Interview: Shogun Stunt Coordinator Lauro Chartrand-DelValle

comingsoon.net:

ComingSoon spoke with Lauro Chartrand-Delvalle about his work on FX’s acclaimed series Shogun and CBS’s Tracker. As a veteran Stunt Coordinator and Performer, Lauro has performed every type of stunt imaginable, from high falls, gymnastics, and fight scenes to car chases and work with animals. His well-rounded expertise has shaped him into one of Hollywood’s top Stunt Coordinators who creates authentic and intricate sequences that serve the specific needs of each of his projects.

That was a huge team effort. First and foremost, I would consult with the episode director, the producers, and the showrunner, Justin Marks, after reading the scene. As the show’s Stunt Coordinator and 2nd Unit Director, it is my job to first read between the lines and find my take on the dramatic and emotional context of the scene and how it relates to the characters involved in the action. After consulting with the aforementioned Execs, I work with my stunt team to choreograph what I feel has the right tone and length to bring out that tension, emotion, and drama that fits with the characters and scene.

Once we have a blueprint of the action scene laid out and approved by the director, I invite the actors portraying those characters to join us for rehearsal. At that point, we start very slowly to help them gain muscle memory in their action so eventually they won’t even need to think about it, because when the adrenaline kicks in, and you’re going full speed on set, you don’t want to be thinking about “What is the next move?” Of course, when you’re swinging Katanas and Naginatas around other actors and stunt performers, this is a big safety concern that has to be addressed from the beginning.

I also invite the actors to collaborate in the rehearsal stage and add the nuances of their character, as long as it’s safe and doesn’t take the action in a completely different direction. It can be a lengthy process, but I found that 90% of the time, we were all on the same page and had it dialed