Tell about yourself and your background! *
Black belt in Sambo and Judo, 4 master degrees (including acting and directing), fighting on streets of Saint-Petersburg, Russia with real criminals after the Soviet Union collapsed.
What inspired you to become a stunt performer?
Necessity. I had to find a way of making money and I was casted on streets for fighting skills.
What is your greatest skill as a stunt performer, is there a stunt behind it?
Street fight
What is the best part about being a stunt performer?
Living your past adventures again and again in your head
Tell your all-time favorite stunt story!
I was dreaming to meet a famous Russian director. On a parking lot I got into a fight with his casting agent. He told to Casting director of the movie about the incident and they cast me for a fight scene. Trying to make sense out of the scene I offered my version of blocking as real fight. I got hired as a stunt choreographer for the whole season of his new TV Show. After choreographing the scene the investor loved it so much that asked me to direct the rest of the show. So I met my dream director who got fired because of my stunt work and I got his position... That launched my new career of a filmmaker.
What advice would you give other stunt performers?
Danger is fun for some people in the industry, so, please, be safe.
Anything else you'd like to tell the community about?
I dream to make a stunt movie with no dialogue, but with great sound design and Sfx, but many is not in place. Let me know if anyone could be interested to finance a low budget pure stunt action movie or TV Show.
Please share your social media handles and how we can follow you!
https://www.instagram.com/tigran_mutafyan/?hl=en
