#samantha swords
Chilling with General Asher after a great scenario at Bicolline’s Grand Bataille, where I fought in a 3000-person forest and field battle. I was posted to fight as Windstick (spear), with the elite unit that held the front lines (that was where I was stationed by the General, I didn’t choose it) and my army were outnumbered 3:1, so control of the line by the forward unit was vital. The terrain where we fought was narrow forest paths, which were hilly and muddy and pretty challenging. The goal was to control key points around the map for set times, or push the enemy off those points, which was determined by the game marshals. We had a terrific commander for our unit, and our enemies had to scramble because we were sending them to Valhalla faster than they could respawn! They were happy though; the other army was full of veteran fighters and we gave them a big challenge.
We succeeded by working well as a unit, having a good mix of weapon types (shields, spears, archers, etc) who paired up and covered each other closely within the team, and refusing to listen to anyone’s “tactical suggestions” but our unit commander. It was fast-paced, but also everyone played a clean game.
Heads for the Master! ⛰⚔️
#OrdoCervi #Bicolline #thevoyagenorth (at Duche de Bicolline)
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Word got out at work that I’m an avid sword fighter. I arrived this morning to find a colleague had put on my desk this prop he’d made- one of the original swords of Mallory Grace, from the Spiderwick Chronicles. I love my job.
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I found this great footage from the behind the scenes of Warcraft, which I worked on as a scenic sculptor, between 2013-14.
I’ve edited the footage a little so that the cuts between different shots now have fades and are less abrupt, and have also attributed the majority of the weapons and armour design and construction to my former company, Weta Workshop, who were not mentioned at all in the previous version of the video.
You can see some of the pieces that Weta created on their websitehere.
Below 1: Shooting in the enormous throne room.
2: Weta’s weapons are fit for any royal army.
3: Conceptual design of the energy chamber.
I’ve often been asked, “How do you suggest that someone start training with swords?”. Here’s a full video to give you the best advice I can. Best of luck, and welcome to the journey!
Transcript below.
My apologies for the low audio levels- you need to boost the volume or put on headphones.
TRANSCRIPT (with images and hotlinks):
I’ve often been asked, how do you suggest that someone start training with swords?
It depends on what you’re interested in! Sword-fighting comes in many forms.
There were rich martial traditions both in the east and west, but I’ll focus on European styles. Perhaps you want to revive the martial systems preserved in ancient fighting books, or to connect with heroism in history and mythology. You might want to master the meditative art of cutting, or to fight for glory in prestigious competitions, or create dynamic fight scenes for stage and screen, or reenact epic battles with a field full of fellow warriors, or compete at full force for the glory of team and country There are so many ways and reasons to sword fight! Also, within the type of sword fighting you want to do, there are dozens of weapons and forms to study.
We have limited documentation of European martial arts, so the bulk of the historical swordsmanship revival focuses on the 14th to 19th centuries. It is especially strong around the German and Italian schools of medieval swordsmanship, since that’s where most of the martial arts records have survived. There are also strong traditions from the Spanish, French, English and Scottish schools that grew during the Renaissance. These later evolved into classical fencing, and then modern fencing as we know it today. With these meanings of swordsmanship in mind, the first thing is to do some internet research and find out what is near you. Also, you’ll need to find a person or at the very least a tool to practice with!
You need tools to be able to train. Your sword or sword-like object should have a blunted end and any sharp burrs or splinters should be sanded off with sandpaper or rasp. These are some wooden wasters that I’ve used in the past. I now work with a unique wooden sword, designed specially for my needs. If your sword is far too heavy, it will teach you bad habits, and is potentially dangerous for anyone that you’re training with. Historically, most swords weighed between 1-3 pounds or, a kilogram. They were sophisticated, agile, and streamlined for fighting. To study historical fencing, you’ll want an agile tool that is going to give you the best response. However if you want to fight in armored battles, the weapons you’ll use will be limited by the rules of the combat sport that you do. In combat sports, a weapon’s function always changes so that it’s safer and less lethal. Blades will be thick and rounded, suitable for cuts instead of thrusts.
For Historical European and Western Martial arts, most clubs train with wooden or nylon wasters before graduating to steel longswords, sabers and arming swords. However, rapier and side-sword students tend to go straight into using steel. You can find a range of gear at any of these shops online, through Ebay and on Amazon. It’s best to read reviews before purchasing anything.
