Blackmagic Forum

Occasionally, cinematographers may need to perform stunts alongside stunt performers to capture specific shots in a movie. Is there a specialized term for cinematographers who engage in such activities, and do they undergo unique training compared to 'regular' cinematographers?

Tasks such as wire work, aerial jumps, keeping pace with fight sequences, or executing parkour moves may be part of a cinematographer's skill set, but is this considered a standard requirement or a specialized skill set? Are there specific names or educational resources for cinematographers interested in mastering these techniques?

I would greatly appreciate any assistance or resources on this topic. Thank you!

You might start with this Wikipedia article on what a "second unit” is and what it does:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_unit

I think you may mean operators.

There are examples of stunt performers operating cameras in a situation that is high risk of injury.

DPs or cinematographers don’t tend to do this. Many times stunts involve multiple cameras and a DP or cinematographer oversees all of this.

I recently did a shot that called for a camera as a point of view to follow a stunt performer doing a high fall from a 5 story building on a show called Bad Monkey.

Stunt performer (dressed as a double) goes over the side and the camera goes over with them.

I was able to ask for a stunt performer to operate this camera and to do so safely.

In a similar scenario last week I did a show that required someone’s pov looking back at someone who pushes them off a cliff.

Again stunt performer operated the camera.

Some stunt performers are starting to direct now and as a result they are sometimes operating cameras. There are lots of times a director operating a camera can make sense, even more so when intricate stunt or action sequences are involved.

Going though stunts and then learning a camera craft like operating or directing is the path.



https://variety.com/2017/artisans/produ ... 12814/amp/

Sam Hargreaves (extraction) David Leitch (John Wick, Atomic Blonde) are both stunt performers who now direct and operate camera.

Fall Guy is a new film shot in Australia directed by David Leitch about a stunt performer (Ryan Gosling)

The trailer looks fun and some friends worked on it and say it’s going to be great.




Also a footnote,

There’s a legendary stunt performer known the world. When stunt performers hear my accent after a couple days they usually ask me if I know Grant Page. If you’ve seen Mad Max then you have seen Grants work.

In the days before things were safe and mostly made safer by doing things with wires and safety harnesses, Grant was doing it for real. He’s just recently passed and the whole stunt world is mourning.

I had the honour of working with him a few times.


https://amp.theguardian.com/film/2024/m ... -brilliant

JB

John Brawley wrote:Fall Guy is a new film shot in Australia directed by David Leitch about a stunt performer (Ryan Gosling)

...

There’s a legendary stunt performer known the world. When stunt performers hear my accent after a couple days they usually ask me if I know Grant Page. If you’ve seen Mad Max then you have seen Grants work.

In the days before things were safe and mostly made safer by doing things with wires and safety harnesses, Grant was doing it for real. He’s just recently passed and the whole stunt world is mourning.

I had the honour of working with him a few times.

https://amp.theguardian.com/film/2024/m ... -brilliant

That Guardian obituary for Grant Page is a good read.

So is The Guardian's review of The Fall Guy. The film's getting very positive reviews from critics who saw it at SXSW earlier this month:

The Fall Guy review – Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt dazzle in delightful action comedy
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/m ... mily-blunt

John Brawley wrote:Fall Guy is a new film shot in Australia directed by David Leitch about a stunt performer (Ryan Gosling)

The trailer looks fun and some friends worked on it and say it’s going to be great.

JB

The Fall Guy has opened and the reviews are positive. Looks like this film will do well at the box office; and given the cast, maybe a lot better than well.