No 1.Ron, can you tell me about yourself and how you got introduced to the martial arts? I always was fascinated by martial art films. Then there was a tv series about ninja’s calledthe Master with lee van Cleef. Everybody was making throwing stars and weapons.I took karate lessons and my teacher was very good and helped me a lotwit a lot of extra free lessons. Every day I dreamt of being a movie star !
No 2.What styles have you studyed? as you have also been in some karate competitions?Karate 15 years ( 4th dan)Free fight 9 years ( 4th dan )Tae Kwon doHap ki DoBreakdanceCapoeraBoxingGymnasticsI did karate and free fight championships. With karate I became National Champion (15 years old ), won a freefight match and got the record highest kick (11 feet )
No 3.You got your major break in a movie called "who am i" with jackie chan, how was it working on that movie? and do you have any good storys to tell?I had to be instantly a super star on the highest level of martial art movies. It was the best experience in my life. Later I went to Hong Kongand compared to what Jackie demanded from me, Hong Kong was a lot more easier !
No. 4.Jackie chan is a true master at the martial arts and fight scenes,but do you think you could have done a better job on the roof top fight if you was under a little less stress from the j.c. team?Jackie and his team gave me a lot of stress. I had a lot of pressure. I will tell you why. Normally you practice a fight scene a day before andyou know the routine. Now it’s 5 minutes before. You have to do 10 moves, follow a certain path, look at Jackie, remember your acting,remember the camera angles. I really could repeat the series 3 times and then they started shooting already. When 1 detail of the pointsabove was not good or could be better everybody came to me and, I had to remember 6 things to focus on the next shot. Then I heard the sound already,, like ready…. Action… almost impossible to concentrate…. Jackie also made me a little insecure by becoming angry even when It wasn’t my mistake.Afterwards a very good stuntman named Sam Wong came to me and said “ Ron don’t worry I work for 15 years with Jackie now and hestill makes me nervous’ Now I have the experience and can stay cool no matter what people are telling me while shooting.
No 5.You have also worked in a movie called fighting fish, whats it about? and what role did you play? Is it a martial arts movie?Fighting Fish is not a movie I am very happy with !
No 6.Ron you have amazing kicks, but i don't think you have had a real chance to let lose and show your real fighting on screen, do you have any plans do make your own action movie in holland?The market in Holland is not right. The public loves children movies and romantic movies. I have plans to make a big martial arts movie for asia.Using a lot of good stunt people I know, and give them the chance to show what they can as well instead of cutting their moves and make yourself only look good.
No 7.Ron will you ever go and work in the states and become noticed like Van Damme and Daniel Bernhardt?That’s my next plan, but I love to work in Thailand because here it’s the place where it happens now. I love Asia more thenthe Usa.
No 8.Tom yum goong is a recent movie that you have been seen in, how did you get the role? I was too late to have a big part in it, but I got the chance to work on the last 3 days of shooting and got a highlightin the movie. Later Tony Jaa asked me for a commercial called Lam Jai.
No 9.Whats tony jaa and his team like to work with? as they are all very good stunt guys. how long the fight with the gurads take to shoot? as it was awsome.The team of Tony jaa is very good and know how it feels to get a hit. I have a lot of respect for them as well they have for you.Tony is the example of how a movie star should be, humble and awesome.
No 10 with action stars like scott adkins,mark dacascos, gary daniels, donnie yen, all showing that they can display great action on film,would you like to work with these guys? Yes, I worked with Donnie before and I love to share experience with all of them. They know as well it’s a very tough business andthey have to be in top condition every moment also. No 11.Are their any directors out thier that you would love to work with and direct you in a movie, so you could show case yourself to the best?- Donnie Yen- John Woo- Juen Woo Ping
No 12 Have you got any plans to go back and work in hong kong on any movies in the near future? Yes, I still remember Hong Kong, It was a great time in 2000! Already 5 years ago !I love to go back !
No 13.Will you be working with tony jaa and his team again on his next movie as i hear its called sword? I am preparing a lot for new movies, I never say never to be in this movie as well. But I don’t know now !
No 14.Whats Prachya like as a director? he's fantastic at shooting action, was he impressed with your work in tom yum goong? Pracha is great, and was impressed because I could do a lot of moves being almost 98 KG.
No 15.Do you have any good storys to tell me from the set of tom yum goong? did anything happen while the movie was being made in Australia? I don’t know, I trained a lot with the team and a little with Tony Jaa, we did a kind of battle, like the breakdancers do ! No 16.Dean Alexandrou,Jon Foo,and Lateef Crowder all worked on TYG and did an amazing job. Did you meet and work with these guys also.?I know them but havens spoke with them or trained with them. I know dean, he’s very good and I think one of the best stuntmen around. No 17.So whats next for you ron? have you got any good movie projects comming up soon?I have to do a role and stunts for a new pirate movie, and I have to play a main bad guy vs the number 2 (tony Jaa)in Thailand called Michael B. The movie is called No Way Out and we shot the trailer already.
No 18.Whats your view on wire work.CGI in the movies? and did you do all your own stunts un TYG? Yes I did everything in TYG. I cannot accept a stuntdouble anymore like in Who am I, because I can do everything myself.I got a kick right in my face. I don’t like to work with wires especially when you can do the same better without.
No 19.Do you think thailand and korea are the new places in asia making blockbuster movies? sha po lang is very impressive and its the first hk movie in a very long time that iv enjoyed watching, would ever consider working in korea? as they have made so many amazing movies in the past few years.I heard about the Korean market, I did not focus on that market but I hear a lot of good storied about Korea. Now I am expanding in Asiaso we’ll never know what the future brings !
Ron, its been cool talking with you. Keep up the good work, and i hope that we can work together sometime? =)
Sure !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where can I read the interview?
Ps I have pictures and more story at:http://www.mega-media.info/ronsmoorenburg/
Thanks
by Anthony Dawe.
Friday 10 July 2009
Monday 6 July 2009
Scott Adkins Interview - by Anthony Dawe
Scott how did you first get involved with the martial arts and what styles have you studied to date?
My father and my elder brother both did Judo so naturally I went along when I was old enough. I started at the age of 10. The main styles that I have studied are Judo, Tae Kwon Do and Kickboxing but I’ve picked up certain things from styles like Wu Shu and Gymnastics.
What made you want to get into acting from such an early age, as you weren’t just a martial artist but also an actor?
I’ve always loved films. I was the kind of kid whose mother dreaded taking him to the video shop. I would stay in there for ages and would always leave with no less than about 3 videos or more. I worked in a video shop for a long time also. I vividly remember being 12 years old and seeing Bloodsport and then saying to my mother, “That’s what I’m going to do, I’m going to be a martial arts movie star someday!” So along with my martial arts training, as soon as I left school I enrolled in a Performing Arts class at college and didn’t look back really.
You have great gymnastics abilities that you combine with your martial arts and add them to your fights, how does this help a shoot?
Well it definitely helps as far as being spatially aware and being dexterous enough to do what ever stunt needs to be performed. I’d say that the best thing gymnastics could give a fight performer or stuntman is spatial awareness because if your being flung around on a set and you don’t know exactly where the floor is, you may well land on your head and that’s only good if you’re supposed to so. But now that you have people like Tony Jaa out there who have took martial arts and gymnastics on film to another level, I feel without the acrobatics experience you would not be able to stand out. Like anything else the level of skill has been raised so much in recent years that it’s a necessity.
You have worked on a number of projects from The Medallion with Jackie Chan to Special Forces, and many TV appearances in British shows such as Doctors, Eastenders and the Sky One comedy, drama series Mile High. Would you ever consider playing as just an actor with no martial arts if you were offered the role?
Well that’s exactly what I did with Mile High. I was hired as an actor for the whole of series 3 and of course I would do it again. Eastenders and Doctors and even Pit Fighter were no different. I consider myself an actor first and foremost. You’re either an actor or a stuntman and I decided long ago that an actor was what I wanted to be. However, I wouldn’t star in an action film and not fill it with exciting fights because I feel that the audience would be disappointed and would expect that from a Scott Adkins film. But if it was a part in a TV series with an ensemble cast or a nice cameo in a movie I wouldn’t hesitate at all, as long as I liked the script and the part. I’ve actually just started work on Holby City as a regular character for the next 5 months which is the British version of “ER”, so I like that I can do both.
Right, Isaac Florentine is a close friend of yours, and one hell of a great director, that should be doing A-movies by now. What’s his secret to shooting good movies with great action and a good story?
Isaac Florentine is a wonderful friend who I owe a lot to. There aren’t as many straight to video/DVD movies made as there used to be but if you look at Isaac’s back catalogue, as far as this genre is concerned he is certainly the best director working in the American straight to video action market. I have worked on films like The Medallion, Unleashed and The Pink Panther where the budgets are $40 million plus and it would be stupid to try and compare these movies to a made for DVD film as the budgets are enormously different. For Unleashed for example, we had 3 days rehearsal and 2 weeks to shoot the fight scene in the empty swimming pool. That’s one fight scene. Whereas with these lower budget films you’re lucky if you get 2 weeks for all the action scenes. Isaac has never brought a film in over schedule or over budget and still he has been able to deliver some of the best martial arts action to come out of America. I think people will be very surprised when they see our new film “Undisputed 2”. It’s not a tiny budget film by any means but it’s still a long way off from the budget of your average Hollywood movie, but I really believe this movie will find a large audience as everyone involved did a fantastic job from set design to the actors involved to the cinematography and both JJ Perry (action coordinator) and Isaac excelled in shooting the fights but it also delivers on a dramatic level, very well paced and conceived and if Isaac doesn’t get a shot at the big leagues after this I’ll be very disappointed and it will be a shame for the fans of this genre.
Tell us more about Undisputed 2. It stars yourself and Michael Jai White. What role you play and how did you got the role? Also, how it was working with such a cool cast?
Michael is the main star of the film; he plays the same character that Ving Rhames played in the first movie. Basically, he is in Russia, filming a commercial for Vodka and finds himself framed by the Russian mafia and locked up in a Russian prison. I play Boyka, who is the champion of an underground mixed martial arts sort of cage fight, where different fighters from different prisons compete against each other whilst the mafia makes money from putting bets on the fights. My character is the Undisputed champion and no one will bet against him, this is why George “Ice Man” Chambers has been brought in to raise the odds but of course, he doesn’t want to fight, so he must be convinced. I think it’s a great movie and I’m very proud to be a part of it.
