Jackie Chan Handprint in Hong Kong

I’m not gunna lie. Jackie Chan has been a great inspiration for me in my martial arts endeavors. When someone bought me the book “Jackie Chan : My Story” I read it in 2 days. Police Story I and Drunken Master II were probably my favorite and more inspiring movies of all time. (I also got a lot of love for Jet Li’s Tai Chi Master and Once Upon a Time in China)

Just a few posts ago I posted my goals in the entertainment world. Let me repost them.

1) Star or Co-star in:
1 HK gangster feature film
1 Chinese Wu Xia Period feature film
1 Hollywood action blockbuster
1 National Commercial

2) Demo for then work with Jackie Chan in a film
3) Host a Travel Channel show

If you will look at Goal #2… Only a few nights after I posted those goals, I had a dream that I was talking with Jackie Chan and working with him on some projects. It was very clear and realistic at the time. I already forgot what the subject matter was… because you know how you can’t quite remember most of your dreams after you fully wake up? well, for some reason I remembered that I was talking to him and working on some projects.

Then 2 nights ago or about a day after I had that dream, my friend messages me and tells me I might be working on a demo… for Jackie Chan! Today I found out it seems like it is pretty confirmed. I don’t usually like to write or tell people about these things because everything is “tentative” until it actually happens.. any number of things could happen, but in any case I have a good/hopeful feeling.

I hope it doesn’t become ANOTHER one of my “The times I almost met Jackie Chan” story. I have 3. Would you care to hear them? I am going to list all the major incidences.

1) 2006 I visited Hong Kong on a layover to Taiwan. I was/am a huge fan of Jackie so I visited the Jackie Chan Fan Club on Waterloo. I decided to buy a jacket and while I was waiting for the lady to get me my size two stunt men from England dropped by to meet/drop off a demo to a stunt coordinator. I had just finished training in Beijing so we got to chatting and I showed them some random wushu clips I had on my digital camera. they invited me to come back with them in 3 days. They said they were potentially meeting with some people. Unfortunately I had to catch a flight to Taiwan the next day. A week later I get an email from one of the guys saying they met Jackie Chan and a whole bunch of action directors! First close encounter!

2) During the filming of Rush Hour 3 in downtown LA, I happened to be working at KPMG in downtown LA. I think I was putting in a little extra time on a Saturday when I remembered that Coach Ming said they were filming Rush Hour 3 around the area. I stepped out of my office and went downstairs.. lo and behold they were doing a stunt scene not too far from our building. I walked on over and ran into the awesome and very humble Brad Allen. We chatted briefly about how he trained wushu in shanghai for some time. He had to return to directing some action choreo so I just hung back and watched for a bit. Then the head of security rolled by and asked me what I was doing. I told him I did chinese martial arts and was told they were filming so I came to check it out. He was very nice and said he had studied some military combat and martial arts as well. Then as we ended our conversation I asked “by the way, do you know if Jackie Chan is on set today?” and he replied “Oh, you didn’t see him, he was right behind you and he just got in that car” as I turned my head I see a black car with tinted windows driving around the corner. Second close encounter!

3) Right after the 2009 US Wushu Team Trials I was rejoicing with glee that I made the US Wushu A Team. I decided to stay in Northern California with my family and friends an extra day before driving back down to LA. In 2009 when I was in Southern California I had been training and helping coach at Master Tu’s School in Temple City. Jack Tu (Master Tu’s son) had just recently won “The Disciple” contest to be on Jackie Chan’s stunt team. I drive back down to LA the next day. After I get back of course I pay a visit to the students and talk to Julie (Jack’s sister). She said “where were you? we just demoed for Jackie Chan in Chinatown yesterday.. everybody went!” (me: silence) I responded “I was in nor cal making the US wushu team.. my other lifelong dream.. but had you told me I coulda came back a day earlier after the competition!” So anyways, I was pretty happy to make the US team, but it was quite ironic that I usually make it to practice every day and help out with demos whenever I am in LA and the one time they demo with Jackie Chan, I was on my car ride back to LA from US Wushu Team Trials. Third close encounter!

So those are my stories for now.  I also mailed out a demo reel to Corey Yuen, Martial Arts Director via my friends referral. Hope I don’t have a “fourth close encounter” and that I actually meet Jackie Chan next month!

Recently found an agency that is going to submit me for some tv shows, commercial, and films in Taiwan. They needed a few different looks to get me started. Just feeling it out over here in Asia. We’ll see how it goes.

Here are a few pics =)

Hiking Look

Did I just hear my phone ring?

Alfred Hsing Side Kick

Remembering something funny from last week.

What am I thinkin about?

One wushu pose is never enough.

• Photoshoot for Taiwan Agency today! Going to be submitted for a travel channel show too. Hope it goes well! #
• Photoshoots can be tiring.. but fun! #

300 NT = about $10 All you can eat Vegetarian / imitation meat buffet!! woohoo!

Then later – MUCH LATER – that day I crave real meat after a night of partying at PRIMO in Taipei and we end up at the world famous McDonald’s. Here I accidentally discover a special trick to get an EXTRA free meal.

Please do not try this at home.. or at McDonald’s. It was actually just an accident that I got an extra meal. =P

Then the next day Co-Host and Video-grapher Sarah and I head to the “Fu Hua Fan Dian” or Howard Plaza Hotel and I bring you along on an exquisite display of floral and panda art work. It is quite magnificent! Please remember the pandas!

