[New Tang Dynasty News, Beijing time, December 26, 2023] Taiwanese action director and stunt performer Eddie Tsai, who has been involved in Hong Kong action films and Taiwanese film productions, shared his story of the journey he has undertaken over the past thirty years with New Tang Dynasty News.
A series of captivating action films, accompanied by thrilling fight scenes and stunts, relies heavily on the professional design of the action director and the daring performances of martial arts stunt actors.
Taiwanese action director Eddie Tsai, who has been practicing martial arts for over thirty years, graduated from the Department of Chinese Martial Arts at Chinese Culture University. During his university years, he joined the "Chinese Martial Arts Troupe" and participated in over 200 performances, touring North America and Europe.
Despite the common path of pursuing a teaching career after graduation, Eddie Tsai chose to leverage his skills in the performing arts and film industry. Reflecting on his inspiration, Eddie Tsai, a Taiwanese action director and stunt performer, mentioned, “I was definitely influenced by movies, especially watching films from Sammo Hung during my childhood. Also, Jet Li’s “Once Upon A Time In Chinaseries” had a significant impact on our generation.”
In 2008, Eddie Tsai made his debut in the Taiwanese TV series "Black & White" and performed many important stunts in the show. Later, he participated in the production of films such as "My beloved bodyguard" (2016), "Paradox" (2017), directed by Sammo Hung and "The Ninth Precinct" (2019).
As soon as Eddie Tsai entered the industry, he joined Jimmy Hung's Sammo Hung Stunt Team Taiwan Company. He studied hard and created a solid foundation for filming Hong Kong style martial arts action scenes.
Eddie Tsai: "Working with Big Brother Sammo Hung is a relatively rare opportunity in Taiwan's action stunt community. So I was lucky enough to be selected by him to play another role as a thug.”
He recalled that when filming a martial arts scene, he performed a spinning kick on his opponent‘s hanging on a wire, which caused him to faint on the spot and was sent to the hospital for treatment.
Eddie Tsai: ”Perhaps the wire team pulled harder this time, because his(stunt double) spinning became faster. After it became faster, he couldn‘t control his strength, so after he was lifted his kick came out faster, which let him to kick meand made me faint. The shot was used in the movie.
Eddie Tsai said that in the martial arts stunt industry where safety comes first, no matter how careful you are, you will inevitably get injured. In 2017, while filming a film in Taiwan, he almost had an accident while doing a wire stunt, which inspired him to improve workplace safety.
Not only did he observe Sammo Hung’s Hong Kong-style action film wire stunts skills, he also learned from stunt rigging and rock climbing experts, and went to Australia to improve his skills.
Eddie Tsai: "Indeed, it was during that incident when I spent a lot of money and effort and witnessed the process. So, I gained a better understanding of how they execute it, and the bottom line is always about maintaining safety.”
Compared to the fast-paced nature and individual responsibility for action design in Asia, he noticed the meticulous execution procedures in Europe and America.
Eddie Tsai: "Why can they achieve both safety and effective results? While our results are impressive, especially in the wirework for wuxia films, the acrobatics and wall-running effects are truly comparable to theirs. However, when it comes to safety, what can we do differently? I think that's the most significant takeaway.”
After undergoing a series of courses, designing wirework action also became one of Eddie Tsai‘s specialties. He believes that when martial arts are intertwine with stage, visuals, and characters, it adds more soul to the performances. With accumulated experience, he can design actions more contextually.
Eddie Tsai: "I think good action design involves absorbing a story, understanding the characters, and then figuring out how to create martial arts movements that align with the plot and the characters. Whether it's a punch or using a prop to strike someone, I consider how to execute it and where the emotional context lies. I believe this approach makes action design more fulfilling."
Having been apart of the martial arts action design industry for over a decade, Eddie Tsai has faced the ups and downs, experiencing the full spectrum of challenges with a positive mindset.
Eddie Tsai: "I don't dare to entertain the thought of giving up because I've invested a significant amount of time and effort, down to every minute. So, when the idea of giving up crosses my mind, I question myself about what I've been doing all this time. The key is to ask yourself, what do you truly want? Are you pursuing it for money, fame, or because you genuinely love it? If it's something you feel you must have and you passionately love it, then when you encounter challenges, you are more likely to find ways to overcome them."
Reported by NTD reporters Kuo Yueh-hsi and Li Jia-yin in Los Angeles.
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