P&P 2 10-15

FDC Policies and Procedures

Section 2, Clauses 10-15

General Certification Requirements

2.10 Rules and Practice for Actor Combatant Fight Certification Tests

The minimum age for FDC certification, at any level, is 18.
Minimum number of contact hours with an official FDC Instructor at the following levels (To achieve certification in all weapons required at a certain level, these course hours must be spread over a minimum 14 day period) will be:
1. Basic level: 60 Hours
2. Intermediate : 80 Hours, in addition to that required at basic level.
3. Advanced: 100 Hours, in addition to that required at the basic and intermediate level.
It is possible to test in individual weapon systems. To achieve a full certification level, all weapon systems must be achieved within one calendar year of attaining your first certification.
1. When testing for an individual weapon certification, a minimum of 20 contact hours, with an FDC Instructor, must be accrued.
2. Certification in one weapon may be attained in a minimum of 5 days.
3. Individual testing fees for one weapon certification are as follows: $25.00 minimum / student
4. Minimum adjudication fee is: $200.00
5. For all Adjudications, with the exception of FDC National Workshops Fight Masters required payment to FDC is: $5.00 / attempted certification

2.11. Certification for the Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced Levels

Certification for the Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced Levels shall consist of two parts:

A written component (An Official FDC Written Exam)
A Skills Proficiency Exam Adjudicated by an FDC Fight Master in Good Standing. The adjudication consists of:
1. The performance of set fight routines with specific physical requirements.
2. Successful participation in a workshop given by the Adjudicator. (This portion of the FDC exam will be waived at National and Regional Workshops)

At all levels, the written portion of the FDC exam must be passed in order to achieve eligibility for certification.
1. Students may re-take the written examination ONE- TIME if they fail to meet the minimum standards on their first attempt. This re-test must be taken within one (1) month of the first practical test. It is the member’s responsibility to coordinate the re-test with the adjudicator. If students fail a second time, they must repeat the entire testing process (Including All Applicable Fees) at the level they wish to attain.
2. Students must pay a $25.00 re-testing fee to Fight Directors, Canada to re-take the written portion of the FDC exam.
3. Students must re-take the FDC exam within one month of being notified of their failure. If students must re-test in one of the weapon systems, the student re-sits the FDC exam on the same day they perform their re-test. (Within six-months of notified failure)
At all levels, students must be taught by an FDC Certified Instructor/Director in good standing and pass a skills proficiency exam adjudicated by an FDC Fight Master in good standing. The individual weapon systems and pass ratios for each level are listed below:
1. Basic Actor Combatant Weapon Styles (3):
  1. Test Fights can be performed with a single partner or with multiple partners. (As directed by adjudicator)
  2. Combatants must pass all three weapons to achieve certification.
  3. If a combatant fails one weapon, they are eligible for one re-test in that weapon system provided they do so within six months of the initial exam. Should they fail the re-test, they must repeat the entire testing process (Including All Applicable Fees) at the level they wish to attain. If a combatant fails two or more weapons, they must repeat the entire testing process.
  4. Combatants are responsible for the expenses of the re-test.
    1. Payment of Instructor for further training (if applicable) Negotiated with individual instructor/s.
    2. Payment of Fight Master issuing the re-test. ($50.00 per combatant)
    3. Payment of Fight Master’s expenses for re-test i.e. Food, Housing, Travel if applicable
    4. Payment of $25.00 to Fight Directors, Canada for the practical component re-testing fee
2. Intermediate Actor Combatant Weapon Styles (4):
  1. Test fights should be performed with at least two different partners. Combatants should demonstrate an ability to work with more than one partner at this level.
  2. Combatants must pass all four weapons to achieve Intermediate Actor Combatant certification.
  3. If combatants fail one weapon, they are eligible for one re-test in that weapon system provided they do so within six months of the initial exam. Should they fail the re-test, they must repeat the Entire testing process (Including All Applicable Fees) at the level they wish to attain.
  4. Combatants are responsible for the expenses of the re-test.
    1. Payment of Instructor for further training (if applicable). Negotiated by individual instructor/s.
    2. Payment of Fight Master issuing the re-test. ($50.00 per combatant)
    3. Payment of Fight Master’s expenses for re-test i.e. Food, Housing, Travel if applicable
    4. Payment of $25.00 to Fight Directors, Canada for the practical component re-testing fee
3. Advanced Actor Combatant Weapon Styles (5):
  1. Test Fights should be performed with at least three different partners. Combatants must demonstrate the ability to successfully work with a variety of partners.
  2. Combatants must pass all five weapons to achieve Advanced Actor Combatant certification.
  3. If combatants fail one weapon, they are eligible for one re-test in that weapons system provided they do so within six months of the initial exam. Should they fail the re-test, they must repeat the Entire testing process (Including All Applicable Fees) at the level they wish to attain.
  4. Combatants are responsible for the expenses of the re-test.
    1. Payment of Instructor for further training (if applicable). Negotiated with individual instructor/s.
    2. Payment of Fight Master issuing the re-test. ($50.00 per combatant)
    3. Payment of Fight Master’s expenses for re-test i.e. Food, Housing, Travel if applicable
    4. Payment of $25.00 to Fight Directors, Canada for the practical component re-testing fee

