World Cup, Music Video, Bday. What a Weekend :)

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Shortland Street, Christchurch and the mutating assignments

Hi! :) It's Been a while since my last entry but I haven't had any new footage available to share recently. I will have some new stuff for you next week so I will just spend this quick moment sharing what steps I have taken since my last blog on my chase for fame, fortune and respect.



First professional Job Late last month (and today, My second :D) as a Shortland Street Extra! :) Shortland Street is New Zealand's leading Drama. (soap) A Hospital Drama which screens 5 nights a week for 15 years and still going strong. With viewings in Britain, Australia, Fiji etc It is arguably our most successful local TV production. And I, finally, had the stars align themselves in order to get selected. (I am stoked with my talent agency right now)

As an Extra you are pretty much background talent, making the scene with the actors more believable. For example, A scene in a bar between a guy and girl wouldn't be as realistic without the crowd behind them, notice how none of passing crowd look at the camera like you see in your live reports on the evening news? That's because they are paid (or unpaid in student cases) to be there because like it or not, subconsciously as a viewer you notice these things, and the idea of film and television is to immerse you in their world and the more you can relate the easier the transition.

I can't share too much of how the crew works but what I can tell you is that it was eye opening and I am quite excited/scared of trying to get into this industry, with all the organized chaos and intimidating equipment I'm not sure I have the confidence yet to direct something of that magnitude. I'm a trigger happy guy who just aims his camera and shoots shit. I can't imagine sitting in the directors chair while camera machines glide around you, boom mics and lights swing above you, assistant directors and producers surround you and actors and actresses ask you questions all the while keeping your composure and trying to get all the magic shots before the deadline, *deep breath* well, The team sure work for their art that's for sure ;) The more I work the more my confidence will grow.

The Hospital scenes I did background work in was a)being pushed in a wheelchair, and b) Walking from one end to another through the doors holding flowers, then today (If you will opportunities into existence, they will come) We shot in the Bar, talking with other extras over drinks and overall learning heaps. My confidence is growing, especially since being around established actors and not acting like a puppy dog though these guys are local stars (in my head I'm like holy of holies wow, I have the biggest crush on that girl and she's here? In front of me? She's even more beautiful in person!!! on the outside? I'm playing it cool like it's just another day at the office- not easy) :) I mean, When I told my mom I got work on Shortland St (her Favorite favorite show) She was excited too, though you can imagine my expression when she asked if I played the drug addict last night, I told her they shoot 6-8 weeks in advance So no, but keep your eyes open in 6 weeks for me :).

In More good news, I might get a part in another NZ show but this time not as an extra, my wife is excited for me and supports me but for this one I'm actually quite scared but like the saying goes (well, the book) Feel the fear and do it anyway! so more news WHEN that test screening turns out OK in October :) (Positive things happen to those who attract it with positive thoughts)

Went to Christchurch for My nieces 3rd birthday party, Caught up with the whole family and wife and relaxed, also caught up with my music business partner. Was a really great weekend, was a little sad on the flight back to Aux but as the wife says, no guts, no glory. The next 4 weeks are going to be a pressure cooker, but with pressure comes diamonds ;)

I have (in order) the following assignments to complete; my 3d production, Music Video, Tv Commercial, Film Essay, News production and the assignments keep coming!!!! So yeah, that's what I'm fighting with over the coming month.

Also on the personal project side I have to finish editing 'Mondays' (my gun test short film) and start work on the street fighter production as my hair is almost the right length now...

And to finish up with, JKD is going awesome at the moment, Learning wrestling over the last couple of Sundays which has been great and I'm all over Little Idea (Siu lim tao- Wing Chun's first form) like a rash, Been watching alot of fights lately too so can't wait to get on the dance-floor again and kick it, anyway, It's been real, see you in a week or so ;)

Don't forget you can waste time all you want but you can't buy any more of it, so make every moment count and achieve something of importance to your goals and dreams once a day, routine is a cancer so do something once a day that helps you grow as a person ;) And Just in case you forgot what a KO looks like....

Take control of your circumstances, Don't let them control you :) Kick them in the face! :P

Everyone's A Loser When It Comes To Love - Now on youtube!

Below are the links to both the Uncut version of the short film and the Out takes/Making of the film. Hope you enjoy them, My first attempt at directing anything with serious drama and not the comical stuff I have done in the past, Also my first scene I've choreographed and Directed without actually being part of the action, It was different being on the other side of the camera, but I learned from the experience. Anyway please watch the films and leave a comment on the channel for what you would like to see more or less of and then I'll take it from there :)

Making of and Bloopers of Everyone's a Loser When It comes to Love.

Also below is the show-reel of the Lead actor in this production, Lee Ah Yen, As you can see he has a very strong screen presence in his work and I'm sure the world will see more of him soon :)

Jeet Kune Do and my upcoming projects...

