The British Academy of Stage & Screen Combat

About the BASSC

The British Academy of Stage & Screen Combat was founded in 1993 with the aim of improving the standards of safety, quality and training of stage combat and promoting a unified code of practice for the training, teaching and assessing of stage combat within the United Kingdom.

All BASSC teachers have undergone a rigorous training programme and the examining members of the BASSC are highly qualified, experienced professionals with a tradition of working in theatre, television and film productions such as ALEXANDER, TROY, STARDUST, CLOSER, THE LAST LEGION and THE GOLDEN COMPASS.

Since its formation the BASSC has established a reputation as the invigorating driving force behind stage combat in the United Kingdom and is respected, both nationally and internationally, as the leading provider of professional level level stage combat training.

As a result of this British Equity, in 1997, recognised the BASSC’s Advanced Certificate as a valid qualification for entry onto the Equity Fight Directors’ Training scheme and in 2001 the BASSC was appointed by the Equity Council for the training and assessment of Fight Directors candidates applying to join the Equity Fight Directors’ Register.

The BASSC now has training schemes in place which allow for development from actor/combatant to Certified Teacher as well as assessment and training of Fight Directors for the Equity register.

British Equity recognises The BASSC’s Advanced Certificate as a valid qualification for entry onto the Equity Fight Directors’ Training scheme.


Practice:

  • The training of students as safe performers of Stage Combat.
  • The adjudication of Fight Performance Tests, assessed at Basic, Intermediate and Advanced* levels.
  • The training of Certified Teachers to teach safely, competently and consistently the BASSC syllabus.
  • The training of candidates for the British Actors’ Equity Fight Directors’ Training Scheme.
  • To monitor the standards and practices of all those who teach the Academy’s syllabus.

As an organisation we are dedicated to training and improving the quality of stage combat and to promoting full and open communication with other Stage Combat Academies, Schools, Societies and individuals both within the UK and abroad.