Michael Jai White is a martial arts star, director, and producer known for films like Undisputed 2 and (my personal favorite) Black Dynamite. He talks about his philosophy and merging martial arts with comedy. You can see his IMDB here https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0925220/

Edited by Noel Ross

Action Talks on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKvT1cdaRn78tV4vF78InER7GhxCKaxU5

Action Talks on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7D289YtkiQIkSVhNLDX8O2

Action Talks on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/action-talks-with-eric-jacobus/id1686666319My studio SuperAlloy: www.superalloyinteractive.com

Blog: www.ericjacobus.com

Timestamps:

0:02:29 Introduction

0:04:23 Beginning as an actor

0:08:19 Action sells internationally

0:23:36 On directing

0:24:50 Breaking others' assumptions and following the heart

0:30:12 Mentors

0:40:44 Knowing which roles to take

0:44:16 Great projects are ruined by bad execution

0:49:13 Shooting wide and long on great performers

0:52:56 What to take from Hong Kong-style editing

0:55:44 Black Dynamite filmmaking style

0:56:28 Deliberate shooting

0:58:14 B cam, sit your ass over there

0:58:59 Would the average person know the difference in styles

1:00:35 Movies you did you can't stand to watch

1:03:34 Make sure it's in the contract

1:06:02 Action design: "Without personality, who the hell cares?"

1:15:56 Where is the modern action star

1:17:21 How you see it segment

1:27:56 Black Dynamite

1:40:46 Being a father

1:51:48 Advice for younger generations

Jordan Layani and Kévin Roger of Sloclap are the minds behind games like Absolver, Sifu, and Rematch. They talk about the Hong Kong inspirations for Sifu and what continues pushing their creativity. You can see his IMDB here https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0550301/ and his HKMDB here https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=4788&display_set=eng

Edited by Wesley Mountford

Action Talks on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKvT1cdaRn78tV4vF78InER7GhxCKaxU5

Action Talks on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7D289YtkiQIkSVhNLDX8O2

Action Talks on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/action-talks-with-eric-jacobus/id1686666319

My studio SuperAlloy: www.superalloyinteractive.com

Blog: www.ericjacobus.com

Timestamps:

0:00:46 Introductions

0:01:53 Inspirations, Martial arts (Pak Mei) and Tekken

0:13:48 Ubisoft, studies, Sloclap and Ninjitsu

0:20:14 Prodigal Son, Sifu staff, and Godhand

0:24:19 Sloclap behind the scenes, Fighter Maker and Absolver

0:30:43 Sifu gameplay, Kill Bill, The Raid: Redemption

0:36:56 Making efficient fighting styles look good

0:38:27 Sifu boss fights, Benjamin Colucci

0:42:49 The benefits of motion capture

0:43:55 Sifu bosses, Virtua Fighter, Mortal Kombat

0:49:37 John Wick, Oldboy, SPL 2

0:51:16 Cinematography

0:56:41 Sifu's cinematics, Absolver combat, Tekken 3

0:59:22 How to make game combat work

1:01:57 Classical Pak Mei, guns, knives, death

1:09:47 Sifu's aging system

1:09:59 The Matrix, Sifu live-action short

1:11:11 Shooting mocap for Sifu

1:16:20 Sifu practice mode, Jackie Chan, Overwatch, Scavengers Reign

1:18:44 Breaking the cycle of vengence

1:25:57 Outro

Mars / 火星 / 蔣榮發 is an actor, stuntman, and action director known for classic films like Project A and Police Story. He talks about his stunts and the origins of Jackie Chan's unique action style.

