The Way

Raising Funds for How to Defeat Dudes

2012-02-10T15:04:00.004+09:00

So ending out its first month "on the air", the first three episodes of my webshow, "How to Defeat Dudes" has gotten a little under 6,000 hits, 75 likes, and 70 subscribers on Youtube. This tells me that Ive created something that people seem to like and enjoy, and that I should continue. And now comes the hard part. Funding another 12.

As I mentioned the first time I wrote about this show idea, I wanted to set this show apart from everything else out there by just plain making it better. Not just in terms of the quality of the content and by giving it entertainment value, but also by adhering to quality production values as well. As such, while most of the other self-defense tutorials out there are shot in someone's martial art school, with someone's home camera and with no thoughts towards good lighting, sound or camera work, each episode of How to Defeat Dudes actually requires a team of people to do, and as such, a budget to pay them with.

While raising this shoestring budget on my own as an actor without a full-time job does represent a challenge (particularly in the economic landscape we are currently in) I certainly do not see that fact as a reason to back down. Nothing worth doing is ever easy, after all.

Given the fact that this is a free show for everyone, at the encouragement of friends, Ive decided to make the funding public as well, and utilize a fundraising website called IndieGoGo. Through the site you can contribute to the show's funding either anonymously or publicly, and if you choose, get certain perks (such as having your name listed in the credits of the show) in return for your contribution. The fundraiser will run for two months, so I will have until April 8th to raise all that I can. In the meantime, I am still going to keep production on the shows moving, and also start putting out video blogs that discuss the topics that I don't have time to get into during the shows 5 minutes-or-less time frame. (This will include topics such as finding a good martial arts school, how to think about self-defense, etc).

Thus far, in the first 24 hours, Ive raised $325 dollars this way. Not bad for starters, but Ive still certainly got a long way to go. Lets get it on! Yosh!!

For those who'd like to contribute to the effort OR haven't seen or heard of the show, and would like to see an episode or read what its about, feel free to click here. Any contribution, no matter how small, is totally welcome and every little bit helps.

Chuck Johnson on House Hunters International

2012-02-03T14:07:00.004+09:00

I finally got the DVD back for the episode of House Hunters International I was on last year when I moved back to Japan. It was interesting to watch it, because usually anytime I see myself on television Im always playing a character or being someone or something else. As a reality show however, this was simply me being me, and much like when I am making "How to Defeat Dudes", in a way that makes it scarier. In the case of film, if someone dislikes your work or your acting, then thats just it- they dislike your work. In the case of reality-based stuff, you are a lot more vulnerable because you don't really have a character to hide behind. As everyone has somewhat of an ideal image that they want people to see them in, its actually surprisingly hard to just get in front of a camera and let yourself (with all your faults, idiosyncrasies, and peculiarities) hang out for all the world to see. I remember Bruce Lee commenting on that (3:55) in an old black and white TV interview I saw of him forever ago... but I didnt really understand what I meant until I had to do it myself. Anyway, overall Im pretty happy with how it turned out (except that we took soooo much good martial arts and action footage, and very little of it made it into the show), and I think the experience will make further interviews that much easier! Here it is if you wanna check it out!

The Mysticism of Bruce Lee: Why He Continues to Live On

2012-01-29T20:18:00.007+09:00

A few days ago, I finally ordered a copy of Bruce Lee's Tao of Jeet Kune Do for my personal library. When I was ordering it, and I saw just how much Bruce Lee related stuff there was out there it occurred to be just how far-reaching Bruce's legacy has become. Since I was a kid, Bruce's face has been regularly gracing the covers of martial arts magazines, and his likeness has been a regular in fighting video games since their onset. He has gone far beyond being a household name in Asia or even the west, as a Japanese friend lamented to me, when he said that no matter how far into undeveloped areas of Africa he went, little kids would still say "Bruce Lee!!" as soon as they saw him.

Even despite all of the martial arts masters and action stars that have come (and then gone) just in my lifetime, Bruce still remains as unforgotten and as salient now as he was back then. His book is still considered by many to be the bible of fighting, and the proliferation of MMA, events like the UFC, and the development of RSBD (Reality-based self defense) programs do more to vindicate many of its principles than wash them away.

Beyond the brilliance of Bruce however, it wasn't until a young friend of mine passed away in a motorcycle accident a week after we graduated from stunt school together that I realized why it is that Bruce continues to live on in the hearts of so many. Unlike all of the other martial artists who have come since he pioneered the genre of martial arts cinema, Bruce never fully actualized. While it's safe to say that we have seen the best that Stephen Seagal, Jean Claude Van Damme or Jackie Chan have to offer, with Bruce we will never quite know just what he could have achieved in his lifetime. We will never know the kinds of films he might have been able to produce, what revolutions he may have pioneered, or what boundaries he may have broken.

Furthermore, while most martial arts masters and action stars stay in great shape well into their old age, a certain degree of physical degradation and loss of skill is inevitable. With time, chiseled lines will be replaced with soft wrinkles, unmatchable speed will be replaced with camera speed-ups, and a desire to push the envelope will be replaced with a need to explore other things life has to offer, such as reality TV shows, religion, or music CDs (Jackie Chan). For fighters, the other heroes of the martial arts world, this may include opening up their own gyms or martial arts schools, or product endorsements.

In the minds of everyone around the world, Bruce however will always stay pure. When he comes to mind, people will always remember him as he was in Enter the Dragon: one of most physically sculpted people that has ever lived. He will always be young, strong, fast and invincible. He will always be uncompromisingly focused on perfecting his craft, his artform, and himself. While my generation had to witness the eventual defeat of Royce Gracie (the quintessential example of a soft-spoken martial artist who could defeat men twice his size), Bruce will simply never be defeated. Rumors will always circulate that Bruce could have beaten this person or that, simply because there is no real way to prove it. Much like my young stuntman friend, he will live on forever in a never-ending state of potentiality.

Bruce will always be the person that the world will always know, but will never really know. He will be that spirit that drives us to complete the journey that he could not, and that makes us want to be something bigger because he didn't have the chance to.

