Today's your lucky day because I'm playing "roving reporter" and interviewing my friend, the talented Kim Killion of HOT DAMN DESIGNS. Follow me…
JENN: {knocks on the door} Kim? Are you here? {Pushes open door}
KIM: I’m in the studio, Jenn. Come on in.
JENN: *Gasps* Um, is now a bad time? {Not that I'm complaining; Kim is rubbing down a half-naked man with baby oil.}
KIM: No, no. We'll talk while I work. We’ve got a dozen models on the schedule and I have zero time for a break. Come over here and give me a hand.
JENN: *My pleasure!* {I work my way passed a kitchen table full of food toward Kim and reach for the baby oil - instead Kim hands me a cowboy hat and a lint brush.}
KIM: Can you clean that up for me while I tell you how this whole thing got started?
JENN: Sure. *grumble, grumble* But you missed a spot. {I point at a particularly delicate spot needing more oil.}
KIM: Oh. Got it. Thanks.
JENN: So, how did you land such an . . . interesting job?
KIM: Well, if you want to know the truth, you were the one who instigated this whole soiree. Remember when we went to the Ozarks for a writer’s weekend? I was complaining about the lack of imagery out there for the book covers I was designing, and you mentioned a friend of yours who should be a model.
JENN: *sigh* Ah, yes, Adam! {I look around. After all, as a friend, I should offer to oil him down for his shoot.} Is he here?
KIM: Yea. He's on set right now.
JENN: {I pause for a moment to take in all the madness around me. There are tables full of props: huge swords, whips, masks, hats galore. There are three women curling hair and one putting make-up on a model. Then I see Adam standing beneath a giant light clutching this girl in the burgundy dress I loaned Kim for the shoot. My heart did a little pitter-patter.}
ANGIE (the photographer): Fierce up! Tighten your muscles! *Click. Click. Click.* Kim, quit feeling up Brooks and get over here.
KIM: {Rushes to center stage and studies the models on set.} Get closer to her, Adam. Her lips. Tighten your abs. Close your eyes. Grab her thigh. That's it. You're a freakin' rock star!
*Click. Click. Click.*
JENN: {I peek at the computer screen where at the pics are popping up.} OMG! These are amazing! But why do they all have a gray background? It seems boring.
KIM: They gray is the easiest to cut out and nine times out of ten, the background will stripped and a landscape of some sort will get put in, like I did on Katy Madison’s, The Wedding Duel or Shari Anton's, Emily's Captain. ANGIE: Excellent! Great job guys. NEXT!
JENN: {Things were too busy for me to get to Adam. As soon as he got off the set, I saw Wendy Drew, owner of Rose’s Bookhouse and fellow MORWA member, grab him and start undressing him.} *Humph.* {I want that job.} Things are moving very quickly here. KIM: We shoot two models every half-hour, which sounds easy enough, but it’s not. The lights have to be readjusted for each set. If there’s a sword, we have to try to light the sword. It takes time to pull in a couch or a chair or drape silk over the floor. Right now Angie and her two assistants are changing the background paper in preparation for the snakes.
JENN: Snakes?!! What has that got to do with romance novels?
KIM: Hell, I don’t know. It’s just cool as hell. I think the shots with the snakes could have paranormal potential. Plus, the models are totally psyched about poses for the "Creature Feature."
JENN: *Shiver* Creature Feature? Who came up with that?
KIM: My "work" husband, Jeff, was the mastermind behind the exotic shots. Oh, there he is now.
JENN: {I turn around and spots two men carrying in huge coolers.}
KIM: I’m actually hoping to target the reptile market with some of the images we’ll take of the snakes and the tarantula. {Kim shifts her eyes toward a gorgeous brunette in a robe walking toward the set.} You ready, Ashley?
ASHLEY: Hell, yeah!
JENN: What’s she getting ready for? {The model drops her robe. She’s naked! I’m startled for just a second, but no one else seems surprised.}
KIM: Look out! Here’s comes Julius Squeezer.
JENN: Julius who? {A man walks passed me carrying an 8’ albino Burmese python.} Holy S**t! {While Ashley rolls around with the snake, Kim and I finally get a chance to step back and talk without interruption.} So, what are your hopes for www.HOTDAMNDesigns.com? KIM: I hope I can provide imagery for covers, websites, and various marketing materials for myself and others working in the creative end of this industry. The models have all signed a contract releasing the pictures that will sell online royalty-free at our sister site www.HOTDAMNStock.com. JENN: How much will they cost?
KIM: The high-res images sell for $30 and the low-res images sell for $20. As you can see, you don’t just grab a couple hotties off the street and stuff them in a gown and waistcoat and then tell them to go at. There’s an immense amount of work that goes into casting the models, lining up the stylists and make-up artist and getting the costumes in order.
JENN: Where did you get all these costumes?
KIM: From friends mostly, but we also rented costumes for the St. Louis Repertory Theatre.
JENN: Where do you get most of your clients?
KIM: A lot of our clients are authors, both new and seasoned. The new authors need websites and marketing material like bookmarks, business cards and ebanners for promotion. We're also acquiring a lot of work from authors who are getting their rights back and putting up their backlist in eformat. They are looking for a means to attract readers and need quality commercial covers. {A commotion in the back of the studio distracts Kim. Her eyes shift to the corner.} Brooks, I think Ed needs some help.
JENN: Who’s Brooks? Who's Ed? What's going on?
KIM: Brooks is a model. Ed brought the snakes and I don't know what's going on. Ed, you all right?
ED: *Groan* Cleopatra sunk her teeth in me! I don’t know what’s wrong with her. I fed her two rats and a rabbit yesterday.
KIM: Ah, bludiy s**t!
JENN: I’m guessing Cleopatra isn’t one of the models?
KIM: Nope. She’s Julius’s 10’ foot mate. {My heart crawls up my throat - along with my breakfast - as I watch them pry Cleopatra’s mouth open so Ed can get his hand free. He’s bleeding all over Hell and half of Georgia. I had to step back until things calmed down and wait while Kim directed a few shots during the tarantula set. Then she introduces me to Ed. He’s got three green tree frogs on his arm. One jumps off him and lands right between Kim’s breasts.}
KIM: *Screams!*
JENN: What kind of picture can you sell with frogs? {I wrinkle my nose with distaste.}
WENDY: Fairy tale ménage a quatre?
JENN: *Whoa!* I don't know if my heart could take that. {Fans self.}
KIM: Oh come on. Stick around. We’re shooting erotic next!
JENN: Well, maybe I could stay a little longer........................
~~~~~
While we're still here at the studio, what questions do you all have for Kim?
And I have a surprise for you! Tomorrow is my birthday so I decided to give one of YOU a gift - 1 of Kim's fantastic stock photos!!!! Your choice :) All you have to do is leave a question or comment to be entered in the drawing, then check back here Sat. morning to see if you're the winner.
Good luck!
And a BIG thanks to Kim for being my guest :)
