WEBVTT
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Hello and welcome to this week's look at the world of action and stunts on film and television.
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This week we have an exclusive interview with a stunt man who's made his transition from performing stunts on pictures like Hook, Last of the Mohicans, Last Action Hero, and Batman Forever to directing a number of big budget pictures, including Act of Valor, Need for Speed, Hid and Strike, and Expendables 4.
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Now he's got a new movie coming out this week called Runner, starring Alan Richson and Owen Wilson.
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It's the story of a former soldier and his unlikely partner becoming the targets of a ruthless cartel while racing to complete a critical medical delivery and save the life of a little girl.
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As a taster, here's the trailer.
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You're Hank, aren't you?
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You're the delivery man.
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But this is not a FedEx package.
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There's a little girl that's very sick, and you're delivering her new liver.
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If she doesn't get this today, she's not gonna make it.
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How much does one of us go for in the black market?
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Alan Richton, as we all know, as Jack Reacher, and he fits the character beautifully alongside Owen Wilson of Starski and Hutch Zoolander and Cars, who at first appears to be a very odd casting decision, and yet as the film goes on, you realise he's the only guy that could play this role.
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I was lucky enough to get an opportunity to see the movie a while back and chat to Scott War about his career as a performer and his directing projects.
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I had to start our chat though by talking about Scott's dad, Stuntman Fred War, who was not only highly respected within the industry, but was the man behind the 1970s action on the superhero TV show The Amazing Spider Man, starring Nicholas Hammond.
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Your situation, of course, is absolutely fascinating because you're from a family.
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You know, your dad uh is set the benchmark so high.
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Spider-Man, of course, is huge at the moment because there's so much that the Tom Holland and the new pictures and various other bits and pieces.
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But your dad started all of this, you know, him and Nicholas Hammond.
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Nicholas Hammond was the face, and your dad got himself, and also I noted he got himself a terrific credit as stunt director, which I think is very important.
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That's a lovely credit to have, not only on the television series, but on those spin-off movies.
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There were a couple of um feature-length movies as well with that.
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Um and that the type of stuff that he was doing was was, you know, in camera, amazing stuff nowadays.
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It's CGI, you can afford to use it, it's fine.
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He was literally cabled and doing this up and down the building and was being hoisted up and down the building, and having a camera here to have those POV shots, amazing.
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What was it like growing up in the household with your dad in the business?
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I mean, obviously later on you you you you got to a point where you were in yourself, but but what was it like at first from from your perspective being a kid growing up?
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You know, we grew up around a lot of stuff guys.
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Uh, you know, most of the guys that I grew up around were Hal Needham and my uh Glenn Wilder, buddy Joe, and uh man, all of those older guys that were like idols with my dad, and we all were in the same area.
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We all were in Silmar at the time, California, which was Orange Grove country at the time.
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We had a Trapeze in our backyard.
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My dad was a Trapeze flyer in the circus, that's where he started, and all and then we had a high fall pit back there and all that.
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So it was just like I grew up in the world, like this was just what we did.
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We went we had horses, we you know, then when we moved to Aqua Dulcie, was the pivot because my dad said, UK, you gotta either pick horses or motorcycles, which one you're not getting both.
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And I was six, and I was like, Oh man, I'm picking motorcycles, right?
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So we got we grew up racing motocross our whole lives in that in that realm.
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But what was amazing about that era of my father on Spider-Man was because my dad was always considered a high guy, he has zero, zero qualms about being up high, and and so a lot of the guys that were there was and the story is funny because it's Charlie Pacerney and somebody else was called to run Spider-Man, right?
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And my dad was off doing Man from Uncle, and then after Man from Uncle, they were doing a bunch of TV shows, and they called my dad.
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They were like, Hey, Fred, man, we're we're a little bit out of our lane right now with this high work wire work.
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We have no idea how to make this character climb a building.
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So my dad came over and pioneered how to use these cables within the cracks of the building, and then the funny part on that was they started out with the first test was they just put him in his harness and pulled him up the building.
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But what they didn't anticipate was they that free float made him drift off the wall.
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Right.
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So then they had to run a second cable to run a guideline to keep him compressed against the wall, and he said that's what really changed him.
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But what was so cool about my pops at that time era was he was really invested in camera, and he's the one that came up with the original helmet cam.
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Oh, I see.
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This is before uh Spider-Man, but then he really used it on Spider-Man a lot, yeah.
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And then he originated after that because he always wanted to immerse the audience inside the action, and so his next paramount thing that he developed was this thing called the Pogo Cam.
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And the Pogo Cam was the first iteration before the steady cam.
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Because it was the first handheld smooth run, the only thing it didn't have was a gimbal head, so you could run and get in the action and like like the sequence in uh Patrick Swayze movie Point Break.
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That whole case running between the buildings was my dad filming all that because he could run at speed with the camera and get that audience immersed in that experience, and it was something for me that was just I just was always engrossed, not more so in my dad being a stunt man, as much as the technical side of how my dad was filming the stunts that was really interesting to me.
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I I think that's very important.
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That's massive.
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There's a couple of things there you said uh in relation to that.
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I had a conversation with a wonderful British stunt man called Paul Weston not too long ago, uh, who was talking to me about Superman 3.
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And there's a moment in the picture where um uh Richard Pryor's character th is is attempting to ski, he's trying to show somebody what Superman did on this particular occasion, and he skis down this sort of man-made ski slope that's on the top of a building and skis off the building and falls down and lands in the street.
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Well, as you said yourself, that cabling had to be absolutely precise, in line with what was going on, and he mentioned in relation to the type of stuff that had gone before, including your dad's stuff.
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So it's been what happens is that that happens, and then everybody else goes, Oh, that's a great idea, and they take a piece of that and they add that to their repertoire and they keep using it, but they keep referring to, well, Fred did this because he was doing this, and that means it works, you know.
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And you had to keep moving the camera just a touch, just to keep it in shots, so that that line was always safe all the way down.
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Um, uh, the other thing, of course, which he was a master of, and you mentioned there as far as directing was concerned, he was a terrific director of action, second unit director.
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Uh, there's a great example of him uh using a double and filming to the very best uh of the ability of the shot, which is spy hard.
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There's a terrific moment in spy hard where Bobby Sargent is doubling for uh uh Leslie Nielsen, has to come into the room and then flips over and lands on the back of the sofa and then Nielsen pops out again.
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It's beautifully done, it's absolutely momentous, and that great stuff, and he did that a lot in his career, really understanding the frame and going, right, what is exactly you need?
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Okay, I'll give you this.
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And the director was always going, Yep, that's brilliant.
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I couldn't do it any better.
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That's fantastic.
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Keep that, we'll do that again and again.
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Do you find yourself using similar bits and pieces over time, particularly as a not only as a coordinator, as a second-year director, but now as a director?
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Do you find are you trying to edit as you go along and thinking that's a good shot?
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Uh and I'll cut to there, and that'll be a nice little moment to cut away through this.
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Do you do that the way that your dad used to do?
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Yeah, it's a million percent.
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You know what happened was on my first feature.
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I was, you know, at that point, when you hadn't spent enough time in the edit bay, you kind of overshoot and shoot a bunch of stuff, and you don't you don't know how it's gonna go together.
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When you spent starting spending years in an edit bay, and mine started on uh two documentaries, Step into Liquid and Dust of Glory.
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And then on those two movies, I learned so much about editing and how to put the story together that yes, when I when I'm filming, I am I am literally in the edit in my head, and so I'm only shooting what I think I'm gonna need.
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And so I can sometimes they're like, but what about this part?
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I'm like, I'm not gonna use that, don't worry about that.
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I just need the moment when he tuck rolls and the cowboy switch happens, right?
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Also, and that's yeah, the cowboy switch has always been a wonderful tool uh that we've used with stuntman and actors all the time.
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And I got to watch this a lot.
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It's very interesting the way that for for many, many years, editors became terrific directors, right?
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Yeah, because they they were they were that was what they were doing, they were given the whole product and they were going that scene's running a bit long.
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Let's cut here and do this, and that'll make life a bit simpler for the next scene.
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So they're doing it as they come along.
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And nowadays, with the influx of what's been going on, it's stuntmen, it's stunt coordinators who are going on, they've done second unit, or they initially they go to the stuntman stage, they go to coordinating because they go, Jesus, I'm so sore.
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Every morning I can't do this anymore.
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Let's get somebody else to do this.
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They move to coordinating second unit, and then as directors, uh you they particularly with action, but then they have this understanding of uh the whole project and dialogue, and knowing uh this is good, let's keep this going.
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Uh these are the lines here, but if you want to play about with the end of this scene, that'll take us through to here.
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Uh, do you find that that's the case?
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And has it come easy to you over time adding that extra dimension of director and using those skills that you've taken up from the rest of your career?
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You know, there I I'll paraphrase it into a story.
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Uh-huh.
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There is an authentic moment because I know you were a stunt performer, and I obviously started at 12 doing stunts.
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There's a moment in the movie Hooper that Brad that that Hal directed would work.
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And it's such an amazing authentic moment because everyone thinks of the hoop law and hooper with you know the big car chase and the smokestack halls that Buddy Joe was driving and all that.
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And but really the most quintessential moment of of a stunt man is when Hal's alone in his room, he's in his underwear, he's got all his pill bottles of painkillers next to the table, and he looks in the mirror, he's in pain from doing stunts all day, and he looks in the mirror, he sucks in his gut, trying to still be the cool guy, realizing this is what it's like to really be a stuntman, and it's honesty when you're alone and in pain, and everyone then he lets his gut out and knows he's still in pain, and it was such a beautiful moment that most people don't really get that taste of.
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And why I bring that up is the emotion that Hal captured in that authenticity of the action movie is what made that movie special.
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And for me, it's like I always try to figure out within my action set pieces how do I bring emotion along for the ride?
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Because it makes the action better when the audience is invested in the sequences rather than sitting back, you know, and watching as a voyeur.
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And so for me, I try to take the best of Hal, the best of my father, making it immersive, and then putting a Tony Scott spin on it.
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Because for me, Tony was so wonderful at putting spectacle into a grounded element of entertainment and keeping the emotion there.
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And I'm like, that's kind of my my my my sweet sauce, I call it.
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Like it's just it's what makes action.
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I think people always tell me, you know, your action is so visceral and it's so kinetic, and it's so like I get so invested, and it's I guess I get excited about that because that's my intent, but it's it's not mine.
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I've learned that from the from the greats, you know, that really have showcased that.
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You you want to have the right balance, don't you?
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I mean you you know off the back, you know, if it's action, you know you can do that.
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And as the director, you'll either hand that work out to second unit for to somebody who you know is very, very capable of capturing the right thing, and you also know that you've got the stunt coordinator, you've got the right people involved to create that action, but it's everything else that now you're responsible for.
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You know that that's safe, but now you've got a situation where it's that physical dialogue between the two people, or as you say here, that one sequence where it's just him on his own, and he's he's giving everything to that mirror image, which then is transporting back to the audience, going, Oh, I see what this guy's talking about.
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Yeah, that's that's that's the important thing.
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If you can do that, you know, it makes him vulnerable, right?
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It doesn't make him a superhero.
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I said, like, you know, in today's climate, there's this there's this whole mantra of extraordinary men becoming ordinary, right?
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Superheroes becoming ordinary.
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I'm kind of of the vice of the other way around.
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I want to do stories about ordinary men making them extraordinary, right?
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Right, and that's kind of where those filmmakers were, and I think it's really grounded, and I think people can identify with it even more because they're like, Yeah, I'm that guy, you know.
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Yeah, they tick a lot of boxes, don't they?
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Uh, and appeals to a lot of people.
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And some people will see them as action movies, but some people will see them as psychological pictures that have action in them, and they work on many levels.
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And I think that's happened on a number of occasions in your directing career.
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You know, you've a new picture out at the present time, but you've got some some some uh uh certainly as far as back catalog concerns, need for speed was huge.
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I mean, it was a really, really huge picture, massive amounts of action.
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Uh, good cast, of course, you know, uh, and also with um Jackie Chan and Hidden Strike and Expendables and Stallone, you know, that the these are not pictures that are just uh bid for left, right, and center.
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Somebody's presumably come to you and said, We'd like you to do this picture based on what you've done before.
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Was that the deal with those pictures?
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And and how did one become the next become the next?
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Uh was there a procedure involved, or was it was it pure luck?
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I'm suspecting it wasn't.
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No, it's a yeah, it it's it it you're you're right on point.
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It's it's one begets the other.
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You know, I think when I proved myself as the theatrical director on my first real outing on Act of Valor, that was the one that really kind of really set me up at DreamWorks with spot was Spielberg and Stacey Snyder.
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They called me in and said, We got this movie, we saw Act of Valor, we loved it, and we want to do something with you.
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And then a month later, I got the call saying, We just bought the script and rights to Need for Speed.
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We want you to direct it.
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Come in and pitch it and listen to this.
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So then I was like, Okay.
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Um, and I read the script and I actually didn't like it.
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And I was like, Oh man, this is not me.
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This is I go uh and I call my agent, I said, I don't like the script.
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What do I do?
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Like, I'd love to work with Spielberg, like this is huge.
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And he says, Well, go on, he goes, Do you have a take on the script?
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And I'm like, Yeah, I have a whole idea how to fix it and take it in a direction that I think would be wonderful.
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And they said, Well, go in and pitch it, and it's a win win win-win scenario.
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And I said, How's that a win-win scenario?
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He goes, If they pit you pitch it and they take it, great, you win.
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If they don't, you don't do the movie, you win.
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And I was like, Oh, okay.
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So I go in, I walk in the room, and there's all the executives, and there's one empty seat next to Spielberg.
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And I hadn't seen Steven since the movie Hook as a kid when I was doing stunts on hook, doubling the kid on the skateboard.
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Yeah, yeah.
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And I was like, Wow, man, I wonder if Steven's ever gonna.
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There's no way Steven's gonna remember me.
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That was like 20 years ago, well, before that movie, it's got a memory like an elephant.
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I mean, we found this.