Perhaps the greatest thing about Bruce however was the fact that despite all of his hardships, his limitations, his setbacks, and even his death, he still accomplished his ultimate goal. To break through racial stereotypes and glass ceilings and give the world its first Chinese superstar. If an act like that doesn't qualify someone for "invincible hero" status, then I have no idea what does.

photo credit: 13HOC

Saying goodbye to full-time work

2012-01-25T11:15:00.007+09:00

So after two years of spending half (or more) of the year working full time Ive finally gotten myself into a position where I can make the leap to completely commit myself to acting, stunt work and martial arts. In one respect this is an extremely exciting time for me, but in another its a leap of faith as well. The fact of the matter is, I am leaving behind the best job Ive ever had. I was teaching English in the sports department of a university, and my coworkers were some of the best people Ive ever had the pleasure of working with. My classroom was on the top floor of a beautiful building on a hilltop that afforded me a panoramic view of Kanagawa stretching from the Yokohama Landmark Tower to the mountains in front of Fuji-san, and the most amazing sunsets I could ever ask for. The schedule was a breeze, the facilities were all brand new. The pay was great (particularly given the exchange rate to the states right now), and my students (although a bit crazy at times) never gave me a dull moment. It was also close to where I live (and on the same train line) but going against rush hour traffic, so my commute was short and easy, and I always had a seat both going to work and coming home. They even flew me back and forth to the states in between working contracts, so I never had to pay to go home. In effect, it was more or less a perfect job.

At the same time however, the full time work schedule also meant that I got home too late from work for serious training, and the longer I did it, the weaker I was becoming, and the harder it was fight off weight gain. It also meant having to turn down everything from motion capture to stunt and acting work because I wasn't able to take the time off, and eventually my becoming less important to agencies that used to call me any time and every time there was work to be had.

As such, I knew that as great of a job as it was, it just couldn't last forever. For those who have read it, the book "The Alchemist" offers a lot of great anecdotes about what it is like to follow a dream or obtain a difficult goal, and the longer I follow this path, the more parallels I see. As the main character tried to cross a desert to achieve his goal, he stumbled onto a perfect little oasis that had everything he needed in it. In order to reach his objective on the other side of the desert, he simply had to leave it behind. For me, this job was my oasis. And as I turn to walk away from it with nothing more than an idea that there is still something better out there, I can't help but think of the words of Bruce Lee, "There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them."

Chuck's new web series: How to Defeat Dudes

2012-01-09T22:05:00.015+09:00

About 6 months ago, during a trip to LA, I had a chance to spend some time with a good friend who works in production. While we were at the beach, just for kicks, I showed him a bit of martial arts, and when we sat down to have a beer, he told me about a few rough situations he had gotten into in his past. During the conversation, he mentioned that he would love to see me make a show for normal people (I.e. Non-martial artists) that teaches people what to do when they get into bad situations.

The idea seemed simple enough, but there in lies the challenge: How can you teach people who aren't interested in fighting how to fight? At first I wasn't really sure if it would be possible to do, or why it was necessary when there is already so much out there on the topic of self-defense. The more I pondered it however (and the more time I spent on Youtube watching "self-defense tutorials" ) the more I came to realize that my friend was right, there isn't really anything out there for normal people. While there are a ton of videos out there, most of them don't really suit normal people for one (or all) of three reasons.

1) The techniques shown aren't explained well enough (or sometimes at all)

2) The techniques are too complex for the average person to get in the first place, let alone remember.

3) Even in cases where the instruction is okay, the videos are just poorly done, and/or only interesting for people who already like fighting.

Although it seemed like it would take a lot of research and planning and a production budget to do correctly, the creator, the producer, and the teacher in me couldn't resist the challenge. Now six months later, "the solution" I've come up with is getting ready to go live. The show will be called: "How to Defeat Dudes: Useful Stuff for the Non-martial Artist" and each webisode will be a 5 minute treatment of a single technique for dealing with a particular situation. In order for a technique to be considered for the show, it must meet the following 5 criterion:

1) It must be simple enough that an average person (with no martial arts training) can understand it.

2) It must be comprised of no more than 3 movements.

3) It must rely on gross motor skills. (Generally when people get scared, fine motor skills go right out the window)

4) It must be geared towards situations that normal people get into (I.e. Not police or swat tactical stuff)

5) It can't rely on physical attributes like size, strength or agility.

Additionally, for the show, there will be no belts, uniforms, fancy foreign words or talk of martial arts styles, and of course, itnmust be entertaining. ;) With the production team I've put together, we have done the first three episodes, and I'll be releasing them within the month. Although I am happy with these, producing them was a learning experience, and I already have ideas as to how we can make the next set of episodes even better. Really looking forward to seeing how they are received! Hopefully, if people like the show and find value in it, then it's something that I can continue to do for a while to come.

Video Editing with iMac`s iMovie.

2011-12-25T13:03:00.009+09:00

Just finished the editing on my 2011 martial arts and stunt training reel with my new iMac`s iMovie software. This was the first project I undertook on the iMac, (a 21" one I just picked up from Costco last month) and although it took me a minute to figure out how the user interface works (and then a few hours of work to get used to it, after that, I was rockin'. As everyone says is the case, once you get your head around how it works, the Mac editing software is exceedingly easy to use... and a pleasure to work with. This one was made entirely on iMovie, (which came with the iMac) and most of the video was taken on either my new or my old iPhone, and then imported in. Other videos were from old Windows Vista OS laptop and then converted into Mac compatible formats using WinX HD Video Converter and/or WinX DVD Ripper. (Both of which are great programs that worked really well- even on an old laptop struggling to deal with Windows Vista). The effects, transitions, fonts etc, selection was pretty good, and overall I could everything I wanted to do- and figure it out without having to dig through the instructions. (Always a plus).

