Alongside training Students and Professionals The ISA trains, Certifies, Accredits and licenses Stunt Trainers, Schools and Training Facilities, Globally. This is part of our mission to work with others to help raise the quality and standards of training and work practices around the world.
If you are interested in partnering with us, adopting our training, delivering our accredited programmes and methods, or would like your crews, instructors and teams to be professionally trained and accredited, please contact us. We are here to help others find their best ways and raise standards.
If you would like to add your school or facility to our global network of affiliates, or begin the journey to operating an ISA franchised business, please contact us.
Our goal is to raise, ensure and unify standards and practices globally, improving access to and the best quality of Stunts and Stunt Acting all around the world.
Are you passionate about elevating the standards of stunt training and performance? The International Stunt Academy (The ISA) offers you the opportunity to join a network of elite training institutions, dedicated to providing the highest quality education in the world of stunts and stunt acting. By affiliating with ISA, you'll be empowering your institution to reach new heights and transform the future of the stunt industry.
As an ISA affiliate, your training facility or school will gain access to a wealth of resources and a global network of professionals. You'll also benefit from our internationally recognized and unified standards, created by leading stunt professionals, government bodies, and educational institutions specializing in stunt and stunt acting. In addition, affiliation with ISA will enhance your credibility and reputation within the industry.
If you're looking for an even deeper partnership, consider becoming an ISA franchisee. By running a licensed branch of the International Stunt Academy, you'll be directly contributing to the growth and evolution of the stunt community. The journey to becoming a franchisee begins with affiliation and ensuring that your school meets ISA's rigorous standards.
Begin by affiliating your school or training facility with ISA, working closely with us to meet our international standards. This requires mutual visits to each other's headquarters and training centres and mutual cooperation as we start this wonderful journey together.
During the affiliation process, all instructors and administrators must achieve their relevant ISA competency certificates, ensuring they have demonstrated a consistent and high-quality approach to coordinating and deliver and world-class learning experience for both young students and experienced professionals.
The ISA not only values quality, but also consistency in upholding it. For six months, your school's operations will be closely monitored, including collecting student feedback and evaluations to guarantee standards are maintained and your operations are suitable to ensure continuous improvement.
After successfully completing the initial six-month monitoring period, your school will enter a one-year proving period during which time we can assess it for franchise consideration.
Upon satisfying all required measures and scores, The ISA may grant your affiliated partner school a franchise, (under an annual license).
Joining the International Stunt Academy family as an affiliate or franchisee opens the door to exciting opportunities for growth and development. Together, we can create a brighter future for the stunt industry and inspire the next generation of stunt performers and actors. Take the leap and become part of our global community today!
A stuntman or stuntwoman—more commonly referred to as a stunt performer or stuntperson—is a trained professional responsible for executing various difficult or specialized movement–related tricks in a TV show, movie, or live performance.
Stunt actors enhance the action sequences of a film production by making difficult or dangerous stunts look real, whether they’re acting out fight scenes, high-speed car chases, or other death-defying physical feats. Performances involving live stage combat, car crashes, horseback riding, building jumps, skydiving, fire scenes, or high falls will typically require the expertise of a stuntperson.
A stunt performer will typically collaborate with a production’s stunt coordinator (in addition to the director and the director of photography), who is responsible for choreographing and supervising stunt moves on a film set. A stunt double—not to be confused with a stuntperson—is a type of stunt performer who subs in as a body double for a specific actor to make it appear like they executed their own stunts.
A stuntperson’s salary depends on their experience and skill level and the difficulty of the type of stunt they need to perform. The average salary for a working stunt performer ranges anywhere from $30,000–$70,000. Amateur stunt artists may make well below that threshold, and professional stunt doubles for A-list actors may earn much more.
Dar Robinson (recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records as the highest-paid stuntman for a single stunt to date) earned a record $100,000 per stunt.
1. Driving: Stunt vehicles are real vehicles capable of incurring the same injuries as a regular car, so driving skills are paramount for the position. Cinematic car chases or scenes involving motorcycles often require the skill of an experienced stunt driver. Some of these skills include peeling out, drifting, or emergency braking the car into a 180-degree spin.
Live Action Training2. Excellent communication: Quick and effective communication skills are a must in this field. Dangerous stunts are risky both for the stunt performer and those nearby. At any given moment, the stunt performer needs to let the director or coordinator know when something isn’t working (either mechanically or physically), especially if it can put someone’s life at risk.