Scott what are your views on wire work in movies? Do you think it’s a waste of time?
Personally I’m not a big fan, but wires can be used to enhance some action scenes.
I’m not a big fan either, I think why bother? Obviously, Hollywood have found this trend where they can take actors with no martial arts experience and put them on a wire and pretend that they can perform death defying feats and that’s fine if that’s what you’re into but for me it just doesn’t cut it. It’s kind of like watching action films of today where you see a stunt but you know it’s all CGI so it doesn’t really get your blood pumping. When John Rambo jumps of the cliff in First Blood, you know that the stunt man is going to land in an air bag but it’s still an incredibly impressive stunt that you know has been done for real and that’s why it works so well. It’s the same thing when you see Jackie Chan or Tony Jaa do a combination of kicks or a stunt that you know has been done for real and that’s really the appeal of martial arts films for me, and that’s what got me into them in the first place. Wire work has its place in films like The Matrix or Crouching Tiger, which is a mythology but I’m so glad that Tony Jaa has come along to show people the real deal once again and I hope I can too.
Scott do you think you can do a martial arts movie that will be better than Drive or Ong Bak? Or just as good? As that’s what missing at the moment decent, well shot, well edited, well cast action movies(?)
It’s all just a case of time and money but I hope to yes. With Ong Bak they certainly had the time, shooting in Thailand and on the “making of”, they said that the alleyway scene took 2 weeks to film and that one day Jaa had a sore muscle so he took the day off. I’m not taking anything away from Tony Jaa as I think he’s incredible but what I wouldn’t give for that luxury. As I’ve worked with Alpha Stunts who did Drive, I know that they were filming day and night to get that amount of action into the film. They were sleeping on the set, and good on them because the action is brilliant. It’s just a case of finding a way to get more time to spend on shooting the action. If you have that, then you have no excuse really.
You may be working on a new fight movie with Isaac Florentine, can you tell me more about that and if and when it will go ahead?
I really can’t say much as it’s not a done deal but we’re developing a great idea for the movie.
Alpha stunts worked with you on Special Forces, what are they like to work with?
I worked with Akihiro Noguchi from Alpha Stunts and I was very impressed with them. As you know I’ve worked with most of the Hong Kong action directors and I really believe that Alpha Stunts are right up there with them. I’m amazed that they haven’t worked on more high profile films. Drive is an incredible fight film, certainly one of the best to come out of the US along with the No Retreat films.
Would you ever consider working on any more Hong Kong movies? As you played the lead bad guy in black mask 2.
I think I’ve done all I can do in Hong Kong now. I was a little disappointed that I didn’t get to have more of a showdown with Jackie in the Medallion but what can you do. I really want to concentrate on starring roles now and I don’t think a Hong Kong production company would want to see me in a starring role in one of their films but never say never. Obviously I’d like to do something with Tony Jaa.
Jason Statham has made a big leap because of the budget for the Transporter movies, how hard is it to get a good movie sold and noticed world wide? As there are a lot of bad movies out their just destroying the martial arts movie image and making it harder for guys to get noticed by big studios.
I don’t know the ins and outs of what it takes to get a world wide distribution deal but I do know that the reason Jason Statham is where he is, is because he proved himself as an actor first. Same thing with Wesley Snipes, same thing with Stallone, same with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. They’ve all earned their stripes as actors. The only guy I can think of that started in the low budget martial arts arena that made it out into the big leagues was Van Damme but that’s probably because Bloodsport was a huge hit. All the guys that start in these B movies don’t normally reach the cinema. For the most part that is. I suppose Mark Dacascos is the exception. At the end of the day, to be in the theaters you need to appeal to a wider audience than just fight fans and people want an actor first and a martial artist second and that’s just the way it is. Sure they can tell the difference between Jet Li and Keanu Reeves or Tony Jaa and Jason Statham but do they really care as long as they can do it a bit? I do but maybe that’s just me.
No 17.You perform all your own stunts with no wires, that’s very impressive and can be seen in your showreel. Whats your secret Scott?
As tony jaa is dong all his stuff now with no wires, and its amazing.
There’s no secret. It’s just hard training and dedication. I’ve seen kicks in the past and thought “Wow, how did they do that!” You think you’ll never be able to pull it off but you keep training and practicing and eventually it comes. You can’t limit yourself, anything is possible. I’ve been working on a few kicks that I’ve never seen before and I’m looking forward to putting them on film.
Do you have any plans to work with Van Damme on a project? As you are linked with his new fight movie B-2, what’s going on with that?
I don’t know what’s going on with that but I’ve had a few meetings with Van Damme in the past. He was talking about putting me in a TV series of Kickboxer but that wasn’t the direction I wanted to go in anyway. I have a huge amount of respect for Jean Claude, he really was one of kind and he opened up a whole new market for a lot of action actors. He certainly made his mark and he’s a very nice guy. He treated me very well and I’m a big fan.
Scott, you are a cool dude, and I wish you all the best for the future, thanks for the interview.
No problem mate.
by Antony Dawe.
My father and my elder brother both did Judo so naturally I went along when I was old enough. I started at the age of 10. The main styles that I have studied are Judo, Tae Kwon Do and Kickboxing but I’ve picked up certain things from styles like Wu Shu and Gymnastics.
What made you want to get into acting from such an early age, as you weren’t just a martial artist but also an actor?
I’ve always loved films. I was the kind of kid whose mother dreaded taking him to the video shop. I would stay in there for ages and would always leave with no less than about 3 videos or more. I worked in a video shop for a long time also. I vividly remember being 12 years old and seeing Bloodsport and then saying to my mother, “That’s what I’m going to do, I’m going to be a martial arts movie star someday!” So along with my martial arts training, as soon as I left school I enrolled in a Performing Arts class at college and didn’t look back really.
You have great gymnastics abilities that you combine with your martial arts and add them to your fights, how does this help a shoot?
Well it definitely helps as far as being spatially aware and being dexterous enough to do what ever stunt needs to be performed. I’d say that the best thing gymnastics could give a fight performer or stuntman is spatial awareness because if your being flung around on a set and you don’t know exactly where the floor is, you may well land on your head and that’s only good if you’re supposed to so. But now that you have people like Tony Jaa out there who have took martial arts and gymnastics on film to another level, I feel without the acrobatics experience you would not be able to stand out. Like anything else the level of skill has been raised so much in recent years that it’s a necessity.
You have worked on a number of projects from The Medallion with Jackie Chan to Special Forces, and many TV appearances in British shows such as Doctors, Eastenders and the Sky One comedy, drama series Mile High. Would you ever consider playing as just an actor with no martial arts if you were offered the role?
Well that’s exactly what I did with Mile High. I was hired as an actor for the whole of series 3 and of course I would do it again. Eastenders and Doctors and even Pit Fighter were no different. I consider myself an actor first and foremost. You’re either an actor or a stuntman and I decided long ago that an actor was what I wanted to be. However, I wouldn’t star in an action film and not fill it with exciting fights because I feel that the audience would be disappointed and would expect that from a Scott Adkins film. But if it was a part in a TV series with an ensemble cast or a nice cameo in a movie I wouldn’t hesitate at all, as long as I liked the script and the part. I’ve actually just started work on Holby City as a regular character for the next 5 months which is the British version of “ER”, so I like that I can do both.
Right, Isaac Florentine is a close friend of yours, and one hell of a great director, that should be doing A-movies by now. What’s his secret to shooting good movies with great action and a good story?
Isaac Florentine is a wonderful friend who I owe a lot to. There aren’t as many straight to video/DVD movies made as there used to be but if you look at Isaac’s back catalogue, as far as this genre is concerned he is certainly the best director working in the American straight to video action market. I have worked on films like The Medallion, Unleashed and The Pink Panther where the budgets are $40 million plus and it would be stupid to try and compare these movies to a made for DVD film as the budgets are enormously different. For Unleashed for example, we had 3 days rehearsal and 2 weeks to shoot the fight scene in the empty swimming pool. That’s one fight scene. Whereas with these lower budget films you’re lucky if you get 2 weeks for all the action scenes. Isaac has never brought a film in over schedule or over budget and still he has been able to deliver some of the best martial arts action to come out of America. I think people will be very surprised when they see our new film “Undisputed 2”. It’s not a tiny budget film by any means but it’s still a long way off from the budget of your average Hollywood movie, but I really believe this movie will find a large audience as everyone involved did a fantastic job from set design to the actors involved to the cinematography and both JJ Perry (action coordinator) and Isaac excelled in shooting the fights but it also delivers on a dramatic level, very well paced and conceived and if Isaac doesn’t get a shot at the big leagues after this I’ll be very disappointed and it will be a shame for the fans of this genre.
Tell us more about Undisputed 2. It stars yourself and Michael Jai White. What role you play and how did you got the role? Also, how it was working with such a cool cast?
Michael is the main star of the film; he plays the same character that Ving Rhames played in the first movie. Basically, he is in Russia, filming a commercial for Vodka and finds himself framed by the Russian mafia and locked up in a Russian prison. I play Boyka, who is the champion of an underground mixed martial arts sort of cage fight, where different fighters from different prisons compete against each other whilst the mafia makes money from putting bets on the fights. My character is the Undisputed champion and no one will bet against him, this is why George “Ice Man” Chambers has been brought in to raise the odds but of course, he doesn’t want to fight, so he must be convinced. I think it’s a great movie and I’m very proud to be a part of it.
Scott what are your views on wire work in movies? Do you think it’s a waste of time?
Personally I’m not a big fan, but wires can be used to enhance some action scenes.
I’m not a big fan either, I think why bother? Obviously, Hollywood have found this trend where they can take actors with no martial arts experience and put them on a wire and pretend that they can perform death defying feats and that’s fine if that’s what you’re into but for me it just doesn’t cut it. It’s kind of like watching action films of today where you see a stunt but you know it’s all CGI so it doesn’t really get your blood pumping. When John Rambo jumps of the cliff in First Blood, you know that the stunt man is going to land in an air bag but it’s still an incredibly impressive stunt that you know has been done for real and that’s why it works so well. It’s the same thing when you see Jackie Chan or Tony Jaa do a combination of kicks or a stunt that you know has been done for real and that’s really the appeal of martial arts films for me, and that’s what got me into them in the first place. Wire work has its place in films like The Matrix or Crouching Tiger, which is a mythology but I’m so glad that Tony Jaa has come along to show people the real deal once again and I hope I can too.
