Part two of the interview with Constantin Viscreanu takes us even deeper behind the scenes of the stunt world and the film industry. With the same sharp humour and disarming honesty, Constantin shares stories about high-risk moments, near-misses, and the real joy of working in a world where adrenaline meets discipline.
And if this world has sparked your curiosity, you should know he also shares his experience through The Stunt Forge — a training ground for aspiring stunt performers and athletes who want to explore this thrilling craft, even only as a hobby.
How much preparation and training are required for a single scene?
Depending on the complexity, environment, and nature of the scene, preparation can vary. A complex fight sequence might require a week from creation to being ready to shoot. A scene involving horses could need several days or weeks, depending on the horses’ experience and the scene’s complexity. A staged car accident requires weeks for vehicle preparation and a day for testing and synchronization. Water-based action scenes need at least a day of preparation and another for rehearsals, especially if actors need to adapt to water action.
Have you ever refused to perform a stunt? Why?
I’ve always pursued special stunts and haven’t refused any presented to me. However, I had immense anxiety about a stunt for a Jackass-type film where I was supposed to be shot with cacti launched from a kind of cannon. I am somewhat relieved that this stunt was ultimately canceled.
What myths about stunt performers would you like to debunk?
Firstly, the profession isn’t as dangerous or uncontrolled as it appears. Everything is rehearsed and prepared to minimise risks significantly. Moreover, a stunt performer’s instincts and control are developed to a level far beyond that of an average person, allowing for instant, calm reactions through muscle memory.
The secret lies in training and preparation until you become a different “species” in terms of bone and muscle density, physical and motor skills, instinct, and reaction. This reduces risk and makes it an almost normal profession for us.
On the flip side, the adrenaline and camera addiction can make other professions seem uninteresting over time. Very few stunt performers can leave the field and remain happy.
How have stunts evolved over the years, especially with new technologies and special effects?
Stunt work from 20 years ago is vastly different from today. From performers’ techniques to audience expectations, action sequence design, and health and safety standards, everything has evolved rapidly. Add to that the incredible camera movements, high-frame-rate footage, drone shots, and the expansion of special effects (CGI), and we have a product so different that it’s hard to watch older films after getting used to the last decade’s productions.
Stunt work has become more interesting and dangerous-looking for viewers and safer and more technologically advanced for us. Currently, we are experiencing a safer and more regulated world, largely thanks to special effects and the magic of the camera.
What is the film industry like in Romania, and what should be changed or added to attract more productions?
Currently, it is struggling, especially regarding A-list foreign productions. We had a few good years when the government promised to support the industry through a “cash rebate” law, similar to most European countries with numerous and large film productions. However, deceit and false promises masked as good intentions have set us back further than before.
This law was supposed to return a portion of taxes to producers. Even now, productions that came during that period and were supposed to benefit from this law haven’t received their money because the government hadn’t clarified and regulated the “procedure for granting the funds.” In essence, “You have money to receive, but we don’t know how to give it to you; please wait a bit for the minister to resolve it.” Given that the global film industry is very small, our reputation suffered quickly.
The years 2020–2025, with the pandemic, war, and lack of this law, have set us back significantly, and many of us, film specialists, have gone abroad to work. Many are still there. Therefore, we need big films to bring back the specialists we used to make those major films with. At our peak, before the pandemic, we were filming Netflix series, HBO productions, and large foreign films, alongside other small projects, commercials, and music videos – a massive scale for us. It was a dream. That is where we hope to return.
Fortunately, even in these tough times, the Romanian film production market is developing. However, the level is still low, and teams are quite small for independent Romanian projects, most being art or festival films. Therefore, the answer lies in the political sphere.
How do the professions of stunt performer and actor combine? Do you want to transition into acting?
In the UK stunt register, you cannot enter without an accredited acting course. When I finished Law School, I wondered, “What university should I do next?” I felt the need to continue learning. Acting, naturally complemented stunt work. I also performed in a few plays during my master’s program, and if I had more opportunities to act with decent remuneration, as I did under Professor Dan Tudor, I might have stayed more in acting. I still love it dearly. But I also enjoyed stunt work, which already paid better. In fact, not just better – from acting alone, I couldn’t have made a living.
I hope, over time, to take on more projects involving both acting and stunts, and why not, perhaps solely acting when I have the necessary caliber. Nonetheless, I will remain in stunt work as long as there is room and need for me.
If you weren’t a stunt performer, what other profession would you have chosen?
Back then, I probably would have stayed in Law, leaning towards Criminal Law or the Prosecutor’s Office. Now, if I could no longer do stunt work, I would venture into something related to education, work with wood, or learn underwater welding.
If you could give advice to someone wanting to become a stunt performer, what would it be? Would you recommend this profession to younger generations?
It is hard to recommend stunt work as a profession. You can’t live solely from it as a beginner. We were sustained by promises and grandiose images. We invested all our youth’s time into it. That’s how we endured the meager earnings at the start, with propaganda as our daily bread.
I will be honest; I don’t want to deceive anyone’s expectations. It should start as a hobby and develop gradually. Ideally, one should already be advanced in a sports field and grow from a passion for what stunt work entails. Filming opportunities appear gradually, timidly, but they do appear.
After 3-4 years of sporadic filming and training, one should assess pleasure versus earnings. If the balance is positive, that’s the moment to dive in 100%, with the right mentor, and they will surely achieve the desired profession and results.
We desperately need young talent, but we can’t guarantee much beyond guidance, training space, and our support.
The profession itself is sublime. Spending your youth doing stunt work and achieving the necessary material satisfaction for a decent life from it is a dream come true.
Tell us about The Stunt Forge, your stunt school.
The Stunt Forge is a project that began forming in my mind years ago, during my first experience running a stunt training program together with Constantin Anghel, for our former stunt team. That’s when I realised how much I enjoyed teaching and that I wanted to develop the educational side of this profession.
At the moment, legal recognition from Romania’s Ministry of Education or Ministry of Culture is no longer an option – these procedures are currently blocked. But as an extracurricular training programme, a sports activity, or a professional development course, The Stunt Forge can still operate and grow. That is the direction we are heading in.
Currently, we organise weekly open stunt training sessions that are accessible to almost anyone.
The next step is to formally open a dedicated training school for stunt performers, with a real curriculum, clear structure, and continuity. The idea is to start with a small group— 10 to 15 people — and take them through three modules of three months each. After completing this 9-month training programme, they would have the right foundation to start working in the field.
What kind of background should future students have?
Theoretically, a sports background is required. If it is in competitive sports, even better.
Practically, one of the best stunt performers and closest friends I have has no history in performance sports, nor was he extremely athletic – just a very active and agile child. He built on that, step by step, until he became a complete, internationally recognised stuntman.
So, in conclusion, anyone who believes they have the right qualities or the willpower and strength to build themselves in this profession is welcome. And here, it is the most resilient and hard-working who succeed – not necessarily the most talented.
The school’s groups will be divided according to the students’ level, so that there are no major differences between exercise partners, except when such differences are intentionally required.