Stuntmen Need More Praise

Making a movie is a lot like making a clock. You need all kinds of pieces of all kinds of shapes and sizes, all fitting together in perfect unison to make it work. Directors, producers, writers, actors, special effects artists, music composers, the list is massive!

Unfortunately, most of the people in the behind-the-scenes roles don’t get the recognition they deserve. Actors, writers, directors, and composers get plenty of love. But the vfx artists? The editors? They’re frequently ignored by most viewers.

And this is especially true for one of the riskiest positions on set: the stuntmen.

It really can’t be understated how important stunt work is to film making. Some of these guys do some really insane stuff to sell the scene. Often times, they’re on set throwing themselves from stunning heights or any other kind of dangerous act. Anything that could break bones or otherwise cause severe injuries, the stuntmen will do for the sake of the film.

If you’re looking for an example, look up the behind the scenes footage for John Wick: Chapter 4. In the clip, one stuntman throws himself down an escalator for an action scene. It’s a simple scene, one that you’ll probably barely think about in the actual movie itself.

But let’s really dissect how even a stunt that simple works. For one, the stuntman isn’t wearing anything especially padded or protective for his fall beyond his costume. Point number two: from what the footage can show us, the escalator he falls down is very much a real one. Even if it isn’t and the steps are made of a softer material, it doesn’t change the fact that the fall itself would fucking hurt! The stuntman straight-up bounced off of them in the footage!

Dude probably had a smile on his face the whole time, too. Stuntmen are fucking crazy, bro. And you know what? You gotta respect that.

Unfortunately, they’re really not all that recognized in the cinematic scene. As far as I know, there aren’t even awards or anything like that for Best Stuntman at any award show! These dudes are out here throwing themselves down stairs or any number of other crazy acts and all they get for it is their paycheck.

So, the next time you’re watching an action movie, really look at the stunts. Pay attention to just how crazy some of the stuff these dudes is. Trust me, it’s an art form in it of itself.