ALPHA INITIATIVE: ZERO Packs A Punch In Michael Lehr’s Pulsating New Action Short
Vonzell Carter and Chelsea Goldsmith star in the new fantasy action short.
michael lehr
MOMENTOUS MUSINGS: An Interview With ONI Director Sam K.J.
On the cusp of his latest festival stint in Toronto, independent filmmaker Sam KJ talks about making his upcoming action horror thriller, ONI!
THE HIT LIST: September 17, 2018
THE HIT LIST comes with a greater line-up this week, and you’ll definitely want to take a gander at the promos as well!
THE HIT LIST: September 21, 2015
Off the heels of my most recent three year anniversary piece, I sit here writing this at the wonder of seeing so much content floating online. I feel proud to share it all in my weekly Hit List and I sincerely hope it further benefits everyone I share… …and that includes those currently comprising this week’s entries, starting off with a meaty playlist full of stunt and tricking montages. First up is a drone-shot view of a recent Battle Of Fury 2015 tricking gathering thanks to lensman Nick Marino, with a slate of reels hosted by Trevor Logan, and a finshing round of female talent with Haley Wright, Cheri Haight, Amy Lynn Tuttle, Deanna Graci and PeiPei Alena Yuan all showing out their best. As for trailers, quite a few are circulating right now including Daren Nop’s latest short film twofer, Shadow Of 13, the story of a homeless man […]
THE HIT LIST – June 22, 2015
This week’s Hit List has some substance to it, if I may say so myself. One shortfilm finally came out in particular and it’s one I’ve covered quite a bit lately and I’m proud to have done as much as I have on it, and you’ll see more coverage on Tuesday. Until then, it’s Monday night, and it’s time to show off some stunt reels to cleanse the palette with videos by Bryan Sloyer, Michaela Chernoch, Cliff Ryder, Tonya Kay, Alexander Ullrich, Tim Storms, Lou Simon, Cassie Lee Minick, Sara Holden, Brett Easton and Narayana Cabral. Skipping brifely over to teaser territory, actor and stuntman Michael Lehr growing craft over at Fight Factory Stunt Team has amassed some impressive work in recent months; VerseS is one of those projects – a grisly implementation of violent prose with Lehr fighting his way out of captivity. It’s part of a whole series and the second […]
Get In The Ring For A New BROTHERS BTS Featurette!
At this point, it’s fair to credit Bollywood for its high standard on spectacle when it comes to interesting remakes, and Karan Malhotra‘s forthcoming MMA fight drama, Brothers is no exception judging by the most recent trailer. With the action sequences serving as the centerpiece, Brothers looks quite promising as its original 2011 predecessor, Warrior, did under director Gavin O’Connor, and for this, we are still left curious as to just how fresh this one will bode from top to bottom as a remake that works. Well, we’re just two months away from the film’s domestic release, so fans of the genre may expect a good share of behind-the-scenes featurettes and more while the respective fanbases of lead actors Siddharth Malhotra and Akshay Kumar patiently wait. As such, Dharma Productions has unveiled a new featurette to highlight the immersive world of tournament mixed martial arts our characters are set in, […]
Help Kickstart Motion Spectre's Latest Martial Arts Shortfilm, ONI
Concept art by Lukas McGovern Hopefully by now you’ve become a purveyor of Film Combat Syndicate’s weekly Hit List. Actor, stuntman and fight choreographer, Fight Factory Stunt Team’s own Michael Lehr‘s history of my coverage dates back to my time as a mere Facebook admin while Lehr has since become much more prominent online in content creation over the past few months, and there are plenty of highlights to look back on. For this, we now turn to the next four weeks as a new Kickstarter has launched for Motion Spectre’s newest endeavor, Oni, a new shortfilm that opens a door into a millieu of filled with Japanese folklore as the premise for ample martial arts action. And what’s more, Oni is an original story with not based on anything but sheer innovative thought through the creative process led by up-and-coming filmmaker Sam KJ and a devoted cast and crew. […]
THE HIT LIST – April 27, 2015!
