SKILLS
Six sports, to a high standard
To join the British Stunt Register you need qualifications in at least six sporting disciplines, including a compulsory fighting skill, each backed by at least a year's experience.
See the gradesA good stunt looks reckless and is anything but.
Stunt performers stand in for actors whenever a script calls for something dangerous or specialised. The craft behind it is rehearsal, risk assessment and years of sports training, checked by a UK register of peers.
- Rehearse for weeks
- Assess every risk
- Pad up, then perform
- Danger on screen, care behind it
THE SHORT ANSWER
Athletes first,
then performers.
Stunt work is a skilled trade.
Three things sit behind every shot.
SAFETY
Planned down to the detail
Performers rehearse for weeks before filming, complete a full risk assessment for each stunt and wear protective kit such as body pads, fire suits and wetsuits.
How a stunt is made
RECOGNITION
An Oscar at last
The Academy has created an award for achievement in stunt design. The first will be presented in 2028 at the 100th Oscars, for films released in 2027.
See the numbers
FOUR STAGES OF A STUNT
From script page
to safe take.
Every stunt follows the same careful path, so that it can be performed again and again without injury.
Plan with the production
Performers plan each stunt with production staff, usually under the supervision of a stunt coordinator.
Assess the risks
A full risk assessment is written for each stunt, with detailed paperwork, before anyone rehearses it.
Rehearse for weeks
Rehearsals can run for weeks or a couple of months before filming, until every detail is in place.
Pad up and perform
On the day, body pads, fire suits or wetsuits let the stunt be performed multiple times without injury.
TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING
A high bar to join,
a long wait for the gold.
One figure on getting in,
one on getting recognised.
6 disciplines
Sporting disciplines needed to apply
Applicants need qualifications in at least six sports across four of five groups: fighting (compulsory), falling, riding and driving, agility and strength, and water.
BRITISH STUNT REGISTER
2028
First Oscar for stunt design
Announced in April 2025 after more than three decades of lobbying, the stunt design award will first be presented at the 100th Oscars in 2028, honouring films released in 2027.
THE ACADEMY · 2025 ANNOUNCEMENT
The register was founded in 1973 to list stunt performers separately from actors and supporting artists. Since 2017 it has run as a members' association based at Pinewood Studios.
A QUICK GRADE CHECK
What can each
grade do?
The British Stunt Register uses a five-tier grade scheme. Pick a grade to see where it sits; the bar shows how much responsibility it carries.
Summarised from published descriptions of the British Stunt Register grade scheme. Exact criteria are set by the BSR and reviewed regularly.
THE SKILLS BEHIND THE SHOT
Falls, fights,
cars and horses.
Stunt performers draw on highly developed sporting skills: gymnastics, high-diving or trampolining for falls, martial arts for fights, swimming and diving, horse riding and advanced driving for chases and crashes.
Applicants also need a combination of acting experience and drama training and time on a film set, for example as an observer or extra. New members take the register's Level 1 health and safety course when they join.
In conversation
Questions people ask
How do you become a stunt performer in the UK?
The usual route is the British Stunt Register's grading scheme. You need qualifications in at least six sports across set groups, including a compulsory fighting discipline, plus acting experience and time on set.
Is there an age limit?
Applicants to the British Stunt Register must be at least 18. There is no upper age limit.
How do stunt performers stay safe?
Through planning and protective kit. Each stunt has a full risk assessment, rehearsals can last weeks, and performers wear body pads, fire suits or wetsuits as needed.
Can a new stunt performer work alone?
No. Probationary members of the register may only work under a British Stunt Registered coordinator. Senior Stunt Performers can risk-assess and work alone if no one else is involved.
Is there an Oscar for stunts?
Yes, from 2028. The Academy announced in 2025 a new award for achievement in stunt design, first presented at the 100th Oscars for films released in 2027.
Sources
Each figure on this page comes from the sources below.