ACTORS' SUMMER SEMESTER IS HERE

Calling all actors! The summer is for you!Violence in Motion is gearing up for summer, and we have a whole semester worth of classes designed for ACTORS-- including a Tactical Master Class with Steve Wilsher himself!

June 5th- Weapons in Film - For Actors

Our instructors Neil Adams and Julia Porter team up to show us how to handle a variety of weapons used on set. Firearms, knives, hatchets, and Kali bastoni will be featured. Action films here we come!

June 19th- Staff Fighting - For Actors

Jamie Treschak brings us one of the most versatile and beautiful weapons in Western-style Quarter Staff.  Learn how to work in your body and develop connectedness with your weapon. You will be ready for Robin Hood in no time! 

July 3rd- Fighting for Film - For Actors

Neil Adams is back with our most popular class! Learn to adapt fight choreography for the variety of camera angles needed on set. Actors and first-time fighters, this class is for you! 

July 17th- Sword - For Actors

Julia Porter is bringing us the most popular sword in film and theatre, the Rapier! If you've ever wanted to look like Errol Flynn, a Musketeer, or a Pirate in the Caribbean, this class is for you! 

August 14th- Sword and Dagger - For Actors

Jamie Treschak is back to teach us the graceful art of effectively using two weapons simultaneously. Sword and Dagger is a popular weapon combination in theatre and film. 

August 28th- MASTER CLASS Tactical Movement for Actors with Steve Wilsher

Using training props and equipment, Stunt Coordinator and Fight Master of the Academy of Dramatic Combat. Steve Wilsher joins us to instruct on the use of action props and tactical movement. All too often, performers arrive on set with little or no training in how be comfortable and convincing using theatrical firearms. Steve will help us look professional BEFORE arriving on set!***THIS IS A MOVEMENT CLASS, NOT A LIVE-FIRE EXERCISE. NO BLANK AMMUNITION WILL BE USED OR PRESENT DURING THIS CLASS. ONLY TRAINING PROPS WILL BE USED*** All of our summer classes take place at the Toronto Dance Theatre, at 80 Winchester St in Toronto, Ontario. 

Fall 2018 Class Schedule Is Here!!

Oh! Hi there, Toronto.  It's September, and you know what that means. Sweaters come out of storage, TIFF is bringing all the stars, our days on the beach are numbered, but most importantly: Our fall schedule is here!Preregister for all our fall classes here.It is a busy season for all of us, so pay attention to the dates of classes for this session, and for updates on our Facebook and Instagram pages.We will see you all this Wednesday for Neil Adams' Unarmed for Film class! 

The Academy of Dramatic Combat Annual Intensive Is Almost Here!

Who is excited for May? We are! Our parent organization, the Academy of Dramatic Combat, is holding the 19th Annual Stage Combat Workshop and Conference May 22nd- June 3rd.This is the perfect opportunity to get your next certification. Whether you are just starting out with Basic or gearing up for Intermediate and Advanced, the intensive is the perfect place.  You'll even see a friendly face or two from Violence in Motion teaching this year!For any questions, or to reserve your space, please contact:Steve Wilsher, Master Instructor Emeritus416-899-7966havocssi@aol.comVisit the Academy of Dramatic Combat website for more details!

WE'RE BACK FOR 2018!

Happy New Year everyone, and a big thank you to all of our students and guest Master Class Instructors for an incredible 2017!We are back NEXT WEEK, in our new location and new day.  Starting January 10th, every other other Wednesday, you can find us at the Toronto Dance Theatre 6pm-9pm.  First up, we have Julia Porter teaching SINGLE SWORD.Our Full Class schedule for Winter/Spring 2018 is:

Jan 10: Single Sword with Julia Porter

Jan 24: Unarmed with Neil Adams

Feb 7: Rapier & Dagger with Jamie Treschak

Feb 21: Broadsword with Neil Adams

Mar 7: Unarmed with Julia Porter

Mar 21: Quarter Staff with Jamie Treschak

Apr 4: Small Sword with Neil Adams

Apr 18: Case of Rapier with Julia Porter

All these classes will take place at the Toronto Dance Theatre, 80 Winchester Street, Toronto, Ontario M4X 1B2. See you all next Wednesday at 6pm!fullsizeoutput_b06

