Walkden Entertainment (aka Peter Walkden) was grateful to chat with Derek Ting, the writer, director and leading actor from Agent Recon (2024), now available on DVD & digital in Australia and New Zealand thanks to Defiant Screen Entertainment.
Let’s break the ice: what is your all-time favourite action (or sci-fi) film and why?
Predator and Aliens. Both are a great mix of suspense, horror, action, sci-fi and thrill!
Did you first begin writing and creating the concept for the “Agent” series?
I was always fascinated by Alien conspiracies like “Dulce Base” and “Area 51,” I wanted to do action movies, so when a filmmaker friend, Byron Yee, told me about a remote place in the desert just outside of LA that I could film for free, I journeyed there and felt I could create a self-contained thriller that had action. I wanted to subvert many of the usual tropes, so shooting aliens in the liver and no Queen Bee have been some of the unique elements I’ve enjoyed creating.
Many of your readers might not be aware that this is, in fact, a continuation of Agent (2017) and Agent Revelation (2021), in which you also serve as a writer, director and actor. What element of these stories are you passionate about?
I’m most passionate about my character, Jim Yung, and his journey from being a person who was never really good at anything but wanted to do good to being empowered. Jim’s moral compass elevates everything he does, and that’s the character story that I think has continued attracting new fans. With the world increasingly growing cynical and divided, I wanted, at least in the movies, to create a character who doesn’t give up just because others let him down, someone who does what he says and, most importantly, is interested in helping others more than himself.
What was your biggest challenge in making this film?
Budget and time. IMM for a sci-fi action movie shot in California with Chuck Norris and Marc Singer, 500 VFX shots, completed in 10 months. The difficulty level of what was accomplished and finished is extremely high, let alone land on Hulu, Paramount, and Max, which are testaments to our great team and what my skills and leadership can do to elevate any project.
How long does a film like this take to make from start to finish?
The amount of planning and optimization required to move a project forward takes years until it’s greenlit. I spent 1-2 years honing the script and packaging, down to the budget and the scene-by-scene breakdown, and then 10 months from the filming date in January 2023 to October 2023 to submit to the distributor. It’s taken 8 months to fully roll out the film internationally.
Which do you enjoy the most: Acting, Directing or Writing?
Acting has the least headache, so it’s the most fun. I’d happily sit in the trailer and wait. But actors spend a lot of time preparing for any situation, so directing and writing put me right into what happens with my character, which then allows me to prepare with more precision. I wanted to show different weapons, like a knife and axe, so in my spare time, I’d practice wielding them.
You performed many impressive on-screen action sequences in this new film, Agent Recon. Have you always been able to fight and act, or did you have to prepare yourself personally to make these films?
I love action movies. I grew up watching Bruce Lee, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Stallone, and, of course, Chuck Norris. They inspired me to train for fitness and take martial arts like Tang Soo Do, Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do, Thai Boxing, Boxing, Jujitsu, and MMA.
We can’t talk about Agent Recon without asking about the biggest action icon of our time- Chuck Norris. What was it like working with this action superstar?
He said to me, “You remind me of me when I was your age”, but there was little time to take that in. I knew I was celebrating a man who was not only a movie star but a good person in real life. Given he was eighty-three at the time, I intended only to have him wield weapons, but actually he and his family wanted to do more for the fans and have him do hand to hand combat. Then, when we were on set, he told me right away, “Whatever you want,” so I would feel comfortable, but at the same time, when he said that to me, I knew he was also saying he trusted me. At the end of the shooting, he came up to me and hugged me. The closest words to describe it is it felt like being knighted by King Arthur.
According to IMDb, Agent Recon is Chuck Norris’s first film role in 12 years (or 4 years if you count his cameo appearance in Hawaii Five-0 in 2010). How hard was it to get Chuck Norris on board for this film, and what was the most significant appeal that made him want to be part of this film series? How long was he on set for?
Mrs. Norris told me they set the laptop in front of him as he was flying back from his vacation in Hawaii. She said he couldn’t put the screenplay down, and when the plane landed in Los Angeles, he said, “We need to do this movie”. Of course, my producing partner Joyce and I were melting because we had never met any of them before. We had 12 shooting days, and I had 2 with him. I felt it was a sheer story and track record, but Chuck and his family also put their faith in my potential.
I understand you’re currently working on a new film project. Can you reveal anything here? Will we soon have another film in this franchise?
Yes, you are correct. In my next film, we will combine action with a corporate thriller that focuses on Artificial Intelligence. If possible, I’d like to film it in Hong Kong.
Lastly, as we conclude our interview, why should the people of Australia see your newest film, Agent Recon?
An original story if you like vampires/zombies/aliens, and of course, it’s a Marc Singer, Derek Ting ice cream Sundae with Chuck Norris as the cherry on top. What’s not to love? But really, if my work interests you, please check out my YouTube channel because there’s tons of free content around the world of Agent Saga to explore in addition to filmmaking, tech, and health.
Published: 18th March 2025
Written by: Peter Walkden
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