The press release:
Thousand Pounds Action Company, makers of live action martial arts shorts for anime, manga and video game fans, today announced the launch of a Kickstarter drive to create an original web series. Titled Clandestine: Follow The Path, the series aims to bring back character and story driven martial arts entertainment that features expert fight choreography.
It’s an area where the filmmakers have pedigree. Thousand Pounds are the creators behind more than 20 martial arts shorts including Naruto Shippuden: Dreamers Fight, Street Fighter X Tekken: The Devil Within and the Ultra Combos series. Their videos have collectively drawn more than 13 million views on their YouTube channel, and countless more through press coverage and fan communities.
“The first thing we ask our fans and potential backers on Kickstarter is whether they can remember the last time they saw a fight film that moved them,” said Chris Cowan, director of Clandestine and co-founder of Thousand Pounds Action Company. “We’re talking about jumping from their seats rooting for characters, or seeing a story where they’re engrossed and not just passing time from fight scene to fight scene. That’s what we’re making with Clandestine.”
While the setting is big and supernatural, the story is personal in its telling. It follows Adelene, a young heroine who discovers her true identity when all of the clan leaders, including her father, are murdered in a coup. Forced to accept her role as matriarch, she becomes her clan’s battlefield general, given rank as the enemy is approaching. Viewers go on this journey with her as she becomes a powerful warrior, and the possible savior of mankind, from the point of discovery.
“We’re making Clandestine because we feel like we have to,” said Haile Lee, “Clandestine” writer and co-founder of Thousand Pounds Action Company. “With a lot of things we see out there, as fans we’ve been disappointed time and time again. There simply aren’t a lot of good movies that represent our culture.”
Thousand Pounds’ cultural influences go beyond martial arts. Their work in creating shorts based on anime and video game properties have drawn them recognition as filmmakers who can deliver action fight films with expert choreography and high-production value. The filmmakers are trained in Eastern martial arts, and among their roster are some of today’s most prolific martial arts performers including Clandestine stars Amy Johnston, Brendon Huor and Vlad Rimburg.
To bring the series to life, Thousand Pounds has turned to Kickstarter to raise $75,000 to develop and produce two pilot episodes. For each dollar raised, the filmmakers are getting a matching donation from private investors. Their goal is to introduce the world of Clandestine to fans through two action-packed episodes then pursue a full season slate with a distribution partner.
For more information on Clandestine: Follow The Path and the Kickstarter drive, please visit www.kickstarter.com/projects/96490291/clandestine-follow-the-path.
