Ladies and Safety
Another combination of my favourite subjects: stage combat and Edwardian self-defense. To add “…and ladies” would have been very sexist, why would you think I’d say something so rude? Oh yeah, the title of this article.
Let me just say at the outset that women tend to be more concerned with personal safety than men because of the long history (and continued) violence against women perpetuated by men. Let’s face it, there’s very few reports of attacks on women by other women in all of history. To be prepared for an assault from a larger and more muscular foe full of testosterone and backed by a patriarchal society is something every woman worries about.
So to me it’s no surprise that Bartitsu was espoused by the suffragette movement, and women embraced jiu jitsu especially.
To wit, here’s an interview
Continue Reading →
FDC Intensive: Vancouver 2012
Fight Directors Canada
and the Theatre Department at Capilano University present
Vancouver Combat Workshop
Certification 2012
June 24 – July 8
A 2 week intensive training program and certification course in stage and film combat by Fight Directors Canada.
For information or to register, email fdcvancouver@gmail.com
or visit www.VancouverCombatWorkshop.com
Evolution of the Fight Scene (Video Slideshow)
“You actually want an element of disorientation—that’s what makes it exciting,” Murch says of his approach to splicing together a fight. “So you put the focus of interest somewhere else, jarringly, and you cut at unexpected moments. You make a tossed salad of it, you abuse the audience’s attention.”
Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan, and the rise of the choppy fight scene. – By Dennis Lim – Slate Magazine
Thanks to Bonzuko for bringing this to my attention.
In this great assemblage of film fights, we see the changes in fight scene choreography and shooting style over time. I had a great time seeing these classics again, and appreciating them afresh for the commentary in the sidebar. Novices and old-hands at fight direction will appreciate this examination of pivotal scenes.
Like evolution, it may look like a progression toward something better and more perfect. In reality, it is like real evolution: an expression of the best fit to the environment… in this case it’s the cultural environment that the film fits itself to. Style is not something linked to a particular year or a particular country, even though critics would have you think it is when they talk about “German Post-War Cinema”. The directors who make work of value use style to enhance their story and express their film’s goals. So the style changes are not a ladder or even a meandering road, but a choice made for each movie as it is planned, shot and edited – subject to the knowledge and technology of the time, of course.
Many of the examples given are iconic movies that are not typical of their era anyway, and in most cases are completely unique examples of the art. In that way, it is even more difficult to see general trends in movie-making and cinematography and generalize an “evolution”. On the other hand, why watch all the mediocre fight scenes of every year just to see what all the sheep are doing?
Slaps & Slashes Workshop Sept 26
3 Hours of Unarmed Stage Combat
3 Hours of Sabre for the Stage
Stage Combat Fundamentals in One Day
To perform fights on stage, there are two elements: performer safety and the illusion of violence. When you want to look like you’re trying to kill someone, it’s a bad idea to improvise. The fight looks like crap and people get hurt.
In this intensive one-day workshop, we’ll cover the basics of stage combat, including:
- Slaps
- Punches
- Hair Pulls
- Chokes
- Falls
- Sword parries and footwork
- Sword attacks
- Wounds and death
Important and Convenient
Anyone who performs fights for entertainment needs to know these essentials, whether you’re acting in plays or film, or performing fight demonstrations.
It’s at Academie Duello, conveniently located in downtown Vancouver.
It’s happening on a Saturday, a one-day commitment, ending early enough that you still have your evening to see a show and enjoy the rest of your weekend. It’s also affordable to anyone who has an interest: $80 for the full day.
More Info
Keep yourself safe and look like an action hero. Register by dropping by Academie Duello: 422 Richards Street (upstairs), or call 604-568-9907. We have a Facebook Event here: Facebook | Slaps & Slashes Stage Combat. As always, you can get tons of stage combat information at PlayFighting.ca
Recent Stage Combat Articles
I’ve been away from the blog for a few weeks, at the FDC National Workshop in Waterloo, then the process of moving from Toronto to Vancouver. In the meantime, there have been a few news items about stage combat, and I’ve picked three for you today: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.
