Stunt

Some people do amazing tricks for movies.

These are called stunts. Stunt performers do hard things like high jumps. They might also do fast car chases.

They practice for many days to stay safe. Some use big, soft mats to land on.

Others use wires to help them fly. It takes a lot of skill to do these moves. Stunts make movies very exciting to watch!

A stunt is a difficult physical feat. People do them for art or shows. You might see them in movies or on TV.

Stunt performers use special skills to do these moves. Some use stage combat, like sword fighting or martial arts. They practice for many days or weeks to stay safe. They may land on large, soft airbags.

Some stunts use machines to help. A crew might use wires to make an actor fly. This is seen in films like The Matrix. Other stunts use vehicles. Drivers do fast car chases or jumps. Bobby Ore once drove a bus on two wheels for 810 feet!

In the past, people used models or camera tricks. Now, many films use CGI. CGI is computer-made art. It can make stunts safer. Even with computers, real people are still needed. They add a human feel to the action. Jackie Chan is a famous star who does his own stunts. He once filmed a scene that took 2,900 takes!

A stunt is a difficult and dramatic physical feat. People perform them for art in movies, theaters, or on TV.

These moves require special skills to look amazing to an audience. Stunt performers or stunt doubles do these jobs for famous actors. They might jump from moving cars or hang from skyscrapers. This work is very exciting but also carries high risks. Professionals must practice moves for many weeks to stay safe.

There are many ways to perform a stunt. Some use practical effects like stage combat or martial arts. Performers use acrobatics, high jumps, or even spinning moves. To stay safe during falls, they use large stunt airbags. These mats can be as big as a small swimming pool.

Other stunts use mechanical help like high tension wires. These wires can pull an actor up to make them fly. Some movies, like The Matrix, use a lot of this rigging.

Vehicles and planes also play a big part in stunts. Drivers perform fast car chases, jumps, or even crashes. Bobby Ore holds a record for driving a bus on two wheels for 810 feet.

Aviation stunts began with balloons in the 1700s. Later, pilots did tricks like wing walking in the air. Ormer Locklear helped develop many of these early flying tricks. These stunts were very dangerous for many early pilots.

In recent years, computers have changed how stunts look. Filmmakers use computer-generated imagery, or CGI, to make scenes safer. This can include things like removing wires from a shot.

Films like Star Wars use many computer-made stunts. However, real performers are still very important to movies. They provide a human quality that computers cannot copy. Even with new tech, the human element remains essential.

Many famous stars are known for their amazing stunt work. Jackie Chan is a great example from Hong Kong cinema. In his film Dragon Lord, one scene took 2,900 takes!

He also formed the Jackie Chan Stunt Team in 1983. Other stars like Michelle Yeoh and Tony Jaa are also famous. Stunt performers even win awards, like the World Stunt Awards. Arnold Schwarzenegger was given the first Lifetime Achievement award in 2001.

A stunt is a difficult and dramatic physical feat. It is performed for artistic purposes. These feats are usually meant for a public audience. You might see them in theaters or cinema. Stunts are a major feature of many action films.

Before computer-generated imagery, creators had limited options. They used models or false perspective. Sometimes, they used in-camera effects. If a creator wanted something more, they found a stunt performer. This person is also called a stunt double. They perform dangerous acts like jumping between moving cars. They might even hang from the edge of a skyscraper.

Practical effects are among the most frequent types of stunts. One common example is stage combat. Performers use sword fighting, martial arts, or acrobatics. While they try to avoid contact, some contact is necessary. This contact creates specific noises or physical interactions.

These performances are highly choreographed. Professionals may rehearse for hours, days, or weeks. Seasoned experts treat every performance as if it is new. This is because the risks of injury are very high. Every move must be correct to reduce danger. Examples include high jumps, spins, and "suicide backflips." To stay safe during falls, performers use stunt airbags. These large mats can be the size of a small swimming pool.

Mechanical effects often assist a physical stunt. A film crew might use a special harness to help an actor. They can use aircraft high tension wire to pull them upward. This makes it look like the hero is jumping to a high place. Sometimes, piano wire is used to make objects fly. However, actors are never suspended from piano wire. This is because the wire is brittle. It can break under the impact of a shock.

Wuxia films, like *Hero* (2003), rely heavily on these wire stunts. Western cinema also uses extensive rigging, such as in *The Matrix*.

Vehicular stunts require extensive training and special vehicles. These stunts can be simple handbrake turns, called bootleg turns. They can also be complex car chases or crashes. These chases may involve dozens of different vehicles. Rémy Julienne was a pioneering automotive stunt coordinator. Another driver, Bobby Ore, is a Guinness Book of World Records holder. He holds a record for driving a London double-decker bus on two wheels for 810 feet.

Aviation stunts have a long history as well. They began with stunts performed in balloons during the 18th century. After 1903, powered aircraft led to aerobatics and barnstorming. Ormer Locklear helped develop tricks like wing walking. He also helped develop mid-air transfers between airplanes.

In the late 20th century, computer-generated imagery, or CGI, changed the industry. Filmmakers began using digital effects because they are inexpensive and safer. They use tools like harnesses, fans, and green screens.

CGI can be used for face replacement or wire removal. *The Matrix* (1999) used CGI to enhance real stunts during post-production. The *Star Wars* prequel films often feature stunts that are entirely computer-generated. Even with these digital tools, real performers remain essential. They provide a human quality to the action that computers cannot replicate.

Hong Kong action cinema has produced many famous stunt examples. In 1982, Jackie Chan experimented with elaborate sequences in *Dragon Lord*. One pyramid fight scene required 2,900 takes to complete. In 1983, he formed the Jackie Chan Stunt Team. His film *Project A* featured him falling through fabric canopies. The film *Police Story* (1985) featured a massive car chase. Its final mall fight was so full of broken sugar glass it was called "Glass Story." During one stunt, Chan suffered second-degree burns and a dislocated pelvis. Other stars like Michelle Yeoh and Tony Jaa are also famous for stunts.

Stunt performers have fought for professional recognition. Films like *The Fall Guy* helped raise their profile. Some stunt coordinators, like Vic Armstrong, became famous directors. Armstrong was the first stuntman to win an Academy Award. He won it for developing a descender rig for safety. In 2001, the first World Stunt Awards were held in Los Angeles. Arnold Schwarzenegger presented the first Lifetime Achievement award. The awards recognize categories like Best Fight and Best Work with a Vehicle.

While their status in Hollywood is still growing, their work is vital to every film genre.