Setting someone on fire, live.

Kyle Stebbins

Kyle Stebbins

AD GURU
Hey everyone. This isn't a post-production element of the project, but I think it will fit in here just fine.

:violent5:

I'm setting my lead actor on fire for a tv and web spot. I'm located in Nebraska, so stunt men/women are few and far between. I've done my research, I've reached a hand out to a certified stunt actor who will be part of the team, we will have an EMT on site, along with a few crew members carrying wet blankets, towels, and a fire extinguisher.

We have purchased kevlar sleeves, all the necessary gels, fireproof clothing, as well as a fireproof cloth (for the table cloth in the scene).

The reason I'm posting, is to reach yet another hand out to the trusty dvxuser community for tips, stories, insights, and otherwise helpful comments for myself and my crew.

I'll be perusing the site for more information on fire stunts as well.

Thanks in advance,

stebbs
 
Last edited:
Make sure you get the shot right the first time, and remember that the gel will not light up right after it diffuses for a while. Has your stunt person done this actual stunt before? I hope so, both for safety and efficiency.
 
The stunt guy will be no more than a resource for us, and hopefully one that will be on set the day of the shoot. That's what I'm planning for at least.

The lead actor will be the one whose sleeve we will be igniting.
 
I will tell you now, find a way to use the stunt guy as a body double, if he has done it before. It gets hot real fast with stunt fire. And it will be really easy for your lead to panic. There is a certain way to move to help dissipate the heat. But that needs to be choreographed into what the lead is actually supposed to be doing. He will be on fire, that kind of sets natural reactions in place, namely fear and panic.

And be careful about breathing. Inhale flame, and it is a long stay in the hospital, if not in the morgue. 1st and 2nd degree pulmonary burns can be fatal. The fumes/smoke alone will gag you.

I know nothing I can say will dissuade you, but what you are going to be doing is extremely dangerous, especially with an inexperienced (as to fire stunts) actor doing the actual stunt. Personally, try to get a medic on set, not just an EMT. Someone that can set up an IV, give pain meds, etc. You are stepping into dangerous ground.
 
Last edited:
ill just go on record and say this is the worst idea in the stunt section ive come acrossed in a long time. ..just a bad bad bad very very very bad idea. please do not proceed untill you find someone who is trained for this type of thing. as Doc Bernard pointed out theres just so much that can go wrong with a stunt like this. thats the best advice i have in this case.
 
Man ever since I read this, it's been on my mind. So, yes, dead horse beating here we come.

Is your "certified" stunt actor/coordinator prepared for the outcome if this goes wrong? Is he insured for this type of responsibility? Hell, I understand fire stunts, and I have been stunt coordinating a while, and I would never put an untrained actor in that position, no matter how much they told me they could do it. I would not put a trained stunt man in that position, unless they have had fire training. I would do it myself before I put anyone else in that position.

You may have the equipment and a stunt guy "advising", but you even said yourself, he may not even be on set the day of the stunt. I smell something fishy. If I have someone do a dangerous stunt, I will very well be on set, or the stunt is not done. Or not advise at all. There is a HUGE responsibility here, and by him not being there............

This bothers me a lot. Sorry, but I personally don't think you or your film has any business trying to pull this off without competent people on set before/during/after the stunt, from the advisor to the stunt performer to the medical assistance. And, by your own admission, you don't have any of the above.

Indie film-making has it share of "rule-bending", sneaking in to shoot a scene guerilla-style without a permit. Worst case: a ticket, trip downtown, gear confiscated. That's worst case. But the worst case here, someone dies or is permanently maimed. Are you willing to take that chance with someone else's life just for a film? This goes wrong, everyone associated with this project will have their lives ruined. Lawsuits will fly, people will go to jail for very serious charges. If it doesn't go bad, everyone who is a professional will see you as a reckless individual who plays God with the lives of others just to get a project done the way you think it should be done. This will not be a good one for the demo reel. It will hurt you, even if it doesn't go bad. And well, this is a public forum, it is now in history that you were wanting to go this route.

