| The Internet is sometimes criticized (usually by | | | | or special effects. There’s no insurance to |
| parents who think their kids need to be outdoors | | | | worry about or studios to get sued so they try |
| more often) as leading people to be sitting in front | | | | some pretty incredible and dangerous things. My |
| of their computers all day growing bulbous, | | | | favorite stunt crews are ‘The Stunt |
| lethargic and (depending on who you talk to) | | | | People’ who can be visited at and Zero |
| stupid. I think that the opposite can often be true. | | | | Gravity Stunts who have their homepage at [ |
| My friends and I have recently been inspired to | | | | There are also Jabronie Pictures ( and VJ Films |
| new creative ventures through the time spent | | | | (some of whose videos can be found at that are |
| online. | | | | both worth a mention. These sites also provide |
| I have long been a fan of movies, martial arts | | | | many links to other similar websites, so your |
| movies in particular. It has been said that | | | | collection of independent short films can be built |
| they’re kind of like the modern musical | | | | up to a fearsome size quite quickly. |
| with finely choreographed dances (although in this | | | | So, I’ll now get back to the original topic of |
| case the ‘dance’ is a fight) showing | | | | this article, that being the Internet as a medium |
| fantastic physical ability, timing, and grace. | | | | to inspire people to become active and creative. |
| Recently I have found that there are many online | | | | These films got me pretty excited. I’d |
| groups of people dedicated to making their own | | | | never really thought about just trying to make |
| martial arts films. Most of these guys are really | | | | my own short martial arts film. The world’s |
| talented and I’ve seen film fight scenes | | | | largest short film festival held in Australia called |
| that are better than the majority of the | | | | ‘Tropfest’ provided a group of |
| American made ‘martial arts’ | | | | friends and I with a valid excuse to behave silly in |
| movies. Where the commercial films focus on | | | | front of a video camera. I’m not going to |
| special effects, from wirework (attaching wires to | | | | lie; the film we produced was relatively low quality. |
| an actor in order to allow them to do | | | | One of the fights we filmed was, well, not bad! |
| extraordinary feats) to computer rendered | | | | There was a decent amount of good mixed in |
| effects (sometimes even using a computer | | | | with the not so good, and I have great memories |
| animated actor in fights as seen in ‘The | | | | of spraying false blood out of a hose that was |
| Matrix Reloaded’), these independent | | | | wound around a friend’s chest all over my |
| groups get out there and make impressive films | | | | parent’s house when simulating a gunshot. |
| through sheer physical exertion and amazing | | | | We had no flips and very few tumbles (I myself |
| ability. | | | | having the gymnastic ability of a dead walrus) but |
| It’s amazing what a bit (well, a lot really) of | | | | the point is we got in there and had a great time |
| hard work can do for you. These independent | | | | with an entertaining outcome. We have plans to |
| action crews perform wall runs, flips, falls, | | | | make more movies and a few other film festivals |
| tumbles, and flying kicks without the use of wires | | | | on the horizon that we may enter. |