Filming a compelling and realistic fight scene demands difficult planning, choreography, and attention to detail. Safety is paramount, necessitating collaboration with experienced Fight Choreography people and ensuring actors are adequately trained.
Careful choreography, tailored to characters' personalities and fighting styles, guarantees a smooth and fun sequence.
Strategic camera placement and movement, coupled with effective use of lighting, intensify the scene's mood and visibility. I am unique with my angles, and they have purpose.
Attention to sound design, including Foley effects, enhances realism. Pacing and rhythm, continuity, and judicious editing contribute to building tension and creating impactful moments.
Leveraging the fight scene for character development requires alignment with emotions and motivations. Let the character intent and motivation really shine through the movement and story.
Thorough rehearsals with actors and stunt teams refine timing and allow for adjustments. Finally, thoughtful consideration of props, costume and set design adds to the overall realism while maintaining narrative consistency. After all, costume can hide pads for safety.
No rehearsal time means major risks in the film safety wise. I have had well trained people and we can get a "print" really fast. If you can reshoot great. If not have some filler footage in there.. Clenching of the fist, blood or sweat droplets in slow mo.
I prefer quick rapid cuts, and sometimes people like Long takes much like Daredevil - Hallway Scene! I feel there is more you can do. Long takes are more of a fad. I can do better with less. A long take is good, but you can have great polished footage adding one or two cutaways.
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As a former actor with various stage combat certifications, I'm so happy to see this post. Fight scenes require thoughtful planning and execution.
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I absolutely love to watch behind the scenes on Stunt Choreo and prep. Rehearsals are essential!
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Yeah, I completely agree Kelly Ann. It’s my forte. It’s what I enjoy. Fight choreography is my number one pursuit. I’m in the works for independent and full length features at this point.
Super helpful… I’ve been using a lot of technology from my previz. It’s nice to meet you. Thank you for chiming in on this post. Greatly appreciated.
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Niki H I love doing it. I enjoy every bit of it. I think the more well rehearsed. The actors are the better. Some people try to cut corners on rehearsal, which is quite dangerous. One of the short films that I did during the pandemic, my two partners rehearsed over zoom for nine months straight. I was able to get the sequence in 2 takes because of the fact they were so well rehearsed.
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agreed!!!!
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Kelly Ann Parker have you seen Hurt Locker directed by Kathryn Bigelow?
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Shane Stanley Shane I can't agree more. Sometimes we have the luxury of doing small fight scenes like kicks, punches, slaps one off motions that I love doing it, yet when it comes to a full fight scene where to requires more time the dynamics change. The complexity of the scene is what I look for. I first read the script. Time as you know is dollars, so rehearsal time is also safety, but complex scenes require more time.
The big question for me is: Do I connect to the material? Does it resonate with me? If it does I then scour the script after reading it a few times, and look for the intent and motivation behind the fight scene. Intentions and motivations are crucial and then I work to figure out how they will play out in the fight scene. Some fight sequences are short and clean and emotive. Others require a bit more.
Some are longer and deserve more effort and planning. I seek to sell the scene with the actors or stunt people, and then figure out ways to provide production value along the way. When we do kicks to the stomach we usually wear a Motocross belt. They are easy to hide and very protective. Also known as a Kidney belt. I can take multiple shots to the gut with this.
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When I write a fight scene I write how it feels, any big beats and how it should end. Everything else is left to people that understand the physicality of actors as well as the location and production constraints. I find it pointless to add to much detail as physical things always change on the day.