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Yeah, I sit down and I was like, uh, hey Steven.
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So we started, you know, idle chatting again, and he looks at me and goes, Wait, you doubled the kid on hook, didn't you?
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And I was like, How do you remember?
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Don't I know you?
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Yeah, exactly.
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It was unbelievable.
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And he goes, All right, what do you want to do, Scott?
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Do you want to pitch this?
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And I said, I said, Yeah, I'm really nervous.
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And he's like, Why?
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I said, because this could be a very short meeting.
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He's like, Why?
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I said, if you guys are looking to do fast and furious right now, and this guy remember, this is back on fast exactly, yeah.
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And I was like, I'm not the guy for that.
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Um you got the wrong guy.
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But if you want to do something like Vanishing Point, Smoking the Bandit, grounded throwback to those great car movies like Bullet, I go, I'm your guy.
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And he goes, That's what I want.
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Let me hear it.
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And then I got the after that meeting, I was they signed me on, and that begat uh you know, Need for Speed, begat Hidden Strike.
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Sly was a big fan of mine from Active Valor, and we had been trying to work together.
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So at that time, Hidden Strike was supposed to be Jackie Chan and Sly.
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And I was really whoa, that's such a cool combo.
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That was like, Man, I'm doing that.
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And then Sly ended up leaving the project to go do something else.
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We recast and got John Cena, which was wonderful, but then I got the call to do expendables when Simon Crane, uh, yeah, Simon Crane was supposed to do it, and he left the project.
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And then Sly instantly called me and said, you know, they were like, he wants you to come over and take over the show, and that's why I went to Expendables.
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So you're 100% right.
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They they kind of begat each other.
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Um, and our move our industry is based on relationships, it really is.
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It is.
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I mean, with the great disrespect to all those people who come up with it, it's a great we got a great idea, yeah.
00:20:17.519 --> 00:20:18.640
But who do you know?
00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:31.279
You know, I mean, it does make a big difference, and the fact that you know you've you've got baggage that comes with you, go, well, he's done this and he's done that, and we know he's good at this, so he'll be great for that, you know, was terrific.
00:20:31.599 --> 00:20:56.319
Um, and of course, the expendables thing's always been fascinating because um uh you know, there's um members of that cast who have arrived in a world where you know it is action adventure, and they've had to change the way that they look at uh uh the whole business themselves, and and taking on uh a great a great deal of that is is uh is hugely impressive for them, you know.
00:20:56.400 --> 00:21:05.839
They're they're a great many of them, with the except um Stallone's one of them, and there's uh obviously other other members of the cast that Stallone's a storyteller, that's what I admire about Stallone.
00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:11.680
He is a filmmaker to the core, and I really hit it off with Sly.
00:21:11.920 --> 00:21:14.799
He's he's a terrific person, really smart.
00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:20.079
I appreciate and really I told him, I said, Hey bud, you've been doing this a lot longer than me.
00:21:20.319 --> 00:21:26.960
And I, you know, if you have if you see something that you think I'm doing wrong or you have a great idea, please just tell me.
00:21:27.039 --> 00:21:29.839
And he's like, No, man, kid, you're doing great.
00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:35.119
I would say I wouldn't go for great, but I would just say I'm doing my best that I can.
00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:38.480
And he was terrific, and it was it was a great experience, you know.
00:21:38.559 --> 00:21:47.039
But you know, that movie actually got runner because one of the producers on Runner is was a producer on Expendables, and that's how I got the call.
00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:48.319
He said, I want to work with Scotty.
00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:55.039
Oh, I see it follows exactly what you talked about my relationships and doing one, it's a stepping stone always.
00:21:55.359 --> 00:22:11.279
And uh, a lot of the stuff uh in relation to uh The the as I said in that particular picture, but you know, guys like Jason Statham are a very good example of of those individuals who, from a UK perspective, he started out as an Olympic diver, right?
00:22:11.359 --> 00:22:17.039
So he was there as a professional diver and wanted to become a stunt man, but it never really happened for him.
00:22:17.119 --> 00:22:34.559
And then he changed direction and became an actor and understands more so the way in which the stunt profession works and and and it says, Look, I'm prepared to do just a little bit more than maybe some of the other actors are prepared, but I'm also prepared to understand from a director's point of view where they go, uh stay away from this.
00:22:34.640 --> 00:22:36.960
This is nothing to do with you, this is somewhere else.
00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:41.039
So you they they take on board that, but it's a wonderful learning curve, isn't it?
00:22:41.279 --> 00:22:48.960
Um, and I certainly feel as though uh Runner, which I've which I watched uh the other day um uh for the first time, was fabulous.
00:22:50.079 --> 00:23:06.640
I'll tell you what it is, it's a real roller coaster ride because uh you mentioned something earlier in in relation to being invested in the characters, invested in the stories, and uh the type of characters that maybe uh aren't what you expect them to be.
00:23:06.799 --> 00:23:09.119
Owen Wilson is a wonderful example of that.
00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:20.880
Alan, you expect him to be right up front doing that thing that he does really well, like Reacher, you know, like Warlord, all of that type of stuff that he just does really, really well.
00:23:21.200 --> 00:23:25.039
But the dialogue's clever, so there's a there's lots of lovely bits and pieces.
00:23:25.119 --> 00:23:34.319
But Owen Wilson is the guy that you would go, oh, he's just gonna do that Owen Wilson thing, and he doesn't, you know, he does something else, which is really, really important.
00:23:34.720 --> 00:23:41.920
Um, was casting already in place by the time you got to the project, or or was that a was that one of your choices?
00:23:42.240 --> 00:23:44.000
Uh that was one of my choices.
00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:48.640
So I was I came on, I came on with uh before after Alan, right?
00:23:48.960 --> 00:23:50.480
Was a producer star on it.
00:23:50.640 --> 00:23:54.319
Um, and then when I came on, we just started talking about who are some options.
00:23:54.559 --> 00:24:08.160
Jeffrey Greenstein, one of the producers, you know, we started bouncing ideas off, and uh, you know, Owen's name came up, and I was like, see, the part wasn't written for somebody like Owen, it was written for somebody a lot older.
00:24:08.319 --> 00:24:11.119
And I that's when like you first threw that name out.
00:24:11.200 --> 00:24:19.519
I was like, then I went, whoa, wait a minute, that could be special, you know, and especially if we just retail it a little bit.
00:24:19.680 --> 00:24:24.000
Uh and when Owen read it, you know, he he's so great.
00:24:24.160 --> 00:24:27.680
He's like, Scott, it's a page turner, man.
00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:28.960
It's a page turner.
00:24:30.240 --> 00:24:31.200
I go, Yeah, it is, isn't it?
00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:41.599
And you know, so when he signed on, I just had a really hunch that the chemistry was gonna really be magical, you know.
00:24:41.680 --> 00:24:51.279
And you're you're you're hoping, you don't really know until on the day, because it's not like old days where you know you get the actors together and they they test and read.
00:24:51.599 --> 00:24:53.279
Doesn't happen like that anymore, rarely.
00:24:53.440 --> 00:25:01.599
No, no, yeah, I see that they're all coming from projects, so on day one, you're like fingers crossed, A, they're gonna like each other, and B, it's gonna work.
00:25:01.759 --> 00:25:07.680
And then when it does, you just get this really big smile inside because you're like, Yes, this is gonna be magic.
00:25:07.759 --> 00:25:12.880
And I think we got really blessed and lucky on this movie because their chemistry is really terrific.
00:25:13.119 --> 00:25:17.599
Yeah, that's there's a there's a bunch of bits and pieces that really, really work.
00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:25.599
Um, and it is that sort of chemistry, you know, the the two of them together that that you wouldn't really expect these two to get on.
00:25:25.839 --> 00:25:36.480
Yeah, you were quite because of the situation that they find themselves in, then you know, stuff kind of happens, and all of a sudden people step up to their responsibilities.
00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:45.519
And I've got to do this in order to get through this, and and he has to concentrate on this, so which leaves me with this I've got to do this, otherwise it's all gonna fall apart.
00:25:45.599 --> 00:25:50.079
And there's a number of communications happening along the line, it's very cleverly done.
00:25:50.240 --> 00:26:02.720
Um, and as a uh a huge page turn, it's it once you start watching it, and I I watched it with my father, who's over 90, uh, but he's a big fan of action, loves a good and loves Alan.
00:26:02.799 --> 00:26:04.400
He's a big Reacher fan.
00:26:04.640 --> 00:26:09.279
So within the first 10 minutes, he was in, you know, and there's no two ways about it.
00:26:09.440 --> 00:26:13.039
He was in, yep, whatever this guy throws at me, I'm gonna go with it.
00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:18.079
And it was, it was a big ride from start to finish, and a terrific movie.
00:26:18.240 --> 00:26:34.960
The one sequence I wanted to talk about particularly, um, uh and the way in which uh the world of CGI has now uh, you know, you have to add CGI, you're not replacing bits and pieces with it, you have to add it to create an additional layer of action to what we're doing.
00:26:35.119 --> 00:26:38.640
That ambulance chase is incredibly busy.
00:26:38.880 --> 00:26:39.279
Thank you.
00:26:39.599 --> 00:26:46.319
Lots of bits and pieces going on, lots of terrific real stuff coupled with lots of terrific CGI bits and pieces.
00:26:46.559 --> 00:26:58.799
How complicated was that to break down into sections, or were you able to run it from okay, this is where we've got the location, and we're gonna add all of these physical shots and then add the rest of the bits and pieces later.
00:26:58.960 --> 00:27:02.960
Was it as simple as that, or did you have to break it down into smaller sections?
00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:08.000
It was an elaborate shot that took uh a lot of pre-vis.
00:27:08.319 --> 00:27:11.920
It was something that I had been, I knew where technology was, you know.
00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:15.440
I've I've I've done so much car work in my career.
00:27:15.599 --> 00:27:16.000
Yeah, yeah.
00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:21.200
Commercials and the need for speed, and I kind of was wanting to push myself.
00:27:21.359 --> 00:27:32.079
And I was like, how can I really immerse and have the ending of this of the biggest action set piece before we get to the hospital really be something special?
00:27:32.240 --> 00:27:37.200
And I pitched this to the producers, and they kind of looked at me like I was an alien.
00:27:37.359 --> 00:27:38.799
They're like, You're gonna do what?
00:27:39.039 --> 00:27:47.359
I'm like, Yeah, this camera's gonna fly in this one, out, out, back to the other one, and through the cars and cars turning over and back inside.
00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:50.240
And they're like, How are you gonna do that?
00:27:50.400 --> 00:27:54.160
And I'm like, We're gonna do it practically and then have enhancements with it.
00:27:54.240 --> 00:27:56.559
And they're like, Right, how are you doing?
00:27:57.359 --> 00:27:58.319
How are you doing that?
00:27:58.480 --> 00:28:17.839
And there's a magic to it, but it just took a lot of thought and finding the location that would lend that, you know, it was a long run, and I wanted it to be in an environment where I could actually execute, um, and and also an environment that's very quintessential Gold Coast.
00:28:18.079 --> 00:28:24.000
So there was a lot of things that went into that last moment of the car chase that was super fun.
00:28:24.079 --> 00:28:27.039
And yeah, you know, they have these conversations just on with me.
00:28:27.119 --> 00:28:47.839
I was a president of Stunts Limited in at 29 years old, and I was the youngest stunt got man to ever be uh the president, and I was president of all my heroes, and it was the weirdest, it was so uncomfortable when I'm telling Buddy Joe Hooker and Glenn Wilder, you know, like hey, I'm your president, and they but they were always so respectful.
00:28:48.000 --> 00:29:10.000
But they asked me to go on a show in 2000 with Peter Goober, and the show was because Titanic had just came out, and they want they were saying the stunt man was gonna become obsolete, and the so they had me representing the stunt community and they had a head VFX artist, and that was the round table of yeah, uh stuntman will be obsolete in several years.
00:29:10.079 --> 00:29:12.319
We won't need stuntman anymore.
00:29:12.480 --> 00:29:15.519
And I was like, I completely disagree with this.
00:29:15.599 --> 00:29:42.160
Yeah, I in the yeah, so we went at it and I was like, I'm telling you, VFX is a tool, it's not a replacement tool, it's a tool so that we can probably do things even more dangerous, but now figure out ways because we know we can do paint removal and remove pads and remove safety gear, we can make stunts now more repeatable and and safer, even though they're bigger.
00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:46.160
So that we're now 26 years later.
00:29:46.480 --> 00:29:48.880
Stunt men are still doing what we've always done.
00:29:48.960 --> 00:29:52.559
Yep, and now there's this conversation right about AI.
00:29:52.960 --> 00:30:06.000
That's literally the same playbook that we had about CGI, and again, it's a tool, it's a tool, and I used I didn't we uh uh AI wasn't uh uh it just this last year is the real pioneer of it.
00:30:06.079 --> 00:30:19.839
So last year it was CGI that really helped me execute the the the ambulance chase to figure out ways that were physically impossible to put the camera uh in ways that I could.
00:30:20.079 --> 00:30:20.640
Yeah.
00:30:21.200 --> 00:30:22.319
And that's the beauty of it.
00:30:22.400 --> 00:30:25.519
Again, you know, you we look at the combinations between the two.
00:30:25.759 --> 00:30:28.799
CGI allows you to go that little bit further, you know.
00:30:29.039 --> 00:30:36.400
Prior to that, you'd think it would be great if I could do this, but I can't, so that's gonna have to be a cutaway shot inside the vehicle.
00:30:36.559 --> 00:30:41.519
There's the dialogue, voom, to the to the to the shot of the of the vehicle passing physically.
00:30:41.680 --> 00:30:58.079
Now you can make those shots where here's the shot, you see the problem arriving, you then turn and go inside the cockpit to have the dialogue, and then go out the driver's side to see the other side of the vehicle as it approaches the problem, makes the change, there's two vehicles passing together.
00:30:58.240 --> 00:30:59.599
You then go, and it's brilliant.
00:30:59.680 --> 00:31:01.599
It really pushes everything on.
