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FEATURED INSIDE 

 MARTIAL ARTS ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE

FIGHT DIRECTOR CREATES SHORT INDIE FILM WITH ACTION!

The "Arms of Autumn" is written by Cynthia "Cindy" Morrison, actress, fight director, stunt performer, Jousting champion and modern day Vaudevillian. Morrison is a graduate of the Burt Reynolds Institute in Jupiter Florida and was fortunate enough to be part of the Master class taught by Reynolds himself. After having her talents featured in two of the Institute’s showcases she then decided to expand her horizons in the film industry and share her combat skills and teach staged combat to fellow actors. These classes then led to a promotional reel, choreographed by herself, that includes various forms of combat offered to acting students. The actors involved in this project expressed that they had such a wonderful experience and wanted to do more so she decided to write a story around their newly learnt combat skills. Hence, the "Arms of Autumn" was born.

This short feature tells the story of a female Pirate Captain and her struggle to maintain her position. Set in the EARLY 1900’s when women had very limited rights in society.

Captain Anne Sedgewick (actress Amy Hoerler) and her Brother Victor (actor Gregg Goldsbury) both possessed a passion for the Sea since their childhood. Victor choosing a career in the Royal Navy had went off to Europe for part of his formal education and worked his way to being a Quarter Master on a Royal Navy Gun ship. Anne not having the same opportunities as a woman chose to live incognito as a sailor in order to learn the ropes of being a seaman. She later on ceased the opportunity to commit mutiny and won her own Ship. The story character "Cinders", played by Morrison herself, is the defender-bouncer type sidekick to Captain Anne. She keeps close watch on Capt. Anne’s well being while ready to rid any Rogues or Rapscallions seeking to invade their territory.

Morrison’s idea of adding the late 1900’s British Royal Navy officer "Victor" stems from her distant association with regard to her Maternal Grand Father, Charles Howard. Not having researched ancestral records to find any direct relation but having knowledge of historic facts she found that Lord Charles Howard, High Admiral of England, took Victory during the battle of Trafalgar against the Spanish Armada. The unofficial connection with his name holds a fascination with the event and era.

Other characters include the mysterious "Mathalda" (actress Joan Dennehy) the landlubber fortune telling Gypsy that has been welcomed to the group of Pub dwellers due to her gender of course. She also relates with these characters since her Pirate like ideals are in order to survive in such harsh conditions that the late 1880’s presented. Dennehy has worked on film projects in the past with such entertainers as Boris Karloff and Gypsy Rose Lee. She also starred along side of Morrison in a production of "Zoo Story" written by Edward Albee. Morrison chose the name "Mathalda" for Dennehy’s character from a Circus Gypsy woman she had known during her equestrian performance days while providing Jousting displays. The more comical of the Pub dwellers is "Slappy" the English west Countryman and friendly mannered Pub owner (played by Graham Love) who loves to tell tales full of insignificant information. Offering assistance as a Victorian era Nurse is actress Earleen Marlowe when she steps in to rehabilitate a wounded Capt. Anne Sedgewick with her Sword slashing injuries.

Where would the "bad guy" learn his skills of combat and weaponry? At the "Salty Dog slogging Academy" family maintained combat studio with "Grand Master Pompeo" played by Danny Zaino and his Family of accomplished martial artists, Theresa, Dominique, Tony and Joey. "How lucky can a director get than to have 6 Black Belts, including Mike Cagni, drop in my lap for this project!" says Morrison.

Finally, the bad guy character "Iridius of Muxloe" is played by actor Rob Tassey who makes his way the "Isle of Burladero" to find Capt. Anne and take her treasure. He is accompanied by his sidekick "Emery" (actor Mark Emerson). The name of the Capt. Anne’s Island territory was influenced by Morrison’s position as a Bloodless Bullfighter. The word "Burladero" is the name of the short wall that Bullfighters wait behind until their chance to enter the Bullring (Plaza de Toros) to perform their dance with Capes and Bovine. This Bloodless type of Bull sport does not include spears, Swords or any harm to the animal.

below:  Morrison directing fight scene 

Jupiter actors on the Set of 'The Seven Steps' Egyptian themed film project. JUPITER COURIER NEWS - Online

Jupiter actors on the Set of "The Seven Steps" Egyptian themed film project.

