Page 30 - Grasp English B2 (Student Book)

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blanks - bullets which are harmless
vehicular - relating to vehicles;
for example, cars, buses and planes
exchange blows - fight, punch
manoeuvre - a planned movement
mount - fix, stick to
CGI - computer-generated imagery
28
Art being a stuntman
Stunt work in films, as we know it today, only really began
in the 1960s, when the film industry developed technology
to make stunts more realistic. This included things such as
airbags for stunts when people fall from high buildings and
blanks for scenes involving guns.
The stunts are often divided into different categories, such
as practical effects or vehicular stunts. An example of a
practical effect would be a fight scene in which the main
characters of a film are seen exchanging blows. Trained
stunt doubles stand in for many actors in these situations,
although some stars, such as Jackie Chan and Keanu
Reeves, are known for performing many of their own
stunts.
Vehicular stunts require trained drivers to perform the
manoeuvres we love to see in police chases and films such
as the James Bond series. In many cases, the cars and
other vehicles are specially adapted to suit the scene,
as well as often having cameras and sound equipment
mounted on them.
Nowadays, stunt doubles fear they could soon be out of
a job with the incredible development in CGI technology
which is making it easier to recreate stunts digitally. Due
to the high cost and safety risk when filming stunts, more
directors may choose to use computer graphics for those
scenes in the future.
A. Discuss with a partner.
1. What do you think life as a stunt double is like?
2. How do you think stunt doubles have to prepare
physically for their work?
B. Read the text and answer the questions.
1. How did stunts in film making develop in the 1960s?
2. What examples does the text give of different types
of stunt?
3. What is affecting stunt doubles’ work nowadays?