Start to finish, the whole process took me about three weeks to complete. Uploading the video onto all the sites I wanted to use, as well both my iPhones and iPad was also a snap, and took no time at all. While initially, I was hesitant to drop the money on a new PC, my girlfriend showed me a Japanese consumer reports-type website (www.kakaku.com) that had rated the model I was looking at as #1 out of a survey of 500 PCs), and after that, I was sold. Thus far, the iMac been an incredibly good investment. Not just because of the ease of doing video editing, (and the fact that my Windows laptop always seemed to compatibility issues with my iPhone and iPad), but because in general Macs are designed to be so much more user friendly than Windows based PCs. In effect, they are PCs for people who aren`t particularly good with PCs, which is exactly what I needed.

Now that the demo reel is completed, and Im comfortable with the program, I`m looking forward to seeing what other projects I can do on this thing. Eventually, Id like to invest in a digital SLR camera, (which these days is becoming just as popular for taking video as still pictures) and Final Cut Pro, so I can start experimenting with serious action sequence production, but for the moment, I think what I have will do just fine.

Karakuri and Ear Tag Movie Premeire

2011-12-15T14:51:00.006+09:00

Last night I had a chance to check out two film premieres. The first (Karakuri) was a sci fi action short that takes place in a future version of Kyoto. The other was a suspense thriller called Ear Tag that takes place in present day Tokyo. Both were excellent films.

The main actor in both is Souji Masaki (a friend of mine who I met through a long term friendship with the CG director, Haj Ishida). Although I think it's a lot harder to get into a story and suspend disbelief when you personally know the people on screen, he still did a great job of getting me well into the stories and creating a real and believable character in both.

I really hope that both films will come out at some point with subtitles, so they can get a chance to be seen by western audiences. For smaller productions, the directors (Haj and Yamaken) both did a great job with lighting, sound, and soundtrack, small things that can make a monstrous difference in how professional a film looks. Eag Tag in particular had an outstanding soundtrack. In a way, I feel that it was really a shame that both these films had to be made on the meager budgets they were, but at the same time, I have to think that if Haj and Yamaken can create something this good on a budget this small, then they are both destined to get the budgets they deserve to have, and I look forward to seeing it happen.

Tsunami Relief Volunteering: Round 2!

2011-11-15T15:04:00.007+09:00

A few weekends ago, I went on a volunteer mission to Iwaki with Team Heal Japan. Due to the fact that I'm still spliting my time between the states and Japan, I haven't made it up to Northern Japan to volunteer as often as I would have liked, but I'm still glad to go whenever I can. The last time I was up there was about 1 month after the Earthquake/Tsunami, so it was interesting to go up there again now to see how much progress was made. Contrasting this trip with the last one six months ago, the area has improved by leaps and bounds. While there was still work to be done, (and all the empty building frames exemplify the fact that reconstruction hasn't begun yet), things definately seem on the up and up. To see what I mean, just compare the first video I took while I was there with the second:

In terms of the workload itself, much like last time, it was light enough that anyone could do it, and other volunteers consisted of people of all ages, satures and nationalities.

In the morning, we were moving dirt and debris after from a nearby elementary school, and in the afternoon, we went to a kids Halloween party. For whatever reason, I was one of a few of us who got chosen to be dressed up, and before I knew it I was in a clownsuit with make-up all over my face. (The irony of this being that I generally don't like clowns).

The kids thought it was hysterical though, so I didn't really mind in the least. In general, I've always found Volunteering to be one of the best and most rewarding things you can do with your time, but when you are doing it for kids, that feeling is exponentiated. It's funny because I've met so many people who are bored with what they are doing or unsure of what to do with themselves. I really think that if any of them tried this kind of work, they could easily have a focus and a mission for the rest of their lives. Lets hope this movement keeps going without losing any steam. With the media having moved onto to other things, Tsunami relief work may not command the attention that it used to, but the fact of the matter is, what needs to be done, still needs to be done. Hats off to my fellow volunteers and hope to see you again soon!

Chuck on House Hunters International

2011-10-14T11:19:00.008+09:00

So among other news, myself, my girlriend Mari, and our Tokyo apartment are going to be featured on the HGTV TV show House Hunters International sometime in the next few months. About a year ago, I got an email out of the blue from one of the show's casting directors saying that she thought I had a pretty interesting life and was wondering if I had planned to buy a house out here anytime soon.

Originally, I actually told her that I wasn't and referred her to a few friends of mine who had recently bought homes, but after a friend from the states spoke to me about it and told me what a great show it was, I decided to see if there was someway I could manage to do the show anyway. (It also occurred to me that this show could be a great way to show all those people at home who ask me about my life out here what it's really like.)

After speaking to the casting director further, I told her that my girlfriend and I were thinking about moving in together in the next year, but that we were only looking for apartments to rent, and not buy. From there, she said that that could work out well because from next year, the show was going to be expanded to cover apartment rentals as well.

To make a long story short, we stayed in touch over the next year, and when Mari and I decided to move in together, the show had indeed been expanded to cover apartments rentals so it worked out just right. At the time, this was immediately after the tsunami, so even as I was telling them Mari and I were still committed to our plan of getting our own Tokyo apartment, it was a bit intimidating. (I actually wanted to stay in the states for a while longer to see how things panned out with Fukushima, but she was eager to return for her family). The tsunami complicated matters further because even though the show had given us the green light, they wanted to hold off for another few months for the same reason. Finally, when they decided to arrange the shoot, Mari and I were back in the states, so they started by filming our backstory in my hometown in Michigan. We were coached through the interview process (which for me was doable because I'd done it before), and Mari won the respect of all for not just doing a good job, but doing it in English, which is her second language.

From there, we met the second film crew in Tokyo. We had a chance to look at several apartments and then there was one final filming in our place with all of the furniture in it. Overall, it was a very very cool experience, but exhausting as well. For myself, the best part of the shoot was getting to spend 3 days with the director (An Aussie who was part of the production crew for Moulin Rouge) and the camera man (who has worked on everything from Green Planet and National Geographic to Nova) Both very cool guys with lots of cool experiences to share. As I said while I was working on SeTup, I will never take being able to work in my own language for granted. Every time I get a chance, Im grateful for it- and probably always will be.

Beyond that, it was also cool because I ended up bringing home a few friend as a function of the show- a small cactus-like plant that Mari and I have appropriately named "Hunter".

