Although 500 working days might not sound like it would take very long, the average stunt performer completes this minimum requirement in about five years. During this time frame, stunt performers have ample opportunities to learn the craft, gain relevant experience, and improve their skills.
As a stunt performer, you might work for a number of individual productions or for one consistent employer. No matter your employment situation, you have to track your qualifying days independently. SAG-AFTRA offers an online system that allows you to record qualifying days and verify the wages you received for each job.
After completing 250 qualifying days as a stunt performer, you become eligible to join SAG-AFTRA’s volunteer mentor program. Through this program, you can apply to receive guidance and professional advice from an experienced stunt coordinator. This volunteer program is available at no cost to stunt performers, and you can receive up to 25 days of mentorship.
After completing 350 eligible days as a stunt performer, you can become an apprentice coordinator. In this role, you can work under an experienced stunt coordinator when a production calls for more than one person in this role. By working as an apprentice coordinator, you can continue to gain experience and work toward your 500 qualifying days.
As soon as you’ve completed 500 qualifying days as a stunt performer and had your work verified by SAG-AFTRA’s Stunt and Safety Department, you’ve met the minimum standards to work as a stunt coordinator. Your name will appear on the union’s roster, which confirms your qualifications and can help you find your next role.
Most stunt coordinators are members of SAG-AFTRA, which supports actors, journalists, singers, and many other kinds of media professionals. By joining this union, you gain protections that help you preserve your job and manage the cost of injuries and illnesses that you experience on set. Becoming a member of SAG-AFTRA can also allow you to more effectively manage the inherent risks in this profession.
On average, stunt coordinators make about $42,500 per year. However, the salary range is relatively large. The lowest-paid stunt coordinators make about $20,500 per year, while those at the height of the industry make about $70,000 each year.
The type of production you oversee can make a big impact on the wages you earn. As this Vanity Fair report shows, experienced stunt coordinators could make more than $100,000 per year when working on high-budget productions.
Because stunt coordinators are represented by SAG-AFTRA, they make at least a standard minimum rate when they join union productions. Coordinators who also perform some stunts themselves typically receive an additional fee. As a general rule, the more dangerous or complicated the stunt is, the higher the fee they receive.
Inspired by the heady mix of danger, petrol fumes and burning rubber? Wondered how to become a motorcycle stunt rider?
If wheelies, skids, jumps and high speed two wheel tricks are your thing there’s no reason why you shouldn’t make a career out of becoming a motorcycle stuntman – but it will require a shed load of hard work.
There are no university or college courses to teach you how to become a motorcycle stunt rider, but the British Action Academy is the closest thing there is to motorcycle stunt school.
It is the UK’s only industry Health and Safety approved stunt training course and it is run by leading stunt performers and coordinators – guys and girls that have been there, seen it, done it, and survived to tell the tale – over three days of intense theoretical and practical training.
Designed for experienced stunt performers who want to polish their skills as well as newcomers trying to break into the stunting profession, BLAST will put you through a series of realistic stunt scenarios testing you to the limits of physical and mental ability.
Once that course has whet your appetite you will be more determined than ever to go on and work as a professional motorcycle stuntman. To do that in the UK you must be at least 18 years old and signed up to the British Equity Stunt Register.
You will have to work for at least three years as a Probationary Member of the Register, a further minimum of two years as Intermediate Member when you will be able to perform supervised stunts, before progressing to Full Membership, and a further period of not less than five years to become a fully fledged Stunt Action Co-ordinator, meaning you can perform stunts and plan and supervise stunts for others.
Because of the potentially dangerous, hazardous or specialist aspects of the work, career progression for Stunt Performers is strictly regulated by the Joint Industry Stunt Committee.
Logbooks must be kept providing evidence that stunts have been performed in a wide variety of disciplines – so even if you want to specialise in motorcycle stunts, you will have to be proficient in a diverse set of stunt skills.
But in whichever discipline you specialise, endurance and flexibility are key qualities you will need. A sudden phone call might require you to traipse across the country at short notice for a shoot and because the stunt team plays second fiddle to the acting cast, stuntmen usually get the wrong end of the filming schedule which can mean long hours, extreme conditions and antisocial hours.
Launch Your Career in StuntsYou will also need the ability to get along with the stars of the show – the actors that you will be needed to perform as a stunt double for.
If you turn on the television or attend a movie, chances are you will be entertained by explosions, fight scenes, and fast car chases. Many of us walk out of the theater excited by what we’ve seen but never giving a second thought as to what it took to make all those scenes happen. The truth is there’s an entire stunt team putting great thought and care into ensuring these action scenes are both safe and entertaining. A stunt designer uses their knowledge of mathematics and physics to create a set design that ensures each scene is carried out safely and successfully the first time and every time after, keeping both costs and injuries to a minimum.
