The British Stunt Register (BSR) is a member's association and the only known, UK based, organised group of peer reviewed stunt professionals. It offers members screen relevant Health & Safety training, and operates a Career Grade Scheme. The BSR provides the only formally recognised UK criteria for training, induction, and professional recognition available to those wishing to pursue a career in stunts for screen entertainment.
The association also provides its members with relevant professional information, a performer development program, general support and guidance, and it is a bridge between the members and other creative screen media organisations and safety groups.
Formation and Structure
Founded in 1973, it was conceived to operate as a register of stunt performers in Britain - distinct from actors and supporting artists. At that time it was known as, and the first directory published was entitled "Stunt Arrangers & Performers: A register approved jointly by the Film Production Association of Great Britain and British Actors' Equity Association".
Originally the aim was to start regulating some of the practices relating to stunt work in the context of the film and television industry as well as disseminate members information to producers and directors.
The stunt register directory was published with the aid of the agency Spotlight for many years up to and including the 13th edition. Printed as private editions, none of the books carry an ISBN number.
For many years the body of people forming the register were overseen by the combined efforts of three committees. In common parlance it was known as The Equity Register or simply The Stunt Register, but also known as the JISC Register (Joint Industry Stunt Committee). Career grades were facilitated by the actors union Equity and JISC representatives in conjunction with JIGS (the Joint Industry Grading Scheme). Members of these boards included industry peers from producers' associations and significant broadcast industry employers such as the BBC and ITV. The tri-committee management eventually dissolved leaving the stunt community without an infrastructure for their professional credentials.
Under advisement from the dissolved committees, some members of the former JISC formed a working party seeking to reinstate an infrastructure. In November 2017 The British Stunt Register opened its very first, dedicated office at Pinewood Studios and was formed as a members association, which, though it had shed the involvement of other managing committees, did initially retain the same grade structure and rulebook of its previous Equity/JISC form. This was a necessity for continuity within the industry, while identifying and addressing the issues that had not been resolvable by the previous management structure. Those issues included the provision of stunt health & safety training and updating the criteria for both membership and career progression. The British Stunt Register in its new 'association' form gives credit to the former JISC for its foundation and base rules, on the BSR website. All members of the former JISC were invited to transfer membership and therefore maintain 'current' credentials under the new management system. The British Stunt Register website also states that any former JISC members who had not yet accepted the invitation are still welcome to join the BSR while their credentials have parity with the new and rising standards. Grandfather rights are negligible but fair, as each individual will be strictly assessed on demonstrable and documented experience as demanded by the former and the current criteria.
In its present form, the British Stunt Register continues to maintain and encourage standards for stunt safety, and welcomes discourse with industry colleagues. The BSR office has administrative staff and an elected, volunteer committee who are all experienced stunt professionals. The committee maintain an overview of the organisation and preside over membership applications and grade decisions. Industry peers, including those from film and television 'Health & Safety' companies have been invited to form an independent verification board, in the spirit of good governance.
Relevance
The British Stunt Register is a source of credible Stunt Professionals for the creative screen media industries; film, television, streaming-on-demand, mo-cap, advertising and gaming; it provides a structure for learning and career grading in a uniquely diverse profession that still is not yet represented in an academic, institutional or regulated setting.