Filmmakers have a huge undertaking as they schedule and budget their projects, each piece is vital to the success of the project, and getting everything in place as efficiently as possible is huge. Stunts are a piece of the puzzle that bring joy to audiences and chills to the production team.

Why Do Stunts Bring Chills To The Production Team?

Stunts have special training involved, multiple safety protocols, stunt coordinators, and many other specialty measures to ensure that the performers, crew, and entire process are done as safely as possible. Each stunt is planned carefully and needs to be budgeted for time and cost as well.

Stunts have to be treated with the respect they deserve!

How Can Filmmakers Approach Stunts Responsibly?

1) Hire Stunt Coordinators and listen to their expertise

2) Schedule properly for the time it takes to safely coordinate and execute them

3) If the budget doesn’t take into consideration ALL needs of the stunt, change the stunt, DO NOT COST CUT with stunts.

4) Have the proper coverage for the kind of stunts that are being performed.

What Is A Stunt?

Or more specifically, what do the insurance companies consider a stunt?

Activities that may be considered as potentially hazardous / stunt activities are required to be reported to the underwriters for approval of production insurance.

A partial list of these activities are: Stunts, Falls, Fight Scenes, Pyrotechnics, Fireworks, Airplanes, Helicopters, Hangliders, Hot Air Balloons, Parachutes, Boats, Water Scenes, Animals, ATVs, Go Carts, Mopeds, Motorcycles, Scooters, Segways, Snowmobiles, Weapons, Blanks, Squibs, Precision Driving, Live Gangster Rap Music, Hard-Core/Soft-Core Porn.

Additional Stunt Descriptions:

-Aerial Scenes (Shoots from aircraft including airplanes, helicopters, gliders and balloons. Includes scenic shots from private or commercial aircraft that do not involve aerial acrobatics or other hazardous maneuvers. Does not include aircraft liability.)

-Stunts/Falls (Covers scenes involving scripted and choreographed falls), Fight Scenes (Fight scenes that are choreographed, structured, and sequenced. These scenes may involve physical contact between actors and the use of weapons)

-Recreational Vehicles (The use of recreational vehicles such as ATV's, go carts, mopeds, motorcycles, scooters, segways, snowmobiles, and similar type vehicles) -Water Scenes (Boats, canoes, kayaks, shots on lakes, shoots primarily in water, surfing, pools) Does not provide watercraft coverage.

-Precision Driving (Controlled driving on public roads, race tracks, off-road, chase scenes, skidding, collisions, explosions, motorcycles)

-Weapons (Scenes that involve prop guns*, squibs, blanks, knives, or other similar weapons)

*Guns that discharge other then squibs or blanks. Note that guns unable to fire are not considered stunt activities.

-Animals (Scenes involving the use of animals, such as dogs, farm animals, household pets, and zoo animals)

-Pyrotechnics(Fireworks, flashboxes, demolition, explosions, and other pyrotechnic effects)

If there are questions about whether a scene falls under a stunt or not, don’t hesitate to ask other producers who have this kind of experience, stunt coordinators, or even the production insurance agent. It can save you a lot of headaches and create a more efficient and safe production overall.

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