{"id":106486,"date":"2018-10-30T07:00:45","date_gmt":"2018-10-30T12:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/?p=106486"},"modified":"2018-10-29T11:45:33","modified_gmt":"2018-10-29T16:45:33","slug":"how-to-edit-fight-scene","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/how-to-edit-fight-scene\/","title":{"rendered":"Production Tip: How to Edit a Fight Scene for Rhythm and Pacing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Good fight scenes need vision, planning, and careful choreography. But ultimately, they depend on the edit for their power.<\/h2>\n

A good fight scene can add energy and power to your film or video project. Seeing the hero rise up against their foes and take them down with excellent choreography can be a really exciting and emotional moment. But a key element to any fight scene is the editing, so let\u2019s take a look at how to do it.<\/p>\n

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Pre-Production<\/h3>\n

If you haven\u2019t shot your fight scene yet, check out my earlier article “Directing Fight Cinematography: The Right Way and the Wrong Way<\/a>”\u00a0for some direction on the production side of the fight. Once you’re caught up, you\u2019ll be set up to shoot a quality action piece.<\/p>\n

\"Production<\/a>

Image via “Choreographing A Fight Scene With A Hollywood Stunt Man<\/a>.”<\/p><\/div>\n

But perhaps you’ve already shot your scene \u2014 or you\u2019re editing someone else\u2019s fight. What then?<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re fortunate enough to join the project before production begins, then speak with the director, and make sure that each new shot in the fight scene begins with the last punch or kick from the previous shot. This will help everything flow together nicely in the edit and avoid the talent stalling at the beginning of each cut.<\/p>\n

If the director hasn\u2019t already edited a rough version of the fight from rehearsal footage, then they may not have a clear picture of the edit they want to see. If so, get the director to shoot as much coverage as possible from a variety of angles. This will give you room to play in the edit and get a good cut of the fight.<\/p>\n

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Editing Rhythm<\/h3>\n

If your director does have a clear vision of the edit, then your job is a little easier. Take their direction and refine the fight. But if they just hand you hours of footage from various angles with the instruction to “Cut this together,” then it\u2019s a bit trickier.<\/p>\n

After watching the footage, you\u2019ll be able to tell pretty quickly if the performers are talented martial artists or not. If they are, then I recommend longer cuts to showcase their skill. That doesn\u2019t mean each cut needs to be ten seconds, but give it a little breathing room when you can.<\/p>\n

If the performers aren\u2019t that great, then you may need to use really short cuts and fast edits. Take a look at the ridiculous opening to xXx: The Return of Xander Cage<\/a><\/em>. While the edit for Donnie Yen, who is a very talented martial artist, doesn\u2019t involve super-long sequences, the cuts are a bit longer, and the camera work is smooth. But you\u2019ll notice a stark contrast in the same scene when his British cohort rushes out of the elevator.<\/p>\n