As is the tradition, let’s start with the Bad news:
Hanging around for the credits | Nashua Telegraph
…does “Jersey Boys” really need a fight director? I realize this is a story about some sketchy guys from New Jersey, but c’mon. This wasn’t exactly “Goodfellas the Musical.” Yeah, there are a few Tony Soprano-type moments, but I can hardly remember any real dustups in the play.
You, my readers, know that a few Soprano moments can mean a broken nose if you don’t have a fight director. But that’s not all. He goes on:
…“Romeo and Juliet.” What? I don’t recall any kickboxing or scissor holds in Shakespeare. A fight director for the Bard? Instead, how about a translator for those of us not too well versed in Shakespearean prose?
Is he just being inflammatory? Or is this critic “not too well versed in Shakespearean” anything? Even if the first scene of the play is not depicted as a major Capulet vs. Montague brawl (which it should be, since the Prince has to break it up on penalty of death), there are still two sword fights in which characters are mortally wounded on stage. Does Mike Morin believe a fight choreographer is not needed for major sword fights?
He follows up that article with somewhat of a retraction in his next item. He is schooled by one of the actors from Jersey Boys on the importance of a fight director here: Getting a lesson in musical theatre.
Here’s the Ugly, when things go wrong:
Blanchett injured in stage fight | The Sydney Morning Herald
Edgerton accidentally hit Blanchett in the head with a ’60s-style radio. The impact could be heard in the audience and the actress and STC co-artistic director fell down on all fours. Several people said they could see blood streaming down the back of Blanchett’s head. She went off stage to fetch clothes for Stanley’s wife, Stella (Robin McLeavy), and used some of them to try to staunch the flow of blood.
A spokesperson reported that Cate is fine, and expects to continue the run immediately.
And finally, to end on a positive note, the Good:
Lessons from the experts of theatre | guardian.co.uk
Kombat Kate provided invaluable pointers for stage combat, demonstrating just how much preparation theatrical fights need to be dramatically coherent, safe and effective. Combat is often the casualty of a short rehearsal period and a hamstrung budget – paying for fight choreography can seem like a luxury to the penniless young director or producer. But it’s not. A slapdash fight in which actors lose concentration and go too fast or slip out of control is a fight in which someone is going to get their nose broken or their ear-drum perforated, not to mention the fact that it will look rubbish on stage. Every fight tells a story in microcosm: working with a good fight director will help ensure that the narrative isn’t garbled.
To have a director publicly recognize the value of having a fight director is heartening. Although we like individual praise and good reviews, what we really need to cultivate is a culture that understands that the job itself is valuable… and in many cases it is indispensable.
Originally posted on PlayFighting.ca: Stage Combat Articles This Week: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
How to Die On Stage
Many characters suffer and die in plays and films. Some actors consider it to be the most fun scene, others think it’s the most challenging. How do you play a realistic death?
The researchers at New Scientist took evidence from various sources to create subjective descriptions of the events leading to death for a number of scenarios. The information came from known medical processes, accounts from near-death survivors, and autopsy data.
