Ask most people who designed the fight in a film and they'll say "the stunt coordinator." Sometimes that's right. Often it isn't. These are two different jobs, and understanding the difference will help you see how a stunt department really works and where you might fit in.<h3 id="6b2f06d2-9c32-473c-8b00-65d156057ba6" data-toc-id="6b2f06d2-9c32-473c-8b00-65d156057ba6" style="text-align: left; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.2;">1. Two Jobs People Often Mix Up</h3>The short version: the fight choreographer designs the fight. The stunt coordinator designs and runs all the stunts, the fight included, and makes sure they work together and are done safely.One is a specialist focused on a single element. The other is the department head in charge of the whole sequence. On some productions one person does both. On others they work as a team.One thing to keep in mind as you read: every production is different. Budget, story, schedule and the people involved all shape how these roles work, so treat this as a guide to how it often works, not a fixed rulebook.<h3 id="43752ddf-5176-4486-a82c-bf4df540f309" data-toc-id="43752ddf-5176-4486-a82c-bf4df540f309" style="text-align: left; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.2;">2. A Quick Note on Job Titles</h3>Titles overlap and can change between productions and countries:<ul><li>Fight choreographer: the most common screen title for someone who designs fights</li><li>Stunt choreographer or action designer: sometimes used for wider action sequences, not just fights</li><li>Fight director: mostly a theatre term</li><li>Action director: common in martial arts cinema, where the role can carry more creative weight</li><li>Stunt coordinator: the department head who designs and runs all stunts and is responsible for stunt safety</li></ul>If a crew list uses a different title, look at the responsibilities rather than the name.<h3 id="3dc47796-a40a-4eae-9987-5b988ba51955" data-toc-id="3dc47796-a40a-4eae-9987-5b988ba51955" style="text-align: left; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.2;">3. What a Stunt Coordinator Does</h3>The stunt coordinator designs and runs all the stunts in a production. Picture a street scene with a fight, a car hit, a near miss, a fall from a window and a fire burn, all happening in the same sequence. The coordinator is in charge of the whole thing: how each stunt is designed, how they fit together, how they look on camera and how they're shot safely.Depending on the production, that could include:<ul><li>Reading the script and designing the stunts and action sequences, from car hits and near misses to falls, wire work, fire burns and fights</li><li>Making sure the different stunts in a sequence work together and look good on camera</li><li>Breaking down the script, then budgeting and scheduling stunt days with production</li><li>Hiring and casting stunt performers, doubles and specialists</li><li>Choosing who leads each element, such as a fight choreographer, an assistant coordinator or a key rigger</li><li>Writing risk assessments and signing off equipment, rigging and locations</li><li>Liaising with the director, 1st AD, DOP, art department and SFX</li><li>Usually having the final say on set about whether a stunt goes ahead</li></ul>Fight choreography is only one piece of that. <h3 id="889ad356-d1d1-4479-a679-d340b17a0284" data-toc-id="889ad356-d1d1-4479-a679-d340b17a0284" style="text-align: left; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.2;">4. What a Fight Choreographer Does</h3>The fight choreographer designs the fight itself: the moves, the rhythm, the story and the style. A good fight tells us something about the characters. Who's dominant? Who's outmatched? Who's holding back?They typically design the sequence to suit the script, the location and the shooting style, then teach it to the stunt performers. They might also work with the director and camera team so it plays properly on screen, and adjust on the day as angles and lenses change. Their focus is craft: a fight that looks real, reads clearly on camera and stays repeatable, take after take.They focus on the fight only. The coordinator looks after how it fits with the rest of the sequence, such as the car hit or fall happening around it.