You’ve probably seen some amazing movie stunts. They make you gasp and get your heart pumping. It can be hard to believe it’s not CGI that’s doing the stunts, whether it’s an amazing car chase, death-defying leap, or a tumbling scene. Stunt Work is an art form that involves a real person performing the amazing visuals. These artists are highly trained in a variety of physical skills that they use for films, television and theatre.

What is a stunt-double?

The stunt double performs stunts for an actor instead of the actor themselves. The stunt double looks so much like the actor in the final film that viewers are not able to tell the difference. The term “stunt person”, although technically two separate positions, is sometimes used to describe both a stunt performer and a stunt double.

  • The stunt person will be hired to play the role of an actor.
  • A stunt-double performs a stunt for another actor.

Another important distinction is that stunt doubles and stand-ins are different. A stand in is a person who looks like a particular actor, both in terms of height and colour. They will stand at their designated spot while the lighting and shot are being prepared. The actor can then prepare for the scene in another location. Stand-ins don’t perform stunts.

A good stunt performer is both an actor and a professional in movement.

A movement professional

A stunt person must be able to move the story forward with action. It is important that their stunts are believable and realistic. Medics are always on stand by when stunts are being performed. To find out more about Film Medics, visit https://outdoormedicalsolutions.co.uk/tv-film-medical-services

An actor

They must embody the character and become that person’s character or it won’t work. The stunt performer must be able to do the same thing over and over, and look in control.

A stunt person can spend anywhere between eight and twenty hours on set. The majority of this time is spent on set, but only a portion is actually action.

The face of a stunt performer should never be visible. If they do, it could make them ineligible to work for the rest of the season of TV or the film shoot because continuity is so important. It’s known as “being burnt” in industry jargon. You’ll want to avoid this to be hired as many times as possible for each project.