WonderCon: Stunt Performers Set the Record Straight
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Raucously entertaining and incredibly informing, Stuntmen/Stunt Actors of Your Favorite Movies was a welcome look into the world of stunts and just who the people are that take on the big tasks of making the big things look cool and feel safe.
Moderated by Eric Cajiuat, the panel consisted of Patrick Stenberg (whose fun claim to fame is doubling for Kevin McHale on Glee), Esteban Cueto (who has worked on Fast Five and Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous), Bryan McGowan (the lone actor who does stunts), Mike DeCamp (a stunt performer who also does voice over work), and Brian Danner (the owner of Sword Fights Inc.). They were a lively group and here are the highlights of the conversation.
Is there a difference between stuntmen?
One of the cool things about this panel was that it was comprised of people who are mainly hired for stunts that can act like Esteban and actors who happen to be hired to do stunts like Bryan. The panelist did mention that they are protected by SAG AFTRA and that being able to perform a stunt correctly is very similar to acting.
The Difficulties of the Job
Aside from being shafted by the Academy in terms or recognition (they’re the only branch other than casting that doesn’t get recognition in terms of an Oscar), the panelists talked in generalities regarding how tough the job is. Brian noted that as professionals they don’t like to talk about injuries or issues sustained on set. They did cover some of the challenges of being a stunt performer, such as having to do a stunt multiple times like in Dodgeball where it took 16 takes to get the slow motion dodgeball to the face hit correct. Esteban noted that there is often a distinction between a crazy stunt that can be done multiple times being less stressful than a crazy stunt that can only be accomplished once.
The Movie-Stuntman Relationship
When asked about whether actors are doing more stunts, the panel responded with a resounding no before going into stories about their favorite actors who do a lot of stunts. Esteban spoke that there are a few actors in the industry such as Dwayne Johnson, who are natural performers and extremely athletic that can perform all their own stunts, up until the stunts put the actors life in danger. There was an extreme reverence for Tom Cruise amongst the panel, who does all of his own stunts, such as hanging off the airplane in the new trailer. His stunt team, however, tests all of the stunts beforehand making sure they’re safe before Tom steps in.
Maintaining a good relationship with the actors is important, just as much as the relationship with anyone on set. Brian, being a stunt coordinator, reinforced the importance of having good relationships on set. Being able to tell a director how to stage the action and working with the wardrobe department to figure out how to put extra padding in clothes is just as important as working with your guys. Also, having a connection with the actors is very important because they can often recommend you for jobs.
Getting Jobs
One of the most interesting topics to be covered was how to break into the industry as a stunt man. Unlike most jobs in the film business, stuntmen are not repped by agents. So how do they get jobs? Mike spoke about how difficult it can be for stuntmen such as him who are tall in the acting world but small in the stuntmen world (he hilariously compared himself to Esteban who is 270 lbs). Patrick said its often about getting to know the coordinators, whether you find a set and give the coordinator your resume or whether you meet them outside. Bryan then charmed in that getting on a stunt show such as Pirates Dinner Adventure or Water World at Universal Studios is a good way into the industry, because it gives you a chance to learn from stuntmen and an easy avenue to exposure.
The Greatest Sword Fight EVER
When asked what their favorite fight was, Brian chimed in with the sword fight from Rob Roy between Tim Roth and Liam Neeson was particularly great. He mentioned that though it was similar in duration and technique to The Princess Bride, what made Rob Roy work so well was that they were silent the whole time.
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