“Quest for Jackie Chan! Australia Tour!”

By Maria Tran
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Quest for Jackie Chan! Showcase Snippet Trailer Online!
posted 09 Dec 2010

 

 

Quest for Jackie Chan! Showcase Snippet Trailer

 
Hi there everyone!

It has been one year since the inception of the idea with the goal of meeting Jackie Chan and now looking back, I've come so far from idea to so many connections.

Through this "quest" I've become more aware of the links that the subject of "Jackie Chan" crosses over to martial arts, action film genre, comedy, independent filmmaking, stunts, youth culture, globalisation, pop culture, generation XYZ, the list is endless.

Thank you to all those people who have believed in me, in my vision, keep in mind, its beyond meeting Jackie Chan -- it's a life philosophy that ABC; Anything is possible, Its about becoming aware and creating opportunities.

But will Jackie Chan meet Maria Tran?

The clock is ticking....
SOUTHERN STAR NEWS: Living legend tribute
posted 08 Sep 2010

For Source, click here.
SYDNEY filmmaker and martial arts fanatic Maria Tran was at Sunnybank last week to recruit helpers for a documentary she is making about Jackie Chan.

Quest for Jackie Chan follows the 25-year-old’s journey across the country as she leaves no stone unturned in her search to find out all there is to know about the martial arts star and his links to Australia.

From filming part of his 1996 movie First Strike in Brisbane, to stories of him working alongside former prime minister Kevin Rudd on construction sites in the 1980s, Ms Tran said that she had already uncovered a few surprises.

“The idea of the movie was to pay homage to Jackie Chan but ... it’s starting to become more about the journey,” she said.  

NT NEWS: Visiting filmmaker not sitting up like Jackie
posted 08 Sep 2010

For source, click here.
BEN LANGFORD

September 7th, 2010

DARWIN has been mined as a potential source for links to an international martial arts superstar.

Do-it-yourself filmmaker Maria Tran was in the Territory capital searching for links to the incomparable Jackie Chan.

The 25-year-old Sydneysider is making a documentary about Chan and will travel to Hong Kong in December to try and meet him.

She is tracking down people who share Chan's name, or are linked to him in some way. And she sends him postcards from each town she visits in her quest.

Do you know any Jackie Chan's? Let us know here.


But looking for Jackie Chan connections in Darwin didn't prove as easy as in some cities.

Tran couldn't find any namesakes and had to pursue a few tenuous links to the star of Rush Hour and Shanghai Knights.

Darwin alderman Bob Elix made it into the documentary as a representative of the Chan Ward. And Tran was photographed with Ben Little, perhaps Darwin's biggest Jackie Chan fan, on Harry Chan Ave in Darwin's CBD.

She hadn't tried any of the 12 Chans in the NT phone book but planned to chase them up after she left.

Her quest may be made harder by the fact she's been blocked from the inner circle of Jackie Chan's Facebook friends.

But she's not short on enthusiasm.

"There's all sorts of ways I'm trying to find the linkages," she said.

"At the minute it's all been a social media campaign."

Tran last night headed for Perth and then Adelaide, where a "flash mob" will descend on a surprise city location for an impromptu Jackie Chan theatrical performance.

www.questforjackiechan.com

Quest for Jackie Chan! Day 1 V-Log in Brisbane
posted 08 Sep 2010
Oh dear, after two nights of sleeplessness in Western Sydney, I dragged my coffeed up body to the airport at an early 4am. I was feeling it. Its was happening, "The Quest" that I dreamt up and now being a mover and shaker had to embark on it. Amongst me were all these other suited business people, all either heading home or to work and all leering me as I strutt around the air port with all camera gear and all.
The first meeting was with Colin Fong, a film student from QUT who found out about the quest via his university noticeboard and wanted to also join in the fun. We had a newspaper photoshoot with the Southern Star and that was good fun as the photographer kept snapping to find the seller shot. He was pressed on about having a Jackie Chan picture in the background so poor Colin had to rummage through his house for a couple of old school JC DVDs to blue tack to the wall.
 
Our first meeting was with Andrew Leavold from Trash Video (Australia's largest cult video store) and as much as he is a little wacky, he a really cool and retold his journey on "The Search for Weng Weng" (A Filipino midget martial artist) and shared his pain of how mainstream networks don't get these kinds of personal stories.
 
Then we had a meeting with Shilpa from the Ethnic Communities Council Queensland who spoke about the culturally diverse and their representation in mainstream Australian media.
 
Colin then had a lecture at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) before we head for our last meeting for the day at 8pm with the Urban Action Parkour group.
Woah...big first day....I got home at 11pm...and seriously crashed...
 
