On July 19th 2010, Último Dragón will host his world famous Lucha Fiesta in Japan! In this unprecedented event Último Dragón returns to the Land of the Rising Sun as he brings to the shores of his homeland the lucha libre extravaganza he has shaped into THE international wrestling experience of the year.

The historical significance of this event reaches beyond the world-class talent that will step into the ring. In what is being considered the start of the globalization of lucha libre and Japanese professional wrestling, Lucha Fiesta 2010 will be sponsored for the first time ever by both the governments of Mexico AND Japan!

In a joint effort to commemorate those two countries’ 400th year anniversary of friendship and strong working relationships both governments have decided to celebrate this 400th year anniversary with diverse events and cultural exchanges that showcase both nations unique and distinct rituals.

What started out as nautical mishap over four centuries ago has lead to an international celebration of diversity and friendship that is emulated in the persona of Último Dragón himself. A man born and raised in Tokyo who moved to Mexico City to become embraced in the hearts of the citizens there and the lucha libre fans around the world.

From the shipwreck of the Spanish merchant ship “San Francisco” on the rocky shores of the Tokyo Bay in 1609 to the ringing of the final bell in Lucha Fiesta 2010, the last four hundreds of international harmony between Mexico and Japan will be culminated in an energetic display of lucha libre excellence and athletic superiority highlighted by Último Dragón, the proud product of two great nations with one common friendship.

Through years of hard work and dedication Último Dragón has not only perfected his in-ring skills but more importantly he has honed his ability to translate what he does before thousands of fans nightly to the millions of supporters he has in the outside world. By becoming a social ambassador and active advocate for causes independent of the lucha libre realm Último Dragón has translated his drive and determination into uniting cultures and people together as one.

Último Dragón is the ONLY wrestler in the world to have traveled extensively to Cuba and make in-roads to China to spread not only lucha libre and the strong style of Japanese Pro Wrestling but to spread the harmonious growth of international brotherhood. The next phase in Último Dragón’s quest is to bring his talent and the talents of many of the hard working wrestlers he has gathered from around the globe into the United States so that the eager American fans can witness first hand the growing phenomena that this time-honored sport and unique art form has become.

                          

“A Colorful Journey into the Bizarre, Surreal and Honored World of Mexican Wrestling”

The Start of the Journey

By Dan Madigan Good versus Evil…the oldest story in the world…the main event…the final showdown…the basis of all dramatic storytelling…from mythology to the Bible…from legends to movies…comic books and pulp novels. It’s the two gunslingers squaring off on a dusty western town at high noon, ready to blaze into American folklore. It’s a pair of Japanese samurais standing poised with swords drawn, blades gleaming in the setting sun in an apple blossom orchard, ready to die to defend their honor. Every culture has their heroes and villains. And it’s their stories, their mythos and their legends that live on forever and ever. One exciting aspect of the Latino culture plays out its stories and mythos within the squared circle…all the passion, pageantry, emotion, violence, adventure, love and hate play out within the ropes of the wrestling ring. The word is “lucha libre” and its name resonates respect and awe throughout the Latin world. A combination of sport, entertainment and dramatic storytelling all rolled up into one flamboyant history. “Lucha libre” goes from realistic combat to over the top wild high flying insanity. It’s an infectious way of life, a crowd-screaming spectacle and just plain fun. I remember the first time I saw him on the screen of my grandfather’s black and white television, the local UFH station flickered snowy images and at times the reception was so bad that phantom images wavered across the screen (in the prehistoric times before cable television and remote control), the picture wavered between slightly discernable to out of control focus…but he stood there in all of his static-infused glory, the most unique person I had ever seen…El Santo…legend…myth…and hero…a silver masked man who flew around the ring like a dervish of high flying moves, devastating punches and kicks. I had seen American wrestling on Saturday mornings. I was an avid reader of comic books and fanatical fan of horror movies but for the first time everything I loved was rolled into one big mass of righteous Mexican muscle under a mysterious silver mask. Nothing I had seen up to that point was as awe-inspiring as the image of El Santo on that fuzzy 18” screen, even through the snow and static I could tell that this man was something special. The audio was badly dubbed so I couldn’t follow the story. I remember Santo’s friend would keep talking for a few seconds after his mouth stopped moving. At that point I chalked it up to a language barrier I didn’t understand as child. El Santo made such an impression on me that from that moment I was hooked, but there lay the problem, as I said this was the time before VCR’s and cable television pay-per-view, my chance encounter with El Santo was something of a fluke, I didn’t know who El Santo was at time or how to find anything out about him or if I would see him again or if that station would ever play another Santo film. I can’t even remember the film I saw him in but his image was burned into my mind, and my imagination was raging full blown lucha libre before I even knew what lucha libre was.

Cut to several years later and I’m anxious adolescent looking through some second hand wrestling magazines in a comic book shop that was more of a fire hazard than place of business. I come upon a battered issue of Pro-Wrestling Illustrated

magazine and on the cover I saw that face I remembered so vividly on the black and white television screen as a kid staring out at me from the creased and torn cover…El Santo…WOW! That same feeling of excitement I felt years earlier came rushing back. I grabbed the magazine without even looking through it, threw my seventy-five cents on the counter and ran outside…

To be continued…

But it now at Amazon.com:

Mondo Lucha A Go-Go: The Bizarre and Honorable World of Wild Mexican Wrestling
By:Dan Madigan

                          

Episode 1
By Dan Madigan

We’ve all seen professional wrestling, all of us. No one in America can say that they are not even the slightest bit aware of it. From the turn of the century when it started in the “carny” circuit to the Golden Age of wrestling when it merged with the advent of television in the fifties to its resurgence in the eighties and nineties right up to the “kid friendly era” of today, wrestling has been a main stay in popular culture, besides being one of the longest running television programs in history, the fans love it. The critics are another story, pro wrestling to them has become the redhead stepchild in sports, in fact many critics don’t even consider it a sport at all, they consider it more of a circus act than athletic competition.

Nowhere in sports will you find athletes like pro wrestlers, they are nomads, road warriors who travel from town to town, arena to arena honing their skills night after night with no off-season. Of course there is a certain amount of theatrics involved, that is why it is so entertaining, the storylines coincide with the action in the ring. In some ways pro wrestling can be considered soap operas with physicality. Many writers I know have a very elitist attitude when it comes to pro wrestling (many writers have elitist attitudes period), they think that the storylines and over-the-top antics of some of the characters aren’t too childish and not up to their standard of expertise when it comes to storytelling.

How do I know this? I worked in professional wrestling for a while, or as it is called by the insiders “the business” and I work in Hollywood as a screenwriter, so I have been on both sides and I can honestly tell you that Tinseltown doesn’t come close to putting on the type of shows and events that these guys in the “business” do several times a week. Not only do the wrestlers have to train and work out constantly to stay in shape, they have to go over their matches in their minds and think about the opponent they are facing that night and how and the best way to combat him and besides all that they have to memorize the lines and dialogue of the storylines they are in and they do this all on the road.

