Kensuke Sonomura / 園村健介 - Choreographing Pain (Subtitled) (Action Talks #42)

Action Talks with Eric Jacobus

04-01-2024 • 48 mins

English voiceover version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=se1TqcdmSV4 Kensuke Sonomura / 園村健介 a direction and action designer known for films like Hydra, Baby Assassins, and Bad City. He talks about how he created his unique action style. You can see his IMDB here: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2338317/ Edited by Yutaka Nozawa Action Talks on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKvT1cdaRn78tV4vF78InER7GhxCKaxU5 Action Talks on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7D289YtkiQIkSVhNLDX8O2 Action Talks on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/action-talks-with-eric-jacobus/id1686666319 Telegram: t.me/ericjacobus My studio SuperAlloy: www.superalloyinteractive.com Blog: www.ericjacobus.com Timestamps: 0:01:05 Intro 0:01:34 Childhood and cultural influences growing up 0:02:14 Inspiration from martial arts films 0:02:43 Inspirations from Jackie Chan 0:03:07 Karate 0:03:45 Getting into stunts 0:04:19 Trainig at Kurata Action Club 0:06:28 Relationship between the Kurata Action Club and Japan Action Club 0:07:18 Difference in visual styles of Kurata Action Club and JAC 0:08:50 Early career 0:10:01 Process of action design for Japanese video games 0:11:31 Working with different types of directors 0:12:10 Camera and editing for video games 0:12:51 Filmmaking at Kurata Action Club 0:13:22 Kurata Action Club's action style 0:14:36 Traditional shooting style and new style 0:16:14 Films with extreme violence 0:17:37 Working with a foreign crew 0:19:12 "Merihari" = contrast 0:21:11 Japanese language and "merihari" 0:23:18 Tekken Blood Vengeance 0:24:48 Goals with action design for independent films 0:25:40 Changes of action design 0:26:36 Action design for Hydra 0:28:17 Fast punches in Hydra and its trainng 0:30:52 Startig to use Pre-viz 0:31:11 His Involvement in Pre-viz 0:31:25 Filmmaking influences for Pre-viz 0:31:46 Shooting Pre-viz for other directors 0:33:12 Designing action for actors 0:34:01 Training actors 0:34:48 Working with skilled fighters 0:36:29 Baby Assassins 0:37:21 Pre-viz for animation 0:38:11 Pre-viz for anime vs. Pre-viz for live action 0:38:58 Resident Evil 3 0:39:28 Bad City 0:40:55 Shooting action in one day 0:42:21 What needs to change in the Japanese action business 0:44:16 The future of Japanese action 0:44:48 Side interests 0:45:18 Drawing 0:45:37 Time restrictions on Chambara films 0:46:23 Kurata memories 0:46:44 Advice for Japanese stunt performers