Rumble Update

Kung Fu Comedy “Maximum Choppage: Round 2”
With only less than a month till the launch, I’m in charge of the marketing and promotions or the 4 night launch from the 25 – 28 September, 08.
After several brainstorming sessions with the Rumble Crew at “The Shed” Youth Centre, we have decided to expand our invite to as many relevant orgs, groups, people etc… who may be interested in a feature film like this one.

To this date, “Mary” has designed a wicked-as postcard flyer and is completing a Movie poster. She is definitely a prodigy. We will be printing them on 5,000 postcards and A3 posters and legally spam our networks.

MC2MOVIE.COM UPDATED - Johnny Jei Lei – our website designer of MC2 has refurbished the site, making it more dynamic and movie like! Well done Johnny! With host of new vids/media/info.

I’d just had my first ADR session last Thursday, and boy, was it a tough one! Just for those who don’t know, MC2 initially shot on sony handcams that had very very horrible audio, thus, Tim had decided to invest in a huge amount of time in redoing audio. Tough call, especially to get all the actors to align their schedules and travel to the city (45 mins away) and spend 6 hours doing audio. But when it gets to the fight sound effects, its heaps fun! Brian Lee, aka “The Champ” has impeccable timing in ADR however, at times he also made laughable mistakes.

Other things that I’ve been focusing on is the longevity of MC2. MC2 is an Australian first….thus I believe in its implications in the greater community and a source of inspiration for young people everywhere. I aim for the national tour and have been looking into the Kultour Program even though they don’t have a film component. But we’ll see how it goes!

Hanging out with Mr Grant Page – Australia’s legendary Stuntsperson
At the young age of 69, this man is still in the stunts arena. I and fellow ICE colleague Ali Kadhim and his 9 Lives crew were invited in Mr Page’s home in Avalon to check out some Zen Stunts team safely set themselves on fire. I’d didn’t realise how hard and dangerous it is to undertake stunts. On top of that, the Stunts industry in Australia is very small. Many have to travel abroad to pursue their stunts career and you pretty much have to be an adrenalin junkie or something to preservere.

I had a good chance to have small chat with Mr Ranko Markovic – producer of “The Cedar Boys”. A very interesting character with a lot of experience in his role. I hope to get a chance to meet him again to chat more about genres and funding.

9Lives Ali Kadhim’s Parkour Launch
Check out 9Lives site www.parkroar.com

Stephen Ta’s Sexy MC2 Photography
You gotta love Stephen’s photography work for the MC2 poster. With a little bit of emu oil and an eye for ‘selling” shots, Mr Ta has captured the characters of MC2 very well. Ta is our recent “Rumbler” and a film maker with a couple of awesome shorts under his belt and tonnes of work experience with Sunrise 7.

Maximum Choppage: Round 2 Behind the Scenes Mockomentary
I think we’ll leave mockos to Chris Lilley as our Rumble audience had a hard time deciphering that this is not how Rumble works - quite the opposite. Ryan Peters isn’t that incompetent, Tim’s not arrogant & I’m not that ditzy. Haha! Please LOL!

“Downtown Rumble” project update.
“Kiss, kiss, kick, punch!” is now being replaced with the voted on “Downtown Rumble” title.
From our meet, we workshopped the following titles: Kung Fu Tustle, Master of the Mystical Orbs, Ninja Showdown etc…I like Downtown Rumble…:p

Just a low down of this project, basically, it’s a 6 part interstitial TV mini series made for the ABC JTV that may be aired in November, 08.

Tagline: Chase sequence of stolen magical orbs between master, students and a group of ninjas!

This project is very exciting for Rumblers and has drawn a number of new faces and talents from across Western Sydney and interstate Brisbane!
In addition, Rumblers had a great opportunity to collaborate with Parkour artists 9Lives and filmmaker and emerging stunts coordinator Ali Kadhim.

Speaking of interstate Rumblers, I would like to introduce to you all two film buffs and passionate filmmakers; Bill Giang & Laurent Boiteux.

