The Actors Corner -

Are You Interested in Becoming

a Stunt Man?

If your forte is jumping off high buildings or being set on fire for fun, you may want to consider the life of a stunt man. Stunt men are a very important part of the acting industry. Though there are actors that do perform their own stunts, the vast majority of professional actors do not.

If living life on the edge and risk taking is something you would enjoy doing rather than working in an office full time, then you need to know the steps involved in becoming a professional stunt man. Unfortunately, acting companies do not hire stunt men just because they want to put their life on the line and perform dangerous stunts. Skills are involved as well.

An important part of being a stunt man is being in shape. You should be in excellent shape physically as well as mentally. It takes extreme physical requirements to perform dangerous stunts. Most stunt men are also trained in martial arts. The martial arts skills add to the physical and mental aspects of becoming a good stunt man.

Gymnastics is another area stunt men tend to be a part of. Gymnastics teaches tumbling and flexibility. If you really think about it, some of the stunts seen in movies are tumbling routines with an exciting twist.

Joining the Screen Actors Guild is a necessity to becoming a stunt man. The Screen Actors Guild or SAG is an American labor union. The union represents film and television actors all over the world.

You are also going to want to develop a specialty, such as jumping off buildings or crashing cars. There are special schools you can attend to receive the proper training. Having a specialty looks good on you resume.

If you are hired as a stunt man you will most likely be somewhat of a jack of all trades. Even though you may be hired for one thing, you could perform one stunt one day and something totally different the next.

Being a stunt person can be a very rewarding experience. It can also be a lot of fun. Attending classes and learning new things will constantly come up through out your career. Trampoline classes, scuba diving lessons, and learning how to safely crash a dirt bike are just a few things that you may be required to learn.

Since obtaining injury is one of the down falls of being a stunt actor, it is vital to have good health insurance. You need to make sure you are covered in case of injury.

A good stunt man can make really good money. It is not the easiest field to enter into, but one that can be fun and rewarding. Since stunt men/women work in groups most of the time, making friends is easy. Often times you work repeatedly with the same group of men and women so you get to know each other well.

Keep in mind that though being a stunt man may sound fun and exciting; you need to understand the commitment involved in becoming a stunt man. Tons of work and preparation are involved in each stunt. It may even take hours or days to prepare for certain stunts. Timing is of the utmost importance. With all this in mind and if you are willing to work hard, and develop your talents as a stunt man, the next action movie you watch may star you as a stunt double.    

-Back to Top

Interested in Moving to or from Hollywood?

If so, make sure to check out the Real Estate section.

- Back to Actors Corner