Stunt Players Directory

Overview

Stunt Players Directory (stuntplayers.com) is a paid online database that connects stunt performers with stunt coordinators, second unit directors, and casting directors for film, television, and commercial work. For over 20 years, it has functioned as the primary searchable directory in the US stunt industry. Stunt coordinators use the database to find qualified performers by physical specialty: martial artists and combat, precision drivers, waterworks and SCUBA, gymnasts and freerunners, motorcyclists, horse work specialists, and weapon specialists. The directory is not a union itself. Stunt performers working on union productions are covered as performers under SAG-AFTRA agreements.

Membership costs $100/year, billed automatically to a credit card. Additional listing options include a Featured Stunt Player placement ($50) and Impacted Category listings ($25 each) that place a performer in categorical searches for specific skill areas. The directory allows both union and non-union performers to sign up, though member profiles are moderated to verify SAG-AFTRA status.

If you are a stunt coordinator casting an action sequence, the directory provides searchable profiles with photos, reels, and physical specs. If you are a stunt performer looking for work, a profile places you in the database that working coordinators actively use. Sign up at stuntplayers.com/sign-up.

SAG-AFTRA Stunt Rates (2025-2026 Contract Period)

Stunt performers on union productions are paid under SAG-AFTRA contracts. The current contract period runs from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, with rates increasing again on July 1, 2026 under the 2026 TV/Theatrical Agreement.

Base stunt performer rate: $1,246/day under both Theatrical and Television agreements. Stunt performers are contracted as principal performers, meaning they fall under the same base rate structure as speaking cast. Their day rate is only the floor.

Stunt coordinator rate: $1,246/day or $4,646/week under a flat deal for theatrical agreements. Television rates mirror these figures. On complex productions, coordinators are often brought on weeks before principal photography for prep, stunt design, casting, and coordination with the director and DP. That prep time is billable at the day rate.

Stunt adjustments: When a performer executes a stunt beyond the scope of what was originally negotiated, the work triggers a stunt adjustment added on top of the base day rate. The adjustment is negotiated based on the nature and risk of the stunt. Once agreed, it becomes part of the performer's base compensation for that day and flows into overtime, sixth-day premiums, seventh-day premiums, and holiday pay calculations. Budgeting action without accounting for stunt adjustments is a common line-producing error.

SAG-AFTRA pension and health contributions: 21% on all gross wages. This applies to every stunt performer and every stunt coordinator on a SAG-AFTRA production. If you have five stunt performers working a four-day action sequence, add 21% to every dollar in performer wages before presenting the budget to a financier.

2026 TV/Theatrical Agreement gains for stunt performers: The new agreement, negotiated in 2025, includes a committee to discuss residuals for off-camera stunt performers, general increases to schedule break amounts for weekly stunt performers, outsized increases for a newly created schedule break for stunt performers engaged under multiple-picture/episode contracts, and increased overtime money breaks. For stunt coordinators, the agreement allows a multiple picture/episode contract where the coordinator can render services on more than one episode in a week, with minimum compensation equal to the applicable theatrical flat deal minimum. The basis for calculating fixed residuals under such an engagement has doubled to two day-performer rates, with potential to increase to three if on-camera stunt services are rendered.

For the full current rate sheets and contract documents, visit the SAG-AFTRA production center.

Stunt Coordinator and Second Unit Director

The stunt coordinator is the key creative and safety leadership role in stunt work. The coordinator designs action sequences, assesses safety requirements for each gag (the industry term for a stunt), selects and coordinates the stunt performers executing the work, and oversees the safety protocols that protect everyone on set. On action-heavy productions, a senior stunt coordinator may also function as the second unit director, overseeing the shooting unit that captures action sequences while the primary unit shoots dialogue and character scenes.

This dual role requires both filmmaking judgment and deep physical expertise. The stunt coordinator's relationship with the director, DP, and first AD determines how effectively action sequences are planned and executed. Effective stunt coordination requires early involvement in production planning, clear communication about what is physically achievable and at what cost, and the ability to translate directorial intent into safe, executable physical performance.

Stunt Safety Protocols

Stunt safety is the central professional concern of the stunt community. The industry has developed detailed protocols that govern how stunts are planned and executed:

• Pre-rigging inspections: All rigging equipment is inspected before each stunt
• Rehearsal requirements: Stunts are rehearsed before execution, with incremental build-up of complexity
• Medical standby: Emergency medical personnel are present on set for high-risk stunts
• Communication procedures: Clear signals between the stunt coordinator, performers, and crew before, during, and after each gag
• Safety meetings: Mandatory briefings before any action sequence involving the full crew

These protocols exist because the consequences of failure in stunt work can be fatal. The industry has experienced high-profile accidents that have led to both regulatory attention and professional reform of safety standards. A stunt coordinator's safety assessment is not optional pre-production overhead. It is the professional judgment that determines whether planned action is achievable safely within the production's schedule and budget.

Historical Context

The Stunt Players Directory was established in the early 2000s as the stunt industry transitioned from informal word-of-mouth hiring toward organized online databases. Before online directories, stunt coordinators relied on personal networks, phone calls, and physical headshots to find performers for specific physical requirements. The directory formalized this process by creating a searchable database that coordinators could access when casting action sequences.

The broader US stunt profession organized under SAG-AFTRA coverage as part of the performer union's jurisdiction. Stunt performers are classified as principal performers under SAG-AFTRA contracts, giving them the same base rate structure as speaking cast, with stunt adjustments layered on top for specific physical risks. The 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike brought attention to stunt performer compensation issues, particularly around residuals for off-camera stunt work, which the 2026 TV/Theatrical Agreement addresses through a newly formed committee.

What Filmmakers Should Know

For directors planning action sequences: Involve the stunt coordinator from the script development stage, well before production begins. A coordinator who reviews the action script can identify safety concerns, suggest practical alternatives, and provide budget guidance that allows the director to make informed creative and financial decisions before the production is locked into an impractical approach. Stunt coordinator prep time at $1,246/day is billable and should be budgeted.

For line producers and UPMs: Budget stunt performers at $1,246/day base, plus negotiated stunt adjustments, plus 21% SAG-AFTRA pension and health contributions on all gross wages. A five-day action sequence with three stunt performers and a coordinator can easily exceed $40,000 in performer wages alone before adjustments and fringes. Use the Indie Film Budget Calculator to model total action sequence costs.

For stunt performers: A Stunt Players Directory profile at $100/year is the baseline marketing cost for working in the US stunt industry. The directory is actively used by coordinators to find performers, and the networking events included with membership provide face-to-face access to working coordinators. SAG-AFTRA membership is not required to join the directory, but most working coordinators hire union performers for union productions.

See Also

For the SAG-AFTRA performer agreements that cover stunt workers, see SAG-AFTRA in this directory. For the Taurus World Stunt Awards recognizing stunt achievement, see the Film Awards Directory. For estimating production budgets with action sequences, use the Indie Film Budget Calculator.