RST JOURNAL

July 4, 2004

EVENTFUL WEEK AT ROLL BOUNCE

[rollerskatingtoday.com] - CHICAGO - There was very much happening on and off the set the week of June 28, whether it was humor, drama, friction or aggravation, but there still was PROGRESS in filming.

Some of the outdoor skate scenes were completed with Bill Butler directing one of them and giving input on others. Tyrone Dixon also is wearing many hats and last week found himself doing what he is most familiar with - filming. Bill noted that some on the set were unaware of Tyrone’s skill and experience with videography and production and were surprised to see him behind the camera filming some of the movie scenes.

Michael Johnson is commanding much respect on the set also. He will be the primary one developing the movie's skate routines. Even though choreographer, Ms. Dudley, is also a key figure, her job is more difficult because she is not a skater. She has encountered some resistance from skaters and one suggested that she put on a pair of skates to see if she could do what she was instructing. It appears she has had a very trying time attempting to develop routines for a sport she does not participate in.

Michael, on the other hand, has really been pushed to the forefront since he is a multi-faceted skater and skate choreographer. He showed more of what he is capable of when he developed a last-minute routine which was taped for Bow Wow to review on his bus ride back to Georgia for the July 4 holiday weekend. Bill and he were given very short notice that the tape was needed but they did what they had to do to produce it in time.

MORE SKATER DRAMA

Last week, it was reported that one of the Jamskaters was almost dismissed for his disrespectful behavior on the set. This week, Bill reported that one of the JB/Chicago skaters was almost sent packing for the same reason.

It seems she had begun “ego tripping” and was acting out like she was the main star in the movie. Bill said even Bow Wow, the movie's lead character, has been exemplary on the set and is really doing well in his skate scenes and in taking directions from the crew.

This JB skater, however, was “giving lip” to various crew members, some of whom wanted her to be dismissed after they became fed up with her behavior.

After getting word of how close she was to being thrown out of the movie, this skater straightened her act up and has been on point since then. Even though she is still walking a tight line, it looks like her spot in the movie is secure....for the time being.

- Kim Muhammad -

- Stay tuned for more info in Bill's report -
 

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July 7, 2004

MORE FROM BILL

BB -...This is going to be a serious, serious, serious movie. There are a lot of heavy Black people in the background for this movie.

RST - What are some of the positions they are in?
BB - The location, the guy that finds the locations, that sees that I have a place to rehearse the skaters, he’s the one who finds the houses that we’re gonna use for film, he’s the one that clears the blocks that they need to put all the trucks and stuff, how much space they're gonna need, he’s the one who makes sure of these things....He goes to the different houses and talks to the people who own them, he sets all that up. His name is Mono.

FALLING BEHIND SCHEDULE ON REHEARSALS

RST - How often do you rehearse?
BB - Every chance we get. I’m trying to stay in front of the movie. Right now we’re behind in the movie because that brings up your question, ‘what's up with the rehearsals?’ We’re trying to keep them as close as we can to base camp. We have this one guy who owns a rink right at base camp, a Black guy, and he wants $1000/day to use The Rink [Fitness Factory]. As far as I’m concerned he’s priced himself out of doing business.

MYSTERY OF THE MISSING SKATES

BB - We get on the set, had an early shoot so everybody gets there but nobody's got skates. The guy that had the skates, we hired him the day before to take care of them....I got all of the skates out of the director's dressing room. In the meantime, the skates were supposed to stay there but I gave them to the new guy.

All the cameras are set up, everybody's in place but nobody's got skates, so for 12 minutes everybody was going crazy because we don't have the skates and we’re looking for the guy. I go over to the rink where he’s supposed to meet me and he’s not there so I’m thinking he went to another rink which is a long ways away.

I’m thinking, ‘if it’s too far we’re gonna have to get a helicopter to go get the skates.’ I was thinking about all kinds of stuff. It’s around 8 a.m. and the guy pulls up with his wife. I said, ‘Where have you been?’ He said, ‘‘I’ve been here looking for you.’’......Evidently they went to get coffee and so we go over to the set.

