Friday, August 15, 2008

MY INTERVIEW WITH STUNTMAN HORACE KNIGHT


In Hollywood, there seems to be the actors, directors, writers, and then there’s everybody else that no one seems to know or care about. (although the writers are quickly forgotten – ahem) But there are a few folks in this business who have one of the most arduous and life threatening jobs known to us all, and they are the…Stuntmen and Stuntwomen of Hollywood.
These brave souls put their lives on the line day in and day out so that all of those action packed scenes and explosions stand a chance at looking even remotely plausible in our big budget (or low) blockbuster films.

In an effort to shed some light on this rarely spoken of career, I sat down and had a chat with one of the best stuntmen I know…Mr. Horace "1 Take Wonder" Knight. Horace was most recently seen playing one of the convenience store robbers in the 4th of July scorcher “Hancock,” and pulled double duty by doing stunts as well. He’s one of the busiest guys I know, so it was definitely a privilege to get him to take a breather and give me the scoop on this whole stunt career thingy he’s got going on.

So today, I'd like to introduce to you...Horace Knight...
FADE IN:
SHEQUETA
Where are you from?

HORACE
Kind of all over. Military brat, so I kinda grew up in Texas, Carolina, Washington State.

SHEQUETA
What Carolina?

HORACE
Uh, North Carolina. I was born in San Antonio, Texas but lived overseas in Japan, in Germany. Spent some time in Korea.

SHEQUETA
What part of Korea and North Carolina?

HORACE
South Korea near Seoul. Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

SHEQUETA
How old are you?

HORACE
Hollywood or for real?

SHEQUETA
For real, I don’t want no Hollywood answer!

HORACE
You don’t want no Hollywood answer…39

SHEQUETA
What do you tell them (Hollywood)?

HORACE
(laughter)
Whatever you want me to be.

SHEQUETA
Did you go to college?

HORACE
Yep, I went to Arizona State University.

SHEQUETA
You played football?

HORACE
Played football for the Sun Devils. I loved it and then I went up to Canada and played for the Calgary Stampeders (CFL) for just a little short period of time.

SHEQUETA
How did you get your start in the business?

HORACE
Being in the wrong place at the wrong time. That’s what I tell everybody. There was a movie that came to Arizona called “Jerry McGuire.” And one of the guys I used to play football with was a fullback, Jeff, that used to play with me at Arizona State. He was like come and try out for this movie so you can get paid to hit some people again and throw some pads on. Cause I was you know trying to finish up schoolwork and find a job and get paid somehow. And uh we started trying out for the movie and were supposed to be getting the DB (Defensive Back) part going against all the other players because I play defense. But I guess two of the stuntmen went down and got hurt during the first couple of days of practice so they asked if I could double Cuba Gooding (Jr.). I was like I saw what you guys did to him I was like no way, you must be crazy. Then they told how much they were paying and I was like how you want me to catch the ball. And that was actually my start. I didn’t know nothing about the business. But if you know the movie I got beat up pretty well. Kept smiling and didn’t know anything but the coordinator liked it and I guess he brought me on to his next project and I kinda learned more as I went along.

SHEQUETA
What was his next project?

HORACE
The next big project I think we did after that one was “Waterboy.” Yeah ‘Waterboy,” we did that down in Orlando.

SHEQUETA
I guess the next question doesn’t really make sense – did you always want to be a stuntman? Better yet, what did you want to be?

HORACE
No. Uh, I wanted to keep playing professional ball or fly airplanes. I was an engineering major so that was kinda like my direction and this kinda opened up so I kinda tried it but I was doing a little bit of modeling on the side just to help pay for stuff for school and stuff like that. But I didn’t know anything about TV. It was just kinda like oh well I might as well try it for a minute and see what I think and it kept taking off. I started landing commercials and other big print jobs and started understanding more of the business of stunts and that there was more outside of just sports and football. So I had other talents that I was able to utilize.

SHEQUETA
Are there a lot of black stuntmen/women in the business?

HORACE
Actually no…not really. It really is not that many but a small handful.

SHEQUETA
How many?

HORACE
Almost like… if I had to count an exact number maybe twenty…maybe. But there’s more that are trying to break into the business but there’s really…it’s a small knit group. So a lot of people - if you do a stunt - cause the business is so small in our community, you do a good job people will know about it, if you do a bad job people will definitely know about it.

SHEQUETA
Can you dance?

HORACE
Yes I can dance.

SHEQUETA
Does it help or hinder your stunts?

