It's OK if you've never heard of Jim Wynorski.

Often described as a soft-porn Ed Wood, he's responsible for such straight-to-Cinemax schlock as Chopping Mall, Transylvania Twist and The Return of the Swamp Thing (with Heather Locklear!).

In 2005, the prolific director (79 films and counting) was feeling impatient and ambitious, and decided to make his next masterpiece, The Witches of Breastwick, in just three days. Actors had to get to the set (a random house in the woods) on their own, cook their own food and do their own makeup, among other indignities.

L.A. filmmaker Clay Westervelt was there to document the manic experience in Popatopolis, a play on Wynorski's oft-uttered phrase, ``Pop a top.'' Or: Take off your shirt.

Westervelt was in town recently and talked to The Miami Herald about filming the romp, currently hitting a few festival rounds:

So why Jim Wynorski? Is he your idol?

``I'd heard stories for years about him -- his frenetic pace of 100 setups per day (the Hollywood standard is 20) and his reputation for yelling at actors and crew. I didn't meet him until I was hired as the cinematographer on Bad Bizness [starring Traci Bingham of Baywatch]. What I found was a hidden sense of innocence -- a man who grew a beard because he was afraid nobody would take him seriously without it.''

What did you learn from him?

``Upon completing an otherwise pedestrian shot, Jim would develop a gleam in his eye and scream, `This is great!' -- and he meant it. I came to realize that he remained connected with the sense of wonder and innocence I had when I first began experimenting with moviemaking.''

Did he lose his temper?

``Nobody works with Jim who doesn't like him. There may be some fireworks on set, but it's always a great lesson about how forgiving and loving individuals can be, especially when they recognize that everything is done with the best of intentions.''

-- MADELEINE MARR