The life of a wrestler is hectic on slow day and there are no slow days in the “business”, it is up early and off to the airport, get a rental car, head to the hotel, check in, get to the nearest gym to work out, go back to the hotel, eat, get to the arena, work out again in the ring, find out who you are wrestling, go over the match in your head while studying pages of dialogue handed to you as you walk in, warm up, cut your promos, wrestle, do some more promos if needed, see the trainer for any aches and pains (and there are always aches and pains), hit the showers, dress, get back in your rental car, go back to the hotel, crash, get up early and do it all again in another state. And it is not just in America, Japan and Mexico and now Europe all have huge wrestling fan bases and their wrestlers are no less dedicated to their sports. The Mexican and Japanese fans are to the point of fanatical when it comes to following their favorite wrestlers. Although there is some cultural difference between American, Japanese and Mexican wrestling, the bottom line is the same, good hard matches to entertain the fans with.

My job was to develop storylines, arc and characters and write “promos” (the heated dialogue that the wrestlers will say), some of the boys are natural on the mic; you don’t have to write a word for them. They know exactly what and how their character would say something because in essence, there are no characters in professional wrestling, they are performers and their personas are extensions of who they truly are. Any great actor has to look deep inside of themselves to find that certain spark that will ignite a powerful performance out of them, the roles they choice echo out another facet of their personality. In wrestling it is the same way, the men and women that portray some of the more “colorful” characters are just acting out another facet of their personality, no matter how “out there” a character maybe, there has to be a shred of reality in the representation of that character to make him human.

When working in the business there is a code of personal and professional conduct that should be adhered to… never, “ever” do anything to denigrate the business or reveal the inner workings. I whole heartily agree with that, much like magicians who vow to keep their silence about the magic they perform, the magic the wrestlers perform is too be kept secret, so I won’t be saying how this is done or why that is done, that is no ones concern outside of the business but I will talk about what goes into building the emotional intensity in a match itself.

As for storytelling, there is no richer field to choice characters than in pro wrestling. The simplest rules of storytelling are presented to you, good versus evil. Conflict, struggle, drama, deception, betrayal, revenge, redemption, all of these important elements of storytelling are found nightly inside the ring. In wrestling as in all storytelling there is conflict, no conflict no story, simple. In most dramatic depictions or soap operas problems are mostly resolved by dialogue and hidden revelations, in pro wrestling everything must be resolved in the ring. Whatever problems or rivalries are created outside the ring, the conclusion of these feuds has to be resolved inside the ropes. That is why the people go to the shows, to see their heroes triumphant over the bad guys, it is a visceral experience where the fans can live through the deeds and actions of the wrestlers.

When we watch action movies, we watch them for the drama, the story, and the humor that is there to relieve the tension, the characters and most of all the action. In wrestling you get this every night. My job was to create a world and character for wrestlers in which they lived in and wrestled in, everything that character did or said I was in charge of (with the help and input of that wrestler, of course). Everything they did from once they entered the arena, to their backstage personas, to the promos they cut right up until they walked out the curtains and head-up the stairs to the ring was up to me.

Once they stepped through the ropes my job was finished. I had nothing to do with the action in the ring and no writer should (unless he is a former seasoned wrestler who knows the business like the back of his hand). No writer can assume to know what goes on inside the squared circle, that task is left up to the wrestlers who have the knowledge and the “road agents” who help guide them and train them for the ring. The “road agents” are seasoned pro wrestlers who have the experience and knowledge that is needed to be passed down to the next generation of wrestlers.

Once inside the ring, the wrestlers just don’t wrestle. They tell a story through their actions and in any dramatic story one need at least two conflicting sides, that is the good versus evil aspect of it. In wrestling your hero is called the face (short for babyface, because of the idea of the hero being the wholesome All-American boy) the villain is called the heel (In Mexico the “faces” are called técnicos” derived from the older term “científicos” because of their mastery of wrestling and their technical proficiency, the “heels” are called “rudos”, because, well…. they’re rude, simple.) The majority of the matches in America are “face vs. heel” matches (occasionally there will be “face vs. face” or “heel vs. heel” matches).

A good match has two things going for it, great physicality and great ring psychology. It is not just two big men pounding away at each other; it is about the hero’s journey trying to overcome the odds. First off, you must have empathy with your characters, especially your hero if you are going to be living vicariously through him in his match. Emotional investment in the match by the fans is paramount to having a good match; if not, why would anyone care what happens? That is why the charismatic and colorful wrestlers that can cut a promo and wrestler well are fan favorites; people want to cheer for the good guy. That is were personal conflict comes in, I have always rooted for the heel my natural inclination has always been for the bad guy, but with out a formidable bad guy you do not have a strong hero.

Once two wrestlers step in the ring it is usually after some altercations and out-of-the ring attacks, this is how a feud or “program” is started. It is best to match up a face and heel with the same intensity and equivalent skill level. On many occasions in a wrestlers career he will switch from face to heel numerous times, this turning from good to bad and back again actually help build a more three dimensional character, not many people in real life are Mother Teresa!

In a match the heel seems to have a natural advantage because he is not above breaking the rules to get over on his opponent, as long as the referee isn’t looking the heel has an arsenal of dirty tactics he can pull out. One way to really get the crowd enticed (to get “heat”) in the match is to have the heel really piss off the audience before the match begins. Legendary heels have manipulated the crowds to near frenzied states in the past, that is part of ring psychology.

The best wrestlers know how to use it, you just don’t step into the ring, you take your time getting there. Build the heat, the more heat from the crowd the hotter the fans get and it is that heat the wrestlers work off of. In the past such classic heels like the Iron Sheik or Nikoli Volkoff would wave the Iranian or Russian flag around the ring before the match then proceed to sing their national anthems while denigrating America all the while, the fans hated them that equals good heat. It is better to have the fans be incensed and hate a wrestler sometimes than to cheer for a hero. When a heel is so despicable that the fans are willing to pay to see anyone kick his behind, that is good business, the heel is doing his job. And it is the heel that dictates the match, the seasoned heel sets the pace and it is through his use of ring psychology and expert physicality that the match comes together.

A main event match should have all the anticipation of a big time prize fight behind it, two men in one ring battling it out. With a big build up that sometimes starts weeks before the two combatants face off, the anticipation level from the fans is should be at a fevered pitch. One good way to get the fans involved is to have your face ambushed or disgraced before he even has a chance to get into the ring against his adversary, the heel at times jumps the face on-screen when the face doesn’t expect it and gives him a horrendous beat down or the heel may interrupt a match that the face is in against another wrestler and his interference causes the face to lose, there are different ways for the heel to draw heat. Once again, the more heat from the fans the better the match usually is.

