I think I started something

[MacQuarrie]

So I wrote one of my tedious and pedantic lectures about bad archery in the movies, specifically the Avengers.

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2012/03/avengers-hawkeye-archery/

It was actually part of a series, in which BRAVE and HUNGER GAMES demonstrated really good archery and Avengers... didn't.

And now the thing has gone nuts. The Huffington Post picked it up; so did Hollywood.com and Random House's Word and Film section, and io9 and Blastr and bunches of other sites. In the last two days I've had over 35,000 page views. I've also received several nice emails from other archery coaches and competitors and people who practice other specialties that routinely get done wrong in the movies. It's been a weird week.

The first post, on BRAVE, was very popular as well, with Pixar staffers tweeting it around and a lot of good feedback. Disney reps called me up and invited me to go to Pixar April 3-5 on their dime. (WOOHOO!!!!) Fortunately, the publicist, who is also handling Avengers, laughed when I asked if he hated me when the last article came out. He thought it was good.

I'm waiting for a mob of angry fanboys to show up at the range and call me out, or a drunk-dial from Jermey Renner giving me hell.

Nerd rage is awesome.

[bert]

cool MacQ.

how about a link to the huffpo story?

good on ya!

[MacQuarrie]

cool MacQ.

how about a link to the huffpo story?

good on ya!

Ask and ye shall receive.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/16/the-avengers-hawkeye-jeremy-renner_n_1354124.html&ct=ga&cad=CAcQARgAIAAoATAAOABA5I2Q-wRIAlAAWABiBWVuLVVT&cd=VWGheyyYN4Y&usg=AFQjCNEPFXWGrZi3wtnSrMpJYTlpXXHjIg
Here's a few more:
http://www.hollywood.com/news/Avengers_Jeremy_Renner_Worst_Archer_Ever/20809714
http://socalbowhunter.blogspot.com/2012/03/hollywood-archery-good-representation.html
http://gunnuts.net/2012/03/16/hawkeye-worlds-worst-archer/
http://news.moviefone.com/2012/03/16/the-avengers-hawkeye-jeremy-renner_n_1354012.html
http://www.metafilter.com/113880/Every-new-teaser-poster-shows-a-worse-example

[Hybrid2]

I dont understand the peoples complaining about the article.
They keep comparing to Hulk Thor and Cap's shield trowing.

Archery is a real thing!

[t.c.johnson]

Maybe you can negotiate this into a new career.

[dasNdanger]

Wow...very cool!! And you tell 'em!! :)

Archery was my forté in high school. We only had simple bows (I think they were green - just stave and string), but I was fairly good at hitting the mark. However, I never followed through (ADD!!!!!). Wish I had. We have an archery range not far from here, I should probably check it out.

das

[MacQuarrie]

Wow...very cool!! And you tell 'em!! :)

Archery was my forté in high school. We only had simple bows (I think they were green - just stave and string), but I was fairly good at hitting the mark. However, I never followed through (ADD!!!!!). Wish I had. We have an archery range not far from here, I should probably check it out.

das

Yes, you should. You know you want to.

[MacQuarrie]

I dont understand the peoples complaining about the article.
They keep comparing to Hulk Thor and Cap's shield trowing.

Archery is a real thing!
Right? He doesn't have to look like an Olympian, but he should at least look as competent as a 10-year-old.

[a. non]

Very cool!

Jim MacQuarrie: Hollywood Archery Consultant/Trainer

You could make a lot of money doing that.

[JBK405]

Mac, I haven't held a bow in more than ten years (And I was awful when I did. I'm talking bad) but you walked the reader through all the details of not just what was going wrong, but also why it was wrong and what the consequences would be, so even somebody who isn't an archer can recognize "Oh, I get why it's bad." That's not easy to do in a specialized field and you handled it very well.

I agree that, as you said, basic form should be a prerequisite. He's an actor, not an archer, so expecting him to measure up to the greats of the field is unreasonable, but part of acting is at least looking like you know what you're doing, so matching a teenager should not be outside the realm of possibility, and the greats shouldn't even be that hard to duplicate if all we'e going for is "looks authentic." Nobody was asking him to actually hit a target, he just has to stand there and be ready to hit the target.

[MacQuarrie]

Every single thing I mentioned is first-day beginner stuff. I have a photo of a five-year-old doing it, but the parents didn't give me permission to use it.

[MacQuarrie]

Y'know, I think it makes a decent tutorial for comic book artists who want to be somewhere close to accurate....

[JBK405]

I can undersand that, too. There are some weird people on-line; I'm not sure I'd want pictures of my kids getting out there.

[dasNdanger]

Yes, you should. You know you want to.

I would like to, yes. But I have some things that may hold me back. Crappy tunnel (which is pretty bad right now), bad shoulders, and Popeye forearms (from wielding a mean garden spade). I could maybe work around the shoulders and forearm, but right now the Carpel Tunnel is really affecting my ability to do a lot of things. I really should get the operation, but I'm a terrible procrastinator. :p



das

[dasNdanger]

Mac, I haven't held a bow in more than ten years (And I was awful when I did. I'm talking bad) but you walked the reader through all the details of not just what was going wrong, but also why it was wrong and what the consequences would be, so even somebody who isn't an archer can recognize "Oh, I get why it's bad." That's not easy to do in a specialized field and you handled it very well.

