Alex O'Loughlin is Not Afraid of a Good Fight
I’ve often heard Alex O’Loughlin say he performs most of his own stunts. I wondered how he was able to master some of the stunts he has done, particularly in a fight scene. How does one throw a punch and not hit someone, let alone take the punch and appear as though it hurts? Is it just good acting?
Alex, as you may know, attended NIDA where he received a Bachelor in Acting. The acting course is three years long and includes classes such as acting techniques, accents, movement and relaxation methods. In addition, stage combat is offered as a several week course. The Sydney Stage Combat School is called in for this purpose. They instruct the acting students in unarmed combat and single sword combat. Since Alex would have to be cast in a period film for us to see his swashbuckling skills, I will concentrate on unarmed stage combat for now.
Stage Combat is the practice of creating the illusion of physical combat for theater, film or television.
When a script calls for a physical fight stage combat is employed. The primary objective of stage combat is to create a visual and auditory picture which gives the illusion of ‘real fighting’, with the overriding concern being that no one gets hurt. Stage combat can include any form of choreographed violence. It all depends on the dramatic requirements of a script and the creative choices of the Director and Fight Director. The combat phase of a rehearsal is referred to as a ‘fight rehearsal.’
Choreography is typically learned step by step and practiced at first very slowly before increasing to full speed. It is preferable for actors to have as much training and experience as possible. A ‘fight call,’ or a brief rehearsal before the fight is performed, is to increase muscle memory and produce more effective dramatic action.
Here are the common Stage Combat techniques actors are taught:*
Stance A sturdy stance is important at the outset of any fight sequence
Distance Use your arm's reach to gauge the proper distance from your partner.
Targeting You have both an illusionary target and an actual target.
Right Cross Punch Make eye contact with your partner before performing the right cross punch.
React to Right Cross Put your entire body into it when you react to a right cross punch.
Adding the Knap A knap is a method of making sound to add effect to a staged punch.
Slap There are a variety of different slaps you can use in stage combat.
React to Slap The reaction should indicate that the slap moved from low to high.
Stomach Kick Your partner will indicate where s/he wants your foot to make contact for the stomach kick.
React to Stomach Kick Good reactions are important for stage combat to have the illusion of reality.
Uppercut Your actual target is about six inches from your partner's chin for the uppercut.
Reaction to Uppercut A dramatic reaction will really sell the stage combat uppercut.
Pace, Fall, Finish When falling in stage combat it's important to remember safety.
Alex was trained in Stage Combat, while at NIDA, by Kyle Rowling, Director of The Sydney Stage Combat School.** I contacted him and he had this to say about Alex:
“I do remember teaching Alex… he did do several weeks of Stage Combat training in Unarmed and Single Sword…I knew he would go far. You can always tell a lot about an actor from the way they perform in a Stage Combat class. Stage Combat requires a huge amount of commitment, discipline, control and above all care and respect of your partner. These are also the main attributes that make a great actor. Alex had all of these and more. I'm very glad he is doing so well.”
I’m glad, too, Kyle. His total commitment to his craft makes his success well deserved. His level of commitment to stage combat is evident as I watch him in action as Steve McGarrett in the new Hawaii Five-0.
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*Videos of the above techniques can be seen here: Unarmed Stage Combat: Video Series | eHow Videos
[Sie müssen registriert oder eingeloggt sein, um diesen Link sehen zu können]** Kyle Rowling is a professional Actor, Director, Weapons Master and Fight Director. He has twenty-five years experience in various Martial Arts including Chinese and Japanese styles and has been working as a Fight Director for over a decade. In that time he has trained, choreographed and performed Stage Combat for STC, Opera Australia, Ensemble Theatre, Belvoir St, Marion St, Bell Shakespeare, the David Atkins Group, Sydney Shakespeare Globe and many more. He also teaches and choreographs regularly at most of Sydney’s top acting institution including NIDA, VCA, the Actors College of Theatre and Television, the Actors Centre Australia and The Australian Theatre for Young People. Kyle’s Stage Combat and performance skills have also secured him work in many theatre and film productions including Star Wars EP II and III as Christopher Lee’s fight double, Eric Bana’s personal weapons trainer for Troy, fight director and performer for the 2000 production of Pan at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre and the 2001 New York tour of STC's The White Devil.
[Sie müssen registriert oder eingeloggt sein, um diesen Link sehen zu können][Sie müssen registriert oder eingeloggt sein, um diesen Link sehen zu können]
Ist ja sagenhaft! Boxen, Fechten, Reiten, Skateboardfahren... und, und, und. Gut, Yoga passt da irgendwie nicht so rein *g*, alles andere ist Action, und dann sowas Ruhiges. Völlig ausser der Reihe. Dass er gut im Tanzen ist, ist wiederum nicht zu verachten. 
Oh, stilt walking ist Stelzenlaufen, nicht walken.
okay da könnt ich noch mithalten ansonsten müsste ich passen 
echt ein "Allround Talent" unser Süsser 
das passt so gar nicht zu Alex...naja eben wieder sowas unberechenbares an Ihm 
) Skaten, (Skateboarden weiß ich nicht ob ich´s noch kann), schwimmen kann ich natürlich auch (muss aber nicht sein) und Yoga nicht wirklich. 
merkt man auch wenn man Steve`s Zweiikampfszenen sieht in H5-0 dass es Alex richtig gelernt hat die einzelnen Kampfarten ...macht ja auch Spass zu zeigen was man kann *g*