<h3 id="89269c11-99c2-42ca-b97e-15d9b3ec216d" data-toc-id="89269c11-99c2-42ca-b97e-15d9b3ec216d" style="text-align: left; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.2;">5. Where They Sit in the Hierarchy</h3>On a production with a full stunt department, it often looks something like this:Director (and 2nd unit director) → Stunt Coordinator → Assistant Stunt Coordinator · Fight Choreographer · Key Rigger → Stunt Performers · Stunt Crew (utility/rigger)<div style="display: flex;"><img src="https://ezycourse.b-cdn.net/4701/cmuaj5n0k8tif01z7a3yh0s5c.png" alt="image" style="position: relative; width: 711px; height: auto; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px auto;"></div><ul><li>Assistant stunt coordinator: either supports the coordinator's tasks or leads one element, such as a fire burn or a fight</li><li>Fight choreographer: designs the fight and teaches it to the stunt doubles</li><li>Key rigger: leads the rigging, such as wires, pulls and falls</li><li>Stunt performers: the doubles and action performers who carry out the stunts</li><li>Stunt crew (utility/rigger): utility performers and riggers who support the setup and running of the stunts</li></ul>A simple way to remember it: the director owns the story, the coordinator owns the stunt design, safety and the department, and the choreographer owns the design of the fight.On a busy sequence, the coordinator might hand the fight to a choreographer and a fire burn to an assistant or specialist. Each focuses on their own element, while the coordinator keeps the whole sequence working together.The choreographer doesn't normally approve safety, hire the team or set the budget. If they have a concern, they raise it with the coordinator, who can change or cancel a stunt on safety grounds.There are exceptions. On martial-arts-driven productions, the action designer might have far more creative weight and work closely with the director. Even then, safety sign-off often stays with the coordinator.<h3 id="e42d0b31-cd11-4f54-aa55-e7e10f3ae0ea" data-toc-id="e42d0b31-cd11-4f54-aa55-e7e10f3ae0ea" style="text-align: left; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.2;">6. How a Coordinator Chooses a Fight Choreographer</h3>The coordinator usually brings in the choreographer, or recommends who to hire. It's about fit for the job, not just the best showreel. Depending on the production, they might look for:<ul><li>A broad skill set, because productions ask for many different styles, and someone who can cover several is easier to book</li><li>The right style for the story: a street brawl, a period sword fight and a martial arts sequence need different skills</li><li>Camera experience, because a fight that looks great in a training hall can fall apart on screen</li><li>A safety-first mindset, working within the coordinator's plan and speaking up about concerns</li><li>Speed and adaptability, because locations change and schedules shrink</li><li>Clear communication, since the fight has to be taught to the doubles quickly and passed on accurately</li><li>Reliability, because coordinators tend to hire people they trust when things get stressful</li><li>Budget and availability, which can decide the choice as much as skill</li></ul>That's why reputation matters so much in this industry<h3 id="b5337175-9a7c-4e68-84eb-18a1ea07cdb9" data-toc-id="b5337175-9a7c-4e68-84eb-18a1ea07cdb9" style="text-align: left; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.2;">7. Who Teaches the Actor?.</h3>Actors often don't learn a fight straight from the choreographer. On many productions it works something like this:<ol><li>The choreographer designs the fight with the coordinator and the director's vision in mind.</li><li>A rehearsal video (stunt previs) might be filmed, so the director and camera team can agree on the fight before shoot day. It's much cheaper to change here than on set.</li><li>The choreographer teaches it to the stunt doubles.</li><li>The lead double teaches it to the actor. The lead double is the double for the lead actor, and is often in charge of teaching and running the fight from there.</li><li>The coordinator checks it against the plan, and the fight is adjusted for the real location and lenses on the day.</li></ol>This can work well because the double knows the fight inside out and understands how their actor moves. On some productions, the choreographer or coordinator may also work with the actor directly, depending on the schedule, the actor's experience and the size of the fight. See also <a target="_blank" href="#">how stunt rehearsals work on a professional film set</a>.<h3 id="5e846397-41b7-453d-8967-28f8a166c18c" data-toc-id="5e846397-41b7-453d-8967-28f8a166c18c" style="text-align: left; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.2;">8. Small Production Example</h3>Picture a low-budget film or series with one or two key fight scenes.The budget might not stretch to a full stunt team, but a fight choreographer could be brought in for a couple of days to design the fight and teach it to the stunt doubles. The lead double then teaches it to the actor. The coordinator plans the safety, checks the location and runs the stunt day.If the budget is tighter still, the coordinator might design the fight too. That's why many coordinators start out as strong choreographers: on small jobs you often need both skill sets in one person.