5 ancestors kung fu, Mugendo, Thai boxing, freestyle wrestling, bjj, and I've also looked at other systems on a smaller scale. I am a full time fitness fitness/martial arts instructor and feel fortunate to be able to make my living from it. I love to kick and had a knack for it before I began any formal training. My favourite kick is the roundhouse kick.

I play one of the bad guys. One of Mr Lung’s 5 black-belts. I have 2 scenes where I get to attack him empty handed and with kali sticks. We all bonded very well on the day and finished both scenes way before the deadline. Rob Ho who plays Mr Lung did a great job handling the choreography that was prepared by George and Mandy Johnston from Total Combat, and I would like to work with him again. I feel the film will get people talking and thank the Guvnor for offering me a part in the movie.

Jay Ingleton On Myspace.

Dave Lawrence: – Actor – Extra.

Part: - Policeman .

I am just staring out in the film industry writing screenplays and TV Dramas. I managed to get involved on the Furor movie project through a good friend George McCluskey who plays King. He had read my latest script Urban Hustle, and thought it would be a great experience for me to be involved and see the film making process first hand. When I first arrived on set it felt a bit daunting with the sheer amount of acting and martial arts talent I was surrounded by. I was soon made at ease by the friendliness and professionalism of the crew and actors. It was great to see every one pitch in and lend a hand wherever possible. It was my first acting role and thoroughly enjoyed playing the part of a policeman and roughing up some of the detainees. My favourite moment of the shoot for me was watching Detective Carter repeatedly slap Ryan even accidentally when the director had cut filming. All in all it was a great experience and am glad to be apart of the rage that is Furor.

Dave Lawrence On Myspace.

Joseph Carney: - Actor – Extra.

Part: - Doctor – Mental Patient.

My name is Joseph Carney and I played a doctor walk by and a mental patient in the movie Furor. I got involved in the film through total combat academy my martial arts class, they were starting a fight team and asked me to be involved. I said yes and we enrolled in a movie called Furor, which was a great laugh we had so much fun with all the cast and people taking part. The whole experience was great i enjoyed acting with Zara and Vick and there team. I thought it was a great experience and hope to so more in the future. The moment that sticks in my mind the most was 2 things when Matt had to say "blah, blah black sheep" in the mental hospital I was in stitches for hours and when we got our nurses uniforms because they were women’s t-shirts and I looked alright in them but Robert looked so much like a women it was hilarious. It was a great experience and I would love to work with them all again soon.

Joseph Carney On Myspace.

Matthew Lane: - Actor – Extra.

Part: - Mr Doyle.

I got involved in the movie through the martial arts academy i train at in Glasgow. The 'Total Combat Academy' run by George and Mandy Johnston were the fight choreographers for the movie and through them I got to meet the director Vic Marke who upon meeting me personally and spending some time around me thought I would be perfect for the role of the mental patient Mr. Doyle. (I think that’s a good thing, Yes??)

I've never actually been involved in anything like this before so the whole thing was a brand new experience for me. What did strike me was the amount of work that actually goes in to making something like this happen. When you sit at home and watch t.v you take for granted what you are watching but the reality is there is so much work involved in making it all happen that it gives you a whole new appreciation for it all. Everything from sound, to lighting, to make up, to set location etc are all so important in making everything come together. So a big kudos to the whole 'Furor' 'behind the screen' team who managed to bring the whole thing together.

I would just like to say thank you to my instructors George and Mandy for getting me involved in the whole thing, to Vic Marke for giving me a part in the film and to the rest of the Furor team who were genuinely a top bunch of people to meet and work with.

Matthew Lane.

Wayne Palmer: - Actor – Extra.

Part: - Mr Lung’s Henchman.

My character in the film is one of Mr Lung’s henchmen. Really enjoyed playing the character as I am more used to being on the catwalk rather than playing a heavy. It was the first time I had ever been part of a film so the whole day was amazing taking everything in. I got involved in the film, as I am a friend to one of the characters - Ryan. I initially took his promo photos for this role, so am please to be part of the film as well. From what I saw & what I have heard about the movie so far I am really excited in seeing the end product. Can't really say there was one memorable moment, just meeting the cast & crew was memorable enough. Was expecting divas or pretentious people but there was none to be found, which made the whole day relaxed and enjoyable.

Wayne Palmer On Myspace.

Joe Hallet: – Actor – Screen-Fighter.

Part: - Drug Dealer.

Well my name is Joe Hallett I'm 15 years old just turning 16 in a few weeks, I live in Yeovil, Somerset (RIGHT DOWN SOUTH WEST OF ENGLAND). I've been training in freestyle kickboxing for nearly 9 years and I also specialise in weapons such as nunchakus, kama and Bo staff also katana. I also perform martial art tricks (martial arts mixed with gymnastics), which helps me with break-falls in films. Now I have left school I’m opening my own martial arts school called "INFINITY MARTIAL ARTS". Since I've started martial arts I've always wanted to get into the film industry. When I went on a FSA Registered screen-fighting course at Zara's Personal Best Academy. I did a short script read for a cast on FUROR. Luckily I got in only a small part but it’s my first credit. In Furor I'm a drug buyer and I play in scenes 40 and 42, I don't know much about my character yet but I know I go into a back street alley in Bristol for a drug buy and get out of there just before Finchy gets…oops nearly gave away a part of the story there, ha ha. Hopefully Furor isn't my last credit, and you will see a lot more of me in the future.

Jenni Bruce: – Actress.

Part: - Hooker.

Before Vic and Zara started to do Furor, Adam and myself met them on another set, they started telling us about what they had in mind. I asked if they had any extra parts going as Vic would say, "yeah, yeah I’ll sort something".

A few weeks later I was talking to Vic and he had sorted out apart, to play the hooker that gets smacked about by her pimp, at first I could stop laughing about it. As a model I’m use to the camera but not a rolling one, first time on set was great going over my lines trying not to forget, over all it was fab. Everyone was lovely to work with. I would like to do more acting in my career.

Jenni Bruce On Myspace.

FUROR MOVIE WEBSITE

Lee Charles is a fulltime professional martial arts instructor, personal trainer, well being coach, stuntman and actor. He is also a multi title holding Kickboxing, Karate and Shan Shou Champion. Lee has fought for his country several times and is a former World Silver Medallist. Currently Lee is an Inter-nation student of Sensei Benny “The Jet” Urquidez.