We enter the Art Gallery!

Enjoy my Taiwan Adventure Series and more at www.casualiscool.com :)

Daniel Wu, Alfred Hsing, Pat Lee

Maggie and Alfred at Diesel Party

Alive Not Dead at Racks in LKF

Well its been a while since I actually posted a blog entry with my thoughts in writing. My latest entries have been filled with video blogs of my random and fun adventures in Taiwan. I’ve actually been without a stable internet connection for the past week or two. In Hong Kong I only had the lobby internet and since I moved in to my new place in Taipei, I was also internet-less for a few days. I just got a wireless card from http://www.ivideo.com.tw/rent_memory/video_detail.asp?film_id=39545 yesterday so now I can finally go online at home. Yay!

Let me first give a shout out to Pat / rottendoubt for inviting me to a cool party at the W hotel in Hong Kong and introducing me to a lot of other artists on Alive Not Dead. I had a good time and not just because it was open bar. =P

Seriously though, with the amount of “going out” I’ve been doing in each country bouncing back and forth from Taiwan to Hong Kong to Macau to Hong Kong to Taiwan… its a wonder that I am still alive… not dead literally. Don’t get me wrong.. I am having a GREAT time, but my body has needed to rest/recover from Day 1 upon arriving in Asia. I mean after all prior to arriving in Taiwan I flew from LA to SF to Toronto finishing world games then back to SF before flying to Taipei… so my body was already pretty tired.. then the first day I arrived Sarah took me clubbing at Primo – and since then it has been non-stop.

However! My partying has not been in vain. I have met some really cool friends and had really memorable experiences that you can’t put a price on. Also I met an agent through randomly going out. The agency is called Evert agency – www.evert.com.tw – Has anyone heard of it? If so, what are your thoughts as far as their capability in the tv and movie area? I would like to be referred to a few more agencies so I can see what they are all like. Evert just sent me out to an open casting for a 7-11 commercial. It was my first experience auditioning in Taiwan. I think the casting guy was cool with me, but I could use more practice nailing the feeling he wanted faster. I am going in for headshots on Friday. So far the agency has been cool and quick with things, but I haven’t signed anything and just want to learn the ropes out here first.

One thing I do notice out in Asia is that casting is a lot “easier” in some ways. I don’t mean that it’s necessarily easy to get work, but I just noticed that the day I went in to talk to the agency, the next day they were able to send me to an audition.. the reason being.. its Taiwan so more than 90% of commercials/work are FOR asians whereas in the US asian males most likely only audition for roles that specifically mention “Asian Male” or possibly “Mixed Ethnicity” which is far less roles out of the total possible. Anyways, it will be interesting to see how it goes out here this month.

JC Stunt Team Victy Wong

Meanwhile, while I was in HK I met up with Jackie Chan stunt team member Victy Wong who mentioned he would be interested in having me teach wushu for an action/martial arts/stunts school he is opening up for kids and actors. Of course these were just talks and I was just in HK for a week so we will be in touch and playing it by ear. I also met Daniel Wu and also ran into Jackie Chan’s son at Racks.. apparently I hear he is out partying in Taiwan quite often as well.

As a means to clear my own thoughts I came up with my GOALS for the acting/entertainment world.

1) Star or Co-star in:
1 HK gangster feature film
1 Chinese Wu Xia Period feature film
1 Hollywood action blockbuster
1 National Commercial

2) Demo for or work with Jackie Chan in a film
3) Host a Travel Channel show

Those are my clear cut goals. If I achieve that I would be pretty happy with my acting/entertainment career.
…and if you are curious why I want to be in those specific types of movies, it’s because I love action and those are the movies I grew up loving. I want to be a part of the movies that inspired me in so many ways and contribute to paving new paths in those movies to keep inspiring others.

I think I’ve also decided I would like to give Asia a shot and live here for a while, but first before I do that I really need to get my ass in gear and set up my businesses properly in the US. When I get back in January, it’s purely hard work and focus.

That’s it for now, time to eat. I’ll be uploading more taiwan and hong kong adventures soon!

• Last full day in HK #

• Heading to Hong Kong in 1 hour. Text me at 0931367292 if you need to reach me or email alfredrocks at gmail #hongkong #

We begin this part of the adventure outside of 7 11 where we somehow end up playing a game of truth or dare before heading to the club – Luxy. In this part of the video.. I lost our game so I had to drink a packet of sauce.

Then the girl in the group loses.. and is forced to “holla” at the store clerk and get his number.

The next clip is after the entire night of partying.. we went to eat and I am groggy and stumble to meet up with Kevin.

Later that day .. Sarah, Kevin, David, and I head over to say hi at Annie’s bday party!

In this part of the journey we go to Kao Hsiung a southern part of Taiwan. Sarah has a business training session while Kevin and I go meet my old friend Bruce! Meanwhile on the way back from visiting Bruce in Ping Tung we drop by the 2009 World Games Coliseum and national training center of all the Taiwan national teams. This includes the national wushu team of taiwan as well as their other Olympians for all sports including gymnastics, swimming, track, and so on.

(stay posted for the super secret Ping Tung part of the trip where everything goes and no restraints are kept at all)

A little personal wushu reflection in this next video.

As I overlook the vast empty stage of the 2009 World Games Coliseum at night, I am forced to reflect on my growth and development in wushu. I came to Taiwan to train wushu for 2 weeks about 7 years ago. I return now in 2009 as a respected equal training with their national team.