Scott do you think you can do a martial arts movie that will be better than Drive or Ong Bak? Or just as good? As that’s what missing at the moment decent, well shot, well edited, well cast action movies(?)
It’s all just a case of time and money but I hope to yes. With Ong Bak they certainly had the time, shooting in Thailand and on the “making of”, they said that the alleyway scene took 2 weeks to film and that one day Jaa had a sore muscle so he took the day off. I’m not taking anything away from Tony Jaa as I think he’s incredible but what I wouldn’t give for that luxury. As I’ve worked with Alpha Stunts who did Drive, I know that they were filming day and night to get that amount of action into the film. They were sleeping on the set, and good on them because the action is brilliant. It’s just a case of finding a way to get more time to spend on shooting the action. If you have that, then you have no excuse really.
You may be working on a new fight movie with Isaac Florentine, can you tell me more about that and if and when it will go ahead?
I really can’t say much as it’s not a done deal but we’re developing a great idea for the movie.
Alpha stunts worked with you on Special Forces, what are they like to work with?
I worked with Akihiro Noguchi from Alpha Stunts and I was very impressed with them. As you know I’ve worked with most of the Hong Kong action directors and I really believe that Alpha Stunts are right up there with them. I’m amazed that they haven’t worked on more high profile films. Drive is an incredible fight film, certainly one of the best to come out of the US along with the No Retreat films.
Would you ever consider working on any more Hong Kong movies? As you played the lead bad guy in black mask 2.
I think I’ve done all I can do in Hong Kong now. I was a little disappointed that I didn’t get to have more of a showdown with Jackie in the Medallion but what can you do. I really want to concentrate on starring roles now and I don’t think a Hong Kong production company would want to see me in a starring role in one of their films but never say never. Obviously I’d like to do something with Tony Jaa.
Jason Statham has made a big leap because of the budget for the Transporter movies, how hard is it to get a good movie sold and noticed world wide? As there are a lot of bad movies out their just destroying the martial arts movie image and making it harder for guys to get noticed by big studios.
I don’t know the ins and outs of what it takes to get a world wide distribution deal but I do know that the reason Jason Statham is where he is, is because he proved himself as an actor first. Same thing with Wesley Snipes, same thing with Stallone, same with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. They’ve all earned their stripes as actors. The only guy I can think of that started in the low budget martial arts arena that made it out into the big leagues was Van Damme but that’s probably because Bloodsport was a huge hit. All the guys that start in these B movies don’t normally reach the cinema. For the most part that is. I suppose Mark Dacascos is the exception. At the end of the day, to be in the theaters you need to appeal to a wider audience than just fight fans and people want an actor first and a martial artist second and that’s just the way it is. Sure they can tell the difference between Jet Li and Keanu Reeves or Tony Jaa and Jason Statham but do they really care as long as they can do it a bit? I do but maybe that’s just me.
No 17.You perform all your own stunts with no wires, that’s very impressive and can be seen in your showreel. Whats your secret Scott?
As tony jaa is dong all his stuff now with no wires, and its amazing.
There’s no secret. It’s just hard training and dedication. I’ve seen kicks in the past and thought “Wow, how did they do that!” You think you’ll never be able to pull it off but you keep training and practicing and eventually it comes. You can’t limit yourself, anything is possible. I’ve been working on a few kicks that I’ve never seen before and I’m looking forward to putting them on film.
Do you have any plans to work with Van Damme on a project? As you are linked with his new fight movie B-2, what’s going on with that?
I don’t know what’s going on with that but I’ve had a few meetings with Van Damme in the past. He was talking about putting me in a TV series of Kickboxer but that wasn’t the direction I wanted to go in anyway. I have a huge amount of respect for Jean Claude, he really was one of kind and he opened up a whole new market for a lot of action actors. He certainly made his mark and he’s a very nice guy. He treated me very well and I’m a big fan.
Scott, you are a cool dude, and I wish you all the best for the future, thanks for the interview.
No problem mate.
by Antony Dawe.
Friday 3 July 2009
Michael Worth interview - 2006
No 1.Hi mike,can you tell me about your new movies DUAL and Devil on the mountin?
Well, DUAL and Devil are two very different movies. In concept and execution.
I had the idea of Dual in my head for a few years. It was a very dark exploration into a man's mind set in the late 1800s. A psychological thriller. I almost just sold the script to a company in Europe to get it done. They were going to get this star name and add explosions and fights that were above the scope of the film and I ended up holding on to it. I thought it was one of those films that should almost be done as inexpensively as possible to keep the film focused on the simple things like the story and not caught up in the "flash". So, I actually raised the money myself and we went out to Arizona and shot it in less than two weeks. It has become one of the films I am most proud of.
DEVIL ON THE MOUNTAIN on the other hand was a "studio assignment" all the way. A company working with the Sci Fi channel wanted to do a follow up "Bigfoot" film to something they had done before but wanted a little more action in it. The came to me, knowing I was a writer as well, and asked me to put something together that I could star in with Lance Henriksen. I was open to it as long as I could make it as much about the characters as the monster. They agreed and so I signed on. It was a very different experience from DUAL in that it was a movie by committee once again where many people are involved in the creation of it. Three times the crew and cast of Dual. But it was a great cast that had Lance, Cerina Vincent (Cabin Fever), Tim Thomerson, Craig Wasson, Karen Kim and Rance Howard. It should be out sometime mid 2006.
No 2.How did ghost rock do? and are you still going to make a sequel to it?
Ghost Rock was interesting. The script to the film was one of the most important and personal ones I had ever done. Ultimately the producers/distributors chopped the film up and what remained was only a portion of the story but it still was a big success for them. But I was not as happy with the final product. To sort of prove my point, I took a cut of the film that was 30 minutes longer, much closer to my script, that included much of the missing drama and story points (as well as all of Michiko Nishiwaki's scenes) and entered into The Fargo Film Festival and it won Best Independent film! So in the end I had some redemption.
But it's success did spawn an interest in a sequel and I have already written it and feel it tops the first in all ways. It's called The Cowboy Killers. Where the first dealt with the Chinese martial arts in the West, the sequel deals more with the Japanese arts, ALA the samurai, in a western setting. It has a lot of action and am negotiating the film now and if all goes well should have a very impressive cast.
No 3.I hear that you are planning to make a movie about boxing? what gave you this idea and who are you casting for it?Will it be like rocky?
This is something that we will probably start shooting early 2006. The film does have elements of Rocky and Million Dollar Baby in that boxing is the background of the story but it is mainly a drama. I am very happy with the script as it follows several characters connected to a boxing gym and what they have to go through to become "champions" in one way or another in their own lives. There will of course be some great boxing sequences.
No 4.Whats your view on idependent film making at the moment? is it doing well?
I have ventured more into this area in the past few years. Lately the freedom of stepping outside of the system has granted me opportunities as an artist I have not had before. I have turned away some nice lucrative offers to at times do projects that would barely cover my mortgage because I had more respect for the personal freedom of the smaller project. With the inclusion of high end video cameras becoming more affordable to filmmakers, we are getting a HUGE flow of new films. Of course, this will also probably have the opposite effect as since almost anyone with an idea can make a film, many "bad" films will spill into the market and the identification of "independent" and "amateur" may become it's own downfall. But, that may be the price to pay to get a hold of a few gems.
No 5.Alot of independent movies are better than A-movies, but they are just not getting the shown to the audiences, why is this happening?
This is true and mainly because most people making films for the first time don't realize that making the film is only half the fight. Finding someone to market it appropriately, or at all, is another battle. Lately, even the independent film's are now requiring "name" actors to get interest from a buyer. Many big stars are doing these small films more frequently and as a result, the kind of films that could have starred your older brother and the neighborhood butcher must also have a Streep or a Travolta to get seen. This is another trend we are starting to see.
No 6.Do you plan to work with isaac florentine again? as he's a cool director that knows how to shoot good action movies!
Isaac is a great friend. In fact, I just saw him the other night at the screening of Undisputed 2 starring another friend Michael White (the film is Isaac's best in my opinion and Michael does a fantastic job). He and I have discussed some things and I hope that within the year we can put something together. I have been thinking a lot about getting a group of guys like Michael, Bernhardt, Myself, etc., and doing a modern day Wild Bunch or Dirty Dozen. In fact, I have a script by someone that is being rewritten to follow that pattern and we'll see what happens.
No 7.With movie like tom yum goong, and sha po lang comming out of asai, do you think you could make a movie that could match these for action and fights?
Well, I think we always strive to not so much match fights or action sequences, but to do them one better and to make them more interesting. Not in a competitive sense, but in that when an audience sees something, you don't want to do less or even the same thing, but find another way to do it to make them go "hey, that was different".
Asia does have a head up in the action scenes in many ways as they tend to prioritize them. In America, many times you will get a day or two if your lucky to do your "epic" battle. Of course, on larger studio films you can get more, but there is nothing like the focus that gets placed on those sequences as in the East. I have yet to do a film where we have more than so many hours to do a great action sequence. US SEALS 2 was probably the most time I ever had to do a fight sequence and I think it shows. In Ghost Rock, Dan, Shane and I did our last fight scene in about 7 hours. Killing Cupid we had maybe 4! On Demon Hunter Mitch Gould and I had managed to get a little more time than usual to do the couple fight sequences in that, but usually America falls behind in terms of scheduling those things.
So, I do think as long as those involved want to make those sequences as impressive as possible, and we of course have the money to have that time, I am looking forward to doing a few films that can compete with those great films you mentioned. One of my goals is to step back in and do another full out action film this year. The last few films I have done were more drama or thriller oriented so am looking forward to getting a little crazy again.
No 8.Independent movies have come along way with good quality cameras and editing equipment like dv/hd what are the pros and cons working on such low budget movies? and can they be sucssful at the box office just like a movie made for say $50 million shot on 35mm film with lets say a good or bad cast???
