Interview
with Richard Cooper, publisher of Screen Power the
official Jackie Chan magazine.
Richard
was kind enough to lend us a moment of his time to
talk to us about his work. Many of you are probably
familiar with his magazine called Screen Power, it
is the official Jackie Chan magazine fully devoted
to this talented movie star. We are going to find
out what is involved in running such a publication
and what it is like working with Jackie Chan himself.
So sit back and enjoy this extremely informative interview
with Richard Cooper.
[KFC
Cinema]: Why did you start this magazine
and how did it all start out from there?
[Richard
Cooper]: I think it's more of a question
of "Why didn't anyone else in the world try and
start it before me!" (laughing). I first had
the idea of wanting to publish "An All-Official
Jackie Chan Magazine" back in late 1996. At that
time I was only about twenty years old so I didn't
really have a clue how to go about doing it. All I
remember was having this huge amount of enthusiasm
inside (laughing).
Maybe
some people are good at business - but publishing
a magazine is a bit different than just being good
at business... so I read up anything on the "Publishing
Business" for a couple of months and tried to
find myself a firm position as to where to go to next.
The
main reason I wanted to do the magazine was because
I was bored of all the other magazines in the West
that covered Jackie Chan and his films. I used to
remember getting so annoyed that magazines would put
Jackie on the front cover, and inside all you would
find was a page or less on him - but the news was
old anyway and the photos they published were pathetic
and boring. The fact that these mainstream magazines
were putting Jackie on the front cover convinced me
that there was a big enough market out there in the
West for such a publication. I also remember reading
the "Letters Page" in all those film and
martial arts magazines - and pretty much all the letters
were about Jackie! So after a lot of thought I did
finally decide that I should go for it.
[KFCC]:
What was the hardest obstacle for you to get started?
[Richard]:
As you would imagine the hardest obstacle was obviously
trying to convince Jackie and his Managers Willie
Chan and Solon So that letting me publish the magazine
was a good idea. Luckily for me, and I should also
tell you that in January 1996 I launched the UK Division
of Jackie's International Fan Club, so Jackie, Willie
and Solon did know me already - not really well at
that time but they did know I existed! (laughing)
but there's a huge difference from running a Fan Club
to publishing an all-Official Jackie Chan Magazine
for the world...
Incredibly,
it didn't take a lot to convince them about the magazine.
The main thing they were concerned about was the "Time"
factor... I mean this was a time when Jackie had suddenly
exploded into the West with Rumble in the Bronx and
First Strike so they were pretty much working 7 days
a week, 18 hours a day and spending half the month
on the plane so they were concerned that they wouldn't
have enough time to help me with the magazine. But
I explained that it didn't matter and lets see how
we got on, and I am proud to say that since the first
issue launched three years or so ago everything works
like a charm.
[KFCC]:
Have you had many opportunities to meet Jackie Chan
in person being the editor of Screen Power? What is
he like in person?
[Richard]:
I am the luckiest guy in the world! Really. I was
a fan of Jackie's since I was 10 or 11 and the fact
that I was allowed to run his UK Fan Club was incredible
enough but things nowadays resulting from being the
editor of Screen Power are just amazing. In answer
to your question - yes, I have met Jackie many times
all over the world. He is the most amazing person...
so down to earth, friendly, funny, generous and giving
- and that's so good to know considering he is one
if not *the* biggest movie stars on the planet. I
have met other well known people and they are not
even 10% as famous and successful as Jackie and they
are so stuck up and just horrible - Jackie is one
of the rare people who gives celebrities a good name!
[KFCC]:
How many people work on producing an issue of Screen
Power?
[Richard]:
I am the editor and publisher of Screen Power - and
that it itself is more than a full time job. Then
we have our designer and about five or so active writers
based in England, Hong Kong and America.
[KFCC]:
Is this a monthly magazine?
[Richard]:
Nope. It's bi-monthly so we publish six issues a year.
With six issues we can make sure each issue is of
the highest standard. We have to! After all, Screen
Power is "The Jackie Chan Magazine". Publishing
six issues is also great because it means I'm allowed
to have a somewhat normal life too! (Laughing).
