Get Your Kung Fu Fix with ‘Sudden Master’
November 25, 2015
In 2014 the Independent Production Fund (IPF) received 188 web series applications from across Canada. Among the shortlist of 23 competitors included Sudden Master, as Ontario’s action/comedy contender. This particular web series pitch features Samantha Wan in a sharp red leather jacket fighting off several opponents. The trailer follows a typical pitch format, as Wan talks straight to the camera in selling the show while the video simultaneously slows down the various martial arts techniques. This is a style reminiscent of the classic kung fu Hong Kong films, and The Matrix might be the only popular Western reference to this genre. Unfortunately, this pitch trailer no longer exists, because Sudden Master didn’t get IPF funding.
Sudden Master is a kung fu action web series about Alex Chang who inherits her estranged father’s martial arts studio. Alex finds herself in an underground fighting competition, as the ultimate means to uphold her family’s legacy. Sudden Master officially premiered at 10pm on November 8, 2015 on OMNI’s YouTube Channel. The five-episode series is featured content on OMNI’s YouTube Channel, and includes extras like behind the scenes featurettes and cast interviews. Sudden Master is headlined by seasoned web series professionals Samantha Wan (the creator and star), Davin Lengyel (producer and editor), and Richard Young (co-creator and writer.)
Samantha Wan has acted in Out With Dad, Leslieville, and Ruby Skye P.I. Sudden Master is Wan’s first time showrunning a web series. Davin Lengyel is known for producing Pure Pwange, and the Geek and Sundry-endorsed Space Janitors. Richard Young’s web series credits include acting in Shaftesbury/Smokebomb’s series MsLabelled. Young also created the sketch comedy, CBC Punchline profiled web series Off2Kali Comedy.
Sudden Master did garner initial attention with their IPF pitch trailer, but the web series first began when Samantha Wan pitched it to the head of Rogers Independent Programming at the 2013 Banff World Media. OMNI, which is owned by Rogers, wanted to get into digital content market. “They were really excited about OMNI being the first to create new original online content,” says Wan. Sudden Master became that content when OMNI gave the project a broadcast license. OMNI wanted a project applying for IPF funding, and a project with a portion of the script in Mandarin.
Samantha Wan has acted in Out With Dad, Leslieville, and Ruby Skye P.I. Sudden Master is Wan’s first time showrunning a web series. Davin Lengyel is known for producing Pure Pwange, and the Geek and Sundry-endorsed Space Janitors. Richard Young’s web series credits include acting in Shaftesbury/Smokebomb’s series MsLabelled. Young also created the sketch comedy, CBC Punchline profiled web series Off2Kali Comedy.
Sudden Master did garner initial attention with their IPF pitch trailer, but the web series first began when Samantha Wan pitched it to the head of Rogers Independent Programming at the 2013 Banff World Media. OMNI, which is owned by Rogers, wanted to get into digital content market. “They were really excited about OMNI being the first to create new original online content,” says Wan. Sudden Master became that content when OMNI gave the project a broadcast license. OMNI wanted a project applying for IPF funding, and a project with a portion of the script in Mandarin.
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After the IPF rejection in 2014, the Sudden Master team needed to rethink their funding strategy. Consequently, Sudden Master left an impression and the IPF suggested an application to the Bell Fund. The team applied for the Bell Fund’s Low Budget Production Program and got approval in July 2014. According to the their website, the Bell Fund requires a few conditions for this program. Sudden Master had to have a broadcasting license, and cap their budget at $100,000. Now the fun part, which comes with the broadcasting license, is the, “interactive digital media projects that are associated with a television program licensed by a Canadian broadcaster.” For Wan, Young, and Lengyel the digital media portion is the five episodes of Sudden Master. For Bell, this cross platform endeavor includes an OMNI-broadcasted, behind-the-scenes documentary about Samantha Wan’s work as a martial arts stunt performer. |
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IPF isn’t the only fund available for web series per se, but is the best known. Other funds will use language like digital media, and online content. Later that year, Sudden Master instead acquired the Bell Fund’s Low Budget Production Program for Digital Media. The IPF does not require a broadcasting license, as it’s the other major condition that sets the fund apart.
