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The Biz Interview: Stunt Coordinator Andy Armstrong for Thor

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Andy Armstrong has been an influential part of the Hollywood stunt arena for more than 20 years with extensive and impressive credits ranging from Total Recall to Stargate and The Green Hornet.

As the stunt coordinator on Thor, Andy is the magician behind the action curtain who helps star Chris Hemsworth survive challenging fight scenes and physically-demanding stunt pieces with ease.

Andy spoke with us from the New York set of his next film, The Amazing Spider-Man, to discuss Thor.

Can you walk us through the process of how a stunt process is coordinated on set?

Obviously, it depends what type of stunt we’re talking about. The sort of stuff on Thor was really quite varied – it was stuff that involved a lot of fighting, a lot of very physical effects. You had for instance – on this movie – there was a lot of wire work, a lot of very complex aerial movement. So each action sequence had its own sort of heartbeat, as it was.

The basic parameter for all of them is that they obviously started in a script form – where an idea is somehow conceived either in written word or in stitch form or whatever – and then we go about conceiving the best method of achieving that effect. What we do – Armstrong Action, our company – we tend to create “actionmatics” first of all, which are like storyboards come to life where we’ll do up storyboards first and then we’ll put real people in those situations and try and create a real scene and shoot it on video just as if it was part of a movie, and edit it and put effects and everything else on it and see what we can improve or how the tempo is, the flow. Most action sequences have to flow like a dance number where [they] have to have highs and lows and [have] to have a certain beat to [them]. The best way to see that is to physically see it… It’s a very good, sort of old fashioned but practical way of seeing how the scene works.

When it comes time in the process for working with actors and if an actor is going to be performing them to do stunts, what kind of mental preparation do they need to do in advance? What guidance did you give to Chris Hemsworth when you were working with him on Thor?

Chris came to work with us on a very consistent, very long-term basis, so he learned all the fights and while we had a stunt double who set up lots of the action for him, virtually all of the action that you see on film – very little of it is not Chris. He’s really a modern-day action hero, a real exception to the rule. He really does do 99% of it himself and he’s capable of the other 1%. The only reason we stopped him from doing one or two things is simply on a purely selfish level. If he gets smashed up, we’re all out of a job.

The fight scenes are getting a lot of great reviews and the word that comes up a lot which always makes me feel good is “organic”. The reason that they do feel organic in that movie is because they really are organic. They are him performing them, him interacting with stunt performers, him fighting stunt performers, but it really is Chris doing it. We gave him a lot of training, but basically taught him to perform like a stuntman in those scenes and he’s also a guy that’s very, very physically in good condition and has very good physical timing and control. So he understands what’s needed. If you explain to him that a little bit more movement here or a little bit less there, or a little slower here, or more or less in this direction or that direction this will look better, he understands the language that you’re talking to him about.

Specifically with your area of expertise in stunts and stunt coordinating, what kind of advice would you give to somebody who’s new in the industry who’s interested in getting into that side of work?

Study films. Don’t just obsess about the one thing that you’re good at. It’s a little bit like training at a gym. You’ll find someone who finds lifting weights very easy – that’s all they do. You want to try and do lots of the stuff that you find difficult because that’s obviously the stuff that you need work at. You need to become well-rounded. It’s obviously still also great to have a particular speciality because that’s where you’ll tend to get known for some particular skill or ability. But really to treat it as a serious profession just like any other athlete or any other film technician, you turn up early, you turn up prepared, on time, understand what’s needed, understand that often bigger is not necessarily better. Never accept stuff that you think you’re going to learn on the job. It’s a very, very competitive business now – a lot of new talent. You know, it was 20 years ago, most stunt performers were made up of people that were basically very good at something but failed at some other profession – professional sportsman or fighter or race car driver or whatever – and now there are people that set out, they’ve grown up knowing what a stunt performer is, and so have set out to be a stunt performer. So consequently, the standard is very high.

The level of expertise in particular skills is absolutely incredible. I mean you can go look on YouTube to find someone that is mind-blowingly – just incredible at some insane activity. In fact, now if I’m looking for something really extreme, I’ll often browse through YouTube – one of the stunt performers I have on [The Amazing Spider-Man] who’s one of Spider-Man’s doubles is someone I found on YouTube. One of the best skateboard guys in the world. I watched him do something really extreme and I looked at lots and lots of YouTube videos and as I chased them down, I found that a lot of them were the same guy… That’s become a new medium for us. It’s a different world. It’s also gone so full-circle that there are actors now, like Chris, who are the complete package. I mean, Chris – if he didn’t want to act – could make a good living as a stuntman.

