Three years ago this weekend, I launched Film Combat Syndicate on Facebook with the goal of re-engaging up-and-coming action performers and stuntmen rooted in YouTube semi-celebrity (this following an earlier effort I made in 2008). Low and behold, I’ve embedded myself in a world of amazing content and dozens upon dozens of talented people with a small community of my own on social media, and it’s been, and still is, an adventure.
The blog you read now didn’t go active until five months after in 2013, and I didn’t really know if this was something I could achieve. As it stands, I’m pretty glad I got this far. No, I don’t make a dime from this site, but it’s helped keep my mind busy and productive at times in my life when I most needed something to invest my angst and my energy in. I’ve been an artist most of my younger years and the responsibilities of life have stifled me to a degree, so really it’s the artists’ mindset that sort of keeps me doing what I’m doing.
Is it tasking? Of course…tedious even, as there’s so much to cover, though I’m glad that I’ve had some help along the way. I’ve also been gifted with a few opportune moments this year, having met Jonathan Eusebio (Dragonball Evolution, Hitman: Agent 47) and Can Aydin (Hitman: Agent 47, Point Break) back in Spring, shared a brief Furious Seven vlog with my friend Jon Cross and caught up with stunt performers, Slobo Panouvic and Duy Goup (Black Sails) over the Summer. Proud as I am to have met these people along with the current crop stemming from my earlier journies in October and November of 2014, I sincerely hope to see these people again with the goal of further maintaining my friendships with these fine people when the time is right and the right things happen for it all to work out.
I love interacting with the people of industry. I’ve learned a lot, and while it’s not all joyous and blissful with people all differing in their respective personalities and ideologies (something which does contribute to the burning of bridges and such, and it does happen which is always unfortunate *and necessary in some cases*), I’m glad to have the current crop of friends and acquaintances I have now, actors, stunt professionals and bloggers like myself.
No, I don’t get to talk to all of them, but I’m getting there, and it will be for those who value what it is I do. Point in fact, I’m even more thrilled to know that my work on here has benefitted people in the course of their careers, and just as grateful to stick around long enough to see those performers elevate and to be able to talk about it. And once in a while, I get to say “Hi!” to these people, and it still leaves me giggling and wondering “How?? How was this possible??”…
…And then I look back and remembered all the shameless spamming I did on Facebook to share my fanpage and get noticed. So that pretty much answers my question. 🙂
I also have to admit that as difficult as it is to cover so much news and content, I also have to be selective about it, especially when some folks (as inspired as they may be) are quick to hand you a turkey and then ask you to talk about how awesome they are. No, you are not awesome for sending me a turkey. Granted you’re up-and-coming…a student of the art, even. But, I expect to see growth in your creativity. And so to folks out there who make movies and want to represent the next level of action on film, just keep on creating. But grow and sharpen while you’re at it, and show the world your filmmaking muscles to go with the ones you flex for a choreographed fight scene in the process of leveling up toward a professional career. It’s the kind of creative caliber blogs like mine exist for, and it embodies just the kind of artistic vision many of us wish to see in film and television for the action genre in some capacity.
Point in fact, I implure you to buy books like this or this. I’m very certain these will be of some use to you all in your respective film quests.
As for my quest, a goal of mine would be to check out film festivals. I’m not as close to those things as I wish to be, but once in a while I do get to meet a few people in my area who are making some moves of their own, and I actually hope to bump into a few people this November when the Urban Action Showcase & Expo takes off.
Beyond this, I look forward to another year of great action films, good people, and opportunities to screen movies to review for you all. I didn’t get to accomplish a lot of what I wanted to this year though, and I mainly attribute that to some of the unkept promises that were made to me earlier on. Nonetheless, I’m focused on the good I’d like to see accomplished with Film Combat Syndicate, and I look forward to Year Four.
I’ll see you after the weekend!
~Lee B. Golden III
Founder and editor at Film Combat Syndicate
http://www.facebook.com/FilmCombatSyndicate
http://www.twitter.com/FCSyndicate
Founder and editor at Film Combat Syndicate
http://www.facebook.com/FilmCombatSyndicate
http://www.twitter.com/FCSyndicate
