Keywords

Acting, Movement (Acting), Stage fighting, Theater -- Production and direction

Abstract

The study of stage combat is designed to fabricate the illusion of physical combat without causing harm to the performers. Most research in this field does not take into account the characterization of the actor during the training of a fight scene. An actor primarily learns the stunt choreography of the scene and often times the subtleties of the character is often forgotten. Scenes that involve physical contact are an essential aspect of the dramatic action. My aim is to eventually devise a process that will consistently create fight scenes that maintain the integrity of the fight director‘s work as well as the mastery of the actor‘s character composition. I am aware this is an ambitious project therefore will I approach this endeavor in two stages. This document will cover the first stage of this project: the investigation of the current process of several professionals who have varying experiences with fight choreography. I will propose and explore the significance of a series of questions a director, actor and fight choreographer should answer before embarking upon a fight sequence successfully. Questions such as: How important is the stunt physiologically and psychologically on the character? Does gender play a role in a fight sequence? Do size, age, and race play a role on character choice in a sequence? Why did the character choose that weapon? Where did that character learn to fight and why in that style?

Notes

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Graduation Date

2011

Semester

Spring

Advisor

Boyd, Belinda

Degree

Master of Arts (M.A.)

College

College of Arts and Humanities

Department

Theatre

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0003627

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0003627

Language

English

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

Subjects

Arts and Humanities -- Dissertations, Academic, Dissertations, Academic -- Arts and Humanities

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