Stage combat

Stage combat is a specialized technique in theatre designed to create the illusion of physical combat without causing harm to the performers. It is employed in live stage plays as well as operatic and ballet productions. The term is also used informally to describe fight choreography for other production media such as film and television. It is a common field of study for actors and dancers with some form of martial arts training, and is closely related to the practice of stunts.

History

The history of stage fighting and mock combat can be traced to antiquity, or indeed to the origins of the human species and primate display behaviour. Display of martial aptitude is a natural occurrence in warrior societies, and ritualized forms of mock combat often evolve into war dances. Fights staged for entertainment may also be in earnest for the combatants, as was the case with the Roman gladiators, and any public duel, such as the judicial duel of the European Middle Ages. Depiction of violence in theatre can also be traced to Antiquity, with Aristotle quoted as noting that "conflict is the essence of comedy".

Peter Hein

Peter Hein is a fight master/action choreographer, stunt coordinator who has worked on many South Indian films. He became famous for his action sequences in films such as Sivaji (2007), Anniyan (2008), Ghajini (2008), Magadheera (2009), Enthiran (2010), Raavanan (2010), 7aum Arivu (2011), Kochadaiyaan (2014) and Baahubali (2015). He has been nominated for the noted Taurus World Stunt Award against many big Hollywood names. He received a Filmfare Award for Best Action for his work in Ghajini (2008 film). Stunt masters such as Anal Arasu and Silva have worked as fighters and assistants to him.

Early life and career

He was born in Karaikal to Vietnamese immigrants and settled down in Chennai. He started his career as an extra fighter and assistant fight master for many Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films. During the initial days of his career, he worked as assistant to action directors Kanal Kannan and Vijayan. Krishna Vamsi, a Telugu film director (one-time assistant to Ram Gopal Varma) recognised his sincerity and dedication and offered him the chance to direct the action sequences for the film Murari which is also dubbed in Tamil. From then on, he became a full-length action film director, action co-ordinator and stunt director for various Telugu and Tamil films. He acquired recognition from critics and media for his work in several films such as Anji, Run, and Kaakha Kaakha and it was his work in films such as Varsham, Anniyan, Athadu, Chatrapati and so on that brought him critical acclaim. Ram Gopal Varma introduced him to Bollywood with the film James. Mani Ratnam was very much impressed with his work in films like Athadu, Anniyan and Sivaji and enrolled him to direct the stunt sequences for the film Raavan. However, due to scheduling conflicts with Magadheera, Hein has done limited work for Raavan.

Combat

Combat or fighting is a purposeful violent conflict meant to weaken, establish dominance over, or kill the opposition, or to drive the opposition away from a location where it is not wanted or needed.

The term combat (French for fight) typically refers to armed conflict between opposing military forces in warfare, whereas the more general term "fighting" can refer to any physical or verbal conflict between individuals or nations. Combat violence can be unilateral, whereas fighting implies at least a defensive reaction. A large-scale fight is known as a battle. A verbal fight is commonly known as an argument.

Background

Combat may take place under a specific set of rules or be unregulated. Examples of rules include the Geneva Conventions (covering the treatment of people in war), medieval chivalry, the Marquess of Queensberry rules (covering boxing) and several forms of combat sports.

Combat in warfare involves two or more opposing military organizations, usually fighting for nations at war (although guerrilla warfare and suppression of insurgencies can fall outside this definition). Warfare falls under the laws of war, which govern its purposes and conduct, and protect the rights of combatants and non-combatants.

The Fight

The Fight may refer to:

In film and television:

Other uses:

See also