Paul: Hi Lee, how’s it going? It’s good of you to give us the time to do this interview.

Lee: No problem Paul, its an honour to do so.

Paul: Did anyone or anything in particular motivate your interest to start training in martial arts?

Lee: When I was about 6yrs old, I remember my father bought a video player and he went the video shop and hired “The Big Boss”, all the family come round as not many people had a video during that time and we all sat and watched it. From then on all I wanted to do is be Bruce Lee, so my journey began.

Paul: You train with Benny “The Jet” Urquidez, a true iconic figure in martial arts and action movies. What can you tell us about meeting and training with this remarkable fellow?

Lee: I have been quite honoured to be taken on by Sensei Benny and his wife Sara as a student of theirs. I have managed to train in Hollywood, London, Bulgaria and I brought him to the Wirral where I live. The training I have undergone under his supervision has been truly amazing, I mean to be training with the greatest kick-boxer of all time is a dream come true. People only see sensei as the guy who fought Jackie Chan or the world champion kick-boxer, when you meet him you realise he’s much, much more than this.

Paul: You’ve made some really impressive achievements in your competitive martial arts career. What have been some of the most memorable moments for you?

Lee: Now that’s a difficult question, it’s hard to say really as a lot depends on how I have fought and felt at the time. That and because of the people I have had chance to compete against and become friends with. All honours aside though, it was properly when I fought on my own show and I had Benny the jet watching. There was no title involved, but he was present and I got to show him my stuff.

Paul: You are also a martial arts instructor, personal trainer, and well being coach. As well as the physical martial arts training, what do you strive to pass onto your students?

Lee: The Bushido way, I think that this has been lost over the last several years due to different things, but all my students need to not just learn the martial arts but also understand it, understand its true meaning and the way it affects your life.

Paul: Would you like to see your students follow in your footsteps into the world of action movies and stunt performing? Would you coach them in these fields also?

Lee: Yes I would love them to, personal achievement is always good but when you see your student’s progress then that is true achievement. Seeing them develop and helping them to do this, guiding them. This way I know that I have done something right in my life and that truly makes me happy. at the end of the day, I was given a great opportunity and who am I not to help pass this on.

Paul: When did you first feel the desire to use your skills to explore the world of action movies and acting?

Lee: I sort of fell into it whilst in Hollywood training with sensei Benny, I was lucky enough to train with him at his stunt and acting school and it just went from there. I had always had a keen interest in the movies (well watching at least), and I got to an opportunity to work with sensei Benny on a Hollywood movie and from there I was hooked.

Paul: Moving onto your role in the movie Furor. How did you become involved in this project, and what was your reaction when you first read the script?

Lee: I knew Guv and Zara from the martial arts community and we had spoken and become friendly over a period of time and from this, things developed. They knew I had done the work with Benny and I guess things developed from there. When I read the script I thought yeah, this is something I really want to be involved with, its very strong and powerful.

Paul: Without giving too much plot away, what can you tell us about the character you play in Furor?

Lee: I play Leonard Parks, and he is a bad dude, ha ha. He basically works for Mr lung and we do what he says… I’m afraid you’ll have to watch the movie guys!!

Paul: Was it a challenge to play role of a character with such an evil streak in them?

Lee: I seemed to slip into character too easily, or so I have been told. After reading the script and speaking with the director I knew how I would like my character to come across and hopefully I have achieved this.

Paul: Again without revealing any of the plot to us, have there been any moments so far during the filming of Furor that will stick in your mind?

Lee: There is one moment, which I’m sure your all gonna get to find out about. One I’m not gonna live down.

Paul: Given the opportunity, whom would you most like to perform alongside out of any action movie star, and why?

Lee: Jackie Chan, I mean he’s the god of action movies, what he’s done for cinema is truly amazing, he set the standard for all off today’s action movies.

Paul: What are your own hopes for the future? Will you continue to compete and teach as well as pursue an acting career?

Lee: I think the competing may take a back seat shortly, for me to concentrate on my academy and acting. Hopefully I have put in a good enough performance to merit more opportunities.

Paul: Thanks again for sharing your time with us Lee. I have no doubt we will be seeing your name a lot more in the world of action movies.

Lee: No problem, thanks for the interview and I know all you guys and girls will love this movie. Thanks to all the cast and crew for their constant support and help throughout the movie. Peace guys!

- Lee Charles On Myspace.

Welcome to another edition of “Headliners”. This is EV’s interview series with various people involved in the Entertainment business. While some names might not ring a bell…we here in the EV offices think in the not far future,they’ll be indeed household names.

Just recently I interviewed Matt Iseman,who is a stand -up comic and a co-host of the Style Network’s biggest hit, “Clean House”. While maybe not a “huge” name, it has still taken Matt 8 years to get where he is now. Hollywood is rugged that way…

Jaime McCall is also in Hollywood, chasing that dream. Being a actress/actor is a lot harder then being a comic in a lot of ways. You have to have faith in your talent,take classes, be told “We’ll be in touch” and yet the phone stays quiet. Many struggling artists actually work real jobs (waitressing, bartender, nanny, etc…)as well doing a lot of weird dinner theater, all in hope of getting that big break. Hollywood is rugged that way.

I added Jamie as a friend on MySpace.com after reading one of her blogs. Then I started noticing that she ran a LOT of bulletins letting folks know about any small “thing” she was doing. Now anyone knowing me at all,knows I love artists who promote the hell outta themselves, I mean…I think Tila Tequila is ugly as sin and has the IQ of a gnat BUT she does know how to promote herself,to stand out.

And Jamie does that as well only she has the talent to back her play….she has served her country,is a creative writer and works extremely hard at becoming a better actress.

My old boss in my nightclub days always told me “You always seem to know who is going to break next” when it came to booking bands…its why I think Tey Punsalan and Mermaid Kiss will strike gold and in the world of film…I think, no…I KNOW Jamie McCall will also be a huge star!

