For my mazda transmission, I used a vacuum pump with a cup inline of the suction line. Vacuum pumps can be pretty handy to have around, I use mine for stubborn brake lines that I just can't get the air out of with a gravity bleed and it works pretty well.

If you have air in the master cylinder, with the bleeder closed, if you pump the clutch pedal up it should help get air out. You may have to do this for a while. In my experience with automotive hydraulic systems, when there is no fluid coming out of the bleeder there is probably a large amount of air in the system. As you get the bulk of the air out, the fluid should flow pretty steadily when the bleeder is open.