Aikido Shugyo Dojo (Toronto) Newsletter - August 1997

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Aikido Shugyo Dojo Newsletter - August 1997 - September 1997

Donovan Waite on screen
by John McNabb

Donovan Waite Sensei "Donovan is an important guy—he is world-reknowned in aikido."
—Steven Patterson, Director

Donovan Waite Sensei is no stranger to film work. He has played an aikido sensei (no stretch there) in a movie called Inside Out, which is about a person who gradually changes for the better while studying aikido. Let me know if you spot it in video stores, because I'm looking for this one. Donovan has also choreographed action scenes for television.

Aspiring filmmaker Steven Patterson wrote his movie, Drawing Down the Moon, with the idea that the action scenes would use aikido. When actress Karina Krepp was being considered for the lead role in this independent film, she "charmed herself into one of the best aikido schools in the country-the New York Aikikai." Patterson says in his web page, "She marched into the Aikikai and spoke to Donovan Waite. You have to understand that Donovan is an important guy-he is world-renowned in aikido; he is one of the principal teachers at the school; and he's also the main assistant to Master Yamada, the founder of the New York Aikikai." Donovan agreed to train Krepp "on spec", with the understanding that he and the New York Aikikai wouldn't get paid until the film sells. Patterson says then "we'll give them a healthy paycheck, including interest."

Drawing Down the Moon is about a young witch who starts a shelter for homeless people. This brings trouble from the local crime lord, played by Walter Koenig (Chekov from Star Trek). Throughout the trouble that comes her way, Gwynyth McBride (the witch) uses her witchcraft to heal, and her martial arts skills (aikido actually) to defend herself. Krepp (the actress) studied with Donovan for six months, both in regular and private classes. She also found time to study witchcraft; she hung out in new age bookstores, attended rituals, and interviewed witches.

Writer/producer/director Steven Patterson wrote the script for Drawing Down the Moon, but he "had trouble getting an agent to read it." He then heard about El Mariachi, an independent film made for $7,000, which was picked up and distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Company, launching the director's career. Patterson recruited friends interested in doing a film, and met Walter Koenig at a Star Trek convention, convincing him to play the role of an unlikely crime lord, a mathematician who's really just interested in his research of Chaos Theory.

This is the first movie I've heard of where aikido is used by a woman, and in pure self-defense. I look forward to Drawing Down the Moon, now in post-production, hitting the theatres. Waite Sensei receives the credit, 'Aikido trainer: Ms. Krepp'.