Screenwriting : Why I Wrote It... (the inspiration behind my action/thriller script SHAOLIN DEMON) by Ramon Zapata

I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend and enjoyed the holiday if you celebrate. I recently found out my script Shaolin Demon was named a semi-finalist in the Action/Thriller screenwriting competition. Huge honor to make that list and congrats to all who did. That, along with Evan Anglin's last blog post about the art of pitching, inspired me to share my inspiration for writing this script, why it matters to me, and why I dedicated years of my life to honing my craft and working this story.

Just so you have an idea of what I wrote, here's a brief intro: A grieving Shaolin Kung Fu master enters a brutal underground combat tournament to kill its reigning champion, the powerful crime boss who murdered his wife. His bloody quest for justice ultimately transforms him into a legendary Triad enforcer.

I always wanted to contribute to the martial arts action genre since it impacted me from such a young age and is what made me want to become a screenwriter in the first place (thank you, Bloodsport). I’d watch a film and create elaborate scenes with action figures for hours, use everything in my environment to perform a “stunt” like Jackie Chan, start kicking and screaming like Bruce Lee, have imaginary John Woo type shootouts, and walk around thinking I was as handsome and badass as JCVD. But most importantly, these films led me to practice martial arts at a young age, which gave me the confidence, strength and discipline to thrive in a tough environment.

Everyone who knows me knows about my fascination with Shaolin Kung Fu as a martial art and a philosophy. But I also became an avid fan of MMA, and I wondered what it would take to get a bonafide Shaolin warrior monk who was taught not to fight for entertainment, but to defend others and himself, into The Octagon. See, Shaolin Kung Fu is an ancient art that was born to defend empires, often using weapons and techniques to fight several opponents at once. It is not limited to hand to hand fighting in one vs one tournaments. It is not a sport. It is meant to be deadly and debilitating. It is not meant for rules. In other words, an MMA setting is not a place where the tools of Kung Fu can be fully expressed.

So, I brainstormed. What if he doesn’t just become an MMA fighter but a revered criminal assassin? What could make a Shaolin warrior monk take on such a profound transformation? What catalyst would compel him to change? What if he doesn’t just fight in MMA, but in a brutal underground tournament that forces him to not only put all his skills on display, but embrace the darkest parts of himself? What if his wife is murdered and her killer is in the tournament?! What if he comes to need the assistance of the criminal world to complete his revenge, to defend himself, to survive?! What kind of world would this take place in? Who are the players? What are their motives?

So, I formulated rewrite after rewrite around these questions. I’m always looking for fun, compelling and logical (I try anyway) ways to take my characters and their predicaments to the extreme. I think it makes for greater conflict, more interesting drama, and in the end, more entertainment.

On the surface, Shaolin Demon is an action film about a Kung Fu master fighting his way to the top of a tournament to get revenge. But that world is also a fun vehicle for me to explore fascinating concepts like the way cycles of trauma and violence are born and perpetuated, and the profound ways they can change us. Like the effects violence has not only on its victims, but its perpetrators. Like how much we sacrifice to get what we want. Part of the film’s message is a warning that if you aren’t careful, you might just get what you want but lose something more valuable in the process. In the protagonist’s case, he sacrifices parts of his own humanity to get justice. He essentially gains the world but loses his soul.

In a way, I wouldn’t be the person I am without martial arts films, or the action genre itself. It’s just a part of my DNA at this point. The power to inspire and entertain people is why we tell stories. And if I can contribute just one film to the world that does that, I’ll die happy. Contributing to this industry and this genre means giving back to something that gave me so much. It gave me the structure and focus and dedication that I carry with me until this day, and so much more. Thanks for reading if you got this far!

So, what inspired you to write a story you are really passionate about? What makes it important to you? What concepts does your story explore?