Anyway, I'm excited to see how the show turns out and what will come about as a function of it. In the meantime, I am working to get a myriad of projects up and online and having them done before the show airs is a good goal, I think. Let's see where this goes!

Meeting Far East Movement

2011-09-28T13:03:00.004+09:00

Not too long ago, during a trip to LA, I had the chance to meet the guys from Far East Movement. At the time I was visiting a friend who was one of the producers of Priest, and he said that they were filming their next video and asked if we would like to stop by and check it out. It was pretty late at night, (which meant I was still seriouly jetlagged) but it was very cool nonetheless. They were filming in a small fenced in area along a relatively normal looking street, and although you could tell there was a shoot going on, I`m sure most of the passerbys probably had no idea big of a shoot it was. That`s LA for ya.

Although I didn`t get to meet all of the members (some were actually on camera at the time), the ones I did get to speak to were really nice guys. I really love it when I meet people who are at the top of their game, and are still humble and down-to-earth. It seems as though the pervasive image of successful entertainers is always that of the diva, or people seem to think that they are better than anyone and everyone else, but the longer I work in this industry the more I`ve come to see that those types of people tend to get the media`s attention because they are the exception, not the rule. Most people who work in this industry are successful because they are just very intelligent people who are very good at what they do. This is not to say that I haven`t met some serious a--holes too, but insomuch as life has taught me, you can find those everywhere.

How a Taekwondo Chest Protector and 3 Off-duty Delta Employees Saved Me $330

2011-08-25T02:52:00.006+09:00

So after finishing up my training at the stunt school in Seattle, I got up at 4:45 in the morning to catch my flight back to Michigan at 7:00am... and ended up missing my flight by 2 minutes due to difficulties in getting through TSA. As I'd never missed a flight before in my life, I went to the counter in a kind of muddled disbelief only to find out that the SeaTac airport has been busy like that all summer and that they recommend arriving two hours early- even just for domestic flights. To make matters worse, every other flight that day was overbooked by 5 or 6 people, and my girlfriend, Mari was flying into Detroit to meet me the next day, (so I would need to be there to drive down and pick her up). Furthermore I had paperwork I had to complete and fax in that day or I would have to start my trademark application process for my business (Phat English) all over again which would cost me thousands of dollars to do. Things were looking grim.

When I spoke to the person behind the counter, they offered me the option of buying a seat on one later flight for $800 or taking my chance that a seat would still be open(which would mean getting on for $50 or so). Finally I chose to latter, and much to my dismay it completely filled up as well. I was still stuck. Finally, I decided not to take any more chances and I bit the bullet, and paid $330 for a ticket for the first available flight the next day (7:00am) that would get me home by 2:13pm. Not really knowing what else to do, I went back to gate I had been at all day, and decided to take a nap (using my taekwondo chest protector as a pillow), get some Korean and Japanese study in, and some writing done. Thankfully, SeaTac had free wireless, so I could keep myself occupied.

About 7 hours in to my time there a random guy walked up to me, and told me that due to the overcrowding, Delta had upgraded a flight at 11:00pm that night to a much bigger plane and that there were now 33 seats available. He approached me because he said the Taekwondo chest protector I had on my backback (which I had brought to the stunt school to use as a spine guard during stairfalls) made me stick out, so he knew I had been there all day. From there, I told him that I appreciated his gesture, but that I had already bought a ticket for the next day. With that, he said, "What? You bought a ticket? You shouldn't have to buy a ticket. Come with me." It turns out he was an off-duty pilot for Delta who was just trying to get on a flight himself. From there, he introduced me to another off-duty employee (who was an engineer) (and who also recognized me because of my chest protector) who was also just trying to get a flight home, and they discussed the situation, and decided that something was a miss. Not being able to figure it out on their own, they called over another off-duty guy (who worked in baggage) and who happened to know the rules backward and forwards. They said:

'Hey Ryan, this guy bought a ticket for tomorrow, and we need to get his money back.'

He responded, "Which guy?" and they pointed at me.
He replied, "Oh yeah! The guy with the funny thing on his back. Yeah, he's been here all day!"
Apparently, according to Ryan, due to their poor customer service rating, Delta had recently enacted a new "Flat Tire" rule, which stated that if a customer was under 10 minutes late for a flight through no fault of their own, they should simply be put on stand-by for the next available flight, and should not have to pay more than $50.

As the new plane made the 11:00 flight "the next available flight", according to the new rule, I was qualified to be on it, and shouldn't have to pay. With the assistance of a new woman who had just started working the counter the 4 of them commenced to spend the next 3 hours not only teaching me all kinds of stuff related to flying airplanes but also arguing back and forth on my behalf with the finance department. It was simply amazing. Finally, they won the argument, and sure enough another Delta employee came up to me, and handed me an envelope with the cost of my ticket enclosed. After that, as a thank you to all of them, I took my new friends (plus another off-duty Delta guy who was trying to get home from his honeymoon) out for beers at my treat. As Karma would have it, almost all of them managed to catch a flight home at the same time as me, so as I got to get in line to catch my flight, I saw them get in line for theirs as well. For a day that started off in peril, it ended up being the best way I could have asked for to end my time in Seattle. Regardless of what any one else may have to say about Delta customer service, this is one flyer, who you will never hear utter a word of complaint. Furthermore, from this point on, anyone who cares to make negative generalizations about Delta employees may wind up finding out what my right foot tastes like.

Doing a burn stunt... in a kung fu uniform

2011-08-17T15:23:00.006+09:00

Today was my first experience learning to do a burn. In actually however, the process started about a week ago when I went to a thift store with a bunch of the other stunt players I'm training with to find cheap clothes that we could light ourselves on fire in. As a burn stunt requires all 100% cotton clothes (most synthetics will 'melt' into molten plastic instead of burning to ash), and multiple layers of protection, the very first part of stunt was finding the right clothes to burn in. As luck would have it, the ONLY tops I could find that was 100% cotton and in my size was the top of a kung fu uniform, and an exact replica of Freddy Kruger's sweater. What a combo! I already knew it was going to be a good day.

