Want to be a stunt actor (scott adkins), what styles help?

OP
U

UriBoyka10

White Belt
Joined
May 16, 2017
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
I don't think we'll see him again I think I upset him because I didn't tell him if he trains 3 styles he'll be the new Bruce lee
I'm right here buddy, i'm not upset i just don't understand how someone could continuously avoid a question. I've heard what you've had to say and imo i don't think going to a stunt school makes sense. Firstly, there are zero to non here, and secondly that's what they're going to teach you, various styles of martial arts geared towards parkour etc.

The choreography comes later, the technique comes first. But like i said, thanks but i don't agree.
 
OP
U

UriBoyka10

White Belt
Joined
May 16, 2017
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
His loss I think, I think he'd be disappointed to find he has to be qualified otherwise reputable film and television programme makers won't touch him as a stunt man/performer. They can't afford to take someone on just because he does martial arts, he'd have to join Equity for a start and they'd want to see he could do the job otherwise he's putting people's safety at risk and that would mean money.

This is the UK Equity on stunt performers, I have no doubt the US and other countries rules are the same if not more stringent even. Stunt peformers - Equity
If OP comes back I strongly recommend he reads this.
No i'm not from the UK, i'm well aware that you guy's have a formal licensing body, i don't have that here so no need.
 

drop bear

Sr. Grandmaster
Joined
Feb 23, 2014
Messages
23,337
Reaction score
8,070
So someone has an opinion, they state it, he doesn't need to say why he came up with it, it's an opinion not a fact. My opinion is that dark red potatoes are under-rated. I don't need to give any evidence, it's just my opinion. If I state it as a fact then you can ask for evidence.

I am not saying you have to. I am saying you should. So that your opinion has some relevance.
 

hoshin1600

Senior Master
Joined
May 16, 2014
Messages
3,127
Reaction score
1,643
Just as a side note jackie Chan and Tony Ja did not learn martial arts. they went to acting and stunt school that specializes in martial arts for movie chorography.
in my own opinion what style you do probably wont matter. because there will be a choreographer that tells you exactly what he wants you to do. unless your the star like steven seagal.
the best advise i would tell you is to forget martial arts training and go live somewhere where the action is. get involved, meet people, make connections. take a crap job even if that means getting coffee or sweeping the floor. the key to success is to get around others who are actually doing it and find out what they are doing and imitate that. if you continue on your current path you could be wasting a whole lot of time learning something that is all wrong that the industry doesnt want. go get into the action and find out what you should be doing rather than guessing.
 

Headhunter

Senior Master
Joined
Aug 26, 2016
Messages
4,765
Reaction score
1,598
I'm right here buddy, i'm not upset i just don't understand how someone could continuously avoid a question. I've heard what you've had to say and imo i don't think going to a stunt school makes sense. Firstly, there are zero to non here, and secondly that's what they're going to teach you, various styles of martial arts geared towards parkour etc.

The choreography comes later, the technique comes first. But like i said, thanks but i don't agree.
I'm not avoiding anything lol I've told you point blank martial arts skill makes no difference to any of it. Yes they'll teach you what looks good on screen not real fighting which is what you want a real martial art school won't give a damm about stunts
 

Headhunter

Senior Master
Joined
Aug 26, 2016
Messages
4,765
Reaction score
1,598
I'm right here buddy, i'm not upset i just don't understand how someone could continuously avoid a question. I've heard what you've had to say and imo i don't think going to a stunt school makes sense. Firstly, there are zero to non here, and secondly that's what they're going to teach you, various styles of martial arts geared towards parkour etc.

The choreography comes later, the technique comes first. But like i said, thanks but i don't agree.
Don't ask the question if you can't take the answer
 

Tez3

Sr. Grandmaster
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2006
Messages
27,608
Reaction score
4,901
Location
England
No i'm not from the UK, i'm well aware that you guy's have a formal licensing body, i don't have that here so no need.

and where is 'here'? If it's the USA you still need to be registered and qualified. If it's somewhere where you don't need to be qualified and registered then frankly I wouldn't do for a lot of reasons. If you are going to perform in second rate/cheap films your safety is at risk as is your credibility. As for not going to stunt school you will get very little work without going if all you can do is martial arts but not know how to make them look good for the camera.
The International Stunt School
 

lklawson

Grandmaster
Joined
Feb 3, 2005
Messages
5,036
Reaction score
1,680
Location
Huber Heights, OH
Again i'm well aware of that, i've had a few full contact sparring matches, i know what martial arts is about. That's what i'm saying it does look boring as hell.

