Our Film Action Instructors
Chuck Johnson
ACTION / TAEKWONDO / WEAPONRY
Chuck Johnson is the CEO of Quiet Flame Productions, program manager, and head martial arts and fight choreography instructor. He is a former national Taekwondo champion in the US, has masters ranks in 3 different martial arts, and over 30 years of experience in 10 martial arts in total.
Chuck also has over 20 years of experience in the international action film industry as an actor, stunt performer, motion capture artist and fight choreography trainer. Besides teaching at Quiet Flame, Chuck is the fight choreography instructor at the International Stunt School in Seattle, Washington, and has taught at the Paddy Crean Workshop in Banff Canada, and the Winter Wonderland Worshop in Chicago. He is also an award-winning writer, director and producer.
See Chuck’s IMDB Page:
See Press About Chuck
Yutaka Nozawa
ACTION / TAEKWONDO
Yutaka Nozawa has been studying fight choreography and working in the film and theatre arts for almost a decade. In addition to having studied film and theatre at the State University of New York Stony Brooke, and having an MA in body expression and cinematic arts from Rikkyo University in Japan, he is also a ranked martial artist, who began his study of fight choreography under Kenichi Ishida in 2010. He is also trilingual (Japanese, English and Chinese), has black belts in Karate, Judo, Iaido and Taekwondo and regularly works as a stunt perfromer in India and Thailand.
See Quiet Flame's award-winning action short,
Yutaka's Bad Day
John Honeyman
FIREARMS / FLEXIBLE WEAPONRY
Starting his training in 1981, Guru John Honeyman has well over 4 decades of martial arts experience in all manner of Japanese and South East Asian martial arts. He holds black belts in Ninjitsu, Iaijutsu, Aikido and is a senior instructor in Kali Majapahit.
He also has several years of experience with all manner of firearms and has done training for law enforcement and military organizations around the world.
Additionally he serves as a weapons consultant for Quiet Flame's original action content such as the Japanese spear work in Almost There, and the Karambit Knife work in Eastbound Traffic.
Mandy Gerbode
HORSEBACK RIDING FOR FILM
In addition to being a 4th Degree black belt in Taekwondo, and an accomplished stunt woman in film fighting, and weaponry, Mandy has over 20 years of experience on horseback. Coming from a British style of riding (dressage, show jumping, cross-country, etc), after coming to Japan, she began working with Gocoo Stunt Team at their horse stable gaining experience in training both actors and horses for major Japanese film projects.
Our Acting Instructors
Jim O Connor
Jim O’Connor received his bachelor of fine arts in acting from the University of Rhode Island in 1987 where he studied the Meisner method.
He has been working steadily every since bringing 38 years of experience to Quiet Flame. After working in regional theater under the guidance of tony award-winning director, Adrian Hall, Jim relocated to New York City where his career shifted to daytime soap operas, feature films and national network commercials before working as a television host with his own shows on Food Network and USA Network. Throughout his pursuits, Jim steadily trained with Gary Swanson, a pupil of Lee Strasberg, lifetime member of The Actor’s Studio and inaugural teacher for the Actor’s Studio MFA program.
TEACHING METHOD: Strasberg Method Acting, Sensory Exercises
FOCUS: Grammar of Acting, Character Development, Script Analysis
CLASS TIME & DAY: Tuesdays 13:00-15:00 @ Our Space
https://maps.app.goo.gl/BCmQvLB8z9BnPBai7?g_st=ipc
Andrew Kottler
Andrew Kottler is a seasoned actor, writer, and director with over 25 years of experience in film, television, and theater. His personal credits include shows like CSI-Las Vegas, and as a director, he has directed over 20 productions, including favorites 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest', 'Hamlet', and 'West Side Story'. Andrew is also a dedicated educator, and was lucky enough to teach and direct for 12 years at the Arts Academy in Buffalo, New York. Many of his students have gone on to successful careers on Broadway and in Hollywood.
TEACHING METHOD: Meisner Method,
FOCUS: Basics of Acting for Stage & Screen, staying present and in the moment, reacting to your scene partners
CLASS TIME & DAY: Sundays 15:00-16:30 @ Rainy Tiger
**Only the first three sundays of the month**
https://maps.app.goo.gl/V3uoUSwc3vYgWfg19?g_st=ipc
Brian Fountain Murray
Brian Fountain Murray is a multi-hyphenate creative professional whose expertise spans screenwriting, performance, creative
direction, media consulting, and branded storytelling.
With roots in stand-up comedy and years of experience in both U.S. and Japanese entertainment markets, BFM brings a
unique cross-cultural perspective to all his work. His storytelling often blends
humor, history, and spiritual nuance to uncover deeper human truths. He brings over 30 years of experience to his class at Quiet Flame which focuses on Monologue delivery and improv.
TEACHING METHOD: Improv, Monologues
FOCUS: Creativity and dynamicism in your performance
CLASS TIME & DAY: Lasy Sunday of the Month 15:00-16:30 @ Rainy Tiger
https://maps.app.goo.gl/V3uoUSwc3vYgWfg19?g_st=ipc