When we got back, the director takes the guy over to the side and tells him how important that skate situation is. Up until that point, nobody acted like they were concerned about those skates and their whereabouts. When the director called me asking where the skates were I said, ‘I’m sorry Malcom, it’s on me because I told the guy to meet me here at 8:00.’

He was supposed to be on the set before going anyplace and he was out getting coffee or whatever, because he told me they were there half an hour earlier. I said, ‘What good is that? When I tell you to be somewhere at a certain time, that's where you have to be....’

That was a panic day. Now the new deal is this, all skates will go to the prop people every time they're done with the use of those skates. They are not to be out of props without somebody in props checking them in or out, that was the law.

RST - I didn't know you were shooting the skating scenes so soon.
BB - Yeah, we’re shooting skating scenes but you've got to remember there's a lot of skating taking place outdoors, we’re not shooting in the rink yet....

RST - So the skaters leave their skates there - they don't take them when they leave?
BB - Yeah, just like everything else has to be there. Now there's somebody in charge of those skates and responsible for them by name, they have to be signed in and out so that doesn't happen again.

RST - Do you need the guy anymore?
BB - We just let him know the seriousness of it and the proper care that has to be taken with those skates all the time, so now everybody knows. That was the scary thing for everybody, including me - scared as to what was happening with those skates. It held things up for 12 minutes, that's how serious it was because everything has the clock attached to it.

When he says “action”, that's exactly what he means. If he can't say that word, that's holding up production which is holding up everything because we need the sun, we can't waste any time because in 12 minutes the sun has moved.

BOW WOW BEING A COMEDIAN

BB - This is going to blow you away. Bow Wow has been telling them about me behind my back, that little fart. He acts just like me, he says, ‘when Bill's teaching, this is what he does.....’ He puts on the one skate, you know sometimes I’ll put on one skate and I’m talking and teaching and he puts the skate on like me. He’s skating around acting like me in front of the cast, while they're setting up he’s putting on his own show. Then he grabs the skate and says, ‘You got that? You gonna bring it to me?’ and he skates around.

So when I get to the set, the drivers tell me how Bow Wow is mimicking me and that he got everybody in stitches. I go up to him and say, ‘So you've been talking about me and mimicking me?’ He jumped on the skates and did a move that looked like me and everybody went crazy. So he’s got everybody laughing about how I teach.....he was so funny. He had everybody cracking up....

I am the oldest person on the set including the drivers, the mechanics, everybody. I am the oldest person on the movie.

RST - Does that make you feel awkward?
BB - No, that makes me the Badass. When I talk, everybody listens and I make things happen.

RST - Thank you.

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July 13-15

July 13, 2004

i returned yesterday from a weekend in chi-town so this week's reports will be coming from lil ole me myself since i was blessed to be able to spend time on the filming set, at rehearsals and even had a chance to meet bow wow and wesley jonathan. also had a chance to see and talk with some of the skaters ......so stay tuned for my reports, interviews and even a few photos.

here is the RST photo report from the july 9-12 chicago trip.  also, stay tuned for more reports from the weekend including some i've entitled:

- Blame it on the Rain and
- Pimps, Playas, Hustlas

July 14, 2004

RST INTERVIEW WITH WESLEY JONATHAN [WJ]
July 12 @ Tinley Park Roller Rink [rehearsal]

I conducted this interview with WJ after watching him rehearse by himself and with Mahaujah, his double. Some of the skaters commented that WJ is one of the few actors who really comes to rehearsals focused and putting real effort into the skating. Even lead actor Bow Wow is sometimes lacking in focus according to some of the skater's observations.

(RST_Kim) -I am really impressed. You're really, really putting some effort into this.
WJ - Are you a skater?

(RST_Kim) - I’m a skater.
WJ - Good. That means a lot coming from you being a skater because I am not and I’ve only been at it four days. I’m a dancer, very athletic and I play ball so it helps. I’m coordinated with my legs and hands but with wheels it’s just a whole different challenge and monster.

I’m determined. I’m a perfectionist. I play the role of Sweetness and he is one of the heavy duty skaters of the film so I gotta make sure I’m right.

