Frequently Asked Questions
Why is your training course better than other stunt schools?
Many stunt schools have a "ride the rides" mentality. A student pays a lot of money to come do a couple back flips in a wire rig and it's considered "training". But that student leaves with no real understanding of how and why they did what they did, and little or no confidence that they'll be able to do it again.
Stunt work requires more than experience. Stunt work requires skill, understanding, ability and confidence in your ability.
Our curriculum offers you more than just a bunch of rides, more than just an experience. We offer you the tools you need to truly understand aerial stunts, and to be able to perform them no matter the situation. Training is done progressively. Each day you'll learn and refine skills that will reinforce and enhance your training in the days ahead, and ultimately allow you to adapt to any stunt situation you face in the real world of stunt work.
For example, you'll be training lead-ups and techniques that apply to high falls for two and a half weeks, and will have used the techniques in varied stunt situations for 14 days, learning proper rotation techniques, correct landings, trampoline and mini-tramps, low and medium falls, and many other self reinforcing techniques. High falls become less about learning high falls and more about "adding height" to techniques you've already mastered.
Our training methods make your actions second nature, allowing you to focus on a single new challenge at a time. This makes your training more effective and allows you to progress farther, faster, and with more confidence.
In addition to superior training techniques, we offer you the training time you deserve. The best instruction in the world is useless if you don't have the opportunity to practice the techniques you learn. We have a large inventory of equipment that allows us to use our training time more effectively. Students work in small groups with constant instruction from our experienced teachers, giving them more time on equipment and better instruction than anyone else.
We also offer the latest, safest technology. High speed flying winches from Fisher Technical Services allow us to teach ratchet work and decelerators with unprecedented freedom. A traditional fan decelerator can take up to 30 minutes to reset. Our flying winches reset in seconds, allowing much more effective training. With flying winch systems, we can teach ratchet work progressively, which makes learning ratchets safer, less fatiguing, and allows students to learn advanced ratchet work with safety and confidence.
Better, smarter, more effective training techniques. Experienced instructors. More time on more equipment. Safer, smarter technology. The Tumblemonster Productions Stunt School offers the best aerial stunt training available anywhere, guaranteed. If you take our course and don't agree, we'll give you your money back.
What are your qualifications?
Our experienced staff has over 40 years combined experience teaching acrobatics, gymnastics, trampoline, circus arts, and stunt work. Our diverse staff are stunt artists, stunt coordinators, former USA Trampoline and Tumbling National Team members, circus performers, stage and screen performers, riggers, martial artists, and most importantly, we are professional teachers. We have been teaching acrobatic movement for over 40 years, and we do it better than anyone else.
For complete information on each of our staff members, visit the Staff page.
I want to become a stunt performer. You have several courses, which one should I take?
For students just beginning their journey to become stunt performers, we recommend attending our 3 week Aerial Intensive training course. Our 3 week course is the most complete aerial stunt training available. You will learn the same skills in all of our classes, but our 3 week class allows our entire curriculum to be integrated, which in turn allows students to progress farther in less time.
What kind of stunts will we learn?
Our curriculum is designed to prepare you for as many aerial stunt situations as possible. You'll spend a great deal of time learning fundamental acrobatic movement that applies to ALL stunt situations, then you'll progress through more challenging, advanced stunt work. For a complete breakdown of our course, please visit the Course Details page.
Who can attend the Aerial Stunt Course?
The Tumblemonster Productions Stunt School is open to anyone with an interest in learning aerial stunt work. We train actors, circus performers, stunt people, and people with an interest in expanding their skill set in stunt work. Participants must be at least 16 years of age. Participant who are under 18 will need a parents or guardians permission to participate.
Stunt work is physically taxing, so we ask that participants are in good physical condition.
Is your training safe?
Safety is our first concern. Every precaution is taken to insure student safety. Students train under the constant supervision of our experienced staff in a 30,000 square foot gymnastic facility. Our training is conducted at the individual student's pace, so each student progresses when they are ready.
If you are uncomfortable participating in certain parts of the training course, voice your doubts to your instructor or contact us. No student will be pushed to do anything they are uncomfortable doing.
Where is the course held?
We hold our classes in Gleason's Gymnastic School's 30,000 square foot facility in Eagan, Minnesota. Some training, such as advanced high falls, decelerators, and advanced ratchet work is held outside (weather permitting).
What kind of equipment do you have?The Tumblemonster Productions Stunt School utilizes a large inventory of equipment to make our training as effective as possible. Some of the equipment we utilize includes: F-515 Flying winches from Fisher Technical Services, 6 Olympic sized hotbed trampolines, stacks of panel mats, 4, 8, and 12 inch landing mats, resi-pits, CMI and Sweeney Special Effects flying blocks, Climbing Sutra harnesses, air bags, Air Ram and Russian swing. All of our equipment is immaculately maintained and retired at the first sign of wear or damage.
Do you offer private training?
Yes we do. We train actors and stunt artists for general stunt work and also offer stunt specific training for specific roles. If you are interested in private training for yourself or your production, please contact us.
Do you provide transportation? Food? Lodging?We provide transportation to and from the airport and to and from your hotel and the training site. You are responsible for all of your meals. We do not provide lodging, but we have arranged a special rate at a local hotel.
What do I need to bring with me?
Bring comfortable workout clothes with no snaps, zippers or buttons, and athletic shoes. We recommend biker shorts for wire-fu work. You will also need hard knee and elbow pads.
What is included in the demo reel?
We have an experienced Cinematographer who shoots every student throughout the course. The best examples of your stunt work will be edited together into a 1 minute demo reel by our professional editor. A couple weeks after the course you'll receive a DVD of your reel and a CD of high resolution still photos taken during the course. All photos and video are yours to use in any way you like.
In addition, selected photos, your head shot, and your demo reel will be posted on our web site for coordinators to review.
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