Mindy Kelly, STUNT CHOREOGRAPHER, from Alita: Battle Angel to The Dark Knight Rises, EXCLUSIVELY reveals what it took to create the martial mindset for completely inexperienced actors.
How do you create such Raw and Brutal fight scenes in a Dark Comedy?
How do you take complete Beginners and turn them into convincing Black Belts, Brown Belts and a Yellow Belt?
How do you teach Actors to Respect the Mat, the Dojo, the Sensei?
How do you create the sense of a Martial Artist in one week?
Is Method Acting the way?
Is it a Dark Comedy or painfully close to too many Dojos, Senseis and martial artists you’ve trained with?
Hosted by Mick Tully with Will Henshaw
Combat Training
The job of turning the cast members into convincing martial artists fell on the strong shoulders of fight choreographer and stunt coordinator Mindy Kelly — no small task given the production’s time constraints and the actors’ almost complete lack of karate experience. “Mindy did a fantastic job working with the cast,” says Stearns. “She got them ready for what they were going to be doing on camera, and helped them learn all the necessary combinations to make the fight sequences look great on screen.”
Eisenberg found the pre-production training sessions invaluable. “It was really helpful because on set the fight choreography changed based on the scenes we were shooting. So everyone needed to have a really good background in it to keep up with those changes,” he explains. “Of course, I didn’t have to be as good as Alessandro and Imogen, both of whom picked it up quite naturally. I just had to make sure I looked believable doing it.”
To get in shape prior to production, Poots and Eisenberg worked out together. “Jesse and I jumped into the deep end at a sweaty boxing gym in New York City,” says Poots. “We kicked bags full of sand and swung around those big gloves. Because I had no previous martial arts experience whatsoever, I was worried about screwing up the karate scenes. Mindy pushed me hard, which I’m grateful for. She managed to make everything look raw and real, and once I got the hang of fighting, the moves felt like a dance and I absolutely loved it. Karate is such a beautiful martial art, and to watch Mindy do the moves was startling.”
A devoted martial artist himself, Stearns was amazed at the amount of skill Poots managed to pick up in a relatively short time. “Imogen’s big fight scene in the movie is all her on screen,” he says. “We used a stunt double for one specific jiu-jitsu move, but other than that, Imogen did everything else you see in the film. There’s no way we would have been able to do that without Mindy making it happen safely.”
Like his co-stars, Nivola had never practiced any type of martial arts prior to working on The Art of Self-Defense, but his natural strength and agility gave him a head start. “I’m a relatively athletic person, so I wasn’t tripping over myself,” says the actor. “Luckily, Mindy and I drilled the moves over and over and over again. Throughout the entire production, I did intensive karate training in my hotel room, or wherever I could find space to practice.”
Stearns was deeply impressed with Nivola’s commitment to learning how to emulate a master karate instructor. “Alessandro had just come off an action movie in South Africa, so he was already in very good shape and picked things up quickly. He went into it extremely gung-ho and worked incredibly hard on his big fight scene with Jesse.”
Beyond practicing his karate routines, Nivola’s training involved learning how an accomplished martial arts teacher would carry himself. “Mindy was instrumental in helping me understand how Sensei would assert his authority over everyone around him without actually speaking a word,” Nivola says. “A lot of the time I would simply study her on set. She’s an amazing woman, but also kind of terrifying because of her extreme poise and the intensity of her gaze.”
THE ART OF SELF-DEFENSE Trailer
Why did you start martial arts…??? Where did it take you? What was your first dojo like??? Watch this dark comedy and see if there any echoes with Jesse Eisenberg…
After he’s attacked on the street at night by a roving motorcycle gang, timid bookkeeper Casey (Jesse Eisenberg) joins a neighborhood karate studio to learn how to protect himself. Under the watchful eye of a charismatic instructor, Sensei (Alessandro Nivola), and hardcore brown belt Anna (Imogen Poots), Casey gains a newfound sense of confidence for the first time in his life. But when he attends Sensei’s mysterious night classes, he discovers a sinister world of fraternity, brutality and hyper-masculinity, presenting a journey that places him squarely in the sights of his enigmatic new mentor. Audacious and offbeat, The Art of Self-Defense is an original dark comedy that takes toxic masculinity to absurd extremes.
Long Synopsis
Mocked by strangers and belittled by his male co-workers, meek accountant Casey Davies (Jesse Eisenberg) is used to avoiding conflict at all costs. But when he leaves the safety of his home one night to buy dog food for his sole companion, four helmeted figures on motorcycles chase him down a dark street, knock him to the ground, and viciously beat him unconscious.
Traumatized by the attack, Casey makes the rash decision to learn how to protect himself. While returning home from a gun shop, a nondescript karate studio catches his attention. Curious, he ventures inside and sees a group of middle-aged men practicing martial arts under the watchful eye of the charismatic Sensei (Alessandro Nivola).