Fighting on Set-- with James Binkley

Fighting on Set with James BinkleybinkWe are proud to announce the third instalment of our Master Class Series, Fighting on Set with James Binkley.On October 14th, 2017, JOIN US in Tarragon Theatre’s Rehearsal Hall from 12pm-4pm to learn from stunt coordinator James Binkley!James’ stunt credits number well into the hundreds, including Rookie Blue, Breakout Kings, Cinderella Man, RED, The Incredible Hulk, and Land of the Dead, and he has been the stunt coordinator for The Republic of Doyle and movies such as Cyborg Soldier, Adoration, Animal 2, and The Last Sect. James has over 200 professional production credits as a fight director including 10 seasons at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival and 11 seasons at the Canadian Opera Company.This is a fantastic opportunity for all performers wanting to develop the invaluable skill of combat for the camera!James Binkley on IMDBTo register click here!Fighting on Set with James BinkleyWhen: October 14th 2017, 12pm – 4pmWhere: Tarragon Theatre 30 Bridgman Ave Toronto, ON M5R 1X3Cost: $100 + HSTJames Binkley is a Senior Instructor with the Academy of Dramatic Combat and a member of the Society of Canadian Fight Directors.  He has over 200 professional production credits as a fight director including 10 seasons at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival and 11 seasons at the Canadian Opera Company. He has worked throughout Canada with numerous companies including the Shaw Festival, Canadian Stage Company, Soulpepper, the National Ballet, the National Arts Centre, Obsidian Theatre Company, the Factory Theatre, Tarragon Theatre, Manitoba Theatre Centre, Big Art Productions in Montreal, and (r)evolution theatre in Vancouver.He also works as an actor, stunt performer and stunt coordinator. His acting credits include Nikita, Flashpoint, Beauty and the Beast, The Border, and Heartstopper, credits as a stunt performer number well into the hundreds including Rookie Blue, Breakout Kings, Cinderella Man, RED, The Incredible Hulk, and Land of the Dead, and he has been the stunt coordinator for The Republic of Doyle and movies such as Cyborg Soldier, Adoration, Animal 2, and The Last Sect.

"Fighting for Film" with John Stead EXTENDED- October 29th, 2016

We’re adding another day!

As you know John Stead’s workshop “Fight for Film” sold out in under 2 weeks! Due to the overwhelming response, and growing wait list, John has agreed to a second day, Saturday, October 29th. 2016.  Sign up today, because this opportunity won’t happen a third time!

John Stead on IMDB

To register click here!

John Stead: Fighting For Film Workshop

When: October 29th 2016, 10am – 4pm

Where: Opia Studios – 587A College St. Toronto, ON

Cost: $100 + HST

JOHN STEAD 

John Stead is Head of Stage Combat for the Stratford Festival of Canada, a Master Instructor with the Academy of Dramatic Combat, Stage Combat Coordinator for The National Theatre School, and a member of the Society of Canadian Fight Directors. He has over 500 professional theatre credits as a fight director including 23 seasons as the fight director for the Stratford Festival and 17 seasons with the Shaw Festival. He has worked across Canada and the U.S. with numerous companies including Soulpepper Theatre, Canadian Stage Company, the National Ballet, Mirvish Productions, Theatre Passe Muraille, Tarragon Theatre, Manitoba Theatre Centre, Factory Theatre, the National Arts Centre, Studio Arena Theatre, the Geva Theatre in Rochester, the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington D.C., Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Los Angeles Ahmanson Theatre and the Lincoln Centre on Broadway. He has stunt performed on over 250 TV episodes and films and stunt coordinated the action sequences for more than 450 film and television episodes in Canada and abroad. As a Director, John has directed for several television series including Dark Matter, Bitten, The Bobby Buck Show, Lost Girl, XIII, The Dresden Files, Mutant X, Tracker, Earth: Final Conflict and The Adventures of Sinbad. His short films include The Hot Flash for Wishing Field Entertainment, End Game for Wake Up Fast Productions, Charon’s Obal for Right Side Up Productions and the multiple award winning film, The Waking for Boomerang Films. He has also directed the feature films Troubled Waters for Genius Productions/Peace Arch Entertainment, Cyborg Soldier for Nu Image/Peace Arch Entertainment and Good Morning Tomorrow for Southern Ice Films. Mr. Stead has taught at the National Theatre School, as well as, the Universities of Toronto, Waterloo, Humber, Saskatchewan and Wilfred Laurier. He’s been awarded an Award of Excellence (Canadian International Film Festival), a Genre Award for Best Suspense (BNFF), the Derek F. Mitchell Artistic Director’s Award (Stratford Festival), the Judges Choice Award (15 Minutes of Fame International Film Festival), a Tyrone Guthrie Award (Stratford Festival), Best Short 1st Runner-Up (Ticket to Hollywood International Film and Screenplay Festival) and nominated for a Best Short Award (Directors Guild of Canada).

