THE HIT LIST - May 18, 2015

Stunt reels, freerunning, tricking, fighting and more. The Hit List is back this week and there's at least one video you should check out here as it pertains to an upcoming televsion series arriving this Fall.

For now, the Hit List begins in the only way it should, particularly considering anyone who knows who action star Donnie Yen is knows he has a sister. Alas, Chris Yen's latest reel comes first and foremost, with others from Amy Sturdivant, Kiki Okubo, Christopher Llorca, Paul Clark and David Rodriguez, as well as a new fight choreography reel Paradox Pollack, and an absolutely fantastic stunt coordinator reel from Philippe Guegan!

Now we get to do a little bit of freerunning, and to kick things off, the folks over at Precision Parkour have a new video out which you can view right now, with other entries from Team Farang's own Pasha Petkuns, 16-year old prodigy Serafina Ferraro, and a recent video from the amazing content creators and cinephiles at SubOverHype titled Midnight Mayhem!, taking parkour and car stunts to yet another level of pure physical genius!

Alas, it's time to get punchy, kicky, stabby, shooty and all dramaticky and whatnot, as Italy's own D-Unit gets things started with a Donnie Yen-inspired test fight. Peep it.

Up next, actress Kristen Brancaccio got some mighty attention from YA bookworms and sci-fi fans last week with her stellar performance in Leo Kei Angelos's new short, Mockingjay Burn. If you've been keeping up with the updates, you likely already understand the circumstances that kept the short from airing online right away, and for very good reason.

Feast your eyes on the new post-apocalyptic sci-fi short, Day One, which lands you right smackdab in the middle of nowhere with Brancaccio as a seemingly lone survivor on Earth, fighting to live as she counts the days since she last saw human contact. The short was submitted and earned a top-10 place in a competition headlined by HBO's Project Greenlight, which is set to air its new season this September, so there's a good chance we'll see Brancaccio and Angelos on TV this year to learn more about them as aspiring filmmakers.

You can check out a director's cut of the short by clicking here. Otherwise, enjoy the video below!

Here, it's not everyday a shortfilm like this comes around, particularly with regard to subject matter as relevant as what's often seen in the news lately. Chainwheel is the name of the new short from director Sean Tambour Marshall and starring Dwight Taylor and Marisa MacFarlane, featured at several film festivals with one nomination in the past year. It's not a huge action piece aside from what little martial arts elements are added, but its male lead does show some screen acting and fighting skill. This, coupled with a comprehensive message about ancestral and global history in correlation with the systemic degradation of minorities in the face of municipal courruption in corporate America makes Chainwheel definitely worth the viewing.

Watch it right now and all the way through the end credits. Trust.

Back on point here, we now get back in action with a new short from Perry Vangoethem and Quentin Kloos titled Friendship, a story of an assassin assigned to kill his best friend, although evidently the mission ends with a twist. This is the first I've seen from Vangoethem and his team, and while some of YouTube's own editorial handling of this doesn't do it justice, this still looks pretty entertaining for any action fan if I may say so. Check it out!

Next is a fresh bit of throwback fanfare, and not too far back at that. Actor and stuntman Damien Walters was one of several professionals commissioned by Fox to help promote their February release of the theatrical spy romp, Kingsman: The Secret Service, and so what you see below is his contribution at the time. No, I haven't seen the movie yet, and it doesn't mean that I won't, and I'm certain I need to. I've written and learned about it enough to know it's a hit, so it's in my wishlist as we speak.

In the meantime, this was a real gem to find, and continues to be one in many reasons why I support independent film and online action through genuine performers and their platforms. Watch.

Take two assassins and watch as they go about their killing ways while talking about life, love and happiness in the new pilot piece, The Scuttlebutt Assassins following a trailer unveiling a few months ago. It's the latest collaboration from Wusah Productions and Usurp Productions with DY Sao and Wen Ren directing, and it bares mentioning the potential here for something truly amazing to happen, be it for a series or a movie. The acting is good, the dialogue is hilarious, and the action and fight choreography are solid between the fisticuffs, stabbings and double taps. It's the kind of R-rated martial arts action comedy with just the right amount of violence and charm, and I for one, hope the right people will board this to help provide what it needs to give it more than just merely these six-minutes. Enjoy the shit out of this one.

Next to last, it's trailer time with a look into the third chapter of Lunar Stunts's indie trilogy, Pandora's Box 3. Action creator Eric Nguyen directs once more, for this latest chapter of the thrilling drama centered on secretive organization of mercenaries and its brutal and violent hiring (or firing) practices. Nguyen's been making some staunch improvement when it comes to cinematic quality and promotion of his work, and this first teaser alone is a great display of that progress. I say give him a decent feature-length movie budget and let him flex his muscles more than ever. He's more than earned it.

