David Burnell IV: My first stunt fighting experience with Karen Gillan

Updated: Jun 17

Stunt training is complicated, especially when you are fighting with people on different levels

There you see all of us actors literally dead - training the same movements over and over until we become one dance. Oh yeah, that's Karen Gillan on the far right. Aka Nebula, aka the redhead girl on Jumanji, and this new action film coming up Gunpowder Milkshake. That's me the little black dude laying next to her. She kicked my ass. I took a knee to the nose and tried to play it off like it didn't hurt, tears running down my face but I smiled and shook my head in the "yes" motion even though no one was asking me a question. Needless to say as a former US Marine my movements were pretty precise but I learned that it was meaningless unless I worked together with the speeds and skills of the rest of my colleagues. You are only as strong as your weakest link in the platoon. And that day we all became strong together mastering each movement and working in collaboration with each other's skill level. I learned a great deal that communication, love, and working together wins. It was all worth it though and she is a top-class actor. Love her and miss her. The other two thugs you see lying there were my besties on set and my colleagues. Ivan Kaye (in the middle) and Jack. I got to add, looking back at our first fighting scene when we were training to the final product blows my mind. We can't wait for ya'll to see the final product of these epic fighting scenes in Gunpowder Milkshake.

Communicate, love, and work together

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