Returning the next day, Casey meets Anna (Imogen Poots), the dojo’s only female member. In charge of teaching the children’s classes, she’s a tough-as-nails brown belt whose unorthodox lessons involve showing 10-year-olds how to shatter an opponent’s jaw with a perfectly executed spinning kick. Something about the hyper-masculine world of the dojo speaks to Casey, and his newfound confidence begins to grow as Sensei takes him under his wing.
Things spin further out of control when Sensei invites Casey to participate in the dojo’s mysterious night classes. Filled with full-contact brutality and raw male aggression, these bloody sparring sessions take Casey’s dark transformation to the next level. But when Sensei tricks him into committing a shocking act of criminal violence, Casey finds himself on a collision course with a karate master in a fight for dominance.
The Art of Self-Defense stars Jesse Eisenberg (Zombieland, The Social Network), Alessandro Nivola (Disobedience, American Hustle) and Imogen Poots (Green Room, Frank and Lola).
The film was written and directed by Riley Stearns (Faults), produced by Cody Ryder (Cop Car, Robot and Frank), Andrew Kortschak (Cop Car, The Clovehitch Killer), Stephanie Whonsetler (Tragedy Girls, The Clovehitch Killer) and Walter Kortschak (Cop Car, The Clovehitch Killer) and Executive Producers are Andrew Karpen (The Man Who Invented Christmas, Denial), Munika Lay (The Clovehitch Killer, Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project), Kent Sanderson, David Zellner and Nathan Zellner (Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter, Damsel). Co-Producers are Lisa Ciuffetti (The Clovehitch Killer) and Camille Betrand. Michael Ragen (Faults, Kicks) serves as Director of Photography, Charlotte Royer (The Fits, Madeline’s Madeline, Nancy) as Production Designer and Sarah Beth Shapiro (Flowers, Faults) as Editor. Costume Designer is Jami Villers (Creed, Still Alice) and music was done by Heather McIntosh (Z For Zachariah, Compliance).
The Yellow Belt
Work on the film officially began in early 2017, with Stearns and Kortschak spending several weeks breaking down the material together and discussing casting possibilities. “We immediately started searching for our lead actors with the team at CAA,” says Stearns. “With their help, we were able to get the script in the hands of people who might be interested, and Jesse Eisenberg was one of them.”
Eisenberg devoured the script over the July 4th weekend and was astounded by Stearns’ writing. “It was the best and funniest piece of work I’d read in years,” says the Oscar-nominated actor. “It provided a really clever commentary on masculinity and violence, but it was written in a way that’s sweet, subversive, and complicated. On top of that, there was a real emotional core to the character of Casey.”
By the following Monday, Eisenberg contacted Stearns to say he was interested in the role. “I got an email from Jesse saying he loved the script and that he was honored I would think of him for it,” recalls Stearns. “Needless to say, that was a huge moment for me!”
According to Kortschak, the role of Casey represents a dramatic change of pace for Eisenberg, who’s often associated with highly cerebral characters. “Jesse is typically seen as an intellectual on screen, so this was a real opportunity for him to play against type.”
Along with the chance to expand his range, the character’s unique psychology also drew the actor to the role. “Casey is a great part to play because he’s emotional and he’s going through an extreme situation,” says Eisenberg. “But there’s also an added layer of infantilization to him. He’s kind of like a baby. He doesn’t think or behave like a typical adult.”
And then there was Stearns’ unique approach to dialogue. “The film’s heightened style really helps get across the idea of masculinity being a silly and somewhat childish pursuit,” Eisenberg says. “If I could play this kind of stylized material for the rest of my life, I’d be thrilled.”
Although he loved Stearns’ writing, Eisenberg says delivering his lines with a straight face often proved difficult. “There were so many scenes that were written perfectly, it was sometimes hard for me and the rest of the cast to get through them without laughing,” he says. “For example, there’s a scene in the film where I punch my boss and tell him I’m going to think about his wife naked instead of coming to a barbeque he’s invited me to. I’m normally pretty good about not cracking up on set, but we shot that scene about 20 times and I just couldn’t get the monologue out of my mouth without laughing.”
Eisenberg, who has worked with some of cinema’s most acclaimed filmmakers, cannot praise Stearns highly enough. “Riley is one of the most talented people I’ve ever met,” he says. “In fact, he’s so good that I knew how every single shot was going to be used in the movie. That’s probably the first time I’ve ever experienced that on a set before. I understood why we did each take, and I understood why the camera was placed exactly where it was. He was so assured with what he wanted, and each scene had a very specific purpose.”
