Tell about yourself and your background! *
I am 20 years old and I'm originally from Bulgaria. I moved to the States with my mother to a small town called Ottawa back in 2005. Since then I've participated in a number of sports in school including Soccer, Tennis, Track and Field, Football, and Wrestling. I also do Parkour and a little bit of Gymnastics. I have been taught parts of Jujitsu, Muay-Thai, and Boxing by local MMA fighters and I am currently being trained in Shotokan Karate
What inspired you to become a stunt performer?
I was always an active kid growing up. Climbing trees, running around, jumping off of and over things. When I started doing Parkour, I developed a passion for the sport. I also love superheroes like Spiderman and Batman and as any child with an active imagination would often pretend to be those characters. I started filming myself doing flips and fighting with my friends. A few years ago I had met with a stuntman from Utah and had a training session with him. Later seeing him be in big productions and getting paid to do the things I've loved doing since I was a kid made me want to be just like him. A stuntman! I had made up my mind ever since that day that that is what I want to do for a living from now on... easier said than done I know, but it's a work in progress!
What is the best part about being a stunt performer?
For me the best part about being a stunt performer is simply that I love performing. They always say find a job you enjoy doing and then it no longer becomes work. Plus who doesn't want to dress up in cool costumes, knock out some bad guys and get great reactions...it's one of the best feelings in the world to see your time and effort bring a certain satisfaction to the audience or spectators
Tell your all-time favorite stunt story!
My all-time favorite stunt story happened about a year ago. I was back in Bulgaria when I did my first stair fall for a video on Facebook. I had no idea the impact it might have on my body and I only had a pair of soft knee pads, and it was down 2 flights of concrete stairs. Oh, and I was in a white shirt, a tie, slacks and dress shoes... so that was fun. 15 takes later and after a few scrapes and bruises, I finally got the shot that I wanted. In the end it was all worth it.
What advice would you give other stunt performers?
Find other people who want to train, improve their skills, and film things with you. Help each other grow and gain experience as much as you can. Also get out of your comfort zone and try new things. You'll be amazed at what you can learn along the way
Please share your social media handles and how we can follow you!
I'm on Facebook as Jason NeSmith My Instagram handle is jason_nesmith.273
