EA351-6-AP-SO:
Stage Combat in Practice and Performance

The details
2024/25
East 15 Acting School
Southend Campus
Autumn & Spring
Undergraduate: Level 6
Current
Thursday 03 October 2024
Friday 21 March 2025
30
09 March 2023

 

Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)

 

(none)

Key module for

BA W412 Acting and Fight Performance

Module description

This is a compulsory module for BA Acting and Stage Combat. During the first and second years students were trained in the use, style and overall performance of a range of combat/physical disciplines, giving them an appropriate base from which to apply these skills in complex performance scenarios in the BA Hons final year. The module takes working knowledge of weapons gained in Years One and Two of the degree, and applies it to professional performance situations.


You will move from being a performer of stage combat and work to understand the logic of choreography for theatrical violence, which calls upon a variety of physical and contextual skills. You will study the progression of story line and character action within a range of stage combat scenarios.


You will undertake units of work in fight choreography and fights on camera.

Module aims

The aims of this module are to provide students with:



  • Advanced understanding of the skill and control of weapons in a performance situation

  • Further knowledge of the professional demands of a stage combat practitioner, across a variety of roles

  • Experience of identifying problems and testing theoretical solutions in practice

  • Experience of collaborating to create fight performances

  • Opportunities to adapt and apply their knowledge to suit given circumstances

  • The acting skills and technique required to perform in front of a camera

  • The advanced skills needed to perform a choreographed fight, safely and dramatically

  • The opportunity to develop and work within the technical requirements involved in recording dramatic scenes

  • More experience with combat and acting skills in high-pressure situations

  • The opportunity to gain knowledge of working practices within the industry

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:



  1. Demonstrate an appropriate level of understanding and skill with stage and screen weapons

  2. Identify problems and produce practical solutions within a given framework

  3. Combine text analysis with the physical embodiment of character in a practical setting

  4. Liaise with others to achieve a set brief

  5. Apply research and skills to performance work

  6. Understand the uses of a range of theatrical effects

  7. Have an advanced understanding of safety requirements when setting fights for a production

  8. Sustain character and style within the demands of a technical production

  9. Communicate character and storyline during a dramatic scene

  10. Perform fights convincingly and in character

  11. Take instruction from directors and use them to improve performances

  12. Assess personal growth

  13. Work effectively as one part of a production team

Module information

No additional information available.

Learning and teaching methods

Practical Classes, rehearsals, research and occasional lectures

Bibliography

The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's reading list.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam Description Deadline Coursework weighting
Practical   Scenes On Camera (Showreels)     
Practical   Fight Scenes On Camera     
Practical   Choreography     

Additional coursework information

• Fighting For Film (Weighting 30%) Continual Assessment including the application of combat skills under differing performance criteria and the technical requirements involved in recording action scenes • Choreography (Weighting 40%) Continual Assessment, including choreographic and performance tasks set by the unit tutor, including the choreography of a fight, set in dramatic context. • Fight scenes on camera (Weighting 30%) Contribution to preparation, rehearsal process, production process and the performance of scenes on camera.

Exam format definitions

  • Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
  • In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

Coursework Exam
100% 0%

Reassessment

Coursework Exam
100% 0%
Module supervisor and teaching staff

 

Availability
No
No
No

External examiner

No external examiner information available for this module.
Resources
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.

 

Further information
East 15 Acting School

Disclaimer: The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its Module Directory is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to programmes, modules, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements, industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to modules may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery or assessment of modules and other services, to discontinue modules and other services and to merge or combine modules. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications and module directory.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.