Stuntworks #37: My Big Break! My 8 Mile Moment....

stuntworks (54)in #video • 7 years ago (edited)

In 1995 we started working on a low budget action film. My partner Marcos A. Miranda wanted to make a remake of a film called Street Ninja 2. I was a big fan of Hong Kong action movies and studied the style and filmmaking techniques. This was my big chance to show the world. Today it common to see this type of action. Back then there was only HK film doing this. Maybe one or two non-HK films.

I did not have much interest in doing a sequel to a film that no one ever heard of. I took a look at the original script and came to the conclusion that it was not a good idea to develop this script.

Marcos had a deadline for an investor he had lined up. A script was needed ASAP. In 1996 I have written two scripts but I never hand anything produced. We had no money and we running out of time if we wanted to get this project off the ground.

I looked myself into my room and for three days I wrote not stop. Until I finished writing the first draft. I was really happy with the first draft. I presented it to Marcos and we thought we had a good first draft. We off and running into pre-production. We rented a shared office space in the East Village.

Just as we finished pre-production. I got a call to go Work on a film called Once Upon A Time in China & America. Starring Jet Li and directed by my childhood hero Sammo Hung.

What was I do to do? Well, I took the opportunity. I worked with Sammo and Jet Li. As a bonus, I worked with Lau Kar Wing. I felt bad for leaving Marcos. He was creative, ambitious and my best friend. I sucked it up told him that I was leaving and that I think he should wait 4 months before he continued.

I left to go work with Sammo. Marcos could not wait for me. He had his hands full and not sure exactly what happened when I left. I got back to NYC. It was a grueling shoot 4 month shoot. I got back and came back with so much knowlegde from working with Hk stuntmen, Lau Kar Wing and sammo.

The biggest thing was that the budget was cut almost in half. The script was rewritten by like a dozen other people. The movie turned from a missed understood young girl, need the help of a stranger, to confront her overprotective mother. To a body count action movie. That part hurt the most at first. The show must go on. I came back trying to find out where I fit into this movie. Marcos background was in acting/martial arts/stunts. My background was in production. I started as a production Assistant, then grip, then stuntman, then stunt coordinator. I knew how profession set ran and I know the pace that they had to run at to make their day. I don't care if you have a million dollar budget or 1000 dollar budget you have to make your day.

I was not happy at the speed and pace that was set. Marcos was a one man show and he had his handful. I did not make any fan when I first came back. People were upset that I was pushing too hard and too demanding. It was true, but people who saw the truth and saw how much work and the quality of the work we were doing supported me and we got through it.

That was the back story take a look let me know what you think.?