Nothing is easy in life, and winning a match in professional wrestling is one of the hardest things to achieve no matter what you say about “predetermined” outcomes, the amount of energy, skill and blood given by the wrestlers on a nightly basis is staggering. I have seen incredible accounts of bravery and athletic skill within the ring. I was fortunate enough to work with some of the best names ever to work in the business, to watch Chris Beniot, Kurt Angle, Shawn Michaels, Ultimo Dragon, Rey Mysterio, Jr. and the late great Eddie Guerrero was treat for any fan and to watch them work nightly was a education in physical and emotional storytelling.

The hero cannot come out and destroy his opposition quickly, if he does the heel was never a formidable opponent in the first place and then in return the hero is not that strong. There are some fast matches in the business, they are called “squash matches” and it is usually an up-and-coming powerful heel that eliminates all opposition in front of him, these quick and brutal endings build the heel’s aura of invincibility, then he gradually goes through higher caliber of talent before he is pitted against a name face.

When the face and the heel finally lock up, it should be after a long build up and tension should be at all-time high level. In North America for the most part the matches are “one fall”, that means when one wrestlers in pinned or counted out, he loses. In Mexico the matches are usually “Dos de tres caídas” {two out of three falls}, a different ring psychology is used when putting together a Mexican lucha libre match. Your face will take everything the heel throws at him in stride, but your heel has more tricks up his sleeve, eye gouges, face rakes, low blows, elbows to the throat, using the ropes for leverage, there are a myriad of dirty tactics the heel can chose from to get the upper hand in the match and he will use them, laws and rules mean nothing to him, just like the classic screen villains, the heels do not adhere to the morays of society, they make themselves outcasts from the rest of us and alienate the majority of the fans by their antics and foul behavior. Win at all cost, that is the goal of the heel, he has his own code he lives by, the code of the treachery. Even if the heel has a tag team partner or an ally he will eventually turn on him when the times suits his needs. There is no loyalty within the heel’s code, that is classic movie villainy.

When constructing the elements that go into a good match you see how Hollywood and wrestling is not too far apart, in Hollywood today there is system of not making one movie but a franchise. Movies today have sequel after sequel, the idea being that you can always beat a few more pennies out of the carcass of a dead horse. In wrestling nothing is really resolved in one match. The hero comes out on top but the heel usually has a built in return clause in the contract or some other nefarious way to have another match with his rival. Then comes the second match, and in a business sense it is smart money for the winner of the first match to lose the second match, now the score is even and they wrestlers will have a third match or the “blow off match” (the equivalent of boxing’s “rubber match”)

Before the invention of television wrestlers could have played out this same scenario all over the territories they traveled sometimes getting months of matches out of a particular feud, with TV and internet fans know too much of what is going in the wrestling world, it has become harder over the years to build meaningful feuds between top quality opposition but when a classic grudge match or feud is developed it is the same degree as if two gunfighters square off. The build up, the stare down, the look the wrestlers exchange before the bell rings is right out of Leone; it is match up of the Good, the Bad and the Fans.

Next time you are channel surfing and you came upon a match in progress, whether it is one of the major promotion or one of the smaller ones or even our Mexican counterparts, watch the match as it develops, look for the ebbs and flow of the match, observe how the physicality goes back and forth, see how the face is trying to make a comeback and it beaten down by the heel, watch when the referee turns his back for a second how quickly the heel will seize the opportunity and use it to his advantage, notice the face is facing insurmountable odds being beaten down but yet finds it deep within himself (and with the help of the crowd’s cheers) to dig down deep within himself to mount a comeback but before he can gather enough steam the heel stalls his counter-offensive and puts the face back in the hole (always keep the face at a disadvantage).

It is through guile, skill, toughness and intestinal fortitude that the face rallies to gather enough strength to overcome the heels final onslaught and come out victorious and yet it many times it is the heel that will come out on top with the guarantee of a rematch that the fans will be screaming for, and the harder the loss for the face the more the fans will want to see him redeem himself.

At the end of the day, storytelling is storytelling; whether it for the pulp novels or television, the movies or within the wrestling ring. You need interesting characters, intriguing set-ups, conflict, drama and resolution. No place are those fundamentals seen more than in the arenas, venues and halls every night of the week throughout the world were skilled athletes compete and resolve their conflicts the oldest way how.

So the next time you pass by wrestling on TV or should happen to walk by the advertisement for a local event realize that the hard work on putting on a small scale show is amazing and that having a promotion of any size being run on competent level is incomprehensible. The work and dedication of wrestlers, road agents and the behind the scenes staff accomplishes every night is pretty spectacular and it’s done for one reason; the love of the sport.

Dan Madigan, author of Mondo Lucha A Go-Go, former WWE Creative Writer and screenwriter for WWE Films, “See No Evil”

Maskbook username: Baron Von Bava 13

                          

It has been a long time coming and lots of hard work but Último Dragón (along with the Últimate Lucha Libre team) want to thank all the fans across the globe for their loyal support over the years.  For over two decades Último Dragón has wrestled for and entertained fans around the world, performing in Japan, Mexico, Europe, South America and the United States.  Último Dragón is truly a world traveler as well as a world-class athlete and now has launched his Últimodragón.com website which will report all things in the world of Último Dragón, lucha libre, Japanese wrestling and a more.

This site was designed for Yoshihiro Asai (aka Último Dragón) lucha libre legend, entertainer, entrepreneur and cultural diplomat but more importantly it is dedicated to his many fans and this is his way of giving back a little of himself to the legions of loyal followers he has amassed over the years. We at Últimodragón.com realize that this entire business is based upon fan loyalty and respect and we want to thank all of you or supporting Último Dragón during his long and illustrious career.

Último Dragón began his career because of his undying love for lucha libre and it has been the fans and their support that has fueled that fire that has burned inside of him for so long. That inextinguishable passion that Último Dragón brought to the ring he now wants to bring to his followers via the Internet so now all fans across the world will become what he has always wanted; a large extended Último Dragón family. A place where everyone is welcomed. We hope you enjoy and spread the word.

It is with great honor that I have been asked to be part of this newly founded organization. I speak for Último Dragón as well all the members at Últimodragón.com and Últimate Lucha Libre when I say that the legion of lucha fans around the world have waited years and years for a site that caters to the real wrestling fans. What sets us apart is the very fact that everyone involved on our team have not just worked in the wrestling business for years, we are fans like yourselves. Together, the folks at Últimodragón.com and you the fans will create a new wave of growing enthusiasm for this unique sport with which we have all come to love.

