jon truei
THE 44TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN: Take A Behind The Scenes Look At Jon Truei’s Latest Shortfilm
Originally published June 17: Secondary Education helmer Jon Truei’s cast and crew screening of his latest kung fu comedy short, The 44th Chamber Of Shaolin here in New York City was a blast to attend, although what made it even more heartfelt was just simply getting to see friends again, which is a blessing considering we all live miles, states and rivers apart from one another.
BUT FOR ME, IT WAS TUESDAY!: A Night Of Indie Kung Fu Fanfare At The Angelika
I think at least one other important lesson I must always remember is that I don’t get out enough.
THE 44TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN Review: Electrifyingly Nuts [Updated With Poster]
As far as shorfilms go, most are worthy of sharing a few written thoughts depending on their substance and potential. Jon Truei’s latest, The 44th Chamber Of Shaolin, produced by Mary Pomilla, stands as potent proof-of-concept that just about brings Truei full circle as an artist and kung fu cinema fan having once beared a Yahoo! username inspired by a Gordon Liu classic, and all while leaning into a bold mixture of outlandish comedy to couple with stylish martial arts action to boot.
ECHOES FROM DOWN UNDER: Swords, Swings And New Beginnings With Maria Tran And Takashi Hara
I’m having a bit of a slow day here, so there isn’t a whole lot coming through in my inbox. All that aside, I thought I’d share this little tidbit from a rare night out I had on Wednesday evening here in New York City when filmmakers Takashi Hara and production partner Maria Tran of Australia-based Phoenix Eye Film Productions came to visit.
THE 44TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN: Filming Underway For NY Indie Director’s Kung Fu Comedy Proof Of Concept [EXCLUSIVE]
As prone as we are to including independent action films in our coverage, it was only a matter of time before I’d be back to covering New York-based filmmaker Jon Truei (Gamer’s Generation, Secondary Education), currently in production with kung fu comedy, The 44th Chamber Of Shaolin.
EXPLODING HEADS, TWONKERS AND ONE-LINERS: A Night Of Drinking With New Friends
From L to R: Joey Min, Sunny Smith, Jon Truei, Jon Cross, Eoin Friel, Edward Friel, and myself.
Once again, I’m dead tired after a night of drinking, singing and shitloads of banter with good people, and I haven’t had a wink of sleep either at that. Nonetheless, I’m compelled to write briefly about my evening on Friday, November 7, 2014; I could have went to see Why Don’t You Play In Hell? by Sono Sion, but to be honest though, I really wasn’t up for another solo trip to the movies, plus the people I was with had plans of their own while only in town for a limited time, and so Friday night was played a little loosely. Thankfully, nobody got displaced, and for the most part, we all clicked.
This weekend, writer and journalist Eoin Friel of The Action Elite had flown in from Canada to attend the Urban Action Showcase & Expo as a sponsor with his brother, Edward. Simultaneously, actress Sunny Smith, co-owner of the San Diego-based indie platform, Jabronie Pictures with Fernando Jay Huerto was in town on business as well, although I made the mistake of believing that when she got here about maybe a month ago it was as a permanent resident; I had known of Sunny through her online action shorts and her comedic performances with Huerto since roughly around 2005, and so in addition to meeting Eoin, I also decided to try and plan something for all of us before she left next week. Before we knew it, my friend Jon Truei, also a mutual friend of Sunny, was in the mix as well with fellow indie actioner and photographer Joey Min on THAT evening!
Like I said… a little loosely.
I arrived at The Edison Hotel near Times Square around 9:30 or so where Eoin and Ed were staying, and it turned out the two were at another restaurant just a few blocks away. I decided to wait a bit since I thought we would all meet at Edison, and eventually I would meet up with Sunny, and having only known her online, maybe one phone conversation and a few chats, I can honestly say she is exactly what her name represents! Seriously, batteries not included. She’s got a great personality, an even greater hug, and her energy is freaking fantastic! It was also fortunate in meeting her first and foremost seeing as how I knew she was coming out, and I felt like I needed to get her something. Luckily in my search to find the hotel when I nearly got lost, I found a corner flower shop and bought Sunny a rose, which she gladly accepted.
