Interview with Reg Roordink (By BMS)

What does a Stunt Coordinator do.
Without going into too much detail, I read the script work out all the stunts and how I am going to put it all together select the right stuntman/woman for the job find out how they want to shoot this how many cameras how many times they want the stunt done I then work with the director and Safety Supervisor to set the cameras in a safe place make sure everybody else is in a safe place.


To become a stunt coordinator, first you have to fill criteria to become a stunt action person.
You have to have to show skill in body control have water skills an advanced driving course show that you are comfortable with working on heights not necessary but an advantage if you have animal skills like riding horses. Have a reference from a Stunt Coordinator and a stunt actor.
This goes on front of a panel of stunt people to see if you fill the requirements. Once you do that you will be passed as stunt action person. You can now work on film sets doing only back ground action under the Supervision of a Stunt Coordinator. you then have to work on the film set doing a variety of stunts and a minimum of 50 days on a film set. Then with filling the criteria you can apply for the next level which is a stunt actor. Here you need to get a reference of 2 Stunt Coordinator’s and show a log book of what work you have done again in front of a panel of stunt people if you are graded to the level of stunt actor you can then perform any stunts the Stunt Coordinator allows you to do. After being a stunt person for 5 years and have at least 150 days on set worked alongside as a Safety Supervisor in the capacity of an assistant Safety Supervisor have at least level 4 in O.H.S have written at least 3 safety reports for films or tv shows have references ‘s from at least 3 Safety Supervisor /Stunt Coordinator you can apply for the level of a Safety Supervisor . You then must work as a Safety Supervisor for at least 200 days work as a assistant Stunt Coordinator for 150 days do script break downs production meetings and location surveys have performed at least 300 stunts yourself get 5 references from 5 Stunt Coordinator who you would have worked with and then you can apply to become a Stunt Coordinator. There are a few other things you need to do but this is the basic’s of it.

What is the hardest thing i had to do for M.C
There hardest thing I done for mc i guess would be when Abi was driving nearly hits a cow runs of the road and into the river. The preparation was quite big the directors asked for the car to land a metre from the shore in the water and that the car had to sink within 30 seconds to be completely under water. So first I had to make sure the river was deep enough and there were no obstacles under the water. Then prepare the car cut holes in the floor so it would sink quickly. Place a scuba tank in the car so the driver could breathe when the car went under water. Loosen the wind shield so it would fall in on impact allowing the water to rush in making the car sink quick. I then have to find a suitable stunt man to be able to do this, I then have to write a full risk assessment on how this action will be done and what safety procedures I have put in place.



The funniest thing on M.C
Well there are many funny things that happened on M.C . I remember one scene where Harry had to run of the road in his car to avoid hitting a wombat. So bring in Manfred the wombat man who has wombats he brings out this great big wombat with one eye and builds a make shift corral to hold him in I am thinking this is not good and it is all going to turn to shit. Any way Manfred in his German accent says if the wombat runs away we all have to chase after him and catch him me thinking again as who is we. Well the wombat kept going into the fence he couldn’t see it remember this wombat as only one eye, well he rammed the fence pretty hard and got out this thing is running down the road with half the crew and Manfred after it I couldn’t do anything I was laughing so much well they got the wombat and we shot the scene but I guess you would of had to been there to appreciate how funny it was.

Is that right that you acted at MLD, too?
Yes I played a small part in the last episode as the truck driver when the girls stopped the truck on horseback.
I was also the truck driver when Doris and peter Hardy nearly got run over trying to fix the tyre on Peter’s car.

What kind of stunts can actor do?
Actors can do some of the stunts if the Stunt Coordinator feels they are good enough to do it. But I don’t like it if there is a risk of them getting hurt they only have to put a scratch on them self and then we have to try to explain in the story line how they got that. If it is more serious like if the break a bone or twist a ankle and they can’t work, the whole show comes to a standstill this causes all sorts of problems.