[Tech1] When stunts go wrong

[David Brunt]

The train one is Octopussy.  Martin Grace was the stunt arranger.



From: patheigham via Tech1 
Sent: Monday, October 25, 2021 12:38 PM
To: tech1 at tech-ops.co.uk ; sara newman 
Subject: [Tech1] When stunts go wrong

Sara wrote:

Well before joining the BBC I worked in the film industry. On one film, we had a major fight scene. As we were outside London we could hire people as extras who had no previous training or were members of Equity, saving quite a lot of money. So we had some blokes off the street being stunt men. They spent a week in “training” and were told not to have any alcohol during the lunch break. One chap ignored this and had just one pint. In the afternoon we had another rehearsal and this bloke missed his Q and basically wiped the stuntman’s nose off his face I was tasked with getting him into A&E and making sure he was OK - not ! It was horrific Later there was a huge insurance claims The stuntman’s next contact was with Disney Knowing what I know now he was lucky to be alive When I joined the BBC their safety ethos was a million miles from the film industries, I have other less horrific stories of my attachments to film units trying to get a union card. Safety is still a major concern 40 years later ! Sarax 

 

While I did not work on the following productions, I knew crew members involved:

A stunt driver was tasked with driving close to camera. He said that it was a close as possible to remain safe. The Director’s chauffeur volunteered to do it, if the stunt driver wouldn’t.

The Director unwisely gave him the go-ahead, and he lost control on a gravel surface, skidded and ploughing into the camera and pinning the focus puller against a wall. Later, I saw that the guy’s chest was a mass of stitching scars, some 14 operations, I believe.

On another film, there was a shot required of the stunt guy, doubling for the hero, to climb along the side of a train carriage at speed. In order to beat the failing light, the train was backed up further than the stunt guy had recced it, in order to try for two takes in one go. No-one told the stunt man. A concrete trackside post wiped him off, with pretty severe injuries.

I knew the guy well having worked with him previously.

 

Perhaps someone will be able to name the films? (I’ll tell you if you are right).

 

Pat

 

 

Sent from Mail for Windows

 




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