From there, she and I walked over to a place I had never been (of many, ironically being a New York native, lol) called Brasserie Athenee, a restaurant on 45th street where I finally met up with the Friels‘ where they were already dining with another new face to my growing universe of wonderful people, Jon Cross who contributes to his own site, After Movie Diner. We then struggled a bit to find out where to fit all of us for a total of at least six people which briefly turned into eight when Truei finally arrived with Joey, his son and another friend; I should add that I first learned of Joey through his contributions to Jabronie Pictures as well, along with his own projects hailing from Team FistyleZ then-based in New Jersey. It was pretty delightful to meet him for the first time on Friday. He was very nice and cordial, and we had a few laughs too before he had to leave just a few minutes after getting there.
Afterwards, it was just the two Jons‘, Sunny, the Friels‘ and myself, and we all went barhopping. I didn’t predict this at all and was hoping I had enough on me for the night, which wasn’t much. And as time passed, it was all downhill from there. We drank, talked of drinking, drank some more, we sang (very loud, which was not an issue), a hostess called Truei “sweetie” and we all poked a bit of fun at him there every now and then. Sunny and I ate great food as well – I had a pretty badass pizza at a place called Ironbar while Sunny had a kick-ass slice of brownie cake and a plate of cheesy Garlic Bread at an Irish pub we went to last called Langan’s, and it came with her own sick boat of dressing (ranch, I think); Mind you, I’m not exactly an alcohol connoisseur so I never really know what I’m drinking before I put it in mouth. Hence, I pretty much spent my night drinking Whiskey and a Jack Daniels on the rocks. While at Ironbar, I decided to down the whole thing of Whiskey for the first time in my life. And to say the least, I’m not dead. S’all good! 🙂
VS!!!!!!!
Anyway, throughout all three locations, we each had a good time. We talked films, took pics and video, proudly embarassed ourselves with our awesomely poor singing, Truei spent all night engaging us in Arnie one-liners while he and I sparred a bit for fun which Sunny thought was some form of weird interpretive dance or something, Cross shared some of his most exciting stories in stuntwork, while inventing the slur, “Twonker” in pure portmanteau fashion (to which I helped defining), and by the time it was all over, the majority agrees that Friday night was truly opportune for everyone involved. Eoin, Ed and Joey are some of the nicest fellas I’ve ever met, as well as Cross who happens to be one of the funniest lads anyone would be lucky to share drinking space with. Seriously, I may have lost weight laughing so damn hard…the man is a gem.
Truei was great to see and hang with as usual too with this being our fourth outing together this year, and each time we convene (as he once put it best), it’s always a party, and I am very greatful to have that affect. And last but way, WAY far from least, I can honestly see why Sunny‘s friendship with Huerto has endured so long with their partnership together at Jabronie Pictures, and I could go on for hours about how amazing, refreshing and inviting it feels to have finally met this talented, lovely and kind woman. (She’ll tell you easily, there aren’t enough adjectives to describe how great she is, and I tried. Hard.) She is a walking, talking gift in this world, and anyone who wouldn’t want to be friends with this woman in any capacity needs their head examined, promptly. And I don’t know his name, but kudos to her boyfriend for figuring all this out earlier on. You two have my absolute blessing!
As much as my blog is about film and all things action (or as much as I can keep up with, really), my blog is also a journal of my own personal experience in meeting people who make the very kind of films I like to watch. In turn, I’m glad to say that in part, that for as long as it has taken for me to meet them, these are people I am glad to call friends. And I hope to see more of this progress going into 2015 too, I like it. I really, really do.
On another note, I guess Why Don’t You Play In Hell will have to wait a little longer before I can grant it audience myself, but I can live with that. What can I say though? Luck o’ the Irish I guess!
Wait…what the hell was I doing with my leg?… Ah, nevermind!
Growing Pains Pack A Punch In The New Indiegogo Promo For Webseries, FIGHTER'S HIGH
Interestingly enough, Ryons goes on to say a little more about how the latter actor, famously known for his prolific performances under several ‘Ranger’ iterations as the series character, “Tommy Oliver”, saying in part “…At first it was all about his fight scenes. To me, he really brought it in the fight scenes and I thought that he should have been doing martial arts movies back then. I did some research on him and his martial arts background and that kinda nailed it for me as far as studying martial arts and wanting to make fight scenes and such. I forever credit him as the reason ‘Fighter’s High’ was created.”.
