advice on “punching up” fight scenes

[Dean Sensui]

Good choreography, creative shooting and good editing is critical in the creation of dramatic fight scenes. All the other effects add to the look but can’t help improve the three fundamentals issues.

What you’re trying to do is develop a great sense of jeapordy and suspense in a very short period of time. That means showing the hero(s) in situations of impending doom. Chase scenes are similar with their near-misses and rapidly developing cliff-hanger situations.

If it’s not turning out the way you want, try doing a re-edit and see if you can adjust the timing so it becomes a stronger fight scene. Hopefully the basic shots are dramatic enough.

Dean Sensui — http://www.HawaiiGoesFishing.com

[Ed Dooley]

Also think about your soundtrack. SloMo and poweful sound effects and music will help.
Add echo or reverb when a hit lands, use a sound that you wouldn’t normally think of as a
punch sound (anvil, for example)
Ed

[Ed Dooley]

Lots of motion blur too.
Ed

[Bodybuildingbs]

Thanks everybody got some great ideas along with the sounds..never thought of anvil

[Tony]

I suggest renting the Jet Li (hope I spelled his name right) movie called “The One”.

Check out the ending fight scene where Jet fights his evil twin.

Don’t blink or else you will miss Jet’s supersonic fists of fury.

Tony Salgado

[Dean Sensui]

Also study fight scenes in Jackie Chan’s “Rush Hour” and Bruce Lee’s “Enter the Dragon”. Hand-to-hand combat in “Gladiator”. Fight scenes in “Lethal Weapon”. They might help provide some ideas on shots and timing.

Dean Sensui — http://www.HawaiiGoesFishing.com

[Kevin Monahan]

Although I love it, HK fight scenes always looks so fake to me. I suggest that you watch the fight scenes in “Raging Bull”, like, 800 times. 😉

Kevin Monahan
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