If you want to know more about the day-to-day life of a stunt performer, David gives us a sneak peek into his world.

He’s a stunt performer in the local movie industry, and he shared a little of his career history with us so we could learn more about the day-to-day experience of a successful stunt performer.

David began his career as a stunt performer after he completed a 3 month intensive training course with a stunt school, where he was taught the skills crucial to all successful stunt performers. Set etiquette is the most important skill, David maintains. “Knowing how to behave on set, how to interact with the rest of the cast and crew, and how to ensure that the entire production goes smoothly, is key to your ongoing employability.”

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Basic training comes next, where the student is taught how to fall and jump correctly and safely, how to fight and to handle a sword and various firearms, ‘burns’ (where a stunt performer is set alight) and ‘squibs’ (where a stunt performer takes a bullet). Action and reaction is also vital, and students are taught how to respond correctly in given scenes, how to take a punch and the all-important skill of timing.

Drawing on the contacts he’d made while “networking with the right people” he landed his first job as an Iraqi soldier in the American series Generation Kill. His first stunt was what is called a Head Shot, and after having a prosthetic attached to his forehead, he enacted a scene wherein he was shot in the head.

His performance resulted in a perfect take, aka a “One Take Wonder”, setting him on a successful career trajectory. His CV includes the likes of Chappie, Black Sails, Resident Evil 6, Safe House, Grimsby, Long Walk to Freedom, Judge Dredd and even Honey 3, to name a few.

David says “I always wanted to be a stunt performer. When my primary school teachers asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, they always dismissed my answer of “A stuntman! But I wasn’t going to let it go.” His inspiration, he says, came from the 80’s TV series “Die Waalgals” (The Fall Guy) and he loved watching action movies filled with car stunts.

A stunt performer typically performs stunts intended for use in motion pictures or television shows. Stunts generally include car crashes, falls and fight scenes. He or she also often serves the role of stunt double – David has performed as a stunt double for local actor Terence Bridgett.

David tells us that the job is extremely physically demanding, so stunt performers must maintain a high level of fitness: “I combine high impact weight training and cardio in my daily regime to ensure my ligaments and muscles are conditioned to take the brunt of repeated falls. I once took a fall so hard, Ryan Reynolds came to ask me if I was ok!”

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Stunt performers also work long days, with the average shoot lasting 12 hours. The typical day starts at 5am, when actors are expected on set. Once wardrobe and makeup have been seen to, the performer must be prepared to wait until called upon for the shoot. Many takes might be required before the director is happy. Sometimes the wait between scenes and takes is long and boring, so performers need to be patient too. Night shoots are also common, with the ‘day’ beginning at 4pm and ending only at dawn the next day. Performers are well cared for on set, David adds.

Stunt performers earn a standard daily rate, but the fees are enough that one can get by on 6 or 7 days of work per month. He recommends that those looking to get into this career also specialise in an area such as stunt driving, martial arts, dancing or even gymnastics to ensure they are always in demand.

David’s top tips to newbies are: Be humble, be respectful and be punctual. The work may seem glamorous, but it is in fact very hard. Stunt performers must know their limits, understand the risks and be able to say no to a stunt. Acting and networking ability will also prove useful.

“Today I’m a pirate, tomorrow I’m a gladiator, the next day I’m handling machine guns in the Israeli desert… there is something different every day!” David says, “The jobs are challenging, I get to be creative and I work with diverse teams of actors and performers, cast and crew. I go to work to play!”

David shared some insider info with us too: “I’ve worked with many great local and international actors, including Penelope Cruz, Denzel Washington, Danny Trejo (who always plays the bad guy, but is actually really nice), Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Samuel L Jackson and  Sasha Baron Cohen (who once punched me in the face in a fight scene!).”

If you’d like to be featured in this Instagram series, send a mail to editor@careers24.com, telling us about yourself and your awesome job, and we’ll be in touch!