James Chung says that his team was only given one day to prepare, including costume setup and technical briefing before filming began. Photo: Handout
Local stunt talent gained global recognition once again with JST & SFX Production’s involvement in Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts, filmed partly in Kuala Lumpur and premiered globally early last month.
Its founder, James Chung, said its involvement proves the local team’s ability to produce high-quality action scenes on par with international productions.
"We first got involved in international film productions around 2017 to 2018 through the UK film Strike Back and Skyfire, a China-US co-production.
"For Thunderbolts, we were contacted by renowned stunt director Noon Orsatti before the collaboration was finalised,” he told Bernama recently.
The film Thunderbolts, directed by Jake Schreier, features a star-studded cast including Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell and Geraldine Viswanathan.
Parts of it were filmed at the world’s second tallest building, Merdeka 118, in mid-2023.
In addition to Thunderbolts, JST & SFX Production has also been involved in various other international productions including I Want To Be Rich, The Ghost Bride, The Little Nyonya, Attack Part 1, Special Raid, Big Octopus, Rajah, The Chosen One and Lord Of The Flies.
Chung, who is also a stunt director, said his team consists of 20 experienced, well-trained and disciplined male and female local stunt actors.
With over 20 years of experience in the field, he said their expertise was essential in executing complex and high-risk explosion scenes, which also involved over 100 extras.
"The main challenge is ensuring that all the extras are well-coordinated so everything runs smoothly and safely, as explosions can send flying debris. We are flexible and can perform stunts that regular extras can’t,” he said.
Chung added that his team was only given one day to prepare, including costume setup and technical briefing before filming began.
"For this explosion scene, we were only given a day to prepare costumes and a day to shoot. We conducted about seven rehearsals to ensure the scene went smoothly,” he said, adding that no special training was required for the shoot.
Meanwhile, stunt coordinator Ali Arami said they had to turn down a "rigging" scene in the superhero film due to the lack of specialised equipment.
"The equipment costs around US$120,000. We didn’t think it was necessary to purchase it because the rental cost is high, which would burden local productions. If there was a government grant, that would be a different story. We could buy it and rent it out at a more affordable rate,” he said.
Ali, who has nearly 20 years of experience, said discipline and professionalism were among the key reasons international productions choose local teams.
"Mr Noon himself praised Asians, including Malaysians, for their strong work ethics. Even when they’re exhausted, they complete tasks quickly – unlike American crews who tend to take a more ‘slow and steady’ approach,” he said.
"Even though not all stunt performers are fluent in English, they still try hard to understand and follow instructions well. Respecting the director’s orders and being easy to work with are our added values,” he said.
Ali also noted that international productions emphasise clear work structures, including a 12-hour work limit per day, per diem allowances (pocket money) and on-set safety.
Therefore, he hopes the local film industry will better appreciate the sacrifices and expertise of stunt actors, while also safeguarding crew welfare and safety.
"Yes, we are paid to fall or take impact, but before that, we always check whether the stunt is safe. We’re not Superman,” he said. – Bernama