2.12. Guidelines for the Practical Portion of the Fight Certification Tests

General Guidelines
1. Students will be judged individually on their performance ability within the set routines. The said routines are to be choreographed by the FDC Certified Instructor in charge.
  1. At the basic and intermediate levels, all fights must be choreographed entirely by an FDC instructor.
  2. At the advanced level, the found/environmental weapon test should be choreographed by the students who are testing and approved by the instructor in charge. All other weapons should be choreographed by the instructor. Minor adaptations to the choreographed fights are acceptable with the instructor’s approval.
2. The set fights shall be constructed using individual movements set down in the syllabus. All disciplines should consist of a minimum of thirty paired moves. (i.e. an attack and a parry/avoidance consist of one paired move)
3. The fights are to be performed with dialogue, characterization, and situation, with sufficient physical control to fight convincingly yet safely.
4. Students must demonstrate dramatic intentions and display convincing Character choices.
5. All dialogue must be obtained from set, published THEATRICAL texts unless stated differently by the adjudicator.
6. Each fight, including dialogue, should not exceed three minutes.
  1. In certain instances, weapon systems may be combined in a single performance.
  2. If combined, the time limit is three minutes per discipline represented.
  3. Additional variations are subject to the approval of the adjudication Fight Master.
7. The use of firearms is permitted only if required by the text. Misuse of the firearm in any capacity will result in the automatic failure of the candidate. (Misuse: Any action which results in potential or actual danger to self, partner, stage crew, or audience)
8. Automatic failure results in the following cases:
  1. Downstage disarm of any weapon or accoutrement.
  2. Injury to oneself or one’s partner
  3. Passing a weapon directly through the facial plane while in fighting distance.
  4. Failure to show sufficient physical control
  5. Any uncontrolled disarm
  6. Any other move that puts the combatant, their partner/s, the backstage crew, or the audience in danger.
Staging
1. All attacks should be staged at angles which enhance the dramatic impact of the individual moves.
2. Knaps and Kills should be carefully masked to add to the dramatic effect.
3. While it is the job of the instructor in charge to set the staging of the fights, it is the responsibility of the student to perform the choreography to include the above elements. The ability to maintain an awareness of staging and angles is an integral part of the performance skill that must be demonstrated.
  1. Basic Level: A basic demonstration of performance, fighting technique, and stage awareness must be demonstrated.
  2. Intermediate Level: An above average ability must be demonstrated in performance, fighting technique, and stage awareness.
  3. Advanced Level: A highly skilled performance must be delivered that demonstrates clear dramatic intention, suitable characterization, technical fighting ability, and stage awareness. Combatants at this level must be virtually flawless in their presentation.
Reactions
1. Vocal reactions should reflect dramatic reality and be sustained for the appropriate length of time, without undue strain on the vocal cords.
2. Physical reactions should be convincingly portrayed and appropriate to the action delivered.
3. The consequence of each action should be played out convincingly and maintained throughout the fight.
Dialogue
1. During the performance, the dialogue should be clearly audible and suited to the performance space.
2. Dialogue should not be placed where it will be rendered unheard by accompanying noise, such as the clash of weapons.
3. Character should be expressed convincingly through both dialogue an action.
Mats and Costume
1. The use of mats and/or pads in the test shall be left to the teacher’s discretion.
2. Costumes may be worn, but this is a test of fight skills, not fashion awareness.
3. Footwear should either reflect the period of the piece or consist of athletic shoes that give support to the feet.
Observers
1. The written portion of the exam is closed to the public.
2. The performance of the fight scenes is open to the public unless otherwise stated by the instructor/adjudicator.
3. The workshop segment of the practical exam following the fight performances is closed to the public.