The past week was insane for me, as there have been tons of things I needed to get done whilst completing today’s Hit List. Fortunately, I’m making headway here and managed to finish knocking this puppy out all in a day, on top of wrapping up a special project over the weekend as well. In the meantime, let’s get things going with this week’s Hit List of stunt performance and choreography/training reels and other fine gems from Sia Alipour, Hannah Betts, Simon Potter, Doc Duhame, Niko Dalman, Cedric Tellier, Mike Moeller and Roberto Lopez! Roberto Lopez 2015 Stunt Performers Reel from Stuntworks on Vimeo. Now for something a little bit more comprehensive and formal – It was World Tai Chi Day on Saturday, and in lieu of this, acclaimed Tai Chi practioner Wang Hai Jun performed a bit of his craft in the new short, Towards The Light from UK-based […]
THE HIT LIST – April 6, 2015
My weekend was huge, and the week before it was pretty busy. Still, hell bent on maintaining new content as with every week, I’ve returned once more with the Hit List with all the usual bits of action gems you can enjoy. Let’s kick things off with a new fight reel from The Challenge Letter co-star, aussie actress Maria Tran followed by reels from Travis Wong, Duy Panouvic of Arcade Killers, Ryan Hunter, Maria Sova, Jerome Teague, Nnamdi Nwosa, Andrea Ross and the latest fight reel from Cinematic Fight Studio, with some more stuntin’ from freerunners Vlad Height and Lennon Shannon! Now let’s get fighting, and for this, we can thank creator and actor Noah Fleder upon the launch of his new channel, Force Storm Entertainment and the debut of its first project, Vlad Rimburg‘s new Star Wars fan short, The Betrayal! Kicking this next portion is the latest test […]
EMC Monkeys Presents: 돌려차기 2 (SPIN KICK 2)
Michael Lehr and Tim Park in the K-drama-infused action short, Spin Kick 2 In 2004, Cinema Service released writer and director Nam Sang-guk’s coming-of-age martial arts drama, Spin Kick, a story about a high school gang forced to join their school’s martial arts team in preparation for the next National Taekwondo Competition at the behest of their principal to avoid jail time. The film is fan fave for many who enjoy their fair share of Korean cinema, including independent filmmaker, martial artist, action director and EMC Monkeys team member Malay Kim who was inspired to attribute his newest shortfilm to Nam’s movie in the form of Spin Kick 2. As usual for the EMC Monkeys, the project brings a little something different and fresh, with Kim‘s adherence to some of the elements that often make Korean cinema what it is. “I have aspirations of becoming a director, so I wanted […]
LBP Stunts Chicago Presents: AARON TONEY Vs. MICHAEL LEHR
Everyday is a good day when you get to see a project put together by independent filmmaker Emmanuel Manzanres, who took the time about a week ago to collaborate with fellow stuntmen Michael Lehr and Aaron Toney for the awesome test fight you can now watch below, courtesy of LBP Stunts Chicago. This little gem is being pitched as an homage to Hong Kong-style choreography by way of Donnie Yen, and while it isn’t the first of its kind you’ll find on YouTube, it’s also exemplary of Manzanres‘s flexible and evolving vision of action on film. Not to mention the performances by Lehr and Toney are very stellar and deserving of praise and approval by any action fan, including anyone eager to help produce a bigger-scale project to give folks like Manzanares the cinematic platform he deserves. Of course, the trend can never really move fast enough, despite moving at […]
Fight Factory Stunt Team Presents: ROMAN
It’s been a while since we’ve heard from independent film and fight choreography group Fight Factory Stunt Team, but now they’ve returned with another new skit they’ve released today in the form of the new experimental shortfilm, Roman. The new short features freerunner and stunt trainer Narayana Cabral who I’ve celebrated before as one of the most talented action stylists I’ve seen on the internet in the past year and more, and his latest performance here, while just a three-minute taste of what he can do, is no exception. When his close friend and ally is kidnapped, Roman Johnson comes face to face with an old rival, Kenji Yamanosuke. When asked to kill his old master – Kenji’s father – Roman has no choice but to deceive both sides, and finds himself in a dangerous trap. The only option? Fight. The short is directed by fellow industry stuntman and indie […]
[UPDATED] EMC Monkeys Presents: A Hybrid Special ID (SPL/Flash Point) Fan Short Tribute To Donnie Yen
The internet is full of movie-inspired fan fights created by some of the most aspiring content creators throughout the world. I have seen my fair share of these fan fights over the years and a pretty good handful of them are able to do the trick of replicating much the same excitement based a particular fight scene, be it through the choreography or overall pacing and tone. And the latest contribution to such creativity comes with the return of the EMC Monkeys film crew for a Donnie Yen-infused tribute to Special ID (by way of SPL and Flash Point) featuring principal performances by EMC member Malay Kim and guest actor Michael Lehr. When I learned of this project from Kim last month, I was surprised to find out that he had not yet seen Special ID, which really re-drew my idea of what we would see here. And based on the footage […]
Reel Time: MICHAEL LEHR (2014)
Since the new year started, I’ve written quite a few times on some work recently released online featuring the action performance stylings of stuntman and actor Michael Lehr, a favorite of mine being his most recent test fight for LBP Stunts Chicago with stuntman Alex Hashioka. I’ve personally enjoyed writing about him, and needless to say, he’s got some amazing things in the works this year, particularly for fans of Hong Kong action and MMA, in addition to a few other things I will continue to learn a little more about in further hopeful conversations in due time (even I have to learn certain things in a timely fashion). I will say that I recently had the honor of taking an early look at one fan fight Lehr performed with another stuntman I have written about before, and honest to goodness, I know you will love it too. In the meantime, […]
Reel Time: MALAY KIM (2014)
Film Combat Syndicate has had the pleasure of hosting some truly stunning work from the folks over at cinematic action performance and choreography team, EMC Monkeys in the past year, and it’s really a small list in comparison to the amount of achievements they have made since their earlier years in activity long before this site existed. A lot of that work includes a list of admirable performances by fellow member Malay Kim, who has brand new reel out which features both old and new projects that are coming online very soon. The team has left a major mark on the industry for fans online over the last few years, particularly with one of thier most successful videos to date attributed to the hit game, Sleeping Dogs in 2012, in which by an act of otherwise random chance, a segment of choreography became the center of attention upon the recent […]
"Are You Ready!?!" Watch The New LBP Test Fight Short, THROWDOWN!