JUPITER — Scotty Fusion, assistant executive director of the Burt Reynolds Institute for Film and Theatre (BRIFT), has been cast as the lead man in "The Seven Steps." Written and directed by Cynthia Morrison. Fusion plays a modern day Mortician with a life long fascination of Egyptian culture. Things go awry when his spouse, BRIFT Master Class Actor, Rhonda Stearns, finds him "Mummifying" a cadaver while he is dressed as the Egyptian God of the Afterlife "Anubis." Fusion's Tomb Guard Alex Penate, the mortician's assistant, is in need of better sentry training as Stearns easily makes her way past him using her Umbrella!

Fusion is also an Award winning Cinematographer that filmed this project as well as acting his part!

Rhonda Sterns is well known for her strong talent in comedy as well as drama. She has been featured in several local productions. Stearns is also a professional singer. "If anyone can do it, Rhonda can!" "Seven Steps" director stated.

The Seven Steps part of the cadaver was played by Jupiter resident Lynne Jorgensen who is a performance artist and Human Target for Knife thrower Morrison (Seven Steps director) during their daring shows. Jorgensen enjoys the adrenaline rush involved when 14 inch steel blades impale a wooden background and outlining her body while landing only inches from her. " She's a terrible shot. She misses me every time" Jorgensen jokingly says.

Umbrella as weapon is only a part of the Victorian era martial art refered to as "Bartitsu". Morrison instructs various elements of staged combat. Her filming projects include combat action as well as unique historically based Plot and costuming.

The second "kicker" of this film comes when actor Tim Lawrence arrives unexpected to claim the body that is unknowingly in process of mummification. Lawrence's powerful comedic skills come to life in this production with his character cousin Jeremy Johnson.

Morrison is already in process of her next production. This time attempting to create in "Silent Film" fashion. Audiences at film festivals can count on more historically influenced thrilling combat included in these productions! As an actor she was recently cast as a Billiards player in a television commercial produced in West Palm Beach and scheduled for release in June, 2011.

 

T h e   B R I F T   B L A S T       V o l . 2     N o . 6

       -Scotty Fusion recently played the lead role in writer/director Cynthia Morrison's The Seven Steps--about a modern day mortician who is overly-fascinated with Egyptian culture and burial practices. The film--also starring Rhonda Stearns, Tim Lawrence, Alex Penate, and Lynne Jorgensen--features Victorian Bartitsu combat. Morrison is already in process of her next production. "Audiences at film festivals can count on more historically influenced thrilling combat included in these productions," Morrison states.

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Jupiter Courier News - Oct. 25th, 2011

JUPITER — Some of the antics performed by stunt entertainer Cynthia Morrison aka “Cindini” are featured inside the October 2011 release of My Year of Living Fearlessly. Morrison is mentor to the author of this publication while leading her through some scary situations involving such dangerous elements as Fire and broken Glass along with flinging steel blades. Why would a Shakespeare professor and writer want to experience such challenges?

The author shared some reasons why. “Sadly, somewhere along the way, I seem to have lost my sense of adventure. The world is always a scary place, but, when I was younger, I had the courage to face it. As I grew up, I got lazy. It was easier to avoid my fears than it was to confront them, so eventually I got complacent. It didn’t happen overnight; in fact, it was so subtle that I didn’t even realize it had happened until just now when my mom dropped the “small life’ bombshell. But sitting here hearing her say it, I know she’s right. I’ve allowed too much of my life to be dictated by fear, and I don’t want to live that way anymore. Clearly, something has to change, but I have no idea how to do that. It’s not like I can just declare myself fearless”

Over the course of fifty-two weeks, author Amber Karlins places herself in fifty-two anxiety-riddled situations, including a stand-up comedy competition, a fire-eating lesson, an up-close and personal alligator encounter, and an evening spent alone in a haunted hotel. The result is a book, My Year of Living Fearlessly with hilarious misadventures, heart palpitations and triumphs that not only remind her who she is, but also what we can accomplish when we refuse to allow fear and insecurities to define who we are and what we can do. Morrison says she will continue to entice Karlins to participate in a match of Bloodless Bullfighting to experience the exhilerating Joy. The Book is available through Barnes and Noble Bookstores.