HowlRound Theatre Commons: As fight directors, designers of intimacy, actors, and dramaturgs that work with theatrical violence and violence pedagogy, we both have encountered a lot of language around “certification” as it pertains to fight and intimacy directors. Wanting to delve deeper into this notion of certification in fight and intimacy choreography, we sat down to share our experiences in the field, gain a clear picture on what training is currently available for fight directors and intimacy coordinators, and discuss alternative types of qualifications and credentials to look for when hiring in lieu of certification.
3 comments:
I like that this article is a conversation on the topic and not necessarily a factorial piece as this topic is not a set in stone and should not be treated as the singular way to view it. I also like that the article shows what certification options do exist and are realistic in it’s cost estimate and time estimate. The process for fight and intimacy certification is a grueling one that does have barriers to access due to it’s time, locations, and costs. The one cost related thing that is missing from intimacy is that IDC does offer scholarships and occasionally “pay what you can” options to their workshops to decrease the barrier of cost. While I think certification process have a far way to go interms of accessibility, I personally believe that they are important to understand a person’s training. Maybe all organizations do not need to hire a “certified” person but all should hire a person who is trained or has equivalent experience, certification is just a clear way of saying they completed one group’s training process.
I knew that this situation was coming about, as people have been becoming more aware of what fight choreographers and intimacy directors do, and actors have been advocating for themselves. Proper training understanding of what it is that these people do have become misconstrued. I am glad that this is being talked about and I am glad that we are talking about how, generally inequitable, these “certifications” from these programs are. Based on conversations that I’d had with people in those fields, they don’t get paid a ton and those certifications seem really expensive. I like the term qualification instead of certification because in these industry people have had many different paths to get to the knowledge and expertise that they have and it is useful. Passing a test does not mean that someone is all knowing in their area. As with most things, tests happen to cost money and be expensive. That is a hurdle that has nothing to do with knowledge or experience.
I absolutely see why directors and producers, and especially teachers at the high school level, would be concerned about finding a stage combat or intimacy coordinator who has some level of certification. However, it’s clear that people just don’t have a lot of understanding about the process to become one of these professions and how that isn’t really a thing. The need to confirm that someone knows what they’re talking about in these fields is especially important because it deals with actors at their most vulnerable, when they’re in danger of being physically or emotionally unsafe. So I think it’s just good to learn and read up on the kind of person you’re looking for to fill the position of intimacy or fight coordinator in order to be able to find someone who fits the needed qualifications, and be less worried about a formal certification. Especially since there's such a financial barrier.
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