Justin Wang Powell’s FALLING SPARROW is an indie-budgeted debut film short that also happens to be a martial arts epic
Justin Wang Powell’s “Falling Sparrow”, which recently won a Special Jury Award at Waco’s Deep in the Heart Film Festival, offers something one doesn’t expect to see in a film festival short. Elaborately choreographed martial arts…to the death. And that’s not the only unexpected aspect. It begins in what could easily be the Old West, albeit one where a menacing man in samurai shoulder armor shows up to retrieve a family sword and is rebuffed. Years pass, but at first it seems like centuries, as the action cuts to a modern MMA gym. But no…the time period was always modern, and the man now has the sword, and runs the gym. But his niece is grown up, and she has no qualms about bloody vengeance for all that has transpired in the meantime.
It’s a basic set-up to give us some cool fights and a reason to root for and against those involved. Clearly done on a limited budget, but with extremely talented people, it’s a calling card that ought to score Powell his first big action movie gig sooner than later. Films Gone Wild caught up with him to ask about that very possibility, and more.
1. What made you decide on a martial arts movie for your first film?
It’s been my ambition to make martial arts films almost since I became interested in filmmaking. I guess one of the main reasons I chose to do it in my first short was that it’s my personal opinion that martial arts films are among the hardest to make well and if I want any chance at being as good as I want to be I need to start working on that craft now, HAHA. But in reality I think anytime anyone gives me creative freedom to make a film I want to make, 9/10 times it will be a martial arts film in some way, shape, or form.
2. Financially and logistically, what are the extra challenges involved in staging fights with weapons on an indie budget?
Financially the big challenge, and I’m sure my production designer would agree, is that we have limited resources when it comes to our prop weapons and have to spent them wisely. We can’t make 4-5 detailed stunt versions of every weapon in the film so if someone breaks a sword it won’t be replaced. Logistically, the big concern was safety. Many of the actors and crew hadn’t had much experience dealing with potentially sharp hero weapons and as such we did have a few close calls on set. Thankfully, everything worked out well on both ends.
3. The film initially feels like a period piece, then moves into a clearly modern gym. Was it ever supposed to be all period? Is the incongruity intentional?
The incongruity is definitely intentional. I was very adamant that “Falling Sparrow” be a film set in the modern day that feels like it was set in the past. Hopefully the way we went about that, almost interpreting that goal literally, works. Time is a bit loose in this universe, but if we were to get very logical with it there are hints in those first scenes in the past that indicate a more modern setting (the lamp, for instance). There was never a draft where it was all a period piece, but there were drafts that made it seem much more concretely in the modern day from the first scene. I found that to be less interesting, personally.
4. Did you cast based on fighting skills first, acting first, or a combo of both simultaneously?
That depends on the character. For Jade and Young Sparrow, we knew we wanted skilled actors as those characters wouldn’t be doing any fighting, and would have to carry otherwise spare scenes with their performances. For Jing, Sparrow, and Jing’s disciples, martial arts ability was at the top of the list. Not to say any of them were not skilled as actors, but in my opinion fight performance is just another outlet for an actor’s performance, and like with any other performer you want people who have the experience so you don’t have to be hiding your fights with overediting.
5. Was there any consideration while making it of the film being a calling card to prove you can impress with action and take on bigger things, or was it all just about telling the best story for the short form?
At the time of making it, the film was mostly about telling the story. I think I had a bit of tunnel vision with just getting it done and making it good. I only knew I wanted to use it to do “something.” It was only later, during post and afterward that I thought of it more as a calling card and my proof that I’m ready for bigger projects, especially when I started thinking of what those projects should be.
6. Following up on that, would you expand this particular story to a feature if the opportunity were presented?
I am actually currently writing a feature that takes a lot from this story that I’m very excited about. I think “Falling Sparrow” holds a lot of DNA for the kind of feature film I’d like to make. I don’t know about a direct remake as a feature film, but I do think of the feature I’d like to make as an expansion of the themes, setting, and style that you would find in “Falling Sparrow”.
7. Were there any issues with showing the UFC logo and other brands on the equipment?
Not really, no.
8. What do you consider your biggest influences, cinematically?
I guess I am most directly influenced by people such as the mentors I’ve had throughout the years in this craft, Robert Zimmer Jr. and Chuck Griffith to name a few. I definitely would not have been confident enough in my ability to direct this piece had it not been for their lessons and encouragement. In a broader sense I think my main influences come from the more martial arts-oriented work of directors like Ang Lee, Zhang Yimou, King Hu, Wilson Yip, and The Wachowskis. (This list will change in 5 minutes).
9. Popcorn or candy?
Candy has much more flavor and textural variety than popcorn. Candy can be sour, sweet, chocolate-y, creamy, crunchy, chewy, stretchy, etc etc. Popcorn is good, but it will only ever be just popcorn.