Learn how to start your own Stunt Design Business and whether it is the right fit for you.
We have put together this simple guide to starting your stunt design business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.
A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:
Choosing the right name is very important. Read our detailed guide on how to name your business. We recommend checking if the business name you choose is available as a web domain and securing it early so no one else can take it.
The most significant asset for a stunt design business owner is experience. As mentioned, most individuals entering this industry have up to ten years of experience under their belt. They have put in the work as a stuntman and/or design staff and are ready to move on to the next stage of their career.
The most significant asset for a stunt design business owner is experience. As mentioned, most individuals entering this industry have up to ten years of experience under their belt. They have put in the work as a stuntman and/or design staff and are ready to move on to the next stage of their career.
Stunt designers should meet with a professional to ensure they have proper insurance coverage should an incident occur. Travel expenses for the entire design staff should be budgeted for, and designers are encouraged to consider the travel budget when determining their fees.
Many designers have a dedicated staff that travels with them from job to job. While this significantly increases startup costs, it often proves invaluable to most as each team member knows their role and are able to communicate amongst the team with ease. To mitigate costs, consider hiring team members on a freelance basis.
Regardless of your role within the industry, leaders encourage everyone involved to commit to learning new methods through continuing their education. Workshops at the Los Angeles Stunts Training Center typically last three days and cost an average of $975, while tuition to an International Stunt School course can set you back upwards of $4,500.
In addition to investing in continuing education, stunt designers will need to budget for travel expenses, insurance, and payroll/employee-related expenses.
If you are considering launching a stunt designer business, you have likely spent many years in the industry. Where have you built your reputation? What producers and directors have you developed a solid foundation with? What sets and/or genres most align with your passion and experience? Where could your knowledge and skills best be put to work? While your ultimate goal is to work on set with a television or movie crew, you may have to work your way back up the ladder in this new position.
Hired by television or movie production teams, stunt designers are paid for each project they complete. Designers rely on past successes and the relationships built on set to gain additional work and build a professional portfolio.
Fees collected vary depending upon the scope and length of the project and budget. The average rate is $980 a day or $3,655 a week.
If you earn an average of $3,655 per week and work 30 weeks per year, your gross annual income will exceed $109,000.
Stunt designers looking to increase annual profits are encouraged to branch out and think outside the box. Commercial skate parks, theme parks, community parks, and video game developers could also benefit from your expertise. Opening a stunt school or teaching workshops are also effective ways to supplement your income and build a name for yourself within the community.
Do you need more cash? Do you have to stretch your funds to get the expenses paid continually? If you're not looking for a higher-paying full-time job or don't...
How to Get on a Podcast If you're a podcaster, there's a good chance you're always on the lookout for new content and guests. Maybe you've even thought about ha…
How to Make a Good Video Reel For actors, a showreel or demo reel is essential. Agents and casting agents will want to see your work on camera before signing yo...
Disney's involvement in the entertainment industry extends beyond creating movies and TV shows. The Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development has invested in technology that can alter actors' facial expressions in post-production, and now Disney has created a flying robot stunt double.
A new report from TechCrunch reveals the company's advances in animatronics. These are future robots designed to entertain crowds at Disney theme parks and resorts. But, a new generation of animatronics is pushing the limits of engineering and could replace stunt doubles with robots. Following the company's Stickman project, Disney's engineer is now building humanoid robots designed to take part in aerial stunts. Advances in technology have allowed robots to adjust their positions in mid-air, nailing perfect superhero flight poses.
What Are The Skills for Acting? What do You Need to Know to Become an Actor? Do you want to become an actor? Here are the skills for acting. An actor is someone who plays a character in a play, film, commercial, and radio. A talented…
How To Become an Actor With No Acting Experience Learn how to become an actor with no acting experience – 5 tips you should know before becoming an actor. One of the most commonly asked questions is how do I become an actor without…
Talent Managers – Find Everything You Need to Know - Talent Managers - here is everything you need to know about talent management in the TV and film industry. Are you looking to break into the film and TV industry? If so, this guide will...
They’d get a junk car, promising to dispose of it properly. He’d ask his brother to drive the car past him a few times until he was happy with the speed. Then his brother would hit him.
“You use common sense,” he said. “You figure out where the hard parts of the car are. You don’t want to get hit by the bumper or the front end of the car. You also don’t want to get hit by the windshield frame.”
But the windshield itself is actually quite soft, he said. If you can jump high enough, so that just as the car hits you, you land on the windshield and roll onto the hood, the forward momentum will spin you up.