You can see his IMDB here https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0550301/

and his HKMDB here https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=4788&display_set=eng

Edited by Milan Swagers

English Voiceover by Phill Kismartoni

Translation by Gary Choi

Action Talks on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKvT1cdaRn78tV4vF78InER7GhxCKaxU5

Action Talks on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7D289YtkiQIkSVhNLDX8O2

Action Talks on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/action-talks-with-eric-jacobus/id1686666319

My studio SuperAlloy: www.superalloyinteractive.com

Blog: www.ericjacobus.com

0:00:45 Introduction

0:01:24 Early Training

0:11:58 Protection gear in the early 70's

0:16:29 Origins of the Hong Kong spin

0:23:05 Working with non-stuntman directors

0:26:36 Competition amongst stunt teams

0:33:58 Getting into acting

0:41:33 Dragon Lord (1982)

0:58:27 Project A (1983)

1:00:13 The clock tower stunt

1:05:22 Police Story (1985)

1:15:41 Developing a new style

1:21:16 The future of action films

Mathis Landwehr an actor, stuntman, producer, and indie action filmmaker. He's known for his show Lasko, The Foreigner, and Kamfansage II (my personal favorite). You can see his IMDB here: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1716923/
Edited by Tristan Glover
Action Talks on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKvT1cdaRn78tV4vF78InER7GhxCKaxU5
Action Talks on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7D289YtkiQIkSVhNLDX8O2
Action Talks on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/action-talks-with-eric-jacobus/id1686666319
My studio SuperAlloy: www.superalloyinteractive.com
Blog: www.ericjacobus.com Timestamps: 0:05:26 Time constraints shooting "the Last Kumite"
0:06:45 Shooting until it's perfect
0:07:55 How Mathis built his skill set
0:09:31 Inspirations
0:10:40 The film scene in Germany
0:12:11 Why Germany didn't make action films
0:14:44 No German action heros allowed
0:18:21 Mathis's first short film
0:22:34 Did Mathis make the first German martial arts movie?
0:24:24 German people's and regulators perceptions of action movies and violence
0:30:14 Martial arts vs acting
0:32:02 Martial arts culture in Germany
0:33:59 V for Vendetta
0:38:42 Advancing one's choreography skills
0:40:20 How previz changed over time
0:42:16 Lasko Previz
0:46:43 Martial art monk
0:50:44 Different approaches to Kampfensage and Lasko
0:58:30 Action design in Lasko
1:01:45 The feedback about Lasko, the super fans and haters
1:05:04 It's different when Germans watch Germans
1:08:39 Mathis's career after Lasko
1:10:43 Changing his approach and attitude toward action
1:13:44 Stroytelling vs unnecessary fighting / shoe leather
1:17:13 The Foreigner
1:25:16 The Last Kumite and emulating the 80s action film
1:36:53 Finding his own way
1:39:00 Perceptions on violence

Mathis Landwehr an actor, stuntman, producer, and indie action filmmaker. He's known for his show Lasko, The Foreigner, and Kamfansage II. You can see his imdb here: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1716923/ Edited by Tristan Glover Action Talks on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKvT1cdaRn78tV4vF78InER7GhxCKaxU5 Action Talks on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7D289YtkiQIkSVhNLDX8O2 Action Talks on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/action-talks-with-eric-jacobus/id1686666319 My studio SuperAlloy: www.superalloyinteractive.com Blog: www.ericjacobus.com

Sam Kefi Abrikh is a stuntman, fight coordinator, and second unit director based out of France, who got started Japan. He's known for Princess, Fury, and Furies, but has done a load of quality indie action material. You can see his imdb here: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3768608/ Edited by Joey Min Action Talks on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKvT1cdaRn78tV4vF78InER7GhxCKaxU5 Action Talks on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7D289YtkiQIkSVhNLDX8O2 Action Talks on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/action-talks-with-eric-jacobus/id1686666319 My studio SuperAlloy: www.superalloyinteractive.com Blog: www.ericjacobus.com Timestamps 0:02:04 Where it all began 0:04:37 Japanese influences 0:07:45 French action films 0:11:38 Indie filmmaking 0:13:09 Learning to move HK style 0:14:35 Making his team for indie films 0:18:04 What techniques did you use to make shorts? 0:21:22 Rhythm diff between HK and Japanese action? French action? US action? 0:25:03 What was it like going to Japan? 0:30:39 What did you take from Shibahara's method? 0:32:23 What was the rhythmic difference? 0:37:08 Was there any overlap between JP language and the JP movement style? 0:38:18 JP movement might come from animation and theater 0:40:20 huge contrast between acting and normal talking 0:41:18 "Developing his skills in JP " 0:43:35 After Japan, what came next? 0:48:06 Was it hard going back to stunts after being in Japan? 0:51:38 Could you apply your skills to Luc Besson films? 0:54:14 What do you look at as a stunt double? 0:55:10 Did you ever perform music? 0:56:17 How are you applying your skills to indie projects? 0:58:23 Bourne style might lose the audience... 1:01:13 Filming the action on District 9 and Bourne series 1:03:45 Working on the Princess 1:06:17 Training actress vs hiding the double 1:07:18 How did he get involved in Furie? 1:09:50 Approaching the action of Furie 1:11:15 Preproduction on Furie 1:15:37 Any stories about when you had to improvise? 1:17:56 Any inspirations for shooting style? 1:19:33 Do you think about camera and editing before shooting? 1:22:15 Do you try to break expectation in action? 1:23:59 What films have succeeded in looking un-choreographed? 1:25:32 Do you apply yourself most to your own projects? 1:26:25 What are you watching now? 1:31:48 What's your approach to female-led action film as opposed to male-led? 1:33:18 Do you have to pull back with Veronica if she was too good? 1:35:40 Toning down big guys against smaller performers

