The inspiring untold story about the unsung professionals, their struggles on screen to perform at the highest level, and their fight off-screen to be treated fairly and equally. Julie Ann Johnson’s entry into the stunt world in the 1960s in some ways sums up the assumptions faced by stuntwomen in one tiny anecdote: a casting… Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story Read More
INTERVIEW: Stephen Koepfer, Sambo expert on John Wick: Parabellum
“The notion that Wick is a Sambo guy is super cool. Sambo players around the globe should be jazzed about that!” Stephen Koepfer The John Wick franchise is known for its creation of an underground world of assassins and fighters, an off-kilter parallel universe that carries on around us, occasionally bumping our lives. John Wick 3, as well… INTERVIEW: Stephen Koepfer, Sambo expert on John Wick: Parabellum Read More
“Intensive Care” director Jared Bentley: “it’s been a long road. Finally I just said this is dumb, let’s get a movie made”
Amid a career spanning filming The Jacksons on world tours to making videos for Rotten Tomatoes and Fandango, Jared Bentley recently made his first feature film – the action crime comedy Intensive Care. Made for only $75,000 and with a very tight two week shoot, the film stars hugely successful stuntwoman Tara Macken in her… “Intensive Care” director Jared Bentley: “it’s been a long road. Finally I just said this is dumb, let’s get a movie made” Read More
Stuntwoman & actress Tara Macken: “Every stunt performer in some capacity has to act”
It’s customary to start an interview with a stunt performer by telling the reader that while you may not recognise them, you’ve almost certainly seen them in movies. But when it comes to Tara Macken, her blossoming acting career means you’ll soon be recognising her on screen too. Watching new indie comedy action thriller Intensive… Stuntwoman & actress Tara Macken: “Every stunt performer in some capacity has to act” Read More
New York’s Stunt World – Training, Hustling… Oscars?
I spent four EXHAUSTING hours in a comfy chair in Breakfall Studios’ Manhattan gym, watching superfit stunt performers training: backflips, cartwheels, throwing themselves to the ground and practicing disarming each other with prop weapons. Everyone was lovely and if I ever need to be thrown out of a window, or have a bottle smashed over… New York’s Stunt World – Training, Hustling… Oscars? Read More
Ilyana Eberhardt – stuntwoman
“Stunt coordinators are so creative – they are given new things and they just have to figure it out for themselves how to make it work… and still find a safe way to do it.” Ilyana Eberhardt, 24 1, What was your first experience performing a stunt on screen and what other shows have you… Ilyana Eberhardt – stuntwoman Read More
Jared Blake DiCroce – stuntman, director, producer
“We try to hide our faces just so we can be recycled and work again!” Jared B DiCroce, 34 1, How did you get into stunt performing? I had a long journey. I started as an actor, I’ve been in SAG (Screen Actors Guild) for years. I worked on The Sopranos and I did a… Jared Blake DiCroce – stuntman, director, producer Read More
Noah Schultz – stuntman
“You’d never want to lie in this industry because it could kill you” Noah Schultz, 35 1, I hear you were in Baby Driver? I loved that film! What were you doing? Yes I doubled for Academy Award winning musician Paul Williams (Rainbow Connection) who was playing The Butcher, so it was the warehouse scene where… Noah Schultz – stuntman Read More
Fire, Fear, & Favourite Stunts – Interview With Stuntwoman Jo Lamstein
“There’s a strange bond when you’ve done some crazy stuff together that ordinarily might get another maimed, and you’ve gotten each other out of it unscathed… you sort of just ‘get each other’. That is everywhere.” As a stunt performer for film and TV, Joanne Lamstein has been set on fire, fallen backwards through windows, been attacked by guard dogs,… Fire, Fear, & Favourite Stunts – Interview With Stuntwoman Jo Lamstein Read More
Coming Out Of The Shadows – interview with director & rookie stuntman Steve Koepfer
*** Check out my later interview with Stephen about his work on John Wick 3: Parabellum *** “A film set is a living organism. Something as simple as slowly driving a car 20 feet as part of this constellation of activity can be very intimidating if you have never functioned in that space before.” Steve… Coming Out Of The Shadows – interview with director & rookie stuntman Steve Koepfer Read More
Concrete And Crashpads – Stunts in New York (Short Film) Short Film 4 stars
“We are the shadow warriors”, says stuntman Mack Kuhr in this fascinating documentary short from directors Stephen Koepfer and Matthew Kaplowitz. A comment which pithily demonstrates how vital they are to a film while staying in the background, not only allowing the star to shine, but giving them that added sparkle. I’m not one for deliberately causing myself pain, though I… Concrete And Crashpads – Stunts in New York (Short Film) Read More
Teaser Trailer For Concrete And Crashpads Shows Hidden Life Of New York’s Stunt Performers
As a stuntwoman says in the voiceover: “If they see us somebody’s doing something wrong… But we shouldn’t be pushed aside.” In this teaser trailer for short film Concrete And Crashpads – Stunts in New York, from co-directors Stephen Koepfer and Matthew Kaplowitz, we get to see stunt performers getting ready for, and performing their roles in… Teaser Trailer For Concrete And Crashpads Shows Hidden Life Of New York’s Stunt Performers Read More