So You Wanna Be a Female Stunt Performer?
by Sylvia Stewart – Exclusive to Northernstars.ca
(June 6, 2024 – Montreal, QC) Do you dream of jumping off buildings, being set on fire and fighting bad guys and gals? Have a high pain tolerance? Do you have a ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’ mentality? Well, ok then!
Start Early
Is 10 years old early enough? Sure but choosing your parents would be ideal. If your parents are also in the industry and guide you early, you will gain all the tools you need to be the best in the world. Barring that, find a stunt mentor(s) who will encourage and direct you towards success.
Train
Find something that you enjoy doing and keep doing it until you are the best at it. Whether you are a gymnast, martial artist, ballet dancer or skateboarder, there is always going to be room for a physically super fit female who can do what you do. Don’t give up. Do your research as to where other industry members train and show up. Put your skills on display on social media to attract the attention of those in charge of hiring.
Be Versatile
Although being excellent at one skill is great, having many marketable skills is highly recommended. If you are a great ground pounder but you haven’t tried high falls, why not take a professional course to see if you can add that to your list of things you will do at will. If you are an excellent driver, why not take precision driving classes? The more skills you have mastered, the more value you can bring to any production.
Another skill that you should consider working on daily is acting. Female stunt performers, when not doubling an actress, are sometimes hired to portray a character and say a few lines. If you have been consistently studying with an acting coach, this will not feel terrifying to you.
Camera acting skills and knowledge of film language are an integral part of performing well in your job as a stuntperson. You need to understand what the director and stunt coordinator want from you at any given moment to deliver it.
Don’t Lie
…on your resume or in general. Be honest about what you can do. Are you just starting to learn how to ride a motorcycle? If you get a gig where you are tasked to use that skill and you inflate your ability, you could wreak havoc on yourself, your colleagues, ruin your reputation or much worse.
Health and Safety First
Take care of yourself. You cannot provide stunt services if you do not get enough sleep, healthy food and time with your loved ones. Know your own nervous system. Being stressed out is not synonymous with performing well. Maintain a practice which keeps you grounded i.e. qigong, meditation, yoga, Earthing.
Stay safe at work. Speak up when something seems ‘off’ and requires more attention. When I performed a 400 ft rappel to raise money for charity, I was dangling off the side of the building when I noticed something that could not be seen easily by the rigging team. I felt uncomfortable with the rope being placed to the right of an obstacle, forcing it to curve as opposed to falling straight down, so I called their attention to it and they straightened out the rope for me. For the rest of the rappel, I felt a sense of tranquility. Check then double check everything. Protect yourself.
Know your Why.
So, after going through hair, makeup and costume, you are called to set. You are padded, harnessed and ready to get yanked hard and fast into a wall. After 15 takes replete with technical errors that have nothing to do with your performance, the production team is still not getting the shot they envisioned. Now is not the time to have an existential crisis. Know that of all the places on earth, there is no better place you would rather be. This will help you to persevere when times are tough.
Reputation
Be respectful in your interactions. Everyone matters—especially on set. Every person is there for a specific purpose which contributes to the whole production. If you are harmful to one, you are harmful to all. That, and you might find out that the A.D. trainee that you wronged is the niece of the Producer. Oops!
Research and Respect
Although female stuntpeople are in the minority, we are contributing in significant ways to some of your favourite TV shows, movies, commercials, video games and plays. With an increasing number of productions calling for leading and supporting actresses, there are more opportunities for all female performers regardless of skin color, body shape and height. This is a really good time for a new performer to enter the industry, but I urge you to acknowledge those that paved the way for you. My first foray into the stunt industry happened in the 1990s after ten years on set as a background performer. The TV series Wonder Woman starring Lynda Carter inspired me tremendously as a young gymnast. It wasn’t until this year when I was informed of the passing of Jeannie Epper that I realized how much her contribution to that series shaped my future career!
Fun
Take the work seriously but do not take yourself seriously. Be entertaining and have fun! Maybe one day you’ll win a Taurus World Stunt Award.
Sylvia Stewart is a Canadian performing artist and filmmaker of Jamaican heritage. Although based in Montréal, Québec, her work has been seen and awarded internationally. See more on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artistsylviastewart/
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