Name: Scott Armstrong

Job Title:  Assistant stunt coordinator.

What are your earliest memories of being interested in a career in film/TV or media (or specifically on the Stunt side)?

Watching my Dad when I would visit him on set working as a stuntman and action director.

How did Shiplake or what you studied after Shiplake influence your passion?

Shiplake gave me the confidence to go for it and I gained the required GCSE’s to get in to college. Where in turn I learnt the first set of skills I would need in the film industry.

What field of TV/Film/Media do you work in?

I started in special effects, I did this for about 8 years. During the last 2 years I started to transition over to stunts and have been doing that since.

What was it about the industry that drew you towards that career?

I spent a lot of time as a child on film sets when I would visit my Dad during the school holidays. It is also a job where you can be doing something very different form one day to the next, and some very exciting things at that.

TV/Film & Media is a notoriously difficult field to break into – how did you navigate your way into the industry?

I am lucky that my Dad and a lot of my family are in the industry. So through them I was able to meet a lot of people to get my early start.

How did you decide which area of the industry you wanted to pursue?

I went into SFX first as I have always had an interest in engineering and after being at college studying Marine engineering I also had a good skill set. After a few years I started to make plan and the move to stunts as I have always been very physical and wanted a new challenge.

What skills and personal attributes do you need to have to be successful in this industry?

A good work ethic, self motivation, a passion for it, not to be afraid of early mornings and long hours.

What are the biggest challenges that face your industry but also your role?

The newest threat to our industry is AI especially as a performer.

Why is Film/TV and Media important to society?

It is important because it give people of all walks of life a chance to escape the norm of life when they sit down to watch a movie. It also generate a lot of money and jobs, last year it was a £6.2 billion industry in the U.K.

Who are you most inspired by in your industry?

People like Clint Eastwood, Buster Keaton and as cheesy as it sounds my Dad are massive inspirations to me in the industry. Clint for still making some of the best film even at his age. Buster for being a pioneer as an action actor in the silent movies and performing stunts we are still trying to recreate today. My Dad as he is one of the leading stuntmen and action unit director in the industry and also pushed the boundaries for stunts.

If there’s one piece of advice that you could give your younger self – or someone aspiring to a career in Film/TV and Media, what would it be?

Don’t wait too long to change you direction if you are not happy, you spend long enough working so if you can do something you enjoy you should go for it.

A massive thank you to Scott for an interesting interview, it was a priviledge to learn about such a unique and exciting career.

Scott's IMDB profile can be found here if you are interested to find out about his roles.

If you are an Old Viking and would be interested in sharing how you turned your passion into a career, please contact oldvikings@shiplake.org.uk.