So you’ve got a bitchin’ swordfight and you want to put it on camera. What do you do? You grab your friend, slap a camera in their hands and have at it! The fight is spectacular, amazing!! At least that’s how it feels until you look at the playback. Somehow it doesn’t quite look like Scaramouche, Princess Bride, or Rob Roy.
To create a visually exciting swordfight (or any action sequence) on film, there are a number of tricks and techniques that professionals use to maximize the action while minimizing the danger: camera angles, composition, lenses, undercranking, overcranking, misdirection, compressing action, specialty gags, etc.
The “Acting Action” Film Combat Workshop has been taught extensively in LA and numerous workshops across the country. Robert Chapin has not only performed action sequences in major feature films such as “Hook” and “Army of Darkness”, has has also served as fight choreographer, second unit director, and starred in several feature films such as “Ring of Steel”. He is now directing and producing the long running web series “The Hunted” (www.thehunted.tv) as well as the feature film adaptation of the show.
No experience is required and choreographed fights are welcomed. Footage “dailies” will be screened later at the convention.