“The only thing you have to worry about is landing,” he said. “And as long as you don’t land on your head, you’re typically fine.”
It’s safer to practice this with professional — or at least adult — supervision. But growing up in Germany and Suriname and enamored with westerns and action flicks, Sturz put on his elbow and knee pads and hoped for the best.
“If you want to break our industry down really, really simply into one sentence, we get paid to take a beating,” said Banzai Vitale, veteran stunt professional who runs Stunt Performers Academy in Los Angeles. “Our job is to hit the ground and take a beating, so the actor doesn’t have to. And that requires a level of physical training.”
There are stunts in almost every film, said Mallory Thompson, who worked on “Top Gun: Maverick,” the upcoming “Avatar” films, and doubled Zendaya for “K.C. Undercover.”
Some are flashier — people flying around on wires or getting set on fire. Some are quieter or more intimate; for example, a drowning or domestic violence scene. Some are funny — people often trip or fall off things in comedies.
The Times talked to Sturz (“Captain Marvel,” “Eternals”), Thompson, Vitale (“True Blood,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) and fellow stunt professionals Alex Daniels (“Bosch,” “Veronica Mars”), Alfred Hsing (“The Watchers, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”), Katie Rowe (“Will & Grace,” “American Horror Story”) and Noah Garret (“Ms. Marvel,” “The Mandalorian”) for advice on how to get into the industry.
Do you have big Hollywood dreams? This article is part of a series on starting and building entertainment industry careers. Read on.
The Wide Shot brings you news, analysis and insights on everything from streaming wars to production — and what it all means for the future.
Professional Stunt SchoolStunt performers need a strong athletic background. Think gymnastics, martial arts, diving or motocross — sports in which you develop body awareness, timing, coordination and discipline.
Daniels, veteran stunt coordinator and a board member of the Stuntmen’s Assn., was a cheerleader. Garret has done martial arts since he was 2. Hsing won the first American gold the 2009 World Wushu Championships. Vitale did martial arts and pole vaulting. Thompson was a pole vaulter and gymnast. Rowe started out as a swimmer, and she is often called upon for water stunts.
A person who pursues stunts has to have an adrenaline-seeking personality, but it’s not the wild ones who succeed, the experts said.
“People think that I’m a daredevil, and that’s not true,” Sturz said. “I’d bungee jump if you paid me, but I wouldn’t do it for fun.”
You also have to be able to think about a million things at one time, Thompson said. Sometimes that includes scanning the surroundings and putting pads on a table with sharp corners. Sometimes it’s having the dexterity to make small adjustments — for example, turning your head to hide your face — while maintaining the same energy for the camera. Other times, it means knowing your body well enough to understand how many safe takes you have in you.
Garret, who doubled for four characters in “Cobra Kai,” had to perform a scene where Robby kicks Miguel over a rail. He hits another rail and then tumbles down some stairs. At first, they practiced with a decelerator, which is the cable controlled by technicians to take the speed off the impact, but the result looked unnatural. After assessing the risk, Garret opted to do it without the decelerator and just went for it. “Sometimes it’s when you do it multiple times that you get hurt,” he said. “Sometimes one-and-done is safer.”
Sturz said superstar stunt performers can be gregarious and fun to be around: “We have great stories to tell.” But they also tend to be very calm.
Sturz said superstar stunt performers can be gregarious and fun to be around: “We have great stories to tell.” But they also tend to be very calm.
“When the film set becomes chaotic because they’re running out of daylight and they’re rushing, rushing, rushing and rushing, the good stunt performers slow way down,” he said.
Illustration of a location scout for a story about how to become a location scout. Part of a series of stories about How To Make It In Hollywood.
Get proficient at the basics. Many people come in with a specialty — and become known for a specialty. But professionals say it’s best to be well-rounded.
“Everybody’s kind of expected to be able to drive and do some basic fighting and pratfalls,” said Rowe. That includes getting punched and falling; rolling over a table; doing 20-foot falls; doing basic wire work; swimming; and scuba diving. It’s also important to know how to handle a car and drive a stick shift.
“It’s for safety, but it also increases your market value,” Sturz said. “If somebody brings you on a four-month run of a movie, they want to be able to plug you into different positions.”
All martial arts are worthwhile, but Thompson recommends taekwondo and judo because movie fighting is mostly about kicks, punches and throws. Kali is also helpful to learn weapons, she said.
It’s essential to master the training. It’s for your safety and that of the stunt team and other cast and crew members.
la-et-utility-hollywood-careers-getting-started Illustration for a story about what to do once you've decided to have a Hollywood career. To go with the 'How to make it in Hollywood' package.
When Thompson was starting out, she asked everyone where they trained, what gyms they were going to, what classes they were taking.