Mo, [Mahaujah], my stunt double a.k.a trainer, he’s wonderful. He knows how to translate and break down each move so I can comprehend it. He’s patient, I truly appreciate it and watching Bill and the documentary I studied and learned. I watched [8 Wheels] maybe 21 times - this is before I put on skates. So I was at the same time intimidated, inspired, encouraged but intimidated again because they're genius’’ on skates.

When I get the balance and get that comfortability on the wheels, what I’m gonna do to it and put my own style to it is going to be amazing. I’m gonna start skating after the movie is over so this is a new hobby I’ve created.

(RST_Kim) - What inspired you to want to take this role?
WJ - The character Sweetness is so hilarious. The script was well written, it’s very funny, clean, young and different. It’s tapping into roller skating like a film has never done. It’s new, original - not original because I’m sure someone along the way has written a roller skating movie - but not in this type of form or depth.

I hope and I think it will bring roller skating for quad wheels, not roller blading, because I’m not a fan of roller blades. I’ve never been on them but I just don't think - they're not cool to me, you can't dance like you can on four.

Hopefully it will bring roller skating back to a commercial type standpoint because it’s never gone anywhere it’s just underground. Kind of like breaking or b-boying, You Got Served, is bringing break dancing back to a commercial audience and the fact is that people will get on skates more.

Something about being on skates is very peaceful, you're not gonna see brothers and thugs fighting over some skates. People go, roll, dance, fall and have fun - it’s a peaceful thing. We need that now because everybody's so hostile, stressed out and irritated. [Skating] is a stress reliever, it’s great exercise and it’s fun!

(RST_Kim) - Thank you.

July 15, 2004

KIM’S REPORT - BEHIND THE SCENES
July 9-12, Chicago Illinois

BLAME IT ON THE RAIN

CHICAGO - [rollerskatingtoday.com] - There was heavy rain the afternoon of July 9 that later subsided only to return in full force later that night during a film shoot off of 87th Avenue. Filming was delayed for some time but the rain decided it wasn't going anywhere.

After awhile, the decision was made to go ahead with filming so that part of the script was rewritten to include the storm. Many of us that were there agree that the scene will be much more powerful and intense as a result of being done in the rain.

The scene involved skating from Bow Wow and portions from Bryce Sanders, 16, who doubled for him in the more difficult moves. The young skater was accompanied on the set by his father Steve who found himself traveling down memory lane just from being on site.

“There is a lot of nostalgia here for me,” he said. “I grew up on Kenwood which is a couple of streets over and that car over there is a Wildcat Buick which was my father's first car. It’s pretty exciting.”

His son also was full of excitement about being in Roll Bounce. He has been skating as long as he can remember and describes his style as Chi-town/JB. He notes that being in the film has exposed him to other styles too such as some artistic jumping and Jammin. He believes the effect of this movie on the sport of quad roller skating is going to be “huge.”

He and Bow Wow remained on set to complete the rain scene past midnight and into the early morning hours of July 10. It should be interesting to see the finished scene once the movie hits theaters next summer.

PIMPS, PLAYAS, HUSTLAS

During the shoot, the set received a visit from some distinguished guests. It seems Bow Wow had invited friend Bishop Don Juan and entourage out and heads turned when they showed up - some in pimp suits, diamond studded chalices in hand and see-me-a-mile-away gold pinkie rings *bling-bling!* Prior to this, I wasn't familiar with just who the grand Bishop was but later I found out he is a “former” pimp.

He and his crew arrived right before the big rainfall and when the downpour started they caused some laughs when the ballas ran for cover under one of the tent-like shelters where I and a few of the cast and crew helpers had come for refuge. When the P-I-M-Ps entered, those of us already there moved back to make room for them.

At one point, one of the pimp crew, and it may have been the good Bishop himself, started commenting that he had to urinate, but of course he didn't use that term. He seemed to have reservations though because I was there whereas if there had only been men in the shelter he wouldn't have had a problem.

At first I didn't know what he was talking about but by the time I realized, one of his partners had taken my silence to mean something else.

“She probably wants to see ‘it’”, he said to which I replied, “No, I DON'T want to see it so why don't you all go to the back and cover him.” Some of them proceeded to do just that but the one Negro copped an attitude and said, “Awww, you in the wrong tent. You probably need to be in that E-tent over there.”

