A mock fight scene has more to do with dance than violence. This is because the best fight scenes are nothing like real street brawls. The latter are chaotic and random, while the scenes of the films are well prepared and choreographed. Since you're not only trying to simulate a physical confrontation, but also to film it, planning is key.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Prepare the Scene
Step 1. Find good, athletic actors to work with
A mock fight scene requires real coordination. For it to be convincing, you need actors who are able to fight credibly. Whether you're filming a one-on-one duel or a big fight, you need participants who move with fluidity and dexterity.
- If the actors don't feel comfortable moving around a lot, you can still assign them small parts in the fight. However, your job will be much more difficult.
- Pretend wrestling is more like dancing than physical confrontation and requires a similar level of coordination and athleticism.
Step 2. Decide on the tone and development of the fight
Do you want to carry out a lightning-fast kung fu fight or a slow and intense fight? Will the fight be one-sided or are the participants even? One of them might get badly done, but eventually get back up and win. Whichever scene you decide to film, think about the progression of the fight and the feelings it must convey before you start choreographing it.
- How do the wrestlers behave? For example, a noble warrior fights very differently from an unscrupulous pirate.
- Do you prefer a realistic and raw violence or a more fun and cardboard scene? How serious is the confrontation?
- If you're not making the movie yourself, show the cast and crew fight scenes from 3-4 movies that look like the one you want to create. This helps everyone understand your intentions.
Step 3. Make sure all punches and kicks go within 6 to 8 inches of the actors
This is not a negotiable aspect; reducing the margin the participants will risk injuries, increasing it the shots will not seem real. Imagine that Marco has to kick Paolo in the head. There are two ways to film the action. To start, Marco will kick Paolo in front of Paolo's face, arching his foot in front of his nose. Then, it will kick over his head, passing close to the ear.
A third method is to let Paolo dodge the shot, a much easier scene to shoot than a fake contact, because you don't have to "simulate" the impact of the kick
Step 4. Coordinate the reaction to each shot based on the timing of the action
If Marco gives Paolo a kick that has to hit him in a realistic way, while his foot passes the latter's head, Paolo has to throw himself in the same direction, simulating the contact. Rehearse the scene at half speed first, so that both actors understand exactly what is happening and where they need to go, then gradually increase the speed with each take.
For best results, each hit should go exactly where the other actor was. If Marco punches, Paolo should back off when he takes it, to make it more credible
Step 5. Let the affected person guide the movements
Imagine that Marco has to throw Paolo to the ground. In reality, he will not, but will just grab Paul, who will then launch himself to the ground. Marco will simulate the launch following the movements of the other actor. This advice makes the action much smoother and safer, so you should follow it in many different scenarios:
- Imagine that Marco takes Paolo's hand and breaks his arm at the elbow. All Marco should do is take Paolo's hand and follow him when he throws himself to the ground.
- If Marco has to hit Paolo's head against a wall, the latter should approach with his head up to 15 cm from the wall, then feign the kickback. Marco should just follow that movement with his hand.
Step 6. Purchase safe and specific movie props
Never use a real weapon on set, even if it just needs to be framed in the background. Props must always be harmless and completely safe. In professional productions, those who deal with these objects must have received training in firearms, even when using dummy rifles and blanks; there's a good reason for that, even shooting blanks resulted in injuries.
- You can buy baseball bats, swords, nunchakus and many other realistic foam props on the internet.
- Fake knives must be retractable, meaning the blade hides when you "stab" someone.
- Rifles, even rubber ones, when not in use should be covered with a brightly colored barrel to indicate that they are fake.
Step 7. Try all the movements yourself before doing them together
For example, if the scene starts with a punch swap, continues with a dodge on a kick, and ends with a ground throw, you should try the punches, kick and grab individually, then progressively combine them. When rehearsing the choreography of a scene, proceed slowly, one part at a time, to ensure the safety of the actors and that it is performed perfectly.
Step 8. Add details and embellishments only when the main action is done perfectly
Think back to the tone of the fight and the attitude of the characters. For example, a noble and experienced warrior is calm and confident. When he is not fighting he stays still and keeps his demeanor. Conversely, a less experienced wrestler will be nervous and shaky. He will make sweeping, energetic movements, hopping when not in action, and so on. Once the action has been choreographed, dedicate your time to the artistic side of the scene.
Be sure to rehearse in costume. Actors have to practice the clothes they will really struggle with
Method 2 of 3: Shoot the Scene
Step 1. Establish a password that everyone on set knows
If anyone feels uncomfortable about the confrontation, the choreography, or the safety on set, they must have a way to stop the action right away. Since "Stop!" is a phrase that is often shouted during fights, choose a single term that immediately puts an end to the fight.
Safety is key when you are filming a mock fight; even if there shouldn't be real contact, there is still the possibility of injury, in case of mistakes
Step 2. Announce whenever a fake weapon appears in a scene
This is very important for everyone's safety. You may know a knife is fake, but the same can't be said for all cast, crew or passers-by. Communicate in advance when the actors will use a fake weapon.
- If you are in a public place, ask a crew member to stay on the street to intercept and alert passers-by.
- If the police come, don't try to convince them right away that this is a fake weapon. Put it on the ground, raise your hands and give explanations when asked.
