How are Stunt Performers Important to the Film and Visual Effects Industry?
Objectives:
Students will recognize the importance of stunt performers in the Film and Visual Effects Industry.
Students will analyze different types of stunts and how they are accomplished
Students will understand what tools are needed to fool an audience
Lesson:
Identify Stuntmen (Hook)- 1 min
Ask students of any famous stunts they know of- segway into why stunt performers are needed
Ask students to identify famous actors and their doubles from photographs
Ask students to identify their stuntmen from photographs- they won’t know them
Basic Introduction of What a Stunt Performer is- 1 min
Q: Ask students what they think one is
A stunt performer is a trained professional who performs stunts
Often called a stuntman, stunt woman, or stunt double
They step in when an actor is not prepared to perform certain actions
Safety is number 1
How a stunt performer get into the industry; Source: (Intini 50)- 2 min
Old days people had one specific job
Now all are trained in everything- don't know what they'll do that day
Performers start off in athletics
“Many stunt performers were risk-takers--or, at least, top athletes--before they got into the business. There are no official stunt schools in Canada, or even minimum requirements to do the work, hence the industry is filled with a mixed bag of martial arts specialists, race car drivers and former pro athletes. "Some out-of-shape guys specialize in doubling as out-of-shape actors, but most of us are athletes," (Intini 50).
Beck, Keir. “Styles of Rigging.” stuntrigging.org. Accessed 1 February 2021.
This article explains the different types of rigging that are used in film and television, some of which can be complicated. There are four basic types of rigging, some are used to look like a real structure in-camera while some are completely erased during post-production in order to make it look as though something or someone is floating. The website explains how the two can be combined to add fiction to reality and make films more entertaining.
The article explains how glass bottles on screen are typically substituted for candy glass, as well as breakaway materials like chairs and tables. Props are helpful because they are safe to use and still look real.
Grabianowski, Ed. “Stunts with Fire.” How Stuff Works, 22 June 2007. Accessed 1 February 2021.
This article not only explained the risks a stunt performer takes when going up in flames, but it also reveals how these types of stunts are done as well as how fire is used in explosions. Car stunts are also brought up, with the author mentioning a pneumatic device that allows for large vehicles to flip over.
This article is important because it explains the negative sides of the stunt industry, as female performers have it harder than male ones. Often there are fewer roles for them to even accept, and when they do accept them oftentimes they are not able to wear protective gear due to their costume.
Jannie, Robbie. “Choreographing a Fight Scene with a Hollywood Stunt Man.” The Beat, 26 July 2018. Accessed 1 February 2021. This article helped explain the techniques of fighting on screen, and how to perform them safely. Fighting can be dangerous, so it is better to be informed about how to do it right by a professional rather than risking injury.