<h3 id="03aa7957-c403-404b-be65-115a76a843b2" data-toc-id="03aa7957-c403-404b-be65-115a76a843b2" style="text-align: left; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.2;">9. Large Production Example</h3>Now picture a large feature or streaming series with major fights, plus vehicle work, wire work, fire burns and multiple units.The roles are more likely to split:<ul><li>The stunt coordinator manages the department: performers, doubles, riggers, safety, budget and scheduling across units</li><li>Assistant coordinators might support the coordinator's tasks, or lead a single element, such as a fire burn or a fight</li><li>A dedicated fight choreographer could spend time designing, filming rehearsal videos and refining the main fights with the director</li><li>A key rigger could lead the rigging team for wires, pulls and falls, supported by stunt crew</li><li>Lead doubles learn the fights and teach them to their actors</li></ul>At this scale, one person is unlikely to be able to do all of it well, so the work is divided.<h3 id="7c93cb5c-e2c8-44b4-a710-af5059f99afd" data-toc-id="7c93cb5c-e2c8-44b4-a710-af5059f99afd" style="text-align: left; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.2;">10. The New Zealand Angle</h3>New Zealand's screen industry covers everything from small local projects on modest budgets to larger productions, including international ones, shooting here. On smaller jobs, coordinators can wear several hats, and choreographers might only be booked for a few days. On bigger productions, departments often split and local performers and crew can fill roles across them.In a smaller industry, versatility and reputation carry real weight. Performers who can fight, fall, work with wires and handle themselves around vehicles or horses can be easier to hire, and coordinators tend to rehire people they trust. A choreographer who covers several styles will usually find more work than one who relies on a single specialty.<h3 id="0e49da5f-47e7-4e4e-a2ee-14a099c41cb4" data-toc-id="0e49da5f-47e7-4e4e-a2ee-14a099c41cb4" style="text-align: left; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.2;">11. How to Become a Fight Choreographer</h3>There's no single route, but the choreographers who work regularly tend to have a few things in common.Train in more than one combat discipline. Productions ask for very different fights: a street brawl, a martial arts sequence, a sword fight, a bar room scrap. A choreographer with a broad base of styles (for example striking, grappling, weapons and some martial arts) can cover more of those jobs and blend styles when a story needs it.Be careful about specialising too narrowly. Someone who only does one skill, like fencing, can be excellent at it, but the work that needs that skill only comes up now and then, so it can be hard to earn a steady living from it. A specialist can still succeed, but usually needs their reputation and their work to be outstanding, so that when a production needs that style, theirs is the first name the coordinator thinks of. Many people pair a specialty with a wider base so they can work between those jobs.Have the ability and patience to teach. Your fights are passed on to stunt doubles, and then to actors, many of whom have never thrown a punch on camera. You'll be teaching people with very different levels of skill, often quickly, so being clear, calm and patient counts as much as being able to design a great fight.From there, a common path might look like this:<ol><li>Build a broad fighting and movement base, with good body control.</li><li>Learn to fight for camera. Screen fighting is its own skill: angles, timing, selling hits and repeatability.</li><li>Get on set as a performer. Seeing how fights are actually shot teaches you things a training hall can't.</li><li>Choreograph small projects. Shorts, student films and indie work. Film it and build a showreel.</li><li>Practise teaching. Run sessions, teach performers and learn how to pass on a fight clearly.</li><li>Build your reputation. Coordinators hire people they trust, so being reliable, safe and easy to work with is what gets you rehired and recommended.</li></ol><h3 id="96e616c4-e3c8-4322-9b70-f07ac6f57e89" data-toc-id="96e616c4-e3c8-4322-9b70-f07ac6f57e89" style="text-align: left; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.2;">12. How to Become a Stunt Coordinator</h3>Coordinating is a step beyond choreography, because you're designing and running every stunt in a production and taking responsibility for people's safety. Paths vary, but many coordinators follow something like this:<ol><li>Work as a stunt performer for years, across a range of disciplines, not just one.</li><li>Learn safety properly: risk assessment, rigging practice, communication and first aid awareness.</li><li>Understand the production side: breakdowns, budgets, schedules and how other departments work.</li><li>Assist an experienced coordinator for years and learn how they run a set.