I agree that, as you said, basic form should be a prerequisite. He's an actor, not an archer, so expecting him to measure up to the greats of the field is unreasonable, but part of acting is at least looking like you know what you're doing, so matching a teenager should not be outside the realm of possibility, and the greats shouldn't even be that hard to duplicate if all we'e going for is "looks authentic." Nobody was asking him to actually hit a target, he just has to stand there and be ready to hit the target.

Yes, this - the highlighted parts in particular. When comparing the skilled archers with the actor, the skilled archers look confident...perhaps even a bit badass. Unfortunately, Hawkeye looks a bit 'lazy', like he's not putting his all into it.

I will, however, suggest that there may be a reason for it. In the action shots he's not simply posing for a picture. Instead he's probably trying to remember his instruction, his marks, his lines, and whatever else is running through an actor's head when the cameras are rolling...maybe even what's on the lunch menu that day. Also, since he knows he doesn't have to actually hit a target perhaps he's not trying as hard as he could. It's like when I'm throwing darts and really trying to hit the double, I conciously think about my form. But if I'm throwing darts just to throw them (like, after a drink or two), my form totally sucks because I stop trying. So, for an actor who knows he doesn't have to hit a mark, maybe the other things (the lines, the cameras, the lunch wagon) become more important to him than the form.

Not sure if I'm making any sense, just trying to see it from the actor's standpoint. Of course, I've seen many actors do well with skills they never had before filming a movie, such as sword play and horseback riding, so I know that an actor can make it look good, even when he's thinking about lunch. :)


das

[KJ!]

That article was linked to me yesterday.

I started reading it, and was only a few paragraphs in when it started to seem like perhaps I might know this writer.

And sure enough, was indeed you.

Absolutely thrilled, it was a great article, and I have a feeling this is getting you some widespread recognition.

Congratulations. :)

[Craig C]

Good article I did not know that you could be left handed (which I am) and not left eye dominant so learned something new with the critique that you gave awesome very cool

[dasNdanger]

Good article I did not know that you could be left handed (which I am) and not left eye dominant so learned something new with the critique that you gave awesome very cool

Yeah, I found that really interesting, too. I'm a lefty, but have no idea which eye is dominant. So I just did a test (pretended to draw a bowstring, which I haven't done in ages). My first instinct (without even thinking) was to hold the bow right-handed, and aim with my right eye! I tried to do it left-handed, and it felt all wrong. High school was a long time ago, but I must have been taught to use it right-handed.

Another interesting thing that I noticed - again without thinking - is that I kept my arm straight, no elbow in the air. And I was taught over 30 years ago, by a female high school gym teacher. Of course, there was no tension or resistance to deal with since I was air-aiming, but it was still good to know my muscle-memory retained its form.


das

[MacQuarrie]

How to test your eye dominance: with both eyes open, point at an object in the distance. Now close one eye. Are you still pointing at it? Open your eye and close the other one; did your finger suddenly jump a few inches to one side? The eye that keeps your finger on the target is your dominant eye.

[Treacle]

Congratulations!!!

[The Xenos]

Well.. I guess the movie is just being accurate to how well archery is portrayed in many of the comics...

[dasNdanger]

How to test your eye dominance: with both eyes open, point at an object in the distance. Now close one eye. Are you still pointing at it? Open your eye and close the other one; did your finger suddenly jump a few inches to one side? The eye that keeps your finger on the target is your dominant eye.

Right-eyed. I pretended to draw back with both right and left hands, and in both cases my right eye stayed on target. By doing this little test, I've also come to notice that I naturally shut my left eye when focusing on an object (I also experimented with using a magnifying glass). I never ever realized that I was right-eyed, which may explain my horrendous hand-eye coordination when it comes to any sport involving a ball. :p

I have myopia and just checked my contact script. Sphere (or power) for left is -8.50, and for the right it's -9.75. Right eye is weaker. However, my left eye has a wicked-mean astigmatism, about 3x worse than the right. I wonder if that has any bearing.

Thanks, MacQuarrrie, for teaching me something here, and not just about archery, but about myself. Very cool!


das

[stevapalooza]

Congrats! You're viral!

[dasNdanger]

Congrats! You're viral!

A pox is upon us!!

:D


das

[MacQuarrie]

Right-eyed. I pretended to draw back with both right and left hands, and in both cases my right eye stayed on target. By doing this little test, I've also come to notice that I naturally shut my left eye when focusing on an object (I also experimented with using a magnifying glass). I never ever realized that I was right-eyed, which may explain my horrendous hand-eye coordination when it comes to any sport involving a ball. :p

I have myopia and just checked my contact script. Sphere (or power) for left is -8.50, and for the right it's -9.75. Right eye is weaker. However, my left eye has a wicked-mean astigmatism, about 3x worse than the right. I wonder if that has any bearing.

Thanks, MacQuarrrie, for teaching me something here, and not just about archery, but about myself. Very cool!


das
You're welcome. I had the same experience myself, and it made me suddenly understand my entire schoolyard athletic career. They should test kindergarteners and tell them so they have half a chance to compete at softball and such.

Anecdotally, I and others have noticed a high incidence of dyslexia among cross-dominant people. Anybody want to help me write a research grant proposal?

[t.c.johnson]

Hmmm, I am right handed, right eyes dominant and dyslexic. Man, can't keep anything straight.

[stevapalooza]

Are you strictly into modern archery or have you played with old fashioned bows too?

[MacQuarrie]

Are you strictly into modern archery or have you played with old fashioned bows too?

I shoot recurve and play with a longbow I made myself. Can't be bothered to mess with compound bows; I'm not interested in fiddling with gadgets. A stick and a string, baby!