Team behind the 2010 APM Calendar is back with a new reality show about their experience
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
29 November 2011
Media Contact:
Jason Peers
323.868.8487; jasonpeers@hotmail.com
Mike Manning, star of Real World, D.C., is co-producer of new reality show based on APM Calendar
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—(29 November 2011)—These guys were just too sexy to stay in a calendar.
A year after making their successful debut, the producers behind the 2010 Asian Pacific Male (APM) Calendar are back, this time with a new reality show based on their behind-the-scenes experiences of creating the culturally diverse calendar which simultaneously raised thousands of dollars for charity.
Calendar producer Jason Peers and creative director Nareth Chuon recently wrapped filming the pilot. The two were the masterminds behind the 2010 calendar.
“When we closed the books on the 2010 project, we realized the experience we just had is the same experience you have on any production, whether it’s a calendar shoot or a film, a tv show, a play or a musical,” explained Peers. “There’s natural drama built in to any production, and as we all know, drama makes for great television!”
Peers and Chuon have assembled a new team for the show, including executive producer, Philip Anthony, and other well-known industry players to help take their new project to the next level.
Veteran television producer Carol Ann Shine, whose credits include “Noah’s Arc,” “Noah’s Arc Jumpin’ the Broom,” and various projects for the Showtime network, is attached to produce the series. Shine said the calendar show resonated with her own efforts of raising awareness to benefit charities.
“When this project came across my desk, it had that special something that caught my soul,” Shine said. “The ability to teach an audience the power of their individual and collective actions to do good and then wrap that up in an entertaining package speaks to an audience on many levels.”
“Here you have a group of “Joe Next Doors” who just got up one day and decided they wanted to pool their talents and work together on a project in their spare time,” Shine explained. “Their efforts ended up raising awareness and generated tons of money for a great cause. How in the world can anything get better than that? We hope this series will show that being an agent of change in this world is fun and fantastic and easy once you get the balling rolling”
Actor/activist Mike C. Manning, the 2011 recipient of the Courage Award by LifeWorks for his work with homeless youth in Los Angeles, has joined the team both as a producer on screen as well as behind the scenes. Manning made a name for himself on MTV’s “Real World: DC,” and has since used that platform to become actively involved in non-profit work and speak out on a number of issues.
“When I heard about the calendar project, a project that raises money and awareness for charities, I was excited to get involved,” Manning said. “When you can entertain people and help many others at the same time, it’s a win-win.”
Manning believes this project stands out for a variety of reasons.
“This project is important because it illustrates the ins and outs of charity work and trying to raise money for a good cause,” he said. “If one person’s life is changed by what we’ve done, which undoubtedly will happen, then the effort is well worth it.”
Manning added that he believes people will be inspired by this project because they will see themselves in a lot of the characters.
“Each person has something to offer a project like this, and it’s only after people come together and bring their unique skill set and ideas that you find success,” he added. “This project shows that it really does only take a few people with enough passion to make a big difference.”
Other cast members helping to make a difference are recording artist Sikora, actors Price Troche, Jr. and Khalif Boyd, and photographer Michael Darling.
“Our diverse cast members bring a melange of flavors and POVs to the table with something special to offer,” Shine said of the cast. “Mike Manning is a young man eschewing mindless partying and instead is as an activist who has a bright future ahead of him—whether it’s in tv or film or in public office—he’s ready to be a part of making the world a better place. Of course, Jason and Nareth come to the table having walked down this road before as the masterminds behind the last calendar. Combine them with a dash of new team members who each have success professionally and the show is guaranteed to be the subject of many water cooler conversations. It also helps that that they’re good looking without a dull arrow in the quiver.”
Directed and edited by acclaimed Filipino-American director R.D. Alba, who’s directing credits include 175 episodes of the serial TV drama “KAPALARAN,” the feature film, “BIKITMA,” and the current hit TV show, “RSVP,” the show will highlight the behind the scenes drama of the calendar’s production. Alba believes this project has the ability to make a difference.
“There’s a lot of people and organizations who can directly benefit from this,” Alba said. “We haven’t decided which charity we will work with just yet. There are several to choose from, and at this point, we’re keeping our options open. What was really important with the first calendar was that 100% of their profits went directly to the community health center. With this project, not only do we plan to do the same, but we’re hoping to raise even more money and awareness for our cause.”