Now after two years in the making, Sudden Master makes its mark with Best Fight Choreography, Female Action Performer of the Year, and Women With A Vision Award – Best Action Short at the 2015 International Action on Film Festival. Sudden Master also premiered their first episode at the 2015 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival.
Sudden Master is a web series that sets itself apart in several ways. This starts with the story, which is incredibly close to Wan, as also universally relatable. This isn’t just a kung fu epic, but a series following two skilled female warriors. For both Wan and Young, who co-wrote the series together, the importance of a diverse story remained a huge priority. For Young, writing Sudden Master isn’t about creating a story exclusive to a specific culture. “It’s a story about this girl, who has to deal with her issues with her father,” says Young, “but the universal thing is about a girl coming into her own.” For Wan, the story of Sudden Master is personal, as she comes from a martial arts background. “It’s like a lineage of my whole family, on my father’s side,” says Wan, “all the women do it, and all the men do it.” Unlike most action series, Sudden Master has every actor performing their own stunts. This ties into the filming the web series Hong Kong style, “I feel like I’ve seen a lot of action web series, and the action’s ok, pretty good,” explains Wan, “but it’s the main core of ours. A good chunk of our episodes are fighting.”
Sudden Master is a web series that sets itself apart in several ways. This starts with the story, which is incredibly close to Wan, as also universally relatable. This isn’t just a kung fu epic, but a series following two skilled female warriors. For both Wan and Young, who co-wrote the series together, the importance of a diverse story remained a huge priority. For Young, writing Sudden Master isn’t about creating a story exclusive to a specific culture. “It’s a story about this girl, who has to deal with her issues with her father,” says Young, “but the universal thing is about a girl coming into her own.” For Wan, the story of Sudden Master is personal, as she comes from a martial arts background. “It’s like a lineage of my whole family, on my father’s side,” says Wan, “all the women do it, and all the men do it.” Unlike most action series, Sudden Master has every actor performing their own stunts. This ties into the filming the web series Hong Kong style, “I feel like I’ve seen a lot of action web series, and the action’s ok, pretty good,” explains Wan, “but it’s the main core of ours. A good chunk of our episodes are fighting.”
Sudden Master proudly promotes their stunt performers, as they have impressive credits such as Lost Girl, Pacific Rim, and Resident Evil. Sunny Tang Martial Arts Centre is where creator Samantha Wan trains under Grandmaster Tang. Sudden Master’s connection to the martial arts school gets even better. Fight Director Alan Tang, son of Grandmaster Tang, also teaches and helps runs the school. It’s no wonder the Sudden Master website dedicates a page to the school.
As part of the language guideline set by OMNI, Sudden Master markets itself as, “one third English, one third Mandarin, and one third kung fu.” Young looks at Sudden Master as a diverse series, because both the team and OMNI wanted to create a story viewers don’t normally get. “With Sudden Master we go with English and Mandarin,” says Young, “but in a way that’s organic and that works for the story.”
As part of the language guideline set by OMNI, Sudden Master markets itself as, “one third English, one third Mandarin, and one third kung fu.” Young looks at Sudden Master as a diverse series, because both the team and OMNI wanted to create a story viewers don’t normally get. “With Sudden Master we go with English and Mandarin,” says Young, “but in a way that’s organic and that works for the story.”
OMNI Television wanted in on the digital/online/original/web series space. They partnered with some of the best web series professionals in Toronto, and those people also happen to have great track records. Broadcasters like OMNI/Rogers change the web series game in terms of resources and access to more funding. According to Wan, a second season of Sudden Master is this point doesn’t seem likely. The team would need a bigger budget, more crew, and more resources to make the next season better. Wan’s pride in Sudden Master echoes similar sentiments from other web series creators. The point of creating a web series starts with what you don’t see in mainstream television, and possibly touching on subjects currently debated in the industry. This means asking for female leads and diverse casting, and exiling the idea of any stereotypes in both. Wan reached her goal when Sudden Master started getting awards, because it means these diverse stories are not only good, but valid.
