DIRECTING STUNTS: LIFE AND DEATH FILMMAKING

One of my favorite ways of making magical realism happen on-screen is through stunts and physical effects work. And yesterday I cut a stunt directing reel for y'all to check out...

Then this morning the news broke of a stunt gone terribly wrong on the set of The Walking Dead and temporarily halting production in Atlanta after stuntman John Bernecker sustained serious head injuries falling 20 to 30 feet onto concrete. He's in the ICU and the prognosis is grim. Thoughts and prayers are with John Bernecker and his family.

Launching people through the air and blowing shit up is both terrifying and exhilarating. In my opinion the director's job when attempting this type of work is to create all the causes and conditions so that stunts and physical effect can happen in the most safe way possible. And in fact the prospect of someone getting hurt on one of my sets is my biggest nightmare.

When using non-stunt talent on wire rigs and crash mats, I'll often go first, getting an idea of what the stunt actually feels like to make sure I feel OK about asking someone else who is not a trained stunt person to attempt it.

(on set, blowing shit up)

And then when professional stunt performers go to work it's crazy important to have a talented and knowledgeable stunt supervisor present who can work with the creative team to figure out the safest way to achieve the director's vision and then monitor exactly how everything is going to go down. Control is the name of the game.

On my 2006 film Anniversary Present, we had some communication issues between the special physical effects team and a paramedic who was also a volunteer fireman and decided to suit up right before the first live fire take. The paramedic mentioned to the physical effects supervisor--a very talented guy--that he was going to "go stand down by the fire hydrant." Then on the live fire take our volunteer fire dept paramedic let loose with the hose, not understanding that the six propane tanks attached to the flame bars had shut off valves and the situation was completely under control... at least till water hit a set laden with electricity. The gaffer outside at the package truck flipped the switch and we were suddenly running around in a huge cloud of black smoke in our underground parking garage set.

Luckily nobody got hurt.

These are the lessons you hopefully learn as a young director (at the time I was 23) and then try never to repeat.

If you want to see how this played out in the narrative, here is my most stunt/physical effects laden film, the seven minute Anniversary Present:

Thanks for reading! Steem On!