In high-school everything was simple - I studied computers for my career, and I did martial arts for fun. Then, shortly after leaving school, the passing away of my father caused me to radically rethink my direction in life. The immortality of being young was broken, and priorities shifted in my mind. Life was short, and I wasn't going to spend mine in an office. I realised that within me was a secret dream to make movies. Action movies.
Unfortunately I knew nothing about the film industry. I had no contacts, no entertainment friends, no film education or knowledge of cinema, no financial support. Though in hindsight, this may have been a blessing. I was forced to struggle by with my computer skills, and my martial arts.
Over the next couple of years I hustled at various positions, writing code by week, doing kung-fu flips by weekend. I would Lion-dance in a Chinese shopping centre on Sunday, then sit in front of a screen of code in an office on Monday.
Eventually I had saved enough for a trip to Asia, so booked a flight to Hong Kong with a return flight set a month later... which I was determined not to be on.
Eight months on, I was still in Asia - Thailand now. I had four movies under my belt, and was up for whatever was going - stunt double, ninja, portugese warrior - anything that needed a western rag doll. I had officially begun my film education.
That was over a decade ago. During the intervening years I have tried my hand at many roles, gradually shifting from on-screen to behind the camera. Actor, stuntman, choreographer, B-camera, editor, writer. Finally arriving in a place where I feel most at home. Director.
Cut to today.
I have produced three independent films, and am currently directing my second, SYMUTAL, based on a book I have written. It is an entirely self-funded passion project, using the money earned in technology to cover the costs of filming. I have complete freedom to create a project that is truly my own, with no obligations to either distributors or investors. I am putting everything into it, and using all my experience from two industries to bring this science-fiction concept to life.
