TV and Film Stunts

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

Choosing the right name is very important. Read our detailed guide on how to name your business. We recommend checking if the business name you choose is available as a web domain and securing it early so no one else can take it.

The most significant asset for a stunt design business owner is experience. As mentioned, most individuals entering this industry have up to ten years of experience under their belt. They have put in the work as a stuntman and/or design staff and are ready to move on to the next stage of their career.

Stunt designers should meet with a professional to ensure they have proper insurance coverage should an incident occur. Travel expenses for the entire design staff should be budgeted for, and designers are encouraged to consider the travel budget when determining their fees.

Many designers have a dedicated staff that travels with them from job to job. While this significantly increases startup costs, it often proves invaluable to most as each team member knows their role and are able to communicate amongst the team with ease. To mitigate costs, consider hiring team members on a freelance basis.

Regardless of your role within the industry, leaders encourage everyone involved to commit to learning new methods through continuing their education. Workshops at the Los Angeles Stunts Training Center typically last three days and cost an average of $975, while tuition to an International Stunt School course can set you back upwards of $4,500.

In addition to investing in continuing education, stunt designers will need to budget for travel expenses, insurance, and payroll/employee-related expenses.

If you are considering launching a stunt designer business, you have likely spent many years in the industry. Where have you built your reputation? What producers and directors have you developed a solid foundation with? What sets and/or genres most align with your passion and experience? Where could your knowledge and skills best be put to work? While your ultimate goal is to work on set with a television or movie crew, you may have to work your way back up the ladder in this new position.

Hired by television or movie production teams, stunt designers are paid for each project they complete. Designers rely on past successes and the relationships built on set to gain additional work and build a professional portfolio.

Fees collected vary depending upon the scope and length of the project and budget. The average rate is $980 a day or $3,655 a week.

If you earn an average of $3,655 per week and work 30 weeks per year, your gross annual income will exceed $109,000.

Stunt designers looking to increase annual profits are encouraged to branch out and think outside the box. Commercial skate parks, theme parks, community parks, and video game developers could also benefit from your expertise. Opening a stunt school or teaching workshops are also effective ways to supplement your income and build a name for yourself within the community.

Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your stunt design business is sued.

You can form an LLC yourself and pay only the minimal state LLC costs or hire one of the Best LLC Services for a small, additional fee.

Recommended: You will need to elect a registered agent for your LLC. LLC formation packages usually include a free year of registered agent services. You can choose to hire a registered agent or act as your own.

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It's really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

Stunt World Community Membership

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers' Compensation Coverage.

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you aren't feeling confident about designing your small business logo, then check out our Design Guides for Beginners, we'll give you helpful tips and advice for creating the best unique logo for your business.

Recommended: Get a logo using Truic's free logo Generator no email or sign up required, or use a Premium Logo Maker.

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

Unlike most industries, promoting a stunt design business doesn’t require social media advertisements and targeted SEO campaigns. You started promoting your business years ago when you first stepped onto the scene. Work comes from preexisting relationships. Industry leaders recommend saying “yes” to every opportunity that comes your way and views every job as a way to further network within the industry and develop new skills.

Each job you do, no matter how big or small, is an opportunity to connect, learn, and grow. Tackle it with enthusiasm and positively represent yourself at all times - someone is always watching. If communicating with others is not your strong suit, look for ways to hone that skill. Word of mouth and networking are key to success in this industry.

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

All legitimate businesses have websites - full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.