7 -10 -09 : The 'Blood Bond' Saga (part two)

The Phoenix rises.

As i mentioned in the previous blog, I had the idea for 'Blood Bond' many years before I could actually put the film together.

I should say at this point that this project would be impossible without the support of my brave and true partners: Henry Luk of ACE Studios, Eli, Seth and Mark at Fundamental Films, and our Hong Kong based partner Charlie Wong. Their combined contribution to the project has extended to every area of the production, and everyone involved with the project will always be deeply indebted to them.

From the first, the 'Blood Bond' story had depended on our finding a suitable heroine. We needed an actress who could combine the physical prowess, vulnerability, spirituality and (of course!) the beauty of our lead female character: Deva.

The name 'Deva' derives from an Indian term meaning 'Goddess'. Though the film is being shot in China, it is not set in China. It was always our intention with the film to tell a story set in a fictional Asian country, and so we combined names and places from across the region. I mention this in case anyone thought we were mixing these elements by accident!

 (By the by, to experience a very different kind of Deva, please check out 'Devashard' comic book pubished by my good friends at Zero Friction.)

Given the criteria above, there are relatively few actresses suitable for the role. In the life time of the project, I had at various times tried to cast such female furies as Kathy Long, Maggie Q and Josie Ho.

In the months prior to production, we were hopeful that we had finally found the right face at the right place at the right time. However, it soon became evident just how much of a challenge the role would be, and in the end, sadly, we had to part ways with our initial choice and continue the Deva quest.

We used every resource available, including AnD, to find the right performer. In deference to our Chinese partner company, we tried to find an actress from the PRC who was affordable, available and capable of delivering this volume of English dialogue. Though we had the pleasure of meeting dozens of potential candidates, there was just nobody who completely fit the bill.

As it happened,about a year earlier,  I had met an LA-based, Eurasian actress named Phoenix Chou. She had relocated (temporarily) to Hong Kong. At that time, she was cast in a planned fantasy film based on aspects of the Indian epic 'Mahabharata', and had been flown to HK (supposedly) for training and rehearsals.

We were introduced in the inauspicious locale of Racks poolhall. Phoenix, who seemed to have a lot of down time!, expressed an interest in kung fu, and began training with me under the magnificent Mak Sifu down on the Central docks.

Unfortunately, the 'Mahabharata' project was delayed indefinitely. I did not have a suitable project for her and the local Hong Kong industry proved initially unreceptive, so Phoenix decided to return to the US to continue her modelling and acting career there.

During the casting process for 'Blood Bond', I remembered Phoenix and asked our director Michael Biehn to meet her in LA. He came away from that encounter absolutely convinced that there was no other actress for the role. He felt an immediate chemistry with her as an actress, and this was especially important as she would play such a major role in his directorial debut.

Thoughs she only came on board Blood Bond at the eleventh hour, Phoenix brought a fresh commitment and energy to the project that gave us all a much needed boost. Upon arrival, she was thrown into the fray, training in Chen style Tai Chi with my own teacher and friend AnD stalwart Ocean Hou (she also trained in Hung Kuen with Mak Sifu and, just for fun! did some capoeira on the side.)

She is currently undergoing movie martial arts bootcamp at ACE Studios, working with our action coordinators, Louis Fan and Ken Yip to master the elegant yet deadly Tai Chi-based fighting routines that the role demands. To help with this, she is still training on a daily basis with Ocean, who is also working on 'Blood Bond'.

I believe that Phoenix Chou will be the breakout artist from this film. As part of our extensive coverage on AnD, we'll be running both text and video interviews with her in the near future so you can all meet this bright, funny and enormously engaging new performer.

Next : Ace of studios!