Meet Bryan Sloyer

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bryan Sloyer.

Bryan, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I began my martial arts journey at the age of 15 in a Filipino stick fighting art called Balintawak. I earned Completion of the Art under Full Qualified Instructor Jeff Soriano in 2012 shortly before moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the film industry. I manage my own YouTube channel with a focus in martial arts content and independently produced short films. In 2018 I fight coordinated my first feature film Starring Frank Grillo and Mel Gibson.

I have been fortunate to work on other projects such as “Logan”, “Aquaman”, “Birds of Prey”, and “Bloodshot”. In 2018, I was able to bring three of my own students to Grandmaster Bobby Taboada and test them for Completion of the Art, successfully qualifying for my own instructorship title. This year, I was able to establish my martial arts school ”Balintawak LA” as founder and head instructor. I currently reside in LA, teaching and continuing my filmmaking career.

Has it been a smooth road?
It is never a smooth road. And I’d have it no other way. As an artist or a creative, it is important to know who you are and what you stand for, else you will not have a voice. And I see that as tragic. For what is the sole purpose of art? Things like science can tell us literal constructs and how we are made. I think art can help us understand all the “why’s” in life. I see art as a way to discover why you are. So I see hard roads as opportunities for growth.

I have excruciating fear of abandonment. All of my worries and concerns can be tracked back to this. Maybe it’s due to my life and how it has unfolded. Regardless, it leaks into my work and I allow that to the surface because it is a piece of me and I wish to be a genuine artist. I am also a Christian. And though I avoid speaking of it publicly, my thoughts concerning God also surface. This I allow too. Not to preach, but to offer to whoever the audience maybe, a chance to discover something they normally wouldn’t think about. And for those that already do, maybe it will encourage them to study further on their own.

As far as struggles go, I am no different from anyone else. Everyone suffers in some way. I simply defer mine to a platform that may seem more public. But it is only as personal or public as you the artist wishes it to be. That is the beauty of it.

We’d love to hear more about your work.
Growing up martial arts gave me an identity. I slowly discovered who I was and who I wanted to be. Balintawak help me better understand the life values that everyone should be seeking somewhere already: integrity, loyalty, honesty, truth and even love. So of course, I wish to share Balintawak with anyone if it means it could help them in some way. Big or small. Additionally, it is a wonderful way to teach easily comprehensible self-defense concepts due to Balintawak’s curriculum material and how it is structured. I always say I am not teaching you how to fight, but how to defend yourself. Fighting is easy. But one-day fighting may come to your doorstep…are you ready to protect yourself and those you love?

In the filmmaking category, I loved watching martial arts movies with my Dad. This love I carried with me all the way to college, where I decided to bite the bullet and crazily try to chase my dream. And so, I moved to Los Angeles. There I eventually built the courage up to connect with members of LBP Chicago Stunts. I met a man named Emmanuel Manzanares who graciously took me under his wing and began tutoring me in how to perform action for the camera, shooting/editing action, and finally directing action (choreography/coordinating/designing). My love for movies and martial arts had finally fused. And very quickly I began dumping all of my fight practice videos, choreography, and action shorts on my YouTube channel. Mainstream industry stunt coordinators began to notice my work and I eventually began doing feature film work.

As a kali practitioner, it was difficult jumping into stunts as someone that wasn’t very good at kicking or didn’t know basic Kung fu or karate (stances, footwork, etc.). I tried hard fitting in for a long time. I realized it wasn’t me. That is when I began introducing my interpretation of Kali style action into my work. I went back to who I was, and that’s when I think people took notice.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I am not smart enough to foresee anything like that. I know things are constantly evolving…as they should! But my hopes for the industry and especially the action on-screen industry would be that the story will come first. That entertainment can also enlighten. For me, it’s about providing entertainment for those that need a break from reality, while also providing enlightenment for those that wish to further seek the depths of it.

Contact Info:

• Website: Bryansloyer.wixsite.com/balintawakla
• Instagram: Sloyerstunts
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sloyerbryan

Image Credit:
Kyle Potter
Amy Sturdivant
Sam KJ

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