Working as stunt in American martial arts films , Gomes came with the idea of producing a martial art film shot in his birth city , Fortaleza , Ceará . However , Gomes prepared no script , then he went to a local film school and announced he was looking for a script writer for a martial arts film . The next step was to raise funds , which was done through gubernamental tax incentives . For the casting Gomes put an ad in the '' Back Stage West '' , and received about 3,000 subsmissions . He was worried to cast people who had already travelled to another country because he thought the recentness of September 11 attacks could affect actor 's performance . The film was shot both in Ceará and Los Angeles during a period of four weeks
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Sunland Heat