Still, as much as I wish Ballistic Kiss could be a better film, the recognition it gained from critics and at festivals speaks for itself.

It takes years of building that experience as a filmmaker, as well as physically. You have to have a high level understanding of martial arts.

I've always been in a rebel.

I got nominated for my second film as best young director in the Aikido Film Festival in Japan.

There is also a strong following among the urbanites on the East Coast when it comes to martial arts films.

Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong. There's a lot of restriction for contemporary films simply because of subject matter.

There's a lot of thinking when you choreograph something. You're not just choreographing some bodies, arms, legs flying around to look cool. It's a lot more complicated and sophisticated. You also have to deal with the connection of the whole film, so when I choreograph, I think of the movement itself, the camera angles, the characters.