How to Film a Realistic Punch in the Face

Published on July 11, 2017

Cinematography tips

action scene, Camera Tips, fight

Action movies are always a popular theme and what are action movies without a good fight scene? And it so happens that Jordy and I had a major, so we took advantage of the situation. In this tutorial we show you how you can create a realistic punch in the face. We use camera movement, effects and post production to make the punch as realistic as possible.

In the post production we use some simple tricks the give the punch that something extra. We of course give the footage an awesome color grading, use time remapping to give it more power and speed. And as last effect we use the Transform Tool to animate the position and the scale. This will give it a bump effect and will emphasize and sell the hit. With this tool you can also easily add motion blur when animating the position. For more information about the Transform tool, you can always watch our 5 Essential Effects tutorial which goes deeper into the effects.

But always keep in mind when shooting these fight scenes, you can’t fix everything in post production. Try to get the motion as realistic as possible when shooting. I propose you practice the scene a few times so the actors reactions and punches will match and look real. It’s also a good idea to ask some extra tips from a experienced fighter. Maybe you know somebody, who practices a fight sport or you can go to a gym. They can help you with some techniques and maybe they will even be your stuntman if you ask them.

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