Film Combat Syndicate was allowed to present a raft of exclusive behind-the-scenes photos from the set of upcoming crime drama, Eastbound Traffic. The film is written and directed by Tokyo-based actor, stunt performer and filmmaker Chuck Johnson who just completed the first full rough edit of the film following pre-production a little over a year ago, and rolling cameras late last year.
Ten years in the making, Eastbound Traffic marks the first of five films out of Johnson’s Quiet Flame production outfit, packaging social impact-driven narratives and messaging with compelling stories and stylish action. The movie also serves as the feature launchpad for Quiet Flame following its 2015 start-up as Japan’s first and only English-first stunt team before evolving into a training institution.
To its credit, performers out of Quiet Flame have since appeared in numerous projects including – but not limited to – Jared Leto’s 2018 Netflix yakuza drama The Outsider, Paramount’s Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins with Henry Golding, and Kan Eguchi’s 2021 Junichi Okada starrer, The Fable, to name a few.
Johnson got his start as a YouTube creative in 2008, and winning multiple awards and prospects for his 2015 short, the Brian Parker-directed Fists Of Absinthe. He has also appeared in films like Re:Born helmer Yuji Shimomura’s 2005 feature debut, Death Trance, Masaharu Take’s 2014 drama In the Hero, and Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Wife Of A Spy to name a few.
To add, Johnson stakes a co-starring role in his freshman helmer, joining a cast led by Paula Berwanger (The Investor, Poster Of A Girl), and Mickey Koga (1446: An Eternal Minute, Bushido Man), along with Tokyo-based transgender actress Tiffany Rossdale in her screen debut, and actors Satoshi Hakuzen, Takahisa Takeyama, and Mami Sue. The movie will also feature appearances in the film by popular SNS influencers Yoko Kumada, “Nacci” and Hinano Yamada.
Eastbound Traffic sets its story in Tokyo’s sex industry as we follow guilt-ridden Adriana (Berwanger), who jets to the bustling city of Tokyo in search of answers following her sister’s disappearance. After falling prey to a pickpocket and losing all of her belongings, Adriana finds friendship in Ken (Takeyama), and soon lands employment at a hostess club run by the domineering Baron (Johnson). As Adriana’s quest brings her closer to the truth of her sister’s fate than she’s ever been, a violent climax ensues as her window to exit the seedy underworld narrows and danger lurks in her wake.
“It’s a mixed genre film with emphasis on the drama and social impact, but given the nature of the world that this takes place in, there is just a lot of violence,” said Johnson.
Novelist, screenwriter and NHK journalism and drama vet, Shunsuke Katori served as script consultant for Johnson on the film. Johnson is also executive producer, joined by stunt professional Daniel Ford Beavis (Good Guy With A Gun, Alien Planet), and consulting producer Patrick Cunningham (The Bronx Bull, Mother of George), and co-director Sam Laubscher (Fists Of Absinthe) who also serves as director of photography.
Honing in on his merits in cinematic action, Johnson also had a hand in the film’s fight scenes, coordinated by Greg Poljacik. Additionally, Southeast Asian martial arts specialist John Honeyman served as fight consultant on the project, along with Re:Born and One Percenter star Tak Sakaguchi, who himself has amassed a cult following in his career in entertainment and action stardom, including starring in Shimomura’s Death Trance.
Eastbound Traffic is currently in post-production with plans to hit screens with a TBA late Summer/Fall date. Check out the rest of the behind-the-scenes pictures exclusively at my Buy Me A Coffee page where you can also read more on Sakaguchi’s involvement on the movie, and follow Quiet Flame on Instagram.
A previous version of this article has been updated with casting and character info, as well as name attribution for Mami Sue, and John Honeyman’s martial arts specialty.