Affiliations include:DGC CAEA ACTRA ADC SCFD

Thank You!

Wow! A huge thank you to everyone for the overwhelming response to John Stead’s upcoming Master Class “Fighting for Film”.
I can now let you know we have officially filled the class in just a week and a half.  If you would like to be added to our waitlist please email us at emailviolenceinmotion@gmail.com
Everyone here at Violence in Motion would like to thank you all for your overwhelming response. Response like this is what will make it possible for us to be able to bring you more of the amazing training the Academy of Dramatic Combat has to offer. Such an avalanche of support has be truly humbling.  Thank you.
We look forward to seeing everyone at our regularly scheduled Sunday Classes, at Opia Studios 10am-2pm.  And, for those of you that managed to sign up for "Fighting for Film" with John Stead, we will see you on October 16th!
--Brianna Love, Violence In Motion

Fighting For Film with Stunt Coordinator/Master Instructor John Stead

Fighting For Film with Stunt Coordinator/Master Instructor John Stead!Due to overwhelming popularity this workshop has sold out! In response we have added a second day on Oct. 29th! Click here to register.It is with great honour that we are announcing the second installment of our Master Class Series, Fighting for Film with John Stead. On October 16th, 2016, John will be in-house at Opia Studios with his limitless knowledge of combat and it’s relation to the entertainment industry. Join us for a day of combat you will never forget.John is one of the leading Stunt Coordinators in Canada. He has coordinated many recent TV series such as Dark Matter, Bitten, Designated Survivor, The Listener, and Ransom, among countless others. He is also the resident Fight Director at both the Stratford and Shaw festivals.This is a fantastic opportunity for all performers wanting to develop the invaluable skill of combat for the camera!John Stead on IMDBTo register click here!John Stead: Fighting For Film WorkshopWhen: October 16th 2016, 10am – 4pmWhere: Opia Studios - 587A College St. Toronto, ONCost: $100 + HSTJOHN STEAD John Stead is Head of Stage Combat for the Stratford Festival of Canada, a Master Instructor with the Academy of Dramatic Combat, Stage Combat Coordinator for The National Theatre School, and a member of the Society of Canadian Fight Directors. He has over 500 professional theatre credits as a fight director including 23 seasons as the fight director for the Stratford Festival and 17 seasons with the Shaw Festival. He has worked across Canada and the U.S. with numerous companies including Soulpepper Theatre, Canadian Stage Company, the National Ballet, Mirvish Productions, Theatre Passe Muraille, Tarragon Theatre, Manitoba Theatre Centre, Factory Theatre, the National Arts Centre, Studio Arena Theatre, the Geva Theatre in Rochester, the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington D.C., Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Los Angeles Ahmanson Theatre and the Lincoln Centre on Broadway. He has stunt performed on over 250 TV episodes and films and stunt coordinated the action sequences for more than 450 film and television episodes in Canada and abroad. As a Director, John has directed for several television series including Dark Matter, Bitten, The Bobby Buck Show, Lost Girl, XIII, The Dresden Files, Mutant X, Tracker, Earth: Final Conflict and The Adventures of Sinbad. His short films include The Hot Flash for Wishing Field Entertainment, End Game for Wake Up Fast Productions, Charon’s Obal for Right Side Up Productions and the multiple award winning film, The Waking for Boomerang Films. He has also directed the feature films Troubled Waters for Genius Productions/Peace Arch Entertainment, Cyborg Soldier for Nu Image/Peace Arch Entertainment and Good Morning Tomorrow for Southern Ice Films. Mr. Stead has taught at the National Theatre School, as well as, the Universities of Toronto, Waterloo, Humber, Saskatchewan and Wilfred Laurier. He’s been awarded an Award of Excellence (Canadian International Film Festival), a Genre Award for Best Suspense (BNFF), the Derek F. Mitchell Artistic Director’s Award (Stratford Festival), the Judges Choice Award (15 Minutes of Fame International Film Festival), a Tyrone Guthrie Award (Stratford Festival), Best Short 1st Runner-Up (Ticket to Hollywood International Film and Screenplay Festival) and nominated for a Best Short Award (Directors Guild of Canada). Affiliations include:DGC CAEA ACTRA ADC SCFD 

