What is “A Stuntman’s Guide”?

A Stuntman’s Guide? What’s this all about? You’re someone who teaches stuntmen? 

Brett, Is this guide FOR stuntmen?

Not quite. If you’ve made it this far you’ve probably realized that’s not what this is about.

Even though I’m a stuntman with 15+ years of experience and have taught numerous stuntmen over the years, this is not a guide FOR stuntmen in the traditional obvious sense.

A stuntman is someone who appears on stage or screen for TV or film performing something that is presented as something that is (more than likely at least one of the following) crazy, chaotic and out-of-control to give the audience part of their intended emotional experience.

The stuntman can be described to have three parts: 

• • the performer telling a story 

• • the athlete with an above average level of physical and/or mental skill

• the magician who is creating something that isn’t there by being able to see both sides – the extravagant magical story, and also the far simpler truth behind the curtain. 

*Quick side note: You do realize that the actors or performers playing characters in movies don’t actually die, right? Of course you know that. The same is that they don’t get hurt to tell the story and the anger and other emotions are not real. Although you’d be amazed at how many people assume I must have had broken bones or how many people have asked me whether a certain actor is “actually really mean?”

 

All these elements are called upon in the right way to present a certain aspect of the story – the chaos, the drama! – to make the audience feel a certain experience as part of the emotional and mental journey they are all going on.

And the best way to do this is always for the least amount of effort, cost and risk to the performers and crew.

What I always found fascinating about this is that for a minimal amount of effort you can give someone an emotional experience.

Just like a magician with a simple coin or a comedian with a simple observation, the gift can be profound. 

As stuntmen and women, we ask “how can I create a powerful emotional effect or crazy performance in camera to tell the story, for the least amount of effort, cost and danger to myself and the crew?”

I carry this philosophy with me everywhere in my personal life too.

Here’s an example of some questions I regularly ask myself with the stuntman mindset:

• • How can I ensure I get the most done in my busy day, when I don’t have much time?

• • How can I make sure my friend knows I love them when I could do a lot of well intentioned actions that may be poorly matched for them and therefore poorly received?

• • What’s the best and shortest way for me to get back to a positive energy when something bad happens?

• • Why do I procrastinate and get stuck on bad emotions and how can I overcome them?

• • When something is not working, why isn’t it working? Why do I keep making the same mistakes over and over again?
    
    

This curiosity to make the unknown known is something that I found I have done all throughout my life.

I love solving problems and as I’ve grown into adulthood I have become increasingly fascinated by human psychology and personal development. 

This blog is therefore an extension of my philosophy and wonder. I want to help you:

Make the intangible tangible.

Make the immeasurable measurable.

Make the abstract simple and obvious.

Take the taboo and make it rudimentary and routine.

Take the uncomfortable and make it comfortable and familiar.

Attempt to understand the misunderstood.

The Stuntman Mindset is about taking an art and turning it into a science, while still keeping the wonder and excitement of the art itself.

So that’s what we are going for here. 

While this isn’t a blog for stuntmen, my hope is that in many ways after spending more time with me you’ll be more stuntman-like at least in mindset as you will have the same curiosity and fascination with taking something out of reach, complicated and intimidating and making it something you can play with and achieve results from. 

Imagine the self empowerment that would bring!

Some of the topics I look to explore in future are:

• • Why some negative emotions draw others closer and some repel people. 

• • Why most people say they want to be financially wealthy…but most never will be.

• • Why you struggle to meditate, even though you know you should.

• • How to overcome those annoying habits like too much social media usage.

• • Why you don’t have the level of success you desire and why it’s taking so long.

• • How to develop better disciplines and habits.

• • Dealing with those annoyingly sticky states like anxiety, depression and procrastination
    
    

As you explore these new unknown territories with curiosity and a map that is titled “under development” you will need to push your boundaries a little, look at things from a new perspective and break a few molds.

For people who do this (myself, my clients, autodidacts, personal development junkies, world travelers, entrepreneurs, stuntmen themselves and many other titles) I call them: Edge Finders.

A stuntman always knows exactly where the edge is. They know how to approach the edge without fear or at least in spite of it, stand right on it, dance on it, play with it and, when the time’s right, cross the edge and even jump right over it into whatever is on the other side.

Consider me your guide for crossing the next edge in your life.

Welcome, edge finder.

~ Brett Solomano