“Doing charity work like this isn’t only good for the karma bank,” Manning added. “It has a ripple effect on others that is greater than any of us can imagine. Kind acts beget kind acts.”
The show hopes to go into production sometime in early 2012.
“This show just made sense from the start,” Peers added. “The way the show is intended is to prove that a group of average, every day people can find ways to give back and have fun doing it. Good reality TV doesn’t have to reach for the lowest denominator and hopefully this show can prove that.”
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CAST BIOS
Mike C. Manning, co-producer
Activist/Actor, Mike C. Manning became involved with politics while living in Washington, D.C for MTV’s The Real World. He has since used his platform to speak out on a variety of issues for a number of non-profits and charities and is the 2011 recipient of the Courage Award by LifeWorks for his work with homeless youth in Los Angeles. Mike recently produced his first feature film entitled BLACK HEARTS and appeared in the films ECUPID, THE BROTHERS SINCLAIR and BLACK HEARTS. His hosting credits include the 2010 American Music Awards live for ABC and UStream. Mike is also an avid snowboarding and fitness enthusiast. As the calendar co-producer, Mike brings his charm and charisma along with his contacts and extensive knowledge of working in the non-profit sector to help make the calendar an even bigger success. His big ideas look good on paper, but with Mike’s multiple other projects getting in the way, the team can’t always count on his attention and sometimes that means they’re left handling the hard work. His unexpected relationship with Price spurs tensions and drama with the team.
Carol Ann Shine
Carol Ann has produced numerous award winning shorts, documentaries and feature films. Carol Ann worked as Consulting Producer on Jada Pinkett-Smith’s writing & directorial debut “Human Contract” which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. Carol Ann then produced Rockmond Dunbar’s, directorial debut “Pastor Brown” and the LOGO Network’s first feature film “Noah’s Arc: Jumping the Broom.” Next projects in the pipeline are several that Carol Ann is developing with Rockmond Dunbar, including TV shows, reality programs, and various feature film projects. She is also Co-Founder of Blackhouse a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Independent African- American cinema. Blackhouse was successfully launched at Sundance 2006 and continues its efforts to increasing diversity at major domestic and international film festivals. Born in San Diego, Carol had experience working in the Intensive Care Unit and being a Wedding Planner. She took the challenge of changing her career path. Producing films has allowed Carol to travel the world. With her work on projects like “The Confidant”, “Pastor Brown” and “Forfeit” it’s easy to see that Carol Ann is enjoying her journey. Her learning experiences from her college days at USC to her work on the low budget film “Killer Tomatoes Eat France” gave Carol Ann the organizational and people skills need to be successful in the film business.
R.D. Alba (Filipino): Director
Acclaimed Filipino-American director R.D. Alba recently wrapped filming 13 episodes of the hit TFC show RSVP. His feature film, BIKITMA, which stars Philippine’s top actors Cesar Montano and Angel Aquino, is scheduled for release in 2012. Previously, Alba directed 175 episodes of the serial drama “Kapalaran,” and at the age of 23, was the youngest person ever to helm the show. As a producer, his film PANAGHOY SA SUBA was showcased as an exhibition at Cannes Film festival last 2005.
Sikora (Puerto Rican): Style consultant/stylist
New Jersey’s own hit recording artist Sikora has been entertaining the world for years and shows no signs of slowing down. Sikora’s hit single Ain’t No Stressin’ was featured on the Step Up 2 The Streets soundtrack and was recorded at the Boom Boom Room Studio in Los Angeles with producer Stereo (Christina Milian, Mya, Mario, Fantasia, Corbin Bleu), under guidance from Mitchell Leib, the President of Walt Disney Music. The single was released on the Step Up 2 The Streets soundtrack and raced to #5 on the Billboard 200 charts. His latest song “Earthquake” features a catchy, dance heavy beat and is available on itunes, along with Sikora’s other recordings. Sikora stars in the reality web-series The Sikora Video Diaries on BTV. Sikora is the style consultant/stylist for the calendar and hopes to use his knowledge of what’s hot what’s not, along with his contacts in the recording industry to keep the calendar looking fresh. Sikora’s style can be classified as Jersey-fresh which doesn’t always sit well with the team.