Train with Stunt Coordinator and Master Instructor Steve Wilsher!

This August we are offering a fantastic opportunity to learn from one of the best in the industry! Steve Wilsher will instruct a Small Sword Master Class for Violence in Motion.  Among the classiest of weapons used on stage, small sword is as beautiful as it is deadly. This weapon is all about precision and finesse! Come play with us on August 21st and 28th from 10am to 2pm at OPIA STUDIOS.Steve Wilsher  – Steve Wilsher on the Internet Movie DatabaseSmall Sword for Theatre – Sundays, August 21st and 28th$175 for both days. Click HERE to book.Steve is a Master Instructor Emeritus with the Academy of Dramatic Combat and a former Fight Master of the British Academy of Dramatic Combat. He is a member of The Society of Canadian Fight Directors, Canadian Actors Equity Association and ACTRA. Prior to coming to Canada he taught at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff for sixteen years; where he introduced stage and film combat as an integral part of the acting curriculum. He also instigated the combat courses at Friars Gate, Exeter and the Oxford Drama School. He has taught guest lectures or examined at all of the major drama schools in the United Kingdom. He now teaches fighting for film in the Acting for Film and Television program at Humber College and stage combat in the Theatre Department at Ryerson University. He continues an active professional career as a stunt coordinator, performer and fight director. Some of the companies he’s worked for are Resurgence Theatre, The English Shakespeare Company, The Royal Ballet Company, The Canadian National Ballet, The Canadian Opera Company, The Welsh National Opera Company, Soulpepper Theatre, Mirvish Productions, BBC, S4C Television and Channel 4 Television, Discovery Channel, Space Channel, MTV and Disney.