Death: Scientists Reveal What It’s Like To Die | Sky News:
Drowning:
Victims first panic and try to hold their breath, typically for 30 to 90 seconds. Survivors have reported a “tearing and burning” sensation as water enters the lungs – but it is quickly followed by a feeling of calmness and tranquility. Oxygen deprivation results in loss of consciousness, the heart stopping and brain death.Heart attack:
A “squeezing” chest pain, or feeling of pressure, is the most common symptom as the heart muscle struggles for oxygen. Disruption of the normal heart rhythm effectively stops the heart beating. Loss of consciousness can occur in about 10 seconds and death can follow minutes later.Loss of blood:
Marked by several stages of “haemorrhagic shock”. Anyone losing 1.5 litres of blood feels weak, thirsty and anxious. By the time two litres are lost, people experience dizziness, confusion and eventual unconsciousness.Electrocution:
A household electric shock might stop the heart, leading to unconsciousness after around 10 seconds. Higher currents through the heart or brain can produce almost immediate unconsciousness. However, it has been claimed that prisoners executed with the electric chair may actually have died from heating of the brain or suffocation.Fall from a height:
Survivors of great falls often report the sensation of time slowing down. A study of 100 suicide jumps from San Francisco’s 246-ft-high Golden Gate Bridge found numerous cases of instantaneous death involving collapsed lungs, exploded hearts or damage to organs from broken ribs.Hanging:
Hanging suicides and old-fashioned executions cause death by strangulation. This can lead to unconsciousness in 10 seconds but a poorly placed noose may result in many minutes of suffering. “Long drop” hangings are designed to break the neck. But a study of the remains of 34 prisoners executed in this way found that four-fifths died partly from asphyxiation.Fire:
Burns inflict intense pain, and boost the skin’s pain sensitivity. As superficial nerves are destroyed, some feeling is lost – but not much, according to experts. But most people who die in fires are actually killed by inhaling toxic gases and asphyxiation.Decapitation:
Beheading can be swift and painless but consciousness is believed to continue for a short time after the spinal cord is severed. Experts have calculated that the brain might remain functioning for seven seconds. Reports from guillotine executions in France cited cases where movements of the eyes and mouth were seen for up to 30 seconds.
Death From Combat
For those who die fighting (my speciality), whether in battles or duels or assassinations, take a close read of the section on Loss of blood. It mentions haemorrhagic shock, and here’s a reference table:
Classification of Hemorrhagic Shock (adapted from SOGC Clinical Practice Guidelines, #115, June 2002):
| Compensated | Mild | Moderate | Severe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood Loss (ml) | ≤1000 | 1000–1500 | 1500-2000 | >2000 |
| Heart rate (bpm) | <100 | >100 | >120 | >140 |
| Respiration | Normal | Mild Increase | Moderate tachypnea | Marked tachypnea: respiratory collapse |
| Mental status | Normal or agitated | Agitated | Confused | Lethargic |
I would describe this to an actor as a whole body progression (mind, breathing, and physical strength) from Elevated to Irregular to Depressed, then unconsciousness and death. At first, breathing is faster – even faster than when fighting – the mind is racing as well, which might be shown as darting eyes or faster speech. Next, everything gets messy: Breathing is irregular, speech may be halting or stuttering, and if the person is not already on the floor, they will fall down from weakness in the legs and dizzyness. In their final moments of consciousness, play the slowing of the breath, slow speech, slow movement.
For wounds in general, remember that almost everyone tries to cover a puncture or cut of any size. Wherever the character was injured, put your hands there and push. This will also focus your mind on the source of your pain while the audience clearly understands what’s going on. As a bonus, we can conveniently use less stage blood (or no blood), and still have a believable death scene. For added detail, remember that the loss of blood is a loss of fluid, so the character will be thirsty.
If you’re lucky enough that your director gives you a lengthy death scene, I hope these details help you sell it.
Fat Pig Continues This Week
This is your last week to catch Fat Pig, which is getting fantastic reviews, like this one:
Director Michael Scholar Jr. has done a great job at staging the play in a way that keeps the audience focused and engaged. The set is minimal and shifts direction, both physically and metaphorically, at several points throughout the performance.
Kathryn Kirkpatrick delivers a brave and stellar performance as Helen, the object of Tom’s (Lawrence Haegert) desire and Haegert pulls us in completely with his performance, giving us hope that he’ll come through in the end. Jennifer Mawhinney and Aaron Craven’s characters (Jeannie, Carter) provide the cringe. Their dialogue is rich with all we try to hide in ourselves.
Fat Pig is a play that everyone should see. If you can get past the title, it’s definitely worth the time.
Vancouver Observer: Articles
The play is not about obesity itself, but concerns honesty. I found it a fascinating exploration of what it means to be honest with oneself and with others. Is being truthful always good? Is changing your mind a matter of integrity? Is there any truth or lies without a society’s judgment? Each of the characters struggle with these ideas, and that’s what makes this play engaging.
I read an article this week that reflects these questions. It’s an interview from Esquire with Brad Blanton on Radical Honesty.
