David Bianculli

And they could fight with a martial arts style. And whether it was a police drama or a heightened sci-fi thing, every character knew how to fight. And it wasn't until... The Matrix movies where the Wachowskis had sort of like, hey, we want to have that same vibe in Western cinema.

And I think after that first Matrix film hit the ground where you saw Keanu and Laurence Fishburne fight in this dojo and there was the actors doing the fighting. I mean, that had not happened to that level in Western cinema before that, really.

And I think after that first Matrix film hit the ground where you saw Keanu and Laurence Fishburne fight in this dojo and there was the actors doing the fighting. I mean, that had not happened to that level in Western cinema before that, really.

And I think after that first Matrix film hit the ground where you saw Keanu and Laurence Fishburne fight in this dojo and there was the actors doing the fighting. I mean, that had not happened to that level in Western cinema before that, really.

So it was like a light went off for myself and, you know, a core group of us who were sort of training together at the time, Chad Stahelski, who co-directed John Wick with me. We decided, like, we want to take that model and apply it to all the films that we're working on. Like, we want to train the actors to do the fights, and we want... to bring martial arts to any sort of genre, it makes sense.

So it was like a light went off for myself and, you know, a core group of us who were sort of training together at the time, Chad Stahelski, who co-directed John Wick with me. We decided, like, we want to take that model and apply it to all the films that we're working on. Like, we want to train the actors to do the fights, and we want... to bring martial arts to any sort of genre, it makes sense.

So it was like a light went off for myself and, you know, a core group of us who were sort of training together at the time, Chad Stahelski, who co-directed John Wick with me. We decided, like, we want to take that model and apply it to all the films that we're working on. Like, we want to train the actors to do the fights, and we want... to bring martial arts to any sort of genre, it makes sense.

Like, these characters know how to fight. Instead of, like, it's just a messy, sloppy, dramatic thing, it's like there will be a level of skill with these characters. And so we started to... take that opportunity with a lot of different films. And we were sort of up-and-coming stunt coordinators. We were really specializing in fight choreography.

Like, these characters know how to fight. Instead of, like, it's just a messy, sloppy, dramatic thing, it's like there will be a level of skill with these characters. And so we started to... take that opportunity with a lot of different films. And we were sort of up-and-coming stunt coordinators. We were really specializing in fight choreography.

Like, these characters know how to fight. Instead of, like, it's just a messy, sloppy, dramatic thing, it's like there will be a level of skill with these characters. And so we started to... take that opportunity with a lot of different films. And we were sort of up-and-coming stunt coordinators. We were really specializing in fight choreography.

And we did something that we learned from that Hong Kong team on the Matrix films. We would shoot and edit our own fight scenes to present to the directors and the producers. And through that... We built a name for ourself and we also learned how to tell stories and we also learned how to direct, you know, technically direct.

And we did something that we learned from that Hong Kong team on the Matrix films. We would shoot and edit our own fight scenes to present to the directors and the producers. And through that... We built a name for ourself and we also learned how to tell stories and we also learned how to direct, you know, technically direct.

And we did something that we learned from that Hong Kong team on the Matrix films. We would shoot and edit our own fight scenes to present to the directors and the producers. And through that... We built a name for ourself and we also learned how to tell stories and we also learned how to direct, you know, technically direct.

We were shooting and editing these sequences and presenting them as like sort of finished ideas, like moving storyboards. And now it's something that is like standard.

We were shooting and editing these sequences and presenting them as like sort of finished ideas, like moving storyboards. And now it's something that is like standard.

We were shooting and editing these sequences and presenting them as like sort of finished ideas, like moving storyboards. And now it's something that is like standard.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Well, you do, you know, it was part of, it was definitely part of the, the, um, old school mentality. It's like you, you learned how to, you know, hit a mini trampoline and jump in the air and like keep your head away from camera. And like you constantly, you know, it was a whole art form of like how to keep your head away from camera. Like I always try to give them the back of your head. Um,