A while ago I got to spend a solid block of time with Mr. Stone, my current training "master" working on more modular and gunting work, and he and I got to talking about fight choreography.
There were several times during the training where I asked Stone to repeat the combinations with me again. We found that generally with the deletion of a few things, the combative and defensive techniques were readily adaptable to safe stage play. So there's a combat system that's easy to learn that can also work effectively in staged combat.
I mentioned that I'm just not seeing this kind of advanced work on stage and even on television and in film it's less prevalent - is it a question of this being not particularly showy or flashy, or is this a matter of it being less well known?
Thankfully, Mr. Stone not only had an idea of exactly what I meant, but he then busted out DVDs of a show called "Leverage." While the show is fun and mostly quality from what I saw, one thing stood out... Christian Kane's fight work as "Eliot Spencer" is excellent. I'm still trying to dig up who the choreographer is exactly, but hands down, it's some of the best fight work I've seen on TV. At least, in the category of "fighters who are supposed to know how to fight."
I'm also watching the DVDs of Lost, and while it's a fun show, people are whiffing out haymakers and thunder-punches all over the place, and that doctor - Jack? He's a pretty fair hand with a pistol and an AK-47. I suppose I'll get some back story reveal about when he learned how to do all of that. Right? Secrets...
In personal news, I've preordered my Desangut set from Cherusker Messer...
Yeah, they're great. Like nasty little karambits with 1.75 inch blades and that handy ring off the bottom. With Bram's signature ramp on the blade spine they also work as less than lethal tools. I won't see them until sometime in 2010 I think, but I'm happy that they're being made. I ordered number 25 out of a first run of 200 signature sets. Now I'm waiting on the newer non-Ontario Abaniko. 7 inch cutting blade. That's not intended for everyday carry in my world by the way. More for camping. OR ZOMBIES!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
My new machine is here
It's a laptop, and goes fast. It's also very shiny and black which makes me happy, and came with Windows Vista which makes me a little worried. So far, so good though. I was able to import my old iTunes library onto this new laptop.
I'm currently sharpening my tools and blades, and enjoying the Sunday evening sounds of Morphine and My Girl Cleaning the Other Room. Morphine, for those who forgot was among one of the greatest musical acts of the 90s, and My Girl Cleaning the Other Room isn't a band. It's actually my girlfriend finally getting into the failure pile that is the not-bedroom bedroom of our apartment. If it were a band it would certainly feature Felicia on lead dust sneeze or possibly main magazine piler-upper.
Trash day tomorrow will be epic.
I'm currently sharpening my tools and blades, and enjoying the Sunday evening sounds of Morphine and My Girl Cleaning the Other Room. Morphine, for those who forgot was among one of the greatest musical acts of the 90s, and My Girl Cleaning the Other Room isn't a band. It's actually my girlfriend finally getting into the failure pile that is the not-bedroom bedroom of our apartment. If it were a band it would certainly feature Felicia on lead dust sneeze or possibly main magazine piler-upper.
Trash day tomorrow will be epic.
Friday, September 25, 2009
On the road to teaching...
Earlier this autumnal week (which by the way I'm not happy about - as a friend put it, "I want a refund on summer 2009") I had the good fortune to assist buddy Bri-guy with teaching a CSSD SC class. It was a small class consisting of 4 people: 2 students, one certified instructor and one other guy - other guy being me. Since I don't have the certification, I'm not going to be billing myself as qualified to teach a class.
That isn't to say I'm not capable, in fact, I consider myself pretty handy with an edged tool these days, and while I might not be getting any prettier as I age, I seem to be getting smarter. I like to think I brought some value to the session, and I'm a pretty fair sparring partner. Bri-guy's teaching also helped me to see something very basic about myself that I will need to keep squarely in check when I begin teaching someday.
In this class we covered 1-4-12 of modular and the first two gunting entries. In my head, I was thinking "Why aren't we moving to 2-3-12? Or 1-2-2? Why no mention of decision points and switch points?"
Right? I'm sure we're all thinking the same thing.
I'll tell you what though - after some 4 years of study and practice it wasn't even until this past February when Master Bram Frank personally rag-dolled me around the lower east side that I really internalized a lot of this.
I tend to want to teach everything all at once. I have to remember not to do that. It's a simple, effective system, but if you dump anything on anyone all at once, don't expect them to remember much of it.
Oh and I got my certificates in Basic pistol from the NJFA the other day. So in addition to the patch, I now I have paper and knowledge... and you know what they say about knowledge.
That isn't to say I'm not capable, in fact, I consider myself pretty handy with an edged tool these days, and while I might not be getting any prettier as I age, I seem to be getting smarter. I like to think I brought some value to the session, and I'm a pretty fair sparring partner. Bri-guy's teaching also helped me to see something very basic about myself that I will need to keep squarely in check when I begin teaching someday.
