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This weeks shooting of Bangkok Adrenaline was rather strenuous and fun.
As the story line goes we four out-of-luck (loser) farangs (foreigners) kidnap a rich Entrepreneurs daughter, there was a couple of scenes that had the crew in fits of laughter and the investors puckering their sphincters.
Ninja Conan Steals A Chicken
This week also saw more than it's fair share of dramas including one that would have seen me out of the film...
That's right even at this stage of the film it was almost at the point where the film would not be completed. But first we'll go over some scenes.
Disturbing as this photo is, it is not the reason that I was almost out of the movie. Here "King Kong" is dressed as the owner of an S&M Bar, the tattoos were drawn on with marker pen, and the costume - I am not sure where it came from and was a little to afraid to ask.
"I'm Not Gay, I'm Just Androgynous"
On monday we turned up to a huge pile of boxes in the front of the mansion - this could only mean one thing - STUNTS.
Cardboard boxes tied together with safety mats lashed to the top provided a safety crash mat in case something went wrong with the rigging that was to hold the actor in place. The cardboard boxes are a standard stunt requirement internationally. Marky Lee from Australia was on set this day, down from Rambo IV to oversee the safety for this particular stunt.
Stunt Crash Mats And A Pile Of People On The Roof
And here is the stunt actor - Ice - hanging from the roof. In the scene he is dropped on a wire to control his fall. The stunt guys were all upset that there was not going to be a high free fall from the roof. But the news did stop them fighting over who was going to jump - everyone wanted to do it.
I'll Take My Villans Shaken And Not Stirred
Group shot of the stuntmen, including their new "leader" Ice in the singlet. Through personality and effort Ice has progressed from a standard anonymous stuntman to a full character with lines, even though his English is not 100%.
Head Bodyguard Ice - quote: "Welcome To See You Again"
Evil kidnappers John and Conan, in costume - except my costume became short sleeves about 30 seconds after this photo.
Conan And John Ninjas Or Kidnappers Or Idiots? Watch The Film To Find Out
After shooting some scenes with the short sleeve shirt I can happily say that my arms look massive, more than I realised. Over the last two months I have reverted to powerlifting style of training and more concentrated efforts on my arms as they tend to grow to quick for the rest of my body. Watching playback on the monitors all Gwion could say is "no one can see anything except massive biceps all over the screen".
Cutting breads and milk from my diet (I had gotten lazy again since Christmas) as well as changing my carbs to Oats rather than so much white rice has also gotten me leaner and harder, I have abs now and the muscles in my arms are incredibly detailed.
Big Muscular Arms Of Conan Stevens
Geoffrey Giuliano is also playing in the movie, do a quick google search and you will find he is quite famous already. He has written 2 major best seller books, (Dark Horse - about George Harrison, and another book about the Stones - both have been sold for screen adaption) and has written over 30 books and has a Masters Degree in Drama, is an experienced stage actor and is now moving into movies. Here he is talking with Eric Dodd, the Director.
Geoffrey Giuliano And Eric Dodd
The mansion was incredibly plush inside, here is a photo from a scene with Geoffrey at breakfast in the coffee room.
Geoffrey "Relaxing" Between Takes
Believe it or not but at this size the mansion is only 2 stories, the amazing aprt is that right next door, just over the wall is a slum.
In the slum entire families live in one room corrugated iron huts in the blistering Tropical heat, it makes you wonder.
This Weeks Problems - Why I almost quit
Without going into too many details I can say the following. The scene that is the reason for me to do this movie was going to be cut due to excessive budget restraints.. The total number of shooting days was reduced from an initially planned 45 days, now we are down to 25! You can imagine the urgency this places on the crew.
There has also been some discussion that Eric's methods are not in line with standard Thai Film practises, seeing he was trained in the Indie Film scene it is only reasonable to think that he would not work the same as a Thai Director.
After a disagreement over directing practises Eric and the investors decided to part ways and Ray Huber was thrown into the unwanted role as new Director, with a very experienced Thai director as an assistant, to help organise the camera crew so Ray could concentrate on the Actors and the story.
The excessive budget constraints stopped after Eric departed. There were rumours that my big fight scene was cut (in fact one scene was cut but another smaller one was added). If my big fight scene was cut then I would have no reason to continue the movie - I need some good fight scenes for my showreel. I need to have a few goodfights where I can actually show what I can do. Without these scenes I just get footage of me acting like a child on screen - hardly the footage I need to get me into Hollywood as an Action Hero, let alone an Action Actor.
My drive in this is to have footage that allows me to show that I am more than just another big lump who can play the big bad guy who looks scary but gets no lines, no acting, and a small crappy fight scene. I see this too often. Big, tall guys are typecast into stupid roles and never given a chance to display their full skills.
I want to showcase a range of moves in my fights including some high kicks, Muay Thai, and power moves. I want to show how it can be put together skillfully in a manner that is natural and flowing, incorporating professional wrestling moves in a realistic manner and not the staged crap you always see wrestlers doing in movies.
In short I want to amaze people, the right people, and get into more Action Movies as a main player and not as a (poor) character actor or featured extra. I want to be the star, the main, and not some big nobody in the background.
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