![]() The film premiered at the Fantasia International Film Festival in August 2020. It took about 34–35 days to shoot all footage. They were able film the scene after the storm cleared, finishing their final day of shooting. About 2,200 lightning strikes were recorded that night, which averaged about eight strikes per second. On September 7, 2019, the crew planned to shoot the final fight on a rooftop at night, but a large thunderstorm delayed five hours of filming. Ron Yuan had to gain 68 pounds (31 kg) for his role as Hing. The main cast Alain Uy, Ron Yuan and Mykel Shannon Jenkins became friends while filming. The director allowed actors to improvise in some of the scenes. In addition, the City of Shoreline's film office provided locations for the crew to film like Richmond Beach and Fircrest Residential Habilitation Center. The Dynasty Room let us shoot there, and the Nisei Vets Hall let us use their space." China Harbor's dining area was also featured in the movie. Tran said, "Jade Garden provided the crew with food. Several local businesses were very supportive and that was a community endeavor. Many of the scenes were in Chinatown–International District. Filming įilming took place in Seattle, Washington, which is a tribute to Bruce Lee's legacy and residency there. This allowed the team more freedom in casting the main characters and other roles for their independent film. They were also able to draw interest from local investors, including a donor who studied under Bruce Lee, and were able to secure about $1 million for their shooting budget. The concept video featured the teen versions of the main cast that would be later put into the film two years later. Tran said, "It is important because I think it’s ultimately being able to have your voice, and as a storyteller, be able to express your story and your history to the world." A short concept video was created and crowdfunded over $124,000 on Kickstarter in 2018. The team wanted to keep their vision without changing the cast or story. He also mentioned that, "at the end of the day, we wanted to tell a fun, entertaining story that depicted our experience honestly." Tran included both experiences in his director's statement as part of the movie's press kit, which can be found on the slider on Well Go USA's website. ![]() In addition, there can be developed Asian-American characters in a martial arts film, which is not typically seen in American media. Tran emphasized having more representation and nuances, implying that there can be different perspectives of Asian-American storytelling. While Tran is aware of the history of Asian caricatures in the U.S., this story was based on his and the producers' personal experiences growing up as well as their love for martial arts. ![]() Those who opposed wanted to advocate for different stories for Asian Americans instead of a martial arts film, which is often considered a stereotype. The team also had resistance from some other Asian Americans when seeking funding outside of major studios. Tran mentioned that Hollywood usually sent their mid-level executives who were also POC to be the messengers of whitewashing. They were also asked to write a role for Nicolas Cage. When the film project was pitched to Hollywood producers, they were offered $4 million with a caveat that there would be no Asian lead character and suggested a white lead character to be played by Bruce Willis instead. The Paper Tigers team knew that it would be challenging to find studio support for the film as they wanted to cast people of color (POC) and diverse actors in the project as opposed to fall to the trend of whitewashing in film. Tran had a male Asian-American main character in mind with a minority leading cast. The inspiration for the movie came from his classmates and friendships when he studied martial arts. The director Bao Tran began writing the film treatment for this concept in 2011. The film was created due to director and producers' strong admiration of martial arts and old school, fun martial art films. Ken Quitugua as Zhen Fan, a disgraced student of Sifu Cheung.Matthew Page as Carter, The Tigers' jealous rival who wants to be better than them.Roger Yuan as Sifu Cheung, The Tigers' Sifu.Joziah Lagonoy as Ed, Danny and Caryn's son.Jae Suh Park as Caryn, Danny's ex-wife who wants to keep the family alive due to their divorce and custody battles.Mykel Shannon Jenkins as Jim, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu trainer and one of The Three Tigers. ![]()
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