3. Falling skills: Stunt performers must learn the right way to fall from a variety of heights (in different environments) to maximize their on-set abilities while minimizing their risk of injury. Experience working with harnesses and without them during falls can give stunt performers a competitive advantage.
4. Fighting skills: Specialized fighting skills such as martial arts, fencing, wrestling, boxing, and general combat abilities all give stunt performers a competitive edge for landing different gigs—especially when it comes to getting cast in action movies.
5. Strength and coordination: Stunt people must maintain peak physical fitness because they often need to perform difficult physical feats (such as lifting other people up or climbing tall structures) during a production. Having a strong body capable of balance and coordination makes you a more reliable stuntperson, and makes any given stunt much safer for yourself and those around you.
Stunt work can be fun and exciting but also hard to find. The more experience and skills you possess, the likelier you are to land a job as a stunt performer. Follow these steps to become a stuntperson:
Take relevant classes. Taking a variety of classes in physical activities, such as martial arts, gymnastics, rock climbing, swimming, or swordplay, helps expand a stunt performer’s toolbox. These classes help you develop your form and movement and help you develop a specialized skill set (which can make the difference between getting cast for a gig or getting passed over). You can also attend a stunt school to learn the basics of stunt training and improve your resume.
Develop a specific skill. Stunt people who master a specific skill greatly increase their chances of getting hired. For instance, some stunt people specialize in fire stunts, while others excel in driving or climbing. Being the best at your particular stunt allows you to develop a reputation in the industry as the go-to person for that skill.
Develop a specific skill. Stunt people who master a specific skill greatly increase their chances of getting hired. For instance, some stunt people specialize in fire stunts, while others excel in driving or climbing. Being the best at your particular stunt allows you to develop a reputation in the industry as the go-to person for that skill.
Research the best stunts. Study movies and television shows that involve a wide range of stunts. Pay attention to how some of the best stuntmen execute a variety of feats.
Volunteer your services. Performing stunts for independent projects or student films will help you gain more experience and exposure in show business. It also gives you material to develop a reel, which you will need to showcase your abilities to get cast.
Make a stunt reel. Showcasing the most impressive moments of your stunt work in a reel is an effective way to get a casting director or producer to see your best work, improving your chances of getting hired. (Consider getting a good headshot, too.)
Network with peers and pros. Like many jobs in Hollywood, stunt performing is often freelance, intermittent work. Connect with working stunt professionals through business networking sites or social media to expand your opportunity pool. Reach out to a working stuntman and ask to shadow them for a day to see what the job is really like.
Apply for stunt positions. Browse industry job sites or social networking groups for stunt work open calls. (Keep in mind that many stuntman jobs are based in New York or Los Angeles.) It may be difficult to land these jobs with less experience, but possessing the specific talent or skill the production is looking for will help you stand out. Keep in mind that you likely will need to work a few nonunion jobs (not represented by SAG-AFTRA) before you can join a union and get more professional work.
Actors and directors are an integral part of every movie set, but many people overlook the importance of stunt doubles. These professionals help create realistic scenes by performing high-risk stunts on behalf of actors. Pursuing this career can be exciting for people who want an active, nontraditional job in the entertainment industry. In this article, we explain how to become a stunt double and define this professional's key responsibilities.
A stunt double is a professional who performs high-risk action scenes on behalf of an actor. Their specialized training allows them to participate in movies and TV shows involving fistfights, car accidents and high jumps. A stunt double's face isn't clearly visible in the shot to convince audience members that the actor is the one performing the stunt. These professionals make scenes as realistic as possible by adopting the actor's mannerisms and altering the appearance of their silhouette.
Depending on the scene they're in, a stunt double can perform several physical acts. They might deliver punches in a fight, drive a car or fall down a flight of stairs. Stunt doubles also jump over obstacles and hang from buildings. Other responsibilities of these professionals include:
Employers usually don't require stunt doubles to have formal education, but it can help you develop your craft and increase your qualifications. Consider attending a stunt training academy to learn how to safely perform various actions. Programs are usually a few weeks long and teach you the basics of using wire rigs, falling to the ground and executing fight sequences. Students also learn how a movie set works to develop proper etiquette and increase the chance of obtaining jobs.