On the day of our burn we were given a lecture on the natural tendencies of fire, and how to protect yourself from it (which fit nicely with some of the wilderness survival related fire work I had done in Japan), and the instructors walked us through the preparations we would need to take in order to do our burns, and it was an incredible learning experience. I could see first hand why 1) burn stunts are rare in films and 2) why they are always so short.

1) They take an incredible amount of manpower to do as just one person safely doing a 20 sec. burn takes a team of about 20 people. (3 on fire extinguishers to put out the main fire, one with a hose to put out spot fires that re-ignite inside the clothes, 1 on blankets, 3 to prep the clothes, etc).

Second of all, you are always working against the clock. Before the stunt, the player needs to put on long-johns of flame resistant material (that have been soaking in freezing cold flame resistant gel) and the longer you wait after you suit them up, the warmer the undersuit will become, (and thus less affective). Furthermore, given the fact that it is a wet, ice-cold bodysuit against your skin) waiting a long time in the suit before the stunt also puts you at risk for hypothermia.

2) The reason they are so short is because you can't actually breath while you are doing it. As they chemicals burning are a bit toxic, there is fire around your mouth and nose, and smoke is everywhere, you can't risk breathing in. And even after you drop to the ground (the sign that you want them to put you out) they are spraying you with ice-cold CO2 from fire extinguishers (which you also can't breath in) so you need to hold enough air to get through that as well. Finally they also fill your ears with the flame resistant gel, so you can't actually hear such as well. (and for a frontal burn, you also have to do it blind.

As for my burn it went pretty well. The only downside of doing the burn in the kung fu uniform was that the small metal tabs in the collar meant that I had to cut it completely off before the burn, (hot metal on skin-no thanks) and that meant no protection for my neck. It also meant the back of my head would act as a 'heat shelf' and would get extremely hot, extremely fast if I didn't keep it down all the time. They told me that this would happen and that I should get flame 'licks' on the back of my head, and it happened more or less exactlly as they said it would. Also as I have a shaved head, I didn't have any hair to hold the flame resistant gel, (which is basically water in a molecular gel form), so that layer they put over my skin would be all that there was to protect me. After catching 2 of those flame licks on the back of my head, I was done. I dropped down so they could it me out. Interestingly enough though, after standing up, taking a shower, and walking away from it, it was an incredible feeling...kind of like completing a successful skydive. Really looking forward to the next time I can get more experience in this particular area of stunt work.

Stunt training in Seattle

2011-08-04T22:38:00.005+09:00

Yesterday was my first day of training at the United Stuntmen's Association Intenational Stunt School in Seattle. About 6 months ago, while I was training at the Society of American Fight Directors Winter Wonderland Workshop, I met the owner, Dave Boushey, and he said that it would be great for me to come out, so I decided to jump right on it. The training is 22 days and covers 15 disciplines of stunt work, including flame stunts, high falls, trampoline work, and of course, my personal favorite and specialty, fight choreography. Unfortunately, do to my schedule, I missed the first 2 days of the school, and arrived half-way through the third, literally fresh off the plane from spending the past 3 days flying Tokyo-Dallas-Michigan-Seattle. (I actually showed up at the training hall with all of my luggage).

They had spent the past two days learning a fight and were preparing to showcase it in about an hour. After having spent 5 years studying incredibly complex fight sequences in Tokyo however, the one they were doing wasn't too difficult (although the stylistic differences did take a bit of getting used to), so I just took the 30 minutes to learn it, practice it a few times, and an hour later performed it like everyone else. Personally, I felt my performance was kind of lacking (at the time I had a sore back from carrying my luggage for 3 days, and I hadn't slept yet), but I actually got applause for the performance. I think more than anything people were just impressed that I figured it out and could perform it as well as everyone else in only an hour.

Still, it was a great way to start off my training. Coming in two days late, I thought I would be at a disadvantage and would need to bust my tail to catch up, but it actually worked out even better because it allowed me to start off my making an excellent first impression. So far so good...Now the challenge will be to keep my level of performance for the rest of the school. Next up is training with clubs and knives. We'll see how it goes!

Shibuya Video Game/ Anime Club Event

2011-08-04T22:22:00.006+09:00

Last weekend, I was invited to attend a club event for Anime fans in Shibuya. It was at a small, hole-in-the-wall club in Shibuya, and it revolved around the music that goes into anime and video games. I'd never been to anything quite like it, so it was fascinating to attend. In attendance where a plethora of video game and a anime fans, as well as a few big names in sound track composition. The high light of the show was when the guy who wrote the soundtrack from the original Donkey Kong game came out, and hit the stage with his guitar. He actually had someone hook up their PSP to the massive monitor and sound system on stage and play the game Evangelion (which he also composed the soundtrack for) while he played his guitar along with it. Although is sounds kind of bizarre, it was actually really really cool to see. Homeboy was totally in the zone as he played and the fans of the game were going nuts over it. For myself, it was an introduction to a whole new world of entertainment. Great fun!

Sushi Typhoon Quadruple Movie Premiere

2011-07-24T23:22:00.007+09:00

This past saturday, I attended the Tokyo Premiere of 4 Sushi Typhoon films: Aliens vs. Ninja, Dead Ball, Yakuza Weapon, and Hell Driver. It was great to get out there as I had a chance to catch up the with the films' producer (who also produced Death Trance), as well as spend a bit of time with Yuji Shimomura, and Tak Sakaguchi. My good friends (Kentaro Shimazu- whom I squared off against for the sword action part of my demo reel) and Asami were also there, as well as Yassy, as well as an actress whom I used to do pronunciation coaching for Miho Ninagawa, Miho Ninagawa. It was my first time to see everyone together since returning to Japan, and that made the trip out to Ginza for the premiere worth it inandof itself.