And now, Headliners with……….actress Jamie McCall

1. What is your favorite childhood memory?

Oh wow, there are so many. Overall I had a wonderful childhood. Sure, there was some trauma, divorce, abandonment issues, molestation – you know – the average things little girls must grow through. But overall I am very grateful I had a wonderful family, traveled a lot and was encouraged to do anything I dreamed. My favorite memory? My biological Father taking my little sister & I to the Enchanted Forest in Oregon on one of our yearly visits (after the divorce). We went round & round through the Rabbit Hole in Alice in Wonderland while our Father chased us. I remember feeling so proud that we thought we’d lost him. We still have pictures. Then there was the family trip to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming which is amazing! You truly see God in action there. I had my first encounter with a wild Buffalo – up close & personal. Most of my good memories are with my family. But I have wonderful memories when I went off by myself each summer to Girl Scout Camp in McCall, Idaho. One of the most beautiful, pure, clean, untouched places on earth. That’s where my name comes from. And I just recently found out (after I adopted the name, because the place means so much to me…) that my paternal family heritage were some of the first original homesteaders of this majestic mountain town! Talk about Serendipity…

2. You served in the US Navy, why that direction and what did you get there that has helped you the most?

I have a lot of family history in the Navy. My Uncle was a Top Gun Fighter Pilot, F-14 Tomcats, lived the storybook exciting life traveling the world – he was my Mentor – that’s what I wanted to do. I was the first female in my family to become an Officer. Honor, Courage, Commitment is the official Navy code…and that’s what I got. Discipline is crucial to character and hence to success. Especially in this, such an unstructered, unstable business. Plus you’ve gotta have balls. I’m pretty fearless.

3. When did you decide to head to Hollywood?

Several years ago while I was living in Puerto Rico, which was my last duty station with the Navy. I did my first professional acting job there, a film called “Back in the Day” with Ja Rule and my former showbiz mentor Ving Rhames. I packed up & moved here within months after that, having caught “the bug” again. I came here not knowing a soul! I’ve got no family in Cali & had no friends in LA. It was a ballsy move. I just went with my gut. But I’ve been a performer all my life – mainly thru dance production and stage performance. I started when I was a little girl. So this was just a return to roots for me, not a jump into something completely new…

4. What is a SAG card and how does the process work into getting one?

The Screen Actors Guild is the Union for Professional Actors. There are a couple of ways to get the card, but it involves working professionally as an actor and paying a nice chunk of money! It’s a big investment and shouldn’t be taken lightly. I became eligible for mine from my role as a young mother in the Civil War South in a feature film called “Ascension Day”. I did NOT get any eligibility vouchers from working as an Extra, doing background work! I want to make that clear – it’s a big misconception. And I did that full time for about six months! Don’t get caught up in it. Take it for what it’s worth & move on. Although there are a few who become eligible that way, it is rare.

5. Take us through a normal audition day in Hollywood..

It starts the night before. Make sure you’re well-rested (beauty sleep). Carefully choose wardrobe according to the role & specifications. Mapquest your way there before leaving. Arrive right on time if not 10-15 min. early…never late. (Even though they’re usually running late). Make sure you’re well-rehearsed and in the right mental state for the role/character. The process varies so much depending on what you’re going for. I’ve had auditions which took ten minutes and those in which they’ve kept me for two hours! Sometimes they’ll put you on camera and sometimes not. I never do the “cattle call” auditions – where they send out an open invitation and hundreds of people show up. It’s not dignified and it’s not worth it to me. It just seems too desperate. And I always say, desperation doesn’t look good in Hollywood. Confidence is key! I am unique! I am special! There’s only one of me. That’s my reply to people who say “what about all the competition?” Especially being a blonde, blue-eyed attractive young female. But I just don’t look at it that way. You can’t. There IS no competition in my eyes. My only competition is with myself! I know my value. So I wait to be called in specifically for my looks, personality and talent – they saw something they liked in me and requested me. Otherwise, I don’t bother.

6. How did you get into martial arts and what styles do you practice?

I trained some self defense with the military, but I’ve wanted to study formal martial arts all my life. A good friend of mine got her Black Belt from Billy Blanks. She brought me with her to his World Training Center, a staple of Sherman Oaks for over 15 years, and we instantly clicked! He’s a very spiritual, charismatic man. We understood each other from the get-go & became fast friends as well as Master-Disciple. For the first time since moving to LA, I found a place that felt like home. It felt like family there. I immediately dove in, training twice a day up to 4-5 hours a day. I loved it! It was like I’d opened the flood gates. I progressed very quickly. Most people know him as the “Tae-Bo” guy, but he is a 6th Degree Master of Korean Tae Kwon Do. We trained also in Karate and in weapons; I began practicing Escrima (Filipino Fighting Sticks) and the Staff. Then he shut down. I was devastated. Now I train kickboxing with fighter friends freelance here & there as well as some stunt fighting & sparring – I’m still searching for the next Dojo to get back into formal training in my Gi. I want to move into Chinese styles next like Kung Fu.

7. You are now a published author,what did you write and where can we get a copy of it?

I have self-published the first volume of my poetry in a book called “Renaissance Girl – Love.Hate.Sex.Romance.” You can find it on Cafepress.com. There’s a link on my website. Some may not know but I’m also a professional Spoken Word Artist. I’ve been the Featured Poet in gigs in Atlanta, North Carolina and LA. I’m still working on my book “Living the High Life without Drinking the Champagne”. I’m soliciting a publisher for this very dramatic, important piece and am in talks with a couple right now – one here and one in England.

8. What are your 3 favorite movies?

Oh, that’s a hard one! I’m a movie fanatic – there are so many that are my favorite. Story-telling is truly an art, but is also important spirtually, because it brings people together. The Native Americans revered the Elder Storytellers who held (and hold) very high positions in the tribe. I think unfortunately we’ve lost some of that value in Hollywood. Too much of it is about making quick, easy money. Which is why you see so many sequels and so much “reality” tv crap. Anyway, I digress. Ok, so I’ll just list 3 that come to mind that I can watch over & over again & never tire of:
Top Gun
Pulp Fiction
The Crow

9. You are one of the best self-promoting artists I have seen here on MySpace, how important are your fans in relation to your success?

