“Clarity of intention”: Building action and excitement for The Witcher 4

The Witcher 4 has been anxiously awaited ever since its announcement, with fans eager to get their hands on the latest instalment of the beloved franchise. There’s a passionate team behind the game, too, seemingly just as eager to see the game in the wild.

I had the chance to speak with Maciej Kwiatkowski about The Witcher 4’s cinematic trailer and his work as a performer and action director, learning more about what goes into making a stellar trailer and hard-hitting stunts. 

Bringing characters to life

If you’re a fan of action-adventure games and RPGs with awe-inspiring worlds, chances are that you’ve spent some time with The Witcher. 

With The Witcher 4 being a hot topic in the community, I sat down with Maciej Kwiatkowski, performer and action director, to ask about his work on the cinematic reveal trailer for The Witcher 4.

Not only did he work on the stunts and dynamic action in the cinematic reveal trailer for The Witcher 4, he also worked on previous titles in the franchise, meaning it’s a fictional world that he holds near and dear to his heart; when I asked him about this, he said it felt like it was part of his professional DNA.

Looking at what it takes to bring characters to life through movement, Kwiatkowski said that the first step is always to break down exactly who the character is.

“I try to get a sense of their background, mindset, and emotional state,” he explained, “What they’ve been through, what drives them, what kind of energy they carry. Movement comes from psychology, so before I think about choreography or technique, I ask myself: how does this character see the world?”

From there, he experiments with different postures, rhythms, and habits to create something that feels truthful, creating a character that feels real.

I wondered if Kwiatkowski’s previous projects had inspired him with his work on the cinematic reveal trailer for The Witcher 4 – either with his stunt work as Geralt or outside of the franchise – and he agreed that every project had its influences.

“Absolutely. Every project I’ve worked on over the years has shaped the way I approach something new,” Kwiatkowski noted, “Obviously, my previous work on The Witcher games is the biggest influence…

“But beyond that, a lot of other projects fed into it as well. Working on different games, films, and motion capture productions taught me how to adapt movement to different kinds of characters and genres – from realistic military action to more stylized fantasy combat.”

He shared that every project had added something new to his toolbox; when he arrived to work on The Witcher 4, he wasn’t just bringing experience with The Witcher as a franchise. Instead, he was bringing everything he’d learned along the way.

Creating meaningful action

Looking at motion capture as a whole, I asked Kwiatkowski what a typical workday looked like for him when working on a trailer or game.

He shared that, typically, it runs from around 9 AM to 8 PM, starting with a system calibration and warm-up, before recording kicks off around 10 AM.

“The most important tools aren’t really physical,” Kwiatkowski explained, looking at the tools he relied on the most with his work, “They’re more about mindset and experience. The biggest one is observation. Being able to watch people, understand body language, and translate emotions into movement is essential.

“Another crucial tool is adaptability. Every project is different – different directors, different styles – so being able to adjust quickly and find solutions on the spot is huge. Physical skills matter, of course … but they only work if you know how to use them creatively.”

He shared that collaboration is another key part of working in motion capture and action design, saying that the practice is undoubtedly a team effort. Being able to listen to directors, animators, and other performers to build something together is one of the most valuable tools overall.

As an observer, the process of coordinating a stunt is mysterious, so I asked how the process generally unfolds from A to B.

“The process can vary a bit from project to project, but it usually starts with the needs of the scene,” Kwiatkowski explained, “We’re given the context first: what the story moment is, what the characters need to achieve, and any specific beats the director wants to hit.

“Once that’s clear, we start building the choreography around those goals, while also thinking about what’s technically possible, safe, and readable. After that comes planning and testing. We’ll block things out, try different ideas, adjust timing, and movement until it all fits together.”

Looking at what makes for a successful scene, Kwiatkowski noted that “clarity of intention” is a key factor, saying that everyone being on the same page with the emotions and story of the shoot helps everything to fall into place naturally. 

“A scene only truly works when all the pieces come together – performance, camera, animation, direction, and sound,” he continued, “The goal should always be to make something memorable rather than just functional.”

Finishing with a look at the upcoming game, Kwiatkowski shared that the level of ambition for the game is astronomical.

“The team is putting so much heart and effort into it, and they truly understand what makes this world special,” he enthused, “I think fans are going to feel that immediately when they experience it.

“…I can’t wait for players to experience it. Hopefully, they’ll enjoy it as much as we enjoyed creating it. And of course, a big thanks to the fans – their passion is what makes projects like this so meaningful.”

Based on the chat with Kwiatkowski and the glimpses of the game that’ve been shown off so far, it’s safe to say that The Witcher 4 is a release that’s worth looking forward to. The cinematic reveal trailer is a joy to watch, and it provides a glimpse of a vast, vibrant world that begs to be explored.

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