Well, the truth is, a good film is a good film be it shot on film or video. Look at Collateral. Shot on HD and is a great movie. Pieces Of April, a well received drama, was shot on a digital camera, as was 28 Days Later. I think the mistake people make when they get a few dollars and a video camera for the week is that they don't have a good story. They may also lack in the technical skills to make the film look good. We shot DUAL on HD 24P and it is the best looking film I have ever done. But we had professionals behind the camera who knew what they were doing.
I was very apprehensive about the whole HD video thing until I did DUAL. Though I am a fan of film and will always shoot on it when it's appropriate, I now understand the advantage and beauty of HD and digital. They have just released the first consumer value HD cameras on the market under 100,000 so there are now more tools for the innovative filmmakers. So as long as you have a good project and capable actors and crew, it will not matter how the project was shot, video or film.
No 9.Mike, whats the key to a great fight? how do you shoot a fight thats intresting but diffrent, iv seen tony jaa and his team do it.
Like anything else in film, there are many ways to do it. I think if there is a key it's strive to be different. Be careful not to just repeat things you have seen. Think of the fight scenes that grabbed people's attention from Bruce Lee to Steven Seagal to Jackie Chan to Tony Jaa. They were all different. Bruce came on when the whole "swingy arm" basher type films were popular and blew everyone away. Seagal with his Aikido, same thing. Tony Jaa has his amazing gravity defying Muay Thai. So the most important thing is to treat your fights like you would your story. You wouldn't just go out and write a story that mimics another story you saw, would you? Same with fights. Look for something to surprise the audience.
As for shooting them, everyone has their own style. Isaac has his way and then Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy) has another. But both strive to find what enhances the impact of the sequence. The fight must be about the story and not just some compartmentalized sequence that seems like it's from some other film. And don't forget, fight scenes are not just a series of techniques strung together. There should be drama in the fight. An audience can bore quickly from just watching a martial arts demonstration. That is why the Rocky films were so memorable was because of the drama in the fight scene. I have a sort of Run Lola Run martial arts vehicle that I hope to make this year and is a lot of fight scenes that are all motivated by a strong story line.
No 10.You have made many independent films of late,whats your main goal with them? and what feed back have you had about them from viewers and companys?
As I said earlier, I have gotten more involved with the independent film for a couple reasons. One is the freedom from more "corporate" involvement and the other is it allows me to step out of just being the actor and to be more involved behind the camera. I took the job of Killing Cupid because it was an opportunity for me to direct something. It was the furthest from an ideal situation as there was no money and no time to do it. It wasn't a Reservoir Dogs situation where you have a couple million dollars and a few big stars. I had ten days to write it and 10 days to shoot it. But I was attracted to the freedom to fail and learn by stepping out of the box. And as a result, for all it's faults, I was nominated Best Director at the Action On Film Film Festival in 2005 and it has been an Official Selection at 5 film festivals.
Now, this is not just about getting accolades or pats on the back, but the festivals did help me return to the roots of why I am in this field. We all have done movies that just sort of unceremoniously show up on a video shelf and the distributors of Cupid were just as happy with that. But I felt I had taken a risk to play with "art of film" and wanted people to have an opportunity to see it, hate it or love it. It's like in martial arts, if you just keep sparring the same sparring partner over and over it gets easy and redundant. But then step in with some new guy, and no matter if you look bad or good against him, you are going to learn something. That is what I am trying to do with these smaller films. Learn to get better. And if I don't, maybe I will encourage someone else to. This is the road John Casavettes took back in the 60s and 70s and I hope to do it with a different generation and even in a different genre, like action films.
No 11.The early 90's was a great time for MA B-movies,will we see that again but with idependent films.As so many have been made in the past few years, good and bad.
Yes, I think so. This is in part to the influx of independent films but also the new interest in the B movies period. Partly due to Tarantino, no doubt. But even some of those MA B movies that could be pretty bad or formulaic at times, they were some that are really innovative but just never climbed out of the video hole. I think van Damme was probably the last guy to do a B movie and have it make it to the theaters. If he had hit the scene a year or two later, his films would have ended up only on the video shelves. But I think now, people are looking back a bit (as always happens) and we will probably see another surge of those type of action films. Acton will forever translate to every country.
No 12.You might be using bruce lee's brother in one of your movies? how did this idea come about? and what role will he be playing?
Well, I met Robert years ago and wanted to use him in Killing Cupid. But, that didn't work out so I have been toying around with the idea of using him in this other project I have coming up. I actually met with John Saxon not that long ago and thought how cool to get those guys in a movie together? Lee and Saxon together again!
No 13.Whats your opinion on wire work? is it harder to use in idependent movies? as with all the tech you can use some great CGI now very low budget.
Wire work is great. There are times where for my tastes it gets over used at times. It's all about where it's appropriate. If you are doing a fantasy film where wires help create the fantasy, that is great. But if you are trying to do a more realistic cop film or something, to have guys doing these over the top wire flips can sometimes take you out of the moment. I would prefer to use them ONLY when you cannot get the effect in real life.
On lower budgets it is harder as the expense and time of doing wire work does not always fit into those projects. But you are right with all the Final Cut Pro systems and programs like Shake and Maya being affordable to us mere mortal filmmakers, you can do some great stuff that only the studios could do before.
No 14.Is their any chance of seeing you hook up with gary daniels for a fight scene on your next movie?
Gary and I did a couple fights in my very first film, Final Impact. I really was not as put together as a film fighter back then so we didn't get much of a chance to do a really complex sequence. But I think Gary is a great guy and would love to work with him again. You never know, could happen soon.....
No 15.Iv seen a fantastic trailer for a independent german movie called KAMPFANSAGE.So it can be done with the right film makers, whats your view on this mike? does it take a team to really make a movie good on a very low budget?
You have to have a good team. It's hard enough to make a film as it is, but you really need a group of talented artists to make something special. Just don't forget STORY IS KEY. No matter how cool your shots are or how many neat tricks your new editing system can do, you need to get the audience involved in your film. That takes drama and conflict. Anyone who wants to make a movie I can't stress enough to learn the craft of writing. But, above all, go out and do it. Make some shorts. Shoot some scenes. Play around and learn your craft. Don't mortgage your house, but get out and do it. We tend to regret the things we didn't do more than the things we did, so don't let time slip by. If you want to make something, make it and learn. That is the way of the artist.
No 16.So have you got any more movies and scripts that you will be planning to make soon?
Well, I am finishing a script for Dolph Lundgren now. I am not sure if I will act in it or not, but he and I came up with a story that will probably be shot sometime in 2006. A return to the more simple action story line of the older Eastwood films. A straight ahead story where Dolph will not have to rely on wires or overly choreographed fights, but instead a really basic story about a man overcoming great odds in himself as well as around him. Dolph is like a modern day Eastwood who has that quiet energy about him. It's called Wanted Man and is set in Mexico.
I am also putting a final rewrite together for the boxing script and hope to have it done by this summer. Then as I mentioned I will be aiming towards doing another action oriented film that will just be there to entertain the hell out of people. In fact as I sit here thinking about it, makes me want to go out and punch my heavy bag!
Mike, thanks for talking with me again.All the best with the movies, and i hope to work with you soon.?
I hope so! About time we made a movie together, huh?
Well, DUAL and Devil are two very different movies. In concept and execution.
I had the idea of Dual in my head for a few years. It was a very dark exploration into a man's mind set in the late 1800s. A psychological thriller. I almost just sold the script to a company in Europe to get it done. They were going to get this star name and add explosions and fights that were above the scope of the film and I ended up holding on to it. I thought it was one of those films that should almost be done as inexpensively as possible to keep the film focused on the simple things like the story and not caught up in the "flash". So, I actually raised the money myself and we went out to Arizona and shot it in less than two weeks. It has become one of the films I am most proud of.
DEVIL ON THE MOUNTAIN on the other hand was a "studio assignment" all the way. A company working with the Sci Fi channel wanted to do a follow up "Bigfoot" film to something they had done before but wanted a little more action in it. The came to me, knowing I was a writer as well, and asked me to put something together that I could star in with Lance Henriksen. I was open to it as long as I could make it as much about the characters as the monster. They agreed and so I signed on. It was a very different experience from DUAL in that it was a movie by committee once again where many people are involved in the creation of it. Three times the crew and cast of Dual. But it was a great cast that had Lance, Cerina Vincent (Cabin Fever), Tim Thomerson, Craig Wasson, Karen Kim and Rance Howard. It should be out sometime mid 2006.
No 2.How did ghost rock do? and are you still going to make a sequel to it?
Ghost Rock was interesting. The script to the film was one of the most important and personal ones I had ever done. Ultimately the producers/distributors chopped the film up and what remained was only a portion of the story but it still was a big success for them. But I was not as happy with the final product. To sort of prove my point, I took a cut of the film that was 30 minutes longer, much closer to my script, that included much of the missing drama and story points (as well as all of Michiko Nishiwaki's scenes) and entered into The Fargo Film Festival and it won Best Independent film! So in the end I had some redemption.
But it's success did spawn an interest in a sequel and I have already written it and feel it tops the first in all ways. It's called The Cowboy Killers. Where the first dealt with the Chinese martial arts in the West, the sequel deals more with the Japanese arts, ALA the samurai, in a western setting. It has a lot of action and am negotiating the film now and if all goes well should have a very impressive cast.
No 3.I hear that you are planning to make a movie about boxing? what gave you this idea and who are you casting for it?Will it be like rocky?
This is something that we will probably start shooting early 2006. The film does have elements of Rocky and Million Dollar Baby in that boxing is the background of the story but it is mainly a drama. I am very happy with the script as it follows several characters connected to a boxing gym and what they have to go through to become "champions" in one way or another in their own lives. There will of course be some great boxing sequences.
No 4.Whats your view on idependent film making at the moment? is it doing well?
I have ventured more into this area in the past few years. Lately the freedom of stepping outside of the system has granted me opportunities as an artist I have not had before. I have turned away some nice lucrative offers to at times do projects that would barely cover my mortgage because I had more respect for the personal freedom of the smaller project. With the inclusion of high end video cameras becoming more affordable to filmmakers, we are getting a HUGE flow of new films. Of course, this will also probably have the opposite effect as since almost anyone with an idea can make a film, many "bad" films will spill into the market and the identification of "independent" and "amateur" may become it's own downfall. But, that may be the price to pay to get a hold of a few gems.