Price Troche (Puerto Rican): Associate Producer
Price recently wrapped filming the upcoming LGBT web series Fabulous High. A versatile actor/singer, Price previously starred as Zanna in the off- Broadway hit Zanna, Don’t in San Francisco and Baby John in West Side Story. Price joins the team as an associate producer with the task of maintaining balance between Mike and Jason. However his flirtatious relationship with Mike leads to tension between the two producers. Known for pushing his ideas and annoying everyone, Price’s can-do-attitude helps the team get things done.
Khalif Boyd (Chinese/Black): Jason’s right hand man
Early on, Khalif had aspirations of becoming a professional basketball player, but later decided that after taking an acting class at his local junior college, that acting fulfilled him more in ways than anything else. Currently earning his B.S. in Kinesiology at Whittier College, Khalif works as a recreational leader for one of USA’s “Playful Cities” rewarded by KaBOOM! where he enjoys conducting classes and activities. Khalif has also began his first professional acting classes at EMASLA. When he is not busy chasing his dreams, Khalif likes to enjoy his time relaxing at the beach with his dog, Maxine or at the “Space Station” where he records music with his friends. Khalif and Jason met on a photo shoot two years ago and the two have been friends ever since. Khalif is Jason’s right-hand man – helping him get the job done and also keeping an eye on the other team member’s on his behalf. Everyone loves Khalif.
Nareth Chuon (Cambodian): Creative Director
A graphic designer and creative consultant for a Los Angeles-based apparel company that manufactures private labels for the junior/contemporary market, Nareth’s always on the lookout for the latest trends in fashion, photography and pop culture. The calendar’s original creative director, Nareth is a genius who’s social calendar always trumps his work one. His work might be brilliant, but he is easily distracted and often misses important deadlines in place of attending events and parties all over town. His antics will drive some team members nuts. Will Mike and Price be distracted by Nareth’s antics or will Jason be able to make sure these three don’t get off track?
Jason Peers: Mastermind/Executive Producer
Jason is the original mastermind behind the calendar. Creating a unique and fun way to give back, Jason’s passion project caught the attention of those around him. Bringing together a top-notch production team, the hottest models available, and building on last year’s success, Jason will do everything in his power to make sure this calendar is a success. Bringing on a new team was the logical next step to making his dreams come true, but he isn’t one to let control go too easily – especially as Mike and Price begin teaming up and getting work done without him.
Michael Darling: filmmaker/director/photographer
Michael Darling’s first major project was the successful science fiction webseries, Alpha Planet, a 12-episode series about a crew sent back to the abandoned planet Earth in search of new life. Since then he has produced several short films including, “Blood Lies”, “Uriel”, and “Sex Offenders” under the name of his startup production company, Rena’sance Robot. He naturally diversified his talents into photography where he has several projects in the works. He is also currently producing his first documentary following Wasteland Weekend set to debut in 2012. Michael comes to the team with a lot of his own ideas and his creative nature isn’t always understood. He’s a professional stuck working with a bunch of amateurs — orat least that’s how he sees it — and the team doesn’t always work hard enough to prove him wrong. Michael’s reputation as a photographer is riding on this project.
A Jade Smith: Make-Up artist
Jade’s a woman of many talents: make-up artist, spin instructor, radio show host and style diva. Listen to her live on Tuesdays at @ GVB Radio or do yourself a favor and catch one of her intense spinning classes throughout LA — she’ll definitely rock your world!
The calendar’s make-up artist, Jade is the only girl in a world of guys – a job she loves. Her infectious smile and love of life that define her. Her ability to listen and not judge set a standard on the production team — she’s the momma of the group — the one the guys run to when something goes wrong.
Philip Anthony
Originally from England and moving to the US at the age of 15 with his military family, Philip has a passion for traveling and working around the world. Acting and Producing for international shows and movies this is his latest venture into reality TV. Just finishing up Co-Executive producing the new hit TFC talk show, “RSVP” Philip has also had experience with serial dramas such as the long running Filipino show “Kapalaran” in which he acted and produced. His new feature film “Biktima,” is due out in early 2012 this movie hopefully will follow in the footsteps of his previous award winning movie” Panaghoy Sa Suba.”
PHOTOS:
Carol Ann Shine
R.D. Alba, Director
Nareth Chuon, Creative Director
Khalif Boyd, Jason's Right Hand Man
Price Troche, Associate Producer
Sikora, Stylist
Philip Anthony
A. Jade Smith, make-up artist
