SMC Pod #217: Directing the Action Film

About this episode

Craig Hammill discusses the technical aspects and artistry behind action filmmaking and its directors.

The precision, patience, and technical know how needed to sell action filmmaking is underrated and under appreciated. Action directors like Michael Curtiz, Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, George Miller, John McTiernan, even. . .Michael Bay get treated differently than art house canonically revered moviemakers. Yet what is accomplished in action hits like Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Aliens, Die Hard, Mad Max Fury Road, even Bad Boys II is a cinematic miracle. Very carefully planned illusion becomes reality. Secret Movie Club founder.programmer Craig Hammill takes a filmmaking-centric approach to talk about the technical tools and tricks used to sell stunts, sequences, cinematic danger.

People in this episode

Host: Craig Hammill

Topics covered

• action filmmaking
• directing
• technical tools
• cinematic techniques
• stunts
• film analysis

Keywords

• action films
• directing
• cinematic techniques
• stunts
• film analysis
• action directors
• technical know-how

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Aliens, Die Hard, Mad Max Fury Road, Bad Boys II

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