What do you want to learn?

Hi everyone,

As some of you know, I run a stunt school to teach stunt performers their art. Along with this, my students are given a 3-ring binder full of written material, which includes resources for work and equipment, training regimens, tech geekiness (yeah, stunts have nerds too!) and other useful stuff. Recently, someone suggested making this info available outside my classes. My first thought was no way, too dangerous. A lot of the information I provide is dependent on what people learn in my classes. The more I thought about it however, the closer I've come to realize it could be just what people need to motivate them to get the training in the first place. The real question is, give the info and hope people use it correctly, or don't, and expect them to try anyway?

I get a lot of questions and requests for "How do I do this and oh yeah I have no money". These are the worst, because I'm constantly torn between giving them free information that MIGHT keep them safe and not giving them anything, knowing that they'll likely try to do it anyway and possibly kill their best friend in the process. I'm also sometimes criticized for repeating the "hire a professional" mantra. I give my standard line about considering all the safety factors, then I'm ignored, the guy goes on to do it whatever way he can manage and then feels vindicated when nothing goes wrong. Regardless, you still did it wrong dude.

So, I'm considering releasing my manuals in book form to the general public, with all the resources and information you would get from one of my classes, but without the actual practical training. This is good and bad. Many of you have read my primer on wire work. The information in the primer is a few pages of a few hundred, so the information I'd be publishing would be quite deep.

The question I have for you then, from an amateur filmmakers standpoint, is: What would you want to learn? What kind of book on stunt work would you buy, and how much would you pay for it?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

I would deffinatly buy a book like this to add to my film making collection.
A couple things I would personally look for in a book like this is a few tables and guides.
You know simple things like weight ratio chart for counter balances, lenght and height charts, how much stress can certain ropes and pullys handle that kinda thing.

Also as a low budget film maker, I would want to see about making the rigs as low cost as possible. Is home depot a good place to get the stuff I need?

That kinda thing.

But yes, I think aking the book available to the general public would be a great idea.

 

I think this sort of thing could be very tricky legally. Last thing you want is to get sued by someone who read how to do something in your book, then ends up crippled because they didn't do it properly.

I'm far from an expert on stuntwork, but from what you're saying as well as my own basic understaning, it's something where you really need to physically practice in a controlled environment as well as read the theory behind it.

You can put as many disclaimers and warnings in the book as possible, but I'd hate to see you in trouble because some idiot didn't follow your instructions properly and gets hurt. Or your instructions get misconstrued.

It's not like someone's going to nd up paraplegic is they muck up a compositing tutorial (in most cases). However people are always looking for someone to blame when things go wrong, and you'd want to be protected while trying to give filmmakers what they want.

 

He only has to put in one disclaimer, to the effect of "solely for information and should never be attempted without a licensed professional" and he's safe, legally. The important thing is that they are not "instructions", they are information.

I'd pay between $20-40 for a good informational book, depending on the length, quality of the binding, other nitpicky stuff. Especially if you had some historical stuff about wirework in film and how they did it then vs. now, I REALLY want to learn about that. The theory and development and such.

 

You could just as easily pick up a book on karate, read it wrong and injure/kill your best friend when you want to show them what you've learned. I figure this is something that could be useful to many people who're trying to find this sort of resource, so go for it. You never know, it could become the standard manual.

If it's meant to supplement things taught in your classes though, I wonder if you shouldn't somehow incorporate those things into the book also. I'm not sure what you mean specifically, but if there's information missing you should probably add it somehow.

Quality of binding? I get what you mean and all, but wow Dorkman. Just wow.

-Vaportrail

 

Hey guys,

Thanks for the thoughts so far! I'm happy to see that most of what you're asking for is already part of the book. I agree there is liability involved, but "for information purposes only" is a pretty standard disclaimer that would cover me in that regard. Scott, good idea about the history, I've started writing a chapter entitled "A Brief History of Wirework" which covers everything from the early greek flying rigs right through to todays multi-axis motorized systems, with a focus on the technological progression, and the places where it has not.

Keep the suggestions coming everyone! Thanks!

 

*BUMP

Any other opinions? I'm about 60 pages in now, but I can always add things. Thanks

 

I love the idea of history, that's great.

If you're talking about wire-work in general, I can't say that there's anything specific I'd want to know about. However, if you're talking about stunt work in general, some basic things like breakfalling would be appreciated.

 

Hi Boter,

The goal of this book is wire work. I think stunt work in general should get more literature, but for the theme of this book it doesn't fit. I have a lot of written material for general stunt work that you mention, and teach these things in my classes. I'm focusing on wire work for this book. Perhaps I'll write another in the future that covers other aspects of stunt work. The difficulty of course is that explaining mechanics of something is easier to do in writing, whereas teaching technique without feedback is very difficult. There are things I will never teach people if they aren't in my class, for the simple reason that you cannot learn them on your own safely.

Thanks again for all the feedback everyone. If you have any other thoughts, I'd appreciate reading them.

 

That's what I figured, that the mechanics would be easier than techniques. Still, it's cool that you're putting a book together for it; while, as I said, I have nothing in specific I'd like to see, I wish you the best of luck with it!

 

A chapter devoted to mishaps & horror stories may shake some sense into folks who think they can just... pick up the book and fly, so to speek.

 

I'm just lurking, but this caught my eye. Awesome! I was thinking of getting into stunt stuff. My great uncle is a stunt driver in SoCal. I was wondering how the whole stunt performer thing works -- are there official stunt schools? A guild of sorts? How do I find local ones?

 

That brings up a good point.

How about an appendix or something with a listing of stunt schools? Naturally, i personally wouldn't list other resources outside of citations for references as you wouldn't want folks grabbing the book, looking up URLs, and putting it back on the shelf. There's always going to be some "bookshelf browsing," but you want to keep it to a minimum.

 

Great questions! Of course, I run the best stunt school in the united states, so check the link in the signature!

There are 6 appendixes in my current outline. The first is for further training resources, which primarily lists training resources, courses and other reading for learning the rigging aspect of wire work. The second part covers training that will help you learn to fly (There is also a chapter on the subject). As I mentioned above, learning to fly well is much more involved and can't be learned from a book alone.

Thanks for all the feedback guys!

 

There's a book called LA 411 that would have a list of stunt schools. You might be able to get it online, but you'd probably have to subscribe.

Recently I took 75% of my filmmaking books from my Dad's house and put them in my library at my place in LA. Now I got a little library going on here, which includes, recent law books.