00:31:01.759 --> 00:31:04.880
But there was that period of time where you couldn't do that, you know.
00:31:05.039 --> 00:31:12.160
And I can understand maybe that the the VFX people going, well, it you know, we can do better, and we won't need you to do this.
00:31:12.400 --> 00:31:17.359
But you know, you you do it, get a a stunt man to do a fall, a high fall, for instance.
00:31:17.680 --> 00:31:22.160
Nowadays they do the first 50, 60, maybe 70 feet at a push.
00:31:22.319 --> 00:31:25.119
Very rarely are people doing a hundred, hundred plus anymore.
00:31:25.279 --> 00:31:31.839
You do 50 or 60 feet into an airbag, and and and the CGI does the remaining 300 feet in its own way, yeah.
00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:32.319
Exactly.
00:31:32.799 --> 00:31:37.440
You still need them to do the job, it just enhances what you've already given.
00:31:37.519 --> 00:31:41.200
Uh you know, I'd say what you said is truly classic.
00:31:41.359 --> 00:31:44.960
So I had retired, I was 30 years old.
00:31:45.200 --> 00:31:49.279
There's another another stunt pioneer named Ron Stein.
00:31:49.359 --> 00:31:54.799
He so Ronnie, you know, he coordinated Rocky and did all the fights for Rocky and all that.
00:31:55.440 --> 00:31:56.319
I did a bunch of stuff.
00:31:56.400 --> 00:31:56.960
That's like again.
00:31:57.039 --> 00:32:07.759
I'm still in my transition between stunt man to director, and I had become president stunts limited, but by that time I was directing, and I the stunt community is just dear to my heart.
00:32:07.920 --> 00:32:14.799
And Ron calls me, I'm 32 years old, and he goes, Scott, do you know what your swan song was?
00:32:15.039 --> 00:32:23.200
And I was like, I don't even remember, Ron, what my last stunt was because it's just kind of just my career was just kind of fizzling out as I was really pushing directing.
00:32:23.359 --> 00:32:28.480
And he goes, Well, I got your swan song, and I'm like, Oh no, Ron, don't.
00:32:28.640 --> 00:32:33.759
And he goes, he goes, 110 feet backwards to a car top.
00:32:34.000 --> 00:32:36.400
And I was like, I started laughing.
00:32:36.559 --> 00:32:38.400
I said, You're out of your mind, bro.
00:32:38.480 --> 00:32:39.279
I'm not doing that.
00:32:39.440 --> 00:32:40.720
And he goes, think about it, Scott.
00:32:40.799 --> 00:32:42.079
It's your swan song.
00:32:42.160 --> 00:32:44.799
You're gonna be able to remember that stuff for the rest of your life.
00:32:45.039 --> 00:32:48.160
It'll be on my tombstone, is what it's what I said to you, right?
00:32:48.319 --> 00:32:51.599
And and I, you know, and he was so good to me.
00:32:51.680 --> 00:33:00.960
Uh, you know, when you're early in your directing career, you know, you're not really making ends meet financially, so you got to keep doing stunts to pay Rob Paul to pay Peter.
00:33:01.119 --> 00:33:04.319
And so I was I I was so indebted to Ron.
00:33:04.400 --> 00:33:09.039
And I'm like, you know what, Ron, I'm gonna do it, but it's only because of you.
00:33:09.200 --> 00:33:11.039
I'm only gonna do this because of you.
00:33:11.200 --> 00:33:20.319
And so I called my pops, who was still alive, and I'm like, Dad, Ron wants me to do this high fall backwards 110 to a car top, and he was like, He wants you to do what?
00:33:20.480 --> 00:33:24.880
And I said, Yeah, and you need to be there because if I don't make it, you need to take over.
00:33:25.119 --> 00:33:35.440
And and it was doing it was awesome because my dad was there, and you know, look, I mean, we all know behind the stunts, like you know, was it an was it was it was that the truth?
00:33:35.680 --> 00:33:42.880
No, I had to do a descender for 100 feet because now we are at that technology side, right?
00:33:43.039 --> 00:34:00.000
Yeah, you're still doing a descender, and then I had to reload up 20 feet on the descender and do a quick release from 20 feet to the drop onto the roof, but that was and that was the worst part because that was you can see my head wishbone from my sternum to the back of my neck.
00:34:01.359 --> 00:34:05.680
I remember leaving they had a profile shot, and you can see my head whip like that.
00:34:05.759 --> 00:34:07.599
And I got off the car and I looked at Ron.
00:34:07.680 --> 00:34:09.199
I go, That's it, bro.
00:34:09.360 --> 00:34:10.000
I'm done.
00:34:10.079 --> 00:34:10.400
That's it.
00:34:10.559 --> 00:34:14.559
He's yeah, you you you know full well somebody's gonna go, you got one more in you.
00:34:14.719 --> 00:34:16.800
No, I haven't got any more in me.
00:34:16.880 --> 00:34:17.519
You're done, right?
00:34:17.599 --> 00:34:19.440
That's yeah, it was wonderful, you know.
00:34:19.519 --> 00:34:31.199
But the technology really let us accomplish that, and um, it still didn't go without bruises and banged up, but uh it's it's technology's really kind of give me a real look on where we can continue.
00:34:31.440 --> 00:34:57.599
It's always a very interesting factor, the the fact that um uh you know there's a there's a lot of people get into action these days um uh who maybe aren't so used to taking that knock or being uh understanding that you are gonna come out with bumps and bruises, you are gonna come out with you know scratches, you may even come out with you know a dislocation here or there, or a break at the very worst.
00:34:57.760 --> 00:34:59.679
And then beyond that, that's out of your hands.
00:34:59.760 --> 00:35:01.760
That's something that might not have been tracked at all.
00:35:02.000 --> 00:35:36.480
However, um a lot of people coming from uh then gymnastic backgrounds, obviously, and and various other bits and pieces, but very rarely do you find people who come from physical contact sport who are very familiar with taking that constant pounding or are aware of like foot, like American football, for instance, is a very good example, uh, not so much here in in uh in Europe or UK with with soccer, but particularly with a rugby, with that contact sport the hot time and time again, repeating that over and over again, which you would need to do on a set if you're asked to do so.
00:35:36.639 --> 00:35:42.480
Um, do you think that that's uh uh an interesting thing, or maybe something that's coming from different angles?
00:35:42.559 --> 00:35:52.559
You have stunt hustles over there in the States, which we don't have, but you know, you look at somebody's resume and go, uh, okay, you've been modeling for three years and you just fancy a change.
00:35:52.639 --> 00:35:54.960
I'm not entirely certain this might be for you.
00:35:55.199 --> 00:35:59.840
However, if you've come back for oh, I see you've been playing, you know, tight end here and you've been doing that.
00:35:59.920 --> 00:36:01.039
And oh, that's interesting.
00:36:01.119 --> 00:36:04.480
So maybe maybe you would look upon them in in a slightly different light.
00:36:04.800 --> 00:36:11.119
You know, I just grew up, John, in a different environment, a different era of the stunt man.
00:36:11.360 --> 00:36:20.960
So when I grew up in the 70s, right, in the 80s, we were required to do everything, so that you weren't a specialist, right?
00:36:21.039 --> 00:36:28.880
Right, you had to you had to race bikes, flip cars, be proficient at fights, high falls, horses.
00:36:29.119 --> 00:36:42.559
You had to, you know, fire, you had to do all of it because when you double an actor in a movie like I did with Andy Garcia in Desperate Measures, I was I was on bikes, cars, out windows, like it was one of those things you had to be well.
00:36:43.039 --> 00:36:44.400
Oh, boxes ticked, yeah, absolutely.
00:36:44.559 --> 00:36:47.840
Yeah, and now I'm seeing there's more specialists coming in.
00:36:48.079 --> 00:36:51.920
Oh, here's the fight double, here's the car double, right?
00:36:52.000 --> 00:37:04.960
And it's and it's really interesting because you know, they're so they're like Olympic athletes now in those lanes, but a lot of them aren't as well-rounded as what we needed to be then.
00:37:05.039 --> 00:37:07.440
But even then, the the stunt community was smaller.
00:37:07.519 --> 00:37:19.119
There was you know, stunts a limited was 48 guys, you know, so every and it was so the the the group and the people coming in, you know, it was a family, so everybody knew each other.
00:37:19.199 --> 00:37:28.880
Now that the community's so large, um, it's rare that I get a chance to work with some of my some of my mentors and all that because I've been working overseas for the last 10 years.
00:37:29.119 --> 00:37:30.000
Absolutely, yeah, of course.
00:37:30.239 --> 00:37:31.440
And uh, you know what?
00:37:31.519 --> 00:37:35.199
You said something, if you don't mind, I'd love to tell you this story because this is the truth.
00:37:35.760 --> 00:37:38.719
I was working I because you said broken bones.
00:37:38.880 --> 00:37:44.159
Yeah, I broke my leg, is what started my directing career, right?
00:37:44.480 --> 00:37:57.280
And this is a thing for people to say, like, you know, when you're down and out and you realize what good can come from this, and I broke my leg working for a great stunt coordinator named J uh uh Jeff Dashnaugh.
00:37:57.519 --> 00:37:59.280
Oh, yeah, absolutely, right?
00:37:59.360 --> 00:38:03.679
So Houndy calls me and says, I got this rollerblading stunt, need you to come off these rails, and blah blah.
00:38:04.000 --> 00:38:08.320
So I uh was a hockey player, so I was proficient on rollerblades.
00:38:08.400 --> 00:38:17.199
So, anyways, they put the pads in a very interesting way, and my leg went through pads and my body kept going, so I snapped my femur, right?
00:38:17.360 --> 00:38:24.000
And then I was out for six months, and Jeff felt so bad, he was so wonderful, kept calling me.
00:38:24.079 --> 00:38:25.039
You know, how you doing, buddy?
00:38:25.119 --> 00:38:26.400
How you doing that, anyways?
00:38:26.480 --> 00:38:40.400
He had a big show come up called Desperate Measures, and I was I was starting to work uh in rehab, and he goes, Hey, why don't you come out and read for a part, you know, and just play a little bit part so I can keep you know getting used to making some money back, man?
00:38:40.639 --> 00:38:47.199
Because at the time I was on workers' comp and he goes, uh so I get there, I read for the part, and I go, Hey, who's who's the lead of this movie?
00:38:47.360 --> 00:38:49.119
And he goes, Andy Garcia.
00:38:49.360 --> 00:38:52.079
And I said, Oh wow, who's doubling Andy Garcia?
00:38:52.320 --> 00:38:55.519
And he says, Oh, Rick LaFever's not available right now, so we're looking.
00:38:55.679 --> 00:38:56.960
I go, Really?
00:38:57.679 --> 00:38:59.360
Who's doubling Andy Garcia?
00:38:59.519 --> 00:39:03.039
And I gave him a look, and he goes, You would be a great double.
00:39:03.199 --> 00:39:04.960
You're a very good double, there's no doubt about that.
00:39:05.039 --> 00:39:05.360
Absolutely.
00:39:05.679 --> 00:39:07.679
So here's the serendipitous of all this.
00:39:07.840 --> 00:39:10.800
I go on to that show, I'll make the story hopefully a lot shorter right now.
00:39:10.960 --> 00:39:13.039
I go on that show, I make a lot of money.
00:39:13.119 --> 00:39:18.719
I was so blessed on that show, but I used all that money to finance my first feature, right?
00:39:18.960 --> 00:39:23.199
And because I had and broke my broke my leg, Jeff felt indebted to me.
00:39:23.360 --> 00:39:28.639
I got that gig, able to make enough movie, enough money to finance my first film.
00:39:28.800 --> 00:39:31.440
That's the reason my directing career started off.
00:39:31.679 --> 00:39:32.079
There we go.
00:39:32.320 --> 00:39:38.159
Now you ripple this 25 years later, and guess who I'm working with and now directing.
00:39:38.400 --> 00:39:39.280
Andy Garcia.
00:39:39.519 --> 00:39:40.960
Andy Garcia, full circle.
00:39:41.039 --> 00:39:45.599
And he saw, I mean, he goes, Oh my god, Scott, I haven't seen you in 20 years.
00:39:45.679 --> 00:39:47.920
And I was like, Andy, this is amazing.
00:39:48.159 --> 00:39:49.760
Not W, I'm directing you.
00:39:49.840 --> 00:39:51.440
Yeah, these and he was so wonderful.
00:39:51.599 --> 00:39:53.920
And he was well, this is this is always the way, isn't it?
00:39:54.000 --> 00:39:58.719
You know, they the there's a bunch of stunt coordinators who go, I'm not gonna do performing anymore.
00:39:58.800 --> 00:40:03.360
I think I'll, you know, this hurts every morning, and and this and this this is taking longer to fix.
00:40:03.519 --> 00:40:05.280
And then you make that additional transition.
00:40:05.360 --> 00:40:10.400
So it's interesting you say that that leg break then brought you into uh into directing.
00:40:10.559 --> 00:40:27.840
Um, just to to to kind of finalize what we've done here in conclusion, um, there's a little thing that I like to do uh uh with all of my guests, which is to take three occasions, and I don't prompt them on this, which is why the expression on your face will be the one that goes, Oh my god, what do you want me to do?
00:40:28.159 --> 00:40:41.760
But the idea is is to remember three occasions, either as a performer or as a coordinator, where you absolutely 100% have looked, thought about it, and thought, I couldn't do any better.
00:40:41.920 --> 00:40:48.159
That was absolutely the best of my ability to there, and it works on screen, and I'm really proud of that.
00:40:48.639 --> 00:40:54.880
Are there three occasions in your career that you can go, yes, definitely that one as a performer or as a coordinator?
00:40:54.960 --> 00:40:56.639
I'm prepared to take either all.
00:40:57.280 --> 00:41:08.480
Or as a director, or well, yes, uh under the circumstances, I will I will allow what give me one example as a director, maybe, and then the other two as either a coordinator or a performer.
00:41:08.719 --> 00:41:23.039
I think the execution of that ambulance sequence for me is I'm most proud of because of absolutely it took my stunt background and knowledge and everything I have learned from all of my mentors to pull that off.