When you're playing Russian roulette with a semi-auto pistol, your only hope is a dud in the chamber.
 
Last edited:
Hi, I'm a stunt performer & coordinator with over a decade's professional experience, and I hate to echo the sentiments above, but this doesn't sound good.

I'm not one of those, "you must use union" people. I'm not gonna hammer home Health & Safety law. I just want to say that if you engage a stunt person who has experience doing this kind of stunt (and can prove it), and is willing to supervise the stunt as if it was his gig on a big budget feature, you might be fine. Body burns, handled by the right people, can be achieved very safely and for suprisingly little money (with fantastic results).

If you get it wrong,though, the outcome can be horrible.

You need to know the correct way to prepare and apply the safety equipment, (gels, nomex etc). You need to know the correct procedures for mixing and applying the fuel/glue. You need to know the correct ways to communicate with the performer. You need to have the right safety people on hand, who know how to extinguish the performer safely. The safety guys are key to this stunt - I wouldn't be happy performing the burn without the right people there to put me out. I've seen brave stuntie types panic when doing fire safety, and freeze rather than do their job.

It seems like your stunt contact might not be there on shoot day. So I would suggest you don't go through with it, unless you can source someone else. Look around, you may be able to find the right people, willing to do it locally. But check their experience.

I could go on and on about why this is a bad idea, and why you need an experienced coordinator. It needn't be expensive. Talk to a pro and WORK with a pro to achieve this. Don't just follow advice, or a list of instructions. A well run set with a fire gag should leave onlookers feeling "That was so well-handled, and safety concious, with so many protective measures taken that I would be willing to do that stunt". Just don't do the stunt without the right team
 
I can't believe the stunt guy would be willing to with that, especially knowing that working on his advice makes it a liability.
 
The kevlar sleeve, flame retardant shirt, and cloth material just showed up. We're testing the stunt several times with our lead actor over the next week. Our certified stunt man is going to be on set with us, and will be coordinating the entire bit, from rehearsal to final production.

We have quite a bit of insurance on the set, we will have an emt, and we're going to be using cgi for a handful of the flames, keeping the live fire to a relative minimum.

Can anyone sign off on this?
 
If he's there and oversees everything, has done it before and thinks this will go fine, and has helped the lead actor train to do this correctly... that's a very different situation from getting some pointers and he may or may not show up. Your last post makes it seem a lot more reasonable. And don't forget the safety people who can stop a flame, as mentioned above.
 
Cassius said:
If he's there and oversees everything, has done it before and thinks this will go fine, and has helped the lead actor train to do this correctly... that's a very different situation from getting some pointers and he may or may not show up. Your last post makes it seem a lot more reasonable. And don't forget the safety people who can stop a flame, as mentioned above.
Click to expand...

It's all due to you fine people here on the site. I shared your wisdom with the rest of our team, and we tailored our production to meet the guidelines you've all set forth.

Thanks to everyone for chiming in. We begin the rehearsal for this stunt on Monday and Tuesday. I'll take photos and report back with more questions and updates, I'm sure.
 
I do wish you luck, but seriously, if you have to ask how to do a stunt this dangerous, you probably shouldn't be attempting it.
 
After a few meetings with the client, the fire stunt has been nixed.

The gels still arrive in the office this week, so you can imagine we'll be having fun on our own time. ;)

Thanks for all the insight, everyone. I'll be sure to share the final piece once it is finished.
 
Look, I wanted to word this right. I really appreciate indie films trying to push the envelope. And I know that's what you were trying to do. I didn't want to put a damper on your creativity.

But the practical side of me was shuddering. I am not "union only" guy either. But I am an "everyone go home safe guy". I do not know the reasons for cancelling the stunt, nor do I want to know. But in this case I am breathing a sigh of relief.

If you want to do a dangerous stunt on a project, the only thing I would ask of you, please get qualified individuals to properly assist. Note that I am not saying union or anything else. Just qualified.

Unfortunately I am not in your area, or I would have volunteered for this. Fire is a favorite of mine. I wish you good luck. And, believe it or not, I respect that you sought others opinions on this. It shows maturity as a film maker.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top