No 5.Alot of independent movies are better than A-movies, but they are just not getting the shown to the audiences, why is this happening?
This is true and mainly because most people making films for the first time don't realize that making the film is only half the fight. Finding someone to market it appropriately, or at all, is another battle. Lately, even the independent film's are now requiring "name" actors to get interest from a buyer. Many big stars are doing these small films more frequently and as a result, the kind of films that could have starred your older brother and the neighborhood butcher must also have a Streep or a Travolta to get seen. This is another trend we are starting to see.
No 6.Do you plan to work with isaac florentine again? as he's a cool director that knows how to shoot good action movies!
Isaac is a great friend. In fact, I just saw him the other night at the screening of Undisputed 2 starring another friend Michael White (the film is Isaac's best in my opinion and Michael does a fantastic job). He and I have discussed some things and I hope that within the year we can put something together. I have been thinking a lot about getting a group of guys like Michael, Bernhardt, Myself, etc., and doing a modern day Wild Bunch or Dirty Dozen. In fact, I have a script by someone that is being rewritten to follow that pattern and we'll see what happens.
No 7.With movie like tom yum goong, and sha po lang comming out of asai, do you think you could make a movie that could match these for action and fights?
Well, I think we always strive to not so much match fights or action sequences, but to do them one better and to make them more interesting. Not in a competitive sense, but in that when an audience sees something, you don't want to do less or even the same thing, but find another way to do it to make them go "hey, that was different".
Asia does have a head up in the action scenes in many ways as they tend to prioritize them. In America, many times you will get a day or two if your lucky to do your "epic" battle. Of course, on larger studio films you can get more, but there is nothing like the focus that gets placed on those sequences as in the East. I have yet to do a film where we have more than so many hours to do a great action sequence. US SEALS 2 was probably the most time I ever had to do a fight sequence and I think it shows. In Ghost Rock, Dan, Shane and I did our last fight scene in about 7 hours. Killing Cupid we had maybe 4! On Demon Hunter Mitch Gould and I had managed to get a little more time than usual to do the couple fight sequences in that, but usually America falls behind in terms of scheduling those things.
So, I do think as long as those involved want to make those sequences as impressive as possible, and we of course have the money to have that time, I am looking forward to doing a few films that can compete with those great films you mentioned. One of my goals is to step back in and do another full out action film this year. The last few films I have done were more drama or thriller oriented so am looking forward to getting a little crazy again.
No 8.Independent movies have come along way with good quality cameras and editing equipment like dv/hd what are the pros and cons working on such low budget movies? and can they be sucssful at the box office just like a movie made for say $50 million shot on 35mm film with lets say a good or bad cast???
Well, the truth is, a good film is a good film be it shot on film or video. Look at Collateral. Shot on HD and is a great movie. Pieces Of April, a well received drama, was shot on a digital camera, as was 28 Days Later. I think the mistake people make when they get a few dollars and a video camera for the week is that they don't have a good story. They may also lack in the technical skills to make the film look good. We shot DUAL on HD 24P and it is the best looking film I have ever done. But we had professionals behind the camera who knew what they were doing.
I was very apprehensive about the whole HD video thing until I did DUAL. Though I am a fan of film and will always shoot on it when it's appropriate, I now understand the advantage and beauty of HD and digital. They have just released the first consumer value HD cameras on the market under 100,000 so there are now more tools for the innovative filmmakers. So as long as you have a good project and capable actors and crew, it will not matter how the project was shot, video or film.
No 9.Mike, whats the key to a great fight? how do you shoot a fight thats intresting but diffrent, iv seen tony jaa and his team do it.
Like anything else in film, there are many ways to do it. I think if there is a key it's strive to be different. Be careful not to just repeat things you have seen. Think of the fight scenes that grabbed people's attention from Bruce Lee to Steven Seagal to Jackie Chan to Tony Jaa. They were all different. Bruce came on when the whole "swingy arm" basher type films were popular and blew everyone away. Seagal with his Aikido, same thing. Tony Jaa has his amazing gravity defying Muay Thai. So the most important thing is to treat your fights like you would your story. You wouldn't just go out and write a story that mimics another story you saw, would you? Same with fights. Look for something to surprise the audience.
As for shooting them, everyone has their own style. Isaac has his way and then Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy) has another. But both strive to find what enhances the impact of the sequence. The fight must be about the story and not just some compartmentalized sequence that seems like it's from some other film. And don't forget, fight scenes are not just a series of techniques strung together. There should be drama in the fight. An audience can bore quickly from just watching a martial arts demonstration. That is why the Rocky films were so memorable was because of the drama in the fight scene. I have a sort of Run Lola Run martial arts vehicle that I hope to make this year and is a lot of fight scenes that are all motivated by a strong story line.
No 10.You have made many independent films of late,whats your main goal with them? and what feed back have you had about them from viewers and companys?
As I said earlier, I have gotten more involved with the independent film for a couple reasons. One is the freedom from more "corporate" involvement and the other is it allows me to step out of just being the actor and to be more involved behind the camera. I took the job of Killing Cupid because it was an opportunity for me to direct something. It was the furthest from an ideal situation as there was no money and no time to do it. It wasn't a Reservoir Dogs situation where you have a couple million dollars and a few big stars. I had ten days to write it and 10 days to shoot it. But I was attracted to the freedom to fail and learn by stepping out of the box. And as a result, for all it's faults, I was nominated Best Director at the Action On Film Film Festival in 2005 and it has been an Official Selection at 5 film festivals.
Now, this is not just about getting accolades or pats on the back, but the festivals did help me return to the roots of why I am in this field. We all have done movies that just sort of unceremoniously show up on a video shelf and the distributors of Cupid were just as happy with that. But I felt I had taken a risk to play with "art of film" and wanted people to have an opportunity to see it, hate it or love it. It's like in martial arts, if you just keep sparring the same sparring partner over and over it gets easy and redundant. But then step in with some new guy, and no matter if you look bad or good against him, you are going to learn something. That is what I am trying to do with these smaller films. Learn to get better. And if I don't, maybe I will encourage someone else to. This is the road John Casavettes took back in the 60s and 70s and I hope to do it with a different generation and even in a different genre, like action films.
No 11.The early 90's was a great time for MA B-movies,will we see that again but with idependent films.As so many have been made in the past few years, good and bad.
Yes, I think so. This is in part to the influx of independent films but also the new interest in the B movies period. Partly due to Tarantino, no doubt. But even some of those MA B movies that could be pretty bad or formulaic at times, they were some that are really innovative but just never climbed out of the video hole. I think van Damme was probably the last guy to do a B movie and have it make it to the theaters. If he had hit the scene a year or two later, his films would have ended up only on the video shelves. But I think now, people are looking back a bit (as always happens) and we will probably see another surge of those type of action films. Acton will forever translate to every country.
No 12.You might be using bruce lee's brother in one of your movies? how did this idea come about? and what role will he be playing?
Well, I met Robert years ago and wanted to use him in Killing Cupid. But, that didn't work out so I have been toying around with the idea of using him in this other project I have coming up. I actually met with John Saxon not that long ago and thought how cool to get those guys in a movie together? Lee and Saxon together again!
No 13.Whats your opinion on wire work? is it harder to use in idependent movies? as with all the tech you can use some great CGI now very low budget.
Wire work is great. There are times where for my tastes it gets over used at times. It's all about where it's appropriate. If you are doing a fantasy film where wires help create the fantasy, that is great. But if you are trying to do a more realistic cop film or something, to have guys doing these over the top wire flips can sometimes take you out of the moment. I would prefer to use them ONLY when you cannot get the effect in real life.
On lower budgets it is harder as the expense and time of doing wire work does not always fit into those projects. But you are right with all the Final Cut Pro systems and programs like Shake and Maya being affordable to us mere mortal filmmakers, you can do some great stuff that only the studios could do before.
No 14.Is their any chance of seeing you hook up with gary daniels for a fight scene on your next movie?
Gary and I did a couple fights in my very first film, Final Impact. I really was not as put together as a film fighter back then so we didn't get much of a chance to do a really complex sequence. But I think Gary is a great guy and would love to work with him again. You never know, could happen soon.....
No 15.Iv seen a fantastic trailer for a independent german movie called KAMPFANSAGE.So it can be done with the right film makers, whats your view on this mike? does it take a team to really make a movie good on a very low budget?
You have to have a good team. It's hard enough to make a film as it is, but you really need a group of talented artists to make something special. Just don't forget STORY IS KEY. No matter how cool your shots are or how many neat tricks your new editing system can do, you need to get the audience involved in your film. That takes drama and conflict. Anyone who wants to make a movie I can't stress enough to learn the craft of writing. But, above all, go out and do it. Make some shorts. Shoot some scenes. Play around and learn your craft. Don't mortgage your house, but get out and do it. We tend to regret the things we didn't do more than the things we did, so don't let time slip by. If you want to make something, make it and learn. That is the way of the artist.
No 16.So have you got any more movies and scripts that you will be planning to make soon?
Well, I am finishing a script for Dolph Lundgren now. I am not sure if I will act in it or not, but he and I came up with a story that will probably be shot sometime in 2006. A return to the more simple action story line of the older Eastwood films. A straight ahead story where Dolph will not have to rely on wires or overly choreographed fights, but instead a really basic story about a man overcoming great odds in himself as well as around him. Dolph is like a modern day Eastwood who has that quiet energy about him. It's called Wanted Man and is set in Mexico.
I am also putting a final rewrite together for the boxing script and hope to have it done by this summer. Then as I mentioned I will be aiming towards doing another action oriented film that will just be there to entertain the hell out of people. In fact as I sit here thinking about it, makes me want to go out and punch my heavy bag!
Mike, thanks for talking with me again.All the best with the movies, and i hope to work with you soon.?
I hope so! About time we made a movie together, huh?
Keith W. Stranberg Interview ()
Keith W.Strandberg Interview:By Anthony Dawe
No 1.Keith, with movies like tom yum goong and sha po lang hitting asia by storm, can we see the same effect in the states like back when you made no reatreat no surrender?