They are everything. From the business side of it, showbiz is 100% based on their reaction. There’s no “supply & demand” like in other businesses where a product is supplied that people need to survive or to live comfortable daily lives. They create the “demand” for the “product” which is Jamie McCall. They’re the ones that say “We wanna see more of her!” On the personal side of it, they are also crucial. There’ve been plenty of days where I’ve felt down & out, tired & ready to give it up…when I get a message, a phone call or a note encouraging me to keep going, thanking me for inspiring, telling me how much of an impact I’m having…and it keeps me going. I really feel like they’re on the journey with me, that my successes are theirs, and that’s why I share so much, every step of the way, all the good and the bad, so that they do feel like an important & integral part of the movement. Because they are. As a sidenote, I’ve never really liked the word “fan”, which comes from “fanatic” because that’s not what I have. I have Friends and Supporters. All real, true people, cheering me on, providing guidance and support while receiving inspiration and hopefully entertainment from me. Most all are interested in me as a person and not just my image. It’s a true give-and-take relationship. I am so grateful!

To add Jamie as a friend and follow this rising star,go here:
myspace.com/goldilx
or check out her personal website:
www.JamieMcCall.com

Welcome to an edition of Headliners,a new interview series here on Entertainment Vine. We strive to interview the very best in the world of music,books and music. The names might not be household names yet while others you may already know. The challenge is to go deeper with these wonderfully gifted talents and see the human side of them.

Gretchen Peters. Ever buy any of her albums? Turned on country radio and hear the personality announce her next huge single? Or turn the country video station on just to see her next blazing video? Most will say “No,I haven’t done any of that because I don’t know who Gretchen Peters is” Well,you couldn’t be more mistaken,Gretchen Peters is a legendary songwriter and quite a singer in her own right. She has won many awards during her long and very productive career,including the CMA for Song of the Year for “Independence Day”,which is Martina McBride’s biggest hit to date. Peters has written hit songs for a Who’s who…not only in country music(Trisha Yearwood,Faith Hill) but rock as well (Bryan Adams) and one of the blues singer in American history,Miss Etta James. Thats just a small sample of the artists she has written songs for…yet more people in the UK attend her shows then if she toured solo here in America. But thats always been the curse of American music,the truly great writers like Peters,John Doe,Barbara Manning and Dave Alvin always get overlooked by cookie cutter acts and tired “hat” acts pushed on the public by clueless record labels who have no idea of the talent they have.
Gretchen Peters was born in New York,not exactly Nashville. She found her way to Nashville in the late 80′s right when country’s last real singers were slowly being forced out by marketing groups and new blood that had no idea what real country music really was….she earned a record deal by 1996 but fell victim to a label that had no clue on how to promote her.
Gretchen continued to write,record and even tour….releasing CDs in Europe to critical acclaim.
Then after 23 years of marriage,Gretchen divorced her husband who also acted as her manager and booking agent. While this was a emotionally hard time for Gretchen,she channeled the experience into writing perhaps her finest CD to date,”Burnt Toast & Offerings” which was released here 9 August 2007. This is no country album,its far more deeper then mere country,this is a perfectly created and sung Americana and roots flavored effort,filled with bitterness,longing and an edginess that Peters has rarely expressed herself but has let others do it for her in various songs she has written. It takes courage and a certain bravery if you will,to open one’s soul to world no matter the cracks and crevices that might there.
I am a HUGE Gretchen Peter’s fan…and consider her one of the very best in American music history. Buy a CD or see a live performance and come tell me I’m wrong….I have a feeling I’ll be waiting for a LONG time!

And now…….Headliners with Gretchen Peters

EV This new album signals major life changes for you personally,how does one write music after such a trumatic event?

GP: The real question is how does one NOT? I had a brief interval where I asked myself if I was going to write about my divorce and all of the other things that were going on, but when you’re faced with arguably the most dramatic circumstances of your life, how can you not write about it? Not writing about it would be like not acknowledging the elephant in the room. I now look at it as a gift that I was given. I have told a lot of stories in my songs, but this one is my story.

EV: You clearly are one the most gifted songwriters alive today,how does it feel less gifted artists reap the benefits of your writing?

GP:Firstly, I don’t look at writing or singing or music in general as a competitive sport – all artists ought to be trying to find the thing that is uniquely “them” rather than competing. Some of us may write better, sing better – but isn’t that all really in the eye (or ear) of the beholder anyway? I don’t rank myself in terms of talent or anything, although I do judge myself all the time – am I writing as well as I can? am I singing/playing/emoting at the top of my ability? Am I learning? That’s the craft and the experience factor coming into play. But when another artist records one of my songs I’m, first and foremost, flattered. It means that they feel they can inhabit the character in the song – that they have found something in their own experience that resonates – and after all, that’s exactly what I’m hoping to do as a writer every time I sit down to write a song…

EV: The current country music scene seems really stale with cookie cutter acts like Sugarland and Taylor Swift,how can Nashville get its soul back? Why is so quick to abandon the artists that put it on the map?

GP: I think that to a great extent what’s happened in Nashville has happened overall in our culture. We live in a culture where celebrity is valued over artistry, where everything is for sale, where anything that can be packaged can and will be, and then marketed to the lowest common denominator. It’s unfortunate, it’s sad, but I don’t know that there’s much hope that the mainstream record labels will ever regain any real level of integrity. They are in the hands of accountants and lawyers. The halcyon days of the record business really happened before anyone realized that a lot of money could be made. The inmates were in charge of the asylum then – and it was a wildly creative, but very brief time in history. I’m talking about the late 60s and early 70s, primarily. Country music and pop music were really on parallel paths, at their zenith.

The bright side is that more and more artists are realizing that they can take matters into their own hands. I was lucky enough to be able to buy the master of my first album back, so that I own all of the rights and control my own destiny, artistically speaking. I never looked back. I am not what the major labels want – and they’re not what I want either.

EV: When did you know that you wanted to create music? What was the first song you ever wrote?

GP: I think I was five years old. I was on a car trip with my family and I was in the back seat with my big sister. I got an idea about “weeping willows”. Even then I was writing sad songs.

I learned the guitar at seven years old – at an arts camp where we put on plays, painted and made music, that sort of thing. I just gravitated towards it because it was a way of expressing myself. I also danced, painted, wrote poetry – I was just always trying to say something creatively. It didn’t really dawn on me that I could play music for a living until a high school boyfriend suggested it. It was like a lightbulb went on. I never really seriously entertained any other career aspirations after that.

EV: What is really great about you is you don’t forget your roots,what can songwriters do to stay true to their selves musically?

GP:I think you have to listen to your gut. Your instinct is probably the truest thing about you. I tell this to new songwriters all the time. Take advice, by all means – listen to critiques – but use your instincts above all. They will not steer you wrong. You can’t be something you’re not, much as you may admire it – and your gut will tell you when you’re trying to, if you’re willing to listen.

