Which style best for stunt fighting ?

Posted by: Mutualrespect

Which style best for stunt fighting ? - 11/27/12 02:48 AM

Hi All
A few years ago(2004) I trained in Kyokushin karate and it was great. I found it very structured and offered me a good training base.
MMA picked up here so I left and joined a popular kickboxing school which offered some MMA as well. Getting married and having a kid slowed me down but now I am back and ready to train as the film industry is currently booming in South Africa(I occasionally work as a part time actor and have basic stunt training having worked on a few films in the past but Im not here to boast)
Im hesitant to train in karate again as I have heard some allege it is too static for film so I might get overlooked. Not many of the stunt fighters here are dedicated martial artists so I dont see what the fuss is anyway. Many have built up good relationships with the co-ordinators so I would need to prove myself again tp get back to the action side.
My goals are moderate fitness, style, suppleness and focus...

My training options are:
1) Karate, good fitness and strength, ok style.
2)The kickboxing/MMA school which is great but possibly a bit hardcore for my personal goals as a 39 year old :-)
3)A smaller Wingchun school is located nearby and I sense it offers a less competitive environment ?
All honest opinions are respected, fire away but please take note of my specific needs which are not self-defense but 'camera friendly technique'
Regards
MS
Posted by: cxt

Re: Which style best for stunt fighting ? - 11/27/12 05:29 PM

In all honesty I'd suggest that you sit down and really decide what your real goal might be.

If your main goal is stunt work---then you might not want to be doing MMA--although depending on the film it might be very valuable.

I hope you can find what suits you, I'm just not sure that anything you have listed would have the "film" appeal you also seem to be looking for.

Hardly an expert--and its not one of the choices you have listed, but some of the chinese arts might be a good choice.
In addition to being good for self defense some of them are "on purpose" theatrical--they were used on-stage by various theater troops so they translate well to film......or so I have been told.

Any other choices?
Posted by: iaibear

Re: Which style best for stunt fighting ? - 11/27/12 11:52 PM

'THEATRICAL" means exactly that: how it is perceived when "on stage".

Anyone who "does swords" is aware that when thrusting through your opponent, the blade is held horizontally so as not to engage and get stuck between the ribs of your opponent. On the stage, or on camera, the blade held horizontally is virtually invisible, being seen on edge. To be seen by an audience the blade should be held vertically, so the width of the blade can be easily seen.

My thanks to the theatrical sword people I watched at a Highlander Gathering in Denver a few years back.
Posted by: Mutualrespect

Re: Which style best for stunt fighting ? - 11/28/12 02:44 AM

Hi
Years ago I was trained in basic sword work so that part is covered and comes quite naturally. I attended a Wing Chun lesson last night....My word, that was quite an eye opener compared to karate. The difference would be night and day to say the least.
I had to constantly think and adjust to the idea of conserving energy and saving the energy for the strike only. In karate it was a 'hard as nails' attitude mentally and physically the entire time. I broke a mean sweat last night despite being weight training fit. I found the guys were very calm on the whole and the sense was more about practicality and conserivng energy. We just focused on basic strikes and blocks, no kicks.
There is also an Aikido School nearby so that is also an option?(if I wasnt married I would do both but hey, guess I have to be home for the loving wife to nag to :-) I featured with Grand Master Steven Seagul in 'Mercenary for Justice' as cop taking a quick bullet so unfortunately never got my butt kicked by Mr Seagul. I was just a bit surprised as he wacked quite a few guys in the nuts when he took them down(not sure if thats standard Aikido practice..).
I think I will try Wing Chun for a few weeks as its pretty affordable too and gets the brain firing which I think will come in handy when putting together a fight sequence.
All opinions are still welcome, thanks for those that shared.
Posted by: Dobbersky

Re: Which style best for stunt fighting ? - 11/28/12 05:42 PM

I would look at Actor Sonny Chiba he is a Kyokushin Yudansha and has his own school

Parkour and Gymnastics are a way through as most of the FIlm Martial artists seem to be avid gymnasts
Posted by: Mutualrespect

Re: Which style best for stunt fighting ? - 11/29/12 01:34 AM

Hi
I attended a Wing Chun class on Tuesday and must say the technical aspect fascinated me in a big way. Its totally different to karate.
I think I will give it a try primarily for the close-combat techniques which I feel could work nicely for the camera.
There is also a Aikido school close by but I think its a style best suited to somebody who would more than likely play a hero in a movie. Brushing up on some gymnastics/parkour is a good idea because falling nicely(hard yet controlled) is what makes the good guy look better too.
For now Wing Chun will be my choice as I feel it will challenge my mental focus and reflexes most.
Posted by: Dobbersky

Re: Which style best for stunt fighting ? - 11/30/12 10:55 AM

If you're 39, with respect, not too sure how many Film companies will be interested in an "aging" Actor especially when there are so many out there younger and with more specific training in Wushu etc going for the parts you would be going for. For every Martial Arts Actor getting the part, there's probably 2-3 hundred that didn't

But Wing Chun and Aikido are definately styles which are excellent for "personal" improvement.
Posted by: Mutualrespect

Re: Which style best for stunt fighting ? - 12/03/12 05:09 AM

Hi Dobbersky
I respect your un-informed opinion and have been working occasionaly as a smalltime stunt perfomer. I have an agent and have kept in shape with weights since 18 and have not abused my body. Forgive me me for sounding slighly egotistical(in defence of your age comment about me) but in the past five years I have doubled for Vinnie Jones and Daniel Bernhardt(who is a very capable martial artis). It means little because as we are all lead to believe.."lead actors always do their own stunts" (ha ha)
If I stayed in Hollywood I would have to be really good to get work and would probably get overlooked for younger, fitter guys, but as a caucasian born and raised in South Africa I feel the competition isnt as tough as it might be in the US.
Lets see how the Wing Chun goes for now,
regards
Posted by: Dobbersky

Re: Which style best for stunt fighting ? - 12/11/12 10:49 AM

Well MutualR,

that's a resume that is really good, I'm glad you took my response as a kindhearted one as too many people would have gone of at a tangent, totally missing the point.

I know many people in Knockdown Karate from South Africa and I am myself a Knockdown Karateka so know and understand what determination to achieve is.

Glad you're taking up Wing Chun as its one of those styles which will definately complement what you've already studied.

Could I suggest Wrestling too as the athletes coming out of there are awesome Actors too, "The Rock" for one.

The older guys tend to get to play the "baddies" but Bolo Yueng is one of the Best Martial Artists/Actors in the world and STILL gets parts in movies even now