HORACE
Dancing? I never thought about it that way but yeah I think it would. I would expect it would. I guess a lot of the stunts have to entail some acting a little bit so you have to be athletic. I think people that dance are a little bit athletic I would suspect.

SHEQUETA
Are you ever nervous before you do a stunt?

HORACE
Hmmm...Depends on the stunt.

SHEQUETA
You aint got to lie…

HORACE
I aint got to lie?
(laughter)
Depends on the stunt. If it has to do with fire I’m a big chicken but I’ma do it anyhow. I only know if I’m nervous…if I’m nervous before a stunt it’s either I start to yawn and get sleepy. That may tell me I’m nervous I don’t know. It just really depends. I figured that out before I was getting ready to play a football game.

SHEQUETA
What’s the scariest stunt you’ve ever had to do and for what movie?

HORACE
The scariest stunt I had to do was to do an air ram into a big fire explosion on “Tears of the Sun” that we were shooting in Hawaii. And that was my first fire deal.

SHEQUETA
What’s an Air Ram?

HORACE
Air Ram is a thing that you step on that’s kinda like a trampoline but it...once you step on it, it shoots you in the air. It will make you leave the ground and shoot you further than you would if you were normally jumping. Can be dangerous depending if you step on it wrong. Could break your leg depending on too much pressure. So you gotta technically train it and practice it quite a few times before you can really master it. So, it’s not something that you just jump into and say I can be a stuntman on anything. You gotta really plan out what you’re doing.

SHEQUETA
And how did you learn?

HORACE
I learned quite a bit through quite a few of the coordinators. Took me under their wing and taught me a few things.

SHEQUETA
Are the Coordinators stuntmen themselves?

HORACE
A lot of the Coordinators are previous stuntmen that have been doing it for many years or they’re great managers. Other stunt coordinators know how to rig things, know the safety precautions. Cause safety’s the main deal when it comes to stunts because you want to be able to trust the person that you’re working for. They pretty much know I have to trust the person I’m working for. I mean I wont take the job unless I believe in him…or her. Women are coordinators also.

SHEQUETA
Yeah, good save. What’s the worst injury you’ve ever had? And did that make you want to quit?

HORACE
Hmmm. Probably… I’m not sure 100 percent. But I just had a recent one on a film that I was working on where the fire deal…the gel didn’t do it’s job so I got a little burned up. It made me actually think about the certain types of jobs I’ll take.

SHEQUETA
What movie was that for?

HORACE
Actually it was a movie for G.I. Joe, it hasn’t come out yet.

SHEQUETA
What got burned on you? I mean you’re chocolate but…

(Laughter)

HORACE
My face got a couple of marks on it.

SHEQUETA
I thought that was a tattoo.

HORACE
Nah, I’m still healing. It takes a little bit but it made me think about it.

SHEQUETA
Didn’t you break your arm or something?

HORACE
No. Usually if I hurt myself I’ve injured myself quite more when I’m just goofing off and not really on a stunt. I’m doing something that I shouldn’t be doing in the first place.

SHEQUETA
(whispers)
Like riding a motorcycle?

HORACE
Right. I did have a scare on “Torque” with one of the big stunts and stuff like that. We were riding down one of the trails and we couldn’t see anything and I ran into a bunch of pipes. But luckily I stayed up on the bike. So that kinda got me thinking like oohhh. But I’m kind of a daredevil anyhow so…

SHEQUETA
Anybody that gets on a motorcycle is a daredevil.

HORACE
Riding motorcycles is a big part of my training too so I have to be prepared.

SHEQUETA
What’s your regime on staying healthy in such a body banging business of stunts?

HORACE
Trying to eat right mainly. My weight sometimes has to fluctuate depending on the actor I sometimes have to double. But you know, I try to work out and stay regular in the gym. Some cardio exercises. Really depends on what I’m feeling at the time. A lot of times I go out and ride the motorcycle around, do some dirt biking, and some super moto, play basketball and I like to mix it up. You know I played football so I kinda go out there and play a little flag football. Just try and keep it fresh and different all the time. And if it’s something specific that I have to do…um if it’s a driving job or something like that then I go up to Rick Seaman’s driving clinic and take some time on the track and spend time doing that to hone my skills. Or if it’s a motorcycle…try to spend some track days at the track and work on motor show skills just for the focus on what it entails.

SHEQUETA
What’s Rick Seaman?

