You've heard of the Atkins Diet, the South Beach Diet, the Zone Diet ...

But there's a new diet in town: the Film Diet.

That's the program Michele Fiore-Kaime followed to drop 35 pounds during production of "Siren," an independent feature she wrote, executive produced and stars in.

The movie wraps Tuesday with scenes featuring actress -- and agent -- Erin Gray.

"Siren," which focuses on a one-time rock singer who renews her quest for stardom after two decades, began production in March.

Then, after a week of shooting, the production took a 10-week break while Fiore-Kaime lost weight, working with a nutritionist and spending hours in the gym to trim down.

"It's intense," Fiore-Kaime says of the regimen -- and the movie, about "a typical middle-aged housewife" who reshapes her body, and her life, following rejection.

Principal photography, with Las Vegas-based Pat Kerby directing, concluded in mid-June, Fiore-Kaime says.

But the pick-up shots with Gray, scheduled for Tuesday at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse on West Flamingo Road, represent the final scenes.

Gray first became involved with "Siren" in her real-life role as an agent, when she met with the movie's production team to discuss a possible role for a clients.

The executive producer based her screenplay, which was rewritten by Robert Gosnell (TV's "Too Close for Comfort"), on her own experiences.

But "as I meet people, everyone has such a similarity," she says, focusing on "pursuing dreams that have been put on hold."

Her dreams for "Siren" involve the Sundance Film Festival -- and its early submission deadline at the end of the month.

Elsewhere on location this week, ESPN's "SportsCenter Across America" checks into the Riviera Wednesday to cover the American Darters Association's National Championship, which features 600 competitors from around the world.

The Vegas stop is part of "SportsCenter's" 50-states-in-50-days summer tour, which began July 17 when hosts Chris Berman and Stuart Scott broadcast from Boston's Fenway Park following the Red Sox-New York Yankees game.

Since then, the show's schedule has included everything from a visit to Dyersville, Iowa -- home of the "Field of Dreams" diamond-in-the-cornfield -- to Nampa, Idaho's Snake River Stampede rodeo.

And once the show leaves Las Vegas, the "SportsCenter" itinerary ranges from an in-line skate marathon in St. Paul, Minn., to duck calling in the "duck capital of America," Gueydan, La.

The BBC also plans a one-day Vegas visit this week, for work on a documentary devoted to the "Music of Primes" -- as in prime numbers, "the atoms of mathematics," as a BBC proposal describes the project.

A casino location for the one-day shoot -- which involves a camera capturing tumbling dice -- hadn't been determined by deadline.

And another independent feature, "Kill Your Darlings," also visits Vegas for three days this week, with the production expected to film second-unit scenes at casinos and on the Strip.

The comedy-drama focuses on two separate, yet strangely intertwined, Los Angeles-to-Las Vegas road trips.

Sweden's Andreas Wilson stars; John Larroquette, Lolita Davidovich, Greg Germann and John Savage also turn up in the cast.

(Because it's a second-unit shoot, however, don't expect any of them to film here this week.)

Turning to ongoing projects, the CMT cable network's reality series "Man vs. Vegas" heads into its final week at the Aladdin on the Strip and the Plaza downtown.

The man in question is Daren Leverenz, who's risking $1 million -- of his own money -- in a bid to beat Las Vegas at its own game(s), after losing $3 million here in the late '90s.

And while the million-dollar bankroll represents "a huge hook" for the eight-episode series, according to CMT development director Nicole Raffanello, the show is "definitely personality-driven," she says.

"He really has a star quality," Raffanello says of Leverenz, describing him as "very dynamic and charming. You want to hang with him."

That's something viewers will have the chance to do when "Man vs. Vegas" begins its run Oct. 22.

Another ongoing project, a documentary devoted to Las Vegas entertainers, continues production today with the Golden Nugget's Gordie Brown as the focus, reports director Michael Roberts.

Recent interview subjects have included comedians George Wallace and the Amazing Johnathan, who welcomed the production to his home -- which Roberts reports is rigged with homemade booby traps.

"We will be incorporating many more entertainers into our film," Roberts promises, likening his as-yet-untitled documentary to " 'Trekkies' meets the Las Vegas Strip."

Local infomercial maven Ben Kalb, meanwhile, launches his latest production today, capturing hosts Jordan Adams and Lynda Elkin in action at Action Sound Stage, promoting a tooth-whitening product.

The production picks up again later this month for five days, featuring local models and dentists.

Kalb's taking a break in shooting to travel to Chicago later this week, where a satirical short film he wrote, produced and directed, titled "The Last Great Infomercial," screens twice at the Indiefest Chicago film festival and market.

Carol Cling's Shooting Stars column appears Mondays. Contact her at 383-0272 or e-mail her at ccling@reviewjournal.com.