EV Take us thru the steps about writing this album,where were you when wrote each of the songs? Is songwriting a group thing or a private process for you?

GP:Songwriting is intensely private for me most of the time. I only co-wrote one song on the album, with David Mead. I love writing with David because he totally honors my need to go hide away with the lyric by myself, and work it out – he doesn’t need to write the song all in one sitting.

Most of these songs I wrote, or completed, down in Florida in a little house I have there. I like to go away by myself and work. I spend a week or so at a time down there and really don’t talk to anyone, just write and mess around with demos and things. It puts me in a completely different brain-space. But the ideas for the songs, of course, came at all different moments. During the tumultuous year when I left my husband, moved out and was going through quite a bit of drama, I was really only able to put down bits and pieces of ideas. I wasn’t able to process what I was going through – but I did catch bits of inspiration out of the air and squirrel them away… For instance, titles: Ghost, The Lady Of The House, Jezebel, Thirsty – these were all ideas that I had during that time. I knew I needed some time to go by – some perspective on the situation. I didn’t want this record to be bitter, or angry – I was interested in finding illumination, not recrimination. I wanted to tell my story, but I wanted to do it with some wisdom and insight.

EV: What is the biggest difference between touring Europe and the US?

GP: Things are closer together! It’s relatively easy to cover the whole of the UK in three weeks – it takes months to cover the US. The audiences are different, too. You can’t really generalize about Europe, though – depending on what country you’re in you’ll find a very different sort of audience. UK audiences, with whom I’m most familiar, are very knowledgeable about music, very informed. They love lyrics and can quote you lines from your own songs. They are great liner-notes readers. They tend to be quiet – sometimes you think you’re bombing up there but they’re just very restrained and polite. Then at the end of the show they’ll give you a standing ovation and you wonder what just happened. The Irish and Scottish audiences are more vocal, more like American audiences. I’ve played in Scandinavia and the Netherlands, too – both areas where English is widely spoken. That’s important if your lyrics are front and center like mine are. Overall the Europeans appreciate American music in a big way – I think sometimes more than Americans.

EV: Many artists write social-political songs…should commerical radio take sides or just play the music regardless of the issue?

GP:Everyone needs to remember that commercial radio is not in the music business, they’re in the advertising business. They will do whatever they need to do to sell advertising. First and foremost that means not pissing off either their clients or their audience. Commercial radio, therefore, is probably NOT the place to go to hear any meaningful commentary on the social or political state of the world…

EV: How the Nashville process work in terms of placing a song with a major act (in other words,how did Faith and Martina end up your songs?)

GP:I came to town in 1987 and looked for a publisher. A publisher goes out and plays your songs for artists, record companies, A&R people… I really wanted a publishing deal more as an avenue towards getting a record deal and because I wanted to be taken seriously as a writer. I never envisioned being a “Nashville hit songwriter”. I was just a folkie who loved country music and couldn’t figure out where else to go but Nashville. They were signing Nanci Griffith and Steve Earle to record deals, so Nashville made a certain amount of sense to me. But my publisher was successful in pitching my songs to artists like Faith Hill and Martina McBride. I never had a direct hand in it; I can’t think of anything I’d rather less do than to pitch my own songs.

EV: Tell us one thing we DON’T know about Gretchen Peters.

GP:I am a complete techie. I love gadgets, love my Mac, just got a new iPhone – I love all of that stuff. I definitely have a left-brain side which keeps me fairly organized and probably explains my fondness for all things high-tech. I hate TV though – haven’t watched it for years and only just got a flat-screen for watching movies. I think TV sucks your brains right out of your head.

EV: Is there anything you would have done differently in your career?

GP:It would have been great to recognize sooner that I had the ability be in control of my own destiny, artistically speaking. But I wouldn’t be the person I am, wouldn’t have made the record I just made had that journey been any easier. The hard-won epiphanies are the ones that stick with you. I’m very happy and satisfied where I am right now, and I wouldn’t give you two cents to go back.

EV:What would Gretchen Peters like her legacy to be?

GP: Just imagining that there is a legacy to be left is a bit mind-boggling. I would like to have made an impression on people’s hearts, the same way music has made an impression on mine. I would love to think that there might be some young girl out there with a guitar who is emboldened, engaged or inspired by something I did. That would be wonderful.

My thanks to Gretchen for her help and time.

To buy a copy of “Burnt Toast & Offerings” please go here

www.GretchenPeters.com

Welcome to another edition of “Headliners…..”, an ongoing interview series here at Entertainment Vine.

My wife and I watch cable TV. We enjoy watching HGTV quite a bit and we also really like Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The idea of watching a show of people helping others just for the sake of helping kind of renews your faith in your fellow man/woman.

One day my wife called in me to watch a show on the Style Network called “Clean House”. I sat down and within minutes started cracking up..the show’s premise,to help hapless people living in the LA in totally messy houses,to clean up and let go of all the crap they hang on to.The crew,headed by the great Neicy Nash and her team of main designer Mark Brunetz,yard sale diva,Trish Suhr and the Go To Guy,Matt Iseman,work very hard on a VERY tiny budget to change these people’s lives for the better. While Trish and Matt are relative newcomers,the show has been on since 2004. Some people are grateful for thier help while others (those looney people in New Jersey and the most ugly hearted Toni Dragon) seem to see the show as “come out and clean my house show”.
What makes ‘Clean House” so great is both the humor and the warmth of the crew. Despite having backgrounds in stand comedy,acting and designing multi-million dollar homes, the “Clean House” crew does care about every family they try and help. Its a asskicking show!

So when I saw Matt Iseman had a MySpace page,his own website is a bit dated,I decided to ask for a interview and pick his brain abouyt the show and his career. I wasn’t so much amazed by his comedy,he is a very funny guy on the show,but by the fact he was going to become a doctor! You can tell by watching Matt on the show,he loves kids,he always is the one interacting with them,they seem to trust him and Neicy the most.
I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I had fun putting it together….

And now….sit back and check out “Headliners with……Clean House’s GoToGuy,Matt Iseman!
If you’re fan,drop a comment or a few kudos!

What was growing up in the Iseman house like?