In this class we covered 1-4-12 of modular and the first two gunting entries. In my head, I was thinking "Why aren't we moving to 2-3-12? Or 1-2-2? Why no mention of decision points and switch points?"
Right? I'm sure we're all thinking the same thing.
I'll tell you what though - after some 4 years of study and practice it wasn't even until this past February when Master Bram Frank personally rag-dolled me around the lower east side that I really internalized a lot of this.
I tend to want to teach everything all at once. I have to remember not to do that. It's a simple, effective system, but if you dump anything on anyone all at once, don't expect them to remember much of it.
Oh and I got my certificates in Basic pistol from the NJFA the other day. So in addition to the patch, I now I have paper and knowledge... and you know what they say about knowledge.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Hey neat-o! I got a patch!
With ears still mildly ringing, I'm back in the day job office, reflecting that for some people, handling firearms is not a by product of their careers such as MILLE type folks, but indeed their entire job. At the risk of sounding like a 12 year old, that's pretty sweet.
Enter Lateif Dickerson, Director and Chief Instructor of the NJ Firearms Academy, who's list of accomplishments and titles is longer than I care to cut and paste. Hence the link. A surprisingly relaxing and informative day out in Jersey City under his tutelage was a really really fun day as well.
The course in NRA Basic Pistol 1, which I have now passed (with only one error on the written exam - pesky wording mistake involving elimination of wavering sight picture as opposed to reduction) has shown me a number of things I long suspected but have now confirmed. Here are some of the highlights:
1. The Glock 17 is an excellent firearm and has a well deserved reputation. I prefer the Beretta.
2. I really really do like revolvers. Specifically, in the .38 flavor. I'm just old school that way it turns out.
3. .40 Caliber pistols are the upper limit of my current ability to control. .45s are just simply so big that I currently need an act of God, and a semi-magical solid steel frame to consistently hit a target at 20 feet.
4. Cleaning pistols is exactly the calming and relaxing process I suspected it was.
5. A novice firing a pistol with one hand is probably going to result in a missed shot. The reason there is a proper stance for beginners to fire a pistol is because it's the proper way to do it.
6. I have new appreciation for the phrase "Suddenly, his hands were full of thunder."
7. My long standing personal outlook on purchasing a firearm may be changing. Someday in the right environment, I just might become a gun owner, since the M1911 is available in 9mm. Sorry Mom.
8. I want to get much better than I am at this, and I'm actually not too bad at it to begin with.
9. Gunshots I've staged in theater in the past haven't actually been too silly. Now they'll be much better.
10. Handling a firearm is a delicate process, but need not be a frightening one.
Most important, I paid a lot of attention to the lessons "between the lessons." Watching Lateif and his son Trevor (the assistant on the range during the day) handle the weapons taught me a lot about how professionals operate and behave with these tools. Beyond no lapse safety basics and must have knowledge regarding grip placement and sight picture, being able to seamlessly duplicate the actions of someone familiar with the parts and operations of modern firearms can say a lot about a character.
It was the little things about body positioning, how comfortable and sure of the weapons they were when racking, assembling, and loading the pistols and how they became a legitimate extension of themselves that helped me understand. Best of all, these "little things" aren't impossible to learn, or duplicate. They are simply things that need to be practiced to sit in an actors mind and hands. These behaviors will translate on stage to the overall impression that the character has a level of expertise in accordance with who this character is.
Even if a shot is never fired onstage, and the "stage gun" is a solid piece of rubber or plastic, there are still ways to handle, move and use that prop so that the audience is under the impression that this is the real thing.
The way I see it, if you're striving for realism, there is no better way to go than to learn the real thing and adapt it into your work. No kidding, Lateif Dickerson's schooling is about is real as it gets, without staring down the barrel from the wrong side. I would recommend this class for anyone and everyone who's ever thought about a gun in any way.
Enter Lateif Dickerson, Director and Chief Instructor of the NJ Firearms Academy, who's list of accomplishments and titles is longer than I care to cut and paste. Hence the link. A surprisingly relaxing and informative day out in Jersey City under his tutelage was a really really fun day as well.
The course in NRA Basic Pistol 1, which I have now passed (with only one error on the written exam - pesky wording mistake involving elimination of wavering sight picture as opposed to reduction) has shown me a number of things I long suspected but have now confirmed. Here are some of the highlights:
1. The Glock 17 is an excellent firearm and has a well deserved reputation. I prefer the Beretta.
2. I really really do like revolvers. Specifically, in the .38 flavor. I'm just old school that way it turns out.
3. .40 Caliber pistols are the upper limit of my current ability to control. .45s are just simply so big that I currently need an act of God, and a semi-magical solid steel frame to consistently hit a target at 20 feet.