Also, the boys over at Rising Tiger films have a trailer out as well for a new shortfilm contributed to videogame fanfare of their own with their latest project, Shenmue (Suka High). Not that I'm at all familar with this particular game, but I wouldn't put it past this group that this turns out to be another impressive piece of work, and if you're familiar with their channel, you'll know what I'm talking about.


And finally, last night, awards were given, songs were sang, and Taylor Swift won the evening in addition to debuting her latest kick ass music video, Bad Blood with stunt coordination by Don Theerathada and Power Rangers bootleg helmer Joseph Kahn directing a music video in the only way Joseph Kahn would. Expect an array of sexy femme fatales, tons of girl on girl action, and a good share of explosions, spills, kicks and thrills. And Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar, for certain.

Subscribe to these channels above and be sure to catch last week's videos if you missed any. Moreover, if you have a QUALITY action short, stunt reel or trailer for a project you're working on, e-mail us at filmcombatsyndicate@gmail.com!

THE HIT LIST - April 20, 2015

The past week has been a bit crazy for me, although I wasn't going to let it stop me from putting together this week's new Hit List article. Indeed it's shorter than usual as I'm sure I missed some gems that may be floating around out there, but there's always time to share those as well, at best.

Alas, we get to see some new reels featuring amazing stunt feats by Sarah Belala, Niki Whalen, Samantha J. MacDonald, Kendall Wells, Isaac Bernauer, Dennis Ruel and Tyler Williams!

And now we get fighting! To kick things off though, the first short comes from independent filmmaking troupe, The Collective with Jeff Lunzaga at the helm. Hetja 2 is the name following last year's Hetja, and I tried to share it in last week's Hit List article when it was taken down for further edits before being uploaded again. And so I'm reintroducing it this week, and if should this be your introduction into Lunzaga's brand of 'Hyper Reality' filmmaking, all I have to say is...well, be ready for ANYTHING. And I mean that in the most literal sense of the word. Will Yick and Bridger Fox star!

Up next, when Anthony Alba isn't reacting to trailers with his adorable family, he's also making indie films, and amid all the Star Wars hype last week, he released his latest bit of fanfare with Antoine Bandele in the new short, Way Of The Saber. Take a looksy!

NBC may be in limbo over its live-action serial DC Comics adaptation, Constantine, but that clearly won't stop the looming fanfare over its source material. As such, the guys Lunarverse Pro have at least two new shorts out this year set within their own establishment of the Constantine universe with its own assortment of Angels and Demons, and of course...ninjas. Because why not? I'm as new to these guys as they are at screenfighting, though I do like some of the action and acting, so there's some value here. Check it out for yourselves.

Speaking of ninjas, I have no idea how I missed this, and I hate that I did. This was released a few weeks ago from Substance Over Hype, the same team that helped bring J.W. Mariott's 'lovely' original content debut to life last month with the short, Two Bellmen, and to day the least, this team continues not to miss a beat. That certainly applies with their latest collaboration with hip hop artist, MALAKAI for the song, Queens And Kings featuring Fingazz, with performances by the team and guest performer, EMC Monkey's own Xin Wuku, and more! (cc iTunes)

And last but not least, the fourth episode of Envizion Film's indie action drama series, The Way, is up and running with actor, martial artist and writer Khalil Barnett front and center with his as one of several branched-out stories of fighters trapped in an underground fighting circuit. The series is a spiritual homage to Bruce Lee with a script that reflects on internal martial transcendence and philosophy which makes it more cerebral than anything, as well as enjoyable to watch in that aspect. Watch it all unfold below! (FULL DISCLOSURE: Khalil Barnett is also an oft-contributor to Film Combat Syndicate with a column of his own titled "To The Hashi!", which provides some interesting reads on his own insight with respect to the action genre today and its many facets. Stick around for those as well.

Subscribe to these channels and then CLICK HERE for last week's Hit List if you've missed it. And moreover, if you have QUALITY content yourself in the form of a stunt reel, shortfilm or teaser, hit us up at filmcombatsyndicate@gmail.com

Good Service Is Only TWO BELLMEN Away. Watch The New Short From SubOverHype And Marriott International!

A gang of armed thieves led by a dangerous femme fatale and a towering mastermind, and a painting possibly dying for? Ah, a troubling scenario no doubt, and only one which William Spencer and Caine Sinclair can handle no less.

Two Bellmen is the name of the debut short from Marriott International, Inc.'s Content Studio in collaboration with SubOverHype's own, director, writer and co-star Daniel "Malakai" Cabrera with principal performances by SOH members William Spencer and Caine Sinclair, along with actress Sophina Brown and actor Henry Simmons. Expect sequences that are nothing short of stunning with music and dance, freerunning and rhythmic martial arts gags and stunts, all kicked off by an elaborately choreographed intro that will keep you watching from start to finish.

