4 Things I Learned at Stuntman School

By Harmonleon

Jackie Chan is a complete puss! Well…. not really….. but I thought that would make a real eye-catchy opening sentence for a blog about professional stuntman school. These high-falling, dragged-by-car, set-on-fire, roughens are the one’s who take the punch and blows so precious actors like Tom Cruise walk away unscathed. Stuntmen are the cowboys of the film industry. Most importantly these buccaneers really love what they do. Why? Because it’s a f**king cool job!

Here are a few things I learned at professional stunt man school:

1. NECK SNAPPING

To simulate breaking someone’s neck simply put your hands on the actor’s head, then have them move their neck like it’s being snapped!

2. BEING HIT BY A CAR

When being hit by a car for the movies, you’re not really being hit by a car; only creating…… an “illusion”! First there’s a master shot of the car about to hit you. Then there’s a shot of the car barreling down from your POV, and a shot of you about to be hit from the car’s POV. With the car stopped, you perch yourself on the hood with pads on the side of the car where you’re going to fall. The driver hits the gas and you go flying into the windshield and roll of the side. The last thing needed is a shot of you on the ground rolling away from the moving vehicle.

3. BEING SHOT

In movies, blank guns are never fired directly at actors; it’s always pointed off to the side. When being shot, let’s say in the shoulder, the first thing to do is to throw your shoulder back like it’s hit, swing your body around in that direction, drop to your padded knee, then fall to the ground.

4. BLOWN AWAY!

First you’re rigged with a squib plate–a metal plate duct taped to your body containing a minor explosive that’s detonated when shot with a blank gun in order to spray blood everywhere. A wire is run from the plate down my pant leg to the detonator switch. Fake blood is mixed with jelly to give it oozing consistency. Put on a white button-down shirt over some pads and squib plate. Next, stand on an apple crate near a large tree. Pads are placed on the ground, positioned where you’re going to fall. You’ll feel it when the squib detonates.

Jump back as high as you can then fall to the pads. I hold me position for a few moments until you hear “Cut!”

CONGRATULATIONS! NOW YOU KNOW PROFESSIONAL STUNTMAN TIPS!

Harmon Leon is the author of The American Dream