I turned around and gave him one of those “NE-gro please!” looks. Evidently he must have mistaken me for one of the chickenheads or hoochies he must be used to in his life. It’s a shame that in 2004 some Black people still are walking around trifling, thugged out and acting the fool.

Shortly after that, the P-I-M-Ps made a run for it back to their cars - I guess they had some party or club to get to - and that was that. Those of us left had a good laugh when somebody commented about never having been in a tent full of pimps before.

Maybe they should have stepped out that night with some diamond studded umbrellas instead of walking around with those chalices. And what exactly does that mean anyway, strutting around with a goblet in your hand - can anyone explain?

My message to that brother that got an attitude at what I said and to all the other Pimps, Playas and Hustlas is....PLEASE STOP THE SELF HATE!

MISCELLANEOUS

I had a chance to talk with Tyrone Dixon about whether or not Nick Cannon was to be in the film as advertised. He said Cannon will be in the film but not in a starring role. Since his last film did not do well at the box office the studio did not want to cast him as a lead character in Roll Bounce. So he will be in the film but not in a major role.

According to Tyrone, Nick really didn't want to do the film at all but because he is under contract he pretty much has to do whatever the folks controlling the strings say. Personally, I don't like the sound of that because it brings to mind the term “modern day slavery” but I guess that's one price a lot of entertainers are paying to be “in the industry.”

Evidently, the powers that be are using Cannon's name, whether Cannon likes it or not, as a draw even though he won't play a major part in the film.

----

Without the input of skaters like Bill Butler, Michael Johnson and himself, Tyrone feels the Roll Bounce script might just be laying on some executive's desk somewhere. But he senses there is more to it than that.

“It’s not even me and Bill, it’s The Man upstairs,” he said. There are so many things that have just come together perfectly, (for instance, how the doubles for the actors seem to match so well as far as being similar in height, weight, skin tone, etc.), that it seems an unseen hand is definitely at work in this “huge collaborative effort.”

Also, as mentioned above, the film is not scheduled to be released until next summer since that's the season the movie takes place in and it would be best to release it at that time rather than this fall or winter.

- Stay tuned for more RST Behind The Scenes reports -

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July 20, 2004

BILL'S REPORT
July 19, 2004

HOW SWEET IT IS

RST - How are things going?
BB - Serious, it’s getting hot. The group is coming together, I got footage. We have to send Malcolm tapes of our work everyday . He hasn't disliked any yet. He saw The Cocky Boys today, The Candy Girls and Sweetness. Sweetness is serious. He’s still on it and doing some heavy stuff - he’s hustling.

We go into Sweetwater next month, August is a serious month - that's when we wrap. It’s the beginning of the end.

RST - How are the other groups coming along as far as getting their routines down?
BB - They're coming along great. We just really started Sweetness’ group and already they're coming together. Wesley's the man.

200 EXTRAS NEEDED

RST - Recap last week, the routines, anything out of the ordinary happen?
BB - Now we’re starting to get down to the groups, how we’re going to have them perform. We’re getting ready for the competition so we have to stage that. We’ve got to get 200 extras on the case.

RST - Do you know what they are specifically looking for in these 200?
BB - You have to be able to skate exceptional because I’m sure there were a lot of people who were cast that could have filled the bill more, but we’re trying to do White kids. It’s an integrated movie so we’ve got to make sure they are in it.

There are going to be eight groups of five skaters so we have 40 skaters, the core group, that is cast already but now we’ve got to get them going. We’ve got to critique all of their stuff to really make it happen.  We’ve got to bring Bow Wow in today, we’re going back to Tinley. I think we’re there all this week except Wednesday when we have to go on the set.

MISTAKEN INTENTIONS

The lady at that rink, she's my age, she be talking trash - she's funny. So [her] son said, ‘in order to get to her you got to go through me.’ He thought I was hitting on his mama. She's cool but that ain’t my thing. He thought I was trying to back up to her ramp.

