FAQs

What is stage combat?
            Stage combat is the performance of violence or violent action for stage and film.  It is a physical discipline that allows for the illusion of violence, aggression, or injury.  Stage combat’s primary purpose is to keep people safe, otherwise a director would just hand his actors some swords and say “Go!”  Stage combat can include many different skills, such as unarmed fighting, falling and rolling, and the use of weapons.  Stage combat can be dramatic or comedic, and is blended with acting techniques to create a realistic and convincing performance.

How safe is stage combat?
            Performed correctly, stage combat is completely safe.  In fact, stage combat is intended to keep performers safe.  Learning stage combat will give you knowledge of proper fighting techniques and help you become more aware of yourself and others onstage.  However, stage combat, just like any other physical activity, includes a certain amount of risk.  It’s our job to help you minimize that risk as much as possible.

Why learn stage combat?
            In today’s progressive world of theatre and film, violence and fighting are becoming more and more common.  At the same time, audiences are becoming more fight savvy, requiring more creative and innovative choreography to catch their attention.  This has created a demand for more and more actors to learn how to fight, and fight well.
            Knowing stage combat makes an actor more marketable than those who can’t fight.  Stage combat experience allows a performer to be physically more versatile, from comedic trips and falls to Shakespearean sword fights to gritty scenes of torture and pain.  Some of the greatest roles require fighting; Hamlet, Romeo, Cyrano, Joan of Arc, Buffy.  If you have even the most rudimentary training in stage combat, you make yourself more marketable than those who don’t.  Learning stage combat also allows an actor to be smarter about their own safety and to know the right questions to ask.
            But learning stage combat isn’t limited to the actor.  Directors would also benefit from having stage combat training.  A director who is familiar with stage combat can better plan for what their production will need, and can communicate more fluently with the fight choreographer.  Even simply knowing basic safety concerns and staging considerations will aid a director looking to stage a production with a fight in it.

How hard is it to learn stage combat?
            No harder than learning any other physical discipline, such as dance, martial arts, or gymnastics.  In fact, previous experience in any of those would help your ability to learn stage combat, but is in no way required.  People with no previous experience can learn stage combat too.  We are aware that everyone’s learning curve will be different, and tailor our classes and choreography to meet individual needs.

Do I need to bring anything to classes?
            The only things you need to bring are comfortable movement clothes and shoes.  We will provide any equipment needed, including weapons.

What is the job of a Fight Choreographer?
            First and foremost, safety.  It is the fight choreographer’s primary concern to keep the actors safe while performing a fight.  The choreographer works with the actors to assure their comfort with the moves of the choreography, and also addresses any safety concerns with props, sets, or costumes as they relate to the action.
            The fight choreographer can also help relieve some of the creative burden placed on the director.  The creation of the moves, the instruction of the actors, the attention to safety and other details adds up to a lot of work, work which the fight choreographer is specifically suited to do.  The fight choreographer assists the director by using his or her knowledge of stage combat to best serve the production, allowing for the fight itself to tell a story.  The fight choreographer also assists with the staging of the action, addressing specific details such as sight-lines, size and type of theatre, and special effects.

Who would benefit from hiring a Fight Choreographer?
            Any director or producer looking to present a production with any amount of violence should consider hiring a fight choreographer.  And while battles, brawls and duels are the fight choreographers’ bread and butter, they can also assist with other types of action, such as domestic abuse or slapstick.  We can teach people how to fall safely, how to work with firearms, design special effects, and help with specific props or set effects.

Need another question answered? Contact us at massbattle@gmail.com