Check out the clip here.
We did it! We reached the “Quest for Jackie Chan!” target of $2,000!
posted 31 Aug 2010

I would like to thank you all so very much for believing in the project and taking the time out and donating to the “quest”. Every dollar counts and every contributor will forever remain the group of people that made my “Quest for Jackie Chan!” FUNDBREAK a reality.

I just like to acknowledge and throw special thanks and bagfuls of good karma to:
Elizabeth Vu (the sister who thinks her $1 is a lucky one)
Tseen Khoo (from Melbourne and is a uber cool Azn-Oz blogger)
Rick Chen (1 of the founders of Fundbreak)
Alan Crabbe (I think he's on Fundbreak too)
Warren Coulton (Funny man from Canberra who owns a Stunt studio)
Ilaria Vanni (Deputy Director of the Transforming Cultures Research Centre)
Indigo Willing (doctoral student at the University of Queensland)
Bang Tam (Professional photographer)
Robt Clements (An artist and a philanthropist)
Ben Teoh (Coordinator for Adelaide Flashmobbers)
Anna Lee Nguyen (Artist, Coulture Card and badge designer)
Tony Ong (Facebook friend)
Roxie Vuong (Filmmaker and multimedia artist)
Steve Lee Nguyen (Canberrian supporter and friend)
Emily Mellon (Foundation for Young Australians)
Simon Cook (My first Quest for Jackie Chan twitter pal!)
Ali Kadhim (Parkour artist and trainer 9 Lives)
Anney Trinh (Long lost friend that I've been trying to track down for years)
Maria Vamvouklis (Slick Parkour girl)
Shaun Chang (optometrist and good friend)
Sumie Tyler (Quest for Jackie Chan fan, my first US supporter!)
Laurent Boiteux (keen actor and colleague)
Gary Phuong (known through Vietlish initiatives)
Gary Paramanathan (ICE colleague)
Rachelle Mercado (Canberrian supporter and friend)
Johnny Le (Multimedia extraordinaire)
Marie Setiawan (the girl that got me the extra 1%, great screen writer!)

Also kudos to Ms Anney Trinh as being the highest contributor for the “Quest for Jackie Chan!”. Her contribution makes her the project’s Associate Producer!
 


All the funds raised has helped me subsidised costs of equipment (audio, tripod, lighting, backpack, steady grip, tapes etc...) as well as the cost of running FREE workshops for the different communities across Australia. In a nutshell, without your support, it would have been majorly hard to get this project on the road.

In the meantime, I’ve got one more sleep to go till I fly to Brisbane for 3 days to uncover as many linkages in that major city.

I’ll be interviewing a master, stunt people, organisations, Jackie Chan “First Strike” Sets as well a running a FREE workshop “Ideas to Realities” to share my experience, journey and knowledge on running a transmedia project.

Please keep in contact! My email is maria.tran@questforjackiechan.com and 0433803449 if you have any ideas or comments to contribute.

Also, as a FUNDBREAKER, I would like to invite you to join the “SMS Quest for Jackie Chan list”, which I will be updating you throughout my 19 day journey.

Another note, I do deeply apologise for not doing the mail outs yet. :( I know its slack of me and even today I tried to put out some time but I don't think it will happen till I get back. Don't worry, I've locked in 1 day on the 20th September to do it! :)

Below are some of the graphics work I did for some of the major contributors.












 
WARREN COULTON: Thanks for your FUNDBREAK support of "Quest for Jackie Chan!"
posted 14 Aug 2010

 

Thank you so much Warren Coulton, ACT - Australia! for your support of the FUNDBREAK Quest for Jackie Chan!. Warren has been an ongoing supporter and advisor for my project in the initial stages when my idea was just formulating 8 months ago. He's also been featured in the trailer and garner loads of laughs on his cameo intro of Clear Vision Studios.

But for those who want to get to know his intiative Clear Vision Studios, click here.
His space is cutting edge and is a focal point for many action-pack activities such as stunts, martial arts and filmmaking initiatives.

Here's my graphics dedication to him!

WARREN COULTON is the managing director of Clear Vision Films – an action film producer and stunt training company having trained with Australian legendary stuntsperson Richard Norton, Brad Allen, Grant Page and Benny – The Jet.
Clear Vision Films is a Canberra based studio and has achieved many levels of success including awards and international sales of our first action feature film "Yakka Oy", and great reviews for the action short "The Transit".
Support the "Quest" for $1!
posted 14 Aug 2010

Its been 5 days so far of my Fundbreak.com.au launch of "Quest for Jackie Chan!" and I guess its been a little quiet. So far, I've got 4 supporters and have raised $150 of my $2000 goal mark. Guess what?!? And I'll know who hasn't as well! :) So to all my "Quest for Jackie Chan!" verbal supporters, its time to make your mark and let the world know that you are a 'supporter'. If you think about it, $1 is such a small amount to be on the bandwagon.

