How to be a stunt man/woman

Whether they’re jumping out of a burning building, driving a car wildly or involved in high action fight scenes, stunt people always look cool. So a crucial question is how you can be

How to get there:

·   Get yourself fit. Many stunt people are masters of martial arts, acrobatics or gymnasts.

·   Develop a specialty stunt or two such as high falls, stair falls, car chases, riding horses and fights. Stunt coordinators look for specialists for each job, but it's good to have other skills because you'll most likely break into the field as an all-around stunt person.

·   Take a workshop. You can find specific subjects, such as introductory-level film fights, or classes covering a broad range. For examples, visit StuntsAreUs.com or StuntSchool.com.

 ·   Create a portfolio with full body shots, details of training & certificates and to have on hand when you meet stunt coordinators.

·   Join the Screen Actors Guild (sag.org) This step is tricky, because you can join only if you're in a production, and you can only be in those productions if you belong to SAG. One way around this is to find work as an extra and get a voucher that entitles you to union membership.  

·   Hang around movie sets to find out what they're like while you're waiting for your first stunt job. Pick a quiet moment on the set to approach the stunt coordinator. Introduce yourself, then present your portfolio-be don't be a pest. If you get a small role in the film, handle it professionally.  Remember you're not a big shot when you land that first job. Follow directions and learn from other people. Being a team player is as important as being a talented stunt person.

Warnings

·   The best way to find work as a stunt person is through an agent these can be found by simple internet searches. Once you find your first job you will then hear of more through word of mouth.

·      You need to be pretty fearless, stunt work is obviously more dangerous than your average job, stunt people are regularly inquired and often killed in their jobs.

 ·    The stunt business can be very sporadic, so you'll probably have to another job on the side. Working in an office/factory/shop isn't quite as exciting as jumping off a cliff, but it'll pay the rent. 

·      The best way to protect yourself from serious inquiry is to train well, follow safety procedures and not show off.