[NEohioPAL] First Cleveland Independent Film Production to employ masks as part of film props

[Johnny Wu]

For Immediate Release 

August 8, 2020 

Cleveland, OH - As the world slowly begins to reopen, businesses have
had to adapt to insure that they follow State and CDC recommendations
for a safe environment. For independent filmmaking, this process is
untested and difficult to implement. Filmmaker Johnny Wu and his team
have devised a creative way to incorporate masks into their film
production, using them as part of the props for the talent. 

Wu's is currently in preproduction of his new action sci-fi film Wu Li
The Society. The plan is for this feature film to be in production
filming all over Ohio on weekends from late September to December, 2020.
The film will include the typical safety preparations that States and
CDC mandate.  The creative twist is that the actors will be wearing
masks in front of the camera as part of the storyline. 

"We tried to find a way to make sure we can move forward and film while
the actors can continue to be safe" said Director Johnny K. Wu, locally
known award winning filmmaker. Wu is also a civic leader, co-founder of
The Cleveland Asian Festival and producer of many large events in
Cleveland. "We thought why not have our feature action film story take
place during the year 2050 when radiation, pollution and viruses are
rampant in the world and masks are required for people to breathe…" 

Wu's previous feature, Wu Xia 2 The Code is currently being distributed
worldwide by High Octane Pictures, rebranded as Immortal Combat The
Code.  The Code is also a sci-fi action feature where people need a
bio-communicator embedded into their wrist to be able to breathe or
communicate with each other. The film will be available to purchase
starting September 1st in the United States. 

Johnny and his team had been planning for Wu Lin The Society since
January of this year, but then Covid-19 hit.  This led to a change in
the movie story.  He and his team decided to explore the possibility of
having actors wearing masks in front of the camera. "It would be
something new and challenging for the actors, not only they have to be
able to act and perform, but they need to be able to express their
emotions while wearing a mask and through their eyes…" Wu said. 

"For the fight sequences, we will still have rehearsals and practices,
but now we are using web conference first and then perhaps 1 or 2 in
person meetings with masks used. And on set, every day we will continue
to follow the rules set forth by our State and CDC, like routine
temperature check, social distancing when not in front of camera, avoid
touching others people's equipment, constantly hand sanitizing and
equipment sanitizing, etc. We created a 5 page long safety guidelines
that all cast and crew need to read and agreed upon before joining this
production and a daily surveys for contact tracing." 

Wu and his team found a way to utilize masks for their film.  Wu says,
"For our film Wu Lin The Society, we will have actors wearing different
masks based on their roles, some masks you can see their mouth, others
with a visor protection and then there are those face shields and
others. I think we are the first low-to-no-budget independent film that
will embrace wearing masks and having it throughout the entire film as
part of the props, and we will be able to do it following safety
guidelines while being able to perform." 

The feature film currently is running a crowdfunding campaign to help
raise support to help with expenses such as food for cast/crew during
production, props, heating supplies (as they will be filming in cold
weather), and others. For more information about their crowdfunding
endeavor, visit https://igg.me/at/supportwulin 

For more information about Wu Lin The Society feature film, join their
Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/wulinthemovie or their
Instagram at https://instagram.com/wulinthemovie 

Contact 

Johnny Wu
Office: 216.539.4634
johnny at mdifilm.com 

### 

-- 
------------- 
Johnny Wu
O: 216.539.4634
Produce - Create - Deliver
www.mdifilm.com [1] 
youtube.com/mdifilm
inducted into The International Indie Filmmakers Hall of Fame for
Outstanding Achievements in Film Editing

Producer (2015-2020)
75th Cleveland Cultural Gardens' One World Day
August 30, 2020, 11am - 6pm
www.clevelandculturalgardens.org [2] 

Co-Founder
Cleveland Asian Festival
May 22-23, 2021
www.ClevelandAsianFestival.org

VP of Communications
OCA-Cleveland Chapter
"Embracing the Hopes and Aspirations of Asian Pacific Americans" 
OCA Image TV- reaching over 200 million viewers each month
OCA AsiaTown Voice Radio - Sundays 7pm at 88.7FM or listen online at
www.ocagc.org/imagetv 
OCA Interactive Kiosk - Interactive Tablet at several AsiaTown locations
to
promote AsiaTown.
www.ocagc.org

Administrator
Cleveland IndieClub
www.FaceBook.com/groups/ClevelandIndieclub

WKYC TV3 Community Advisory Board
City of Cleveland Community Affairs Board
St. Clair Superior Development Board Member
2013 Minority Business Entrepreneurs Award Recipient
Inducted into International Karate and Kickboxing Hall of Fame
Inducted into World Head of Family Sokeship Council
2014 Legendary Master of the World Head of Family Sokeship Council 

 

Links:
------
[1] http://www.mdifilm.com
[2] http://www.clevelandculturalgardens.org
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.neohiopal.org/pipermail/neohiopal-neohiopal.org/attachments/20200807/f0ae431a/attachment.html>