So I decided to bust out that old DVD of Kiss of The Dragon (such a solid and unpretentious action movie) that's been with me for about as long as I've been collecting DVDs and give it another go after so many years. Can't say I was as impressed as when I first saw it, but to this day I still find it entertaining.
Anyhow, I got to thinking about how a screenplay for a martial arts movie like this is written. Obviously the fight scenes are not detailed at the scripting stage, but are rather developed along with an action choreographer during production. But if a screenwriter was to write a kung fu spec-script, s/he'd have to somehow plot out most of the climactic fights ahead, while still leaving room for an action choreographer to do his/her thing.
So I'm wondering, how is a screenwriter supposed to approach a longer fight scene like this?
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/144379...n_fight_scene/
As mentioned, obviously you're not going to write the whole scene with detailed action (X kicks, Y blocks and grabs X's leg and twists it, and so on). But then again, a screenwriter can't just write "they fight. X wins." S/he has to still dramatize the section to enhance the reading experience, right?
Does anybody have any experience, examples, or know how screenwriters have tackled this issue?
I'm thinking maybe it's still the screenwriter's job to describe, very loosely so, how a fight scene develops; describe the "dynamic" between the characters fighting (X kicks Y's arse because he's faster and more skilled).
Could the above video perhaps been written along the lines of...:
TWIN 1 is bigger, much stronger, and has greater range than LI. And he uses that advantage to keep Li on the defensive. --SUDDENLY --
-- BAM! TWIN 2 comes from behind Li and kicks him in the back!
Li gets up , engages Twin 2, blow for blow they trade punches and kicks until --
-- BAM! Twins 1 comes from behind and smacks Li real good! The Twins have excellent teamwork and are slowly wearing down Li by fighting as a single unit.
Li gets kicked into a cubicle by Twin 1. He's on his back. This fight is his to lose. But he takes a look around and gets an idea.
Li taunts Twin 1. Motions to him to get over here, challenging him.
Filled with smug arrogance, Twin 1 accepts his challenge and moves in for the kill.
But the confined space of the cubicle works against him: random debris gets in his way, his attacks become useless, he has no room to move --
-- And Li counters! Snaps back with furious speed, outmaneuvers the lumbering giant who can do nothing but get pushed back inch by inch. Until --
-- WHAM! Li knocks him back! The advantage is his!
Aaaand so on, and so on.
Would something like this be okay in a script? Or is that still too much micro management from the screenwriter's part? This particular scene is pretty short, but there are sequences in these type of movies that go on for much longer, that switch locations, and so on. But would it still be okay to write them in this manner?
Anyhow, I got to thinking about how a screenplay for a martial arts movie like this is written. Obviously the fight scenes are not detailed at the scripting stage, but are rather developed along with an action choreographer during production. But if a screenwriter was to write a kung fu spec-script, s/he'd have to somehow plot out most of the climactic fights ahead, while still leaving room for an action choreographer to do his/her thing.
So I'm wondering, how is a screenwriter supposed to approach a longer fight scene like this?
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/144379...n_fight_scene/
As mentioned, obviously you're not going to write the whole scene with detailed action (X kicks, Y blocks and grabs X's leg and twists it, and so on). But then again, a screenwriter can't just write "they fight. X wins." S/he has to still dramatize the section to enhance the reading experience, right?
Does anybody have any experience, examples, or know how screenwriters have tackled this issue?
I'm thinking maybe it's still the screenwriter's job to describe, very loosely so, how a fight scene develops; describe the "dynamic" between the characters fighting (X kicks Y's arse because he's faster and more skilled).
Could the above video perhaps been written along the lines of...:
TWIN 1 is bigger, much stronger, and has greater range than LI. And he uses that advantage to keep Li on the defensive. --SUDDENLY --
-- BAM! TWIN 2 comes from behind Li and kicks him in the back!
Li gets up , engages Twin 2, blow for blow they trade punches and kicks until --
-- BAM! Twins 1 comes from behind and smacks Li real good! The Twins have excellent teamwork and are slowly wearing down Li by fighting as a single unit.
Li gets kicked into a cubicle by Twin 1. He's on his back. This fight is his to lose. But he takes a look around and gets an idea.
Li taunts Twin 1. Motions to him to get over here, challenging him.
Filled with smug arrogance, Twin 1 accepts his challenge and moves in for the kill.
But the confined space of the cubicle works against him: random debris gets in his way, his attacks become useless, he has no room to move --
-- And Li counters! Snaps back with furious speed, outmaneuvers the lumbering giant who can do nothing but get pushed back inch by inch. Until --
-- WHAM! Li knocks him back! The advantage is his!
Aaaand so on, and so on.
Would something like this be okay in a script? Or is that still too much micro management from the screenwriter's part? This particular scene is pretty short, but there are sequences in these type of movies that go on for much longer, that switch locations, and so on. But would it still be okay to write them in this manner?
Comment