More Reviews:
From “An Unidentified Production”: Blog by TwentySomething Theatre
This Is What I Like To See
The quality of this Vancouver production of “Fat Pig” was equal to what I saw on Broadway.
From Irresistible Theatre: Blog by Angela Konrad
Fat is Phat
Michael Scolar Jr. has created a terrific production in every respect. In addition to drawing lovely performances from his actors, the staging is inventive without being self-conscious, the pacing is spot on, and the comedy and pathos are in perfect balance.Fat Pig makes my first Top Ten entry of 2009.
The performances are selling out, so call to reserve tickets.
Fat Pig
Where: Performance Works, Granville Island
When: May 20 – 30
Tickets: Tues – Thur & Matinees $21.50; Fri – Sat $25.50
Contact: 604 684 2787
Website: www.fatpig.ca
Filming Fight Rehearsals and The Value of a Fight Director
A martial artist wants to show off the height of their kicks, their flexibility, their accuracy with a partner, and they set up a camera to best show off their assets for a series of moves. A fight director knows how to use the camera to tell the story as well as capture the correct angles for the strikes. Most martial artists and fencers have no idea how to frame a shot, what camera moves accomplish, or why film is different from a live performance.
In this article, I don’t want to slam martial artists, they are excellent performers and can accomplish things within their specialty that I could never do. However, performing extraordinary feats does not grant a magical ability to understand presentation. There is a reason for film school and years of training in theatre: it’s not instinct that makes great film. It’s knowledge.
Almost everybody can write. Almost nobody (including published authors) can write a good novel. The difference is structure and storytelling skills.
In stunt work, especially fight choreography, there is an added problem of safety. A karate champion is a champion because he can hit his opponents faster and more precisely, and avoid their strikes. How does that train him to be safe? Only accidentally because of his precision. He is trained over years to connect fist to target. Ask him to punch over the shoulder because of the camera angle, and he won’t like it. Ask him to make his arm bounce to give the illusion of the hit, and you’re giving him a challenge he never had before: acting. The only reason to hire him is for publicity, because he doesn’t have the necessary skills for film: safety and acting.
And don’t let him choreograph the fight, because he has zero concept of storytelling.
Hire a fight director, and give him rehearsal time to train the performers.
Wow. That was a rant. The article on PlayFighting is a lot more about the business of recording rehearsals on video and collaborating with directors. Read the full post at PlayFighting.ca and enjoy an awesome clip of a fight rehearsal from the Serenity movie: Filming Fight Rehearsals and The Value of a Fight Director
Fat Pig Ready for Opening Night
Fat Pig Opens This Week | PlayFighting
The Vancouver premiere of Fat Pig by Neil LaBute opens May 20 on Granville Island, 1218 Cartwright St. There is not much physical violence in the piece, but I consulted for the stage combat. I also watched a full run of the show. The writing is by turns hilarious and heart-wrenching. With news piling up every day about the obesity epidemic, it is important to see theatre that reminds us that fat people are first and foremost people. The acting is strong from all four performers, the timing is tight, and the emotional connections are touching.
I loved working with the talented cast, and I can’t wait to see opening night. Hopefully I’ll see you there.
Get the full story on PlayFighting.ca
YoungBlood Unearths Smallsword Lexicon
Aside from a brief list of terms and definitions in the Pallas Armata(1639) this is the earliest published historical fencing glossary I have seen. Please make best use of it that you can.
YoungBlood » Sword Geek: Smallsword Glossary 1784
Tim Klotz has sourced an excellent piece of sword history here. A full A-Z glossary of terminology and advice on smallsword duelling from a very early source. McArthur’s manual, which he published at the age of 24, is based on his understanding of Master Oliver. The reader may compare this work with Oliver’s Fencing Familiarized, and contrast with Angelo’s The School of Fencing
According to Klotz, “McArthur’s dismisses many distinctive and flamboyant characteristics of Angelo’s style (such as thrusting in Tierce, the Fan Parade (Modern Parry 6) and complex disarms).”