Spreading his wings

Suzie Harrison

During the day Jim Nestor is primarily works the right side of his

brain. As district engineer and assistant general manager for the

Laguna Beach County Water District, his duties demand a structured

thinking process. But when he’s off duty, the left side of Nestor’s

brain gets a workout. His creative side comes out when he takes the

roll of a writer and assistant producer for the cable series

“Heartbreak Cafe.”

The series is the project of a Santa Ana College class, and for

the last few Fridays and many times during the year, the crew has

shot in Laguna Beach, usually at Tivoli Terrace and the Water

District. Here he said they don’t have to do much set up because the

scenery creates the perfect stage.

The series came to life in 1997, the brainchild of Robert Conrad,

who wanted to offer students at the college a class that mirrored a

Hollywood TV production. It’s not a class one can just sign up for.

Each student has to audition.

“We meet every Friday, sometimes on location, sometimes in the

studio,” Nestor said. “It’s a four-camera set up, very similar to

what sitcoms have. We try to give them an experience of a full

Hollywood production, actors and the crew become part of the cast.

They come to get experience, to add footage to their reel.

Justin Miller who does the sound enjoys going on location in

Laguna.

“Besides the view, it’s just the cliffs, the backdrop and everyone

is easy going here,” Miller said.

Nestor’s initial goal was to write for TV.

“I sent in a script for a ‘Star Trek Voyager’ episode,” Nestor

said. “They didn’t pick it up, but Bob Conrad at the college, he

liked it and didn’t see why it wasn’t picked up. He asked me to write

for him on his new show he invented called ‘Heartbreak Cafe.’”

The premise of the show is a reality-based TV show based in a cafe

in Hollywood where Hollywood hopefuls meet and bond and go over the

trials of trying to make it.

“This episode is called ‘It’s All Falling Apart,’” Nestor said.

“Actors are competing for a part in a major film production -- the

audience chooses who that actor is going to be.”

The show has many guest directors such as Walter Koenig of the

original “Star Trek,” Tim Russ from “Star Trek Voyager’ and others in

the industry who are known in Hollywood for acting but want to get

their feet wet in directing.

Nestor said that “Heartbreak Cafe” is his main focus outside of

work.

“I’ve come so much further in this than I ever imagined,” Nestor

said. “This is the fringe of Hollywood -- they like my writing,

directing and editing -- it’s an exciting rush.”