JACKIE CHAN
IN CONVERSATION
WITH LI CUNXIN AO
I was called into an office. Then to a bigger office. I sat down, and proceeded to have lunch with high powered internal and external stakeholders, trying to understand the task at hand. I leave without eating. The mission is simple. Get Jackie Chan to talk on stage in one month.
- The SetupI
Yes, that photo up top is of Jackie Chan, an icon in my Hong Kong homeland and countless countries around the world, shooting an action scene on top of the Opera House. As part of the deal to film “Bleeding Steel” here, Jackie needed to talk in front of a public audience. About something. To someone. And sell 2000 tickets. Sounds simple, but trust me this was one wild adventure that led to me watching nearly every Jackie Chan film there is, and countless nights negotiating with Jackie’s people on set. And then their other people. And then the people above them. And then scripting an entire public talk between two people who have never met, and ‘creatively exploring’ how to get his best film moments projected for a live audience without any cease and desists.... Full disclosure, Jackie’s people are awesome. His security also have the most badass matching jackets I’ve ever seen.
Yes, that photo up top is of Jackie Chan, an icon in my Hong Kong homeland and countless countries around the world, shooting an action scene on top of the Opera House. As part of the deal to film “Bleeding Steel” here, Jackie needed to talk in front of a public audience. About something. To someone. And sell 2000 tickets. Sounds simple, but trust me this was one wild adventure that led to me watching nearly every Jackie Chan film there is, and countless nights negotiating with Jackie’s people on set. And then their other people. And then the people above them. And then scripting an entire public talk between two people who have never met, and ‘creatively exploring’ how to get his best film moments projected for a live audience without any cease and desists.... Full disclosure, Jackie’s people are awesome. His security also have the most badass matching jackets I’ve ever seen.
It was incredible.
It was inspiring.
It was insane.
I still haven’t quite wrapped my head around it.
END CREDITS
Ann Mossop
Alex Sinclair
Charlie Kember
Moi