RST - So he thought you were trying to holla?
BB - Yeah. He said I got to go through him to get to mama but ain’t that much going through in the world. Go on now-don’t get me started! *laugh*

GOT TO GET IT RIGHT

We start filming in the new spot in August, from the 3rd to the 23rd, around that time. We should be done after that. Everybody's jockeying for position and there's a lot of [stuff] going on. We’re in the middle of this month, today's the 19th, so we’ve got to get it together.

God works mysteriously, we’re going to have to see how it works out, that's what I'm counting on. I just know the best thing is going to happen for this movie because God is in the plan so I’m sticking with Him. I want him to guide me so that's what I pray for - guidance. Get around the whole deal and try to get it done scratch free because it’s not right now and we’re bordering on the end so we’ve got to get it right.

RST - How's Mike [Johnson] holding up?
BB - He’s the king of the hill. It’s light stuff for him to develop and remember all the routines, it’s the [skaters] who don't remember the stuff. They have to remember.

- More later -

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July 23, 2004

ROLL BOUNCE
MICHAEL JOHNSON's [MJ] Report
July 20, 2004

RST - What's the latest?
MJ - The latest is everybody's hanging out...in terms of the movie everything is coming together. Sweetness’ team's routine has a ways to go but everything's coming together. The groups are finally gelling with some work left to be done.

Bow Wow hasn't come in yet so it’s going to be really hard for him to catch up on the routines. I think what's going to happen is they may have me do most of his moves/skate parts, match what I do on the bottom and put him on top. I think that's what they may do because I don't think he’s going to be able to learn the two routines, plus the solo that he has to do within this week. They're going to start taping next week, I think.

RST - They'll be filming his part next week?
MJ - Yeah, they're gonna start taping the skate scenes next week and I don't think he’s gonna have enough time but we’ll wait and see how much he’s going to catch on - it’s gonna be tough. The other actors are coming along. They're looking a lot better.

Ricky [Gonzalez], the Puerto Rican guy is gonna be a problem so Anthony [Camacho] may have to do a lot of his skating also but the other actors are o.k. They know most of the routines.

RST - So Anthony's doubling for Ricky?
MJ - Yes, for Naps, that's the character's name. [His skating] is pretty weak, he’s gotten a lot better but is still pretty weak so I don't know if he’ll be able to do most of the skate scenes, maybe on top but not the bottom.

In general, we’re coming along pretty good, the doubles are getting in sync with the moves - not as tight as I’d like it to be but it looks pretty good. Ms. Dudley’s also pretty pleased because she saw what's happening so she's not as anxious as she was in previous weeks - so that's good to know.

We’re supposed to have the groups coming in every so often, I’m not sure how that's going to be worked out. We’re supposed to have seven or eight teams of five skaters and they're supposed to be part of the montage at the end where different groups skate around in the rink. That's gonna be interesting, figuring out when we’re going to have them come in for rehearsal and what we’re going to do in terms of finding some kind of parts in the skate scenes for them. That should be interesting.

RST - That's the seven or eight groups that are in the competitions?
MJ - Yes.

RST - Bill was saying you need 200 extras, will that include some of them too?
MJ - The extras are people to fill in space to make the rink look crowded but we have seven or eight teams that will be doing their own routines. We haven't yet gotten them in to work with them, they're supposed to have them come in so we can look at their routines, sharpen/tighten them up, make it look the way it’s going to work for the film.

RST - So you haven't seen them yet?
MJ - Exactly. We’re supposed to schedule two teams a day to practice all day so we can see them and work with them but that hasn't been scheduled yet. We’re hoping that once they come in they'll have their routines already practiced and ready. It should be a lot easier for us to tell them what to do, how to do it, etc.

RST - Is that the Jamskaters and is there a JB group too?
MJ - Yeah, there are Jamskaters, a JB group - it’s mostly going to be JB groups and some free skaters, [artistic], they're really excellent, some girls who are like top skaters in the country that compete in nationals. They happen to be from this area.

The rink we practiced at, [Fleetwood], they have two of the artistic skaters there that came in first and second for the region. They're training right now for nationals. So we have a range of different styles in the groups but no Detroit groups which I would have liked but we have to do without that. It would be too much to try to get a group here. In general, it should be o.k.

