A Stunt Is an Unusual and Difficult Physical Feat, Or Any Act Requiring a Special Skill

Stunts

A stunt is an unusual and difficult physical feat, or any act requiring a special skill, performed for artistic purposes in TV, theatre, or cinema. Stunts are a big part of many action movies. Before computer generated imagery special effects, these effects were limited to the use of models, false perspective and other in-camera effects - unless the creator could find someone willing to jump from car to car or hang from the edge of a skyscraper - the stunt performer.

One of the most-frequently used practical stunts is stage combat. Although contact is normally avoided, many elements of stage combat, such as sword fighting, martial arts, and acrobatics required contact between performers in order to facilitate the creation of a particular effect, such as noise or physical interaction. Stunt performances are highly choreographed and may be rigorously rehearsed for hours, days and sometimes weeks before a performance. Seasoned professionals will commonly treat a performance as if they have never done it before, since the risks in stunt work are high, every move and position must be correct to reduce risk of injury from accidents.

A physical stunt is usually performed with help of mechanics. For example, if the plot requires the hero to jump to a high place, the film crew could put the actor in a special harness, and use aircraft high tension wire to pull him up. Piano wire is sometimes used to fly objects, but an actor is never suspended from it as it is brittle and can break under shock impacts. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) is a kung-fu movie that was heavily reliant on wire stunts.

Performers of vehicular stunts require extensive training and may employ specially adapted vehicles. Stunts can be as simple as a handbrake turn, also known as the bootleg turn, or as advanced as car chases, jumps and crashes involving dozens of vehicles. In the late 20th century stunt men were placed in dangerous situations less and less as filmmakers turned to relatively inexpensive (and much safer) computer graphics effects using harnesses, fans, blue- or green screens, and a huge array of other devices and digital effects. The Matrix (1999) is a hit action movie that used CGI stunts extensively.

In past Hollywood movies it was common for men to double for women and White American stunt performers to double for African-American performers. Veteran stunt man David Sharpe, a man of shorter than average height, often doubled for women in movie serials of the 1930s and '40s. It is now against union rules for stunt performers to double an actor of a different gender or race unless the stunt is so dangerous that there are no other volunteers, for example when B.J. Worth doubled for the black Jamaican actor Grace Jones parachuting off the Eiffel Tower in A View to a Kill. The rise of action heroines like Angelina Jolie and African-American stars like Will Smith has offered wider opportunities for stunt performers from diverse backgrounds.

A backlash against dangerous stunts following the death of Sonya Jones coinciding with developments in Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) that make such stunts unnecessary threatens to reduce stunt performers to the status of body doubles. And yet a backlash against movies that resemble video games could lead to a resurrection in pure stuntwork. Movies such as The Matrix and Mission: Impossible II have shown how CGI and stunts can be integrated for maximum effect. But - if for no other reason than safety - it is doubtful that the records established by Hooper and Sharky's Machine will be broken anytime soon.

1. Reading comprehension. Decide if the following statements are true or false.

a) Special effects have been incorporated into films due to the use computer generated imagery.

b) Stunts need to rehearse a lot before performing the scenes.

c) Computers graphic effects are used because they are safer although they are more expensive.

d) Stunts are used to double an actor or actress of a different sex or race.

e) Using so much computer generated images may make films resemble video games.

2. Vocabulary. Find a word in the text that means

a)  illusions created for films and television by props, camera work, computer graphics… (par. 1)

b)  very tall building of many stores (par. 1)

c)  practice for late public performance (par. 2)

d)  a group of people who work on an operate a ship, a boat (par. 3)

e)  hard but liable to break or shatter easily (par.3)

f)  a brake operated by hand, used to hold and already stationary vehicle (par. 4)

g)  a strong and adverse reaction by a large number of people (par. 6)

3. Discussion

·  Do you like moves with special effects?

·  Do you think stunts are in danger?

·  Would you like to be a stunt?