Welcome aboard…

Dan Madigan, author of Mondo Lucha A Go-Go, former WWE Creative Writer and screenwriter for WWE Films, “See No Evil”

Maskbook username: Baron Von Bava 13

                          

The social Network for your alter-ego…

movie buffs, wrestling fans, video game enthusiast, political thinkers, social activists, avid readers, concerned consumers, distraught citizens, angry tax payers, crusading avengers, everyone and anyone who wants to be heard and not seen. Here is a chance to have your alter-ego step up and speak out. Tell your friends, family, enemies and the world how you feel on the inside by letting it all out.

This site is dedicated to all of us. This is for every person that goes through each day wearing the various constricting masks of conforming civility or societal uniformity that cover our true feelings, that hide our inner selves and that conceals our most intimate thoughts. This is a site where a person can feel, act and speak freely to friends, peers and strangers in a thoughtful and respectful manner behind a self-made persona.

                          

By Greg Reifsteck

What inspired you to get into fight choreography and stunts?

I was living in Los Angeles working as a professional stand up comedian, performing regularly at The Comedy Store in Hollywood. Before that I was a martial artist competing regularly on the open tournament circuit, but had to quit because of a severely torn groin muscle. I was practicing since I was 12 and I needed to do something creative to express myself, so I found comedy. I was very fortunate to have met a chiropractor who repaired my leg without surgery, and was in physical therapy for about a year. Once I was okay to train, it was about 2-3 months later I got my first gig fighting Jet Li in a Hong Kong movie, “The Master.” It was in the mid to late 80’s where you actually took the hit – it was kinda like full contact one-step sparring. There was no stunt school at the time, so that was my initiation into the stunt world. Pretty much a trail by fire. I feel I was pretty lucky. Later that year I worked on “Hook.” There was a drastic difference in working in a Hong Kong film and then a big Hollywood film.

What are the differences between a U.S. Stunt Coordinator and Hong Kong/China Fight Director?

There are many differences. The main difference is in the hierarchy and creative control. In Hong Kong/China, the Fight Director has as much power (or at times more) than the director. The Fight Director is in total control of the action sequences from how the action scenes will look and it’s shot to how it is finally edited. An Asian audience will go see a movie with less than popular actors and/or an unknown director if the fight director has a good reputation. In the West (depending on your relationship with the editor, director, and director of photography), it’s often just the opposite and you do not have any control over how it’s shot or edited. Stunts and the people involved do not get as much attention because it’s more producer, director, and actor driven. By that I mean that’s what sells the picture.

Can that be frustrating?

Yes, it can be, especially when the camera is placed in the wrong position and then edited in a way where the fight loses the mood, rhythm, and tempo from how you originally put it together. I’ve had friends who choreographed fight scenes that were edited backwards and lost the emotional feel to it. This happens more often than you think.

Is that why Hong Kong Fight Directors have developed a greater reputation all over the world and in the consciousness of fight film fans?

Yes. But you have to realize fight choreography is something that is much more revered and respected throughout the centuries in Asia, even before the introduction of film. The martial arts has a long history that is an integral part of Asian history and is expressed creatively for entertainment purposes with the Chinese opera over the centuries where they would depict historical and mythical stories that often include fight scenes. In the West, fight choreography is not as highly respected at all.  It’s rough, lacks a strategy, has no finesse, and nowhere close the being “real” (as a lot of people would like to want to think) because it is based on the principles of the brawl from the silent Westerns 100 years ago.  This limits the fight choreographer.  The only form of fight choreography in entertainment that is completely accepted is Professional Wrestling. There is a very good reason why it is on television and cable almost every night.

What was the process like for putting together this book? It really is a one-of-a-kind primer.

It took me about 3 years to write. The most difficult thing I had to do with it was figure out a universal approach that encompassed everything (well almost) a fight choreographer might encounter while working on a film set. It’s a film theory book that deals with the fight choreography aspect of filmmaking and how it is integrated with the other aspects of movie making. There is also a section on the history of fight choreography in film.

Who did you write this book for?

I wrote it for film students, entertainment professionals, and anyone wanting to be more educated about how they see fights. I wrote it so that we can all be on the same page as far as what we see in a fight scene and how to make it happen. I have already seen the books effect on things already because some film critics have been using the principles in the book in how they see a fight scene and are able to critique the scene more effectively and clearly.

What discoveries did you personally make while writing the book?
The biggest realization was the differences between East and West in how they see and interpret action and violence for entertainment purposes. How we see and interpret action and violence is an individual experience as well as an overall cultural issue of the experiences we have collectively gone through. The difference between East and West stems from cultural differences as well as how we see violence and physical conflict from their overall group consciousness as a nation. China has a long history of that as well as other Asian countries firsthand. But in the US, most of the wars fought were not on their soil, so their view of violence is much different along with the freedom to bear arms (which changes the justification of a fight). That is the general consciousness part. The individual part, the X factor all depends on what your experience firsthand growing up. That is the X factor that makes us all individual and different in our interpretation of this. It’s an interesting mix on how you perceive, interpret, and accept violence and action in your life whether it is real or for entertainment.

There was a chapter that was devoted to Pro Wrestling. Why did you do that?

Well, if you really think about it… pro wrestling is the most accepted form of fight choreography in the West. There is a reason it is on almost every night on different TV channels in North America.

What are your general thoughts on Pro Wrestling?

I love it. I think it is a lot of fun to go to watch it live. If you have not seen it live and only seen it on TV, then you are missing on a completely different experience. The wrestlers go out there to connect with the live audience, much like a stand up comedian does to plug in with their audience, but done mainly through their matches and mic skills to express their character.

You worked with Ultimo Dragon as the fight choreographer and stunt coordinator on a recent short film. Can you tell us what that experience was like?

Well, I’ve seen his matches and I really liked what I saw and was really interested in working with him. So when his manager and director, Gary Lee Jackson, called to ask me if I was interested in working with him, I could not wait for it to happen. Ultimo is a real martial artist and legend in his sport. He was incredibly professional to work with and a very hard on himself in trying to get some of the moves down, because the emphasis on executing the techniques for film is much different than in the wrestling ring.

I see fight choreography as a visual and non-verbal problem solving that unrolls in a dramatic narrative. I hired stuntmen/martial artists Van Ayasit, Jo Eric Mercado, and David Chan Cordeiro to fight Ultimo, because they all brought in different aspects to film fighting that would provide interesting and creative obstacles for him to resolve with the fight choreography. I felt they complimented him pretty well.

So we focused more on stylized techniques for the camera while toning down the techniques and reactions since there was not a live audience to appease. He understood the emphasis and the style of fighting we planned for him almost immediately. He had a lot of great ideas with what to do with the fights. It was much more of collaboration because we did not have that much time to work together and my job was to make his moves more cinematically visual and effective.

What were some of your experiences from the shoot?