Here are the rewards for the higher amounts:
$1 - Good Karma
$5 - Good Karma x 10
$10 - All of the above + a public thank you on facebook and twitter
$20+ Reward - All of the above + a mini Quest for Jackie Chan badge that will be posted to you.
$50+ Reward - All of the above + Quest for Jackie Chan Shirt silkscreen printed by Maria Tran
$100+ Reward - All of the above + acknowledged on Quest for Jackie Chan website
$200+ Reward - All of the above + Lunch in Cabramatta with Maria Tran
$500+ Reward - All of the above + Major Sponsor/ Associate Producer Credit + Maria Tran interviews you & your personal message to Jackie Chan

So it's that simple! Just go to the Fundbreak website sign up with your payment details (Mastercad, Visa or Paypal (to be safe, make a Paypal account, which is free, and pay through there).
 

But if you want to you can also donate in person at my Mum's bakery, Swan Bakery, 144 Wattle Ave, Carramar, 2163 and buy shirts and badages if you want! 
SHAUN CHANG'S BLOG: Quest for Jackie Chan! Urban Action Film Forum
posted 14 Aug 2010

Director Antony Szeto is directing three movies in Hong Kong this year. He started off as stunts coordinator. Funny guy and shared the inside story of life as a director. Awesome.

On Saturday August 7 2010, I had the pleasure of attending Maria Tran’s Action Film Forum as part of her ‘Quest for Jackie Chan’ Compaign. The event was a huge success. Special thanks to all the people who supported Maria to make it happen like Jack, Marie and Lauren.

I was given the task of picking up special guests:

• Antony Szeto – Hong Kong director/producer/writer and stunt coordinator

• Wang Fei - lead actress for Wushu (2008) and currently here in Australia for “Shanghai Lady Killer”

• Chris Pang – who stars Lee in “Tomorrow, When the War Began

• Joy Hopewood – former presenter of Play School

After three hours on the road from Canberra to Sydney starting at 6am in the morning, doing my errands - I was exhausted. That all changed after picking up Antoni Szeto - a truly energetic and delightful person to talk to. We had many interesting conversations, laughs on our way to Fairfield – three hours worth in fact. It goes to show that all these famous people are just ‘human’ at the end of day. Antoni told me Jackie Chan was no different. Gee, one wonders if I can ever drive him back to Canberra.

The sofa in the middle of the stage was an interesting take. Maria who was dressed up and in high heels reminded me of Oprah. Her mother seems very proud. The audience were shown various works and talents – the one that impressed me the most was from Ali Kadhim & his team 9 Lives. Good work guys, keep it up!

Perhaps the biggest highlight of the night was watching the old generation of filmmakers pass on inspiration and advice to the young. I found myself being recruited as Wang Fei’s translator for the evening as she could not speak much English. She attracted quite the crowd and it kept me busy, but it was very enjoyable. Wang Fei told me that she was impressed by the enthusiasm and promised to attend one of Ali’s parkour sessions. The Nine Live team was very happy to hear that indeed. They eventually got to Antoni who was swamped with questions after his talk. As I watched, I wondered if I was witnessing the first step these young talented kids were taking to make it big on the world stage.

When I was leaving, I bumped into one of the guys from Nine Lives who couldn’t stop bowing and thanking me. I now understand how much all of this meant to them. At the end of the day, the person they should be thanking is Maria Tran who made all this possible.

As a behavioural optometrist who works with kids with learning difficulties – I believe in opportunities. This is clearly something that Australia lacks in the action film industry. I saw a lot of door opens that day and I could not help but smile as I walked away.

Good Luck Maria Tran. I think your dream is closer to reality than you really think.
Wang Fei & Ali's Parkour Team Nine Lives

MARIE SETIAWAN: UAFF & Q4J: Action films get discussional
posted 14 Aug 2010

Source: http://mariesetiawan.wordpress.com/2010/08/11/uaff-q4j-action-films-get-discussional/
 


Last Saturday (07-08-2010) local guerilla filmmaker and good friend Maria Tran held an event: the Urban Action Film Forum, where a number of special guests arrived to join in the festivities and the discussions. Among them were Chris Pang (Tomorrow, When the War Began) and Wang Fei (Shanghai Lady Killer), but the honorary guest of the night was HK director, Antony Szeto whom has graced us with his presence. It was amazing that a small local suburb like Fairfield would be honoured to have Szeto’s company at this forum event, and to have him discuss his experiences in the film industry, especially in regards to the action genre itself.

The event held a number of guest speakers who joined Antony Szeto up on the panel, including:

■Craig Anderson, writer/director/actor of ABC TV series Double the Fist.
■Ali Khadim, local filmmaker and parkour artist of Team 9Lives.
■Warren Coulton, actor/stuntman/director/producer of shorts Yakka Oy! and The Transit, and managing director of Clear Vision Films.
■Igor Breakenback, actor/stuntman/filmmaker of upcoming film Good Luck With That, and managing director of Breakenback Films.
■Peter Castaldi, managing director of distributor Pack Screen.