Stunts (key)

A stunt is an unusual and difficult physical feat, or any act requiring a special skill, performed for artistic purposes in TV, theatre, or cinema. Stunts are a big part of many action movies. Before computer generated imagery special effects, these effects were limited to the use of models, false perspective and other in-camera effects - unless the creator could find someone willing to jump from car to car or hang from the edge of a skyscraper - the stunt performer.

One of the most-frequently used practical stunts is stage combat. Although contact is normally avoided, many elements of stage combat, such as sword fighting, martial arts, and acrobatics required contact between performers in order to facilitate the creation of a particular effect, such as noise or physical interaction. Stunt performances are highly choreographed and may be rigorously rehearsed for hours, days and sometimes weeks before a performance. Seasoned professionals will commonly treat a performance as if they have never done it before, since the risks in stunt work are high, every move and position must be correct to reduce risk of injury from accidents.

A physical stunt is usually performed with help of mechanics. For example, if the plot requires the hero to jump to a high place, the film crew could put the actor in a special harness, and use aircraft high tension wire to pull him up. Piano wire is sometimes used to fly objects, but an actor is never suspended from it as it is brittle and can break under shock impacts. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) is a kung-fu movie that was heavily reliant on wire stunts.

Performers of vehicular stunts require extensive training and may employ specially adapted vehicles. Stunts can be as simple as a handbrake turn, also known as the bootleg turn, or as advanced as car chases, jumps and crashes involving dozens of vehicles. In the late 20th century stunt men were placed in dangerous situations less and less as filmmakers turned to relatively inexpensive (and much safer) computer graphics effects using harnesses, fans, blue- or green screens, and a huge array of other devices and digital effects. The Matrix (1999) is a hit action movie that used CGI stunts extensively.

In past Hollywood movies it was common for men to double for women and White American stunt performers to double for African-American performers. Veteran stunt man David Sharpe, a man of shorter than average height, often doubled for women in movie serials of the 1930s and '40s. It is now against union rules for stunt performers to double an actor of a different gender or race unless the stunt is so dangerous that there are no other volunteers, for example when B.J. Worth doubled for the black Jamaican actor Grace Jones parachuting off the Eiffel Tower in A View to a Kill. The rise of action heroines like Angelina Jolie and African-American stars like Will Smith has offered wider opportunities for stunt performers from diverse backgrounds.

A backlash against dangerous stunts following the death of Sonya Jones coinciding with developments in Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) that make such stunts unnecessary threatens to reduce stunt performers to the status of body doubles. And yet a backlash against movies that resemble video games could lead to a resurrection in pure stuntwork. Movies such as The Matrix and Mission: Impossible II has shown how CGI and stunts can be integrated for maximum effect. But - if for no other reason than safety - it is doubtful that the records established by Hooper and Sharky's Machine will be broken anytime soon.

1. Reading comprehension. Decide if the following statements are true or false.

a) Special effects have been incorporated into films due to the use computer generated imagery. F

b) Stunts need to rehearse a lot before performing the scenes. T

c) Computers graphic effects are used because they are safer although they are more expensive. F

d) Stunts are used to double an actor or actress of a different sex or race. F

e) Using so much computer generated images may make films resemble video games.

2. Vocabulary. Find a word in the text that means

h)  illusions created for films and television by props, camera work, computer graphics… (par. 1) SPECIAL EFFECTS

i)  very tall building of many stores (par 1) SKYCRAPER

j)  practice for late public performance (PAR 2) REHEARSE

k)  a group of people who work on an operate a ship, a boat (par. 3) CREW

l)  hard but liable to break or shatter easily (par.3) BRITTLE

m)  a brake operated by hand, used to hold and already stationary vehicle (par. 4) HANDBRAKE

n)  a strong and adverse reaction by a large number of people (par. 6) BACKLASH

3. Discussion

·  Do you like moves with special effects?

·  Do you think stunts are in danger?

·  Would you like to be a stunt?