On March 11, the Asian American Committee’s (AAC) meeting featured the panel discussion, From Script to Directors Vision to Action Team: Creating the Best Possible Collaboration. In a conversation moderated by Director/Action Director/2nd Unit Director Ron Yuan, Stunt Coordinator/2nd Unit Director/Action Designer Monique Ganderton, Directors/2nd Unit Directors/Stunt Coordinators J.J. Perry and Garrett Warren, and Actor/Stunt Coordinator/Fight Trainer/Fight Coordinator Roger Yuan discussed best practices for planning and executing high-impact, safe, and cinematic stunts.
During the conversation, Warren described how Directors can vary in their prep preferences: some want to see stunts on a previz while others prefer storyboards and to remain flexible and fluid in the process. He noted that it’s a Stunt Coordinator’s job to ensure that a Director can execute stunts in a safe and protective manner.
Perry shared his passion for old school filmmaking, combined with modern technology and integrating both into prep. He advised working with the art department early on when it comes to fight work and building a set with boxes to provide Directors with realistic previews and camera placement to capture movements effectively.
Ganderton spoke on the importance of Directors fostering relationships with Stunt Coordinators early on, being transparent with their knowledge gaps and asking as many questions as they need to. She noted the importance of Directors knowing their non-negotiables so that they are prepared to pivot and review alternatives if time or budget constraints necessitate cutting a stunt or shortening a fight.
Roger Yuan shared some of his personal experiences training actors for fight scenes and stressed the importance of learning any pre-existing injuries actors may have and finding ways to wind them into a character’s story while simultaneously collaborating with the Director’s vision.
ABOUT THE PANELISTS:
 Monique Ganderton
Ganderton’s directorial credits include Second Unit work on Paul Briganti’s Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain; and episodes of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and Loki; as well as stunts and/or stunt coordinator work on Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2, Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night and Joe & Anthony Russo’s Avengers: Endgame. Ganderton has been a DGA member since 2020. |
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 J.J. Perry
Perry’s directorial credits include the features Afterburn and Day Shift; Second Unit work on Seth Gordon’s Back in Action, Julius Avery’s Samaritan and Justin Lin’s F9: The Fast Saga; as well as stunts and/or stunt coordinator work on James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water, Ang Lee’s Gemini Man; and episodes of Shadow and Bone and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Perry has been a DGA member since 2001. |
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 Garrett Warren
Warren’s directorial credits include episodes of Mortal Kombat X: Generations; Second Unit work on James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash, Nick Cassavetes’ God Is a Bullet, Dexter Fletcher’s Ghosted and James Mangold’s Logan; as well as stunts and/or stunt coordinator work on Doug Liman’s Road House, Johan Renck’s Spaceman, Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans and Robert Rodriguez’s Alita: Battle Angel. Warren has been a DGA member since 2009. |
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 Roger Yuan
Roger Yuan’s credits include stunts and/or stunt coordinator work on Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two, Peter Atencio’s The Machine, Chad Stahelski’s John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, Duncan Jones’ Warcraft, Matthew Vaughn’s X-Men: First Class, Stephen Norrington’s Blade and Dennis Dugan’s Beverly Hills Ninja; and episodes of The Continental and Ripper Street. |
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 Ron Yuan (moderator)
Ron Yuan’s directorial credits include the features Blade of the 47 Ronin, Step Up China and Unspoken: Diary of an Assassin; Second Unit work on Ryan Fleck & Anna Boden’s Freaky Tales, Simon West’s Wild Card and Scott Sanders’ Black Dynamite; as well as stunts and/or stunt coordinator work on Yueh-Hsun Tsai’s Black & White: The Dawn of Justice, Chris Brinker’s Bad Country and Dex Elliott Sanders’ King of the Underground. Yuan has been a DGA member since 2021. |
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About the Asian American Committee:
The Asian American Committee (AAC) was created as a networking group to provide a forum for interests and issues that concern Asian-American Guild members. Through outreach efforts in the entertainment industry that emphasize career development and skills enhancement, the committee provides a variety of networking opportunities as well as screenings, seminars and discussions with industry professionals.