EXCLUSIVE: A split has emerged in the British stunt community, with some performers allegedly facing bullying and the threat of losing work after joining a new professional body.
The Stunt Guild (TSG), which claims to be the oldest stunt organization in the UK, was revived earlier this month after being dormant since the 1990s. Lee Sheward, a stunt coordinator and performer with credits including The Crown and Batman, relaunched the guild to boost employment opportunities for members and encourage collaboration within the stunt community.
TSG has not been universally welcomed, however. Some in the UK stunt arena see the organization as a threat to the British Stunt Register (BSR), which certifies stunt performers and coordinators, but is not industry-recognized and is not a trade body or union.
TSG launched with more than 90 members, but Sheward said some joiners have faced a backlash from BSR members and 14 have since quit the guild. Deadline has seen several messages in which TSG members voice concern about their association with the guild.
“I am going to have to remove myself from The Stunt Guild, unfortunately,” one person said in a TSG resignation email. “I do get work from BSR [coordinators] and have been advised that this may have an effect on me getting work.”
“I’m Receiving Too Much Backlash”
Another person wrote: “I am so sorry but I’ve had to cancel my membership as I am receiving quite a bit of pressure from various people and due to me being so close to completing my BSR training. I am receiving too much backlash that I can’t deal with and can’t afford to rock the boat.”
Sheward told Deadline that their experience was tantamount to “bullying” and “intimidation” by BSR members, which he argued is against the organization’s code of conduct.
Another TSG member, who wished to remain anonymous, agreed: “I’ve heard people saying that if you join the guild, then you could potentially become non-employable to BSR members.” They added: “I’m hoping the TSG will establish itself — the stunt industry is more than just the BSR.”
In a statement to Deadline, the BSR committee said it was “unaware” of the alleged threats, adding that no complaints had been made to the organization.
The group said: “The BSR is a leading organisation representing the interests of its members as professional stunt performers. Membership is entirely voluntary. The BSR is not an industry regulator. As such, many of our members are also members of other professionally structured organisations and guilds with a similar application criteria to our own.
”The Stunt Guild is not a direct competitor to the BSR. The BSR does not endorse any stunt-related membership organisations operating in the industry in England. The BSR does not instruct, direct or influence Stunt Coordinators from its membership in terms of which individuals they should or should not employ. The BSR does not intervene in the affairs of film or TV productions, and this is not part of our function.”
The BSR committee continued: “The BSR prides itself on its highly skilled members having undertaken a continued structured peer-reviewed pathway assisted by professional development, and will continue to represent its members’ interests fairly and professionally.”
BSR members have spoken out against rival stunt groups in recent weeks. In a BSR WhatsApp group, one person compared joining rival bodies to a Premier League player turning out for an amateur football team. “It benefits the amateur team more than it raises the standard of the professional player,” this person said. Another stunt professional added that “splinter groups” were attempting to “sabotage” the BSR.
Sheward said he rebirthed TSG to “help support and assist young performers with their route into the industry.” He has been critical of the BSR in the past, co-authoring a document with Wayne Michaels — a stuntman with credits like James Bond — that raised concerns about safety and the BSR, which does not have the power to investigate members or log accidents.