00:41:23.519 --> 00:41:30.800
So uh I'm very proud of that, and it was super uh uh very difficult to do.
00:41:31.119 --> 00:41:36.800
But um, there was a stunt I did on uh desperate measures that I'm very proud of uh at the time.
00:41:36.960 --> 00:41:44.079
It was sliding a motorcycle, a cop bike through a plate glass windows down a hospital corridor.
00:41:44.800 --> 00:41:47.679
Okay, yes, and that was for Jeff for Houndy.
00:41:47.760 --> 00:41:52.000
And he was like, uh you know, I'm a small guy, let's let's just call it like it.
00:41:52.320 --> 00:41:56.960
I'm 5'8, so to be on a 1200cc motorcycle that's that's a lot of motorcycle, yeah.
00:41:57.119 --> 00:42:07.599
It's a lot of motorcycle for a little man like me, and uh to to slide that through there and hit a mark, and like Jeff goes, they want you to hit right here when you end your slide so that they it's into the camera.
00:42:07.760 --> 00:42:11.679
And I'm like, Jeff, I'm just trying to get it through the window, bro.
00:42:14.960 --> 00:42:26.960
And it was one of those things where it just everything clicked together and slice slid right to the camera, and um, and I was happy because Jeff really went out on a limb for me to double Andy to begin with.
00:42:27.039 --> 00:42:31.360
So uh that was I guess that that would be my second story for you.
00:42:31.679 --> 00:42:32.000
Okay.
00:42:33.920 --> 00:42:35.199
Here's a classic.
00:42:36.079 --> 00:42:37.199
I'll take a classic, yes.
00:42:37.760 --> 00:42:38.880
Act of valor.
00:42:40.079 --> 00:42:47.119
We are we have edited the movie and we needed to go back to do some reshoots to add more bad guys.
00:42:47.440 --> 00:43:44.960
So we we go back to this area in Costa Rica, and we had hired a bunch of local stunt guys, we did all the stunts with them, and then we had we ran out, and now we're in this one section of the house where I needed to squib and shoot somebody, and I'm the only guy I was waiting for that could be on that Latino side, so and mind you, we're a crew of like three people, so I'm directing behind the camera, and I'm rolling, and I hand the camera off to my DP, I run in front, and then I go, hold on, then we didn't have a special effects, so I got cardboard because we needed smoke, so I light cardboard, put all this smoke all through the room, throw the cardboard down, pick up this plastic gun, and start shooting, and then die before the smoke generates.
00:43:45.840 --> 00:43:48.960
We were laughing so hard, going, This is never gonna work.
00:43:49.119 --> 00:43:50.559
This is ridiculous.
00:43:50.960 --> 00:43:53.119
And yet and yet it's in the movie.
00:43:53.599 --> 00:43:54.719
It's in the movie, man.
00:43:54.800 --> 00:43:59.840
It was one of those moments where it makes you it makes you as a filmmaker.
00:44:00.800 --> 00:44:07.039
Realize sometimes you don't need all the hoopla you don't need the three.
00:44:07.199 --> 00:44:11.599
I mean, when I was on Hidden Strike, my crew was 700 people.
00:44:11.840 --> 00:44:12.159
Wow.
00:44:12.559 --> 00:44:13.599
It was so massive.
00:44:13.679 --> 00:44:22.400
And to be on a crew a movie like Act of Valor, where sometimes we were a crew of three doing a major theatrical film, it's just kind of makes me.
00:44:22.559 --> 00:44:25.280
I tell that story to other people going, you know what?
00:44:25.440 --> 00:44:30.079
The only limitation you have now as a filmmaker is your imagination.
00:44:30.320 --> 00:44:30.880
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:44:31.280 --> 00:44:35.519
It's not it's not it's not finances because we all have phones and edit bases.
00:44:35.679 --> 00:44:40.079
You don't you don't need money, you just need imagination, and sometimes it's that that's all it takes.
00:44:40.159 --> 00:44:42.719
And you know, stunts is really a huge part of that.
00:44:43.039 --> 00:44:48.320
You uh you've proved that there with um, you know, as you say yourself, years gone by.
00:44:48.400 --> 00:44:59.599
If you didn't have the money to back or somebody to to back a project, then you were done, you were dead in the water, and now you don't need to because of where we are technology-wise, you're able to do it.
00:44:59.679 --> 00:45:05.039
People are making movies, cinema releases on their phone these days, you know, and that type of work.
00:45:05.119 --> 00:45:20.880
Um, and you've proved with your work, not only as a stunt man and a coordinator and a second unit, and also as a director, that the possibilities of combining really good stories with very imaginative action are very, very plausible.
00:45:20.960 --> 00:45:27.360
And and you you prove that with Runner, uh, which uh I urge people to go and see uh when the picture comes out.
00:45:28.079 --> 00:45:30.480
September 11th, I think the week of September 11th.
00:45:30.559 --> 00:45:32.000
Is that a worldwide release?
00:45:32.239 --> 00:45:34.239
Yes, yeah, worldwide September 11th.
00:45:34.320 --> 00:45:36.880
Yeah, yeah, so absolutely well worth watching.
00:45:36.960 --> 00:45:43.280
It's a spectacular picture from start to finish, huge fun, and uh I I know it's gonna be a big success.
00:45:43.360 --> 00:45:47.760
And uh huge thanks to you for uh for for bringing it to uh to the audience.
00:45:47.920 --> 00:45:49.519
And and uh what are the possibilities next?
00:45:49.599 --> 00:45:52.079
Obviously, you're working again now with Andy Garcia.
00:45:52.320 --> 00:45:53.760
Uh what's happening in the future?
00:45:53.840 --> 00:45:54.639
Can you talk about that?
00:45:54.719 --> 00:45:57.679
Are you able to give us any tidbits along the way to look out for?
00:45:58.079 --> 00:46:05.199
No, uh I am in prep for my next film we're casting right now, uh, but still under wraps.
00:46:05.280 --> 00:46:09.599
But I might I might be moving, it's in it's in the sci-fi genre.
00:46:09.760 --> 00:46:30.320
So it's uh, you know, obviously still grounded action, but it's got a whole sci-fi component that I'm just thought would be a lot of fun to kind of branch out a little bit and and uh broaden my horizons, but even though it's kind of you know still within my wheelhouse of grounded stunt, grounded action, uh, but uh something that I'm really excited about.
00:46:30.400 --> 00:46:33.199
And John, thank you for bringing light to the stunt world.
00:46:33.360 --> 00:46:39.519
You know, it's uh we remain in the shadows for a very long time, and a lot of us are really kind of proud of that.
00:46:39.599 --> 00:46:52.159
And it's uh when then when you see the old pioneers pass away, you know, uh it it I we just lost a real famous uh Stunts Limited member named Jay and Roberts.
00:46:52.400 --> 00:46:53.119
That's right, yeah.
00:46:53.440 --> 00:47:01.280
Jay and just passed, and it just you go back to those guys that were just you know doing it for real, man.
00:47:01.519 --> 00:47:06.079
Like no pads, no cables, none of that stuff.
00:47:06.159 --> 00:47:16.159
And you're seeing that era die off, and it's a real, it's a real, you know, shame, but also it makes you really proud of where we were and where we've come from.
00:47:16.400 --> 00:47:21.440
And just these guys just put a runway for all of us.
00:47:21.519 --> 00:47:23.280
I mean, I'm only here because of them.
00:47:23.519 --> 00:47:23.920
Yeah, yeah.
00:47:24.000 --> 00:47:24.400
No, I'm sure.
00:47:24.639 --> 00:47:26.719
Everything I've learned is because of them.
00:47:26.960 --> 00:47:42.000
So uh I'm hoping that you know I can carry on that tradition to my sons who do want to get into the same field and be the third generation, you know, from my family, because it's it's something that that's the only way we can continue on.
00:47:42.559 --> 00:47:58.159
I mean, here in the in the UK, we have the the the BSR, the British Stunt Register, and I was lucky enough in February to uh spend the day with Stunts Unlimited and being in that office and and and being surrounded by all this extraordinary the air's different in there.
00:47:58.480 --> 00:48:13.440
I I you know I was I was uh I I had I had Buddy Joe Hooker, um, I had Greg Barnett, I had Alan Olony all in the same room, and I did an interview with them all, and then I went out for coffee and I came back and Eddie Braun just popped in to say hello.
00:48:13.760 --> 00:48:16.000
Oh my god, you know, the whole thing was just extraordinary.
00:48:16.079 --> 00:48:18.079
It's a remarkable thing to do.
00:48:18.159 --> 00:48:19.920
Uh, and I enjoyed it enormously.
00:48:20.320 --> 00:48:28.079
And it uh it really, as you say yourself, you have all these pictures and all this stuff around the walls, and going, This is where it all started, you know, this is where it started.
00:48:28.880 --> 00:48:55.039
Uh, you know, I you know, I have a tattoo of the emblem of Sun Sul Limited on my bicep, and it's something that I'm so proud of to be able to be a part of it, even though I'm I'm an honorary member now, I'm not a part of the organization at first hand, but it's just what a thrill for my life to be a part of those men because they were they're all so talented and so great, and just the stories are endless, right?
00:48:55.119 --> 00:48:59.119
As you have talked to some of these legends, the stories are endless.
00:48:59.360 --> 00:49:06.400
Stories that you heard, and then stories that you've never heard, and then stories that you know, but not like this, and they come at it from a different angle.
00:49:06.719 --> 00:49:09.519
Oh, I see that makes a whole lot of difference to where that story comes from.
00:49:09.679 --> 00:49:10.800
Yeah, fascinating.
00:49:10.880 --> 00:49:16.880
Uh, you could talk to Buddy Joe all day about just random bits and pieces, and he'll give you all sorts of stuff.
00:49:17.039 --> 00:49:17.760
Spectacular.
00:49:17.840 --> 00:49:19.519
Uh Scott, thank you very much indeed.
00:49:19.599 --> 00:49:21.760
Uh, I wish you all the very best with the picture.
00:49:21.920 --> 00:49:28.880
Uh, please get back in touch with us, and we'll do uh we'll do more with you uh when your uh your next project comes out.
00:49:28.960 --> 00:49:31.360
And uh we look forward to the big release of this one.
00:49:31.440 --> 00:49:33.039
So for now, thank you very much indeed.
00:49:33.440 --> 00:49:34.400
Yeah, thank you, John.
00:49:34.559 --> 00:49:35.440
Appreciate it.
00:49:35.679 --> 00:49:37.679
There you go, that's it for now.
00:49:37.840 --> 00:49:45.519
I hope you've enjoyed that and more on Friday as we dive a little deeper into Scott's career on the YouTube channel.
00:49:45.760 --> 00:49:48.320
So until then, it's bye for now.
00:00:11.279 --> 00:00:18.879
Hello and welcome to this week's look at the world of action and stunts on film and television.
00:00:19.440 --> 00:00:42.960
This week we have an exclusive interview with a stunt man who's made his transition from performing stunts on pictures like Hook, Last of the Mohicans, Last Action Hero, and Batman Forever to directing a number of big budget pictures, including Act of Valor, Need for Speed, Hid and Strike, and Expendables 4.
00:00:43.759 --> 00:00:50.719
Now he's got a new movie coming out this week called Runner, starring Alan Richson and Owen Wilson.
00:00:50.960 --> 00:01:05.519
It's the story of a former soldier and his unlikely partner becoming the targets of a ruthless cartel while racing to complete a critical medical delivery and save the life of a little girl.
00:01:05.760 --> 00:01:08.560
As a taster, here's the trailer.
00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:11.840
You're Hank, aren't you?
00:01:12.079 --> 00:01:13.439
You're the delivery man.
00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:16.799
But this is not a FedEx package.
00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:22.959
There's a little girl that's very sick, and you're delivering her new liver.
00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:28.000
If she doesn't get this today, she's not gonna make it.
00:01:31.519 --> 00:01:33.599
How much does one of us go for in the black market?
00:02:20.400 --> 00:02:40.960
Alan Richton, as we all know, as Jack Reacher, and he fits the character beautifully alongside Owen Wilson of Starski and Hutch Zoolander and Cars, who at first appears to be a very odd casting decision, and yet as the film goes on, you realise he's the only guy that could play this role.
00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:51.599
I was lucky enough to get an opportunity to see the movie a while back and chat to Scott War about his career as a performer and his directing projects.
00:02:51.759 --> 00:03:10.080
I had to start our chat though by talking about Scott's dad, Stuntman Fred War, who was not only highly respected within the industry, but was the man behind the 1970s action on the superhero TV show The Amazing Spider Man, starring Nicholas Hammond.
00:03:10.479 --> 00:03:15.120
Your situation, of course, is absolutely fascinating because you're from a family.
00:03:15.599 --> 00:03:19.520
You know, your dad uh is set the benchmark so high.
00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:26.400
Spider-Man, of course, is huge at the moment because there's so much that the Tom Holland and the new pictures and various other bits and pieces.
00:03:26.560 --> 00:03:30.080
But your dad started all of this, you know, him and Nicholas Hammond.
00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:39.120
Nicholas Hammond was the face, and your dad got himself, and also I noted he got himself a terrific credit as stunt director, which I think is very important.
00:03:39.520 --> 00:03:44.400
That's a lovely credit to have, not only on the television series, but on those spin-off movies.
00:03:44.479 --> 00:03:48.000
There were a couple of um feature-length movies as well with that.
00:03:48.560 --> 00:03:55.360
Um and that the type of stuff that he was doing was was, you know, in camera, amazing stuff nowadays.
00:03:55.439 --> 00:03:58.080
It's CGI, you can afford to use it, it's fine.
00:03:58.240 --> 00:04:08.240
He was literally cabled and doing this up and down the building and was being hoisted up and down the building, and having a camera here to have those POV shots, amazing.
00:04:08.400 --> 00:04:13.120
What was it like growing up in the household with your dad in the business?
00:04:13.199 --> 00:04:21.600
I mean, obviously later on you you you you got to a point where you were in yourself, but but what was it like at first from from your perspective being a kid growing up?
