Donnie Yen Quotes
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As an action director, I always try to bring something fresh and new.
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From my experience as an actor, choreographer, action director, and producer, I understand the elements and the dynamics of being a film maker.
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I try to update my arsenal constantly. Learning different martial arts since childhood. To understand what's out there. To really be in tune.
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For me, I like to have explosive moments, whether it is a particular movement itself in the whole sequence. I like to have shocking moments; for audiences to feel, like, 'Whoa!' It's always been my forte.
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It takes years of building that experience as a filmmaker, as well as physically. You have to have a high level understanding of martial arts.
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Still, as much as I wish Ballistic Kiss could be a better film, the recognition it gained from critics and at festivals speaks for itself.
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Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong. There's a lot of restriction for contemporary films simply because of subject matter.
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A lot of people don't realize, when you are acting in a martial arts film, you're not just performing martial arts. You're not just performing martial arts. You're actually acting as much as any other actor.
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There is also a strong following among the urbanites on the East Coast when it comes to martial arts films.
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I think every actor wants to try out different things.
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It's a blessing to be given a variety of roles to what I call an iconic action actor like myself.
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I always tell younger filmmakers, it's not just about the acting or the art itself. It's about how big of an audience watches your film.
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I've always been in a rebel.
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A lot of Chinese martial arts films were based on Chinese martial arts novels. And these novels created a world of putting history, calligraphy, and martial arts into one.
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In Hong Kong, particularly, we craft this art for decades. The action choreographer actually is the action director. He takes over and he choreographs with - by himself or with his team, and place the camera where he feels cinematic effect to bring out that choreography.
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For me, shooting, editing, and scoring rely on rhythm.
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Action choreographer is like talking. When you talk, you have a rhythm. When you act, you have a rhythm. When you're moving your body, you have a rhythm. So as an actor, as a choreographer, the objective is trying to blend everything in - into - ultimately back into that character.
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I like to stay within the context of the character's background. If he's a cop, I have to make sure the audience is convinced that this person, a cop, can do only so much without a gun.
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I love working with older actors because number one, I can learn so much from them because they have so much experience. And it's fun to hear their stories from their era, some of the jokes.
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I think film, to me, as a director, is about telling a story.
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Martial art is a form of expression, an expression from your inner self to your hands and legs.
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I act according to the requirements of the character, and if I try to play the role, then I play it truthfully. In my daily life, I'm a laid-back, peaceful guy. I'm just doing my job to act.
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In Hollywood, I'm lucky, I only do big movies like 'Blade.' It's much more comfortable: you have a trailer.
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I have always been a great fan of Peter Chan and many other great directors who specialize in anything outside of action.