Jamskating Magazine (JSM) recently conducted
an interview, (via email), with RST's Kim Muhammad (KM) about her experiences
on the set of "Roll Bounce." The feature, found in the current May/June
2005 issue, includes a brief portion of the interview which is being posted
below in its entirety.
JSM - How and when did you become involved in
roller skating?
(KM) - I don't recall when I first started skating
but I have been skating since I was a little girl and still remember the
metal clamp skates I used to skate on. I became more dedicated and
serious about skating as a weekly routine in the early '90s, when I was
in my mid-20s.
JSM - How big of a part of your life is roller
skating now?
(KM) - I skate at the rink 2-4 times per month now,
down from a time when I was skating 2-3 times per week, however, most times
that I am listening to music - whether in the car, in the kitchen or watching
music videos - I am skating "in my mind," envisioning what skate moves
I could perform to certain songs.
JSM - How did you get to be “behind the scenes”
throughout the filming of Roll Bounce?
(KM) - Through contact with Mr. Bill Butler, the
originator of the "Jammin" technique which key skaters in the film are
students of. He authored "Jammin" in the 1970s at a time he was considered
to be the "godfather" of disco roller skating. Roller Skating Today
(RST) has run his online column, Good Jammin News, since 2002 and as Roll
Bounce's Skate Technical Advisor, he provided weekly "Behind the Scenes"
reports to me via phone which I posted on the website. In visiting
Chicago, last July, it was my pleasure to be welcomed onto the set as his
special guest.
JSM - Was this your first time on a film set?
If so, what was the experience like witnessing it for the first time?
(KM) - Yes and my experience spanned the spectrum
from positive to negative but I won't focus on the negative. It was
amazing to see the activities from how the lighting is set up, how detailed,
busy and in demand the food/refreshment crew was, costuming, the takes
and re-takes of scene after scene, the moments of silliness engaged in
by some of the teen actors which sometimes caused director Malcom Lee to
yell out, "Cut it out!" The assistant director's outstanding patience
in having to daily remind the cast and crew to be quiet on the set.
One time she had to stop everything and ask for complete silence in order
to again reemphasize that they [the production staff] needed skaters and
crew to help them specifically by being silent during filming.
The few days I was there, Bill skated during lunch breaks and one afternoon
put on a spontaneous show with his assistant Michael Johnson and Anthony
Camacho, (one of the main doubles). The staff and crew were blown
away to see Bill, who, by the way, is 70 years old, do what he does best
- i.e., skate like there's no tomorrow.
His assistant Michael was responsible for all the major skate choreography
that viewers will see in the film and he also blew the production staff
away. Anthony has known and studied with Bill for many years and
the show they put on was special to see because it showed 3 generations
of skaters display the type of skating that is so much more than just rolling
around in circles - like many people assume goes on at a skating rink.
A few other skaters and myself joined Bill on other days to skate during
lunch so I can say I was one of the fortunate few outsiders who got to
skate on that "Sweetwater" floor - Sweetwater being the name of the rink
where the main film action takes place.
Overall, being on set was an exciting, educational experience and of
course, I spent a good amount of time interviewing skaters for RST's reports
which can still be read on the site in the RST Roll Bounce journal.
JSM - What did you learn being on the set?
(KM) - I learned to have a great deal more respect
for film actors, doubles and extras after seeing what was required of them,
especially the doubles and extras. Being in a film is not all glamour
and glory until after filming is done and the movie goes on to be a "hit."
The five key doubles were on set everyday, from early a.m. to late at night.
The schedule was grueling and some commented that it was difficult to take
care of their personal business because they had to be on set at all times...not
to mention the added discomfort of lack of air conditioning on the set.
I could come and go as I pleased so I felt for them many times as I
would walk around the set seeing many of them laid out on the floor trying
to get just a little sleep. By the end of filming, it's safe to say
that many of them were completely exhausted yet still grateful for the
opportunity to be part of something that will greatly elevate and promote
their expression and form of skating.
JSM - What, if anything, do you think the release
of Roll Bounce will do for the skating community?
(KM) - Skaters around the world will begin taking
what they do much more seriously. There will be more of a (positive)
competitive atmosphere about going to the skating rink as serious minded
rollers seek to improve on and then show off new moves and their much worked
on "skills."
JSM - Do you believe that any of the actors/staff
(producers, directors, etc.) realize that there is a huge skating community
out there still? What do you think they learned about skating by
being a part of this production?
(KM) - They had no idea of how popular quad roller
skating was but once they saw the skill level and the number of quality
skaters brought in for key roles, they knew. They also saw many avid
adult skaters from across the country come to be cast as extras or just
to get a feel for what was going on. Many of those skaters are certain
this film will result in a summer skate explosion.
The actors and staff found out just how seriously skaters took this
movie which for most of them was just another addition to their film resumes
or portfolios. They witnessed firsthand the tremendous passion and LOVE
skaters had for what they do on eight wheels. Wesley Jonathan, who
co-stars opposite Bow-Wow, was so taken by what he saw that he said he
planned to become a regular skater and would continue skating after the
end of filming. True to those words, he was seen at the big Atlanta
skate extravaganza last September.
JSM - Do you predict that Roll Bounce will start
a new roller skating craze?
(KM) - Absolutely! After seeing some of the
awesome moves the film's skaters performed, I predict that after this summer,
many non-skaters will be flocking to their nearest skating rink and many
casual skaters will be motivated to "step up their game." Going to
the rink will no longer be about "hanging out with friends" but will be
about taking this SPORT and the skill of quad roller skating to a level
it has never been on before.
JSM - Thanks for your input Kim.
Posted 05/23/05
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