Thor is now in theatres. Our thanks to Andy Armstrong for sharing his insights with us.

Posted on May 20, 2011.
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The Biz Interview: Josh Neumann of StayFitAnywhere for The Spring Superhero Workout

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Good fitness habits are essential for everyone, especially entertainment industry professionals. Just ask Eli Roth (Hostel, Inglourious Basterds), who is on the record for saying that Directors Guild of America members have an average life expectancy of 57 years.

Josh Neumann of StayFitAnywhere is a local fitness expert who has trained actors for Tron: Legacy, Hellcats, and Little Mosque on the Prairie to name a few. Inspired by the fitness regime of actor Chris Hemsworth during his preparation for playing the title character in Thor, Josh created The StayFitAnywhere Spring Superhero Workout – designed to give anyone a fitness boost that could shape them up for the summertime and get them excited about a workout they can do at home.

We spoke to Josh about the StayFitAnywhere Spring Superhero Workout and what Vancouver entertainment professionals can do to keep fit.

What motivated you to create this movie-inspired workout?

I saw some still shots of Chris Hemsworth and he transformed himself to have a body that accurately represented the Norse God from the comic books. Thor is able to use his body and his Hammer to defend Asgard and I thought it would be great to create a workout that anyone he could do using their body and a single dumbbell, just like Thor would do with his hammer.

How does your workout compare to the training that Chris Hemsworth did for his role?

I had a chance to speak with Chris Hemsworth’s trainer, Duffy Gaver, and he confirmed that Chris’ training consisted of hard work, consistent effort, and good nutrition. The same is true for this workout, if you do it consistently while giving your best effort you will start to transform your body,

On the set, actors need to work for long hours repeat the same motions over several takes. What are some easy tips for them to improve energy levels and maintain concentration, balance, and flexibility?

It starts with nutrition, actors need to make sure they are fuelling their body with quality food. Just like a car you need fuel to move, eat whole unprocessed foods often. After taking care of food the next step is making sure you are able to move as efficient as possible so there are no energy leaks, which will cost you energy. Practice excellent posture as much as possible by squeezing your bum cheeks together, bracing your midsection, and sucking your shoulder blades back and down.

Nutrition is a big part of physical fitness. When film and TV industry professionals approach the catering table, what foods should they absolutely avoid and what are some essentials that they should make a habit of having regularly?

Avoid anything that your ancestors couldn’t have eaten 1000 years ago. Now that will leave you with vegetables, fruits, meat, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Of course you are going to be able to have a treat once in a while just don’t make treats your go to meal, instead go for fruits like blueberries!

What about beverages?
Water! Drink lots of it. Green tea is great, coffee isn’t too bad just don’t rely on it.

Many entertainment industry professionals travel frequently from city to city, based on the project they’re working on. Are there some basic exercises they can do in hotel rooms or on-set to stay healthy?

With a heavy travel schedule I would recommend picking up a travelroller and doing some self massage, check out our blog post for some specific methods for staying limber and mobile. Once you get mobile it is time to get strong and you can simply do squats, pushups, and lunges.

How often during any given week should they make a point of exercising and for how long?

Time is a factor for most everyone today and actors are no exception. In an ideal world 30mins everyday would be great but 3-4 days a week 30-45mins each.

Motivation is key for actors, writers, and directors in the creative process. What are some ways that they can get and stay motivated about their health?

Record your training sessions: what you did and how you felt after each session. Get a training partner so that you have someone to push you and someone to push yourself. If neither of these work hire a trainer who’s only job is to make sure you get your training done!

You have trained actors for TV and film productions in the Lower Mainland. What is your training approach?

You only have one body so you better know how to use it. There is no need for fancy machines and all sorts of supplements, humans survived and thrived for millions of years without these things. I focus on teaching people how to move their bodies in the most efficient ways possible and when you move your body well anything is possible.

Where can we find out more information about StayFitAnywhere and the Spring Superhero Workout?

Visit stayfitanywhere.com/springsuperhero and get quick health and fitness tips by following us on Twitter at @stayfitanywhere.

Thor is now playing in theatres. Our thanks to Josh for speaking with us.

Posted on May 2, 2011.
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