That's why i plan on picking up 3 styles at most, but obviously one after another.

Taekwondo first then Muay Thai, would that make sense?

or continue with my Kyokushin Karate then add some boxing and tricking later.
Where are you located? I have a few friends in Stage Combat here and there. One in particular teaches at U of M. If you're anywhere near there, go take Doc's class. But don't expect it to be easy.

You're right that "real" martial arts can sometimes be boring to watch. Grappling in particular, if you're not an initiate, can be boring. WuShu, on the other hand, is quite entertaining.

Stage Combat is different from "real" fighting because it has a different goal. It must do these things:
  • Keep everyone safe at all times
  • Tell a story/be entertaining
  • Allow the audience to follow

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk
 
Last edited:

lklawson

Grandmaster
Joined
Feb 3, 2005
Messages
5,036
Reaction score
1,680
Location
Huber Heights, OH
No i'm not from the UK, i'm well aware that you guy's have a formal licensing body, i don't have that here so no need.
Actually, if you're going to work in film or tv you need to be part of the screen actors guild. My friends in-the-know tell me there are other guilds and associations you need to be in also. They all have membership dues and other requirements.

And it gets worse if you film internationally (which is actually quite common).

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk
 

Buka

Sr. Grandmaster
Staff member
MT Mentor
Joined
Jun 27, 2011
Messages
12,952
Reaction score
10,443
Location
Maui
Hoo boy.

Welcome to MT, Uri.

I'm a member of the Screen Actors Guild for over twenty years, originally got my SAG card doing stunt work on a short lived TV show in the nineties, (still have it). So, I'll tell you a couple of things in general.

Joining a forum and disliking opinions from the git go, isn't the best way to go, especially when asking for opinions in the first place. May your foray into film work go smoother.

Martial Artists (us guys, all of us here, especially me) are a dime a dozen in any kind of film work. There's just too many of us, we're like weeds, we pop up everywhere. If casting calls asked for "someone with Martial Arts skills" there would be a stampede, which is why you'll not likely see those words in any open casting call.

And to everyone in general - anyone who thinks acting is easy - has never tried it. It's incredibly difficult to do, especially well.

How well anyone does Martial Arts don't mean squat. The Stunt co-ordinator, Second Unit Director and cameramen are more important than any kind of spin kick, or flashy anything, anyone thinks they can do.

I could go on...but I fear that fatal red X of dislike. (Yes, I'm being purposely obtuse. As most old stunt guys are in the morning)

Maybe a "do over" would be in order. You know, like a "Take 2."
 

JR 137

Grandmaster
Joined
Apr 26, 2015
Messages
5,162
Reaction score
3,224
Location
In the dojo
Dolph Lundgren was (and still is) a legitimate Kyokushin badass. He was the European champion in 1980-81 as a green belt. Green belts weren't allowed to compete, as it was brown belt and up, so he borrowed someone's brown belt to compete. In Kyokushin, green is right before brown (for you non-Kyokushin people).

A classmate of mine trained alongside him a few times at the Hollywood dojo while he was stationed nearby in the Army. Lundgren wasn't a phony and he wasn't afraid to get hit like a lot of the celebrity MAists out there. My buddy said Lundgren was just another guy in the dojo, albeit one who could put a hurtin' on anyone.

Maybe that'll inspire you to keep at Kyokushin.
 

Tez3

Sr. Grandmaster
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2006
Messages
27,608
Reaction score
4,901
Location
England
Dolph Lundgren was (and still is) a legitimate Kyokushin badass. He was the European champion in 1980-81 as a green belt. Green belts weren't allowed to compete, as it was brown belt and up, so he borrowed someone's brown belt to compete. In Kyokushin, green is right before brown (for you non-Kyokushin people).

A classmate of mine trained alongside him a few times at the Hollywood dojo while he was stationed nearby in the Army. Lundgren wasn't a phony and he wasn't afraid to get hit like a lot of the celebrity MAists out there. My buddy said Lundgren was just another guy in the dojo, albeit one who could put a hurtin' on anyone.

Maybe that'll inspire you to keep at Kyokushin.