00:04:22.000 --> 00:04:24.480
You know, we grew up around a lot of stuff guys.
00:04:24.639 --> 00:04:37.680
Uh, you know, most of the guys that I grew up around were Hal Needham and my uh Glenn Wilder, buddy Joe, and uh man, all of those older guys that were like idols with my dad, and we all were in the same area.
00:04:37.839 --> 00:04:43.759
We all were in Silmar at the time, California, which was Orange Grove country at the time.
00:04:43.839 --> 00:04:46.079
We had a Trapeze in our backyard.
00:04:46.319 --> 00:04:53.519
My dad was a Trapeze flyer in the circus, that's where he started, and all and then we had a high fall pit back there and all that.
00:04:53.759 --> 00:04:57.120
So it was just like I grew up in the world, like this was just what we did.
00:04:57.199 --> 00:05:08.399
We went we had horses, we you know, then when we moved to Aqua Dulcie, was the pivot because my dad said, UK, you gotta either pick horses or motorcycles, which one you're not getting both.
00:05:08.560 --> 00:05:12.480
And I was six, and I was like, Oh man, I'm picking motorcycles, right?
00:05:12.639 --> 00:05:16.560
So we got we grew up racing motocross our whole lives in that in that realm.
00:05:16.720 --> 00:05:37.839
But what was amazing about that era of my father on Spider-Man was because my dad was always considered a high guy, he has zero, zero qualms about being up high, and and so a lot of the guys that were there was and the story is funny because it's Charlie Pacerney and somebody else was called to run Spider-Man, right?
00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:46.560
And my dad was off doing Man from Uncle, and then after Man from Uncle, they were doing a bunch of TV shows, and they called my dad.
00:05:46.639 --> 00:05:52.480
They were like, Hey, Fred, man, we're we're a little bit out of our lane right now with this high work wire work.
00:05:52.879 --> 00:05:56.959
We have no idea how to make this character climb a building.
00:05:57.120 --> 00:06:10.639
So my dad came over and pioneered how to use these cables within the cracks of the building, and then the funny part on that was they started out with the first test was they just put him in his harness and pulled him up the building.
00:06:10.720 --> 00:06:17.600
But what they didn't anticipate was they that free float made him drift off the wall.
00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:17.839
Right.
00:06:18.079 --> 00:06:25.680
So then they had to run a second cable to run a guideline to keep him compressed against the wall, and he said that's what really changed him.
00:06:25.920 --> 00:06:35.839
But what was so cool about my pops at that time era was he was really invested in camera, and he's the one that came up with the original helmet cam.
00:06:36.399 --> 00:06:37.120
Oh, I see.
00:06:37.600 --> 00:06:44.000
This is before uh Spider-Man, but then he really used it on Spider-Man a lot, yeah.
00:06:44.319 --> 00:06:53.279
And then he originated after that because he always wanted to immerse the audience inside the action, and so his next paramount thing that he developed was this thing called the Pogo Cam.
00:06:53.360 --> 00:06:58.560
And the Pogo Cam was the first iteration before the steady cam.
00:06:58.959 --> 00:07:12.639
Because it was the first handheld smooth run, the only thing it didn't have was a gimbal head, so you could run and get in the action and like like the sequence in uh Patrick Swayze movie Point Break.
00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:36.480
That whole case running between the buildings was my dad filming all that because he could run at speed with the camera and get that audience immersed in that experience, and it was something for me that was just I just was always engrossed, not more so in my dad being a stunt man, as much as the technical side of how my dad was filming the stunts that was really interesting to me.
00:07:36.800 --> 00:07:38.079
I I think that's very important.
00:07:38.160 --> 00:07:38.720
That's massive.
00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:41.759
There's a couple of things there you said uh in relation to that.
00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:50.079
I had a conversation with a wonderful British stunt man called Paul Weston not too long ago, uh, who was talking to me about Superman 3.
00:07:50.639 --> 00:08:13.439
And there's a moment in the picture where um uh Richard Pryor's character th is is attempting to ski, he's trying to show somebody what Superman did on this particular occasion, and he skis down this sort of man-made ski slope that's on the top of a building and skis off the building and falls down and lands in the street.
00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:27.519
Well, as you said yourself, that cabling had to be absolutely precise, in line with what was going on, and he mentioned in relation to the type of stuff that had gone before, including your dad's stuff.
00:08:27.600 --> 00:08:41.519
So it's been what happens is that that happens, and then everybody else goes, Oh, that's a great idea, and they take a piece of that and they add that to their repertoire and they keep using it, but they keep referring to, well, Fred did this because he was doing this, and that means it works, you know.
00:08:41.600 --> 00:08:48.000
And you had to keep moving the camera just a touch, just to keep it in shots, so that that line was always safe all the way down.
00:08:48.240 --> 00:08:57.279
Um, uh, the other thing, of course, which he was a master of, and you mentioned there as far as directing was concerned, he was a terrific director of action, second unit director.
00:08:57.519 --> 00:09:08.320
Uh, there's a great example of him uh using a double and filming to the very best uh of the ability of the shot, which is spy hard.
00:09:08.399 --> 00:09:21.600
There's a terrific moment in spy hard where Bobby Sargent is doubling for uh uh Leslie Nielsen, has to come into the room and then flips over and lands on the back of the sofa and then Nielsen pops out again.
00:09:21.679 --> 00:09:31.360
It's beautifully done, it's absolutely momentous, and that great stuff, and he did that a lot in his career, really understanding the frame and going, right, what is exactly you need?
00:09:31.600 --> 00:09:32.879
Okay, I'll give you this.
00:09:33.039 --> 00:09:35.039
And the director was always going, Yep, that's brilliant.
00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:36.000
I couldn't do it any better.
00:09:36.080 --> 00:09:36.639
That's fantastic.
00:09:36.799 --> 00:09:38.559
Keep that, we'll do that again and again.
00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:46.720
Do you find yourself using similar bits and pieces over time, particularly as a not only as a coordinator, as a second-year director, but now as a director?
00:09:46.960 --> 00:09:51.440
Do you find are you trying to edit as you go along and thinking that's a good shot?
00:09:51.519 --> 00:09:56.080
Uh and I'll cut to there, and that'll be a nice little moment to cut away through this.
00:09:56.159 --> 00:09:58.320
Do you do that the way that your dad used to do?
00:09:58.639 --> 00:09:59.679
Yeah, it's a million percent.
00:09:59.919 --> 00:10:01.840
You know what happened was on my first feature.
00:10:02.000 --> 00:10:11.679
I was, you know, at that point, when you hadn't spent enough time in the edit bay, you kind of overshoot and shoot a bunch of stuff, and you don't you don't know how it's gonna go together.
00:10:11.840 --> 00:10:18.480
When you spent starting spending years in an edit bay, and mine started on uh two documentaries, Step into Liquid and Dust of Glory.
00:10:18.559 --> 00:10:32.799
And then on those two movies, I learned so much about editing and how to put the story together that yes, when I when I'm filming, I am I am literally in the edit in my head, and so I'm only shooting what I think I'm gonna need.
00:10:32.960 --> 00:10:35.759
And so I can sometimes they're like, but what about this part?
00:10:35.840 --> 00:10:37.600
I'm like, I'm not gonna use that, don't worry about that.
00:10:37.679 --> 00:10:42.000
I just need the moment when he tuck rolls and the cowboy switch happens, right?
00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:48.639
Also, and that's yeah, the cowboy switch has always been a wonderful tool uh that we've used with stuntman and actors all the time.
00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:50.240
And I got to watch this a lot.
00:10:50.559 --> 00:10:56.559
It's very interesting the way that for for many, many years, editors became terrific directors, right?
00:10:56.639 --> 00:11:04.480
Yeah, because they they were they were that was what they were doing, they were given the whole product and they were going that scene's running a bit long.
00:11:04.639 --> 00:11:08.879
Let's cut here and do this, and that'll make life a bit simpler for the next scene.
00:11:08.960 --> 00:11:10.480
So they're doing it as they come along.
00:11:10.639 --> 00:11:23.679
And nowadays, with the influx of what's been going on, it's stuntmen, it's stunt coordinators who are going on, they've done second unit, or they initially they go to the stuntman stage, they go to coordinating because they go, Jesus, I'm so sore.
00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:25.919
Every morning I can't do this anymore.
00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:27.440
Let's get somebody else to do this.
00:11:27.519 --> 00:11:41.200
They move to coordinating second unit, and then as directors, uh you they particularly with action, but then they have this understanding of uh the whole project and dialogue, and knowing uh this is good, let's keep this going.
00:11:41.279 --> 00:11:46.639
Uh these are the lines here, but if you want to play about with the end of this scene, that'll take us through to here.
00:11:46.720 --> 00:11:48.159
Uh, do you find that that's the case?
00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:57.120
And has it come easy to you over time adding that extra dimension of director and using those skills that you've taken up from the rest of your career?
00:11:57.679 --> 00:12:00.960
You know, there I I'll paraphrase it into a story.
00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:01.519
Uh-huh.
00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:07.440
There is an authentic moment because I know you were a stunt performer, and I obviously started at 12 doing stunts.
00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:15.279
There's a moment in the movie Hooper that Brad that that Hal directed would work.
00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:27.759
And it's such an amazing authentic moment because everyone thinks of the hoop law and hooper with you know the big car chase and the smokestack halls that Buddy Joe was driving and all that.
00:12:27.919 --> 00:13:10.320
And but really the most quintessential moment of of a stunt man is when Hal's alone in his room, he's in his underwear, he's got all his pill bottles of painkillers next to the table, and he looks in the mirror, he's in pain from doing stunts all day, and he looks in the mirror, he sucks in his gut, trying to still be the cool guy, realizing this is what it's like to really be a stuntman, and it's honesty when you're alone and in pain, and everyone then he lets his gut out and knows he's still in pain, and it was such a beautiful moment that most people don't really get that taste of.
00:13:10.559 --> 00:13:22.559
And why I bring that up is the emotion that Hal captured in that authenticity of the action movie is what made that movie special.
00:13:22.879 --> 00:13:30.799
And for me, it's like I always try to figure out within my action set pieces how do I bring emotion along for the ride?
00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:40.720
Because it makes the action better when the audience is invested in the sequences rather than sitting back, you know, and watching as a voyeur.
00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:50.960
And so for me, I try to take the best of Hal, the best of my father, making it immersive, and then putting a Tony Scott spin on it.
00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:58.879
Because for me, Tony was so wonderful at putting spectacle into a grounded element of entertainment and keeping the emotion there.
00:13:58.960 --> 00:14:02.960
And I'm like, that's kind of my my my my sweet sauce, I call it.
00:14:03.039 --> 00:14:05.200
Like it's just it's what makes action.
00:14:05.360 --> 00:14:18.639
I think people always tell me, you know, your action is so visceral and it's so kinetic, and it's so like I get so invested, and it's I guess I get excited about that because that's my intent, but it's it's not mine.
00:14:18.960 --> 00:14:23.759
I've learned that from the from the greats, you know, that really have showcased that.
00:14:24.080 --> 00:14:26.000
You you want to have the right balance, don't you?
00:14:26.080 --> 00:14:31.120
I mean you you know off the back, you know, if it's action, you know you can do that.
00:14:31.360 --> 00:14:48.960
And as the director, you'll either hand that work out to second unit for to somebody who you know is very, very capable of capturing the right thing, and you also know that you've got the stunt coordinator, you've got the right people involved to create that action, but it's everything else that now you're responsible for.
00:14:49.039 --> 00:15:07.519
You know that that's safe, but now you've got a situation where it's that physical dialogue between the two people, or as you say here, that one sequence where it's just him on his own, and he's he's giving everything to that mirror image, which then is transporting back to the audience, going, Oh, I see what this guy's talking about.
00:15:07.679 --> 00:15:09.440
Yeah, that's that's that's the important thing.
00:15:09.519 --> 00:15:12.320
If you can do that, you know, it makes him vulnerable, right?
00:15:12.480 --> 00:15:13.759
It doesn't make him a superhero.
00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:23.679
I said, like, you know, in today's climate, there's this there's this whole mantra of extraordinary men becoming ordinary, right?
00:15:23.919 --> 00:15:25.919
Superheroes becoming ordinary.
00:15:26.240 --> 00:15:28.799
I'm kind of of the vice of the other way around.
00:15:29.039 --> 00:15:33.279
I want to do stories about ordinary men making them extraordinary, right?
00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:45.600
Right, and that's kind of where those filmmakers were, and I think it's really grounded, and I think people can identify with it even more because they're like, Yeah, I'm that guy, you know.
00:15:46.159 --> 00:15:48.320
Yeah, they tick a lot of boxes, don't they?
00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:50.240
Uh, and appeals to a lot of people.
00:15:50.320 --> 00:15:58.080
And some people will see them as action movies, but some people will see them as psychological pictures that have action in them, and they work on many levels.
00:15:58.240 --> 00:16:02.240
And I think that's happened on a number of occasions in your directing career.
00:16:02.320 --> 00:16:10.480
You know, you've a new picture out at the present time, but you've got some some some uh uh certainly as far as back catalog concerns, need for speed was huge.
00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:15.039
I mean, it was a really, really huge picture, massive amounts of action.
00:16:15.200 --> 00:16:29.519
Uh, good cast, of course, you know, uh, and also with um Jackie Chan and Hidden Strike and Expendables and Stallone, you know, that the these are not pictures that are just uh bid for left, right, and center.
00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:33.919
Somebody's presumably come to you and said, We'd like you to do this picture based on what you've done before.
00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:35.919
Was that the deal with those pictures?
00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:39.120
And and how did one become the next become the next?
00:16:39.200 --> 00:16:42.720
Uh was there a procedure involved, or was it was it pure luck?
00:16:42.799 --> 00:16:44.240
I'm suspecting it wasn't.
00:16:44.559 --> 00:16:47.679
No, it's a yeah, it it's it it you're you're right on point.
00:16:47.759 --> 00:16:49.120
It's it's one begets the other.