Totally awesome. Lots of sports, both real and of the video game variety. and my room was kickass. If you don’t believe me, make a pilgrimage to Denver, Colorado to see for yourself because it the time capsule is still intact, unchanged since I graduated High School in 1989. But I think the reason I ended up in comedy is my mom. She was and is my biggest fan and by always laughing at all the wacky things I did, I think she turned me into the laugh hungry person that takes the stage today.

2. You went to medical school,how did you go from medicine to comedy?

A Lawsuit. No, I just realized that my heart wasn’t in medicine and I didn’t want to be a half-assed doctor, so I figured I’d try something I really loved and that was being the center of attention. Worked out well so far.

3. Define “comedy” according to Matt Iseman.

See my CD. Whatever makes you laugh, qualifies. Check out Brian Regan to see the man who made me want to be a comedian in the first place. And watch Will Ferrell to see who consistently makes me laugh every second that he’s on screen.

4. How did you get the co-hosting part on “Clean House”?

Really kind of a fluke, they brought me in on 2 days notice to fill in and then, like Lou Gehrig, I just didn’t leave. That was 30 episodes. Not sure I’ll make 2,100 but the streak is still going for now.

5. What percent of the actual work does the main crew do?

It really varies based on the episode and the amount of work we have to get done. The reality is we’re filming a show where we make over a house in just a few days. So we have a crew that helps us get it done on time, mostly it’s just extra hands but… sometimes… under our expert direction… they’ll help out by picking up a hammer. Or a staple gun.

6. Despite knowing the premise of the show,are people that unwilling to part with thier foolishness and mayhem?

YES. It never fails to amaze me… THEY called us and yet they forget we’re not a maid service. We’re helping you get rid of the clutter and make sure it doesn’t come back. Still, it makes it interesting when you offer a brand new bedroom set to someone if they’ll give up heir ratty old teddy bear and they fight you tooth and nail. That’s the heart of the show.

7. What has been your favorite family to work with and why?

Hmmm…. tough to pick just one. I’d have to say it isn’t the Lorias.(That was the crazy ass people who won the Messiest House in America contest-Ed) Haha. I really liked the Sheffies because, being with them for a week, you really got to see they were a close family who wanted to live right and just needed our help. They were fun and funny and Stacie (an amateur handywoman) had created a ton of work for me with her unfinished projects. And they LOVED the finished product.

8. How long have you been doing stand-up comedy?

About 8 years now.

You did a USO Tour overseas to Afghanistan, what’s your position as an American on the war?

As a comedian and the host of a home makeover show, I know that if people care about my position on the war they need to read a newspaper. Suffice it to say, I support the troops and take every change I get to go overseas to perform for them. They are the best crowds for whom I’ve ever performed and the most appreciative.

10. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Still cleaning houses. Or starring in my own sitcom. Or maybe on my couch watching tapes or what I was doing today.

11. Which of your friends/fans will comment first on this interview?

My Mom. Or my stalker.

To add Matt as a Friend: http://www.myspace.com/mattiseman

Welcome to another edition of “Headliners with……” an ongoing (I know,it HAS been a while since I posted one of these!!) interactive interviews series with the various superstars you may know or perhaps will come to discover.

DJ Chris Allen is a true multi-talent….cutting edge DJ who spins at College Station,Texas at HALO two nights a week,a music artist who has released 7 DIY albums under the moniker Stiletto,Texas and also writes two columns for Texas based gay biweekly zine called “Shout”. One column is a review column and the other is a interview column where Chris has chatted to many a famous (or soon to be famous) artist. Like I said,a true multi-talent!

One thing about Chris I do admire is his determination to swim his own way. As I know he lives where Texas A&M is,I wished him good luck when the Aggies play Texas…when he wrote back and said “Uh,Michael….I’m a UT man”. I should have known….*LOL*
After reading this interview,I encourage you to pick up one of his albums…the man can flow!

And now…….”Headliners with…..DJ Chris Allen!

1. How did you come about being a DJ?

Good lord mate, where do I begin? After a year or so of street promoting I started out as a light tech at several very popular clubs in Houston back in the late 80′s and early 90′s. Xcess, Heaven, and Amnesia to name a few. I moved to Austin to program lights at this one joint and found myself in a dj position when one of the club’s jocks suddenly quit. Like my mentor, the late Scooter Bearden. I started off spinning happy hours – an excellent opportunity to perfect my craft, and the rest is, well, history in the making. The story for me is far from over. I have no plans on slowing down. I am a career dj. What was so foreign to me in the beginning I can not see my life without.

2. What is the biggest change you have seen in the clubs since you first started?

A lot less drugs. I mean A LOT. And these days, a lot of different drugs. The club scene sorta seemed to go stale when big brother declared X enemy number one in the mid to late 90′s. And X really was a good thing. Honestly. Especially for night clubs and dance music. It allowed ordinary people to tear down those barrier walls and let themselves go. Let themselves experience and taste things they might not otherwise. Same thing for many djs. When I was spinning on X back in the day, what I would normally call risks became just another part of the groove. And somehow, it all always fell magically into place. The shit you get on streets these days that they say is X is nothing like it once was. Even in the mid 90′s. That shit was all cut with heroine and these days it’s all meth and acid. Huh? WTF? I feel lucky that I got to taste it when it was actually still legal and pharmaceutically produced. When it was about the love and the untiy and the high, not just the high alone. But what that high created. It’s really a shame that the government declared war on X. Their war only paved the way to much harder and more addictive and more destructive substances becoming popular. Hence our country’s meth problem. Personally, over time, I have realized that drugs are like so many other thing in life. A tool. A tool to help you get from point A to point B and maybe learn something along the way. Moderation being the key. The only key. Besides the never ending and always changing evolution of electronic dance music into what came out last Monday and Tuesday?

3. What is the main difference between being a good DJ and a great DJ?

A great dj will not only play those tracks you wanna hear and dance to but will also take you on a journey that is unique to their particular style of programming. A great dj can not only read a crowd, but lead a crowd as well. A great dj can create what many would describe as a spiritual experience. I remember this one night at Twilo in NYC a few years before 9-11 when Danny Tenaglia was spinning a New Year’s Eve party. It was not only amzing, but for me – a dj – it was inspiring and literally changed my entire outlook on what it was I was do for my coins. Sure, the crowd pleasers were there, but Danny threw in something more. His understanding of the groove took it to another level. I danced for almost 8 hours straight that night. At first I thought it was just the club, because Twilo was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. It was the first time I was in a hall where the sound moved beyond my ears and affected my whole body. So you didn’t just hear the beats and riffs and vocals, you felt them in every ounce of your being. But after my buddy Scott Perciful brought Danny to Austin for the first time, I realized that it wasn’t just the club, but the man controlling the club as well. The show in Austin was just as powerfully moving with less than one forth the sound.

