The Screen Combat Handbook: A Practical Guide for Filmmakers

by Kevin Inouye

The Screen Combat Handbook is an essential guide to navigating the unique challenges of putting combat on screen. Explore the process from the early stages of preproduction planning all the way through to editing and sound design, and everything in-between. This book uses practical instruction, examples, interviews, and illustrations to show how to plan, shoot, and assemble safe and effective fight sequences. It includes sections on thoughtful and practical design choices in set, wardrobe, props, and effects, preproduction planning, on-set protocol, fight choreography and coordination, shot planning and technical tricks, acting choices, effective cinematography, and impactful editing and sound design. It provides an invaluable resource for all those involved including directors, fight coordinators, actors and stunt players, and any filmmaker attempting to shoot an exciting action scene safely. Whether working on a no-budget indie production or on a professional set, this is your ultimate guide to screen combat and fight choreography.

278 pages, Paperback

Published May 12, 2020

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful - a good starting resource for those wanting to get started with filming combat. As an actor combatant looking to get into stuntwork, learning about all of the parts that make a good fight along with accessible examples and resources and a very thorough glossary and index. The digital version lends itself to its rereadability with an interactive index at the back - helpful for referring back to the book again in the future. This is encouraging without idealizing the effort required to make an action film or even film a fight - it's work, but it is cool work.

Overall, I love the ultimate message that Inouye stresses throughout this book: go try it and see what works.