ONCE UPON A TIME IN BERLIN: German Martial Arts Film Group, Reel Deal Action, Sets Their 2015 Feature Debut
At any other point in time before the new millennium, you may have been right in simply assuming that the martial arts action genre wouldn’t have had much fervor with the internet. Of course, time proved quite the opposite with a vast number of independent groups sprouting online for a community that has evidently gone global. Germany, for one, has surely seen its share of that effect with its own native talents, namely folks like Can Aydin, Phong Giang and award-winning stunt performer Cha-Lee Yoon – just three of the principle stuntmen combining years of experience to form their own team, Reel Deal Action, as of just several years ago.
Since then, they’ve continually left a memorable mark in the world of independent action, most recently winning Fight Of The Year over at Martial Arts Movie Junkie for their 2013 hit, The Messenger, prior to going global with their latest award-winning film festival short favorite, Evil Twin, which is now on its way to Tally Shorts in Florida and Jaipur International Film Festival in India this February. This, coupled with their recent successes in the stunt industry with credits like Arena Of The Street Fighter (2011), the 23rd Bond film – Skyfall (2012) and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Parts 1 and 2, as well as the Samuel L. Jackson starrer, Big Game this March, and the upcoming summer reboot releases of Point Break and Agent 47 have inarguably put Reel Deal Action on the map for certain viability as a self-sustaining team suitable and worthy enough for their own feature-length film. Alas, with the forthcoming German martial arts action comedy, Once Upon A Time In Berlin, they’re doing exactly that.
Currently under the working title, 4 Gewinnt (Connect 4), Once Upon A Time In Berlin is the feature-length debut collaboration between Reel Deal Action and VFX studio, CineChromatix following their prior get-together on Evil Twin and The Messenger. Visual effects artist and editor, CineChromatix founder Ufuk Genc and composer Michael Popescu are directing the film from a story and script by Reel Deal Action, Popescu and key screenwriter Rafael Garciolo which centers on a group of four best friends hustling for stunt jobs in Berlin who accidentally stumble upon the wrong address for an audition, only to have one of their own held hostage by a shady crimeboss who sends the remaining three on a harrowing race against time to collect four coordinates throughout the city leading to a safe and its incriminating contents.
Currently rounding out the cast are non-team member, actor and co-star Eugene Boateng and actress and stuntwoman Heidi Moneymaker following her most recent kick ass role with sister Renae Moneymaker in their 2014 short collaboration with 87Eleven, Behind Every Great Man. As per their M.O., Reel Deal Action designed their own sequences with Aydin serving as action director, and are also producing the film which is currently in post-production with further casting details, a release date and other specifics pending. A teaser could arrive as soon as next month although that is subject to change, so your best bet is to keep your eyes peeled and subscribe to the official Facebook page for Reel Deal Action for further news!