BIOS
Bill Giang is 26 years of age, and resides in Mt Gravatt, Brisbane. Giang is currently studying a Bachelor of Multimedia/ Design and works as a casual university tutor/ lecturer and for after hours, works at a games arcade. He is a practitioner and trainer in martial arts, specialising in Tae Kwon Do, since 2002. He has made several short films, including the visual effects trailer “Jikoken’o” and has assisted on various film productions with stunt coordination. Giang loves doing things that he enjoy and hopes that he can continue collaborations beyond his area.

Laurent Boiteux is 20 years of age, and resides in Sunnybank, Brisbane. Boiteux has recently completed a Diploma of Film & Television from TAFE, has had various acting and screening experiences on the pilot TV series “SoulKeeper”. Boiteux also works at the same gaming arched as Bill Giang and is a strong practitioner in Tae Kwon Do since the age of 5 and recently has commenced WuShu Kung Fu. He has had taken lead as director/ writer of short films such as, experimental “Full Moon”, sci-fi spy thriller “ Escape from Tomorrow”, recent music clip “Versus” and “Orb//-Toxy”. Boiteux aspires to collaborate with strong youth productions who have interests in the martial arts urban action genre.

29.08.08
Shoot of Episode 1 – Intro to the master and ex-student fight

30.08.08
Shoot of Episode 5 – Ninja Warehouse Scene

ABC JTV “Kiss, Kiss, Kick Punch!” Film Project

I’d just thought I’d do some blogging for the sake of it. Actually, blogging is a great exercise to keep up to date what is happening in your life – well revolving around the film projects. Okies….for those who don’t know, Rumble Pictures has come a long way (or short in terms of time span) from backyard short film to a film project with the ABC mentored by Craig Anderson! In addition, its scheduled to be aired some time in November 2008 this year! Nationally! It’s a really exciting time of the year for the Rumble gang as we set ourselves up for the shoot dates at the end of August.

Just a note, it is very hard to get the attention of the film industry. Stand in front of their build stark naked and don’t expect even a winch. If you are normal, you would get into film school, graduate, and start entry level (basic crappy jobs – free work) and slowly prove yourself up the ladder in different departments. Or after film school, work at Maccas for years to save up for equipment to start your own company – doing other people’s work – weddings at the bottom, commercials at the high end. But at the end of the day, creative control my be something you fortfeit for this kind of life. It suxs. Film suxs. In Australia of course. Back to the ABC gig, after the Tony Walters meet in regards to “Happy Dent” winning the Fairifeld Shortcuts Film Festival, it was the perfect opportunity to showcase Rumble Pictures showreel. Project Vegeance did it mostly. JTV producer Josh Martin basically proposed an offered which I was much unaware of. A martial arts 6 part series for JTV to be aired in 6 weeks segments! OMG! Are you asking a bunch of learn-on-the-fly-film-buffs from Western Sydney? I can just imagine those AFTRS and Film students kicking and screaming. I’d just thought…man! I’m glad I got into martial arts…but even gladder that I can applied it to film.

Creative Pros – Film Industry Meet as apart of Youth Digital Cultures!

Timothy Ly and I attended this awesome free youth event at Customs House Circular Quay that feature a panel of industry guest speakers from Andrew Traucki, director of feature film Black Water (2007) [film about crocodile terrors in NT mangroves]; Sonia Bible of Black Jelly Film Production; Sacha Ettinger-Epstein who did the film project, The Oasis that sparked a national debate about youth and homelessness and James Findley who received the FTO young Film makers fund for short film Vend that was a finalist at the 2006 IF Awards. It was a highly engaging and down to earth event run by Mission Australia and City of Sydney in a wicked space in Customs house. I remembered hurling a question to the panel in regards to feature film funding in Australia and got an anticipated response of private investors as core source while governmental funds was just a top up from Mr Traucki. Tim, on the other hand, delved into content development and what Mr Traucki to specify the term “Australian genres”. Apparently, the outback Australia theme is making a “resurgence” and Mr Traucki has a knack for thrillers as well. By the way, he made his film from 2.5 mil, in comparision to “Rogue” another crocodile theme film (from the makers of “Grabriel”) received 20 mil to make their film since they stepped foot into Hollywood. Question to ask ouselves…Who could potentially fund Rumble Pictures future projects? What are the characteristics of our hypothetical investors? How could Rumble Pictures stand apart from the endless groups of aspiring filmmakers living on a high by just making “shorts”?