2.13. Certification Expectations

The adjudicator shall observe all fight scenes looking for three elements:

The skills performed. The technical level of execution and the safety of these executions.
The acting intention that motivates the skills performance
The dramatic interpretation of the chosen text.

2.14. Certificates

Certification is awarded to successful candidates, after their examination by an FDC adjudicator.
Successful candidates are entitled to use the certification in conjunction with personal publicity at their respective level. The acceptable Format is as follows:
1. Basic Actor Combatant. Fight Directors, Canada. 2002-2004. Unarmed, Quarterstaff, Single Sword. Certificate #.
2. Intermediate Actor Combatant. Fight Directors, Canada. 2002-2004. Broadsword, Staged Martial Arts (Unarmed), Small Sword, Rapier and Dagger. Certificate #.
Unless printed otherwise, certification lasts three years from the date of issue. After the expiry date, certification is no longer deemed valid at their current level. Unless the candidate re-certifies, FDC will no longer recommend that candidate. Candidates need only re-certify at the highest level attained. (For example, an Intermediate Actor Combatant must re-certify at the intermediate level. They do not have to re-certify at both the basic and the intermediate level.)
In certain instances, the adjudicator may award an additional honour to students who display an exceptional aptitude for the performance of stage combat. This award is given when the Fight Master feels that the combatant has excelled in both technical ability and performance skill. In this instance, a combatant may be awarded the title of Distinction.
1. Should a combatant receive the honour of Distinction, they are eligible to test for the next level before the recommended waiting period.
2. Students who receive the honour of Distinction are entitled to use the certification in conjunction with personal publicity at their respective level. The acceptable Format is as follows:
  1. Basic Actor Combatant with Distinction. Fight Directors, Canada. 2002-2004. Unarmed, Quarterstaff, Single Sword. Certificate #.
  2. Intermediate Actor Combatant with Distinction. Fight Directors, Canada. 2002-2004. Broadsword, Martial Arts, Small Sword, Rapier and Dagger. Certificate #.
Fight certificates at the Actor Combatant levels are awarded for fight performance only. The following misrepresentations are unacceptable:
1. Misrepresenting the level achieved.
2. Advertising oneself as an FDC certified fight director, fight instructor, fight arranger, fight choreographer, combat instructor, master at arms, fight master, etc.
3. Using FDC to falsely promote one’s abilities.
Students found to be misrepresenting themselves and their affiliation with FDC will:
1. Have their Certification Withdrawn.
2. Be Stripped of their FDC membership.
3. Notify the relevant companies and/or schools regarding the details of their misrepresentation.
4. Be brought before the FDC executive council for further sanctions.
Certificates issued by FDC shall only be awarded to students of FDC certified Instructors/Directors/Fight Masters.

2.15. Certification Fees

Each candidate for certification must pay a fee in advance of the adjudication.
FDC reserves the right to alter the certification fees at its discretion.
1. Any changes will be posted on the website once they take effect.
2. Previous agreements regarding certification costs will be honoured provided they have been placed in writing.
3. The certification fee is included in the cost of the FDC National Workshop fee.
The adjudicator will ensure that monies owed to FDC for certification shall be paid directly to the FDC treasurer at the earliest opportunity following the adjudication.
Fees for FDC Membership ARE NOT included in the cost of certification. Any instructor promising membership with certification is responsible for paying the membership fees. It is not the responsibility of the adjudicator to cover this expense out of their adjudication fee.

Previous Clause or Next Clause