4. Explain what “electro circuit” is?

A climatic blend of electro house, progressive house, and circuit anthems with a touch of trance.

5. How do you decide what goes on your playlist?

I start that process by following the local, regional, state, and national charts. And also by checking out various websites like Perfect Beat, iTunes, and Beatport to what is new and hot. But, just cause a track is huge in one city doesn’t mean it will be in everywhere else. It’s really up to the crowd in the end, the reason I am here. The people who pay my bills ya know.

6. Tell us about your very first solo DJ gig, what and how did you prepare for that?

The same way I prep for every gig. I get plenty of rest, eat healthy, and approach it with a clear head. A few hours running at the gym the afternoon of helps too.That and an ice cold Red Bull of course!

7. What club in your town is the best for dance music?

Well, I am currently living in a small Texas town called Bryan. It is a great central location for me and honestly the rent is so way cheap. I am no more than 3 hours away from anywhere in Texas I might be playing be it Austin, Houston, Dallas, or even San Antonio. And importantly to me, I am close to my family. Bryan is right next to College Station, the home of Texas A & M University. There are 2 clubs that are famous for getting your groove on there. The str8 crowd goes to Gatsby’s in Northgate. Pretty much a white hip hop club. The gays and open minded folks go to Halo, where I play 2 nights a week. We have been awarded best dance club for the last 3 years in row by City Search and AOL City Guide. Best damn club in the Brazos valley bitches! For a small town joint, Halo get’s pretty damn crazy, often bringing in over 300 partiers a night when I play.

8. What would you tell someone who wanted to become a club DJ? What tips and wisdom would you share?

First of all, I have always told all of my students what my teacher Scooter told me in the very beginning; practice, practice, practice! And if you find yourself with some free time, practice some more. Yes, perfect flawless transitions can come naturally, but usually not. The other big piece of advice I have is, learn your phrasing and know the music you are playing. If you understand the fundamentals of phrasing and how dance music fits together then you are less likely over time to produce those mixes we all like to call “train wrecks.” What seems a like a challenge will eventually become second nature, over time of course. Secondly, follow the charts. That is how you can learn to program. There are several levels to this task. International. National. Regional. And duh, local. And last, learn from those around you. Go check out those djs that know how to rock a packed club. Listen, pay attention, but never approach. If a dj thinks you are moving in on his territory he may have you kicked out and barred. If you are cool like that. then do that voodoo that you do so well and schmooze your way into the circles. Ya never know til you try.

9. How important is it to promote yourself…after all, once you get a huge night, you don’t to worry about promotion, right?

Ha ha! That’s funny man. Good one. In a perfect world maybe. No, but really, I have learned over time that you have to do your own promoting in addition to what the venue has going on. Flyers, bar rag adds, business cards, handing out mix cds, and utilizing all the obvious online tools really do help. And you have to remain determined and consistent throughout the task. My job is to entertain the people that the club brings in, not get them there. That is the responsibility of the club owner or the event promoter. One hopes that my name on the bill will carry a great deal of weight and add to their concept. But it’s also my job to make sure my name gets out there and they know who I am and what I am about. What’s that saying? If you want the job done right then do it yourself?

10. How has the nwtworking space MySpace helped your career?

Wow. Over the last 3 years, MySpace has aided my career so tremendously. But like with anything else in life, outflow equals inflow. If you put the time and energy in you will get results. Despite the often incredibly shallow nature of today’s world, I still believe in that old skool principle that hard work really does pay off in the end. Instant success is over rated. Longevity is what one should shoot for. It is really about how dedicated you are to your dreams and goals. MySpace has not only helped expose my style to the global populace but given me a place to share my dreams and goals with the world.

And I have to add, I just launched my new website, www.djchrisallen.com. Props out to my site’s designer Andy. I could not have done it without him. His attention to detail is immaculate. I think everybody will really enjoy the site. In the next few months we will ba adding cool stuff like downloadable Chris Allen ring tones and wallpapers and more. Exciting times ahead, as always. Thanx so much for checking me out and wanting to know more. Knowledge is king! Remember, life may not always be the aprty you had hoped for, but while you’re here you might as well dance. Peace.

To add Chris as a Friend:
http://www.myspace.com/djchrisallen

Zara: More than a pleasure. Now stop creeping and ask me the questions ha-ha

Rob: You are a remarkable 13 times World Martial Arts Champion. Could you let us have details of what started you into this field, together with your disciplines?

Zara: I started in martial arts when I was a wee little girl aged 7, originally my dad got me into Shotokan Karate under the tuition of Mick and Wayne Tucker, in fact I remained studying karate for 6 years but in that time I’d also been fortunate enough to be accepted for tuition at the renowned school of champions academy in Nottingham. From there I continued training in Kickboxing, Tae Kwon Do, Ho Shin Sul, Sport Karate and Shaolin Wu Shu and developed into the national team in competition, although I enjoyed my years in international tournaments , martial arts is a way of life for me, I love to study and teach rather than compete.

Rob: How did you get into the world of screen fighting?

Zara: I was actually competing in USA when I got spotted for a film, on returning to UK after the film project (which was a Sci -Fi, no martial arts at all) I got the indie film bug, and it was then I realised to my amazement there was so much going on back here with stunt fighting in martial art UK productions. With my connections in the states along, with friends here in UK, it soon became more common to study screen fighting , how it works, the difference between film fighting techniques and real martial arts etc. In fact I got asked to teach some workshops on it as I got more and more detailed in the technicalities of industry standards such as line of impact, falls, safety lines, etc. There is a big network of screen fighters here in the UK, but martial art practitioners are generally un- aware of this, especially those who aspire to become martial art actors. So the workshops provided a good link up for this.

Rob: This year you have managed to set up the UK Black Salt Screen fighting Team, as well as become the UK Representative for the Fighting Stunts Association (the stunt team behind Sin City). That is incredibly quick! What is the secret to your success?