[KFCC]:
Is the magazine distributed world wide, what are the
most popular areas?
[Richard]:
The most popular areas are England, America, Europe,
Canada and Australia. But these are the areas we were
always aiming the magazine at anyway. I mean the last
place Jackie needs publicity and I mean good publicity
in is Asia. There are numerous publications in Asia
that serve Jackie well enough.
There
is distribution to these countries and also there
is the old method of "subscription". I think
most people like subscribing because in these busy
times they make sure they don't miss out on an issue
and also the magazine is delivered straight to their
door.
[KFCC]:
Is there really enough material on Jackie Chan to
base an entire magazine on him?
[Richard]:
Yes! Because he is always working... he can't sit
still for two minutes! (laughing). In fact he works
too hard and I find it hard to keep up with everything
in his schedule. For example in the latest issue there
is coverage of a visit Jackie made to a group of young
school kids in America in September 2000 - but it's
only just gone in the late February issue - why? Why
has it taken five months for this report and photos
to get published? The answer is because there are
other things outstanding that had the priority before
it (laughing). I sometimes think that Jackie makes
my job so easy by keeping busy all the time with numerous
projects and activities around the world. But then
I think how difficult he makes it because all these
projects and activities have to be accounted for,
planned out, written up, designed, published and then
distributed... and thinking that each issue comes
out every eight weeks and you have almost 50 pages
to fill up - that's not a lot of time... so sometimes
things are a little crazy with publishing deadlines...
but it's always fun!
[KFCC]:
How do the Jackie Chan fans around the world like
Screen Power?
[Richard]:
All the responses have been extremely positive which
is really nice. Judging from all the letters and emails
we have received everyone loves the magazine. Screen
Power is very much in tune with all it's readers...
I mean some magazines you just read once and then
put it aside or put it in the bin - but with Screen
Power all our readers pick up the magazine time and
time again even after they have read it... and they
won't put it in the bin... instead they'll buy a Screen
Power Magazine Binder and put each issue in the binder
for safe keeping... and they won't just read the magazine
and that's it! They will be encouraged to send us
an email or write us a letter to give us their valuable
opinions. It's magazine, of course, but we do aim
to make each issue as personal as we can. After all,
we have subscribers in remote places such as Brazil,
Ukraine, and tiny villages in Northern Europe so chances
are they may never ever get to see Jackie in person
but because they read Screen Power they will hopefully
get something back and at least have something they
can feel connected too and I know it works because
all the emails, letters, and "Thank You"
cards prove it.
One
thing Screen Power is not and that's just a whole
load of glossy paper folded over and stapelled. It's
more than that to a few thousand people around the
world every eight weeks - six times a year.
[KFCC]:
Jackie Chan or Jet Li (we already know the answer,
just curious on your thoughts)?
[Richard]:
Well, that's a really difficult question considering
I'm on the Jackie Chan Camp (Laughing). They are both
two very talented guys doing their own thing. The
only thing I will say is that Jackie has his own magazine
and Jet Li doesn't! So make of that what you will...
(Laughing).
[KFCC]:
What's your relationship like these days with Jackie
and his Managers after publishing Screen Power for
the last three years or so?
[Richard]:
It's very good, I am proud to say. We do have a very
good working relationship. I'd like to call it "A
unique bond". Over the last few years of working
together many things have happened, many things have
been said and done and because of these factors there
is a great amount of trust between us.
Because
they are always busy working and traveling around
the world filming, and because I am somewhat restricted
and tied down with publishing deadlines in England
we don't get to all see each other a great deal. In
2000, we were together in Hong Kong, Istanbul and
the UK - so that's about nine/ten days out of 365
days last year. So although we don't see each other
all the time there are always faxes, telephone calls
and the odd email between us. But to work together
and to be good friends - you don't always have to
see someone all of the time anyway.
I
am also very proud to say that I am no longer a Jackie
Chan fan! Of course I am still a big fan of Jackie's
movies... who isn't? But these days I am not a fan
- I'm Jackie's friend and that's something I really
treasure. In fact I treasure it more every day.
What
else can I say? I am a very lucky guy with the best
job in the world! I love what I do and I couldn't
honestly see myself doing anything else apart from
this. And I guess I must be doing an "OK"
job because Jackie, Willie and Solon haven't fired
me yet! (Laughing).