The hours shooting were very long but we had some great moments during the down time waiting for camera set ups, etc. Ultimo would crack us up with his impersonation of Hulk Hogan and a few other wrestlers. He is actually a really funny down to earth person who lives this myth as a mask character and takes his style of wrestling very seriously. He really has that “it” factor and I look forward to working with him again. He turned me onto some Japanese wrestlers that that influenced him, like the original Tiger Mask (Satoru Sayama). The guy was way ahead of his time.

What did you learn about working with pro wrestlers from that experience?

I’ve only worked with Ultimo, so all I can talk about is the experience I had with him. The most important thing I realized about working with a pro wrestler is that they know how to “milk a dramatic moment” and understand the non-verbal dialogue of a fight. Whereas, a real fight is really quick and over with in a matter of seconds and nothing really dramatic or entertaining about it.  There is only one take in pro wrestling and if you screw up everyone in the arena will let you know it. I think he really enjoyed the process of doing multiple takes and having the opportunity to get it right.

Do you feel a certain kinship with a Pro Wrestler as a Stuntman?

Oh sure. There are lots of things that are similar yet a lot that are different. We both sacrifice our bodies and lives for the sake of entertainment of others. It takes a special breed of person to do something like that on a daily basis. There are also a lot of pro wrestlers who got into movie stunts and vice versa.

Since you are a martial artist and a fight choreographer, what do you appreciate in a Pro Wrestling match?

What I look for and enjoy seeing is the creativity and ingenuity in the matches as well as the high degree of athleticism and reckless abandon in some of the wrestlers. It amazes me how resourceful and inventive the fights can be every night. I also like a good technical match too. A great example is a match I saw between Eddie Guerrero and Dean Malenko in the old ECW days (when Paul Heyman ran it). There are phases when the story lines fall off the rails and do not connect with me, but for the most part I find them amusing and very entertaining. I am not too much into the extreme matches with the barbed wire, tacks, or fire… I am not really into sado mashochism (although I still will watch the Hell In the Cell steel cage match with the Undertaker Vs. Mankind in complete awe), but on the other hand love to see a great TLC match. I really like high flying matches, like the matches between Jushin Liger and Ultimo Dragon were classics.

What I like about going to see a pro wrestling match live is that you are pretty much guaranteed a great show. You can’t ever make that type of a promise when you go to a combative sports event because sometimes some of the best match ups end up pretty boring.

What bothers you about fight choreography in the West?
Well, it’s become more and more of a bad habit for the fight scenes to be shot extremely tight, while the editing of the action makes no real sense, when it comes to continuity. The Stunt Coordinator and/or Fight Director has no real control of where to place the cameras or how the fight is eventually cut. The editor is usually never on the set, so how are they able to know how to piece together the fight because a fight scene is usually shot out of sequence. I know so many fights that are edited out of order and ended up not being anywhere close to what was choreographed by the fight director.

I see the same problems when you see a theatrical movie with where a pro wrestler stars in. It’s kind of ironic when you step back and take a look at it. Because, here these wrestlers bust their asses for years and years to develop a following. You see them wrestle every week on TV…for free. They spend all this time developing their persona and signature moves that the audience anxiously look forward to seeing. Then when they make the jump into feature films (essentially as an extension of their persona in the ring), the wrestling organization promotes the film every week on TV, creating a buzz, where the audience anxiously waits to rush to the theaters to see their hero on the big screen, but you can’t see a damn thing! Of all the people to do this to, they should not do it to a Pro Wrestler, who can easily handle themselves in front of a camera. I was so disappointed when I saw this in films like “The Condemned,” “Walking Tall,” “The Marine,” and practically every film starring a pro wrestler lately. It does not make sense…. especially with a Pro Wrestler! Because you can see what they are doing in their matches on TV but can’t see anything when they are fighting in their movies. It is really anti climactic when you look at the big picture of it all.

Another thing that bothers me about fights in the West is we are way too trendy. If someone else does something and is successful, they have to do it themselves. For example, look at all the movies that followed “The Matrix”. Everyone had to use wires and have a Hong Kong inspired fight (even though it was not necessary), like “The Musketeer”. It’s kinda like a popularity contest and it’s rare to find someone who can do something because it is an essential part of the film. Then in “Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story”, the filmmakers used Jackie Chan’s fighting style at the time and that was completely and utterly wrong!

What do you mean?

I listened to the audio commentary of the DVD and the director specifically said he chose Jackie Chan’s style of film fighting because it was the hot trend at the time and thought what Bruce did was outdated and somewhat boring for audiences at that time. But what he did not know and realize was that Jackie created his style which is a complete antithesis of what Bruce Lee did in his films because it was the trend at the time, so he went the opposite way by playing the coward, the underdog, the unsuspecting innocent, and the wise ass that gets himself in trouble. This was not what Bruce’s persona and his fighting was about. Jackie avoided conflicts whereas Bruce would meet you head on. Two completely different approaches to a fight. The other thing that bothers me (in the West) is that the camera is much too tight on the action you can’t clearly see what is going on and witness it.

Why do you think they do it?

It used to be done when an actor was not able to do the stunt or perform the action convincingly. You see this often in the 70’s with the late David Carradine on the TV series “Kung Fu”. But you would see this also applied in films where capable martial artists on film were able to take care of themselves cinematically, like Chuck Norris in “Good Guys Wear Black”. They even did it to Bruce Lee in “Enter the Dragon”, when he fought Oharra (Bob Wall) and when John Saxon was fighting at Han’s tournament. There were certain scenes where the camera would focus on the pivot foot while Bruce was throwing a series of kicks, when they should’ve been more concerned with the getting the actual impact of the hit. It really took me out of the fight. How irritated would you be if you were to watch a basketball game and just have the camera get close and tight on their head or the dribbling arm of Kobe Bryant or LeBron James as they are doing a spectacular move? Wouldn’t you get pissed and frustrated because you are not seeing the other players involved and where they are on the court?

You do get to see the different angles and up close shots when they show the replay.

Exactly. That’s what the quick inserts are for in movies, to get the audience emotionally involved in the fight. We don’t get the chance to show the same action scene twice (unless it’s someone spectacular like Jackie Chan or Tony Jaa) And how does the audience feel? I’ve seen it where the emotion of the theater simply flat-lines because they cannot understand what is going on.

