Academy of Theatrical Combat

Sword Fighting, Action Design and Combat Training in Hollywood & New York City

30 YEARS OF TRAINING PERFORMERS IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY

ATC provides action design, fight choreography, violence coordination, sword fighting and theatrical combat training for film, tv, motion capture, and live production.In addition to providing project-specific training and action design, the Academy also offers ongoing professional training for actors, stunt performers, and anyone interested in learning about movie fights.

Swordplay & Weapons

Cutlass, Broadsword, Quarterstaff,
Rapier & Dagger, Smallsword, & more...

hand-to-hand combat

Unarmed Combat including
Punches, Kicks, Falls, Rolls, Throws

About ATC

THE ACADEMY OF THEATRICAL COMBAT

ATC provides action design, fight choreography, violence coordination, sword fighting, and theatrical combat training for all aspects of the entertainment industry.We specialize in creating action tailored to the needs of any specific project, complete with choreography motivated by the story and characters, on-set coordination of the action, and specialized training for actors in preparation for production.The ATC Action Coordinators are available for film, TV, Internet, video games, motion capture, or stage combat projects. They can create choreography for all types of weaponry, combat, and violence styles.In addition to providing project-specific training and action design, the Academy also offers ongoing professional training for actors, stunt performers, and anyone interested in learning about movie fights. Please contact us to discuss your specific needs.

Fight Coordinators | Sword Masters

Dan Speaker and Jan Bryant (Master and Commander, Hook, Army of Darkness, Hildalgo and more) are among the top experts in fight design, action choreography, and weapons combat for the motion picture industry. With years of experience bringing some of Hollywood’s best fight scenes to life, they can provide action tailored to the needs of any project, complete with choreography fitting the story and characters, on-set coordination of the action, and specialized training for actors in any fighting style, historical, modern, or fantasy necessary for the production.

Dan Speaker

Dan Speaker is one of the top action and sword fight choreographers in film today. He has been fascinated with swords and weaponry all his life. Growing up he studied martial arts, fencing, and horseback riding. He became involved in theatre and began to study how to use combat in performance. While pursuing this he obtained a Diploma in Dramatic Art and a Fencing Coach’s credential from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.Working in theatre as an actor and fight choreographer, he met his future wife, dance choreographer turned swordswoman, Jan Bryant. Together they moved to Hollywood and created a new method of teaching and choreographing the art of combat for film.

Jan Bryant

Jan Bryant has always been interested in combat as an art form. She began her career as an actress, dancer and choreographer of dance and movement. After graduating from UC Berkeley with a degree in Theatre, she was working as a dance and movement choreographer when she met her future husband, Dan Speaker. They moved to Hollywood and melded their respective talents and training into a new method of teaching and choreographing fight scenes for the motion picture industry.Today Jan is one of the few female swordmasters in the film industry and continues to teach, choreograph, act and perform the arts of combat and sword fighting.

Jayme Woj

Jayme is an actor, stunt fighter, fight choreographer, and violence coordinator. He currently serves as head instructor and fight designer for ATC New York.With more than 15 years of experience in swordplay, Aikido, Arnis, and theatrical hand-to-hand combat, his work as an action actor and fight designer includes credits on multiple Star Wars and Disney projects, Netflix’s Fuller House, The Globe’s Hamlet, and more.

Video

Kim Turney

Kim loves being a performer/teacher. She has two degrees in acting from The Ohio State University. She has stunt doubled, stunt coordinated, and assistant swordmastered on film projects such as Hallmark’s The Lady Musketeer, A Dead Calling, The Grimm Reaper, USC’s production of Thomasina Sawyer and many more.

Hollywood Training

The Academy’s Professional Training Program, or FIGHT CLASS, offers cinematic swordplay and hand-to-hand combat training for actors, stunt performers, and anyone interested in learning about movie fights.All weapons are provided. Students begin at the basic level, covering safety and the primary techniques of hand to hand combat (slaps, punches, kicks, reactions), rolls and falls, cutlass, broadsword and quarterstaff.Intermediate and advanced students continue mastering and learning more advanced applications for all these weapons as well as moving on to double cutlass, single rapier, rapier and dagger, and smallsword.All students train in learning choreography and quickly bringing fights to the performance level. Students perform for camera regularly and receive feedback from the Swordmasters.No experience is required to enter the professional program.Must be 18+ to participate.

Academy Fight Class

The Academy Fight Class includes swordfighting, hand-to-hand combat, and rolls & falls for screen and stage.

TUESDAYS
8 PM – 10 PM

$150 PER MONTH

Location:
11486 Hart Street
North Hollywood, CA 91605

PLEASE NOTE: All new students must attend an orientation on the first Tuesday class of the month.

Private Training

Private and semi-private lessons are available in any discipline the Academy offers.Please call 818-364-8420 to arrange private lessons. Rates vary.

Exam Fight Performances & Class Training Videos

Level One Exam Fights

Level Two Exam Fights

Historical Exam Fights

Hand-To-Hand Training

ATC Curriculum

Cutlass/Sabre | Broadsword | Rapier & Dagger | Small Sword | Quarterstaff | Unarmed Combat | Throws & Grappling | Rolls & Falls | Knife

New York City training at...

ACTION HERO ACADEMY

The Academy of Theatrical Combat & SAGA Action Arts have teamed up to present, THE ACTION HERO ACADEMY, a collaborative training experience for actors and stunt performers looking to master multiple disciplines of combat, action performance, and acting for film and television.

Visit actionheroacademy.nyc for classes, workshops, and training opportunties.

Fight Coordination

ATC fight coordinators are among the top experts in fight design, action choreography, and weapons combat for the entertainment industry. With years of experience bringing some of Hollywood’s best fight scenes to life, ATC provides action tailored to the needs of any project, complete with choreography fitting the story and characters, on-set coordination of the action, and specialized training for actors in any fighting style, historical, modern, or fantasy necessary for the production.The ATC Action Coordinators are available for film, TV, Internet, video games, motion capture, and stage combat projects. They can create choreography for all types of weaponry, combat, and violence styles.Fight Coordination credits by Hollywood Fight Designers, Dan Speaker & Jan Bryant include Master and Commander, Hook, Army of Darkness, Hildalgo, and more…Fight Coordination credits by NYC Fight Designer, Jayme Woj include Madonna Non Grata, Voodoo Macbeth, War of The Roses, Hamlet at The Globe Theatre, and more…Visit our ABOUT page to learn more about our ATC Fight Coordinators.

HOLLYWOOD, NEW YORK & BEYONDATC fight coordinators have experience with all levels of production, from low budget to major motion pictures.Contact us for rates:
Hollywood: [email protected]
New York City: [email protected]Need fighters? ATC fight coordinators can also provide professionally trained performers for your project.

Contact

This handbook is a primer for all students and teachers of Theatrical Combat. Detailed images depict basic hand to hand moves and the parry systems for Cutlass, Broadsword and Quarterstaff, along with notated drills for practicing attack and parry techniques.The goal of the Academy of Theatrical Combat is to give performers all the tools they need to feel confident in any action situation for stage, film, television, motion capture, or internet production. This includes knowing the basic theatrical combat techniques so well, they become second nature and allow actors to adapt safely and effectively to any and all situations they might face as performers. Stage Combat, Swordfighting.