They haven't started filming yet, that starts next week, either Tuesday or Wednesday, [July 27 or 28.] Everything after that will be skating scenes so I’m sure - I don't have the schedule - but most of it’s going to be skate scenes from now until the end.

From what I’ve seen, it’s not going to be that quick. We’re going to have to do all day shoots and come back and do more the next day. It’s gonna be a process, unless they change entirely and rewrite the skate scenes but as far as I see, it’s gonna be a lot of whole day [shoots]

RST - What are your plans for after the movie?
MJ - Going back to New York for a week then going to Atlanta for Skate-a-thon. After that, depends on what's happening in terms of any offshoots of anything, otherwise, I’ll go back and continue my real estate investments and other business I’m working on.

But if something comes up in terms of doing teaching or videos then I’ll have the time to do that, but I definitely have things back in NY that I can do and am pretty flexible to be able to travel and do things.

RST - I would think some videos would come out of this.
MJ - Yeah, if some videos come out of it I’ll try to see if I can either help direct, choreograph or even skate it so there are a couple of options that could be opened up. I’m keeping my options open and trying to learn as much as I can to be able to do whatever comes up. Kind of what I’m doing right now, I’m being very open to learn and at the same time enjoying myself and taking advantage of everything that comes up. It’s pretty cool.

- Stay tuned for future reports -

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July 28, 2004

BILL'S REPORT
07-25-04

BB - Recapping last week, Michael J is tutoring Bow Wow, we’re bringing him up to snuff and I got Mike working closely with Ms. Dudley to bring in all the groups that are going to be in the competition. So I’m directing all the skating and Michael is tutoring when he needs to do it, i.e., he’s a pivotal person in this film.

All rehearsals are serious at this point and we’re starting to get people ready for the montage and bringing in the extras so day by day our workload's going to be increased.

RST - Is the montage an after scene of the movie or is it in the movie?
BB - It’s going to be during [the movie]. These eight groups represent the skate off that's gonna be a competition, that's what it’s all about. Everybody's trying to win something but the two killers are gonna be Sweetness (Wesley Jonathan) and X (Bow Wow).

RST - Are you going to be in the montage?
BB - I’m going to be a floor guard, I think, but it’s not written in stone - it’s a possibility.

RST - You're starting to film the skating scenes, so how will that work as far as having time for rehearsals?
BB - We got 20 days of shooting roller skating. At the end of this month and for the duration of the film it’s gonna be all skating so the movie's picking up speed....I figure we’re behind schedule just by virtue of the magnitude of the film. I always feel we’re behind because I don't feel we’re ahead. I can't sit here and tell you, ‘man, I’ve got these skaters waiting in the wings and they've got all these dynamite routines,’ I don't have that, I’m not that comfortable yet. I’m comfortable that we’ll do it but at this point it’s going to be tougher than it should have been.

The actors have so much to do, it’s not their fault, it’s just the way things are going. Now, we’re forced to get it together because all the rest of the film is almost done so it’s just the skating now.

RST - Is there still a lot of jockeying going on?
BB - Yeah, there's gonna be some of that for a minute until we get everybody zeroed in.

......I already let them know I don't want no crazy sh*t.... I was getting ready to throw the towel in. I was talking to one of the assistants to one of the directors...and I was telling him, ‘At this point I’m just going to do what they ask me to do, I’m not bringing nothing extra.’ When Malcolm heard that, he called me up and apologized to me because I wasn't invited to that meeting [that Saturday I went out of town], they had this meeting without me here.

He apologized for that and told me, ‘If you at any point are getting ready to throw the towel in,’ and this is just how he said it, ‘If you plan on leaving me, you call me direct, because you and Michael are key in this movie, I want you to understand that.’

When he told me that I immediately took charge that same day. I got on the case, scared the sh*t out of Ms. Dudley and everybody else. I went nuts, that's why I got that call this morning.... Malcolm don't want no sh*t, don't [mess] with Bill B. and Michael J. He said, ‘You and Michael are essential in this movie, I want you to understand that Bill.’ I said, ‘Thank you boss, I’ll take care of business.’

- Stay tuned for more updates -

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