HORACE
Rick Seaman’s motion picture driving clinic. Rick Seaman he’s a big uh…he teaches how to do skids, how to do slides, round 360’s in a car, but under control. Different levels entail where you use the projectile to flip the car over. Different functions, so it prepares you for the things that need to be shot within a motion picture. Very good guy.

SHEQUETA
How much does it cost? I want to go drive a car 360 degrees.

HORACE
I don’t know if his costs are still the same. I know when I took his super level one course it was about $2500 so it’s not cheap. It’s not cheap but it’s good knowledge to have. I would highly recommend it. Even if you’re not trying to be in the stunt business it teaches you very good car control.

SHEQUETA
What’s the biggest project you’ve worked on thus far?

HORACE
Uh, quite a few. The most recent was John Hancock. Working with Will Smith was great and it was probably one of the best cast and crew I’ve worked with. Uh, other ones that are coming out..Eagle Eye is another one that’s coming out I doubled Anthony Mackie. Actually Rush Hour 3 was one I really enjoyed too, doubling Chris Tucker. Spent a little time over in France and shot a little bit here at the same time. I got to work with Jackie Chan. So it was a different style to work with.

SHEQUETA
Did he teach you a lot?

HORACE
He taught me his way he goes about team. And how he keeps a certain group of people with him and how they go about their training methods that are different than how they do it here. But they’re very organized and they’re really on top of what they do and I like his style. He’s very technical and he’s Jackie Chan. He’s the man. When it comes to stunts he’s definitely the man.

SHEQUETA
Does he still do his own stunts?

HORACE
Yeah he still does a lot of his own stunts. He has people that will set lots of stuff up but he does quite a lot of his own stunts. He’s very healthy, you’d be surprised. Even though he’s getting up in age he’s still a great stuntman.

SHEQUETA
What are you working on now?

HORACE
Working on a film called “A Thousand Words” and I’m doing a little doubling for Eddie Murphy. I don’t know if we’re finished or not yet. I haven’t heard from the Coordinator so I won’t know til this week. I’ve been doing that. I gotta call from Transformers but we’ll see.

SHEQUETA
(whispers)
Strike.

HORACE
Yeah we’ll have to see about that one too. I don’t know what’s going on, maybe you can inform me on that one.

SHEQUETA
When you work on these projects do you get to meet the actors and talk and chat and all of that?

HORACE
Yeah, sometimes, it just depends on the actor. Some actors are more personable than others. When I was working on Rush Hour 3, Chris Tucker and I hung out together. Spent a lot of time talking and I just kind of learned his ways more than anything. Some projects I may double the person but I may see the video of what they were doing leading up to the action that has to be taken. So I get to see it on video and then I have to mimic it in some sort of way and add my twist to it. So it depends on the project.

SHEQUETA
What are your future goals?

HORACE
I figure I should try and stay as healthy as possible in what I’m doing. To stay as young as possible. Mainly stay healthy. But my transition after this…I want to end up coordinating or be a second unit director. But if I’m doing second unit directing I want to direct more action films since that’s where I’m coming from. But to travel more, see more places and help other people along. They want to know more about the business you know I can be a teacher of it. But for me it’s something I didn’t grow up in so I still have a lot to learn. But I’m sticking with the International Stunt Association - the guys that brought me in and brought me along and taught me a lot. I’m tryna help bring that up at the same time and get the best I can out of that. And another future goal is to win a stunt “Taurus Award.”

SHEQUETA
What’s that?

HORACE
Kind of like the Oscars but for Stunts. That’s my immediate goal. That’s for the record okay.

SHEQUETA
Well, you did Hancock so you should.

HORACE
For the record, I want y’all to know this. So if you see a project and you really think the stunts are great and awards come up, vote for me…I’m not being arrogant.

SHEQUETA
Do stuntmen/women win Oscars?

HORACE
No, not yet. But there has been a vote for the best…I think it was put in the Oscars for the best Coordinator. I think that’s represented now. So I’m hoping that they will put in future Oscar Awards ceremony that there will be an award possible.

SHEQUETA
Yeah I mean y’all the ones getting hurt.

HORACE
So I put in for that too. For the record, okay?

SHEQUETA
What advice would you have for other guys/girls out there who are considering becoming a stuntman/woman?

HORACE
Advice wise I say for somebody’s that’s becoming a stuntman or stuntwoman…talk to real stunt people that are really in the business and that are doing it. Not something that you see people off on the side just doing tricks or something like that because it’s a business. It’s about consistency. It’s about networking. It’s about rapport with people. To me you honestly have to have good rapport with people. People skills. If you don’t do great work it travels. If you injure a lot of people it travels. That’s the way this business works. Being very professional will help you go a long way. Stay in shape and know what you doing. That’s the main thing about doing stunts, how to manage.