At first I thought they would, but they are not sophisticated enough to make a huge splash in the US. That's not to say that NRNS was sophisticated, it certainly wasn't, but the days when a low budget, poorly scripted and poorly acted martial arts movie with great action can succeed solely on the action alone are long gone in the US. Nowadays, for a movie to succeed here in the US theatrically, it either has to be a huge blockbuster or it has to have something incredibly special going for it. In most cases, the American audience wants someone they know in the movie in order to go to see it.
No 2.At the moment there is a bit of a low in uk and us martial arts movies.There is nothing to get excited about, no great acton martial arts movies.All the action is in hong kong, thailand, korea.Whats going on?
To a certain degree, I think part of the problem is that it's very difficult if not impossible to make a really low budget action movie -- the action takes so long to do you need upwards of 30 days of filming just to get the action right. There have been a lot of movies made for less money that skimped on the action and they didn't succeed. For example, I heard of an action movie that was filmed where the director was allowed a maximum of two takes for every shot -- imagine that, in an action movie, where it's critical to make sure there are no "misses" or the action is unbelievable. If you don't have a big star or special effects, though, it doesn't make sense to make anything over $500,000 or you are probably going to lose money. And I wouldn't even attempt to make a quality martial arts movie for less than $1 million.After the glut of low budget martial arts movies, where there were so many made and so few good ones, it's now tougher to get a martial arts movie made without a star. And if a star is in the movie, it ends up making it too expensive to make, so it's a bit of a Catch-22.
No 3.Do you think its how the movies are cast? or the directors vision,just could be money as low budget films can be tough to make? but saying that shouldn't real talent shine through no matter the challenge?
I'd love to be able to go back to the time when it was enough to have great martial arts and great martial artists in a movie, but that time is long past. Now, for a movie to succeed, it has to have everything -- a great cast, a great script, a great look, great production value and something special.
No 4. With your great track record and good scripts. Would you be interested in working with Seasonal Films again? or another Hong Kong film company to make some more great action movies?
I would love to work with Seasonal again, or another Hong Kong movie company, but only if the budget was there to do something truly exceptional. I've made enough bad movies, I'd like to make something that would turn the industry on its ear.
No 5. I'm trying to get Scott Adkins, Darren Shahlavi and Gary Daniels interested in a no retreat no surrender 4. with myself...hahaha come on keith lets get the script ready =)
There was a time when I thought every movie I made was going to be called "No Retreat No Surrender." I even considered making a movie called "No Retreat No Surrender Never Again." I can't argue that it is a good title, however, and I understand why distributors wanted to cash in on the success of the first movie..
No 6.At the moment saying there is a low, their are some great low budget digital B-movies being made and sold all around the world, is it getting the balance right though so the movies can be sold world wide with big advertising?
Even though there are movies being distributed on digital, people still look down their noses at stuff shot on commercial digital video. That's too bad, but the bottom line is that because everyone has access to the equipment, that means there is so much crap out there that even the good stuff is getting lumped in with everything that is bad. There is still definitely a quality to film that cannot be captured on digital. As the technology evolves, however, that may change.
#No 7. Korea seems to be a promising movie industry as of late a lot of great movies and actors/actress's have showcased them selfs to the world. Why do you think they have become so noticed?
No answer.
No 8. Along with Korea, thailand has hit asia by storm introducing tony jaa to the world. What is the secret behind this keith or is it just luck and talent with great film making all mixed in?
They can do things in Thailand that no one else in the world can get away with. When I saw Tony Jaa's first movie, I was stunned because he was really hitting people. I called my good friend Chuck Jeffreys (fight choreographer for Blade and Blade Trinity and the star in two of my movies) and asked him about how they were doing the action. He told me that people would go to jail in America and Hong Kong for what he was doing. He was hurting people. It made audiences sit up and take notice, but it also put people in jeopardy.
No 9. What do you think of video game adaptations to movies? the best one iv seen to date was mortal kombat. But the new tekken movie sounds very promising. Would you ever be interested in doing a script for a video game then turn to movie? And how can you make it work?
The problem with video games is that the characters are all stereotypes and there are no stories, really, to speak of. Video games are is just a succession of fight or action sequences and that ultimately leaves the audience unsatisfied. What martial arts movies need are compelling characters and a great story.
No 10. How long do you think it could be until great martial arts action movies are at there peak again? And will we ever see new classics like enter the dragon for the 21st century?
I think there will be a resurgence in quality martial arts movies. I'd like to see companies like Seasonal Films partner with big Hollywood companies, letting both companies do what they do best. That partnership could result in a fantastic movie.
No 11. Casting can also be a problem for movies. I don't think directors or producers really look hard enough or study the arts. You can't always have the perfect cast and crew its impossible but you can try and maximize what you have out their and use it to your best efforts. What's your view?
Everything is a compromise when you are making a movie. Certainly, you want the best actors and the best fighters in the role, but usually you can't find both in person. Either you have to choose the best fighter so that the action isn't compromised, or you choose the better actor because you want the audience to believe the character and invest emotionally movie. There have only been a handful of real actors who are great on-screen fighters -- Bruce Lee, Brandon Lee, Jackie Chan and Steven Seagal in his first movie, to name a few. I think with the right script, actors like Gary Daniels, Chuck Jeffreys, Scott Adkins and others could do a fantastic job.
No 12. Have you got any new movies or scripts that you are interested in making soon?
I am working on a project now with Chuck Jeffreys that we hope to be making within the next year. It will have to be a big budget movie or I'm not interested in doing it -- as I said before, I've made more than my share of bad movies. It's time to make something unique and different.
No 13. A-movies have big budgets and big name actors, but that does not help the action at all.charlies angles with all the wires and big budget still did not deliver.dare devil had stiff action that did not produce. And really the matrix was riding on all the new special effects not the martial arts action.Will we ever see a big budget movie with jaw dropping martial arts action less the wires and CGI???
I certainly hope so. I'm really tired of all the wires and CGI and I think audiences are ready for something different, and "old school" martial arts are decidedly different.
No 14.Tony jaa looks like the best thing to have come around for a long time.Would like to work with him on a movie keith?If so how can you make a movie with a star like tony with a limited budget? is it possible now he's in the lime light?
It's next to impossible to make a limited budget movie with a star. You have to have the money to do it right. So the bigger Tony Jaa becomes, and the more money he commands, the less chance that a low budget martial arts film maker will be able to work with him.
No 15.what are you plans for the future regarding action movies, directing and writing?Will we see a big hit from you again keith?
On the new project I'm writing, I would like to produce and co-direct. If the deal isn't right, I won't make the movie. I'm at the point in my career where I don’t have to make another movie, but I sure would like to if the situation is right.
Keith. Thanks for your time again, its been great talking with you.I hope that we can work on a movie together soon?
Anthony, thank you for your time. I would love to work with you sometime soon. Some of my favorite martial arts actors are Brits -- Gary Daniels, Scott Adkins, Darren Shahlavi and yourself. Cheers.
No 1.Keith, with movies like tom yum goong and sha po lang hitting asia by storm, can we see the same effect in the states like back when you made no reatreat no surrender?
At first I thought they would, but they are not sophisticated enough to make a huge splash in the US. That's not to say that NRNS was sophisticated, it certainly wasn't, but the days when a low budget, poorly scripted and poorly acted martial arts movie with great action can succeed solely on the action alone are long gone in the US. Nowadays, for a movie to succeed here in the US theatrically, it either has to be a huge blockbuster or it has to have something incredibly special going for it. In most cases, the American audience wants someone they know in the movie in order to go to see it.
No 2.At the moment there is a bit of a low in uk and us martial arts movies.There is nothing to get excited about, no great acton martial arts movies.All the action is in hong kong, thailand, korea.Whats going on?
To a certain degree, I think part of the problem is that it's very difficult if not impossible to make a really low budget action movie -- the action takes so long to do you need upwards of 30 days of filming just to get the action right. There have been a lot of movies made for less money that skimped on the action and they didn't succeed. For example, I heard of an action movie that was filmed where the director was allowed a maximum of two takes for every shot -- imagine that, in an action movie, where it's critical to make sure there are no "misses" or the action is unbelievable. If you don't have a big star or special effects, though, it doesn't make sense to make anything over $500,000 or you are probably going to lose money. And I wouldn't even attempt to make a quality martial arts movie for less than $1 million.After the glut of low budget martial arts movies, where there were so many made and so few good ones, it's now tougher to get a martial arts movie made without a star. And if a star is in the movie, it ends up making it too expensive to make, so it's a bit of a Catch-22.
No 3.Do you think its how the movies are cast? or the directors vision,just could be money as low budget films can be tough to make? but saying that shouldn't real talent shine through no matter the challenge?
I'd love to be able to go back to the time when it was enough to have great martial arts and great martial artists in a movie, but that time is long past. Now, for a movie to succeed, it has to have everything -- a great cast, a great script, a great look, great production value and something special.
No 4. With your great track record and good scripts. Would you be interested in working with Seasonal Films again? or another Hong Kong film company to make some more great action movies?
I would love to work with Seasonal again, or another Hong Kong movie company, but only if the budget was there to do something truly exceptional. I've made enough bad movies, I'd like to make something that would turn the industry on its ear.
No 5. I'm trying to get Scott Adkins, Darren Shahlavi and Gary Daniels interested in a no retreat no surrender 4. with myself...hahaha come on keith lets get the script ready =)
There was a time when I thought every movie I made was going to be called "No Retreat No Surrender." I even considered making a movie called "No Retreat No Surrender Never Again." I can't argue that it is a good title, however, and I understand why distributors wanted to cash in on the success of the first movie..
No 6.At the moment saying there is a low, their are some great low budget digital B-movies being made and sold all around the world, is it getting the balance right though so the movies can be sold world wide with big advertising?
Even though there are movies being distributed on digital, people still look down their noses at stuff shot on commercial digital video. That's too bad, but the bottom line is that because everyone has access to the equipment, that means there is so much crap out there that even the good stuff is getting lumped in with everything that is bad. There is still definitely a quality to film that cannot be captured on digital. As the technology evolves, however, that may change.
#No 7. Korea seems to be a promising movie industry as of late a lot of great movies and actors/actress's have showcased them selfs to the world. Why do you think they have become so noticed?
No answer.
No 8. Along with Korea, thailand has hit asia by storm introducing tony jaa to the world. What is the secret behind this keith or is it just luck and talent with great film making all mixed in?