For higher-intensity combat styles such as Heavy Medieval Battle, the International Medieval Combat Federation, and the Armored Combat League, you want to get gear that can take some punishment. Most of this equipment comes from individual blacksmiths working with clubs, so it’s best to ask around for good suppliers. However if you’re based in the US, you can get good gear at IceFalcon Armoury, or through the Facebook group, Cat’s Discount Armor Emporium.
Common sense checkpoint!
Fantasy weapons and collectibles are not made for training. Whilst having some kind of sword is better than no sword at all, just remember the steel and balance on a collectible isn’t going to be the same as a real weapon, so if you use it to hit something the metal will chip, bend or shatter. There are many suppliers out there making great equipment. There’s really no excuse to practice with a wall-hanger if you’re serious about swordsmanship.
If you want to learn historical European swordsmanship, there is a wealth of education available. The best resource we have is theWiktenauer, a wiki with a huge collection of source material. Books, DVDs and online channels like Youtube will also give you a strong base for learning at home, if you’re too far to travel to a reputable school. You can use the HEMA Alliance Club Finder to connect with groups near you. A lot of groups aren’t even listed there, but it’s still a great place to start. You can also start your own study group for your region. When you’re researching historical manuscripts, there is a lot to learn. There are many forums and social media groups who can help you make sense of them. Forums also help you meet instructors to answer specific questions and help you grow. Also, go to events! They often have workshops, and it’s great to just turn up and meet the community, even if you’re not training yet.
If you are looking to get started without making a financial investment, all you need is a sword or sword like object and a pell (or pole) to strike. Striking the pell is a medieval training exercise that will teach you targeting and coordination needed to work with weapons.
Sword fighting is dangerous when people are dangerous. Building precision and trust with your partner is the way to develop as a martial artist. Realistically, most people starting to sword-fight just want to play and have fun. So how can you have fun and still stay safe?
1) You could find an instructor who can teach you the risks and keep you in line 2) You can use equipment that is built for play-fighting, such as foam LARP swords, rubber swords or other soft simulators. There are some lovely simulators on the market now that are very nice to work with and really well balanced. 3) You can practice and master your coordination with a sword, use a lot of control, and work with someone you trust. Hey, that’s fun, right?
To stay truly safe you need to be on the same page as your partner, no matter how much safety equipment you wear. If one of you is Jack Sparrow and the other is out to win Longpoint, then there’s going to be a problem. Remember, sword fighting is dangerous when people are dangerous. If you’re training (or even just playing around) with a partner I strongly recommend wearing safety glasses, or even sports sunglasses that wrap over your eyes. There are lots of different goggles built for extreme sports. You don’t have to go buy expensive goggles, but safety glasses are a cheap way to look after yourself. I keep several pairs with my gear at all times. As soon as you can afford a medieval helmet or fencing mask, I urge you to buy one as they’ll really help protect you during your training. You will want some protection for the back of the head, such as this leather mask overlay from SPES Historical Fencing Gear. I have more advice about simple safety gear when you’re on a budget on my ‘Sword Combat FAQs’ page. You can also check out the Facebook group, ‘HEMA Hacks’ for useful gear-crafting ideas! As you become more involved with sword training, you’ll want to get better equipment, especially when it’s time to join a group.
Sword groups come in all shapes and sizes, and we use a lot of different names to describe what we do. There’s no 'one right way for everyone’ when you start learning to use weapons, and each style will have a different approach or rule set based on the comfort level of the participants. Instead of stressing about starting with the very best group, it’s more important that you keep looking for better instructors and competitors as you go, even if it means changing groups eventually. Be aware that within the martial arts community different forms are judged very harshly, based on whether people think that they’re valid- and I’m not only talking about medieval sword sports.
There simply isn’t a one-size fits all solution when you’re learning to become a martial artist, and what feels good and engaging to one person may feel threatening and uncomfortable to another.
It can be confusing, but just getting started and trying different things really is the best way to learn your way around. Once you know the type of sword fighting you want to do, and what groups offer it, you can start trying them out to find a good fit for you. Qualities you should look for in a group are: Open, positive attitudes to training and other groups, Committed members who come for weekly sessions or at least fortnightly, and regular sparring. Now, if the group are purely for scholarship, there should still be some form of practical testing of what you find. Another thing to look for in a good group is if they encourage members to cross-train for their own growth.
