Late last week I got the opportunity to interview the producers of feature film "Chains" ("working title"). I've been fortunate enough to be casted as "Anna" - Australian-Vietnamese girl and her trials and tribulations between her mother and her "Non-Asian" boyfriend, as well as getting involved in the "Behind-the-scenes" commentary with Billy Marshall Stone King and Iranian filmmaker Amin Palangi.
I don't want to reveal too much but here are some of the highlight transcript snippets of the documentary.
Billy Marshall Stone King: "..watching what non actors can bring to a part - beyond craft - beyond the kind of formalistic trainings that more experienced actors would have, that was all incredibly refreshing..."
"Working with a writer that never written anything before, maybe this person has written some stories before, but they have never written for film. And also some of the off the wall ideas and imaginations that are available to people untrained, seemingly untrained is so refreshing..."
"...Australia, at lot of times, in its acting, and its filmmaking and the rest of it, trains inspiration out of it creators. And that what we need to do is to find what is precious, and valuable, and rich, and alive that already exists within the person, already as a natural given.."
"The bottom line must be, not to damage that essential inspiration, or passion, or purity...that child-likeness that is capable of wonder must be preserved in some way. And if you can't teach them to make films without damaging that, then don't teach them films. Just give them a camera and let them go and make mistakes and bore themselves to death until they either give it up entirely or find a way of doing it that works for them..."
My comments: I must admit, this interview was so profound that it touch the core within me to go do film the way I want it, devoid of fear of failure, whether or not it gets the backing of the mainstream.
Billy makes me rethink that "film" can be such as powerful medium and the outcomes are always a direct link to the inners of the creator themselves. Recently, I've been bombarded with indie, promised filled filmmakers who what to make the latest horror flick, action film, one scene - one person film etc....that is all great that the "market" is heading that way, but I now want to a much deeper "why" the film is being made and particularly the "kind" of person that is on board. To me, my pursuit into films and acting isn't for reasons to reach "fame and fortune" but to be able to influence the world in creating change within themselves.
Back to Quest for Jackie Chan, I've got 53 days left till my Australia-wide trip. Still not a cent of support, almost all the mainstream corporates in Australia have knocked my call for support or have simply scoffed my ludicrious ideas of meeting Jackie Chan and that I should focus on bigger things such as "World Peace".
So hence the "Quest" is still on, I'm still alone, but I think the journey hasn't ended, but its just the beginning and already I've learnt so much on the way.
Chao!
I landed back to Sydney with only a days rest and waking up to the text message from director/ producer Amin Palangi of working title feature film "Chains". This is a Information & Cultural Exchange managed first time feature and has been running since July this year.
so surreal and what I term as serendipity at its highest level. I'm so grateful to be advised and mentored by people such as Amin and Billy Marshall Stone King in terms of acting on this project.
A very typical story, but if you mixed it with 6 other cultural stories and a magical bus...the outcome will be very interesting.
Maria Tran & actor Hatef Ahankoob