00:16:49.279 --> 00:17:03.200
You know, I think when I proved myself as the theatrical director on my first real outing on Act of Valor, that was the one that really kind of really set me up at DreamWorks with spot was Spielberg and Stacey Snyder.
00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:09.200
They called me in and said, We got this movie, we saw Act of Valor, we loved it, and we want to do something with you.
00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:15.039
And then a month later, I got the call saying, We just bought the script and rights to Need for Speed.
00:17:15.119 --> 00:17:15.920
We want you to direct it.
00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:18.319
Come in and pitch it and listen to this.
00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:20.319
So then I was like, Okay.
00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:25.279
Um, and I read the script and I actually didn't like it.
00:17:25.359 --> 00:17:27.759
And I was like, Oh man, this is not me.
00:17:28.079 --> 00:17:31.359
This is I go uh and I call my agent, I said, I don't like the script.
00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:31.920
What do I do?
00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:34.960
Like, I'd love to work with Spielberg, like this is huge.
00:17:35.200 --> 00:17:39.200
And he says, Well, go on, he goes, Do you have a take on the script?
00:17:39.279 --> 00:17:44.400
And I'm like, Yeah, I have a whole idea how to fix it and take it in a direction that I think would be wonderful.
00:17:44.559 --> 00:17:48.400
And they said, Well, go in and pitch it, and it's a win win win-win scenario.
00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:50.240
And I said, How's that a win-win scenario?
00:17:50.319 --> 00:17:53.920
He goes, If they pit you pitch it and they take it, great, you win.
00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:56.480
If they don't, you don't do the movie, you win.
00:17:56.559 --> 00:17:58.240
And I was like, Oh, okay.
00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:04.960
So I go in, I walk in the room, and there's all the executives, and there's one empty seat next to Spielberg.
00:18:05.119 --> 00:18:13.440
And I hadn't seen Steven since the movie Hook as a kid when I was doing stunts on hook, doubling the kid on the skateboard.
00:18:13.599 --> 00:18:14.079
Yeah, yeah.
00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:17.119
And I was like, Wow, man, I wonder if Steven's ever gonna.
00:18:17.519 --> 00:18:20.079
There's no way Steven's gonna remember me.
00:18:20.160 --> 00:18:23.599
That was like 20 years ago, well, before that movie, it's got a memory like an elephant.
00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:24.880
I mean, we found this.
00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:29.519
Yeah, I sit down and I was like, uh, hey Steven.
00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:36.960
So we started, you know, idle chatting again, and he looks at me and goes, Wait, you doubled the kid on hook, didn't you?
00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:39.440
And I was like, How do you remember?
00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:40.559
Don't I know you?
00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:41.279
Yeah, exactly.
00:18:41.440 --> 00:18:42.400
It was unbelievable.
00:18:42.559 --> 00:18:43.839
And he goes, All right, what do you want to do, Scott?
00:18:44.079 --> 00:18:44.799
Do you want to pitch this?
00:18:44.880 --> 00:18:47.920
And I said, I said, Yeah, I'm really nervous.
00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:48.640
And he's like, Why?
00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:51.599
I said, because this could be a very short meeting.
00:18:51.839 --> 00:18:52.799
He's like, Why?
00:18:52.960 --> 00:19:00.640
I said, if you guys are looking to do fast and furious right now, and this guy remember, this is back on fast exactly, yeah.
00:19:01.200 --> 00:19:03.519
And I was like, I'm not the guy for that.
00:19:03.839 --> 00:19:05.119
Um you got the wrong guy.
00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:15.359
But if you want to do something like Vanishing Point, Smoking the Bandit, grounded throwback to those great car movies like Bullet, I go, I'm your guy.
00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:17.680
And he goes, That's what I want.
00:19:17.759 --> 00:19:18.480
Let me hear it.
00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:26.400
And then I got the after that meeting, I was they signed me on, and that begat uh you know, Need for Speed, begat Hidden Strike.
00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:30.319
Sly was a big fan of mine from Active Valor, and we had been trying to work together.
00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:36.720
So at that time, Hidden Strike was supposed to be Jackie Chan and Sly.
00:19:37.039 --> 00:19:40.799
And I was really whoa, that's such a cool combo.
00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:42.960
That was like, Man, I'm doing that.
00:19:43.039 --> 00:19:45.839
And then Sly ended up leaving the project to go do something else.
00:19:46.079 --> 00:19:56.720
We recast and got John Cena, which was wonderful, but then I got the call to do expendables when Simon Crane, uh, yeah, Simon Crane was supposed to do it, and he left the project.
00:19:56.880 --> 00:20:04.000
And then Sly instantly called me and said, you know, they were like, he wants you to come over and take over the show, and that's why I went to Expendables.
00:20:04.079 --> 00:20:05.279
So you're 100% right.
00:20:05.359 --> 00:20:07.359
They they kind of begat each other.
00:20:07.599 --> 00:20:11.920
Um, and our move our industry is based on relationships, it really is.
00:20:12.160 --> 00:20:12.559
It is.
00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:17.440
I mean, with the great disrespect to all those people who come up with it, it's a great we got a great idea, yeah.
00:20:17.519 --> 00:20:18.640
But who do you know?
00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:31.279
You know, I mean, it does make a big difference, and the fact that you know you've you've got baggage that comes with you, go, well, he's done this and he's done that, and we know he's good at this, so he'll be great for that, you know, was terrific.
00:20:31.599 --> 00:20:56.319
Um, and of course, the expendables thing's always been fascinating because um uh you know, there's um members of that cast who have arrived in a world where you know it is action adventure, and they've had to change the way that they look at uh uh the whole business themselves, and and taking on uh a great a great deal of that is is uh is hugely impressive for them, you know.
00:20:56.400 --> 00:21:05.839
They're they're a great many of them, with the except um Stallone's one of them, and there's uh obviously other other members of the cast that Stallone's a storyteller, that's what I admire about Stallone.
00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:11.680
He is a filmmaker to the core, and I really hit it off with Sly.
00:21:11.920 --> 00:21:14.799
He's he's a terrific person, really smart.
00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:20.079
I appreciate and really I told him, I said, Hey bud, you've been doing this a lot longer than me.
00:21:20.319 --> 00:21:26.960
And I, you know, if you have if you see something that you think I'm doing wrong or you have a great idea, please just tell me.
00:21:27.039 --> 00:21:29.839
And he's like, No, man, kid, you're doing great.
00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:35.119
I would say I wouldn't go for great, but I would just say I'm doing my best that I can.
00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:38.480
And he was terrific, and it was it was a great experience, you know.
00:21:38.559 --> 00:21:47.039
But you know, that movie actually got runner because one of the producers on Runner is was a producer on Expendables, and that's how I got the call.
00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:48.319
He said, I want to work with Scotty.
00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:55.039
Oh, I see it follows exactly what you talked about my relationships and doing one, it's a stepping stone always.
00:21:55.359 --> 00:22:11.279
And uh, a lot of the stuff uh in relation to uh The the as I said in that particular picture, but you know, guys like Jason Statham are a very good example of of those individuals who, from a UK perspective, he started out as an Olympic diver, right?
00:22:11.359 --> 00:22:17.039
So he was there as a professional diver and wanted to become a stunt man, but it never really happened for him.
00:22:17.119 --> 00:22:34.559
And then he changed direction and became an actor and understands more so the way in which the stunt profession works and and and it says, Look, I'm prepared to do just a little bit more than maybe some of the other actors are prepared, but I'm also prepared to understand from a director's point of view where they go, uh stay away from this.
00:22:34.640 --> 00:22:36.960
This is nothing to do with you, this is somewhere else.
00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:41.039
So you they they take on board that, but it's a wonderful learning curve, isn't it?
00:22:41.279 --> 00:22:48.960
Um, and I certainly feel as though uh Runner, which I've which I watched uh the other day um uh for the first time, was fabulous.
00:22:50.079 --> 00:23:06.640
I'll tell you what it is, it's a real roller coaster ride because uh you mentioned something earlier in in relation to being invested in the characters, invested in the stories, and uh the type of characters that maybe uh aren't what you expect them to be.
00:23:06.799 --> 00:23:09.119
Owen Wilson is a wonderful example of that.
00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:20.880
Alan, you expect him to be right up front doing that thing that he does really well, like Reacher, you know, like Warlord, all of that type of stuff that he just does really, really well.
00:23:21.200 --> 00:23:25.039
But the dialogue's clever, so there's a there's lots of lovely bits and pieces.
00:23:25.119 --> 00:23:34.319
But Owen Wilson is the guy that you would go, oh, he's just gonna do that Owen Wilson thing, and he doesn't, you know, he does something else, which is really, really important.
00:23:34.720 --> 00:23:41.920
Um, was casting already in place by the time you got to the project, or or was that a was that one of your choices?
00:23:42.240 --> 00:23:44.000
Uh that was one of my choices.
00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:48.640
So I was I came on, I came on with uh before after Alan, right?
00:23:48.960 --> 00:23:50.480
Was a producer star on it.
00:23:50.640 --> 00:23:54.319
Um, and then when I came on, we just started talking about who are some options.
00:23:54.559 --> 00:24:08.160
Jeffrey Greenstein, one of the producers, you know, we started bouncing ideas off, and uh, you know, Owen's name came up, and I was like, see, the part wasn't written for somebody like Owen, it was written for somebody a lot older.
00:24:08.319 --> 00:24:11.119
And I that's when like you first threw that name out.
00:24:11.200 --> 00:24:19.519
I was like, then I went, whoa, wait a minute, that could be special, you know, and especially if we just retail it a little bit.
00:24:19.680 --> 00:24:24.000
Uh and when Owen read it, you know, he he's so great.
00:24:24.160 --> 00:24:27.680
He's like, Scott, it's a page turner, man.
00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:28.960
It's a page turner.
00:24:30.240 --> 00:24:31.200
I go, Yeah, it is, isn't it?
00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:41.599
And you know, so when he signed on, I just had a really hunch that the chemistry was gonna really be magical, you know.
00:24:41.680 --> 00:24:51.279
And you're you're you're hoping, you don't really know until on the day, because it's not like old days where you know you get the actors together and they they test and read.
00:24:51.599 --> 00:24:53.279
Doesn't happen like that anymore, rarely.
00:24:53.440 --> 00:25:01.599
No, no, yeah, I see that they're all coming from projects, so on day one, you're like fingers crossed, A, they're gonna like each other, and B, it's gonna work.
00:25:01.759 --> 00:25:07.680
And then when it does, you just get this really big smile inside because you're like, Yes, this is gonna be magic.
00:25:07.759 --> 00:25:12.880
And I think we got really blessed and lucky on this movie because their chemistry is really terrific.
00:25:13.119 --> 00:25:17.599
Yeah, that's there's a there's a bunch of bits and pieces that really, really work.
00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:25.599
Um, and it is that sort of chemistry, you know, the the two of them together that that you wouldn't really expect these two to get on.
00:25:25.839 --> 00:25:36.480
Yeah, you were quite because of the situation that they find themselves in, then you know, stuff kind of happens, and all of a sudden people step up to their responsibilities.
00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:45.519
And I've got to do this in order to get through this, and and he has to concentrate on this, so which leaves me with this I've got to do this, otherwise it's all gonna fall apart.
00:25:45.599 --> 00:25:50.079
And there's a number of communications happening along the line, it's very cleverly done.
00:25:50.240 --> 00:26:02.720
Um, and as a uh a huge page turn, it's it once you start watching it, and I I watched it with my father, who's over 90, uh, but he's a big fan of action, loves a good and loves Alan.
00:26:02.799 --> 00:26:04.400
He's a big Reacher fan.
00:26:04.640 --> 00:26:09.279
So within the first 10 minutes, he was in, you know, and there's no two ways about it.
00:26:09.440 --> 00:26:13.039
He was in, yep, whatever this guy throws at me, I'm gonna go with it.
00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:18.079
And it was, it was a big ride from start to finish, and a terrific movie.
00:26:18.240 --> 00:26:34.960
The one sequence I wanted to talk about particularly, um, uh and the way in which uh the world of CGI has now uh, you know, you have to add CGI, you're not replacing bits and pieces with it, you have to add it to create an additional layer of action to what we're doing.
00:26:35.119 --> 00:26:38.640
That ambulance chase is incredibly busy.
00:26:38.880 --> 00:26:39.279
Thank you.
00:26:39.599 --> 00:26:46.319
Lots of bits and pieces going on, lots of terrific real stuff coupled with lots of terrific CGI bits and pieces.
00:26:46.559 --> 00:26:58.799
How complicated was that to break down into sections, or were you able to run it from okay, this is where we've got the location, and we're gonna add all of these physical shots and then add the rest of the bits and pieces later.
00:26:58.960 --> 00:27:02.960
Was it as simple as that, or did you have to break it down into smaller sections?
00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:08.000
It was an elaborate shot that took uh a lot of pre-vis.
00:27:08.319 --> 00:27:11.920
It was something that I had been, I knew where technology was, you know.
00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:15.440
I've I've I've done so much car work in my career.
00:27:15.599 --> 00:27:16.000
Yeah, yeah.
00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:21.200
Commercials and the need for speed, and I kind of was wanting to push myself.
00:27:21.359 --> 00:27:32.079
And I was like, how can I really immerse and have the ending of this of the biggest action set piece before we get to the hospital really be something special?
00:27:32.240 --> 00:27:37.200
And I pitched this to the producers, and they kind of looked at me like I was an alien.
00:27:37.359 --> 00:27:38.799
They're like, You're gonna do what?
00:27:39.039 --> 00:27:47.359
I'm like, Yeah, this camera's gonna fly in this one, out, out, back to the other one, and through the cars and cars turning over and back inside.
00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:50.240
And they're like, How are you gonna do that?
00:27:50.400 --> 00:27:54.160
And I'm like, We're gonna do it practically and then have enhancements with it.
00:27:54.240 --> 00:27:56.559
And they're like, Right, how are you doing?
00:27:57.359 --> 00:27:58.319
How are you doing that?
