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Agent Recon Dir Derek Ting on Marc Singer-Chuck Norris Action Film

Derek Ting (Always) spoke to Bleeding Cool about his action sci-fi thriller Agent Recon for Quiver, Marc Singer, Chuck Norris & more.

Derek Ting prides himself on his versatility in producing, writing, directing, and acting. Building his Agent franchise, his latest is Agent Recon, enlisting some action legends with Chuck Norris and Marc Singer for the ride. The film follows a covert military task force that tracks a mysterious energy disturbance at a secret base in New Mexico suspected of experimenting on alien technology. Once there, the team encounters an unknown being of extraordinary strength, speed, and the ability to control an army of mindless warriors. The trio must fight through the unstoppable hordes to prevent humanity's demise. Ting, who reprises his role as Jim Yung, spoke to Bleeding Cool about how he recruited the two veterans, casting, and the films that inspired his latest sequel.

How 'Predator' and 'The Terminator' Inspired 'Agent Recon'

Bleeding Cool: Given the previous entries of the Agent franchise, what went into developing 'Agent Recon?'
I wrote it during the pandemic towards the end, and I thought about who I am as a filmmaker and what I want to do. I went to the greats [for inspiration] like [James] Cameron and John McTiernan, and I conceived the next installment in a mission varying in references to 'Aliens' (1986) and 'Predator' (1987), infusing this new world with new rules about aliens invading Earth. This group of Marines goes on a mission, and they encounter something crazy at this mysterious base in New Mexico, and they must fight their way through it.

How did you get Marc and Chuck involved?
I don't have any connections to Hollywood. I went through an amazing casting director, and we reached out for Chuck. We sent him the script and the story. His wife told me that she put the laptop in front of Chuck, and he read it on the way back from Hawaii. Five hours later, when he landed, he couldn't get the script down. He said, "We have to do this movie," here we are. After reaching out to Marc Singer, we sent the script. That night, he's like, "Let's do it. Love the role." It's been a great experience with him too, as well. Both were supportive and amazing to work with, and I've learned a lot.

How did the rest of the cast come together, and what did they bring to the film?
Jason [Scott Jenkins], I met on 'Agent Revelation.' He played a masked character, and I thought, "I can reuse him." He plays a major role [in 'Agent Recon'], and I liked his attitude and vibe, and he brings a presence we need. I needed a marine that you could believe was unstoppable, and so he reminded me of the tough and badass Native American character [Billy Sole, played by Sonny Landham]. He fights the Predator, but the audience never sees him do it, right? [Jason plays] that kind of character. Sylvia Kwan. My wife, a photographer and producer, interviewed Sylvia Kwan on her podcast and didn't realize how much great work she's done. She's a phenomenal actor, and I reached out to her and said, "We have this role. What do you think?" The rest of the cast is returning. Matt Burnett returns as Aaron from 'Agent Revelation,' and Teo Briones is reprising Higgins. Am I missing anyone else? Chris Showerman, I met through a friend, and we hit it off. For the rest of the cast, I drew upon some people I knew who were great actors with amazing resumes, and I tried to fill every role.

What have you learned through your previous entries that helped with 'Agent Recon?'
I was working with some weights in this film. This is the largest project I've ever undertaken. I'm filming in California, which is not easy. Most people stay away from filming there, and I get a big cast and stunt guys. I'm coordinating the action with Quiver and Millennium and working with executives throughout, making the film on a tight timeline and small budget. That's why I'm working with weights. I often wonder if I'm finishing this film with its many moving parts. I was under so much pressure, and I'm sure people would say, "You did this to yourself because you wore so many hats." Coordinating all the different people, their needs and requirements, and ensuring everyone is working at their top game, but here we are.

Have you considered wearing fewer hats and focusing on one or two things? Does becoming a triple threat as a writer, director, and star come naturally to you?
I have a lot of short films on my YouTube channel. Those have some budgets, too, and I'm not in them. They're fun, and they're like…I wouldn't say 'Black Mirror,' but they're sci-fi and drama projects about the future of AI in a story. I've also directed commercials and stuff like that, so isn't it like, "I don't do that." There's something about the advantages of controlling the chain of titles. Let's say, "I'm the writer." I can evolve the story if I need to make it work and fit, and you can make those decisions quickly. If you don't control the script, you must check with them while filming under all these constraints.

All these people are waiting for what to do, and you're trying to decide. Can you imagine if you must go through three to four different layers of approval with me? We're going to do that. I want to work with this character. I want to work with this cast. I make that happen quickly, and I don't need consensus. I don't need any of those things. I quickly decided there are advantages and disadvantages because I can't always monitor things. The way I adapt my processes is I have a great team. I'm a great AD and this time I had two. I also had a DP, stunt coordinator, and second unit, who are amazing leaders. When I'm not checking, they're checking, and everyone wants their work to be good. Sometimes, I try not to do something or get involved and let them decide or get certain shots. It's hard, especially if most directors and producers are control freaks. Sometimes, I'm like, "I'm going to stay in my trailer right now, and I won't work on something else. I'll let them shoot this part because I know they can get it."

What was the most difficult scene in 'Agent Recon' to film?
They're all difficult. We were shooting in the rain, and it was damn cold on the first day. It's raining hard the whole day in LA, a rare occurrence that made it difficult. My team put plastic covers all over the expensive cameras while filming. I hadn't met Marc Singer in person before, and we spoke on the phone. Getting that first scene, the time we first encounter these "wraiths." It is tricky because you have many moving parts, and we deal with rain and weather. Getting to know everybody and making sure you get all the stuff. We still have this tough and tight schedule. In that scene, when we first encounter Marc, Jason, and my characters, we see these guys for the first time.

What filmmakers or films influenced you?
Christopher Nolan is the easy answer for sure. He's at the top of the cinematic game because he is smart and intelligent. Whenever you hear him speak, you're like, "Man! I'll never be as smart as him as a filmmaker." He's drawing on the whiteboard doing rocket science or something. He probably would have a PhD in rocket science if he hadn't become a filmmaker. I also like Matt Reeves because he has made many movies where he's been thrown in by the studio to fix things, and then he worked his way up to 'The Batman' (2022), which is well done. [His two] 'Planet of the Apes' [films] put him in that situation, and his version was good. He's a solid filmmaker doing stuff at such a high level. People don't know his name as well as they should.

I saw Jim Cameron's 'The Terminator' (1984) again while making this film because there's something about the intersection of three stories in the beginning. Multiple stories are going on in this film, and the tension in that film and not knowing exactly what's going to happen are things I was trying to achieve. You're not sure throughout the movie what exactly these things are and what is happening, but all is revealed in time, and you must have that patience. These days, we need to know right away. You know quickly in this movie that they're on a mission. These are the main characters. Other things they encounter, I try to keep the mystery alive as long as possible because that's what makes great movies not knowing until we get there.

Agent Recon is available on digital and on-demand on June 21st.

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