HOME    CONTACT

A Zone’s Eye View with Steven Kriozere

Please Visit Our Sponsors

By Laura Alber and Albert L. Ortega

The Zone was lucky enough to catch up to writer/producer Steven Kriozere, best known for his writing and producing on the Pamela Anderson series, V.I.P, and writing for the shows Sliders, Team Knight Rider, The Sentinel, Night Man and Viper. 

Steven moments before a 340 ft. bungy jump in Queesntown, New Zealand

Kriozere is quite the character and was so much fun to work with on this interview as you'll see by his answers. The Zone looks forward to his future projects and hopes to hear from him again very soon! 

Take a look at what this very talented writer had to say:



Z: Steven, Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with Entertainment Zone! 

SK: No problemo! And please, call me Steve.

Z: The first thing I have to ask is regarding "how" you ended up in your chosen profession. I have read that it can be attributed to a "Spider Bite"? Is this true? Can you describe this for our readers?

SK: Sounds like you read my crazy bio. The spider in question was not "radioactive" like the one that sunk its fangs into Peter Parker. The one that bit me is metaphorical, meaning that at a young, impressionable age, certain movies and tv shows I watched, as well as the tons of comic books I read, unconsciously influenced my later-in-life career path. Those were the "Spider Bite."

Z: You have written and produced for the show V.I.P., and also wrote for Sliders, Team Knight Rider, The Sentinel, Night Man, and Viper. Do you think you'll stay with television or possibly move to film?

SK: Look at those credits, baby, I can do whatever the hell I want! Actually, I dig tv, it's an exciting, fast-paced place where episodes get produced at break-neck speed and the writer is king. You can tell so many stories about great characters you, and hopefully the viewers, get to know and love. The tv shows I've worked on may be a bit on the cheesy side, but they really lend themselves to high-concept movie making. Each episode of V.I.P. or Team Knight Rider was like a little movie in itself with big action, big danger, and a big, bad-ass bad guys. Look at "Charlie's Angels : The Movie," it was V.I.P. with a mega-budget! The blending of comedy and action is very precarious. Take it too far in one direction or the other and you're doomed. It's very hard to do right. 

Z: Is this Sci-fi/Horror genre, the one you enjoy the most?

SK: As a kid, this genre is what I liked to watch and read the most, so I guess it translated to my writing as well. There has to be some humor mixed into the genre as well, I love to laugh. I really dug the original "Knight Rider" (I was a lot younger, so cut me some slack here) so when I got the job on "Team Knight Rider" I got to write an episode that linked the old show to the new one. I got to continue the mythology for one of my favorite series. I was creating history, how cool!

 

2001 Comic Con

Z: The Sentinel and Sliders have gathered quite the following in the cult TV circuit. How does that make you feel?

SK: V.I.P. will enter cult TV status in the future, I guarantee that. Cult TV rules...or at least most of the time. Thanks to the Internet, my Sliders episode has been mentioned as the one that "jumped the shark." The reason for this, mostly, is because John Rhys-Davis' character was killed in the episode that aired before mine and he was replaced with Kari Wurher, who is a lot hotter than Mr. Rhys-Davis, but wasn't exactly accepted by the Sliders' fan base. My draft of the script had John's character Arturo in it, but was it was re-written by the staff to accommodate the cast change. Unfortunately, it has been pinpointed as the "jump the shark" episode because of that. This show was my first writing credit, I was just so gosh darn happy it got made!

Steve with Stan "The Man" Lee

Z: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

SK: Jump the shark now before it's too late! Actually, so much good advice has been given by other talented writers that whatever I say would pale in comparison. So all I can suggest is: "Sell out as soon as you can!"

Z: With V.I.P. done, what can we expect to see from you next? Any projects in the works?

SK: I'm finishing some screenplays. They're fun, fresh and commercial (yes, I learned to sell out long ago). I'm hoping to land on some new tv show's staff in the near future. I'm also working with a producer who's hoping to secure the rights to a comic book. It's not a traditional man-in-tights superhero story, but it has a great hook.

Z: Now, for the Fun Questions!!

SK: Hey, I had fun with those other questions!

Z: Here is the question all red blooded males are dying to know, how was it working with Pamela Anderson?

SK: Delicious! Actually, it was a real joy. Pam and I hit it off right away and four seasons and 88 episodes later, she still thought I was "the bomb." Everyone knows she's a great looking gal, but the real surprise on V.I.P. was her comedic side. She was like a real hot Lucille Ball! It's hard to be real hot and real funny. She pulled it off! She was also the Executive Producer of the show, so she was one of my bosses. I had the hottest boss in America and couldn't wait to get sexually harassed. Unfortunately, it never happened.

Steve with fellow V.I.P. chums and their favorite boss show star Pamela Anderson

Z: Do you have any memorable experiences from working on V.I.P.?

SK: EVERY experience on that show was memorable. Working with Bruce "Mr. Evil Dead" Campbell (he directed 2 episodes) was a dream come true. He's one of my long time film heroes. Putting words in the mouths of Mark "Luke Skywalker" Hamill (he played Pam's uncle in one episode) and Lee "Six Million Dollar Man" Majors (he played Pam's dad in another episode) didn't suck too bad either! Sorry, until The E! Channel does a "True Hollywood Story" on V.I.P., you will have to wait for the real juicy stuff!

Z: If you had the opportunity to work with any star/director who would it be and why?

SK: Come on, I already worked with Bruce Campbell! I've peaked!

Z: Can you name any childhood and current heroes you may have?

SK: As far as tv goes, Rod Serling was a genius, what an imagination! In the real world, my parents will always be my heroes. ("Awwww...")

Z: What is something about you that we would never guess? exp (accomplished musician or collect worms, etc.)

SK: I wrote all of my V.I.P. scripts in the buff!

Steve Kriozere in the WireImage studio

Z: Can you name a "guilty pleasure"?

SK: How about two: Cheesy 80's music and the film THE SWORD AND THE SORCERER.

Z: If you had one wish what would it be?

SK: Forget world peace, I'd wish for a sequel to THE SWORD AND THE SORCERER (if you watch the very end of the movie, you'll know what I'm talking about. They mention a sequel and it never happened!).

Z: What is the last good movie you saw and why.

SK: Y Tu Mama Tambien. Great film! I learned a lot of stuff I wasn't taught in Spanish class. Another movie that was good, but WAY, WAY on the other end of the entertainment spectrum, was Undercover Brother. Great, goofy fun (but couldn't they bring Denise Richards into the movie sooner?)

Steve Kriozere in the WireImage studio

Z: Favorite midnite snack. 

SK: Red grapes.

Z: With or without butter.... 

SK: Sadly, without. When I eat butter it goes right to my thighs!

Z: Thank you again for your time with The Zone! And, we look forward to seeing your upcoming projects!

SK: So does my mom!

 

Steve is quite the joker not to mention talented, and we can't wait to see what's up his sleeve next!!! Stay tuned to EZ, and we will keep you updated on where to see Steve's work in the future!!!

 

 

Steve Kriozere in the WireImage studio

Steve Kriozere in the WireImage studio

Mark Hamill and Steven on the set of VIP

Steven exploring a cave in the Mohave Desert.

Steven (far left) as a "Man In Black" in an episode of Team Knight Rider

Steve at the 2001 Comic Con

Steve made up as a zombie for the upcoming horror film "House Of The Dead" from Mindfire Entertainment

 

 

 

 

Search Now:
 
In Association with Amazon.com

  

 

   

 

Click here for your favorite eBay items   

 

Half.com - The Smartest Place to Buy and Sell More