Step 3. Position the camera to minimize the space between the actors
For example, Marco is on the left of the screen, Paolo on the right and has to hit him with his left fist. He could throw a hook around Paul's jaw, but to dodge it he would have to pass close to the nose, leaving plenty of visible space. To correct the problem, Marco could throw a straight, overcoming Paolo's face and ear; the camera will not frame any space between the fist and the face of the second actor.
Alternatively, put the camera behind Marco's shoulder. In this way he will be able to throw a hook in front of Paolo's nose without anyone noticing that he has not hit him
Step 4. Leave "marks" on the set for the actors to follow
Put tape on the ground that lets wrestlers know where they need to land their shots in order to be framed. This eliminates the uncertainties of any movement and promotes the safety of all. For example, you can be sure that the punch recipient stays 6 '' away from the punch.
- Make sure these marks don't lead the actors to places where they are blinded by the light or worse where they can slip on fake blood or some other prop.
- If you are filming at a low height and the floor is visible, use the marks only during rehearsal, then remove them when it is time to shoot.
Step 5. Shoot multiple takes, focusing on only one actor at a time
Don't try to take it all back in one go, it would be impossible. Rather, think about the actors individually. If you have multiple cameras, you can often do it in one shot. However, you can achieve the same result even with just one chamber. Using the example of Marco and Paolo, he films all of Marco's punches 2-3 times, using slightly different shots. Then turn Paul's reaction 2-3 times too.
This allows the editor to cut from Marco's fist to Paolo's step back, hiding the fact that there was never a real contact
Step 6. Hold the camera in your hand instead of using a tripod
The hand chambers shake naturally and you can quickly change their orientation if necessary. This allows you to "hide" the fake punches, so that no one notices that there has been no real contact; furthermore, the tremor gives the scene a sense of frenzy and dynamism. That said, avoid intentionally shaking the camera or you won't see anything. Just let your natural movements add some vibes to the shot.
Step 7. Keep the shot tight
The greatest fight choreographers like Bruce Lee can use distant footage, because they have the timing and athleticism to make every move compelling. However, in almost any fight scene you should always stay close to the action, so that the distance to hide with the perspective is less. Plus, a tighter shot makes the viewer feel at the center of the action.
The best opportunities to zoom out are the choreographed parts where none of the actors are hit, for example because they are dodging several shots in a row
Step 8. Do not take back the safety equipment
If one of the actors is thrown, he will likely land on pillows, which of course you don't want to show. Once you have studied the choreography of the fight, think about the camera angles that allow you to hide the necessary props.
- If a character is crashed into a wall, shoot him from behind so that his body hides the safety padding.
- For throws, the most common solution is to shoot the person directly, so that he falls towards the camera and exits the bottom frame.
Method 3 of 3: Join the Parts
Step 1. Use quick cuts to convey the speed of the action
The best way to hide that a fight is fake is to maintain a quick cut rate. This allows the viewer to see the fist without observing the impact, because the viewer's brain will fill in the missing parts by itself, even if they are not shown. The faster the cuts, the more chaotic and hectic a scene looks, an ideal result for a fight.
- Don't be surprised if in a very intense action scene so many cuts do not exceed 2-3 seconds.
- You can go overboard with the cuts and make the scene too chaotic to follow. Find ways to slow the pace if necessary, such as by making a longer cut on a character who catches his breath before throwing himself back into the fray.
Step 2. Hide all contacts with a cut
This is especially important if the punch looks fake. It starts with a take of Marco punching Paolo. Just before the moment of impact, he cuts to a shot of Paolo starting to react to the blow. The cut gives the viewer the impression that contact has occurred even though it has never been shown.
Step 3. Focus on the sound effects to make the mock fight scene believable
Filming a mock fight is tough, but it's the sound that really sets successful fights apart from shoddy ones. Perfectly matching each punch with the sound of breaking bones, the moans of the actors, and the blast of the blast takes hours, but will make your scene memorable. Watch 2-3 of your favorite action scenes and pay attention to all sounds, from footsteps to screams of pain.
To get truly amazing scenes, you have to use the "foley" technique. You will have to record and create all the sound effects yourself, such as watching the scene and hitting the ground perfectly in time with the action to recreate the sound of footsteps
Step 4. Allow the actors to add their own sound effects to the final scene
Put a microphone on them and let them grunt, scream and gasp as they move around the set. Show them the scene once or twice to get ready for each move, then just turn on the microphone and ask them to improvise the sounds they would make in a real fight.
You can take care of these sounds, but it's always best to let the actors do their own sound effects
Step 5. Try to create a scene with the right balance of clarity and chaos
The fight scenes are not easy to put together; it must be clear what happens, but the action must also be frenetic and dynamic, in order to imitate a real fight. The best way to accomplish this is to show lots of contactless footage to show who is winning. For example, you could linger on the shot of one of the participants being hit to show that he is losing, while the winner throws a lot of punches without being touched.
Jackie Chan solved this problem by shooting simple and clear fight scenes, then speeding them up slightly during editing. The result is a cohesive battle, with long shots but full of energy
Advice
- Evidence is key. Don't take the real action until all the moves are perfect.
- Focus on the small details, such as facial expressions only when the moves have been perfected. In the beginning, don't give the actors too much to think about.
Warnings
- To shoot the complex scenes or difficult moves you should seriously consider hiring an experienced coordinator who can ensure the safety and success of the scene.
- Stop the fight if you have even the slightest concern for the safety of one of the people involved.