4. Cleaning pistols is exactly the calming and relaxing process I suspected it was.
5. A novice firing a pistol with one hand is probably going to result in a missed shot. The reason there is a proper stance for beginners to fire a pistol is because it's the proper way to do it.
6. I have new appreciation for the phrase "Suddenly, his hands were full of thunder."
7. My long standing personal outlook on purchasing a firearm may be changing. Someday in the right environment, I just might become a gun owner, since the M1911 is available in 9mm. Sorry Mom.
8. I want to get much better than I am at this, and I'm actually not too bad at it to begin with.
9. Gunshots I've staged in theater in the past haven't actually been too silly. Now they'll be much better.
10. Handling a firearm is a delicate process, but need not be a frightening one.
Most important, I paid a lot of attention to the lessons "between the lessons." Watching Lateif and his son Trevor (the assistant on the range during the day) handle the weapons taught me a lot about how professionals operate and behave with these tools. Beyond no lapse safety basics and must have knowledge regarding grip placement and sight picture, being able to seamlessly duplicate the actions of someone familiar with the parts and operations of modern firearms can say a lot about a character.
It was the little things about body positioning, how comfortable and sure of the weapons they were when racking, assembling, and loading the pistols and how they became a legitimate extension of themselves that helped me understand. Best of all, these "little things" aren't impossible to learn, or duplicate. They are simply things that need to be practiced to sit in an actors mind and hands. These behaviors will translate on stage to the overall impression that the character has a level of expertise in accordance with who this character is.
Even if a shot is never fired onstage, and the "stage gun" is a solid piece of rubber or plastic, there are still ways to handle, move and use that prop so that the audience is under the impression that this is the real thing.
The way I see it, if you're striving for realism, there is no better way to go than to learn the real thing and adapt it into your work. No kidding, Lateif Dickerson's schooling is about is real as it gets, without staring down the barrel from the wrong side. I would recommend this class for anyone and everyone who's ever thought about a gun in any way.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
One quick note...
My home computer has died. After years of middling performance from a below average cut rate sale priced desktop, courtesy of Dell, I found myself in a similar situation to poor Strong Bad...
Oddly enough, I more or less got the blue screen of death, and while the words "Flagrant System Error, Computer Over Virus = Very Yes" didn't appear, my barely maintained virus protection didn't come through. I believe I was able to salvage some of my data. I snagged my iTunes library onto the portable hard drive purchased for just such an event, in any case so hopefully the damage is relatively limited.
Attempts to salvage the machine itself were... unsuccessful. Time of Death: 8:04 PM 9/14/09. Oddly enough, that's almost 4 years to the day when I first turned that bad boy on. So tonight, it's laptop shopping time. I'm not ready (emotionally and financially) to make the leap to Mac so it's back to PC land. I wonder if Dell is having a sale on laptops...
Oddly enough, I more or less got the blue screen of death, and while the words "Flagrant System Error, Computer Over Virus = Very Yes" didn't appear, my barely maintained virus protection didn't come through. I believe I was able to salvage some of my data. I snagged my iTunes library onto the portable hard drive purchased for just such an event, in any case so hopefully the damage is relatively limited.
Attempts to salvage the machine itself were... unsuccessful. Time of Death: 8:04 PM 9/14/09. Oddly enough, that's almost 4 years to the day when I first turned that bad boy on. So tonight, it's laptop shopping time. I'm not ready (emotionally and financially) to make the leap to Mac so it's back to PC land. I wonder if Dell is having a sale on laptops...
Monday, September 14, 2009
Countdown to NJFA courses!
I'm now 1 week off from the latest iteration of firearms training - some basic pistol. I've had my hands on a few pistols over time, and squeezed off the occasional round in the appropriate setting, but I'm looking forward to a formal program with a variety of calibers and a variety of weapons. It's my hope that I'll come away from this weekend's schooling with a more in depth understanding not just of the tools, but the most effective uses of them. Once I've got that under my belt (and the appropriate paperwork) I'm going to make the purchase of a few blank firing props and begin marketing myself in earnest to the indie folks.
Speaking of indie folks - I also recently took place (just this past Saturday night, in fact) in the Vampire Cowboy's Saloon Series. Now, I've mused on the VC before, but since this isn't their production I'm not stressing it. The Saloon series is in fact something I had the chance to participate in briefly last year, however other commitments interfered, and left me hanging unable to keep playing. A shame since it was Mac Rogers' play "Asymmetric" a spy thriller that I adored. There was to be torture and gunplay all over. A fight stager's dream. Alas. In short, each year, Vampire Cowboys invite top indie groups and writers to stage 10-15 minute installments of a full piece. Each month, audiences cram in to view the latest "episode" of the plays.
