Lightsaber Combat

Hello,

I practice swordsplay all the time, but i cant come up with any proper lightsaber moves...all are just repetative and dull. Does anyone know any moves or a site i could go to with pictures and such? PM me if you wanna talk about this privately.

 

i would think this would belong in the fanfilms forum or something more appropriate, you'd get more help there

 

there is the 8 point system the the guy in star wars uses!
as you learn them 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 you can then re-sequence them e.g. 1,3,1,4,6,8,7,5

so these are them from the attacker point of view

1)strick towards the head from left to right
2)over-head strike aimed at the head
3)opposite of number 2
4)strike from left to right at the waist
5)stab towards their stomach
6)opposite of number 4
7)strick from left to right at the legs
8)opposite of number 7

i hope that helps

 

yeah, that's pretty much a traditional 5 point attack box with 3 extra strikes added.

I'd say if you think moves are dull then make some up. or make dull ones fancy. I believe that's a lot of what Nick Gillard did for the prequels.

 

nick gillard only did choreography for ep II and III, ep I was mostly ray park

 

rather than just linking moves together, tell a story with your fight. A fight is more than just a dramatic element, it's drama. Even very basic moves can be made enjoyable to watch when put in the proper context performed with intent.

 

I completely agree with this. A duel between two masters would resemble a beautiful dance; just as watching two master martial artists combat.

 

I think one of the most exciting times for someone watching a combat is the anticipation of the next move, as they are sizing each other up. Who can forget Darth Mawl pacing like a wild animal as he waited for the energy field in Theed to come down, while Qui-gon sat and meditated. So very different in their styles.

 

I always thought that was one of the best scenes of the movie. You could almost see the hatred brewing in Mauls eyes, and the peaceful serenity of Qui-Gon. And better yet, there's Obi-Wan. His impatient determination betraying just how young he is.

 

Not quite. Nick Gilliard was the head fight coordinator for all three prequels. Park served under him, and that was how he got the part of Darth Maul. According to a SW Insider article back before TPM came out, Nick Gilliard made mention that he designed the Jedi fighting styles by combining several different sword fighting forms together.

 

You can always ask Ray Parks... LOL

 

Sorry, but the coreographer for the original series, Bob Anderson, is 30 times better than the new guy. Anderson, however, had to work with Dave Prowse, who was a block of wood, rather than an athlete. (Prowse was a body builder, not a gymnist--all muscle, no finesse). Take a look at the other films Anderson has done, and you can see the difference (like Pirates of the Caribean, Princess Bride, or Highlander). </ranting>

As for how to, find a kendo club or dojo. Failing that, aikido dojo or fencing salle. I learned more about swordwork from 3 months of aikido than I did from 3 years of fencing.

 

Bob Anderson didn't choreograph the fights in the OT. He did the fights in ESB, in the Darth Vader suit, because Prowse wasn't good enough. Peter Diamond was the stunt coordinator and he choreographed the fights.

Found here:

Fencing Online

 

TRy Hapkido stickfighting tecqnuqs minus the grabbing of the upper grip stuff. Also take a look at some filipino stickfighting styles they have some nice moves

 

Join the SCA and ask them to learn bastard sword.

 

Do not join the SCA to learn proper sword fighting. Most of their sword fighting are forms they have made up themselves and do not in the least resemble the true art of fencing. Some SCA members are attempting to change that, however. Also, modern fencing clubs are just that...modern fencing (epee, foil and saber) and have no similarity to lightsaber fighting. What you need to find is either an Eastern martial arts club that offers a variety of sword styles (ie Chinese, Japanese etc) or someone to teach you Western (European) long (2-hand) and bastard sword. Lightsaber fighting is actually a combination of Eastern and Western.

If you are interested and can make it to Madison WI's FilmCon5 (there is a thread somewhere for it) in November, myself and my sword instructor will be teaching 2 lightsaber classes limited to 10 people each. We are both trained in Western historical swordwork (with our original background in modern fencing so I know what I'm talking about when I say that does not resemble lightsaber) and use that as the ground for teaching the class. We have taught similar classes each year at FilmCon for either lightsaber or Lord of the Rings-style swordwork.

Of Bob Anderson and Nick Gillard, I agree that Bob Anderson is the better of the two.

 

A good stage combat class is really a great option for learning swordplay. It won't you make you much good at defending your life in dark allies, but then niether will fencing or kendo.

In three years of training I've become pretty skilled at fighting with single-sword, rapier/dagger, broadsword and quarter staff. I've also done a little work in unarmed and knife fighting. It's great fun, geared toward entertainment, and the techniques that you learn for one weapon easily translate to all others. Check out the SAFD website, and maybe you can find a teacher in your area.