How to Become a Stuntman
There ’s no easy way to become a stuntman – there ’s no " stunt academic degree " you’re able to go to schoolhouse for , then show up in Hollywood and get stunt body of work . All stunt masses learn their wiliness through a retentive apprenticeship with an experienced stunt person . But here again , there ’s no clear way to get such an apprenticeship ; no formal method of approach it .
To work as a stuntman at all , you must become a extremity of the spousal relationship that governs all on - projection screen performing artist in film and some telly – theScreen Actors Guild ( SAG ) . Getting your SAG placard requires you do some study on - cameraas an duplicate , a challenge all by itself . Working oft as an supernumerary is a unspoiled way to become familiar with film sets and stunt coordinator . Experienced stunt masses recommend talk briefly with a stunt coordinator when he is n’t busybodied ( a very rare issue ) and giving him your resume and headshot along with an offer to assist him with any stunts . If you have the correct look and skill for a stunt , you might get a phone call at some point in the future .
How do you develop the right skills ? Most hoi polloi in the industriousness recommend recrudesce a range of accomplishment , rather than specializing in one area . A class in stage armed combat is a must . Experience inrock mounting , skiing , sky diving , scuba divingand warlike arts can all come in handy . There ’s an International Stunt School run by the United Stuntmens Association that gives seminars and classes on various aspects of stunt body of work . Having that on a resume certainly wo n’t spite . Additional experience in high - performance driving , hogback equitation or firearm use will also come in handy .
Once a stuntman has a foot in the doorway , they will gradually work their way of life up from acting as a gopher for the 2d - unit director to minor stunt like slug , until they finally get to work on a big stunt . Even at this stage , it can be a knotty business – the work is n’t steady and there ’s a mint of rivalry for just a few job . Very rarely will a stunt person get a contract to do stunt regularly over a recollective condition . A notable exception is stunt woman Sophia Crawford , the stunt double for Sarah Michelle Gellar in the " Buffy the Vampire Slayer " series . Because she had the correct look and skills she was given the contract to double Gellar throughout the series .