They can do things in Thailand that no one else in the world can get away with. When I saw Tony Jaa's first movie, I was stunned because he was really hitting people. I called my good friend Chuck Jeffreys (fight choreographer for Blade and Blade Trinity and the star in two of my movies) and asked him about how they were doing the action. He told me that people would go to jail in America and Hong Kong for what he was doing. He was hurting people. It made audiences sit up and take notice, but it also put people in jeopardy.
No 9. What do you think of video game adaptations to movies? the best one iv seen to date was mortal kombat. But the new tekken movie sounds very promising. Would you ever be interested in doing a script for a video game then turn to movie? And how can you make it work?
The problem with video games is that the characters are all stereotypes and there are no stories, really, to speak of. Video games are is just a succession of fight or action sequences and that ultimately leaves the audience unsatisfied. What martial arts movies need are compelling characters and a great story.
No 10. How long do you think it could be until great martial arts action movies are at there peak again? And will we ever see new classics like enter the dragon for the 21st century?
I think there will be a resurgence in quality martial arts movies. I'd like to see companies like Seasonal Films partner with big Hollywood companies, letting both companies do what they do best. That partnership could result in a fantastic movie.
No 11. Casting can also be a problem for movies. I don't think directors or producers really look hard enough or study the arts. You can't always have the perfect cast and crew its impossible but you can try and maximize what you have out their and use it to your best efforts. What's your view?
Everything is a compromise when you are making a movie. Certainly, you want the best actors and the best fighters in the role, but usually you can't find both in person. Either you have to choose the best fighter so that the action isn't compromised, or you choose the better actor because you want the audience to believe the character and invest emotionally movie. There have only been a handful of real actors who are great on-screen fighters -- Bruce Lee, Brandon Lee, Jackie Chan and Steven Seagal in his first movie, to name a few. I think with the right script, actors like Gary Daniels, Chuck Jeffreys, Scott Adkins and others could do a fantastic job.
No 12. Have you got any new movies or scripts that you are interested in making soon?
I am working on a project now with Chuck Jeffreys that we hope to be making within the next year. It will have to be a big budget movie or I'm not interested in doing it -- as I said before, I've made more than my share of bad movies. It's time to make something unique and different.
No 13. A-movies have big budgets and big name actors, but that does not help the action at all.charlies angles with all the wires and big budget still did not deliver.dare devil had stiff action that did not produce. And really the matrix was riding on all the new special effects not the martial arts action.Will we ever see a big budget movie with jaw dropping martial arts action less the wires and CGI???
I certainly hope so. I'm really tired of all the wires and CGI and I think audiences are ready for something different, and "old school" martial arts are decidedly different.
No 14.Tony jaa looks like the best thing to have come around for a long time.Would like to work with him on a movie keith?If so how can you make a movie with a star like tony with a limited budget? is it possible now he's in the lime light?
It's next to impossible to make a limited budget movie with a star. You have to have the money to do it right. So the bigger Tony Jaa becomes, and the more money he commands, the less chance that a low budget martial arts film maker will be able to work with him.
No 15.what are you plans for the future regarding action movies, directing and writing?Will we see a big hit from you again keith?
On the new project I'm writing, I would like to produce and co-direct. If the deal isn't right, I won't make the movie. I'm at the point in my career where I don’t have to make another movie, but I sure would like to if the situation is right.
Keith. Thanks for your time again, its been great talking with you.I hope that we can work on a movie together soon?
Anthony, thank you for your time. I would love to work with you sometime soon. Some of my favorite martial arts actors are Brits -- Gary Daniels, Scott Adkins, Darren Shahlavi and yourself. Cheers.
Interview with DAVID NO (From Vengeance Magazin - 2004)
FEATURE ARTICLE: Vengeance Magazine
Spring 2004 (Apr-Jun) Vol. 1 No. 2
INTELLECTUAL ACTION
AN INTERVIEW WITH DAVID NO
Up and coming UK Martial Arts Actor, Anthony Dawe goes one on one with Australian, Taekwondo expert, Action Star and Stunt Master, David No for an exclusive Vengeance interview!
(www.furiousfilms.com.au)
Anthony Dawe: David, how did you first get involved in the Martial Arts and Action movie industry?
David No: I was studying Physiotherapy when a friend introduced me to her neighbour who was at film school. We made a short film called The Huntsman, it was so much fun and so fascinating, I wanted to keep doing it.
AD: You made a trailer, along with Action Director, Brent Houghton called Huntsman 5.1 what was the idea behind that as I know you approached the American Film Market, to make a feature length movie in 2000?
DN: Huntsman 5.1 is a Sci-Fi Action Thriller we had written. It was our first feature screenplay. We shopped it in Australia, but the industry basically didn't have the confidence in investing into unknown territory. By this I mean Australia, (in recent years at least,) doesn't traditionally make genre based pictures. We made the 'H.5.1' trailer to show that it could be done. We turned a lot of heads and were suddenly taken very seriously, but still no one wanted to take a risk. So we shopped it at 'AFM'.
The trouble here is that 'AFM', (like most markets,) is mainly for finished films, not screenplays. The other thing about 'AFM', is that they are more interested about "how much" and "who's in it" rather than "is it a good film"!
AD: Furious Films, (a company formed between David No and Brent Houghton) have ideas for other movies to be produced such as Power Within, Blood Brothers and Skirmish. Can you tell our readers more about these projects?
DN: Power Within I wrote for myself. It is one of those projects that has a surprise ending; but let's just say it's a rite-of-passage drama set here and in Korea. I wrote Blood Brothers for a Korean company, it's an action drama centred around two Korean orphan brothers growing up on different sides of the law in Australia. Skirmish is an Oz - Philippine action drama co-production we wrote for another company. With all our scripts, we try to aim higher than the action video market. We work on intricate story lines, good character arcs, and infuse it with innovative action. Quite often the action is integral to the story telling, so the choreography is actually written into the script. The audience is so educated now, it's always a challenge to come up with something new and different, but that's the enjoyment of screenwriting!
AD: Your friend, Brent Houghton is a great all round director and you have a good working relationship with him, do you think that this is the key to your success on his movies?
DN: Sure, Brent and I have known each other for over ten years now. We have developed ideas together and have a great network of people to draw from. Good help is hard to find and we have been fortunate to have a lot of good people around us. This means that when it comes to shooting something, we move very quickly, it almost becomes an intuitive process. We are also very different which means that we challenge each other.
AD: With your talent, I'm surprised that you and Brent haven't stormed America. Is it the funding for your projects that is holding you back, if so how will you overcome this?
DN: Brent and I wanted to do something quite selfless. We are both passionate about the Australian film industry. Instead of running off to where the work is, we have opted to stay and work to make change in the industry. A lot of guys are trying to make similar movies, but only at an 'Indie' level. We have tackled the mainstream industry head on. We have attended the producer conferences and met with the big men of the industry, but the thinking in Australia remains quite conservative, although it is showing signs of change.
It is a sad story that most of Australia's talent needs to be validated outside the country before we consider them talent worth investing in. This is not just the film industry either. It is just basic mathematics, we have a small population on a huge isolated land mass. Even so, Australians constantly prove themselves internationally, for that I am very proud.
AD: Do you have any plans to break into the American Film market or maybe go to Hong Kong?
DN: Last year (2003) I decided that the stagnation in the Australian industry was only getting worse. So I made the difficult decision to check out overseas. In March, I visited Korea, with a mini stop in Hong Kong. Here I was offered a role on a Daniel Lee (Black Mask) movie, but 'SARS' had hit it's stride by then, so it didn't work out. I've had a lot to do with the Korean commercial industry, producing, acting, and doing stuntwork. I just got back from New Zealand where I featured in another one of their commercials. I visited LA last year, got myself a manager and attended the 'Reloaded' (Matrix) DVD launch party. Over summer, I decided to immerse myself in the acting world, so I did four weeks full time at NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Arts). Now it's time to get fit, cash up, and go back over to LA to capitalize on my representation over there.
AD: As this is the Vengeance, 'Jackie Chan Special', let's discuss Jackie for a moment. What was the Entrac TV commercial you did with Jackie in Thailand?
DN: Entrac is a car navigation system. I was asked by Basecamp Productions to produce the project. It was huge; car stunts, helicopters, explosions, hundreds of extras and of course Jackie Chan. In Thailand, they don't really have stunt co-ordinators, that's usually the first Assistant Director's job. There are some very experienced crews over there, but if they're busy, the depth of talent can quickly fall away. So I found myself taking on a lot more responsibility than usual, from co-ordinating car stunts to something as simple as getting the explosion the right size, shape and colour. At one stage I was working twenty hour days and had eaten only two meals in three days. When it came to Jackie, the director suggested that I take care of his performance, while he took care of the camera. On top of all this we shot in some of the busiest locations in Bangkok!
AD: You also worked with Jackie Chan on the movie, Mr. Nice Guy what was Jackie like to work with and what did you learn from him and the shoot?
DN: I've never been one to grow up with idols or heroes, but obviously you have to appreciate what this guy has done. I went from respecting the name Jackie Chan to respecting the person. This was again highlighted to me when we worked together on the Entrac commercial. Because of my rapport with Jackie, I ended up directing him. He was so easy to work with; he is so faithful to his JC Stunt Team; he is so giving to his fans; and yet he still has time to pick up the odd bit of rubbish off the street! What have I learnt from him ... that you can be so famous, yet so human at the same time.
AD: You worked on the Matrix sequels. What was that like and how did you get the role?
DN: The Matrix films were a little different to most films I've worked on. Usually a sense of family develops on a feature film, because you are working with the same people for so long. I had a small role on a huge film. The production was like its own city, and just like going to a new city you were meeting new people every day. I got the role through the usual auditioning process, although I may have got a nod from a stunt audition I had done a few weeks earlier. Everything was going swimmingly until my knee nearly turned inside out! This sort of brought a premature end to my involvement. I have no regrets though, its just part of the reality of what I do.
AD: What is your opinion of Keanu Reeves and the rest of the cast regarding the Martial Arts action?
DN: Keanu is a very committed individual. He hasn't done Martial Arts his whole life, but he works very hard at it. He is very self demanding and self critical. The fight in the Chateau was over a hundred and fifty moves long, and he learnt it all.