Zara: The secret is this, it’s nothing to do with me, it’s the fact that so many martial artists out there didn’t realise screen fighting was about, everyone thinks that you need to be a registered stunt person and go through all that, which is good but not the only avenue for martial art actors. The Black Salt team was made up out of a demand for networking and team practice in screen fighting, we are very lucky to have such a great group of people involved from around the country, up coming stars like yourself, Kayley Marke, Rob Comrie, and so many others. There are other teams in the UK, all very good, and with this brings more awareness to the indie film maker who didn’t have access to action fighters before for their projects. FSA got in contact soon after Black Salt team appeared, after talking to them extensively over a couple of months I found we were really on the same page, my involvement with them came out of the fact I really like what they are doing for martial artists to get into film industry, whether it be small or big budget, plus the knowledge is invaluable to the team.

Coming back to building the Black Salt screen fighter team, another inspiration is the team from Glasgow – The Total Combat team. They are awesome, I really like their work, in-fact I’m able to work with them on a project at present. The more teams that

form the better I think, because there will be more indie productions as well as bigger production opportunities. Hopefully the UK will start having regular action martial art related films being made with all this talent available.

Rob: Who in the martial arts film world is your inspiration?

Zara: Bruce Lee still does it for me. You just think, the films were made in the 70’s yet he still commands that tingle down your spine when he is on screen. Jet Li is also a hero of mine, but to be honest I love most martial art movies, USA, HK, Europe etc, Cynthia Rothrock I’m a big admirer of too, I still think she’s the queen of martial arts ha-ha

Rob: Zara, you will soon be shooting, “Shiai – The Game”. What would audiences see that would differ from the majority of current martial arts films?

Zara: My character I am hoping will show that a female can hold her own on the screen with having to battle different styles and not fight the same but adapt and adapt well to survive, I think that will be different for a female lead character in a martial art film, so fingers crossed.

Rob: What in your opinion, makes a good fight sequence?

Zara: wow, well it all depends on the project. Different projects mean different type of fight scenes and choreography. I must admit one of my favourite and hard worked fight scenes to date is with Joey Ansah (Bourne Ultimatum). We worked on the film ‘Underground’ and the fight scene in that wasn’t your typical girl kicks high etc, it was a tough battle and we both came out with bruises, I for one knew when I came out of that, that we’d done a good job. I think as long as an audience can see the fighters really work it, then the fight scene should be cool , but lets not forget is down to the editors after that ha-ha.

Rob: I have attended your screen fighting seminars; and whilst challenging, are most enjoyable. What do you see happening for the stunt team you have created?

Zara: I haven’t created the team, the team have created themselves, a bunch of positive thinking talented people coming together on a common ground. I think the team like other teams in the UK will continue to grow and develop in various projects, whether it is on film, TV, commercials or music video’s. Obviously a lot of them work with me on projects I am sometimes involved with, but they also work on their own stuff too. The team is about being a team, supporting each other in whatever we are doing, whether we are involved in the same project or not, it’s a support and training base. I know you’ll see more of the team in the near future appearing on big and little screens.

Rob: Furor appears to be a change in direction for you. How do you think this project will challenge you Zara?

Zara: hmmm, without giving too much away? Lol Ok , well Furor for me is a acting challenge, you are hopefully going to see some demanding acting from me emotionally, well at least though parts of the film ha-ha. It is a change for me, as all the roles I’ve played so far are tough chicks, and in this for some part I do as well, but there is also a very different type of role for me too, without letting out too much )

Rob: What advice would you give to anyone who is interested in venturing into the martial arts media industry?

Zara: Seek good advice, I’m not the one to give it, I’m still new and a baby to all this. But, there are some good people out there, people who have made it so to speak and with real experience in this industry. They are here in the UK, and they are nice people too. Talk to the action actors that are doing the work out there, I for one have learnt a lot in this last year alone by networking. I’ve been fortunate to work with the likes of Mark Strange, Nathan Lewis, your self, Joey Ansah, all the guys on the Underground project (some awesome peeps on there) also working with George and Mandy at Total Combat has helped me a lot. Network, Network, Network!

Recently I joined the SOOPA 8. An amazing group of models, actors, performers and business venture’s, even through this, networking and gaining knowledge has been incredible. There are a lot of talented and helpful people out there, so again, start networking!

Rob: I got to know you via Myspace. How do you rate Myspace as a networking tool for screen fighters?

Zara: It’s great. We may never have met if it wasn’t for Myspace. Now look at us… we’re working on two films together one in the States & one in the UK, you can’t argue with that! Myspace is great for contacting people you didn’t get opportunity to contact directly before, so for networking it is cool, as long as you keep it professional. However, with every good thing comes the down side, and yes Myspace has its down side too. Like some unprofessional people on there dare I say, in fact, there are a lot of profiles of stars that aren’t really their profiles. I talk to a well known international actor (not going to name him) who actually has 3 myspace sites claiming to be him, although none are!

Rob: How do you juggle your martial teaching with your screen fighting projects? You never seem to rest!

Zara: it’s tough, but I love it so much (teaching and screen fighting) that it doesn’t seem as tough as what it looks on paper. I run a full time business with my academy in Mansfield, the Personal best Academy , here’s my plug – www.personalbestacademy.com ha-ha. I love the place, the students and the fellow team staff. I’m also still a member of the School of Champions Academy, which is still my training home, training these days are limited for sure, the hardest transition is from my usual 7 days a week training (sometimes twice a day) to now juggling between teaching, managing, filming and finding that one moment where I can use the opportunity to train. That is the hardest thing, as training is still my biggest buzz.

Rob: I am fortunate to be a member of your stunt team, and you have become a great friend. What is your philosophy on life Zara?

Zara: To beat you up if you call it my stunt team again lol… Seriously though, I just love life itself, corny, simple I know, but it’s true. I love martial arts as you know, and I seriously love the film industry related stuff, but for me as a person, meeting people, different cultures etc is something that means so much. Being the best person you can be with yourself is surely something to look back on with pride. Have a goal in life, then keep that aim, if you haven’t got goals then how do you live your life?

Rob: Where does Zara Phythian see herself in the future?

Zara: 80 year old woman in the back garden doing her tai chi and loving it ) the rest in between? Well, I intend to enjoy… whatever it may be.

Rob: Thank you very much for doing this interview. I wish you all the success in the future.

Zara: I wish you success too, you thoroughly deserve it sir!

Zara Phythian On Myspace

Personal Best Academy