Ryan speak out --- "Girls Suck"

Acting is Gay

Just yesterday we filmed our last triumphant scene for MC2. (Hoorah? No i got to pick up some other shots so it ain't done yet).

And for a Martial Art film I decided to try and end off the film with a little touching moment.
So it has me and Roxie walking along a sunset street, in which we eventually hold hands with each other to acknowledge our friendship. Yes how sweet! Hell it don't feel like it at the time!
Now if this 4 year long experience of starring in my own film has taught me something, it's this --- acting is very, VERY, GAY! But you know, funny thing is that not everyone has this same opinion. Surprised? Yes i sure am!

Roxie our leading lady in the film, has a theater background herself and she handles her scenes with great ease and poise. Damn lioness she is i tell you that. However my amateur, nervous, line forgetful butt has no experience in acting at all, none whatsoever, nada!! Well if you consider that time in High school Drama class, where i got up in front of everybody and cackled out something that was reminiscent to words as "experience". But no; I don't think so homeboy.

So what is it that makes it so gay? I think it's because, it's such an awkward art. You don't say or do the very things that you would usually do. For the first time in your life, you have to be completely aware of how you say and how you grimace.

Eg, picture this, when you have a line of dialogue you speak it. Easy? wait! You go up and say what you got to say. Though then you have to consider this. Where you looking? Sun? Argh no squinting! Everyone is staring at ya right now? Pressure! What are ya lines again? Hey what are you feeling? Funny? sick? What are you bloody hands doing? Crossed? No too grumpy! In da pockets! Waay too casual! IT- JUST-DOES-NOT- STOP * Breathing*

Ok, so if anything I hope that I've changed your mind about being an actor/actress. Though it's funny behind everyone lies a secret dream of being one. I'm guilty. Though despite all that embarrassment, I strangely do find fufillment in the challenge of it all. Contradictorily, to get into someone shoes and be someone your not and be convincing, or close to convincing, yes there is a sweetness. You feel one line closer than any other mediocre person to an Oscar :)

I heard Spielberg sum up what acting is ---- Courage. hmmm.....Maybe it is?

Without further ado!

MC2MOVIE.COM Launch Night

Yesterday we had our launch night for the Maximum Choppage: Round 2 website. I've been waiting for this day for a long time ( 2nd to premiering the film itself ).
I'd figure we had about 25 peeps, all of which range from Rumble members to close friends to community supporters ( Powerhouse Youth Theater and The Information and Cultural Exchange ).

A small gathering of VIP's.

Craig Anderson formerly introduced himself as a strong supporter to the group and allowed us to be the first to watch the trailer the "Double The Fist" Season 2 trailer. Uber cool. The series is going to shock a lot of people when this hits on TV screens later this year. It's got robots, sword wielding chicks, gore galore, flying utes, you name it they've managed to squeeze it in there (In my opinion they're going to really blow the Australian film/TV industry out of the water!).

Bryan Moses and Craig Anderson from Fist Worthy Production ( Double The Fist ABC )

I was pretty tense on the night having to facilitate the event. Hell, I'm not use to being the center of attention. But the reception was surprising good and it was great to see various talents and groups and even cultures sit in one room and mingle.

From Left to Right - Mouna Zaylah ( ICE ), Claudia Chiddiac ( PYT ), Craig Anderson and me.

Completely exhausted from the night I'm just relieved that this part of the project is finally done. It's taken at least 3 months to finish the trailer alone ( I hate working with people's scehdules). Now, to finish the darn damn movie!! Cant' wait till September!