He also stuck at his studies and made sure that if an acting career didn't work he could still earn a decent living. :)Luckily the film thing worked out.
 

frank raud

Master of Arts
Joined
Mar 23, 2006
Messages
1,867
Reaction score
696
Location
Ottawa, ON
I started training 2 years ago when i was 19 in Taekwondo WTF style. I was doing well and got up to my green belt only in 8 months time.

For whatever reason, i decided to take a break from TKD and try Kyokushin. I did Kyokushin for a year and competed in a tournament.

Now i started Judo and got my yellow belt.

My concerns:
I want to be an actor but i also want to be competent in my fighting abilities. I don't want to be all show and no go.

I enjoy both TKD and Kyokushin, but here are some of my problems with both styles. TKD has very flashy spin kicks which is nice, but there is nothing else too it, and it is generally quite expensive.

Kyokushin is good, cheap and effective, but lacks the flashy factor and it requires a lot of commitment. These dojo's are quite serious, put a lot of emphasis on hard sparring and conditioning. My life can't revolve around the dojo all the time, i have other aspirations and want to train in other arts.

I love Judo and want to keep it around. Learning the break falls is very important for me and some of the big throws and flying arm bars look good on screen.

What should i do?
1) Go back to TKD, get good at spin kicks, eventually get my black belt, then leave and train Muay Thai or boxing with Judo

or

2) Train Kyokushin and Judo and try to learn the spin kicks on my own

My goal is to become like Scott adkins (Yuri Boyka in Undisputed). He's done Taekwondo and kickboxing with some grappling. He has a very flashy style of fighting which looks good on the screen.
It doesn't matter what style you take. Judo Gene Lebell is one of the great stunt men in Hollywood. Alain Moussi, who is starring in the Kickboxer trilogy has a background in jiu jitsu and some kickboxing. My friends who do stunt work in Vancouver have backgrounds in jiu jitsu and karate(and do parkour). Jean Frenette runs a stunt organization in Montreal, his background is karate. Unless the script calls for a specific style of fighting, the director will be more concerned with your athleticism and ability to take direction than what your black belt is from. By the way, flying arm bars in Judo?
 

JR 137

Grandmaster
Joined
Apr 26, 2015
Messages
5,162
Reaction score
3,224
Location
In the dojo
He also stuck at his studies and made sure that if an acting career didn't work he could still earn a decent living. :)Luckily the film thing worked out.

Don't give him too much credit. He only has a few different degrees in chemical engineering, including a master's or two. Anyone can get those. :)
 

frank raud

Master of Arts
Joined
Mar 23, 2006
Messages
1,867
Reaction score
696
Location
Ottawa, ON
By the way, Serge Laflamme, who was a professional stunt man before he was cast as Donatello , did a few other things beside his martial arts skill to stand out from the crowd. Not only does he hold Guinness book of records records for brick breaking, he used to set himself on fire before breaking bricks as a half time show at boxing and kickboxing events around Quebec.
 

Buka

Sr. Grandmaster
Staff member
MT Mentor
Joined
Jun 27, 2011
Messages
12,952
Reaction score
10,443
Location
Maui
It doesn't matter what style you take. Judo Gene Lebell is one of the great stunt men in Hollywood. Alain Moussi, who is starring in the Kickboxer trilogy has a background in jiu jitsu and some kickboxing. My friends who do stunt work in Vancouver have backgrounds in jiu jitsu and karate(and do parkour). Jean Frenette runs a stunt organization in Montreal, his background is karate. Unless the script calls for a specific style of fighting, the director will be more concerned with your athleticism and ability to take direction than what your black belt is from. By the way, flying arm bars in Judo?

I knew Jean Frenette when him and I both had hair. We were on a North American team together, went to Africa for some team fighting. He was a nice guy, fun to be around.
 

Tames D

RECKLESS
MTS Alumni
Joined
Apr 18, 2006
Messages
5,133
Reaction score
665
Location
Los Angeles, CA
To the OP: Contact 'Stunts Unlimited' and 'The Stuntmens Association". Talk to those guys.
I've been in the business for 38 years. That's where I would start if I were you.
 

Buka

Sr. Grandmaster
Staff member
MT Mentor
Joined
Jun 27, 2011
Messages
12,952
Reaction score
10,443
Location
Maui
To the OP: Contact 'Stunts Unlimited' and 'The Stuntmens Association". Talk to those guys.
I've been in the business for 38 years. That's where I would start if I were you.

The stunt business?
 

Latest Discussions

Top