As for the films itself, Yakuza Weapon was heralded as having the best martial arts action, but unfortunately as I had a rank test in Karate that day, I had to miss it. Aliens vs. Ninjas also looked like a lot of fun. The only film I was able to catch was Dead Ball, and it was absolutely hilarious. Shockingly so. Although I had an idea of the kind of stuff that Sushi Typhoon makes (just from the people involved, and their previous work), I had no idea they would pull it off as well as they did until I actually saw Dead Ball. Although it didn't have much in the way of martial arts action, it was quite simply a hilarious film. Shockingly so. Imagine a live action version of South Park (complete with all the blood, profanity, and intelligent purpose behind it) done in typical Japanese slapstick style humor, and you are starting to get the point. I was also surprised at the fact that the film actually had some really huge names in the Japanese entertainment industry as well such as ( )the guy who plays Will Smith, Keanu Reeves and most other major Hollywood male celebrities in Japanese voice overs), and ( ). It was simply awesome. I've already decided to buy a bunch of copies and give them away as christmas presents. Can't wait to see AVN, Hell Driver and Yakuza Weapon!!

Training with Yuji Shimomura

2011-05-29T22:16:00.003+09:00

I had a chance to work out with my favorite action director, Yuji Shimomura this weekend. After I returned to Japan after the March 11 quake, we met up briefly just to catch up, but this was my first time training with him. Actually, it was our first time training together in a few years.

I had told him that I am currently pursuing my expert status in knife fighting choreography from Art of Combat in Lansing, and asked him if he was working on anything that we could collaborate on. As he didn`t have anything lined up requiring that kind of choreo, he suggested we just get together, train, and possibly film a test. I met him at the PassGuard training gym (where I usually do my action training) and we got to work on it for a little while.

Everytime I work with Yuji, he absolutely amazes me. 1) because of his incredible physical skills 2) because of the depth of his philosophy on action and 3) because he`s just such an intelligent and good guy. While the choreo that I`d come up with wasn`t bad, he had A LOT of suggestions to make it better, and it made me want to completely go back to the drawing board.

We didn`t actually get to filming the test... but in a way I`m glad, because that will give me a chance come up with some way cooler sh-- before the next time I meet him. Really looking forward to committing something to film soon!

Martial Arts Action Seminar for Big Brothers Big Sisters, Detroit

2011-04-16T18:18:00.003+09:00

Before I left the states, I had the honor and privalege of doing an action seminar for Big Brothers, Big Sisters Detroit. It was actually supposed to be one of the first things I did when I got back in August, but life being as it is, things kept getting delayed and pushed back and we finally managed to make it happen just a few days before I had to leave for Tokyo.

At the time I was actually in the middle of filming for Letters To No One, and I had to be on set that day, but thankfully it was also in downtown Detroit (only about 15 min) and they only needed me in the late afternoon, so it worked out well. I'm glad I didn't have to be on set in the morning because if I did, I would have had to show up filthy and exhausted (and with equally filthy mats), and that wouldn't have made for the best first impressions.

Anyway, the seminar was an absolute blast and each and every one of the kids was a pleasure to work with. Let no one say that kids from from the hood are lazy or hard to work with. On a certain level the seminar just vindicated a belief that I already held: That if you care, and your students know it, they'll always do their best regardless of where you (or them) are from.

After having this experience, ( as well as the one at Everett High School and finally getting a chance to check out "Waiting for Superman" on the plane ride back to Tokyo) I'm bound and determined to get involved in a lot more projects such as these once I get back to the states next year. Particularly in the Detroit area.

Last Night's Earthquake

2011-04-08T21:01:00.009+09:00

I really appreciate all those who dropped a line in regards to last night's earthquake, but in Tokyo, it wasn't too bad. (While it was a 7.5 up north, for us, it was only about a 3 or so). At the time that it happened, I was just relaxing in my room with my girlfriend (who was asleep) when my phone started ringing in a way I hadn't heard before. Sure enough, I opened it up, and there was an email inside that only said 'Earthquake'. (The Japanese government somehow has a system out that sends out warnings to EVERYONE'S cell phone when an earthquake is about to hit). About 30 seconds later, it hit, and everything started to shake. It was bad enough to wake her up (and homegirl can sleep through damn-near anything), but it lasted for less than a minute before disapating. After it finished, like most 'quake-proof' buildings in Tokyo, my apartment continued to sway and wobble for a few minutes after, but overall no damage done.

Thus far, I've been back in Tokyo for about two weeks now, and it's been interesting seeing how many things are different. The other day, I saw Shibuya at night with all the neon lights OFF and much like my first train ride in the dark since I've been back, it was my first time ever seeing that. It was eerie. On a more annoying note, the escalators continue to stay off in a lot of places, and I have a feeling that they will continue to for some time to come. After work, I stopped by one of my modeling agencies, Free Wave, and dropped off some food for a run they were making up to Fukushima to help out with relief. It's funny because I never thought a modeling agency would be the first in line to do that kind of thing, but as horrible as things have been, it really has brought out the best in a lot of people, and some of the truest heroes in efforts to help out have been people that I never would have thought had the character. Just goes to show that you can never judge a book by it's cover.

On a darker note, it is also interesting to see how it changed people in other ways. People are quieter. Even though they still laugh and joke, you can see in their eyes that thoughts of what they have been through are never that far away. The master I study Karate under said he saw streets undulating like ocean waves, and skyscrapers wobbling like blades of grass in the wind... and it was an image that will be with him for the rest of his life. My heart really truly goes out who were actually in the epicenter and I can't help but wish I could do more for them.

The Return to Tokyo: First Impressions

2011-04-05T08:26:00.003+09:00

After the quake in Japan, and the corresponding issues with the Fukushima Nuclear Power plant, I was a bit hesitant to return to Japan as I had originally planned. Particularly since the US government actually advised Americans not to go there, and a lot of the long-term foreigners such as myself actually left as well.

At the same time though, there were a myriad of factors involved that still prompted me to go. For one, I had already purchased my plane ticket, and I wouldn’t be able to get my money back. It also meant that I would be screwing over the company that hired me (who needs people now more than ever) and in doing so, lose pretty much the only way I have to get a visa to continue to stay.

Lastly, and most importantly however was the fact that my girlfriend (who was with me here in the states when the Quake struck) was determined to go back herself for her family, and I just wouldn’t have felt right about letting her do it alone.