Sam Kefi Abrikh is a stuntman, fight coordinator, and second unit director based out of France, who got started Japan. He's known for Princess, Fury, and Furies, but has done a load of quality indie action material. You can see his imdb here: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3768608/ Edited by Joey Min Action Talks on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKvT1cdaRn78tV4vF78InER7GhxCKaxU5 Action Talks on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7D289YtkiQIkSVhNLDX8O2 Action Talks on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/action-talks-with-eric-jacobus/id1686666319 My studio SuperAlloy: www.superalloyinteractive.com Blog: www.ericjacobus.com

Christopher Troy is a stuntman, actor, and a filmmaker. Marvel and Star Wars shows as a fight coordinator, he's worked on Tenet and Shameless, he makes amazing short films on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/christophertroyofficial/?hl=en) and you can see his IMDB here: https://www.instagram.com/christophertroyofficial/?hl=en Edited by Ian Volner Action Talks on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKvT1cdaRn78tV4vF78InER7GhxCKaxU5 Action Talks on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7D289YtkiQIkSVhNLDX8O2 Action Talks on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/action-talks-with-eric-jacobus/id1686666319 Telegram: t.me/ericjacobus My studio SuperAlloy: www.superalloyinteractive.com Blog: www.ericjacobus.com 00:01:38 Chris Troy: Today 00:06:24 What are the actor guilds fighting for? 00:12:35 Do you see a parallel with the studios of yesterday and the streaming services of today? 00:15:07 Acting and Stunts: How do you manage the two? 00:20:21 What do you think editors are looking for when it comes to choreo? 00:23:27 What "skills" are needed for commercial acting? 00:26:56 Separating the actor from the human, how easy is it? 00:28:07 From Dancing to Stunts 00:33:18 Learning to fall "ugly" 00:37:23 How does your experience inform your performance? 00:39:00 What do you think makes a solid editor? 00:45:18 Pre-Visis to Production: challenges faced by choreographers 00:47:59 Previs work for auteurs: Is it an amicable process? 00:49:55 Working on Tenet: Nolan's witnessed process 00:54:17 Doubling Back: What do you look for in the actor you'll be doubling 00:59:44 Doubling: Getting into your actor's headspace 01:03:33 Why does comedy stunting hurt so much more than action stunting? 01:04:51 Working on Dayshift 01:08:54 Social Media as an engine for your career 01:11:25 Cultivating your mythos 01:21:00 Innovation in Movement: The Sell 01:24:36 Shorts on socials to short films: What do you set out to accomplish in short form storytelling? 01:27:10 Directing action and camera on "Suppression" 01:30:13 Action Designing with the Camera In-Mind: How much do you consider the camera and the edit in your choreo? 01:32:14 Have you always considered the camera in movement? When or where did it start? 01:33:57 How do you look at movement? With an intention to innovate or...? 01:37:36 From Short to Shoot: Have you travelled the distance from youtube short to feature film? 01:40:51 What was the reception to your feature? 01:43:22 The future of indie action comedy 01:50:21 What are you watching these days and what do you look for while you watch?