If a group restricts or actively discourages members from meeting with others, then there is something very weird going on. Every new physical experience helps a fighter grow, so it’s good to encourage cross-training at every opportunity, especially if it’s out of your comfort zone. Just remember cross-training should be a supplement to the main thing that you want to learn. If a group are afraid to spar or fight, ”in case someone gets hurt" then it’s probably a sign that the instructors aren’t confident in the techniques they are teaching or their ability to control their environment Physical safety is very important, but it also needs to be balanced with actual practice. That’s the only way to improve! Swordsmanship is a wonderful art, one that you will never stop learning. Welcome to the journey.
Want more great sword content? Here are some places to start.
You can also follow me on my social media channels where I share news and interesting things from around the wide world of swordsmanship. The swords depicted in the background of this video are from the makers Albion. You can check out their range of museum replica swords at Albion swords dot com. These, and other images were Royalty-free through Content Samurai, or I’ve credited their sources wherever possible. Thanks for watching!
Sword restoration: Boss Level.
x4 hours of deep cleaning and scrubbing to get this poor babe feeling good about life again!
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I love being able to do this for people’s tools. It makes everyone happy, especially the sword. I don’t care how they got that way- just give them to me and I’ll make everything better.
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Here’s video 2/3 for the Kingsmen!
The Kingsmen are my faction in Weekend Warrior- an experiential live action event that will be filmed, documentary style, and challenge you in a new form of medieval-style outdoor adventure.
I’m joining forces with Skip Lipman and Ron Newcomb of the Forge Studios- they’re well known for the series, ‘The Rangers’, and also Zan Campbell of Fell and Fair, and together we’re creating this event.
For more, check out our Weekend Warrior Kickstarter, which has a few days to go!
CREDITS
CAST:
Alexandre Lemay
Camil Benoit
Émilie Vallée-Manseau
Gabrielle 'Biquette’ Bergeron
Genovefa Clerica
Jérémie Hrycak Leclaire
MarcC.
Peter de Bracebrigde
Samantha Swords
CREW:
Director of Photography/Editor: Simon Gilberg
Director/Producer//Production Management: Samantha Swords
Production Assistant: Ariane Lafrenière
On Set Photography: Bruno Gallant
On Set Photography Assistant: France Benoit
Props Department: Peter de BracebrigdeandGenovefa Clerica
Featured Props: Samantha Swords
Featured Costume: Genovefa Clerica
Storyboards: Samantha Swords
Drumming:Peter de Bracebrigde
Vocals: Samantha Swords
THANKS TO:
Conner Morgan
Ben Cummings
The Forge Studios
Fell & Fair
L'Auberge de Dragon Rouge
La Ville de Montréal
Ville de Québec
Hostel International Québec
VIA Rail
Marie Brisbois
Calimacil
Marie Bellerose of L'Atelier des Cache-Mis
Le Dogue du Montréal
La Baronnie de l'Île du Dragon Dormant
Charles of Syn Studio
Gaffer Tape
Zoe
ADDITIONAL THANKS:
Jason VandenBerghe
Lisa VandenBerge
Jaydee Ruiz
Here is video 1/3 for the Kingsmen!
The Kingsmen are my faction in Weekend Warrior- an experiential live action event that will be filmed, documentary style, and challenge you in a new form of medieval-style outdoor adventure.
For more, check out our Weekend Warrior Kickstarter!
Credits:
CAST:
Alexandre Lemay
Camil Benoit
Émilie Vallée-Manseau
Gabrielle ‘Biquette’ Bergeron
Genovefa Clerica
Jérémie Hrycak Leclaire
Marc C.
Peter de Bracebrigde
Samantha Swords
CREW:
Director of Photography/Editor: Simon Gilberg
Director/Producer//Production Management: Samantha Swords
Production Assistant: Ariane Lafrenière
Props Department: Peter de Bracebrigde and Genovefa Clerica Featured Props: Samantha Swords
Drumming: Peter de Bracebrigde
THANKS TO:
Conner Morgan
Ben Cummings
The Forge Studios
Fell&Fair
L'Auberge de Dragon Rouge
La Ville de Montréal
Ville de Québec
Hostel International Québec
VIA Rail
Marie Brisbois
Calimacil
Marie Bellerose of L'Atelier des Cache-Mis
Le Dogue du Montréal
La Baronnie de l'Île du Dragon Dormant
Charles of Syn Studio
Gaffer Tape
Zoe
ADDITIONAL THANKS:
Jason VandenBerghe
Lisa VandenBerge
Jaydee Ruiz
Behind the Scenes: Dawn shoot #2, Day 5. Filming with my awesome fighter friends from Le Dogue and from Le Baronnie de l'Île du Dragon Dormant.