Fringe Promotion – Weapons Series – Master Classes

Happy June everyone! Check out the upcoming promotions, events, and special classes at Violence in Motion…Firstly, to celebrate the Toronto Fringe Festival we will be running our FRINGE15 event! During the month of June, take a picture of yourself at a Fringe event, then email us, tweet it, or post it to our Facebook page and we will send you a personalized code for 15% OFF one of our classes! So get out there and support your fellow artists.Secondly, next month we will be starting our Three-Class Weapon Series. Here you will get the chance to explore a specific weapons system in greater detail. Beginning July 12th, our first series will be Found Weapon. This uses prop items found on the set or stage as a means to carry out the violence. Instructor Jamie Treschak will take you through a given scene to teach one of the most common style of violence used in theatre. For more information on the Found Weapon series, and to book into this class, click here. Finally, we here at Violence in Motion are thrilled to announce our Academy of Dramatic Combat MASTER INSTRUCTOR Series! We will be working with members of the ADC to bring you the biggest experts in stage and film combat.MASTER CLASSES:Steve Wilsher  - Steve Wilsher on the Internet Movie DatabaseSmall Sword for Theatre – Sundays, August 21st and 28th$175 for both days. Click HERE to book.Steve is a Master Instructor Emeritus with the Academy of Dramatic Combat and a former Fight Master of the British Academy of Dramatic Combat. He is a member of The Society of Canadian Fight Directors, Canadian Actors Equity Association and ACTRA. Prior to coming to Canada he taught at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff for sixteen years; where he introduced stage and film combat as an integral part of the acting curriculum. He also instigated the combat courses at Friars Gate, Exeter and the Oxford Drama School. He has taught guest lectures or examined at all of the major drama schools in the United Kingdom. He now teaches fighting for film in the Acting for Film and Television program at Humber College and stage combat in the Theatre Department at Ryerson University. He continues an active professional career as a stunt coordinator, performer and fight director. Some of the companies he’s worked for are Resurgence Theatre, The English Shakespeare Company, The Royal Ballet Company, The Canadian National Ballet, The Canadian Opera Company, The Welsh National Opera Company, Soulpepper Theatre, Mirvish Productions, BBC, S4C Television and Channel 4 Television, Discovery Channel, Space Channel, MTV and Disney. John Stead - John Stead on the Internet Movie DatabaseFighting for Film – October            Dates and Prices TBAJohn Stead is Head of Stage Combat for the Stratford Festival of Canada, a Master Instructor with the Academy of Dramatic Combat, Stage Combat Coordinator for The National Theatre School, and a member of the Society of Canadian Fight Directors. He has over 500 professional theatre credits as a fight director including 23 seasons as the fight director for the Stratford Festival and 17 seasons with the Shaw Festival. He has worked across Canada and the U.S. with numerous companies including Soulpepper Theatre, Canadian Stage Company, the National Ballet, Mirvish Productions, Theatre Passe Muraille, Tarragon Theatre, Manitoba Theatre Centre, Factory Theatre, the National Arts Centre, Studio Arena Theatre, the Geva Theatre in Rochester, the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington D.C., Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Los Angeles Ahmanson Theatre and the Lincoln Centre on Broadway. He has stunt performed on over 200 TV episodes and films and stunt coordinated the action sequences for more than 400 film and television episodes in Canada and abroad. As a Director, John has directed for several television series including Dark Matter, Bitten, The Bobby Buck Show, Lost Girl, XIII, The Dresden Files, Mutant X, Tracker, Earth: Final Conflict and The Adventures of Sinbad. His short films include The Hot Flash for Wishing Field Entertainment, End Game for Wake Up Fast Productions, Charon’s Obal for Right Side Up Productions and the multiple award winning film, The Waking for Boomerang Films. He has also directed the feature films Troubled Waters for Genius Productions/Peace Arch Entertainment, Cyborg Soldier for Nu Image/Peace Arch Entertainment and Good Morning Tomorrow for Southern Ice Films. Mr. Stead has taught at the National Theatre School, as well as, the Universities of Toronto, Waterloo, Humber, Saskatchewan and Wilfred Laurier. He’s been awarded an Award of Excellence (Canadian International Film Festival), a Genre Award for Best Suspense (BNFF), the Derek F. Mitchell Artistic Director’s Award (Stratford Festival), the Judges Choice Award (15 Minutes of Fame International Film Festival), a Tyrone Guthrie Award (Stratford Festival), Best Short 1st Runner-Up (Ticket to Hollywood International Film and Screenplay Festival) and nominated for a Best Short Award (Directors Guild of Canada).

We Open Soon!

It is just a few days until our first class goes up at Fraser Studios. We are looking forward to meeting everyone... And then getting into a fight with you. To help celebrate our opening weekend, we have decided to announce our summer class list! This list shows our Sunday Class schedule until Sept. 25th. September's  classes will be posted in June. Classes run 10am to 2pm at Fraser Studios,  587A College St, Toronto, ON.Watch for announcements on upcoming Weapon Series classes - where we take a closer look at weapon system. As well, keep your eyes up for our Master Classes, where some friends of ours come and impart their industry experience to participants.To register please click here.Sunday Classes:

  • June 19th 2016 10am-2pm Broad Sword
  • June 26th 2016 10am-2pm Single Sword
  • July 10th 2016 10am-2pm Single Sword
  • July 17th 2016 10am-2pm Small Sword
  • July 24th 2016 10am-2pm ¼ Staff
  • August 7th 2016 10am-2pm Unarmed
  • August 14th 2016 10am-2pm Unarmed for Film
  • Sept. 11th 2016 10am-2pm Single Sword
  • Sept. 18th 2016 10am-2pm Rapier & Dagger
  • Sept. 25th 2016 10am-2pm Unarmed

 

Welcome

Welcome to Violence in Motion. We are a new stage and film combat training company for the professional actor.Our core belief is that "The fight is not important" what we do find important is telling the whole story, on stage or film. Stage and film combat is often thought of as a fun thing to do with swords, and in most cases treated as more of a hobby than performance skill. Using the techniques from the Academy of Dramatic Combat, Violence in Motion strives to teach actors how to treat a fight as a part of the bigger picture, not just a separate smaller picture within it.Join us and add some acted aggression to your performance portfolio.