00:27:58.480 --> 00:28:17.839
And there's a magic to it, but it just took a lot of thought and finding the location that would lend that, you know, it was a long run, and I wanted it to be in an environment where I could actually execute, um, and and also an environment that's very quintessential Gold Coast.
00:28:18.079 --> 00:28:24.000
So there was a lot of things that went into that last moment of the car chase that was super fun.
00:28:24.079 --> 00:28:27.039
And yeah, you know, they have these conversations just on with me.
00:28:27.119 --> 00:28:47.839
I was a president of Stunts Limited in at 29 years old, and I was the youngest stunt got man to ever be uh the president, and I was president of all my heroes, and it was the weirdest, it was so uncomfortable when I'm telling Buddy Joe Hooker and Glenn Wilder, you know, like hey, I'm your president, and they but they were always so respectful.
00:28:48.000 --> 00:29:10.000
But they asked me to go on a show in 2000 with Peter Goober, and the show was because Titanic had just came out, and they want they were saying the stunt man was gonna become obsolete, and the so they had me representing the stunt community and they had a head VFX artist, and that was the round table of yeah, uh stuntman will be obsolete in several years.
00:29:10.079 --> 00:29:12.319
We won't need stuntman anymore.
00:29:12.480 --> 00:29:15.519
And I was like, I completely disagree with this.
00:29:15.599 --> 00:29:42.160
Yeah, I in the yeah, so we went at it and I was like, I'm telling you, VFX is a tool, it's not a replacement tool, it's a tool so that we can probably do things even more dangerous, but now figure out ways because we know we can do paint removal and remove pads and remove safety gear, we can make stunts now more repeatable and and safer, even though they're bigger.
00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:46.160
So that we're now 26 years later.
00:29:46.480 --> 00:29:48.880
Stunt men are still doing what we've always done.
00:29:48.960 --> 00:29:52.559
Yep, and now there's this conversation right about AI.
00:29:52.960 --> 00:30:06.000
That's literally the same playbook that we had about CGI, and again, it's a tool, it's a tool, and I used I didn't we uh uh AI wasn't uh uh it just this last year is the real pioneer of it.
00:30:06.079 --> 00:30:19.839
So last year it was CGI that really helped me execute the the the ambulance chase to figure out ways that were physically impossible to put the camera uh in ways that I could.
00:30:20.079 --> 00:30:20.640
Yeah.
00:30:21.200 --> 00:30:22.319
And that's the beauty of it.
00:30:22.400 --> 00:30:25.519
Again, you know, you we look at the combinations between the two.
00:30:25.759 --> 00:30:28.799
CGI allows you to go that little bit further, you know.
00:30:29.039 --> 00:30:36.400
Prior to that, you'd think it would be great if I could do this, but I can't, so that's gonna have to be a cutaway shot inside the vehicle.
00:30:36.559 --> 00:30:41.519
There's the dialogue, voom, to the to the to the shot of the of the vehicle passing physically.
00:30:41.680 --> 00:30:58.079
Now you can make those shots where here's the shot, you see the problem arriving, you then turn and go inside the cockpit to have the dialogue, and then go out the driver's side to see the other side of the vehicle as it approaches the problem, makes the change, there's two vehicles passing together.
00:30:58.240 --> 00:30:59.599
You then go, and it's brilliant.
00:30:59.680 --> 00:31:01.599
It really pushes everything on.
00:31:01.759 --> 00:31:04.880
But there was that period of time where you couldn't do that, you know.
00:31:05.039 --> 00:31:12.160
And I can understand maybe that the the VFX people going, well, it you know, we can do better, and we won't need you to do this.
00:31:12.400 --> 00:31:17.359
But you know, you you do it, get a a stunt man to do a fall, a high fall, for instance.
00:31:17.680 --> 00:31:22.160
Nowadays they do the first 50, 60, maybe 70 feet at a push.
00:31:22.319 --> 00:31:25.119
Very rarely are people doing a hundred, hundred plus anymore.
00:31:25.279 --> 00:31:31.839
You do 50 or 60 feet into an airbag, and and and the CGI does the remaining 300 feet in its own way, yeah.
00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:32.319
Exactly.
00:31:32.799 --> 00:31:37.440
You still need them to do the job, it just enhances what you've already given.
00:31:37.519 --> 00:31:41.200
Uh you know, I'd say what you said is truly classic.
00:31:41.359 --> 00:31:44.960
So I had retired, I was 30 years old.
00:31:45.200 --> 00:31:49.279
There's another another stunt pioneer named Ron Stein.
00:31:49.359 --> 00:31:54.799
He so Ronnie, you know, he coordinated Rocky and did all the fights for Rocky and all that.
00:31:55.440 --> 00:31:56.319
I did a bunch of stuff.
00:31:56.400 --> 00:31:56.960
That's like again.
00:31:57.039 --> 00:32:07.759
I'm still in my transition between stunt man to director, and I had become president stunts limited, but by that time I was directing, and I the stunt community is just dear to my heart.
00:32:07.920 --> 00:32:14.799
And Ron calls me, I'm 32 years old, and he goes, Scott, do you know what your swan song was?
00:32:15.039 --> 00:32:23.200
And I was like, I don't even remember, Ron, what my last stunt was because it's just kind of just my career was just kind of fizzling out as I was really pushing directing.
00:32:23.359 --> 00:32:28.480
And he goes, Well, I got your swan song, and I'm like, Oh no, Ron, don't.
00:32:28.640 --> 00:32:33.759
And he goes, he goes, 110 feet backwards to a car top.
00:32:34.000 --> 00:32:36.400
And I was like, I started laughing.
00:32:36.559 --> 00:32:38.400
I said, You're out of your mind, bro.
00:32:38.480 --> 00:32:39.279
I'm not doing that.
00:32:39.440 --> 00:32:40.720
And he goes, think about it, Scott.
00:32:40.799 --> 00:32:42.079
It's your swan song.
00:32:42.160 --> 00:32:44.799
You're gonna be able to remember that stuff for the rest of your life.
00:32:45.039 --> 00:32:48.160
It'll be on my tombstone, is what it's what I said to you, right?
00:32:48.319 --> 00:32:51.599
And and I, you know, and he was so good to me.
00:32:51.680 --> 00:33:00.960
Uh, you know, when you're early in your directing career, you know, you're not really making ends meet financially, so you got to keep doing stunts to pay Rob Paul to pay Peter.
00:33:01.119 --> 00:33:04.319
And so I was I I was so indebted to Ron.
00:33:04.400 --> 00:33:09.039
And I'm like, you know what, Ron, I'm gonna do it, but it's only because of you.
00:33:09.200 --> 00:33:11.039
I'm only gonna do this because of you.
00:33:11.200 --> 00:33:20.319
And so I called my pops, who was still alive, and I'm like, Dad, Ron wants me to do this high fall backwards 110 to a car top, and he was like, He wants you to do what?
00:33:20.480 --> 00:33:24.880
And I said, Yeah, and you need to be there because if I don't make it, you need to take over.
00:33:25.119 --> 00:33:35.440
And and it was doing it was awesome because my dad was there, and you know, look, I mean, we all know behind the stunts, like you know, was it an was it was it was that the truth?
00:33:35.680 --> 00:33:42.880
No, I had to do a descender for 100 feet because now we are at that technology side, right?
00:33:43.039 --> 00:34:00.000
Yeah, you're still doing a descender, and then I had to reload up 20 feet on the descender and do a quick release from 20 feet to the drop onto the roof, but that was and that was the worst part because that was you can see my head wishbone from my sternum to the back of my neck.
00:34:01.359 --> 00:34:05.680
I remember leaving they had a profile shot, and you can see my head whip like that.
00:34:05.759 --> 00:34:07.599
And I got off the car and I looked at Ron.
00:34:07.680 --> 00:34:09.199
I go, That's it, bro.
00:34:09.360 --> 00:34:10.000
I'm done.
00:34:10.079 --> 00:34:10.400
That's it.
00:34:10.559 --> 00:34:14.559
He's yeah, you you you know full well somebody's gonna go, you got one more in you.
00:34:14.719 --> 00:34:16.800
No, I haven't got any more in me.
00:34:16.880 --> 00:34:17.519
You're done, right?
00:34:17.599 --> 00:34:19.440
That's yeah, it was wonderful, you know.
00:34:19.519 --> 00:34:31.199
But the technology really let us accomplish that, and um, it still didn't go without bruises and banged up, but uh it's it's technology's really kind of give me a real look on where we can continue.
00:34:31.440 --> 00:34:57.599
It's always a very interesting factor, the the fact that um uh you know there's a there's a lot of people get into action these days um uh who maybe aren't so used to taking that knock or being uh understanding that you are gonna come out with bumps and bruises, you are gonna come out with you know scratches, you may even come out with you know a dislocation here or there, or a break at the very worst.
00:34:57.760 --> 00:34:59.679
And then beyond that, that's out of your hands.
00:34:59.760 --> 00:35:01.760
That's something that might not have been tracked at all.
00:35:02.000 --> 00:35:36.480
However, um a lot of people coming from uh then gymnastic backgrounds, obviously, and and various other bits and pieces, but very rarely do you find people who come from physical contact sport who are very familiar with taking that constant pounding or are aware of like foot, like American football, for instance, is a very good example, uh, not so much here in in uh in Europe or UK with with soccer, but particularly with a rugby, with that contact sport the hot time and time again, repeating that over and over again, which you would need to do on a set if you're asked to do so.
00:35:36.639 --> 00:35:42.480
Um, do you think that that's uh uh an interesting thing, or maybe something that's coming from different angles?
00:35:42.559 --> 00:35:52.559
You have stunt hustles over there in the States, which we don't have, but you know, you look at somebody's resume and go, uh, okay, you've been modeling for three years and you just fancy a change.
00:35:52.639 --> 00:35:54.960
I'm not entirely certain this might be for you.
00:35:55.199 --> 00:35:59.840
However, if you've come back for oh, I see you've been playing, you know, tight end here and you've been doing that.
00:35:59.920 --> 00:36:01.039
And oh, that's interesting.
00:36:01.119 --> 00:36:04.480
So maybe maybe you would look upon them in in a slightly different light.
00:36:04.800 --> 00:36:11.119
You know, I just grew up, John, in a different environment, a different era of the stunt man.
00:36:11.360 --> 00:36:20.960
So when I grew up in the 70s, right, in the 80s, we were required to do everything, so that you weren't a specialist, right?
00:36:21.039 --> 00:36:28.880
Right, you had to you had to race bikes, flip cars, be proficient at fights, high falls, horses.
00:36:29.119 --> 00:36:42.559
You had to, you know, fire, you had to do all of it because when you double an actor in a movie like I did with Andy Garcia in Desperate Measures, I was I was on bikes, cars, out windows, like it was one of those things you had to be well.
00:36:43.039 --> 00:36:44.400
Oh, boxes ticked, yeah, absolutely.
00:36:44.559 --> 00:36:47.840
Yeah, and now I'm seeing there's more specialists coming in.
00:36:48.079 --> 00:36:51.920
Oh, here's the fight double, here's the car double, right?
00:36:52.000 --> 00:37:04.960
And it's and it's really interesting because you know, they're so they're like Olympic athletes now in those lanes, but a lot of them aren't as well-rounded as what we needed to be then.
00:37:05.039 --> 00:37:07.440
But even then, the the stunt community was smaller.
00:37:07.519 --> 00:37:19.119
There was you know, stunts a limited was 48 guys, you know, so every and it was so the the the group and the people coming in, you know, it was a family, so everybody knew each other.
00:37:19.199 --> 00:37:28.880
Now that the community's so large, um, it's rare that I get a chance to work with some of my some of my mentors and all that because I've been working overseas for the last 10 years.
00:37:29.119 --> 00:37:30.000
Absolutely, yeah, of course.
00:37:30.239 --> 00:37:31.440
And uh, you know what?
00:37:31.519 --> 00:37:35.199
You said something, if you don't mind, I'd love to tell you this story because this is the truth.
00:37:35.760 --> 00:37:38.719
I was working I because you said broken bones.
00:37:38.880 --> 00:37:44.159
Yeah, I broke my leg, is what started my directing career, right?
00:37:44.480 --> 00:37:57.280
And this is a thing for people to say, like, you know, when you're down and out and you realize what good can come from this, and I broke my leg working for a great stunt coordinator named J uh uh Jeff Dashnaugh.
00:37:57.519 --> 00:37:59.280
Oh, yeah, absolutely, right?
00:37:59.360 --> 00:38:03.679
So Houndy calls me and says, I got this rollerblading stunt, need you to come off these rails, and blah blah.
00:38:04.000 --> 00:38:08.320
So I uh was a hockey player, so I was proficient on rollerblades.
00:38:08.400 --> 00:38:17.199
So, anyways, they put the pads in a very interesting way, and my leg went through pads and my body kept going, so I snapped my femur, right?
00:38:17.360 --> 00:38:24.000
And then I was out for six months, and Jeff felt so bad, he was so wonderful, kept calling me.
00:38:24.079 --> 00:38:25.039
You know, how you doing, buddy?
00:38:25.119 --> 00:38:26.400
How you doing that, anyways?
00:38:26.480 --> 00:38:40.400
He had a big show come up called Desperate Measures, and I was I was starting to work uh in rehab, and he goes, Hey, why don't you come out and read for a part, you know, and just play a little bit part so I can keep you know getting used to making some money back, man?
00:38:40.639 --> 00:38:47.199
Because at the time I was on workers' comp and he goes, uh so I get there, I read for the part, and I go, Hey, who's who's the lead of this movie?
00:38:47.360 --> 00:38:49.119
And he goes, Andy Garcia.
00:38:49.360 --> 00:38:52.079
And I said, Oh wow, who's doubling Andy Garcia?
00:38:52.320 --> 00:38:55.519
And he says, Oh, Rick LaFever's not available right now, so we're looking.
00:38:55.679 --> 00:38:56.960
I go, Really?
00:38:57.679 --> 00:38:59.360
Who's doubling Andy Garcia?
00:38:59.519 --> 00:39:03.039
And I gave him a look, and he goes, You would be a great double.