[KFCC]:
Any funny stories to tell about life working with
Jackie Chan and his Managers?
[Richard]:
The strangest thing for them I think is that they
have seen me grow up from this skinny enthusiastic
kid just out of his teens to me now getting older.
So I think that's quite funny for them. I also think
it's funny that pretty much every time I see them
they will nearly always punch me in the shoulder!
I got worried when it first happened a couple of years
ago because I thought they didn't like me anymore!
(laughing). But I found out afterwards that the Chinese
do that when they like someone - kind of like a respect
thing. So I don't mind at all nowadays when they punch
me (Laughing). Except for last year after the UK Premiere
of "Shanghai Noon"... Jackie was joking
around inside "Planet Hollywood" after he
met some fans and he turned around to me and started
bobbing and weaving like a boxer and he ended up punching
me in the stomach (laughing)... it wasn't a fast punch
or necessary a hard punch but because it was the stomach
it can just catch you off guard a little and make
you take a few extra breaths! (Laughing). I would
say that I will remember next time to block that area
but even today he's incredible fast, agile, and sneaky!
Sometimes he won't even punch... I remember when I
was in his London hotel where he was having a photo-shoot...
so it's quite serious work really for Jackie and I
was walking along the corridor with his Manager Willie
Chan, and Jackie just comes up behind me and does
this kind of tiger claw thing on my shoulder, sniggers
and walks on by! It's weird because you are still
thinking... "Why did he do that?". Jackie
certainly is a joker... he likes to have fun. I think
it's because he had to grow up so quickly as a kid
and be strong at that Peking Opera School when his
parents left Hong Kong for Australia he missed out
on the normal fun kids have at the age 7 and upwards
- so he's making up for it today.
[KFCC]:
Do you have any upcoming projects in the works?
[Richard]:
Yes, I have just published our first Screen Power
book and Jackie very kindly wrote his own foreword
for it. The book is 144 pages and features the best
of the interviews, reviews, set reports from all the
previous issues of the magazine so far. The response
to the book has been great... and there are not many
copies left, so if anyone is interesting in obtaining
a copy for themselves then they can purchase a copy
on the Screen Power website at: www.screen-power.com
The
next big project for us is a new magazine. Apart from
Jackie's films, I am also a big Hong Kong movie watcher
too. Our new magazine is called "Jade Screen"
and it will focus entirely on the Hong Kong movie
scene. We were all getting bored with other magazines
in the West that featured Hong Kong movies so I took
a little time out to what the people, the readers,
wanted to see and read that these other magazines
weren't already doing or covering - and actually it's
quite a big list (Laughing) and we aim to improve
on that with the launch of "Jade Screen".
The first issue will launch in May 2001 and people
can find out all about the magazine at: www.jade-screen.com
There
are some really great new young talents on the Hong
Kong Movie scene... Daniel Wu and Edison Chen to name
two of the best out there and there are some great
new movies being made that are doing incredibly well
and being snapped up by Columbia Tri-Star and Miramax
for Western releases so there's some much to cover
in "Jade Screen".
I
hope when "Jade Screen" launches everyone
who likes Hong Kong movies will check it out and let
us know what they think... What do they like? What
don't they like? What star do they really want read
an interview with? I am looking forward to exposing
all these great films and new young talents to everyone
in "Jade Screen".
Well
there you have it, this certainly gives us a better
idea of what is involved running a magazine like Screen
Power. It also goes to show you that when you dream
of something and really make an effort you can accomplish
great things. It all comes down to doing what you
love and for Richard this is certain a labor of love.
We
at KFC Cinema wish him luck and success in future
projects, we will especially be paying close attention
to Jade Screen, his upcoming magazine dedicated to
Hong Kong Cinema. Jade Screen is due out this spring,
to find out more about Screen Power or Jade Screen
head on off to www.screen-power.com.
Our thanks go out to Richard for providing us with
the Interview.
Richard
Cooper
Screen
Power Web Site: www.screenpower.com
Jade Screen Web Site (launch
in May 2001): www.jade-screen.com