Laurence, (Fishburne) was relaxed and warm to everyone, a real fatherly figure. He organised a private screening of Apocalypse Redux and gave commentary all the way through, that was so cool. Carrie-Anne, (Moss) was a little harder to get to know, but once you did she was a lotta fun. I was disappointed when I saw Monica, (Bellucci) on screen, she is much more beautiful in real life. She definitely has depth behind those incredible eyes. Randall, (Duk Kim) was also a special person. I think that when you are able to cast all over the world, like Matrix did, you can't help but get some of the best of what the world has to offer.
Martial Arts? I sort of felt that the fight scenes were a little detached, they didn't relate back to the person in the way the first film did but 'Reloaded' did have the wow factor!
AD: You recently came back from a big tour in Asia (Korea) where you met up with Action Director Lee Eung-Jun. Is a Korean production in the works?
DN: Well I have Korean heritage, so I am naturally interested in what goes on there. For the past few years Korean cinema has been some of the most exciting in the world. Of course I would love to get involved in any worthy project anywhere in the world. But in terms of markets that would possibly want to use me, I'm thinking the US, Korea, and maybe Hong Kong would be high on the list. I told myself that I would take a working permit over next time I travel to Korea ... we'll see. I also met up with Director Kim Tae-Gyun (Volcano High) both in Korea and LA. It looks like we might be Line Producing a portion of his next feature in Australia!
AD: If you could work with anyone in the world who would it be and why?
DN: Basically anyone who inspires me as a human being and that I can learn from. Of course if they put me on the road to success, that would also be great. Not because I want to be famous, but more because I want to have the power to make the films I want to make, or have the money to make them myself.
AD: Finally David, what plans have you got for the near future?
DN: Keep spreading my wings, developing my skills and ideas, and probably look for work overseas. I've come this far, it would be silly not to see just how deep the rabbit hole goes!
Spring 2004 (Apr-Jun) Vol. 1 No. 2
INTELLECTUAL ACTION
AN INTERVIEW WITH DAVID NO
Up and coming UK Martial Arts Actor, Anthony Dawe goes one on one with Australian, Taekwondo expert, Action Star and Stunt Master, David No for an exclusive Vengeance interview!
(www.furiousfilms.com.au)
Anthony Dawe: David, how did you first get involved in the Martial Arts and Action movie industry?
David No: I was studying Physiotherapy when a friend introduced me to her neighbour who was at film school. We made a short film called The Huntsman, it was so much fun and so fascinating, I wanted to keep doing it.
AD: You made a trailer, along with Action Director, Brent Houghton called Huntsman 5.1 what was the idea behind that as I know you approached the American Film Market, to make a feature length movie in 2000?
DN: Huntsman 5.1 is a Sci-Fi Action Thriller we had written. It was our first feature screenplay. We shopped it in Australia, but the industry basically didn't have the confidence in investing into unknown territory. By this I mean Australia, (in recent years at least,) doesn't traditionally make genre based pictures. We made the 'H.5.1' trailer to show that it could be done. We turned a lot of heads and were suddenly taken very seriously, but still no one wanted to take a risk. So we shopped it at 'AFM'.
The trouble here is that 'AFM', (like most markets,) is mainly for finished films, not screenplays. The other thing about 'AFM', is that they are more interested about "how much" and "who's in it" rather than "is it a good film"!
AD: Furious Films, (a company formed between David No and Brent Houghton) have ideas for other movies to be produced such as Power Within, Blood Brothers and Skirmish. Can you tell our readers more about these projects?
DN: Power Within I wrote for myself. It is one of those projects that has a surprise ending; but let's just say it's a rite-of-passage drama set here and in Korea. I wrote Blood Brothers for a Korean company, it's an action drama centred around two Korean orphan brothers growing up on different sides of the law in Australia. Skirmish is an Oz - Philippine action drama co-production we wrote for another company. With all our scripts, we try to aim higher than the action video market. We work on intricate story lines, good character arcs, and infuse it with innovative action. Quite often the action is integral to the story telling, so the choreography is actually written into the script. The audience is so educated now, it's always a challenge to come up with something new and different, but that's the enjoyment of screenwriting!
AD: Your friend, Brent Houghton is a great all round director and you have a good working relationship with him, do you think that this is the key to your success on his movies?
DN: Sure, Brent and I have known each other for over ten years now. We have developed ideas together and have a great network of people to draw from. Good help is hard to find and we have been fortunate to have a lot of good people around us. This means that when it comes to shooting something, we move very quickly, it almost becomes an intuitive process. We are also very different which means that we challenge each other.
AD: With your talent, I'm surprised that you and Brent haven't stormed America. Is it the funding for your projects that is holding you back, if so how will you overcome this?
DN: Brent and I wanted to do something quite selfless. We are both passionate about the Australian film industry. Instead of running off to where the work is, we have opted to stay and work to make change in the industry. A lot of guys are trying to make similar movies, but only at an 'Indie' level. We have tackled the mainstream industry head on. We have attended the producer conferences and met with the big men of the industry, but the thinking in Australia remains quite conservative, although it is showing signs of change.
It is a sad story that most of Australia's talent needs to be validated outside the country before we consider them talent worth investing in. This is not just the film industry either. It is just basic mathematics, we have a small population on a huge isolated land mass. Even so, Australians constantly prove themselves internationally, for that I am very proud.
AD: Do you have any plans to break into the American Film market or maybe go to Hong Kong?
DN: Last year (2003) I decided that the stagnation in the Australian industry was only getting worse. So I made the difficult decision to check out overseas. In March, I visited Korea, with a mini stop in Hong Kong. Here I was offered a role on a Daniel Lee (Black Mask) movie, but 'SARS' had hit it's stride by then, so it didn't work out. I've had a lot to do with the Korean commercial industry, producing, acting, and doing stuntwork. I just got back from New Zealand where I featured in another one of their commercials. I visited LA last year, got myself a manager and attended the 'Reloaded' (Matrix) DVD launch party. Over summer, I decided to immerse myself in the acting world, so I did four weeks full time at NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Arts). Now it's time to get fit, cash up, and go back over to LA to capitalize on my representation over there.
AD: As this is the Vengeance, 'Jackie Chan Special', let's discuss Jackie for a moment. What was the Entrac TV commercial you did with Jackie in Thailand?
DN: Entrac is a car navigation system. I was asked by Basecamp Productions to produce the project. It was huge; car stunts, helicopters, explosions, hundreds of extras and of course Jackie Chan. In Thailand, they don't really have stunt co-ordinators, that's usually the first Assistant Director's job. There are some very experienced crews over there, but if they're busy, the depth of talent can quickly fall away. So I found myself taking on a lot more responsibility than usual, from co-ordinating car stunts to something as simple as getting the explosion the right size, shape and colour. At one stage I was working twenty hour days and had eaten only two meals in three days. When it came to Jackie, the director suggested that I take care of his performance, while he took care of the camera. On top of all this we shot in some of the busiest locations in Bangkok!
AD: You also worked with Jackie Chan on the movie, Mr. Nice Guy what was Jackie like to work with and what did you learn from him and the shoot?
DN: I've never been one to grow up with idols or heroes, but obviously you have to appreciate what this guy has done. I went from respecting the name Jackie Chan to respecting the person. This was again highlighted to me when we worked together on the Entrac commercial. Because of my rapport with Jackie, I ended up directing him. He was so easy to work with; he is so faithful to his JC Stunt Team; he is so giving to his fans; and yet he still has time to pick up the odd bit of rubbish off the street! What have I learnt from him ... that you can be so famous, yet so human at the same time.
AD: You worked on the Matrix sequels. What was that like and how did you get the role?
DN: The Matrix films were a little different to most films I've worked on. Usually a sense of family develops on a feature film, because you are working with the same people for so long. I had a small role on a huge film. The production was like its own city, and just like going to a new city you were meeting new people every day. I got the role through the usual auditioning process, although I may have got a nod from a stunt audition I had done a few weeks earlier. Everything was going swimmingly until my knee nearly turned inside out! This sort of brought a premature end to my involvement. I have no regrets though, its just part of the reality of what I do.
AD: What is your opinion of Keanu Reeves and the rest of the cast regarding the Martial Arts action?
DN: Keanu is a very committed individual. He hasn't done Martial Arts his whole life, but he works very hard at it. He is very self demanding and self critical. The fight in the Chateau was over a hundred and fifty moves long, and he learnt it all.
Laurence, (Fishburne) was relaxed and warm to everyone, a real fatherly figure. He organised a private screening of Apocalypse Redux and gave commentary all the way through, that was so cool. Carrie-Anne, (Moss) was a little harder to get to know, but once you did she was a lotta fun. I was disappointed when I saw Monica, (Bellucci) on screen, she is much more beautiful in real life. She definitely has depth behind those incredible eyes. Randall, (Duk Kim) was also a special person. I think that when you are able to cast all over the world, like Matrix did, you can't help but get some of the best of what the world has to offer.
Martial Arts? I sort of felt that the fight scenes were a little detached, they didn't relate back to the person in the way the first film did but 'Reloaded' did have the wow factor!
AD: You recently came back from a big tour in Asia (Korea) where you met up with Action Director Lee Eung-Jun. Is a Korean production in the works?
DN: Well I have Korean heritage, so I am naturally interested in what goes on there. For the past few years Korean cinema has been some of the most exciting in the world. Of course I would love to get involved in any worthy project anywhere in the world. But in terms of markets that would possibly want to use me, I'm thinking the US, Korea, and maybe Hong Kong would be high on the list. I told myself that I would take a working permit over next time I travel to Korea ... we'll see. I also met up with Director Kim Tae-Gyun (Volcano High) both in Korea and LA. It looks like we might be Line Producing a portion of his next feature in Australia!
AD: If you could work with anyone in the world who would it be and why?
DN: Basically anyone who inspires me as a human being and that I can learn from. Of course if they put me on the road to success, that would also be great. Not because I want to be famous, but more because I want to have the power to make the films I want to make, or have the money to make them myself.
AD: Finally David, what plans have you got for the near future?
DN: Keep spreading my wings, developing my skills and ideas, and probably look for work overseas. I've come this far, it would be silly not to see just how deep the rabbit hole goes!
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