The Acadamy Awards

Did you all watch the Oscars last night? I always enjoy watching the fun show, however I couldn't help but wonder why stunts are still not part of the awards. When you watch the clips they use for the movies when they are announced often times they use the stunts even if the movie is a drama.

It was great they included stunts for the first time at the SAG awards so perhaps the Oscars will be next. I know we have been fighting for it for years but in Hollywood stunts are sort of like the red headed step child (aunt marry this is nothing against red heads it is just a saying :). By giving us an award they blow the whistle that the actors don't do their own stunts and I do understand keeping the allure there. The least they should do is give an award for 2-unit director (they are often ex-stuntmen who direct all the action i.e. car chases, fights, ratchets...). They give it to the guy who directs the actors who say lines but on some movies that is only part of the story the action can be equally important. I will get off my soapbox now :)

Didn't Win but got a Certification

Even though Lost didn't win the SAG Award for Outstanding performance by a Stunt Ensambel for a TV show I got a certificate in the mail that congratulates me for being nominated. That is pretty cool. Being nominated for a SAG award was cool enough but to get an actual certificate for my nomination is also very cool. Anyway here is a picture taken from my cell phone of my certificate.

My New Hero

This past weekend Jon and I worked in Philadelphia on a movie called The Wrestler . This was one of the best movies I have ever worked on because we had the honor to work with the most unorthodox stuntman, Bryan Anderson. Bryan is an ex-gymnast, ex-soldier, winner of the Purple Heart and a triple amputee. He lost both his legs and part of his left arm in a roadside bomb. The only reason he still has his right hand is because he was taking a drag from his cigarette when the bomb went off.

Last January Bryan was on the cover of Esquire magazine and inside the cover story he said he would like to become a stuntman, “I could be on prosthetics, and they could blow my legs off.” Doug Crosby, the stunt coordinator for The Wrestler, read that article and began thinking of a way to make Bryan's dream a reality. He thought of a cleaver way to incorporate Bryan into the movie and hired him for his first job as a stuntman. (You will have to see the movie to see how they used him.) I had the privilege to work with Bryan on his first day of work as a stuntman.

Bryan is my same age, full of life, so funny and looks at life as if there is nothing stopping him from following his dreams. He is the spokesman for a wheelchair company, he travels around the country giving talks but he is still a 26 year old guy.

To me this sums up Bryan's way of looking at life: When he first noticed his legs and hand where gone he looked at his buddy and said "Do you think I’ll ever get laid again?" I love this guy. My new Hero, stuntman Bryan Anderson.

Going to the East Coast

Tomorrow Jon and I are headed to NY to work. We are working on a movie called The Wrestler for a few days. We get back to LA early next week.

The rain has finally stopped here and I have been able to enjoy the outdoors again. I love that you can be outside all year around here and I definitely take full advantage of it. At least 5 days a week I am outside working out either hiking, running or just recently roller blading (I know that is so 1990's of me but I love it, it is a great workout and my dog loves it too). I honestly don't think I could live anywhere cold again.