SHEQUETA
What stunt would you never do?

HORACE
Quite a few stunts that I do but what wouldn’t I do? I guess you’d have to really pose something to me and I’d have to say yes or no.

SHEQUETA
I mean do you do anything in water?

HORACE
I do water. I’m trying to be well rounded in this. I’m trying to do a lot and learn a lot. But I won’t take a job unless I know I’m confident that I can do it.

SHEQUETA
What stunts get you out of your element?

HORACE
Not too much (makes me) out of my element. I’m just being honest. I’m pretty confident in a lotta stuff that I do.

SHEQUETA
But there’s gotta be something…like fire...

HORACE
Fire keeps me kinda edgy.

SHEQUETA
But what makes you nervous when someone comes up to you and they’re like buildings…heights?

HORACE
Heights doesn’t bother me. Fire just bothers me cause it’s hot. So I have to really focus on that one. And just make sure that the people that are putting it together know exactly what they’re doing. Cause fire is unpredictable. Fire is the only thing that makes me a little nervous just because fire is really unpredictable. High speed cars can be unpredictable, a car hit can be unpredictable. That’s the risk you take doing stunts.

SHEQUETA
Name some of the black stuntmen and women in the business?

HORACE
April Washington. I know she’s been around for a while. Great person, great mentor. Uh, LaFaye Baker she’s been around for a while. Jwaundace (Candece) she’s been around. She’s done a lot of stuff with Queen Latifah. I got another one off the top of my head and I see her face and I’m going blank at the moment. I called her for quite a few different jobs. Yeah I’m bad with names. Just spank me on that one.

SHEQUETA
(Laughter)
I know.

HORACE
For real just spank me. Please.

Laughter all around.

HORACE
Guys, Keith Woulard brought me along pretty well. He’s a coordinator that actually - when I did “Tears of the Sun” he was the first one that brought me on that project. It kind of broke me out of a lot of the football films. Uh, Eugene Collier, which is one of my mentors. He’s the one who got me in International Stunt Association - one of the groups that’s pretty big. I met a great stuntguy Clay Fontenot, Jay Lynch.

As if on cue, one of Horace’s Stunt Coordinators, Frank Lloyd, calls.

HORACE
Um there’s quiet a few black guys. Because we pretty much stay together and stay strong and tight. And try and work together, if one guy can’t do something we’ll pass it on to the other guy. That whole deal. That how we kinda keep unity between a lotta us. Because there’s only a handful of us. Me personally, I really try to keep people of color in the business because we should.

SHEQUETA
You might not get work otherwise.

HORACE
There’s still quite a few other guys out there so don’t get mad if I didn’t mention your name. But there’s quite a few guys. Tony, Precious, there’s like so many other different guys who have done the business…everybody has a funny name.

SHEQUETA
His name is Precious?

HORACE
Yeah guy’s have different names. He had to fight…yeah he’s in the stunt business he had to fight for that name. He had to stand up for that name all the way through Elementary, Jr. High….

SHEQUETA
That’s his real name? Are you serious…Precious?

HORACE
That’s his real name. Yes.

SHEQUETA
I have to meet him.

HORACE
I’m gonna introduce you.

SHEQUETA
I have to meet him, that’s my goal in life now.

HORACE
Speedy is another stunt guy. They got different funky names.

SHEQUETA
What’s your funky name?

HORACE
Uh….depends on what name you want.

SHEQUETA
The name I want to know is what they call you.

HORACE
In the stunt community…1 Take.

SHEQUETA
They call you 1 Take? Really? Are you lying?

HORACE
Yeah, Yeah. I aint lying. They call me 1 Take Wonder.

SHEQUETA
1 Take Wonder…You’re making stuff up.

HORACE
I’m serious! When I first started, when it came to the big football stunt, it was like 1 Take - if you want it done right call me, 1 Take.
(laughter)
You can call my stunt coordinators Alan Graf, Big Jeff Sanders, Gary Baxly, Pam Gilbert, they’ll tell it like it is.

SHEQUETA
Okay, 1 Take…1 Take Wonder…

HORACE
That’s only in film.

Laughter all around.

SHEQUETA
Last words….

HORACE
Uh, just glad you came out. I’m glad you picked me. I’m surprised. I didn’t think I was in that type of category.

Laughter all around.