This year, I'm involved in Crystal Skillman's show - "Hack" a twisted combination of computer IT hacker mystery and spaghetti western. Directed by John Hurley and featuring some of my favorite people to work with, it is also a nice little showcase for groups who don't know me. I also get to employ the gravelly "gunfighter voice" that no one in their right mind would ever employ on stage. Since it's 10 minutes once a month - no harm done. It's fun, and I hope to get to stretch my choreography muscles a little at some point down the line. It'll be tough since these are the nerdiest of the nerds and not exactly capable fighters, but that has it's own joys, I suppose.
Depending on how this process goes, I may investigate taking a class or two at the Vampire Cowboy's Battleranch (this is their studio space in Assendofnowhereburg, Brooklyn). I might be able to pick up a thing or two from them, and possibly trade a little knife and gunskill along the way.
On another note, now that things are getting cooler, and most of my compatriots are working semi-regular hours again, it's getting time to start actually shooting at one another again. Paintball season for the casual player is upon us. I'm hoping I can con my brothers out on a weekend jaunt at some point this fall.
In the meantime, it's practice practice practice in CSSD SC, keep working up fights, recording ideas for improvised melee weapons, and seek out excellent work on film TV and stage to be inspired by. By the way - "Leverage" has excellent stuff. It was recommended by my instructor, the venerable Michael Stone, and I have NOT been disappointed in the least. Brutal and accurate, it's not the usual flying fists and kung fu kicks. This is rapid, tactically efficient sequence after sequence (sometimes stretching realism) but ultimately fun. I love when I see something and either I am able to break it down into a series I can duplicate, or even more exciting, say "I know how to do that in real life!"
On the sad side... I saw another show with eastern styled martial arts slowed down to the point of looking like it was under water. I'm not naming names, but holy shav'ed cats. What a waste of time. I just don't get it. If you don't have the chops to choreograph something that advanced, DON'T DO IT. I don't know kung-fu. I'm not going to stage a fight with something remotely approximating it. And for god's sake, stop with the facing off. Ugh. It's cheesy in Japanese cinema, and it's even worse with two chumps on stage.
Speaking of indie folks - I also recently took place (just this past Saturday night, in fact) in the Vampire Cowboy's Saloon Series. Now, I've mused on the VC before, but since this isn't their production I'm not stressing it. The Saloon series is in fact something I had the chance to participate in briefly last year, however other commitments interfered, and left me hanging unable to keep playing. A shame since it was Mac Rogers' play "Asymmetric" a spy thriller that I adored. There was to be torture and gunplay all over. A fight stager's dream. Alas. In short, each year, Vampire Cowboys invite top indie groups and writers to stage 10-15 minute installments of a full piece. Each month, audiences cram in to view the latest "episode" of the plays.
This year, I'm involved in Crystal Skillman's show - "Hack" a twisted combination of computer IT hacker mystery and spaghetti western. Directed by John Hurley and featuring some of my favorite people to work with, it is also a nice little showcase for groups who don't know me. I also get to employ the gravelly "gunfighter voice" that no one in their right mind would ever employ on stage. Since it's 10 minutes once a month - no harm done. It's fun, and I hope to get to stretch my choreography muscles a little at some point down the line. It'll be tough since these are the nerdiest of the nerds and not exactly capable fighters, but that has it's own joys, I suppose.
Depending on how this process goes, I may investigate taking a class or two at the Vampire Cowboy's Battleranch (this is their studio space in Assendofnowhereburg, Brooklyn). I might be able to pick up a thing or two from them, and possibly trade a little knife and gunskill along the way.
On another note, now that things are getting cooler, and most of my compatriots are working semi-regular hours again, it's getting time to start actually shooting at one another again. Paintball season for the casual player is upon us. I'm hoping I can con my brothers out on a weekend jaunt at some point this fall.
In the meantime, it's practice practice practice in CSSD SC, keep working up fights, recording ideas for improvised melee weapons, and seek out excellent work on film TV and stage to be inspired by. By the way - "Leverage" has excellent stuff. It was recommended by my instructor, the venerable Michael Stone, and I have NOT been disappointed in the least. Brutal and accurate, it's not the usual flying fists and kung fu kicks. This is rapid, tactically efficient sequence after sequence (sometimes stretching realism) but ultimately fun. I love when I see something and either I am able to break it down into a series I can duplicate, or even more exciting, say "I know how to do that in real life!"
On the sad side... I saw another show with eastern styled martial arts slowed down to the point of looking like it was under water. I'm not naming names, but holy shav'ed cats. What a waste of time. I just don't get it. If you don't have the chops to choreograph something that advanced, DON'T DO IT. I don't know kung-fu. I'm not going to stage a fight with something remotely approximating it. And for god's sake, stop with the facing off. Ugh. It's cheesy in Japanese cinema, and it's even worse with two chumps on stage.
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