After I upload My SAE project to you tube tomorrow I will have no videos to share for a couple of weeks. My class assignments right now involve a music video, a television commercial and our class 3D project that we all add our own alternate endings too. My own projects require me growing my hair (for SF) and finishing writing my demo/show reel film. I also have a test tomorrow for lighting which I'm not terribly confident about seeing as i missed the classes on the subject but like water i go with the flow.

Richard holds Rhubarb for Sifu (first picture) I'm holding the wood that Chris punches through (above)

Last week our JKD club held a little demonstration for viewers of Bruce Lee: My brother at the opening night of the NZ HK festival. Apart from the other strikes, traps, holds and ground fighting that they demonstrated, Sifu Bruce Chen and Assistant Instructor Chris Zhang also showed off Nunchaku skills and the one inch punch respectively. Very cool :) (for more info if you are interested in learning and live in Auckland check out www.jkd.org.nz for more info)

And lastly for those who have read my earlier blogs, the 'Inevitable' project i have planned for 2012. I am in the middle of writing a short feature 45-60 min (not sure yet, depends where the story takes me) at the moment it's tentatively titled 'Chase' after the main character. The purpose of this film will be to show potential investors of Inevitable the style of film and action that i plan on doing. So There will be alot of HK style shots and fight choreography, I aim to finish the script this weekend and start doing location scouting and casting during next week with a finish date of the last week of October. I figure If you are going to gamble on a crazy dream you are better to go all in. ;)

Anyway, til next post, Enjoy life and get some time with your families and have a picnic or something, every moment counts :) Here is the full video of the HK festival night.

TigerXCobra: Prologue - The Videos are online :)

Like I said a couple blogs ago, i have finished editing all my projects i had shot previous to my Christchurch Trip. TigerXCobra Prologue is now online, with the intention of maybe doing a short film or feature film in the late future. The whole purpose of shooting it was testing out action comedy timing in terms of musical stings, cuts, story etc, so in the end it turned out good for what it was, what do you think? Check out the videos below :)

TigerXCobra: Prologue

Making of And Out takes

The Christchurch Trip and shooting my first drama :)

The whole purpose of my late July trip was to visit family, catch up with my nieces who are growing up fast, get my King style footage (which now thankfully is uploaded) and spend time with wifey. The Snow was a bonus :) All in all A fun, eventful trip :)

Having stayed an extra week in Christchurch I missed a lot of school work, which thankfully, didn't affect me too much. However, I made it back to Auckland in time to help Nazim shooting the rest of his SAE short film 'Pass it Down the line' of which he has finally relented and uploaded onto you tube for your viewing. How did I do? Not my script so i worked with what i had but for something non action i thought It was a pretty good effort. I guess you could say that I'm looking forward to my next acting experience now :)

Pass it down the line - video.

King Style, Silent Shadow is here! :)

Long time no see :) Been to Christchurch 2 weeks ago, came back last week and spent the last week catching up with finishing assignments, finishing editing TigerXCobra and Finishing King Style, Silent Shadow now that i had the footage, So finally after much more taxing work It's here for your viewing pleasure. Special Thanks to Sam Vine, Matt Palmer, Lydia Zhong, Rosina West, and Melody Kinsman, without you guys it wouldnt have been as fun as a shoot as it was, good works! :)

Click the image below to watch the intended cut of King Style, Silent Shadow. Our Superhero genre entry for 48 hr film festival 2011.

Watch the Making Of King Style, Silent Shadow

Watch the King Style,Silent Shadow Out Takes

So The process in a nutshell, 48hr weekend shot it-->tried to edit in windows movie maker, then had to convert it to .mov (competition rule which sucked cos thats macs default, not pc, especially moviemaker) which took us overtime by half an hour so project handed in at 7.30pm, footage to large to take back to Auckland so could only retrieve it next visit which was at the end of July. Once in Aux tried opening movie maker file, failed, as was XP version and not 7 which is what i have, so redited it using a free program called Pinnacle Videospin (which doesn't allow zooms, any more than 1 track for audio, video, or remapping and loading time was slow) Finished editing it, took it to school and put on the macs and used final cut to add the soundtrack and fix the zoom on one shot (where a script is in shot etc) and remapping [which sucks compared to Vegas, i miss Vegas (I used to have a cracked version which was by now obsolete and usable and i'm trying to be legit about every project now anyway) lol will buy premiere when i can...]

All this while Juggling the last stages of EWALWICTL (which was due today and duly handed in) and TigerXCobra (finished today but will post next week) and my training for and taking my JKD Level test, which are all things I will talk about next post when i buy batteries to show you guys the pics i had taken of my trip :) In the mean time, I hope you enjoy King Style, Silent Shadow! :)