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Creativity / communicationCreativity / communication
Stunt Performer
Ever dreamed of flying through the air or performing jaw-dropping action scenes? As a stunt performer, you get to turn those dreams into reality, showcasing your skills in movies, TV shows, and live performances! It's an adrenaline-fueled career where every day brings a new challenge and excitement.
No degree needed for many routesEntry routes with no formal quals
AI impact: low££ payDirect entry route
2
AI impact
how much AI is reshaping it
Robin · your guide
Curious about being a stunt performer? Here's the honest picture - what you'd really do, what you'd earn, and every way in. No need to decide anything yet.
What you'd actually do
A stunt performer carries out the dangerous and physical action you see in films, TV shows and live productions. When a character falls from a height, crashes a car or throws a punch, it is often a trained stunt performer doing it, not the actor. This work matters because it lets stories show exciting, risky moments while keeping everyone safe.
Day to day, you train hard to stay fit and learn new skills, then rehearse stunts again and again until they are safe and look right on camera. You might fall, fight, drive, ride or work on wires, always following a careful plan worked out with the stunt coordinator. A lot of the job is preparation and repetition, not just the big moment itself.
You need to be physically fit, brave and disciplined, with skills in things like martial arts, gymnastics, swimming or driving. Being able to follow instructions exactly and stay calm under pressure is vital, because safety comes first. The reward is a career full of variety and excitement, where you help create scenes that thrill audiences.
- Physical fitness: You must keep your body strong and flexible to handle demanding action safely.
- Specialist skills: Many performers train in areas like fight choreography, high falls or driving.
- Safety awareness: Knowing how to manage risk protects you and everyone on set.
- Discipline: Stunts are rehearsed carefully and repeated until they are right.
- Teamwork: You work closely with directors, choreographers and other performers.
- Resilience: Bumps, long hours and unpredictable work are all part of the job.
1Train and exercise to keep your fitness, strength and flexibility at a high level.
2Rehearse stunt sequences repeatedly until they are safe and look right on camera.
3Check equipment such as wires, padding and harnesses before performing.
4Discuss the action with the stunt coordinator, director and choreographer.
5Perform stunts like falls, fights, vehicle work or wire work on set.
6Practise specialist skills such as martial arts, driving or swimming.
7Follow safety procedures and first aid guidance throughout the day.
Career progression & pay
01
Getting in
Junior Stunt Performer
£20,000 - £30,000
Basic stunt training, physical fitness, first aid certification
At this stage, you assist experienced stunt performers and learn the ropes of the industry. You'll train in various stunt techniques and may perform minor stunts under supervision.
02
Building up
Stunt Performer
£30,000 - £50,000
Advanced stunt training, specialized skills (e.g., fight choreography, high falls)
As a mid-level stunt performer, you take on more significant roles and perform complex stunts. You'll collaborate with directors and choreographers to create thrilling action sequences.
03
At the top
Stunt Coordinator
£50,000+
Extensive experience, leadership skills, stunt coordination certification
At the peak of your career, you oversee all stunt work on productions, coordinating teams and ensuring safety while delivering spectacular performances. You may also mentor aspiring stunt performers.
Degrees that lead here via Creative Arts and Design
2d Digital Animation
West Herts College
3d Animation And Visual Effects
West Herts College
3D Animation and Visualisation for Film and Games
Bournemouth and Poole College, the
3D Animation for Games and Film
Middlesex University
3D Animation & Visual Effects
The University of Chichester
3D Creative Practice
York College
Apprenticeships that lead here
No apprenticeship standard maps directly yet - the university or college route is the main way in.
Who hires - top UK employers
Action Factory
A leading stunt and action training company providing professional stunt training and consultancy for film and television.
Stunt Register UK
An organization that connects stunt performers with production companies, ensuring high standards in stunt performance.
The Stunt Guild
A professional body that represents stunt performers in the UK, offering resources and support for career development.
AI & the future of this job
Stunt performing is about as AI-proof as a career gets. Every shot requires a real human body absorbing real physical forces, executing real athletic skill under genuine risk. AI can generate digital doubles for certain shots, but the industry consistently returns to practical stunts for authenticity, insurance reasons, and the sheer visual quality that audiences and directors prefer. The core demand for trained, fearless human performers remains firmly intact.
Within 5 Years
Negligible direct impact
Digital doubles and de-ageing VFX will continue improving, occasionally replacing a stunt for a specific shot type. However, production budgets still favour practical work, and the coordination, physicality, and improvisation required on a live set cannot be replicated by rendering software. Stunt coordinators are actually seeing increased demand as streaming platforms commission more action content globally. Your biggest competition remains other skilled athletes, not algorithms.
Within 10 Years
Minor peripheral pressure
More sophisticated AI-generated crowds and background chaos may reduce certain background stunt roles, and previsualization AI will change how sequences are planned and pitched. However, the principal stunt performer on any serious production will still be a trained human being. The role of stunt coordinator may even grow in strategic importance as directors need expert humans to decide what is practical versus digital. Physical elite performers will remain highly valued.
Within 20 Years
Modest niche reduction
Over a 20-year horizon, fully synthetic action sequences may become visually indistinguishable from practical work, and some lower-budget productions may lean entirely on AI generation. This could shrink the lower tier of the stunt market. However, high-end film, live arena shows, theme park experiences, and live events will likely maintain strong demand for real performers. Those who diversify into coordination, second-unit directing, or action design will be well positioned regardless.
How to stay ahead
Build an elite physical specialism
Pick one or two disciplines, whether that is motorcycle riding, high falls, combat choreography, or precision driving, and become genuinely exceptional at them. Stunt coordinators hire specialists first, so depth of skill beats breadth at the start of your career.
Understand the digital pipeline
Learn what VFX supervisors and previs artists actually do, so you can communicate fluently about what needs to be practical versus synthetic. Performers who understand the full production workflow are far more valuable to coordinators and directors making those decisions.
Get registered and networked early
Join Equity and pursue recognition through the British Stunt Register, which requires passing in six disciplines. The industry is relationship-driven, and getting on set in any capacity, even as a supporting artist, builds the connections that lead to stunt work.
Develop coordination and design skills
The long-term ceiling in this career is stunt coordination and action design, roles that are creative, well-paid, and genuinely AI-resistant because they require safety judgement, human leadership, and creative vision. Start shadowing and assisting coordinators as early as possible.
How to get in - your routes
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