 |
 |
A Conversation With Ken Quinn
(Stunt Coordinator) April 2001
Q: How would you characterize the type of stunt work you do for WITCHBLADE?
A: The producers have been really good. They give us the time and the resources to do stuff. We're trying not to do too much Matrix and the cables as much. We're trying to use cables just maybe 10 or 15 percent to assist the stunt. We're not trying to make it a cable show, as far as stunts that use cables and wires. And we're trying to find our own style of action for the show, but it's taking a little while to do. We're still learning what we can do with the show.
Q: As far as the stunt we just watched - the kidnapping of Conchobar. How do you block something like that out or determine the choreography?
A: We have production meetings. We have a stunt meeting with the director and myself, producers, and we sort of talk about the action, read the script and talk to the executive producers and decide what kind of action we want to do. This particular sequence is more of a real gritty type of fight. It's more hardcore, compared to a real choreographed martial arts type of fight. It's more wrestling, throwing around. It's just the type that terrorist type of people, IRA guys -- that's the style of fight they want. And James (Whitmore, Jr.) the director, he's got his own vision of what he wants, so we talk. He kind of blocks out what he would like to do and then we come up with the exact moves, what we're going to go over or go through - over the table, through the drum set. And then we double our actors, just for safety. One actor is very physical and can do a lot himself, but for safety reasons and insurance reasons, we bring doubles in. And for part of the stunt, we'll have doubles and they'll take the risk for them.
Q: So how do the doubles keep from getting hurt in a stunt like this last one where they're actually flying over tables or being slammed into the ground?
A: The doubles, for example, Wade (Eastwood), who is doubling Conchobar right now, he's a veteran stunt man. The other guy, in the hood, Randy Butcher, has been around for 18 or 20 years. And it's just something you train for -- what pads you need, etc. And quite honestly, they're used to hitting the ground. I mean, it's almost like a football player going into a game. You get used to it.
Q: What are some of the other stunts you've done for the series so far?
A: Well every episode on this show is different. The action, the last episode, I brought two motorcycle stunt guys ---- well, not even stunt men. . .extreme motorcyclists from Reno -- to do specialized stunts on the motorcycles, hanging off the bikes and stuff. So we had motorcycles in that one. We did some car driving yesterday. I mean every episode they write different action, which is good for us, cause it's not all the same every time. They're trying to act different action all the time. We've done falls in the show, we've done motorcycles, we've done cars, we've done martial arts fights, we've done wire work, explosions. This episode (Episode 6: "Maelstrom") we have a gunfight, John Woo style.
Q: Have there been injuries doing stunt work on this show?
A: Quite honestly, we've had very minor injuries in the show. We don't want anybody injured. We take all the precautions we can. And the producers are also very good about that. They don't want anybody hurt in the show. And they give us the time and the liberty to do what we want to do, and do it safely. So it's a good show that way. The executive producers and the directors we've had are all very safety conscious, so that's good. On some shows, it's not quite like that and they rush things, and it's beyond safe, and this show just doesn't do that. That's why it's a pleasure to work on. And the cast, quite honestly, lead cast -- everybody on from Yancy to David to Eric and Will-- is one of the best casts I've worked with. They are so easy to work with.
Q: And you've said they are all very athletic and very game, regarding stunts?
A: Oh yes. Eric's played a lot of volleyball. Chokachi's just an all round good athlete. Yancy is very physical. Will hasn't had to do a lot of action yet, but he's also a martial artist himself.
Q: How do you go about coaching an actor through a stunt, as opposed to using a stunt professional who's done it a million times?
A: Well, on a feature film they give you the time in pre-production to train an actor as far as a fight or how to use a gun or ride a motorcycle, whereas on this show, quite honestly, the actors don't have the time to train for it. It's kind of unfair to the actors, in a sense, because they're learning on the spot. Yancy's in every sequence so she doesn't have the time in the day to come to us and train or practice, so it's a little bit of pressure. That's why if you have athletic actors who catch on quick, it's a lot better. And that's what we have in this show. With other series I've worked with, you can't do anything with the actors. They're just not athletic.
Q: Can you talk about the most difficult stunt that you are working on now?
A: On this episode we're going to be using some wires on the gunfight. Some of the moves in that are really difficult, so we're going to use wires to assist the stunt guys, even, and the actors. The last episode we did, the motorcycle stuff was dangerous, that's why I had the specialists come out. And it's kind of scary when you're asking people to do stuff, and you know there's a chance of big injury. And this town (Toronto) is very busy, so sometimes it's hard to get the right people for the right job. So I'm trying to put a core team together for the show and have the right doubles now for the series. Cause I think this is going to be ongoing and it's total action.
Q: Is the stunt team made up of people who you've worked with before?
A: My company right now is Wade Eastwood, he's coming from England and he's doubled James Bond. He just did Tomb Raider, with Angelina Jolie. He was Chris O'Donnell's double on Verticle Limit. We did a John Woo picture together four years ago and we just hit it off and got along. I don't like to perform stunts any more. I had my time, and he's still eager to perform, which is good and he's very talented. So the combination will be good for the show I think. And he's also stunt coordinator, so when we have too much stuff going on he can coordinate one episode or I can do one. So it's going well that way. It's taken some time to get our little team together that we want on the show, and I think finally we're getting to it. It's taken a few episodes to - growing pains, I guess.
Q: Were you also stunt coordinator on the movie?
A: Yes, I did the pilot with Ralph Hemecker and we got along well and he liked what I did and I liked him. Ralph's very energetic; he knows what he wants to do. He's got a great eye. I've worked with a lot of directors but I like the way Ralph wants to do things on the show. I think it's great. You're only as good as your team. I think it will be a great show. I think what the producers are doing is amazing when you see the show. The visual effects are great and I think it's going to be a big hit. I really believe in it.
Q: Thanks very much!
A: Thank you.
|
|
 |
|