00:39:03.199 --> 00:39:04.960
You're a very good double, there's no doubt about that.
00:39:05.039 --> 00:39:05.360
Absolutely.
00:39:05.679 --> 00:39:07.679
So here's the serendipitous of all this.
00:39:07.840 --> 00:39:10.800
I go on to that show, I'll make the story hopefully a lot shorter right now.
00:39:10.960 --> 00:39:13.039
I go on that show, I make a lot of money.
00:39:13.119 --> 00:39:18.719
I was so blessed on that show, but I used all that money to finance my first feature, right?
00:39:18.960 --> 00:39:23.199
And because I had and broke my broke my leg, Jeff felt indebted to me.
00:39:23.360 --> 00:39:28.639
I got that gig, able to make enough movie, enough money to finance my first film.
00:39:28.800 --> 00:39:31.440
That's the reason my directing career started off.
00:39:31.679 --> 00:39:32.079
There we go.
00:39:32.320 --> 00:39:38.159
Now you ripple this 25 years later, and guess who I'm working with and now directing.
00:39:38.400 --> 00:39:39.280
Andy Garcia.
00:39:39.519 --> 00:39:40.960
Andy Garcia, full circle.
00:39:41.039 --> 00:39:45.599
And he saw, I mean, he goes, Oh my god, Scott, I haven't seen you in 20 years.
00:39:45.679 --> 00:39:47.920
And I was like, Andy, this is amazing.
00:39:48.159 --> 00:39:49.760
Not W, I'm directing you.
00:39:49.840 --> 00:39:51.440
Yeah, these and he was so wonderful.
00:39:51.599 --> 00:39:53.920
And he was well, this is this is always the way, isn't it?
00:39:54.000 --> 00:39:58.719
You know, they the there's a bunch of stunt coordinators who go, I'm not gonna do performing anymore.
00:39:58.800 --> 00:40:03.360
I think I'll, you know, this hurts every morning, and and this and this this is taking longer to fix.
00:40:03.519 --> 00:40:05.280
And then you make that additional transition.
00:40:05.360 --> 00:40:10.400
So it's interesting you say that that leg break then brought you into uh into directing.
00:40:10.559 --> 00:40:27.840
Um, just to to to kind of finalize what we've done here in conclusion, um, there's a little thing that I like to do uh uh with all of my guests, which is to take three occasions, and I don't prompt them on this, which is why the expression on your face will be the one that goes, Oh my god, what do you want me to do?
00:40:28.159 --> 00:40:41.760
But the idea is is to remember three occasions, either as a performer or as a coordinator, where you absolutely 100% have looked, thought about it, and thought, I couldn't do any better.
00:40:41.920 --> 00:40:48.159
That was absolutely the best of my ability to there, and it works on screen, and I'm really proud of that.
00:40:48.639 --> 00:40:54.880
Are there three occasions in your career that you can go, yes, definitely that one as a performer or as a coordinator?
00:40:54.960 --> 00:40:56.639
I'm prepared to take either all.
00:40:57.280 --> 00:41:08.480
Or as a director, or well, yes, uh under the circumstances, I will I will allow what give me one example as a director, maybe, and then the other two as either a coordinator or a performer.
00:41:08.719 --> 00:41:23.039
I think the execution of that ambulance sequence for me is I'm most proud of because of absolutely it took my stunt background and knowledge and everything I have learned from all of my mentors to pull that off.
00:41:23.519 --> 00:41:30.800
So uh I'm very proud of that, and it was super uh uh very difficult to do.
00:41:31.119 --> 00:41:36.800
But um, there was a stunt I did on uh desperate measures that I'm very proud of uh at the time.
00:41:36.960 --> 00:41:44.079
It was sliding a motorcycle, a cop bike through a plate glass windows down a hospital corridor.
00:41:44.800 --> 00:41:47.679
Okay, yes, and that was for Jeff for Houndy.
00:41:47.760 --> 00:41:52.000
And he was like, uh you know, I'm a small guy, let's let's just call it like it.
00:41:52.320 --> 00:41:56.960
I'm 5'8, so to be on a 1200cc motorcycle that's that's a lot of motorcycle, yeah.
00:41:57.119 --> 00:42:07.599
It's a lot of motorcycle for a little man like me, and uh to to slide that through there and hit a mark, and like Jeff goes, they want you to hit right here when you end your slide so that they it's into the camera.
00:42:07.760 --> 00:42:11.679
And I'm like, Jeff, I'm just trying to get it through the window, bro.
00:42:14.960 --> 00:42:26.960
And it was one of those things where it just everything clicked together and slice slid right to the camera, and um, and I was happy because Jeff really went out on a limb for me to double Andy to begin with.
00:42:27.039 --> 00:42:31.360
So uh that was I guess that that would be my second story for you.
00:42:31.679 --> 00:42:32.000
Okay.
00:42:33.920 --> 00:42:35.199
Here's a classic.
00:42:36.079 --> 00:42:37.199
I'll take a classic, yes.
00:42:37.760 --> 00:42:38.880
Act of valor.
00:42:40.079 --> 00:42:47.119
We are we have edited the movie and we needed to go back to do some reshoots to add more bad guys.
00:42:47.440 --> 00:43:44.960
So we we go back to this area in Costa Rica, and we had hired a bunch of local stunt guys, we did all the stunts with them, and then we had we ran out, and now we're in this one section of the house where I needed to squib and shoot somebody, and I'm the only guy I was waiting for that could be on that Latino side, so and mind you, we're a crew of like three people, so I'm directing behind the camera, and I'm rolling, and I hand the camera off to my DP, I run in front, and then I go, hold on, then we didn't have a special effects, so I got cardboard because we needed smoke, so I light cardboard, put all this smoke all through the room, throw the cardboard down, pick up this plastic gun, and start shooting, and then die before the smoke generates.
00:43:45.840 --> 00:43:48.960
We were laughing so hard, going, This is never gonna work.
00:43:49.119 --> 00:43:50.559
This is ridiculous.
00:43:50.960 --> 00:43:53.119
And yet and yet it's in the movie.
00:43:53.599 --> 00:43:54.719
It's in the movie, man.
00:43:54.800 --> 00:43:59.840
It was one of those moments where it makes you it makes you as a filmmaker.
00:44:00.800 --> 00:44:07.039
Realize sometimes you don't need all the hoopla you don't need the three.
00:44:07.199 --> 00:44:11.599
I mean, when I was on Hidden Strike, my crew was 700 people.
00:44:11.840 --> 00:44:12.159
Wow.
00:44:12.559 --> 00:44:13.599
It was so massive.
00:44:13.679 --> 00:44:22.400
And to be on a crew a movie like Act of Valor, where sometimes we were a crew of three doing a major theatrical film, it's just kind of makes me.
00:44:22.559 --> 00:44:25.280
I tell that story to other people going, you know what?
00:44:25.440 --> 00:44:30.079
The only limitation you have now as a filmmaker is your imagination.
00:44:30.320 --> 00:44:30.880
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:44:31.280 --> 00:44:35.519
It's not it's not it's not finances because we all have phones and edit bases.
00:44:35.679 --> 00:44:40.079
You don't you don't need money, you just need imagination, and sometimes it's that that's all it takes.
00:44:40.159 --> 00:44:42.719
And you know, stunts is really a huge part of that.
00:44:43.039 --> 00:44:48.320
You uh you've proved that there with um, you know, as you say yourself, years gone by.
00:44:48.400 --> 00:44:59.599
If you didn't have the money to back or somebody to to back a project, then you were done, you were dead in the water, and now you don't need to because of where we are technology-wise, you're able to do it.
00:44:59.679 --> 00:45:05.039
People are making movies, cinema releases on their phone these days, you know, and that type of work.
00:45:05.119 --> 00:45:20.880
Um, and you've proved with your work, not only as a stunt man and a coordinator and a second unit, and also as a director, that the possibilities of combining really good stories with very imaginative action are very, very plausible.
00:45:20.960 --> 00:45:27.360
And and you you prove that with Runner, uh, which uh I urge people to go and see uh when the picture comes out.
00:45:28.079 --> 00:45:30.480
September 11th, I think the week of September 11th.
00:45:30.559 --> 00:45:32.000
Is that a worldwide release?
00:45:32.239 --> 00:45:34.239
Yes, yeah, worldwide September 11th.
00:45:34.320 --> 00:45:36.880
Yeah, yeah, so absolutely well worth watching.
00:45:36.960 --> 00:45:43.280
It's a spectacular picture from start to finish, huge fun, and uh I I know it's gonna be a big success.
00:45:43.360 --> 00:45:47.760
And uh huge thanks to you for uh for for bringing it to uh to the audience.
00:45:47.920 --> 00:45:49.519
And and uh what are the possibilities next?
00:45:49.599 --> 00:45:52.079
Obviously, you're working again now with Andy Garcia.
00:45:52.320 --> 00:45:53.760
Uh what's happening in the future?
00:45:53.840 --> 00:45:54.639
Can you talk about that?
00:45:54.719 --> 00:45:57.679
Are you able to give us any tidbits along the way to look out for?
00:45:58.079 --> 00:46:05.199
No, uh I am in prep for my next film we're casting right now, uh, but still under wraps.
00:46:05.280 --> 00:46:09.599
But I might I might be moving, it's in it's in the sci-fi genre.
00:46:09.760 --> 00:46:30.320
So it's uh, you know, obviously still grounded action, but it's got a whole sci-fi component that I'm just thought would be a lot of fun to kind of branch out a little bit and and uh broaden my horizons, but even though it's kind of you know still within my wheelhouse of grounded stunt, grounded action, uh, but uh something that I'm really excited about.
00:46:30.400 --> 00:46:33.199
And John, thank you for bringing light to the stunt world.
00:46:33.360 --> 00:46:39.519
You know, it's uh we remain in the shadows for a very long time, and a lot of us are really kind of proud of that.
00:46:39.599 --> 00:46:52.159
And it's uh when then when you see the old pioneers pass away, you know, uh it it I we just lost a real famous uh Stunts Limited member named Jay and Roberts.
00:46:52.400 --> 00:46:53.119
That's right, yeah.
00:46:53.440 --> 00:47:01.280
Jay and just passed, and it just you go back to those guys that were just you know doing it for real, man.
00:47:01.519 --> 00:47:06.079
Like no pads, no cables, none of that stuff.
00:47:06.159 --> 00:47:16.159
And you're seeing that era die off, and it's a real, it's a real, you know, shame, but also it makes you really proud of where we were and where we've come from.
00:47:16.400 --> 00:47:21.440
And just these guys just put a runway for all of us.
00:47:21.519 --> 00:47:23.280
I mean, I'm only here because of them.
00:47:23.519 --> 00:47:23.920
Yeah, yeah.
00:47:24.000 --> 00:47:24.400
No, I'm sure.
00:47:24.639 --> 00:47:26.719
Everything I've learned is because of them.
00:47:26.960 --> 00:47:42.000
So uh I'm hoping that you know I can carry on that tradition to my sons who do want to get into the same field and be the third generation, you know, from my family, because it's it's something that that's the only way we can continue on.
00:47:42.559 --> 00:47:58.159
I mean, here in the in the UK, we have the the the BSR, the British Stunt Register, and I was lucky enough in February to uh spend the day with Stunts Unlimited and being in that office and and and being surrounded by all this extraordinary the air's different in there.
00:47:58.480 --> 00:48:13.440
I I you know I was I was uh I I had I had Buddy Joe Hooker, um, I had Greg Barnett, I had Alan Olony all in the same room, and I did an interview with them all, and then I went out for coffee and I came back and Eddie Braun just popped in to say hello.
00:48:13.760 --> 00:48:16.000
Oh my god, you know, the whole thing was just extraordinary.
00:48:16.079 --> 00:48:18.079
It's a remarkable thing to do.
00:48:18.159 --> 00:48:19.920
Uh, and I enjoyed it enormously.
00:48:20.320 --> 00:48:28.079
And it uh it really, as you say yourself, you have all these pictures and all this stuff around the walls, and going, This is where it all started, you know, this is where it started.
00:48:28.880 --> 00:48:55.039
Uh, you know, I you know, I have a tattoo of the emblem of Sun Sul Limited on my bicep, and it's something that I'm so proud of to be able to be a part of it, even though I'm I'm an honorary member now, I'm not a part of the organization at first hand, but it's just what a thrill for my life to be a part of those men because they were they're all so talented and so great, and just the stories are endless, right?
00:48:55.119 --> 00:48:59.119
As you have talked to some of these legends, the stories are endless.
00:48:59.360 --> 00:49:06.400
Stories that you heard, and then stories that you've never heard, and then stories that you know, but not like this, and they come at it from a different angle.
00:49:06.719 --> 00:49:09.519
Oh, I see that makes a whole lot of difference to where that story comes from.
00:49:09.679 --> 00:49:10.800
Yeah, fascinating.
00:49:10.880 --> 00:49:16.880
Uh, you could talk to Buddy Joe all day about just random bits and pieces, and he'll give you all sorts of stuff.
00:49:17.039 --> 00:49:17.760
Spectacular.
00:49:17.840 --> 00:49:19.519
Uh Scott, thank you very much indeed.
00:49:19.599 --> 00:49:21.760
Uh, I wish you all the very best with the picture.
00:49:21.920 --> 00:49:28.880
Uh, please get back in touch with us, and we'll do uh we'll do more with you uh when your uh your next project comes out.
00:49:28.960 --> 00:49:31.360
And uh we look forward to the big release of this one.
00:49:31.440 --> 00:49:33.039
So for now, thank you very much indeed.
00:49:33.440 --> 00:49:34.400
Yeah, thank you, John.
00:49:34.559 --> 00:49:35.440
Appreciate it.
00:49:35.679 --> 00:49:37.679
There you go, that's it for now.
00:49:37.840 --> 00:49:45.519
I hope you've enjoyed that and more on Friday as we dive a little deeper into Scott's career on the YouTube channel.
00:49:45.760 --> 00:49:48.320
So until then, it's bye for now.
