Stunt Design: How High-Stakes Action Is Built Without CGI

When you see a car flip mid-air, a hero leap from a ten-story building, or a fight scene that feels like it could kill someone—stunt design, the craft of planning and executing physical action sequences in film and TV. Also known as action choreography, it’s what turns script pages into heart-pounding moments that feel real because they are. This isn’t about green screens or digital doubles. It’s about human bodies, physics, timing, and trust. Every punch thrown, every fall taken, every explosion triggered—someone planned it down to the millisecond. And someone got paid to make sure they didn’t die doing it.

Behind every great stunt is a stunt coordinator, the director of chaos who oversees safety, timing, and execution of all physical action. Also known as stunt supervisor, this person doesn’t just pick who does the falls—they design the entire sequence, from the height of the ramp to the angle of the crash pad. They work with directors, cinematographers, and special effects teams to make sure the camera captures the danger without actually putting lives at risk. You won’t see their name in the opening credits, but you’ll feel their work in your chest when the car flips. And it’s not just about big explosions. A quiet hand-to-hand fight in a kitchen, a chase through a crowded market, or a slow-motion tumble down a staircase—all of it is meticulously choreographed. The best stunt design makes you forget it’s staged. That’s the goal: to make the impossible look inevitable.

Modern films still rely on practical effects, real-world physical elements like pyrotechnics, rigs, and props used to create on-screen action. Also known as in-camera effects, they’re the backbone of believable action—even when CGI is added later. Think of Tom Cruise hanging off the side of a plane in Mission: Impossible, or Charlize Theron smashing through glass in Atomic Blonde. Those weren’t simulations. They were real people, in real danger, doing real things. Stunt performers train for years—some for decades—to master the art of falling without breaking, of timing a punch to look devastating without connecting, of driving a car at 80 mph and walking away unharmed. It’s not just athleticism. It’s precision engineering with flesh and bone.

And then there’s film safety, the system of protocols, gear, and oversight that protects stunt performers during high-risk sequences. It’s not optional. It’s the law. Every rig, every harness, every pad is checked and rechecked. Insurance companies require it. Unions enforce it. And the best stunt teams treat it like religion. Because when you’re jumping off a bridge onto a pile of cardboard boxes, you don’t get a second chance.

What you’ll find here isn’t just a list of movies with cool fights. It’s a look at how the invisible architects of action make the impossible look easy. From the quiet prep work to the explosive payoff, these posts break down how stunt design shapes the movies you love—without ever using a single pixel of CGI.