In April, we first broke the news of a new proof-of-concept in the works for James Moten Black’s American Ronin, described as “a contemporary martial arts piece cosigning his love for classic jidaigeki cinema and anime”. Production ultimately had to take a back seat as the United States landed right into a lockdown with California, where Black and his production is based, under curfew for a time due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Independent filmmaker Choice Skinner is ramping up efforts to direct upcoming short film, Henry’s Courage, which he intends to shoot as a potential feature film pitch.
Well… this is it. It’s been another incredible year for The Hit List and being able to explore some filmmakers beyond what they shoot. There’s still plenty exploring left to be done as I hope to do something a bit more ceremonial by next year and maybe with a little help and some luck, I’ll be able to accomplish it.
Skinner, who shares acclaim with select crew on the 2011 drama short, Brotherly Love, took home a win for Best Fan Film on Friday, November 10 at the Urban Action Showcase and Expo, joined by Black, and actress Ishida Sachiko who co-stars. The release of the long-awaited finale also competes with the release of Robot Underdog’s hotly-anticipated non-profit dual episode offering of Dragon Ball Z: Light Of Hope from creative duo Donnie McMillin and Rita McMillin.
It’s not easy as I’m writing this on a crisp, chilly Saturday morning while at work again. Granted, it’s neither the cold nor is it the usual next-day recovery period from loss of sleep. Rather, it’s more perfunctory in that I’m lucky if I get to be in a room at least once or twice a year with as many like-minded people as I got to last night at the Times Square Diner And Grill in wake of all happening at this year’s fifth annual Urban Action Showcase & Expo. Indeed, it took a little help whilst planning a gathering of what I expected initially to be a handful of maybe ten people plus a few local friends, and with the help of D.L. MacDonald, a stuntman freshly in from Canada wearing, of all things, a few layered shirts and a pair of shorts, smack-dab in our below-zero windchill of the evening temperature. Some were impressed by way of his acclimation to the cold while a few others like myself were a little more surprised. I was even late in realizing it too.
My weekend was pretty good. I finally managed to relax a little on Saturday and Sunday with some obligatory movie viewing before commencing putting together tonight’s Hit List.
Speaking of which, there is a LOT to cover so, let’s get onto it with the latest updated stunt reel by Jazzy Ellis, and other new stunt and training reels by some of today’s top and up-and-coming stunt performers, including Nik Pelekai (more on him later), Kristina Baskett, Kevin Rogers, Kyla Hymas, Cris Fonseca, Christina Howe, Bryan Vigier, Eric C. Sun, Kent Lloyd, Brandon McClary, Robert Steven Brown (more on him later) and Kefi Abrikh.
Two extensive reels round out the stunt reels of the week in the playlist, first of which carries a bit of a story theme to it for stuntman Jordan Scott as he invokes a journey of trial over tribulation through imagery and his contribution to the field. It’s more of a personal feat than one he showcases for work (you can view that one here), but it’s available to the public, nonetheless. The playlist finishes with a five-minute montage of actor, martial artist and filmmaker Darren Holmquist and his journey as a stuntman and up-and coming film professional through consistent training.
Twelve reels in total. Enjoy!
This week’s matters of promotion are of a loaded batch and we begin with a poster debut for U.K. filmmaker Leif Johnson’s upcoming short, Kowloon Killers. The ambitious new turn on Asian action martial arts thrills is still a ways from its completion while you can also view a behind-the-scenes look featuring actor and martial artist Tien Hoang (artwork by Art Of Supershinobi).
The playlist continues with a fight scene highlight reel which actor, stuntman and filmmaker Ryan Monolopolous released last summer for his upcoming action sci-fi short, Alpha. I’m presenting it again here for coherence in wake of his most recent poster unveiling of the shortfilm thriller now poised as one of three Atlanta-made shorts premering at the Plaza Theater in Atlanta, Georgia on June 24. Tickets are available so if you’re in the area by then and wanna be around some great film festival fare, click here and get yours today. (Artwork by Maddy Booth).
Following that are teaser trailers for writer, editor and director Tanja Keller’s starring role in Beyond Return with Ron Smoorenburg, 48 Hour Film Project entry Finest City Showdown from Jabronie Pictures (and yes, it is a musical), the most recent teaser for the second installment of Darkan Entertainment’s Black Lightining fan film project with actor and director Choice Skinner – the first of which you can view HERE, the latest trailer for Matthew Kohler’s inspired new fanfilm, Batman: Master Of Fear from Red Fist Productions, a teaser for the early June premiere of Jordan Cann’s inspired visual martial arts/musical mix, DeTour, and the final trailer for actor, martial artist and filmmaker Leroy Kincaide’s Max Payne: Retribution ahead of its June 24 release!
Time to wind things down with an equally awesome array of action and film fight work, the first two of which are practice vids beginning with James Harris‘s lensing of stunt players Ashley Beck and Cali Nelle, and Kenny Wong‘s own DP work with Ben Hinnant and Jamal Warren.
Gui DaSilva gets to take out the trash in Chores in his latest collaboration with Felix King before things get Relentless with I AM WATER Stunt Team’s own Robert Steven Brown and performers Meghan Whitfield and Bri Marie Korin, and even moreso with Nik Pelekai in British Assassin from Wolf Stunts.
Rounding out the playlist up first are a trio of brief action comedy skits from the good folks at 6 Brothers Productions titled ReLoad. The first part was released in April and there’s no specific plot while all three range anywhere from a minute-plus to over three minutes. Thus, expect action, carnage, and a good dose of slapstick or several with Nathan Bender front and center, and more episodes to come.
Last and far from least is the latest shortfilm directing debut from Martial Club’s own Daniel Mah in Challenge Of The Fruit Ninja. Mah plays a martial artist who spends is every moment training as he strenuously tries to solve a clue that could ultimately increase his power. Andy Le plays our titular ninja burdening our hero in this latest array of kung fu and laughs from a fine group of people that now finds itself among the likes of Donnie Yen and Jackie Chan. True story. And good on them!
Enjoy the hits!
Last week’s Hit List has more of what you crave if you need it. Click on over and make sure you subscribe to the channels for more awesome content. And, as always, if you or someone you know has a demo reel or a project of worthy caliber and you feel it deserves a place in our weekly Hit List, hit us up at filmcombatsyndicate@gmail.com!
From there, Stanton Chong – by way of this weekend’s festivities at the Film Fu Fight Festival – makes his return to the Hit List this week representing Eunoia Creations with a ‘Game‘ of his own and with none other than stunt player Sean Kohnke beating up a LOT of Canadians…and all for a good cause!
A full on trailer is said to be coming in December while we have a pair of action clips from the upcoming short which will hopefully arrive before long as it looks all kinds of awesome.
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