At this point however, as scary as a decision as it was, I’m very much glad I made it. I’m going to be working at a sports university here for the next few months, and they building a new program that would integrate language study with physical movement, and they are interested in having me be one of their chief developers. Beyond that, the day after I got off the plane, my best friend Tommy (who got me into Celebrity Bodyguarding several years ago) told me that he is being featured on a prime time TV show and wanted me to appear on the show with him. We shot it the same day (For Tokyo-ites, it’s Nihon TV, May 3rd, 10pm!) so I've already got an appearance on a major TV show lined up. Lastly, the Yen to Dollar exchange rate is simply the best it’s ever been right now, and for every $500 I make here, I am getting an extra $100 off of it.

Signs of the earthquake damage are apparent. The flight over here was almost empty. (All though there were a few other foreigners to their credit). My girlfriend’s father’s business building has small cracks in all the walls. Some of their furniture (that which was destroyed) is gone. All of the trains are running without interior lights, and even on sunny days they are too dark too read inside. (When you go through a tunnel it just goes pitch black). There are signs at stores saying you can’t buy more than one bottle of water per visit, and I still think about the safety of the water when I shower. (Although at present, its still deemed to be perfectly within safety levels). Yesterday at my university orientation they showed a video of a ‘typical student’ who was talking about his mother, and when he said he and his family were from Fukushima, they had to stop it and apologize because neither he nor his mother were probably with us anymore.

In terms of how the Japanese people are handling it however, their drive to move on, recover and keep the order of their society simply amazes me, and seeing the dignity that they still carry themselves with despite the hardships just further deepens my respect for them. Additionally, everyone I speak to thanks me for coming back, and appreciates the fact that I was one of the foreigners who stood by them instead of just leaving. That gratitude alone has made the trip worth it for me.

Letters to No One Short Film

2011-04-03T09:03:00.006+09:00

Right before I left Michigan to head back to Tokyo, I had a chance to work as an actor and fight choreographer for a short film called Letters to No One. Staged in a post-apocolypic era, the story revolved around a girl trying to get an artificial heart that she believes can save the life of her little brother, and it reminded me a bit of Book of Eli but with the added punch of having the lead played by a petite female. (I was playing the story's main antagonist, Vernes.) All in all the project was a lot of fun to do. We filmed everything around Ann Arbor and in Downtown Detroit, and the sets they got were awesome. (The only downside being that the detoit locations lacked heating and it was freezing on set most of the time).

As a fight choreographer it was also really interesting because 1) it was my first time creating choreography for something shot on film, and 2) because the nature of the story and characters dictated action that was much more realistic than the fantastic Hong Kong style that I had been trained in. In regards to the first point, most of my experience in action had been on projects shot in DV, and as a function of that, there's a lot more room for experimentation. On DV cameras you can just shoot, erase and re-record as much as you like, whereas on film (which has a limited stock that's really expensive to replace) every single take costs money. As a function of that, when you are working with limited resources, choreography utilizing a single master cut (with smaller cut-ins) is a lot more financially efficient to do than using a bunch of smaller cuts sequentially and then just putting them all together piece-meal. As a function of this, in order to make things run smoother, I created overhead 'fight maps' (such as the one pictured) so that the camera crew, actors and directors could all know how the fight was going to proceed beforehand and mistakes could be minimalized.

In terms of the second point, it was interesting in that I came to realize just how stylized the training I had in action really is. While I was always coaching the actors to make bigger movements and finish with pose outs, the director was constantly telling them the opposite, and encouraging to just 'keep it real'. Thus far, this seems to be the biggest reoccuring theme since returning to the states, working in American cinema, and training in western stage combat. The philosophies on portraying 'fight action' in the west, and 'martial arts action' in the east seem to be in stark contrast of each other in a lot of ways, and I can see why groups from both sides can get frustrated working with each other if that isn't clearly understood from the beginning. (Which happens from time to time).

In any event, I'm still waiting to get the finished result back, and am excited to see how it turns out once sound effects, music and editing have all been added in. Mad-props to Guru Kalaj of MMAForge.com who supplied us with training Knives, and Twistarts Gymnastics of Dewitt for use of their mats for stunt falls. Will defiantely post it once it's done!

Visit to Everett High School

2011-03-04T12:34:00.008+09:00

Not too long ago, I had the honor of being a guest at Everett HIgh School where my father had graduated. I had been there once before because the taekwondo school I came from (Shinn's TKD) had started a program there, but this had been my first time ever stepping through the halls as an adult. Much like the last time I went to my own high school (where my nephew is currently studying) it was almost shocking to see how young everyone looked. WOW.

I was invited in to speak to their Japanese classes, not only to show them that non-Japanese people can learn to speak the language well too, but also to give them a taste as to what exactly they can expect if they choose to go there. Before going there, I was a bit nervous as I hadn't done anything quite like it, but overall, they really really seemed to enjoy it, as did the teachers. I was pleasantly surprised at just how many questions the kids had, and how engaged they were.

From what I saw, they were all really really good kids. Basically, my class time consisted of my showing them a few videos of things I had done, and projects I had worked on, telling them about my own experiences, giving them some time to ask questions and then ending with my demonstrating an Irish Whip. Everybody really seemed to be in to it. It was also cool because one of my other nephews was in the class, so I had the chance to actually see him and speak to him and a few of his friends as well. Of everything that I have done with this whole wild and crazy lifetime of mine, doing stuff like this is my absolutely favorite. Working with younger kids has always been one of the great joys in life for me, and with high schoolers in particular, it's cool because you can still relate to them as adults, but they still have the open-mindedness and wonder that most people have squandered once they reach college. If a single one of them decides to get into martial arts and/or studies abroad in their college days, then I can say that this trip was totally worth it.

Martial Arts Action at WE Kids Health Expo!