</li><li>Coordinate smaller jobs first. Shorts, commercials and small productions are where many coordinators build their record.</li><li>Protect your reputation. Coordinators are hired on trust, so being safe, reliable and easy to work with matters as much as skill.</li></ol><h3 id="3fe3d178-f270-4cd8-8a6d-6414fb79aca6" data-toc-id="3fe3d178-f270-4cd8-8a6d-6414fb79aca6" style="text-align: left; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.2;">13. Quick Comparison (A Typical Setup)</h3>Remember, every production is different. This shows how the roles often work.<div><div class="tableWrapper"><table style="min-width: 75px;"><colgroup><col><col><col></colgroup><tbody><tr><th colspan="1" rowspan="1"></th><th colspan="1" rowspan="1">Stunt Coordinator</th><th colspan="1" rowspan="1">Fight Choreographer</th></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Main focus</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Designing and running all stunts, and keeping them safe</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Designing and refining the fight</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Scope</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">The whole sequence: fights, car hits, falls, wires, fire burns</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">The fight only</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Hired by</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Production</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Often the stunt coordinator</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Final say on stunt safety</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Usually</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">No, raises concerns with the coordinator</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Budget and scheduling</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Usually</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Limited</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Passes the fight on to</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">The whole stunt team</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Stunt doubles, who often teach the actors</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><h3 id="b84954e9-ee2a-4d16-8b32-e9e37d8c018a" data-toc-id="b84954e9-ee2a-4d16-8b32-e9e37d8c018a" style="text-align: left; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.2;">14. The Bottom Line</h3>The fight choreographer makes the fight work. The stunt coordinator makes the whole sequence work: every stunt designed to look good together and be shot safely. On small sets they might be the same person, or a coordinator with a choreographer brought in for a few days. On large ones, they're more likely a team.Learning to choreograph is a great foundation for coordinating, but it's only one part of the job.<h3 id="a0dbc853-27b5-4943-a12c-9440f680beed" data-toc-id="a0dbc853-27b5-4943-a12c-9440f680beed" style="text-align: left; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.2;">15. Want to Build These Skills?</h3>Understanding fight choreography starts with learning how a fight is built for camera. Our <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nzstuntschool.com/fight-for-camera">Fight for Camera workshop</a> covers exactly that.👉 Explore training at NZ Stunt School: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nzstuntschool.com">www.nzstuntschool.com</a> Want to find out more? <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nzstuntschool.com">Explore the NZ Stunt School training pathway</a> Track your training and on-set work along the way with our <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nzstuntschool.com/stunt-tracker-app-by-nzss">free Stunt Tracker App</a>, and see how the NZSS <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nzstuntschool.com/nzss-training-pathway">training pathway</a> fits together. To understand how performers get picked, read <a target="_blank" href="#">how stunt doubles are chosen on film sets</a>.NZ Stunt School (NZSS) delivers stunt training and production services across New Zealand.

Stunt coordinator vs fight choreographer: who does what, how they're hired, and how the roles change on small and large film and TV productions.

Stunt Coordinator vs Fight Choreographer: Key Differences

Stunt coordinator vs fight choreographer: who does what, who has the final say, and how to become each in NZ film and TV.

Stunt Coordinator vs Fight Choreographer: What's the Difference?

6. How a Coordinator Chooses a Fight Choreographer

Explore stunt training tips, behind-the-scenes insights, and advice for aspiring stunt performers | NZ Stunt School

Stunt Coordinator vs Fight Choreographer: What's the Difference?

Stunt Coordinator vs Fight Choreographer: What's the Difference?

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