Jade Raybin co-writes with Miles Brown, Josue "Beastmode" Figueroa, Josue Antonio, Taryn Southern and Stephen "tWitch" Boss among the hyper kinetic cast!

Watch The Latest Trailer For The New Marriott/SOH Collab, TWO BELLMEN

Close to two-and-a-half years since its launch, hybrid filmmaking music, action and stunt group, Substance Over Hype, is one of MANY companies to look out for when it comes to delivering fluid indie action content for netizens and fans alike. Their channel is chock-filled with plenty goods, a handful of which have been featured on Film Combat Syndicate before, and now, we have an especially new project on the way from the team following its recent partnership with hotel chain, JW Marriot.

Following its five day shoot last month at the top of the year, SOH's own founder and filmmaker Daniel "Malakai" Cabrera's latest short, Two Bellmen, is readying a major online event premiere in March. The short marks the latest debut of Marriott's Content Studio with principle performances by team members, actors and stuntmen William Spencer and Caine Sinclair, along with an impressive cast listed in the latest press release. As such, a new trailer has officially been released online this week that issues itself quite promisingly with the usual rhythmic action and stylish athleticism that SOH has become so well known for.

View the details below and then catch the trailer just above a batch of stills from the upcoming March short!

TWO BELLMEN, the first original short film production from Marriott International, Inc.'s Content Studio, will have its world premiere on March 10th, 2015 with a global YouTube launch, as well as a gala screening and party at the JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE. The iconic JW Marriott property plays a starring role in the film. 

A collaboration between the Content Studio and renowned dance, parkour, extreme sports, martial arts, and music collective Substance Over Hype, TWO BELLMEN represents the boldest move yet by Marriott International to use narrative storytelling and entertainment to elevate its portfolio of brands – kicking off with the company's distinctive and sophisticated JW Marriott brand, which currently consists of 69 luxury properties in 26 countries and is expected to reach more than 100 hotels in over 30 countries by 2019. 

TWO BELLMEN was directed by Daniel "Malakai" Cabrera and written by Cabrera and Jade Raybin. Marriott's Content Studio head David Beebe served as Executive Producer and Evan J. Cholfin of Stories International, Inc. produced. The film follows a competitive relationship between two exceptional bellmen that grows into a new friendship when the pair works together to thwart an attempted art heist. The hotel, the bellmen and JW Marriott' signature service culture emerge as heroes. 

The film is a comedic, genre-bending explosion of parkour, martial arts, dance and music action, and features the biggest stars from the hip hop and B-boy dance worlds, including leading Hollywood stuntmen William Spencer (SPIDER-MAN; SPIDER-MAN 2) and Caine Sinclair (NBC's Grimm; How I Met Your Mother) as The Bellmen. The cast also includes Henry Simmons (Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.); Miles Brown aka Baby Boogaloo (ABC's Black-ish); Sophina Brown (Shark; Numb3rs; The Good Wife); noted B-boy dancer Josue "Beastmode" Figueroa (Southland; STEP UP REVOLUTION); Josue Antonio (STEP UP series; The LXD); Taryn Southern (The Single Life); and So You Think You Can Dance hip hop legend, Stephen "tWitch" Boss (STEP UP films; So You Think You Can Dance; MAGIC MIKE XXL), as well as other amazing talents from Substance Over Hype. The music and dance world is also fully represented, with AMP Live, Scarub, and Fingazz all making appearances. 

The film debuts on YouTube March 10th. It features a multiplatform, all-screens distribution strategy including digital, theater, in-room, online, Marriott.com, and Marriott's 47 million Marriott Reward members. For more information, check out http://twobellmen.com.

Director Malakai of Substance over Hype explains, "Marriott helped fulfill our desire to build on a comedic hotel bellman routine we'd developed a while back. The JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A LIVE provided us both a context AND setting for that story. We created a role for the hotel that showcased all its beauty and amenities and combined it with all the stuff we do with dance, stunts and comedy. From there, it just flowed." 

David Beebe, Vice President, Creative and Content Marketing at Marriott International, adds, "TWO BELLMEN is ideally suited to build an emotional relationship between our consumers and the JW Marriott brand. With its brilliant cast and story, and the hotel playing a character, the film entertains consumers, draws them in visually, promises terrific, nonstop action and fun, and delivers content to develop community to drive commerce." 

TWO BELLMEN is a milestone—the most ambitious project yet undertaken by Marriott's Content Studio—which Marriott announced in September 2014. The Studio is dedicated to publishing, distributing and sharing digital content across multiple platforms and on all screens. To further the company's focus on next-generation travelers and to drive new business, the studio aims to own original content marketing and produce engaging content that builds worldwide communities of people passionate about travel that will drive commerce to the company's hotels.