Stearns is quick to repay the compliment. “I don’t think anybody else could have played Casey as well as Jesse,” says the filmmaker. “The weird thing was, from the moment we met, I saw a lot of myself in him, and I think he saw some of himself in me. That was extremely helpful, since I put a lot of myself into Casey.”
ABOUT THE CAST
JESSE EISENBERG (Casey) is an Academy Award-nominated actor and an acclaimed playwright and author. His feature film credits include Roger Dodger, The Squid and the Whale, Adventureland, Zombieland, The Social Network, Now You See Me, The Double, Night Moves, The End of the Tour, American Ultra, Louder Than Bombs, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Now You See Me 2, Café Society and Justice League.
Eisenberg’s upcoming films include The Hummingbird Project and Resistance, in which Eisenberg plays the French mime Marcel Marceau in the incredible true story of his time in the French Resistance.
Eisenberg has written four plays, including “The Spoils,” which recently completed a box-office- record-breaking West End run. He also wrote and starred alongside Vanessa Redgrave in his play “The Revisionist.” In 2011 he wrote and starred in the play “Asuncion.” His upcoming play “Happy Talk” will star Susan Sarandon and BD Wong. It will open in April 2019 at New York’s Signature Theatre.
Born in New York, Eisenberg is a frequent contributor to The New Yorker. He is the author of the collection Bream Gives Me Hiccups from Grove Press and the forthcoming novel The Ziegfeld Files, for Audible.
He is currently on location shooting Zombieland: Double Tap, the sequel to the hit 2009 zombie comedy.
ALESSANDRO NIVOLA (Sensei) is both an actor and a producer. He won the 2018 British Independent Film Award (BIFA) for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Sebastián Lelio’s Disobedience, playing Rabbi Dovid Kuperman opposite Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams.
Nivola is about to begin filming the lead role in The Many Saints of Newark. Written by David Chase, the film is a prequel to his acclaimed HBO series “The Sopranos” and is set in the late 1960s.
Nivola leads the cast of “Chimerica,” the four-hour limited series adaptation of Lucy Kirkwood’s award-winning play. He recently wrapped Gideon Raff’s The Red Sea Diving Resort, opposite Chris Evans and Ben Kingsley. He was also recently praised for his work in Barry Levinson’s HBO film “The Wizard of Lies,” playing Mark Madoff opposite Robert De Niro’s Bernie Madoff.
In 2017 Nivola won the Tribeca Film Festival’s Best Actor Award for his performance opposite Juno Temple in One Percent More Humid. He also shared in the Screen Actors Guild Award and Critics Choice Award won by the cast of David O. Russell’s American Hustle. For his performance opposite Frances McDormand in Lisa Cholodenko’s Laurel Canyon, Nivola earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
The actor’s other film credits include Junebug, Coco Before Chanel, A Most Violent Year, Selma, The Neon Demon, Mansfield Park, Ginger & Rosa, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Jurassic Park III and Face/Off.
Apart from his extensive film work, Nivola has starred many times on Broadway. He received nominations for both a Tony Award® and an Outer Critics Circle Award for playing Frederick Treves opposite Bradley Cooper in the 2015 Broadway revival of “The Elephant Man.” He also earned a Drama Desk nomination for playing Belyaev opposite Helen Mirren in the Broadway revival of Turgenev’s “A Month in the Country” and an Outer Critics Circle nomination for his performance in “The Winslow Boy,” also on Broadway.
In 2014 Nivola and his wife, actress Emily Mortimer, co-founded the film and television production company King Bee Productions. King Bee currently has a first-look deal with eOne Studios and is developing a full slate of film and television projects. Nivola produced two seasons of HBO’s “Doll & Em” and also produced the feature film To Dust, starring Géza Röhrig and Matthew Broderick. The film won both the Audience Award and the Best New Narrative Director Award at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival before receiving a theatrical release.
Nivola grew up in rural Vermont and graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in English. He currently resides in New York.
IMOGEN POOTS (Anna) can next be seen on FX’s “Y: The Last Man.” She recently wrapped shooting on Vivarium, starring opposite Jesse Eisenberg. Prior to that, Poots performed in the West End production of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”
Poots can also be seen in I Kill Giants, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, Jeremy Saulnier’s Green Room, and opposite Andy Samberg in Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping.
On TV, she was the female lead in Cameron Crowe’s “Roadies.” Poots’ other credits include Frank & Lola, Mobile Homes, and Terrence Malick’s Knight of Cups. ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
RILEY STEARNS (Director, Writer) grew up in Pflugerville, Texas. His short The Cub screened at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. His feature debut, Faults, starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Leland Orser, premiered at SXSW in 2014 and was released theatrically.
He is a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Renzo Gracie black belt Shawn Williams. The Art of Self-Defense is Stearns’ second feature.
Best sport around is boxing!