More reasons to love Fort Worth, Texas:

1. James Johnston
2. Magnolia Avenue

In addition to making films, James makes food. Most know him as the co-owner of Fairmount’s Spiral Diner but his filmmaking career is gaining steam.

I shot James early Sunday morning, 6:45-ish a.m., perched in a director’s chair in the middle of Magnolia Avenue. James and his wife, Amy McNutt, co-founded Spiral Diner and moved it to the current location on Magnolia Avenue in 2002. Says James, “I’m not too humble to say I think [the Spiral has] helped this neighborhood become what it is.”

So, Magnolia seemed like the perfect spot for James’ cover photo for a Fort Worth Weekly feature by Kristian Lin. I can cheerfully report that traffic on Magnolia is sparse at 7 a.m., on Sundays, hence, we were never at risk. One lady who saw me kneeling in the center lane fishing for a fresh flash card, thought I was stroking out and stopped to ask if I was okay. Upon seeing my camera, she said, “Oh my, you’re just taking photos,” and sped off.

I was grateful. I love this town!!!

Oh, and it turns out that James is the godson of my college buddy and fellow periodista, Mike Hinshaw.

Another reason to love Fort Worth–we’re all only one or two degrees from knowing everybody in town!

These and other images from The Robert Hart Studio are available in my searchable online archive:

My cover assignment for Fort Worth Weekly‘s coverage of the independent film Ticked Off Trannies With Knives involved shooting two performers, one director and one protester. I was able to shoot the film’s antagonist, Tom Zembrod, and protester and transgender person, Kelli Busey, in my studio. But Krystal, star of the film, and my cover subject, and Israel Luna, the film’s writer/director, had to be shot on location in Dallas.

My assistant, Amber Roark, and I met Summers at S4 in Oak Lawn at 8 p.m. We had an hour to unload, schlep the lights up a flight of stairs, set up, shoot and tear down.

Summers met us at the back entrance of the club and ushered us to the stage where we set up lights while she vanished into her dressing room to get into costume and makeup.

Fort Worth Weekly art director, Andrea Brentz, and I had discussed a cover that would be evocative of the pulp fiction novel covers of the 50s. Beyond that, Brentz gave me free rein to do whatever I wanted with the subjects. The goal with Krystal, as heroine, Bubbles Clicquot, was to depict a powerful and angry woman.

We lit Krystal with one of the Profoto 600 monolights in a 36-inch softbox as our main light. We used two blue-gelled Nikon speedlights for a rim light on her hair and left side to separate her from the dark background.

Brentz photoshopped in the blood-stained knife clutched in Summers’ right hand.

This and other images from The Robert Hart Studio are available in my searchable online archive:

Friday night featured an outdoor screening, on an inflatable screen, at El Cosmico of “The Athlete, a film by Davey Frankel and Rasseleas Lakew.

Marfa Film Festival participants gather at The Filling Station, sponsored by Cafe Bustelo.

This and other images from The Robert Hart Studio are available, here, in my searchable online archive:

Actress and executive producer, America Ferrera, was in Marfa today to promote her latest film, The Dry Land, an intense and riveting drama that explores one American soldier’s return from Iraq and his struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Ferrera teamed up with filmmaker Ryan Piers Williams, as both leading lady and executive producer. She portrays the soldier’s wife.

Ferrera and Williams paused for photographs at the Marfa pavillion shortly before their interview with Marfa Public Radio. This and other images from the Marfa Film Festival are available through ZUMAPress.com

This and other images from The Robert Hart Studio are available, here, in my searchable online archive:

The third annual Marfa Film Festival got underway yesterday evening to the sound of Cinco-appropriate mariachis, two excellent Mexico-centric films and plenty of Patron and New Belgium libations. Post-film viewing, rock music played into the night, but not far into the night as Presidio County sherrif’s deputies showed up in force–I counted five officers–two hours before the midnight curfew. I suppose you gotta keep a close eye on these artist-types. You never know when they’re likely to go all minimalist on your ass.

Despite the chilling effect of Presidio County’s finest, the crowd kept their chill and dispersed into the night.

Marfa Film Festival founder/director, Robin Lambaria, kicked off the third annual festival Wednesday afternoon at the Crowley Theater.

This and other images from The Robert Hart Studio are available, here, in my searchable online archive:

It’s time to saddle-up and head west again. Marfa is holding its third annual film festival May 5-9 and I’ll be there covering it for clients old and new.

Elizabeth Redwine, of Redwine Campaigne, the agency handling publicity for the festival, told me this morning that Lou Reed’s film Red Shirley is featured at the festival and it marks Reed’s directorial debut. Diane Bell, director and writer of Obseldia and many more films, will be on hand as well. The whole festival lineup lists an impressive menu of films and filmmakers. Of course, the best thing about any gathering in Marfa is the opportunity to meet other artists, and the film festival will pack them in.

It’s also an excuse to slide down to Terlingua and sip fine whisky with Blair and hop over to Valentine to check in on Boyd. Although I expect Boyd will turn up at the festival his ownself. In fact, I expect the two of them will make an appearance.

I just wrapped up a project involving five stunning actresses from the Fort Worth/Dallas stage and film scene. Brilliant, beautiful and a blast to work with, all five were delightful collaborators. It included three actresses, Jennifer Sipes, Juli Erickson and Morgana Shaw, from “Carried Away“, Tom Huckabee’s film.

Tom’s film was featured at the Dallas Film Festival, which is wrapping up this weekend. Two of the actresses, Stephanie Rhodes and Arianne Martin were featured in Frank Mosley’s film, “Hold“, also featured at DFF.

Both “Carried Away” and “Hold” were filmed in Texas using the best of north Texas’ stage, film and production talent.