Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Who is Behind your Favorite Movie Stunts?
Silver State Wire Rope & Rigging: Death-defying stunts in movies happen all the time, each one riskier than the last, but how do they do it? Interestingly, they use cranes and wire rope rigging, like the ones seen in the opening sequence of Casino Royale. They actually had a chase scene on top of a crane way up in the sky! But, how do they pull off these stunts? Is it really as dangerous as it looks?
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I love watching action or adventure movies specifically because of the stunts. Though some stunts in recent movies have become a bit ridiculous and long (aka the chase scene in Casino Royale), the fact that these scenes are so long with many complicated stunts is a testament to the use of technology in films. Before CGI and complicated rigging structures with pulleys, harnesses, and ropes, many stunts were done by a stunt actor who did very dangerous stunts themselves and took great risks with their health and welfare. Now, with new technology and more support/accountability systems, many blockbuster movies with complicated stunts have a stunt coordinator or stunt space designer who configures all of the equipment that surrounds a stunt. In this article, it references Keir Beck, a stunt coordinator who has been working on stunts for many movies during the past 20 years. Many of his work has been for huge movies, like Pirates of the Caribbean and James Bond films. It is super cool that stunt coordinating is a job, and one that can have any background.
I was immediately caught off guard by Keir Beck’s introduction as a former arborist. I had never heard of that, and could not imagine how someone could get paid for climbing trees. I assume this word choice was purposeful to entertain the reader, but it seems very misled. From a google search, it seems that being an arborist is being a tree surgeon which I am sure requires much more than climbing trees. That aside, stunt work is truly incredible. As technology has advanced, there is a lot more emphasis placed on CGI which keeps everyone safe, but it sure doesn’t look quite as cool, and they often do not age well. Practical effects are an art that I will always appreciate, but I hope that technology can work in tandem with stunt coordinators to keep people as safe as possible while still creating iconic sequences that look real, but are no longer as dangerous as they look.
I’ve always thought that stunt men and women had fascinating jobs, getting to do risky moves and sometimes put their lives on the line for a film. I’ve also seen a fair amount of behind the scenes videos of how the more dangerous actions are performed and the kinds of rigging/equipment involved with making it work. I like how this article talks about Keir Beck and how he came into the profession from being an arborist and his comfort with climbing and rigging. It really shows that no matter what you start off as, life can take turns in interesting directions. It’s pretty cool that there are stunt schools specific for getting a certification in this line of work. I also liked the quick description of the tools used in the shots, though it would’ve been cool if they’d included some pictures or examples to go along with them.
Stunts are something I've always found interesting but scary. It baffles me that some people are so fearless or adventurous that they could pursue being a stunt double as a career. The amount of skill and oftentimes training that goes into being equipped to handle the situations they do is so taxing and extensive. I wish the article had had more information and maybe pictures or videos. Stunts are so captivating because they're interesting to watch so it would have been interesting to see how this would have been better with visual stimuli. While it was a good introductory piece to stuntwork I feel the general person could probably assume the use of all the things mentioned. (With the exception of the specialty cranes for directors and cinematographers. Also, side note, I didn't know they were different things. It would be interesting to see an article about film or the jobs/hierarchy of film production in the future.)
First of all, I am very grateful for the presence of an article that is not about coronavirus. I can only say the same thing about the misfortune of our industry so many times before it becomes a total drag. Secondly, to the article. This honestly is the type of work I would be very interested in doing. Whether it is rigging up a stunt, learning the ropes, helping design a stunt, or just being an assistant to a great like Keir Beck sounds like a real blast. Of course, one must approach this job with a good deal of seriousness, given the dangerous nature of stunting, but it would be fun nonetheless. I also want to say how surprised I was hearing Beck used to be an arborist. Once again, the entertainment industry is fantastic at appropriating skills and tools from other industries to utilize in our own disciplines.
Wow I had no idea how much was involved in stunt coordination! Unfortunately, When you see big stunt scenes in action movies, we do not immediately think about how that was achieved and who helped to make it possible. I did notice however, that at the Oscars actors are beginning to thank their stunt men and women which is really great! These people work incredibly hard and risk their lives to help create movie magic. I think it is really interesting to read about the science behind stunts and all of the rigging involved. They use giant cranes, all different kinds of ropes and pulleys to do these huge stunts. I was really surprised that stunt coordinator Keir Beck got involved in stunt work because of his experience as an arborist, or tree climber. It makes sense though because he already had experience with rigging, working with electrical equipment, and taking precautions in regard to safety.
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