"No Pain, No Gain" started in 1999 with a series of script ideas by independent filmmaker Samuel Turcotte. Then an executive at Sun Microsystems and a former film student, he "pitched" various film concepts he had developed to friends both inside and outside the entertainment business. By far the one that sparked the most interest was "No Pain, No Gain."

Turcotte was interested in bodybuilding from an early age and had many friends who were bodybuilders and sports-nutrition experts. Once he decided to pursue the creation of "No Pain, No Gain," he then wrote the script treatment based on his personal experiences about a brilliant yet humble bodybuilder who wants to be respected not just for his body, but for his mind as well.

Of particular influence were his childhood experiences lifting weights in Miami in the garage of his best friends Peter and Jim Connell under the guidance of their brother-in-law who was a Miami police officer and decorated Vietnam War veteran. Later influences would come from reading Arnold Schwarzenegger's autobiography "Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder," as well as extensive conversations with sports-nutrition innovator and the founder and president of Champion Nutrition, Mike Zumpano. Additionally, Turcotte's brother Michael Turcotte, a bodybuilder and sports-nutrition expert, his friend and later "No Pain, No Gain" star bodybuilder Gus Malliarodakis and former Mister Romania, bodybuilder Emeric Delczeg offered tremendous insight.

With the story and script treatment in place, the next step was to assemble the team that would collaborate to create the film. Turcotte turned to his college screenwriting professor and acclaimed author Darryl Wimberley to work on the first draft of the script. He then worked with Jodi Lane Baum on nine more drafts to punch up the humor and thus evolve the script from a drama to a dramatic comedy. Bodybuilder Gus Malliarodakis was eventually formally asked and agreed to play the film's heroic lead (which was written with him in mind). Veteran producer-director Raul Carrera who was introduced to Turcotte by Wimberley signed on early as co-producer.

"No Pain, No Gain" faced myriad challenges during production. A week before filming was to commence, the casting agency retained to fill the remaining roles backed out without explanation which forced an expensive one-week delay in the start of the shoot. Actor Don Phillips quickly stepped in to take over casting responsibilities and worked magic by filling all remaining roles in the movie, in addition to playing the part of Dr. Rabeau. Then, the bodybuilder-actor cast months earlier to play nemesis Jake Steel, backed out two days before filming was the commence, leaving the filmmakers to scramble for a replacement for this key role. Bodybuilding talent agent Marc Salvato identified Dennis Newman as a candidate for the role. Newman auditioned over the phone and less than 24 hours later he was in front of the camera being filmed.

The key location for the filming offered great potential, but many more challenges. At the facility, a former mental institution which had not been used for years, when the water and electricity were turned on, the pipes exploded and some of the power lines caught fire. Thus began the filming of "No Pain, No Gain."

But the cast and crew of "No Pain, No Gain" worked through it all to create an exciting and offbeat feature film set in the wild world of bodybuilding.

Look for more behind the scenes stories coming soon.