They go unnoticed, or almost. However, they are essential players in the cultural environment. The duty offers a series of portraits of behind-the-scenes professions through the confidences of professionals who practice them or who have already practiced them. Today: stuntmen.
Buster Keaton (1895-1966) claimed that no part of his body had been spared following his countless physical exploits in the hundred or so films in which his genius shone brightly. Just look at his most famous ones, including The mechanic of the General (1926) or The Navigator’s Cruise (1924), to discover how much he was ready to do anything to make his feats a cinematic success. Whether he is installed on the locomotive of a train, suspended between heaven and earth or carefree in front of the facade of a house about to collapse, the stunt doubles, do not know!
Since that time, professionalism and safety have gradually dominated the most daring of filmmakers, even if we can no longer count the number of films where the artisans, in front of or behind the screen, have stopped at nothing to materialize their vision. From epics to war dramas, science fiction and westerns, each set has its share of challenges. Some artisans face more than others, and some stuntmen have ended up becoming famous: Rémy Julienne, David Rigby, Jackie Chan, etc.
The expression “occupational hazards” takes on its full meaning when it comes to stuntmen. Car chases, dives into the void, human torches, bare-knuckle fights or obstacle courses in the middle of a crowd, none of this is foreign to these athletes of the big and small screen. If they seem to defy death, mock their physical integrity, wear down the nerves of those around them or run solely on adrenaline, this perception is not shared by the main interested parties nor by those who need their talents and their stature.
Come on, waterfall? Not so fast!
“When someone approaches me to become a stuntman and says, ‘I’m not afraid of anything,’ for me, it’s ‘no thanks,’” says Jean Frenette, a key figure in the stunt world in Quebec. This former karate world champion has climbed the ranks for over 40 years to realize his dream of making movies, first as a stuntman, for a long time as a stunt coordinator, and increasingly as a filmmaker (he just signed the short film Already seenrecently presented at Fantasia and several other festivals).
From its beginnings to today, with over 180 Quebec films to its name (Ding and Dong, the movie, The last tunnel, Good cop, bad cop) and American films, as well as 250 episodes of television series, Jean Frenette acknowledges that there is nothing normal about this profession… without it being practiced with blind recklessness. “Safety and discipline are the two words to remember,” says this regular on film sets. “That’s why athletes and circus artists can become good stuntmen, because they are used to repeating the same movements often and know the importance of working as a team. “Throwing yourself” to prove something is not only putting yourself in danger, but also the people around you.”
The man for whom Bruce Lee was not only an idol, but also a source of inspiration (“We’ve never seen anyone like him on screen again,” decrees Jean Frenette), is inexhaustible when he talks about his job as a stuntman, a furtive presence during an action scene, or his job as a choreographer of spectacular and explosive sequences. This former accomplice of Bruce Willis, with whom he worked three times, takes no time in talking about his best career memory: 300 (2007), by Zack Snyder, filmed largely in Montreal. “There was a lot of testosterone on that set!” he says, laughing. “The stuntmen came from here, from Toronto and Vancouver, and we were offered ideal conditions: two months of preparation, diets adapted to each person, the presence of physiotherapists, etc. We reached a maximum level of performance, conditions impossible to obtain in the Quebec film industry.”
By dint of working everywhere, stuntmen inevitably make comparisons when it comes to preparing and performing stunts. Creativity and resourcefulness try to compensate for the lack of means, and this must be acknowledged. Limitations that are often noted by Sébastien Rouleau, a former police officer who, after 17 years of service, put away his uniform to take up the role of stuntman full-time. Having collaborated with Podz (19-2, Collection) and having worked in major American productions and video games, the 43-year-old stuntman knows very well the advantages and disadvantages of large and small film sets.
“I have complete confidence in the people I work with, but I am also responsible for my own safety,” says Sébastien Rouleau. Whether it’s an episode of a Quebec TV series or a superhero movie, the stunts are choreographed and designed according to the available budget. “Obviously, your fall will be different depending on the floor you fall on: foam or concrete, it’s not the same thing!” explains this former extreme sports enthusiast.
It is also a question of flexibility and dexterity, but for someone who has recently worked on Stat and on The successorit goes far beyond physical fitness. “You can’t reduce stuntmen to tank guys or martial arts enthusiasts. Being flexible means reacting well to all sorts of situations: the car chosen for the chase is no longer the same, the stunt plan has changed the very morning of filming… And often we have no rehearsal time.”
Muscle memory
They are sometimes confused with extras, but stuntmen pass in front of the camera with a large dose of adrenaline; this is what makes them so unique, both on the sets and in everyday life. This uniqueness has not escaped the attention of Éli Laliberté, documentary filmmaker (The survivors, A canoe in the snow), designer and co-director with Nathalie Pelletier of the series Stuntmenbroadcast last year on Historia. “This project was born from my admiration for my cousin, Héléna Laliberté (After the flood, Beau Is Afraid, The Last of Us), a stuntwoman for 25 years, and who had the courage to evolve in a predominantly male world.
In this documentary series, several artisans reveal the tricks of their trade, but also their ambitions and exploits. And the director was warned. “I was told to distinguish between a daredevil and a stuntman,” emphasizes Éli Laliberté. “I discovered real professionals who develop specialties, and who filmmakers would do well to listen to during the filming of action scenes: they are often the best at orchestrating them, and not only for safety, but to make them very effective. It’s not surprising that stunt coordinators become directors in turn.” Recent examples include David Leitch, whose entire filmography is supercharged: John Wick, Atomic Blonde/Atomic Blonde, Bullet Train/High Speed Trainand his tribute to his first profession inspired by a hit series, The Fall Guy/The Stuntman.
As careful as they are, as well surrounded as they may be, stuntmen are not immune to accidents, which are more frequent during rehearsals than during filming, according to some professionals in the field. A job that is truly unlike any other, according to Éli Laliberté. “Jumping off a bridge or turning into a human torch is almost unnatural,” the documentary filmmaker emphasizes. “It requires as much mental preparation as physical preparation, and significant concentration.”
These demands do not scare stuntwomen. In Quebec, in addition to Héléna Laliberté, Naomi Frenette (X-Men: Apocalypse, Pompeii, Scream VI/Shivers VI) is also doing well, to the great delight of her father, Jean Frenette. “She started at the age of eight, and in addition to her 20 years of experience, she can also act, including without an accent in English, which Americans love. People of my generation, we are envious of the careers of the younger ones, of their possibilities, their knowledge.”
But, no matter their age, they all develop a real muscle memory and continue to impress us. But sometimes also to take a beating… with their consent!