They were on set ready to bust heads before sunrise. They mean business!
Merci, Jérémie, Alexandre, Gabrielle, Dan, Peter, et Camil! And to production assistant Ariane for wrangling the crowd (among other things) and Simon, my great director of Photography.
Weekend Warrior Kickstarter! Go check it out! We are the Kingsmen!
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Why suicidal attacks are horrible, why we shouldn’t have to get used to them happening, and how to respond when they do.
I have to say something. London, I’m so sorry. France, je suis tellement désolé aussi. All you forgotten Middle Eastern countries, I don’t know where to begin with my condolences. Perhaps this may help. ~S
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When fighting someone with a blade, there are usually two kinds of opponents- the careful, measured fighter who avoids contact as much as possible and the impulsive, forceful fighter who pushes through an enemy’s defence to cause them harm.
The masters of historical swordmanship caution against both, advising a balance between ferocity and timidness when fighting. As a warrior, having mastery of swordsmanship means to overcome fear but still retain a sense of danger, and then having the skills to control it.
In my experience, it’s difficult to defend against a suicidal enemy, because they will fully commit their resources to an attack in a way that completely exposes themselves. It can come from cowardice, or insanity, or having no fear of the blade, and the ‘endless lives’ idea that lets a person fight a sports dual without worrying about the consequences of being struck. They have no fear of being damaged, so they attack with impunity.
Suicidal attacks are horrible for everyone except the attacker.
An attacker could have a knife, sword, small truck, or a national army- the weapon isn’t the point. It’s the attitude behind it.
Even a wise tactician can be overwhelmed by this, because the goals driving the two forces are set against each other- and through the mystery of martial arts, energy and power follows a person’s intention. The goal of 'suicidal attack’ is a much more powerful intent than the goal of simply surviving.
A suicidal attack is a chaotic release of destructive energy, intended to inflict the maximum damage on all parties including the attacker. Even a self-targeted suicide is difficult to prevent if the person is truly set on doing it, so preventing a mass-murder/suicide is even more so.
A person in the position of defending against such a thing has a much harder time than their opponent the attacker, since survival means avoiding injury, negotiating the environment, potentially protecting others and perhaps stopping the attacker. There are a lot of complex decisions to make in a very short time, whereas the attacker is simply focused on causing harm, with the end result of themselves being severely injured or killed.
Even if a person in such a terrible situation were martially-minded- that is, alert to danger around them and skilled in self-defence- an experience such as a strike against a group of people relaxing in a public place causes shock and panic, because it happens in an environment that we have been conditioned to consider restful and safe. Even a traumatised, constantly-vigilant and experienced warrior can be caught off guard in these circumstances.
In short, there isn’t much anyone can do to stop it from happening to them, without withdrawing from enjoying regular life. We cannot truly live with a suit of armour around our hearts.
The only thing to do if caught in such a situation is create distance from the threat, until it’s no longer a danger, or it can be stopped.
In a culture where civilians can carry sidearms, such as in much of history and especially the early Middle Ages, it would be much easier to extinguish the source of such a danger, but it also comes with the responsibility of killing another human and the stress of living close to constant warfare, which is outside of a lot of people’s experience today.
In our culture we are largely removed from deadly violence and high-adrenaline situations, and this is agoodthing. Whilst there are many individual city and country identities, we have a relatively-stable global society that has taken many thousands of years to achieve, built on mutual trust and hope in humanity.
Deadly violence is primal, predatory, and outside of reasoning. It’s either a strong individual or a weaker individual who will outlast the encounter, and this goes against all our notions of equality and fairness.
Unfortunately, a predator-prey relationship is not fair.
The only judge of its fairness is the result- one remains intact and healthy and the other, or sometimes both, do not.
It is very hard to adjust our minds from thinking like happy, civilised human beings living in peacetime on a planet where our kind control the environment and dominate the food chain, to looking at the world as though we could be prey once again. We spent so long working to lift ourselves out of those limitations that many people don’t even have vocabulary for such experiences.
However, if we want to survive such insanity as being attacked without cause or warning, then we must learn to consider it.
