Robert Chapin - So You Want to be a Stuntman

SO YOU WANT TO BE A STUNTMAN?

by Robert Chapin - Second Edition

Full burn fight scene on "Lancelot" with Nick Plantico

Copyright 2018, 2019 by Robert Chapin

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof
may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever
without the express written permission of the publisher
except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Printed in the United States of America

First Printing, 2018

ASIN 1718125607

For more info on Bob, visit www.robertchapin.com

Second Edition

Dedication

To my bro, Stu, my first fight partner.

Thanks for pushing me to make the move to LA

"Fight Hard, Die Well"

Foreword

Bob is one of the most caring people you will ever meet. Hes always there to give advice to stunt performers and help direct them in furthering their career. The information he presents comes from years of practical experience and will be invaluable to the new stunt performer.

- Banzai Vitale ( The Revenant, True Blood, Red Dawn, The One, JAG, Buffy, Angel, Supah Ninjas, Crash Course )

"Bob is the crme de la crme, without a doubt. Hes masterful in all phases of the film business. His swords caught my eye until I saw him do high falls, fights, air rams, Russian swings, etc. But the most impressive attribute was the way he helped people, teens, little kids, adults. He had the quality to break things down for the individual which is a gift. This is a must read book for everybody."

- John Moio ( Escape from New York, Rush Hour 2, Home Alone 4, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2,Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Poseidon Adventure, Prisoner of Zenda, My Favorite Year )

Bob has the unique insight and perspective that only comes from experience gained doing pretty much every job on set on both sides of the camera. He knows whereof he speaks and thankfully he's taken the time to share useful and accurate information about all that hes learned about the business of becoming a professional stunt performer and action actor."

- Anthony Delongis ( Highlander, Fearless, Masters of the Universe, Queen of Swords, Warrior and the Sorceress, Road House )

I like it. Easy to read and educational.

- Scott Leva ( X-Men, SHIELD, Dexter, Sarah Conner Chronicles, Scream Queens, Rocketeer, Power Rangers, Flags of our Fathers )

"Not only is Robert an amazingly talented martial artist and stuntman, but a stand-up Guy. One of the few honest gentlemen in the industry, therefore the reason he and I are friends. I dont get to see him as much as I would like but whenever i do it is always an absolute pleasure to spend time with him. Therefore I fully endorse this book for anyone interested in working for a long, safe time as a Stunt Professional.

- Kyle Rowling ( Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith , Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones , Wanted ).

"I have known Bob Chapin for a long time and am very appreciative of his training and experience, which has achieved a high degree of credibility. I have been in the business roughly forty years as an action actor and fight director and have worked with a myriad of stunt performers of all skill levels. It has been my perception that not a few entered the profession with inadequate training and, anxious to excel and advance, have often put themselves in extremely dangerous positions by overestimating their own level of skill sets. Forewarned is forearmed, and while it does take time to achieve the proper training and experience to market yourself as a competent stunt performer, to fully understand the breadth and depth of the profession, the potential dangers yet unseen by inexperience, a book such as this goes a long way to stress the need for proper, credible training and to point the novice on the proper path to a long and successful career."

- Braun McAsh ( Highlander: Endgame, Highlander TV series )

Why Become a Stunt Performer?

I say stunt performer here because men and women both have successful careers in the stunt industry. Women actually have a tougher time of it since theres no place to hide stunt pads when youre wearing a skimpy dress. For them, Id suggest checking out a great documentary called Double Dare.

But for men and women both, the question remains the same. Why?

Some get into stunts for the adrenaline rush. Thats not to be confused with taking crazy risks. Professional stunt performers are some of the safest people I know.

And lets hope the answer isn't money, because there are a lot of stunt people out there with tons of credits who still have a tough time making a living doing stunts.

Truth is, you've got to love it. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of stunt performers who make a good living doing what they do, but like actors, they are few and far between.

When I first came to LA in 1987, I heard a survey that said the average actor/stuntman makes $800 a year. True, you can make that in one day as a working stunt performer, but getting the gig is the tricky part. To get a better idea what a working stunt performer makes these days, check out my section on rates.

I don't try and discourage people from getting into stunts, but I do try to convince them to have another source of income to fall back on. Many professional stunt performers I know also work in construction, security, web design, theme parks, personal training, etc. I'm thankful that I also have a successful career as a VFX artist.

I also try and give them a realistic idea of what to expect - long hours, 5am call times, constant hustling for jobs, injuries, etc. And it's not like you're always the star of the show. Stunt work is a team effort. Chances are you're working utility more than half the time.

And it's certainly not what you'd call a glamorous job...

In my over thirty years as a stuntman, I've been stepped on (by both people and horses), punched, stabbed, dropped on my head, hung upside down, unintentionally set on fire, covered in stage blood, repeatedly tossed into poison oak, had wigs practically stapled onto my head, stuffed into hot smelly monster suits, spent the night freezing in cold chainmail, almost run over by a train, held hostage at gunpoint, and trapped in a third world country where we had to sneak out of the hotel in the middle of the night.