The other reason they do it is because they want the audience to be as close to the action as possible. I don’t mind that concept at all as long as the audience can still witness what is going on and not have to figure out in their minds what just happened. It’s been done all the way back in 1947 (and possibly before that) when D.P. James Wong Howe put on roller skates and got into the boxing ring and skated backwards with a camera over his shoulder as John Garfield chased after him pretending the camera his opponent in “Body & Soul.”  What does bother me is when the camera moves way too much along with rapid fire editing that you really do not know what all the actors are doing, taking away from what was choreographed. It ends up looking like an abbreviated highlight reel that has no peaks and valleys and you do not appreciate the actor’s performance. I feel this is a poor excuse for a Director of Photography to hide the fact that they do not really know how to shoot action. You can’t shoot fight scenes the same way you shoot dialogue (master-shot, camera left & right). If you did, you would not get the proper coverage to make your action look effective. Unfortunately, shooting and working with action scenes is something that is not taught in film school and it really should be. You don’t see any of that crap done when you watch Pro Wrestling on TV and you can see exactly what the wrestlers are doing.

Can you give us an example of a good action film in the West, where they have good effective camera movement and editing?

Sure. The first film that always comes to mind is, “Die Hard”. John McTiernan, was the director, who understands action as a visual lyrical form. Jan DeBont, was the D.P., who had fluid hand held camera movement that helped tell the story, without calling any unnecessary attention to himself and what he was doing. Then you had Frank Urioste, the editor, who has a degree in music before he became an editor and cuts film like he is a visual music conductor. Other great examples that come to mind are “Predator” and “Robocop”.

Are you saying action and fights are more like music and dancing?

Yes. With those examples I just mentioned along with Bruce Lee being the Cha Cha champion of Hong Kong as a teenager, Jackie Chan gets inspiration for his action scenes by watching Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire films, John Woo watches musicals before he plans an action scene. Rhythm is very important in a fight scene, no matter how difficult or complex the fight may be. If a choreographer, cameraman, and editor is not aware of the rhythm of the fight (which should vary and change throughout a fight and not similar than the others in the film) and it’s the same constant rhythm you can easily lull the audience to sleep or they simply don’t care. I’ve seen it happen many times in many U.S. films.

Why is that?

They are inexperienced and are simply not aware of what the other elements are involved in a fight scene, creatively and (more often) technically. I feel one of the reasons is fight scenes and action in general is not taught in film school. Fight choreography is an unappreciated art that everyone thinks they can do, until they try to do it themselves and they realize how hard it really is to make it look good and effective.

Greg Reifsteck is a former Special Reports Editor, for Variety and writes for Fangoria, American Cinematographer and Moving Pictures Magazine.

                          

For over twenty-five years Último Dragón has wrestled in front of, performed for and entertained millions of fans around the world. An international star and lucha libre icon, Último Dragón has set a standard of excellence many try to emulate but few come close to reaching. His most intimate moments and private thoughts about the wrestling business have now been captured in a fascinating new documentary called “Bloodstained Memoirs”.

This aptly named film, directed by David Sinnott and hosted by Al Snow, shares for the first time many of Último Dragón’s most candid thoughts about the arduous profession he has become a legend in, but like many other wrestling superstars their journey to the top has come at a heavy and all too costly price at times. “Bloodstained Memoirs” goes behind the secretive veil that hides the world of professional wrestling from the fans. It goes beyond the ballyhoo and bravado to all-too real drama and emotions that are hidden backstage, the sanguineous themed recollection of such stars as Chris Jericho, Rob Van Dam, Mick Foley, Roddy Piper,Jimmy Snuka, Molly Holly, Christian Cage, Keiji Mutoh and the one and only Último Dragón for once and for all show the world the blood, sweat and tears it takes to make it in the unforgiving, unrivaled and unforgettable world of professional wrestling.

                          

The Award winning book from Dan Madigan is required reading:

But it now at Amazon.com:

Mondo Lucha A Go-Go: The Bizarre and Honorable World of Wild Mexican Wrestling
By:Dan Madigan

                          

All of us have seen films in which the story and acting might be great, but the film suffers because the action and fight sequences are not convincing enough, are terribly shot or edited, or do not integrate seamlessly into the story, causing them to be ineffective, gratuitous, or worst of all, unintentionally humorous.  However, when done well, fight and action scenes support and heighten the story and expand the characters.

Fight Choreography: The Art of Non-Verbal Dialogue helps filmmakers ensure that the fight scenes in their films add to the film?s overall quality.  Creating a stage fight with a high level of clarity and entertainment value is a very complicated endeavor and requires skills that acting classes and martial arts schools cannot teach.  This book helps filmmakers make sense of this art form and how they can use it to create their own styles of fights for a variety of projects, whether they be feature-length films, shorts, or television shows.  The book is instructional, informative, and entertaining, and focuses on every important element involved in fight choreography, from basic philosophies, initial concept, and planning, to filming, editing, adding special effects, and sound mixing the final product. e book is not only an indispensable resource for filmmakers, but will also interest film buffs who want to learn how great fight sequences are made so they can better appreciate the action.

John Kreng Biography

John Kreng has had a successful multi-faceted career in the entertainment industry working as a Stunt Coordinator, Fight Choreographer, Stand-Up Comedian, Author, Actor, Video Game Designer/Producer, and Stuntman.  Born in Washington, D.C., the son of the Cambodian Ambassador to the United States, John is of Chinese and Thai descent, and is fluent in Vietnamese, Chinese, and English.  After his father died before John was one year old, his mother decided to stay in the U.S. so he could have a better education and the freedom to be successful at whatever he desired.

As a Stunt Coordinator, Fight Choreographer, and Stuntman, John has worked with both Asian and Western luminaries that include Jet Li, Yuen Cheung Yen, Tsui Hark, Steven Spielberg, Roger Corman, and the late David Carradine. He has been featured and/or appeared in Black Belt, Martial Arts Training, Impact (UK), and Inside Karate magazines. John is also the author of the only in‐depth textbook on screen fighting, Fight Choreography: The Art of Non‐Verbal Dialogue.

As a fight choreographer, John feels he brings many elements to the table that makes the fights exciting and is at home choreographing rough and tumble Western style brawls as well as precise and intricate Hong Kong style fights.  Living a dual life as an Asian-American has also helped John when working with Asian talent because he understands both the Western and Asian approaches to action on film because they have different mythologies when it comes to acting non-verbally, aka action.

John has been studying various martial arts since he was a child and holds 3rd degree black belts in Tang Soo Do and Te Katana Jujitsu.  He is an accomplished tournament fighter and has worked as a bouncer at several nightclubs, bringing practical knowledge and understanding of the human psychology of how a fight why we fight. Some of his real life experiences are published in the book, Bullyproof Your Child: An Expert’s Advice on Teaching Children to Defend Themselves, by Keith Vitali.

John was an art major in college, having attended Parsons School of Design in New York City, and studied screenwriting at UCLA Extension.  He brings the unique knowledge to the stunt world with his understanding of the 3-act structure to an action scene (in relation to the story), while also understanding the visual aesthetics and composition that a fight needs to look appealing to audiences, while also keeping them grounded with the films vision of “reality.”  In addition, being a veteran stand up comedian (14 plus years experience), John has honed his comedic instincts and understands the mechanics of comedy, where he can easily apply it to his fight choreography when needed.