And we do, already. We fantasise about war and chaos and horror. It’s the endless the topic of our movies, books, video games and toys. We involve ourselves with it in a way that keeps us physically and emotionally safe and one step removed, but to immerse our mind in it without also having the knowledge to survive (or prevent) such situations is pretty incomplete, bordering on irresponsible.
Doing this continuates the mythical idea that we will never be hurt or harmed, and that we deserve for our lives to be fair.
Lifeis fair: it is given to everyone equally at the beginning. Once we have it, we need to protect it.
Once we can accept ourselves in that light, and truly understand the danger we might some day find ourselves in, we can begin to learn skills that make us more capable and less of a total victim to would-be predators or random disaster. This reduces the chance of us finding ourselves in situations where all we can do is run away and hope to survive.
Whilst I in no way condone violence or encourage people to become vigilantes, I feel it is our civic responsibility as global citizens to protect what peace we have.
In such terrible circumstances as terror attacks, the people who rise to the surface are going to respond the same way regardless of whether they have trained for it. A person who has leadership qualities will respond to threat and fear by engaging with it, and taking care of who and what is around them. They will calm others, not panic or exaggerate the facts or glorify the horror, and then take steps to return life to being as calm as possible, for the benefit of all.
Being courageous doesn’t mean you don’t feel the pain, it means you don’t let it stop you from living.
A terrible scenario can still occur whether or not there is a responsible, legalised civilian gun-carrier present, or an Aikido master to disable an assailant, or a well-trained, community-minded police officer to de-escalate a situation, or a trained first-aider there to staunch the blood.
Having more skills is always an advantage, especially when dealing with the unknown.
I am looking at this from the spectrum of swordsmanship, but there are many roads to personal leadership, and learning how to be strong in the face of danger. When we do this, we also learn how to overcome challenges in our own lives, master fear- fear of the other, fear of change, fear of all the things that lead to the rise of extremist anti-human rights movements. We become better people, and take care of our tribe and our environment in a way that promotes peace.
With enough people doing this, we will have the strong, brave and happier world of which we so dearly dream.
Thanks for listening.
I believe in you.
Aroha,
~S
Images: 1) A replica museum arming sword from the makers Albion.
2) Suit of armour from the Wallace Collection.
3) Young teenagers from Flint seeking to become leaders in spite of difficult circumstances, at the Hero Round Table, Michigan 2016.
WEEKEND WARRIOR-
I’m teaming up with The Forge StudiosandFell & Fair to bring you an amazing, immersive cinematic event, where *you* join the ranks of fellow heroes and become part of the story!
The Kickstarter is coming this week, but to find out more you can check out:
www.weekendwarrior.world
Ilaria and Kachine, commissioned by Josh and Anna. These characters’ story is set in Constantinople. Kachine is up to no good and Illaria kindly lends her her sword. We’ll have to find out how their story unfolds!
A really cool artwork by Stef Tastan, an artist who painted me for another project when I recently modelled at Syn Studio in Montreal.
CHECK OUT THE AWESOME! This could easily a be part of Thousand and One Knights Anthology.
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“Martial artists must possess humility and selflessly serve others…. Bushido devoid of this spirit of humility is nothing more than violence.” -Shihan Ōtake Risuke
He is the master of Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu - Japan’s oldest and most traditional sword school - considered the pinnacle of classic Japanese martial arts. It was founded in the Muromachi era (1336-1573).
It is an amazing privilege that warriors can learn from centuries of unbroken Japanese tradition, and also that they have opened their doors to share with the rest of us.
The clip is from a full movie called ‘Art of the Japanese Sword’ by Empty Mind Films, that came out in 2010- available to watch on Youtube for under $5.
Thanks so much to Marc S. for sharing this with me!
It’s time for adventure, sword fights, smugglers, spaceships and the triumph of good across the galaxy.
In the words of master Yoda, “Calm you must keep, and carry on you shall.”
My swordsmanship & lightsaber workshops videos are linked here, too!
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Bangkok:
https://youtu.be/CsdLq92vgiM
New York:
https://youtu.be/KJx2U9Q-TWc
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It was a great joy to model at premier concept design school Syn Studio today, demonstrating I:33’s 14th century European martial arts for artists who are training to go into Montréal’s vast video game industry.
Thanks so much to Salgood Sam for inviting me again!
This work is by the following artists (I’m not 100% sure of the order), Salgood Sam, Lydia Wong, Tatiana Tung Gerencer, Renée-Claude Dostie, and Dany DiSalvo.
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