NEW YORK (AP) -- Kenny Ortega was responsible for some of Michael Jackson's biggest concerts, including what were to be his improvement shows in London. But in the singer's final days, the producer-director-choregrapher felt like he needed to take on another albatross - authoritative sure Jackson stayed healthy.

"Michael had hawkeye nights and we had to look after him. (I'd say to him), 'Stay hydrated, accept a protein agitate - Did you eat today afore you came?'" Ortega said in an interview Thursday to promote the new Jackson documentary, "This Is It."

When Jackson would say he had, a agnostic Ortega would say - "Michael?"

"Michael's an adult. ... We didn't appetite to babyish him," he said. "(But) I had apropos and we had conversations, absent to make sure he was doing everything he could to build himself and not break himself down."

Jackson died June 25 at age 50. The Los Angeles County coroner has ruled Jackson's afterlife a homicide, acquired primarily by the powerful analgesic propofol and another sedative. Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, has not been charged with a crime but is the focus of the police investigation.

Ortega's work with Jackson included world tours for Jackson's "Dangerous" and "HIStory" albums. He was directing the "This Is It" shows - which would accept marked the performer's improvement concerts in London's O2 Arena in July - and was brought on to direct a blur adaptation of those taped rehearsals after Jackson's death.

"This Is It" will premiere globally on Tuesday and run for two weeks. The soundtrack for the film, which includes the newly released title clue as able-bodied as some of his be! st-known hits, is being released Monday.

In a 12-minute blow previewed for media on Thursday, a strong-voiced King of Pop is apparent enthusiastically practicing some of his biggest hits.

Jackson, admitting frail-looking, is apparent abating up his vocals during a performance of "Human Nature." That's followed by the singer running through the song in various outfits.

Later, he playfully dances with a woman as he sings "The Way You Make Me Feel," touching her thigh and captivation her waist.

"One more time," Jackson says against the end of the song after being told the aftermost eight bars were to be cut.

Ortega says although he worried about Jackson's health, he doesn't believe the alertness for the shows wore the singer down. In fact, he says it was the opposite.

"I can tell you this experience, working on this show, was invigorating, was nourishing. ... (it) wasn't taking away from Michael," he said.

Travis Payne, a choreographer who formed on "This Is It" and other Jackson tours, says he remembers spending one-on-one time with Jackson - especially visiting Web sites like YouTube.

"I used to love sitting and just surfing the 'net with him," Payne said. "And we would just do that and we would be able to accept our creative reference time in a different way now."

Musical administrator Michael Bearden recalls Jackson's aerial ambition to try to capture all of his music in one, over-the-top show.

"He had so, so much music that we tried to get everything in but not bluff the admirers at the same time, which is a delicate antithesis if you will to try to get everything in and still feel like you're accepting a full song," he said.

Ortega says Jackson was actual adamant about the look of the tour - from the breadth of the songs to the ! stage's lighting.

"From the actual beginning Michael was actual vocal, and actual upfront about what he capital to do and why he capital to do it," Ortega said.

"That's what 'This Is It,' Michael Jackson's 'This Is It' the film, is about - it's a privileged peak into the final creative action of Michael's aftermost theatrical work."

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On the Net:

http://www.thisisit-movie.com/