As a Stand-Up Comedian, John started out in Washington, D.C. at The Comedy Café alongside other promising comedians at the time,Martin Lawrence and Tommy Davidson.  After moving to Los Angeles, he was a regular performer at The Comedy Store for over a decade where he honed his act and learned from the world’s best comedians like Richard Pryor, Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, Chris Rock, and Sam Kinison, to name a few.  His act is unique and personal, basing much of his material off his personal life and growing up in an Asian-American family in America.  He has 3 national TV appearances to his credit, was the first non-African American comedian to appear in BET’s Comic View, performed all across the country as a national headliner, and was L.A. Weekly’s Comedy Pick of the Week.

Working in the interactive media as a Videogame Producer and Designer, John has been able to combine his talents as a screenwriter, fight choreographer, martial artist, comedian, and graphic artist all into one job.  Some of the titles he worked on were ART OF FIGHTING 3 (Associate producer and mo-cap artist) and FULL SPECTRUM WARRIOR (stunt coordinator).  He has worked for THQ, Mattel, SNK of Japan, Sony Pictures, and Disney and is a featured interview in the book Ultimate Game Design by Tom Meigs.

John’s extensive knowledge and passion for martial arts films since he was a child, has led him to write for several martial arts magazines, providing some ground breaking interviews with Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, and Yuen Woo Ping.  He was also a film critic with a monthly column, and was the coordinating editor, project supervisor and writer of the 25th Anniversary tribute to Enter the Dragon & Bruce Lee, published by TC Media.  For home entertainment, he was a director, segment producer, interviewer, and special consultant to many special features on DVD for The Weinstein Company and Contender Entertainment Group (UK).  He recently gave an on-camera interview for A&E’s Biography: Steven Seagal.

With all these diverse experiences and accomplishments, John sees the similarities rather than the differences, “The common denominator with everything I have done is finding creative ways to express myself and to always challenge myself and grow as an artist,” comments John.

                          

Feb 2009

SCREEN FIGHTING 101

Hollywood Pros Reveal How You Can Go From Martial Artist to Movie Fighter!

By Patrick Vuong and John Kreng

You’ve watched kung fu flicks all your life. You’re a regular at your dojo, maybe even a black belt. Perhaps you’ve taken your lumps trying to re-enact those crazy parkour clips on YouTube. Does that mean you’re ready for a career as a screen fighter, a performer who gets the pleasure of eating on of Tony Jaa’s kicks? Not necessarily.

The attributes you need to succeed in the martial arts/stunt world extend far beyond executing high-flying wushu kicks and graceful aikido rolls. In fact, you don’t even need to be a master. “That is the illusion that the actor’s skill infuses into his or her role to make it convincing,” stunt coordinator John Kreng says. “A screen fighter requires different skills that what we expect from a real-life martial artist.”

Prerequisites

Kreng knows what he’s talking about. Aside from earning black belts in tang soo do and te-katana jujitsu, he’s been a screen fighter and stunt coordinator for two decades. Recently, he penned Fight Choreography: The Art of Non-Verbal Dialogue, a comprehensive textbook about stage and screen combat. The book’s 12 chapters explain the intangible aspects of movie fight scenes that a karate studio or acting class just can’t teach you.

Kreng, who fought Jet Li three times as three different characters in 1989’s The Master, says that even though the best stunt fighters usually aren’t grandmasters, they must be capable in at least two martial arts. “The more diverse you’re training, the better because you never know what will be asked of you,” Kreng says. “Back in the 1970s and 80s, you were able to get away with being proficient in one style, but not today. The demands and expectations on a screen fighter and fight choreographer are much higher than back then.”

So what are the best systems to learn for the silver screen? “I used to think that there were only certain styles that would look good on film, but Steven Seagal stylized aikido, made Above the Law and blew that concept put of the water,” Kreng says. “So there is no [single best style]. You have to be proficient in different styles-or at least understand [different] techniques, their applications in real life and how you could stylize them to work on-screen.”

Stunt-fighters-in-training should combine a soft style such as aikido with a hard style such as kenpo, says Keith Vitali, a veteran filmmaker, actor and fight choreographer. “When I did a fight scene with Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung in Wheels on meals, I needed to be able to deliver quick, soft-style techniques to keep up with the Asian type of screen fighting,” says Vitali, a Black Belt Hall of Fame member and former karate champion. “Just imagine if my response to the director before fighting Jackie Chan was: I can’t do that, can all of you change your style of fighting? Yeah, right! I would have been fired instantly.”

Kreng suggests that rookies sign up for stunt workshops and theatrical combat classes to get an edge. “Even better, take mime classes in which in which movement and action are stressed to communicate with the audience,” he adds. “You will be limiting yourself and your job opportunities drastically if you do not know how to act.”

Homework

The next step in your stunt-fighting schooling is doing your homework. Study as many movie battles as possible and become a fight-film connoisseur, Kreng says. “Watch what everyone else is doing and think about what you might do differently in each situation. Study camera angles that make a fight scene pop on-screen and what makes it look flat. Know what techniques are effective on-screen, what are not and what needs to be stylized or exaggerated for the technique to read on film.”

Kreng also recommends watching fight scenes without sound so you can study the camera angles and edit points without audio distractions. Next, compare silent Hong Kong screen scraps with muted American movie battles – the aesthetic differences will become more apparent, he says.

Watching amateur clips posted on Web sites like YouTube can teach you valuable lessons, he says. “A good majority of them do not tell a story their choreography. They are all afflicted with a disease called ‘cool-movie-itis.’ There needs to be a reason for the fight, even if it is a short film. This is what distinguishes the professionals from the amateurs.”

Kreng’s Fight Choreography explains that every on-screen conflict-much like a screenplay-consists of a three-act structure: beginning (cause of the first attack), middle (battle) and end (finishing blow). “A choreographed fight should be looked at as a nonverbal narrative that advances the story,” he says. “The techniques used, the intent behind them and how each character reacts to each strike should be looked at much like lines of dialogue.”

Experiments

Most stunt coordinators acknowledge that there’s only so much you can learn from books and DVDs. Eventually, you’ll have to move from the theoretical to the experimental. “Get a video camera and experiment with some people who want to help,” Kreng says, “Challenge yourself and give yourself different scenarios and styles of fights. Most important, do not fall in love with your choreography because that does not leave room for change and you will not grow from it.”

James Lew, a stunt coordinator who’s fought everyone from Chuck Norris to Jean-Claude Van Damme, says that once you’ve pinned down your best choreography, burn a one-minute demo of your best movies on a DVD. Showcase your entire arsenal of hit reactions, falls, strikes and blocks. Be sure to show emotions. “It’s very important to perfect your performance with all the emotional content and truth of a real fight situation,” says Lew, who staged the fight choreography for 2008’s Get Smart. “I look for technical skills, but just as critical is seeing the martial spirit in your eyes and soul.”