2011-02-20T14:24:00.008+09:00

Today I spent the day running a booth offering people an intro to martial arts screen action at the WE Kids Health Expo in Meridian Mall. Although I love the mission of the expo (showing kids a wide range of ways to exercise to help combat child obestity), I wasn't exactly sure how well my own particular interest would go over. (Particularly since MA action and stunts is much more for adults than anything else). Still I decided to set up a booth and give it a try anyway, and it turned out to be a great day and an absolute blast. I had a monitor with some action scenes playing and that was enough to get people's attention, so I had at least 10 or 12 people stop who and give it a try. Basically, I would just run them through a short sequence (and at the end have them throw me to the ground with an Irish Whip) and they thought it was hilarious! Eventually, I even started getting crowds to stop and watch and a few people even expressed interest in coming to my next seminar (next Sunday, Feb. 27th) which I thought was very cool.

Probably the highlight of the day however was a chance meeting with Michigan State junior XMA champion Micah Moore. His TKD school also had a booth at the Expo, and his master (who is a friend of mine) suggested to his mom that he meet me. From there, he wandered over to my spot and I took a minute to show him a few moves he'd never seen before. Apparently he had a good time because he came back a few hours later, and basically stayed to continue practicing. After a while I got so into teaching him that I stopped promoting my own stuff altogether. As a teacher, it's a rare chance to get to work with someone that motivated, (particularly of that age) and the kid just impressed me beyond belief. Backhandsprings, 540's 720s, you name it, the kid could nail it. Even the stuff I showed him, he got with no problems at all. The only thing he couldn't quite land was an Ariel (no hand cartwheel), but I'm sure that with one or two more sessions, he can get it. Particularly if we do it at my gymnastics gym where I've got all the right equipment to teach him. I've got a great feeling about this kid. Very much looking forward to working with him further.

2nd Detroit 187 shoot

2011-01-26T14:26:00.004+09:00

Got called back to do another shoot for Detroit 187 this past week. This was for episode 17 (or 18?) which will be airing in March or April or so. Once again, I was actually called in to pose for photos that would be used in the show. This time I was a henchman of an organized crime boss played by Tommy Flanagan, so I had a chance to spend the day working with him. Very very cool guy. Myself and one other actor were posing for what were supposed to be 'surveillance photos', and I had heard that this means there's a fairly good chance that we will be called back for subsequent episodes. If that's the case, I certainly hope I can squeeze it in before I return to Japan two months from now. Was also invited to a staff party this Friday night as well. That should make for good fun...and great networking. Hope I can make it out... even if it's just for a few hours.

Also found out that the last episode I did will be airing on Feb. 1st. I'll be boxing in the background in some black adidas warm-ups and also on a wall as a boxer... somewhere. Will have to wait to see.

Last Day of Training at WWW

2011-01-11T05:20:00.003+09:00

Yesterday, the Society of American Fight Directors concluded the Winterwonderland Workshop. As with any experience like this, I was really sad to see it come to an end, but felt so lucky and fortunate to have experienced it, and met all of the people that I did.

My last day of classes consisted of two more staged knife combat classes, and my final class was on falling techniques. The two knife classes were great, and although there was a bit of overlap with the other ones I had done (I once again earned a reputation as someone not to square off against in knife battles ;) I feel that the review was good for really crystalizing a lot of the concepts. One really cool thing was that after the second knife class (Which focused on nasty elements of knife fighting) I had a chance to talk with the instructor about his own martial arts background, and we decided to spend half of our lunch period playing around. He had a great deal of experience in the Fillipino arts, and showed me a lot of really cool (and particularly nasty) ways to manipulate someone's body off of a punch, so that was the highlight of my day.

The last class on stunt breakfalls was also excellent, as it was my first time getting to study them in English, and it allowed me to fill in a lot of gaps. The instructor (who had a ton of film experience) also had a lot of good advice about really effective ways to cushion falls (in particular for a roll) and it made me wonder why they hadn't figured this stuff out in actual martial arts gyms. (Although when I think about it, it's probably because they had never actually had to USE those falls on concrete or equally hard surfaces and he had). Very very informative.

The end of the Workshop consisted with a show of all of the masters putting together a series of choreographed fights. One of these simulated the possible way in which a sword duel that led to a particularly perplexing autopsy (with all kinds of stab wounds in crazy places) might have gone, and that was simply fascinating to see. The event itself ended with a huge party that unfortuantely I had to miss to catch a train, but overall this was one of the most fun martial arts related events I have ever been to, and I already can't wait till next year.

Day 2 at the WWW

2011-01-09T15:27:00.004+09:00

Today's training at the WWW was excellent, albiet tiring, and I have a feeling my back isn't going to be liking me too much tomorrow. After a super-high impact warm-up (with well over 100 people involved) I went to my first class of the morning, which was broadsword training. Right at the beginning, the teacher said, 'If you do this right, your back will be way more sore than your arms' and I guess I must've been doing it right because my back was killing me by the end of it. Compared to the action katanas I'm used to using, even practice broadswords, are made of solid steel, and unbelievably heavy. I thought this was interesting because in Japan when you do sword choreography, the swords you do them with are extremely light, and you just act as if they are heavy. (Although admittedly that doesn't always work.) In the states, they just give you a fu--in heavy sword so you don't have to fake it.

It was also interesting because when my action teacher Yuji did the sword choreography for his firm Hollywood film, Way of the Warrior, after getting back to Japan he and his team thought the director and what not where nuts for making them go through the scenes using stell practice Katanas. (And if I recall, one person was actually hospitalized because he got one of them through the thigh), but I'm guessing this is why. Out here, it's just how they roll.

After that, I had a high falls class, in which we covered 3 different kinds of falls at two different heights, but I was told that once you have the 2m height falls down

the mechanics of falling and impact absorbtion are fundamentally the same all the way up to 50 ft. Hope i can try it sometime.

After that, it was back to sword training, but this time with wooden bokken. (Simulated Japanese Katana).

Lastly, but certainly not least, was another class on knife work. This one ended with a game in which the object was the cut your opponents across the hamstring and be the last one standing. Made it into the final match in the first round, and won the second. Lost the third round because one person distracted me (arguing my cut) and another silently slid up behind me and slashed me while I was distracted. I know it's just a game, but I'm still pissed at myself for falling for it.

After that was a hilarious comedy /sword fighting show by two of the masters. It was brilliantly funny. Not the easiest day on the back, but a great day nonetheless.