I’m anxious for the next several weeks and what the possibilities may bring. In the meantime, we’re back again with another installment of The Hit List, packed with amazing stuntreels and online action short gems from around the web.
I managed to wrap Yu Yu Hakusho over the weekend and now I’m wondering what anime should I take up next. For anyone with Crunchyroll or Netflix, you’re more than welcome to throw some suggestions at me via Twitter or on our Facebook page. So…have at it.
It probably dawned on many of you who may have been following the workings of online film production group, Thousand Pounds Action Company, since promoting and successfully fundraising their newest action series, Clandestine, why it feels like it has taken forever to see what the project has to offer. It probably feels the same way for its creative trio, Chris Cowan, Haile Lee and Lex Randleman, who kicked off their second film production arm, Epic Rival, back in April, while doing their best to help bring Clandestine to its fullest potential. That, of course, meant taking it to various studios for any number of meetings to see about possible network expansion, and deservedly so.
If you’ve been following Cowan and Lee for at least as long as the last couple of years, you will notice the electric responses they’ve received for the amount and quality of work they have achieved in the past several years, bringing a careful touch to their visionary blend of live-action spectacle with martial arts and storytelling gems, layered with attributions to various elements and franchises of gaming and Japanese anime and manga, from their numerous conceptual videos for Clandestine, to the arduous wait and delivery of the independently made Naruto Shippuden: Dreamer’s Fight, Eleven, Street Fighter X Tekken and even their most recent homage to TMNT, all of which have generated some of the biggest online viral video crowds to date, from the interwebs and blogosphere to the gatherings at Anime Expo in Los Angeles. It’s all been about strength in numbers at this point, because even as we’ve come this far, Cowan, Lee and Randleman are going to need all the support they can get as they continue their quest to bring Clandestine to episodic life.
The fundrasier eventually led to the subsequent completion of two principal episodes sampling the epic generational story of love, honor, family, betrayal and spirtual awakening, all encompassed in a young woman’s quest of self-discovery amidst political upheaval and turmoil among polarized clans. Lady Bloodfight star, actress and stuntwoman, Amy Johnston, whose 2012 action sampler at the formerly-titled White Lotus kung fu gym has become the talk of the interwebs, is the heroine of this stellar new project, and as you will see by the release of the first episode in the player below, if the quality and impact here say nothing else about Clandestine, it certainly says this: There are too many good projects out there online that get left by the wayside because someone upstairs in a suit who is too busy looking up the next thing to adapt from a comic book or video game doesn’t know a good thing when they see it. This has to stop.
Clandestine is fresh, original and rich with all the trappings of what could be a truly awesome and fruitful investment in televised action adventure programmimg. And after this write up, I hope the right people will start paying attention. Because if not now, then when?
Johnston is joined by Marshal Hilton and Judith Scarpone, along with Jaymes Edwards, Ming Lo, Luise Heath, actor and stunt coordinator Aaron Toney, Laura Burgo, Michelle Lee, Christopher Rivas and Katrina Walters, with episode two excerpts featuring Reuben Langdon, Linden King, Jimmy Chhiu and Gui DaSilva.
SERIES DESCRIPTION:
Enter the world of Clandestine.
Hidden within the recesses of modern society, lives four ancient supernatural clans who have been feuding since the beginning of time. Adelene, a young girl who knew nothing of the war between the clans, is suddenly thrown in the thick of it when it’s prophesied that she is the next matriarchal successor to the one of the Families.
Adelene begins her journey to learn all of what mankind has forgotten as she struggles to become the clans new “Matriarch”. The secrets of what life was like “before”, the decisions that risk countless lives, and the constant struggle to keep the clan united, are just a few of the dangerous trials she must now face… and survival is not guaranteed.
A martial arts action epic with political intrigue, love, and unforgettable supernatural action.
Epic Rival presents: Clandestine
Watch episode one below and stay tuned for further updates one number two and the series in its continued efforts. Happy New Year!
…That is the question, and it’s a pretty simple one, although very, VERY little is being willfully said about it since its conception earlier on. For now though, what we can go by is the information currently on display at its official Facebook page, including key names and companies, a very slow feed of stills, and a description that goes a little something like this:
“THRONE” is the an epic, action-adventure film from Halvon Corps. Entertainment, PMV Entertainment (“JumpStart the Movie”), and the producers who brought you “Violence” and “Insecurity”!
“THRONE” has an insanely talented international cast and crew led by Aaron Toney (“Gaurdians of the Galaxy”), James Young (“Captain America: The Winter Soldier”), & Brendon Huor (“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”). And it features the amazingly creative talents from EpicRival, Thousand Pounds Action Company, LBP Stunts Chicago, 87Eleven Action Design, EMC Monkeys, & Flow (just to name a few)!
Stay updated by connecting with us on social media! And when “THRONE” drops…
“…you’re gonna see some serious sh**!” ~Dr. Emmitt Brown
Click the photos for larger viewing:
If you follow my site and happen to be a devout fan of independent film and action cinema, you’ll likely recognize the names mentioned above, like Hollywood stuntman Aaron Toney, who is directing this project. And it makes sense that Toney is the one sitting in the director’s chair considering how much talent he sees and appreciates among professional performers, something he expressed in a special exclusive interview with our own Darren Bailey earlier this year. “I’ve seen nothing but good things come from people like The Stunt People, Thousand Pounds, EMC, Lazy Brown Productions…all these guys are top notch, …which is why I like working with all you guys.” he said. “You do some of your best work with independent, like-minded people.”
Needless to say, these like minds are keeping extra quiet about this little upcoming gem, and perhaps rightfully so, seeing as how awesome this project is already looking. So, indeed, no spoilers or clues just yet, but by all means, do the sensible thing and follow Project: THRONE on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and watch this space for more news!
To watch the full interview from April, CLICK HERE!
I have had a great time promoting and discussing geniune martial artist and XMA purveyor, actor, stuntman and Thousand Pounds action director and performer Brendon Huor since launching my Facebook page in late 2012. He’s done (and continues to do) some truly amazing work with independent and mainstream filmmakers, performing in commercials, and even acting and coordinating stunt action in a number spectacular shortfilms, between his roots in Jackie Chan’s 2006 film, Rob-B-Hood, working the stage with Team Sidewipe and training and filming with LBP Stunts Chicago, to working with the folks at Thousand Pounds Action Company, Flow, Epic Rival, and folks like independent filmmaker and action auteur, Vlad Rimburg.
Yes, ninja turtles usually come green with assorted masks and shells, and we’ll get more of that in a few months. This week however, we’re getting an inspired take on the classic characters by way of independent filmmaker Chris Cowan in the form of a new action short simply titled TMNT Style, featuring performances by actors Brendon Huor, Xin Sarith Wuku, Jimmy Chhiu and Micah Karns, with a special guest appearance by actor and stuntman, Master Simon Rhee of Best Of The Best fame.
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Two years after crowdfunding, filming, post production, hitting the LA Expo last year with conceptual shortfilm releases and promotional efforts in addition to searching for a worthy television platform for their new series, Clandestine, the multifaceted independent filmmakers Christopher Cowan and Haile Lee have finally launched the official trailer for the first two episodes of their ambitious new webseries. Best known for their visually stunning depiction of martial arts action with much adherence to a fanbase of amime, manga, movie and game lovers, Cowan and Lee, and series co-creator Lex Randleman, in conjunction with their production bases at Thousand Pounds Action Company and and their newest vehicle, Epic Rival, aim to use Clandestine to showcase the raw talents of some of the most prominent and rising action actors and actresses to make their mark in recent years.
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