Michael Lehr and Alexander Hashioka-Oatfield trade shots in the LBP short, THROWDOWN Independent filmmaker Emmanuel Manzanares continues to entertain the masses this month with a brand new pound-for-pound action short titled Throwdown. Filmed just this past Sunday, the project is one in a continual series of the usual experimental pieces representing the body of work by LBP Stunts Chicago as Manzanares expands his craft with other stunt performing actors in front of the camera, this time with LBP member Alexander Hashioka-Oakfield and West coast-based Fight Factory’s own Michael Lehr. I spoke to the two performers this week leading the way with Lehr, who recently appeared opposite actor and director John Wusah in their latest collaboration titled Valiant just last week. And it just so happens that while Lehr has been familiar with LBP’s work for a long period of time, Throwdown is his first pairing with Manzanares and anyone from […]
John Wusah Saves The Day In The New Shortfilm, VALIANT
Superhero movies are nothing new for people like independent filmmaker, stuntman and actor John Wusah who is serving up a dish full of his own masked heroics for his latest superhero-inspired shortfilm, Valiant. Co-starring Katie Kabili and co-directed by actor Michael Lehr, Valiant is the latest project kicking things off for Wusah in his latest collaboration with 108 Films and cinematic action stunt team Fight Factory. Not much dialogue is heard here, nor is there the usual big budget spectacle or any special effects or wires as Valiant delivers clear, cut and dry martial arts action with a noteworthy, inspiring message wrapped in a little homage to superheroes from all walks of life. The shortfilm also sets another signature example of non-budgeted yet ambitious efforts that carry heavily on the continually creative efforts of a flourishing group of film professionals who very much remain an active lot to look out […]
John Wusah Suits Up For Justice In The New Shortfilm Trailer For VALIANT
The official Facebook page for actor and independent filmmaker John Wusah (Mortal Kombat Legacy – Season 2) just published the official trailer for the upcoming shortfilm titled Valiant. Upon collaborating with fight training and indie action film choreography team, Fight Factory 108, the new project came after his in response to his previous work, including his early 2013 action cop short, 245, from fans who wanted to see more from Wusah and his independent film base, Wusah Productions. Wusah, who started out earlier in his life as a professional dancer before growing as a martial artist, stunt performer and coordinator, shared some of his thoughts with Film Combat Syndicate in an earlier discussion regarding some of his hopes he shares and goals he hopes to achieve in the world of film. “Growing up watching Bruce Lee, Jet Li and Jackie Chan, I knew that I too, was capable of it […]
Fight Factory 108 Gets SMACK(ED) DOWN With A New Practice Clip
In the tradition of continuing to introduce short practice fights that bring a sense of cinematic production value, the folks over at Fight Factory 108 took to YouTube this week to share their latest little 1-minute gem, Smack(ed) Down, directed by Michael Lehr. Testing out a newly made prop chair in addition to some new camera equipment, the clip featuring two of the team’s own, Katelyn Brooke and Narayana Cabral, both best known for their roles in Micah Brock’s highly successful action comedy webseries, Slug Street Scrappers. While the clip is very short, it also serves as a noteworthy heads-up for anyone interested in what the world of independent action has to offer. And in the New Year, there will be plenty. Among other projects, Lehr and Cabral will also be seen in an upcoming collaborative action short with dancer, actor, stunt coordinator and filmmaker John Wusah titled Valiant. So […]