Lingo

Even with a flawless demo reel, you can ruin your chance at nabbing that first stunt-fighting gig if you talk like a clueless amateur. A rookie screen fighter who doesn’t know the difference between “centerline” and “crossing the line” is like a med student who doesn’t a scalpel from a stethoscope.

So here’s a look at the basic stunt-fighting hierarchy, according to Kreng, starting at the top of the totem pole:

Second-unit director: The person in charge of filming action sequences; handles the technical aspects of lighting and setting up the action scenes with the stunt coordinator; often a former stunt coordinator.

Stunt coordinator: The person who heads the stunt department; hires all stunt personnel and answers to the producer and director.

Fight coordinator: The person who comes onto a project when a stunt coordinator doesn’t specialize in fight choreography or doesn’t have the time to set up the fights; also known as a fight choreographer.

Screen fighter: A specialized stunt performer who appears on-screen as an attacker or stunt double; different from a stuntman, who performs his own stunts.

Graduation

If you’ve studied and trained hard, it’s time to graduate to the “reel world.” Unlike an actor who wants to be an action star, stunt performers don’t have agents to get them roles. Hey have to chase after gigs themselves. The job hunt starts with having a solid resume, an 8×10 head shot and a short demo DVD. Kreng encourages people to include on their five-minute demo reel non-martial arts skills – such as car stunts, motorbike riding or skateboarding when possible.

At a recent panel on action movies, stunt coordinator Will Leong urged aspiring stunt players not to lie on their resumes or exaggerate their talents. “Don’t tell the stunt coordinator you can do (a specific stunt) and then wait until the moment you get on the set and the cameras are ready and you can’t do it,” he said. Leong, whose credits The Matrix Reloaded and the upcoming Tekken, says you’ll effectively blacklist yourself if you’re dishonest because word spread through the stunt community.

Keep your resume accurate, your headshot presentable and your demo professional looking. Then “hustle the set.” Find out where an action movie is being filmed and ask to meet the stunt coordinator. Of course, that’s easier said than done. If you are lucky enough to get past the gatekeepers and actually meet him, consider it a job interview. “You really need to have your act together because stunt coordinators will remember you, “Kreng says, you usually have one shot at meeting them and showing them what you’ve got.”

Sometimes there might be a casting call for screen fighters. Vitali recommends coming with something in addition to your resume, DVD and head shot: “Bring a friend you have rehearsed with,” he says. “I’ve seen this work so many times versus just showing up and asking the casting director what they want to see.”

First Gig

You’ve done it. You’ve beaten the odds and secured your first screen-fighting role. Now what? Arrive on the set early with the fight choreography memorized and your stunt pads and gear in hand. Lew recommends. “This is not like clocking into work at a factory and walking through the doors at exactly 8 a.m.,” he says. “Get to the set at least 15 minutes earlier than your call time, ‘on time’ is late in my book. Sometimes the director might want a walk-through right at call time before you get into wardrobe and makeup. The stunt or fight coordinator would need you there to do this walk-through.”

Prior to filming, the stunt coordinator will tell you what you’ll do while you prep for the scene, Kreng says. Use this time to become a sponge. “Keep a low profile and learn as much as possible by watching others. If you are doubling an actor, you need to learn to imitate how the actor moves [while] walking, sitting, standing, etc.” There is a good chance that you won’t receive a screenplay to study, so Vitali offers some no-nonsense advice: “Keep you mouth shut at all times, stay out of the way of the busy crew and when your time comes, know where your mark is, perform your moves exactly as the coordinator wants and make the star shine with your great reactions. Simple, isn’t it?

Risks

The reality is that it’s extremely difficult to break into Hollywood, Kreng says. Think about it: screen fighters regularly put their lives at risk. If you were in their shoes, would you want to work with a novice who had yet paid their dues? “Stunt coordinators have a regular set of stunt people they use all the time, and they would rather use someone they know as opposed to one they are not sure of,” Kreng says.

Leong has managed to parlay his nationally ranked karate-tournament record into a screen fighting career, but it took him months of knocking on doors, handing out resumes and shaking before he got his first stunt role.

For stuntwomen April Weeden-Washington, the path to success was much longer, over 10 years to get her first big break. Since then, she’s stunt-doubled for everyone from Halle Berry to Jennifer Lopez and is known for her precision driving, horseback riding and screen fighting. “You have to believe in yourself, have a strong faith base and believe you can climb to the top of the mountain, there wasn’t a day that went by when I wasn’t in a dojo or driving on the track.”

A screen fighting career is hard to obtain and perhaps even harder to maintain. The pay can be great, almost $800 for a day’s work is the minimum if you’re a member of the Screen Actors Guild, but it’s also sporadic. Plus, the hours are seldom nine to five; late night filming, weekend shoots and commuting are constant, and they can wreak havoc on your personal life. And let’s not forget that a screen fighter’s life, let alone his livelihood is at risk any time he participates in a big scene. “For the money we get it’s clear we’re doing it for the love,” Weeden-Washington says. END

5 Commandments for Screen-Fighting Rookies

Nothing screams “poseur” like an amateur who hasn’t done his research. While that adage applies to almost all fields, it’s especially true in the martial arts/stunt world of movies and television. If you want to become a screen fighter, follow these five guidelines that fight coordinator John Kreng has identified:

Tell a Story – In real life, a martial artist fights for self-preservation, but in films and on television, it’s to entertain and advance the story through combat. You have to show the audience your intent, struggle and reactions nonverbally.

Learn New Moves – A screen fighter needs more than a handful of techniques in his arsenal. “When real martial artists get their shot for a lead in a film, they get insecure and do what they know best,” Kreng says. “It ends up being really boring after the first two fights. Each fight should be different and better than the one that preceded it. Having a trademark move from film to film is the mark of a huge ego. Bruce Lee never had a signature move, so why should you?”

Telegraph – Martial artists are taught to hide their intent and mask their moves. “In film, it is the complete opposite,” Kreng says. “You have to throw a technique so the camera can see it in order to be effective.” If the audience can’t see your techniques, how will they know you’re any good?

Show Emotion – Acting like an unfeeling robot will get you nowhere. “You can have the greatest martial artists in the world on-screen performing some of the most difficult techniques known to man,” Kreng says, “but if he or she does not have any charisma or cannot communicate feelings and emotions while making it look natural, it’s no good.”

Study Movie Physics – Aspiring screen fighters must understand why ineffective self-defense moves can be dazzling on-screen. “The reason for throwing a technique [in movies] is much different than in real life,” Kreng says.