T-Shirts anyone?
We had our laughs, but we got down to the real nitty-gritty about the action film industry, especially the prevalent (and problematic) lack of such genre films in Australia. In fact, it was the main focal point throughout the night. It did bog me down that action films don’t get any attention or say in the Australian film market, and even if they did, it would never get picked up due to the ever-prevalent ‘gods’ of the industry saying “No! You shall not pass! It’s too stressful!” It reminded me of a short conversation I had with a stranger, and with this night fueling that train of thought, it’s only given me this sense of passion and duty to write and make an action genre film… actually, that’s what I’ve been doing this whole time! I have so many ideas that they haven’t been properly written or typed down yet! What the hell am I thinking?!

But I digress, the fact that Australian funding for an action film is rare, it IS possible! Just have a look at Daybreakers and tell me that it wasn’t Australian-funded. It’s a start, but it’s possible! The decline since the late 1980′s is probably the reason why no one’s even thinking about action genre films in Australia. Perhaps the film industry needs to understand the popularity that action can bring, especially in an international market.

For most of the night, after the discussion forum, everyone mingled. Unfortunately, I had to man the front desk, but that didn’t deter the fact that I sold a number of Q4J tees on the way. At least I was useful for something, right Maria? Thanks goes to Lauren Maher for taking a snapshot of me all on my lonesome that night. And yes, those are her balloons. I know a number of familiar faces had attended the night, if not for the forum then for the media coverage for the night. It was abuzz with life, and probably the most I’ve seen people in the PYT.

After the night, it made me think about where I’ve been going with my writing, and a majority of the writings that I have written or kept in backburner in my head. I will still hold onto them dearly, but there will come a time when I want these stories to be told and made for an audience that’ll appreciate them. If not for the bad-assery laced in it, but for the complexity of story-telling itself. Action is what I’m aiming for, just for now.

At the end of the day, I say: “Good on ya Maria!” Best wishes and heaps of luck on your Quest for Jackie Chan!

… see what I did there?
Quest for Jackie Chan! Australia Tour - Support now on Fundbreak!
posted 14 Aug 2010

I've finally got a Fundbreak account to "crowd-fund" my "Quest for Jackie Chan!" project online. With only 22 days or less to go, there's an aspect of me choking on uncertainty on how on earth I'm going to pull this crazy baby project of mine. I know one thing, and that is, either way, whether I rob Commonwealth bank or their competition - Westpac, I will still have to commit to what I've aimed to do in the first place.
 


But anyhow, fundbreak seems like a very good idea to spread the word about this project and to rally up some communal support. So far, its been like 2 days into it and I must say, I am very excited to have made 6% of the funds!

I recall launching the project on the website and waited patiently for the first $1 to trickle in. I would alternate between emails, internet surfing and horescope readings and back to the account in the anticipation for that "first" dollar. 7 hours passed by - nothing, 10 hours - nothing, 24 hours...still nothing.

My spirits started to dwindle. The past year has been highlighted by 30 major corporate knock backs and 2 major network grant application failures, hence, my last attempt may be coming to a stand still. Maybe the idea of "Quest for Jackie Chan!" was just too novel or silly?

But then it happened.

$20! From my weird little sister!

"Err...I'm not supporting you Maria. I'm just buying $20 worth of karma", she says.

Woah...my first 20 bucks....that is 1% funded on the project! And I can tell you, it may not be much but its means a lot to me, even better! From my little sister who thinks she's smarter than me. Thanks sis!

Meanwhile, Dr Tseen Khoo from Monash University who has done some extensive work in the field of Asian-Australian identities has been my second supporter of the "Quest for Jackie Chan!".

I was so excited that I had to make this in dedication to her.

 

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117%
A$2330 Pledged Of A$2000 Goal
All pledges will only be processed if the project is successful
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No time left
30 Supporter(s)
Funding Successful
A$1+ Reward
Good karma!
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Good karma! x 10
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A$10+ Reward
All of the above + a public thank you on facebook and twitter
2 Chosen
A$20+ Reward
All of the above + a mini Quest for Jackie Chan badge that will be posted to you
6 Chosen
A$50+ Reward
All of the above + Quest for Jackie Chan Shirt silkscreen printed by Maria Tran
2 Chosen
A$100+ Reward
All of the above + acknowledged on Quest for Jackie Chan website
5 Chosen
A$200+ Reward
All of the above + Lunch in Cabramatta with Maria Tran
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A$500+ Reward
All of the above + Major Sponsor/ Associate Producer Credit + Maria Tran interviews you & your personal message to Jackie Chan
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