Internal Chinese Kung Fu Delivers Artful External Brutality In The New Shortfilm, XING YI QUAN: APPLICATIONS AND TECHNIQUES
It was back in February in the early existence of Film Combat Syndicate that I got to share a dialogue with Hollywood stuntman, action performer and martial artist, Keith Min. A prominent member of LBP Stunts Chicago, much of Min‘s energy in martial arts is spent observing the core, internal philosophies of his teachings as an instructor in Chicago, trained in a variety of disciplines ranging from Baguazhang and Tai Chi, to his preferred style, Xing Yi, which can now be viewed in its cinematic aesthetic in the new kung fu action shortfilm, Xing Yi Quan: Techniques And Applications.
As I interpreted before in my informative and poignant discussion with Min back in February, Min‘s internal principles are what embody his vision to be able to implement his training with students in a simple but effective, and enjoyable manner to students of all types and sizes. Min expanded on the said “internal” benefits of his martial arts training, telling Film Combat Syndicate “Martial arts has really given me a way to condition my body and mind in very unique ways through various exercises, fighting techniques, and chi kung and meditation. I really appreciate the internal styles of kung fu because of how much they emphasize taking care of health. In my life, martial arts have taught me a lot about my outlook on life and how to deal with it.”
During our chat, Min also expressed the foundation of his teachings in Xing Yi, and detailed a little bit more in how he goes about instructing his students, highlighing strength, uniqueness and coordination, among other things. “My classes are Xing Yi which is a very powerful and direct style.” he says. “I teach how to use alignment and body mechanics along with great exercises for health and longevity.” He also added, “There is a big emphasis on full body power and coordination. I like arts like Xing Yi because its concept-based techniques have several applications. But I truly appreciate the way they take care of the body and aim to make it more healthy instead of just building raw strength for power…”
Filmed in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, N.Y. earlier this year back in March, Min earned the opportunity to formulate much of that concept for Xing Yi Quan: Techniques And Applications when he collaborated with New York-based independent filmmaker Jon Truei, and fellow New York stunt actors Kenny Wong and Cinematic Fight Studio’s own Lang Yip, Team FistyleZ’s Joey Min from New Jersey, and fellow action actors Jayson Soto and Matt Healey from Philadelphia and Connecticut, respectively. The new shortfilm is edited entirely in slow-motion, which doesn’t take away at all from the dynamic tone of the choreography and the editing, but augments it in a way that further justifies his credentials as one of the best in his respective fields, as a bonafide stuntman, stunt coordinator, teacher, and purveyor of the spirit in which Kung Fu continues to exist to this day.
Click HERE to read my interview with Keith Min. It is one of my earlier articles, and personally, I am very proud to both begin and end my first year as founder and editor of Film Combat Syndicate with a write-up about Min in a brand new body of work.
In addition, you can learn more about Min in the description of the video where you may subscribe to LBP Stunts Chicago for more awesome content. And also, check out some behind the scenes photos following the brand new shortfilm below.
Eric Lim Does Tokusatsu In SECONDARY EDUCATION
Three high school students are forced to make up a chemistry test during after school detention. Over the course of the afternoon, they discover that their Chemistry teacher, Eugene Yamamoto, has been leading a secret double life as a crime-fighting Power Ranger. When an escaped mutant lobster shows up in the hallways seeking revenge for his arrest at the hands of Mr. Yamamoto, they must use the science principles from the test that they failed to help him defeat it.A hybrid throwback to the educational after school specials of the 90s and the Japanese Tokusatsu genre.
Oldie/Goodie Review – Fight Clip: NO WAY OUT (2009)
The scene also features an intense soundtrack adding a sense of underlying drama to a clip that looks like its part of a much longer story. And in my opinion, it should have been. Joey is a 20-year practitioner of Shaolin Kung Fu, along with some training in Hyakkuken and Kyokushin Karate. His eight years of professional filmmaking after high school lend him much deserved credit as an action performer, as well as choreographer and director. Combined with David’s talents, in addition to Jon’s own training in Kung Fu, along with 5 years of Tae Kwon Do coupled with his 9 years of experience of independent filmwork, the following clip, although several years old, is exemplary of just how much true fans who love the action genre can generate quality product.
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