Production of the Documentary Film “The Second Body”: An Analysis of the Realities of Stunt Performers’ Lives in the Film Industry
Main Article Content
Zainal Abidin Saputra*
St. Tri Guntur Narwaya
The documentary film “The Second Body”: An Analysis of the Reality of Stuntmen’s Lives in the Film Industry is an audio-visual work that explores the everyday realities of stunt performers, namely professionals who confront high physical risks yet receive limited recognition and inadequate protection within the Indonesian film industry. Through an observational approach and in-depth interviews with active stuntmen, stunt coordinators, and action film directors, this documentary reveals a series of structural issues faced by stunt performers, including the absence of safety standards, lack of health insurance, financial inequality, and minimal appreciation for their contributions to cinematic productions. This research employs the theories of media representation and the social construction of reality to examine how stuntmen are portrayed in media and how their professional realities are shaped through social interactions within the film industry. The production process consisted of three main stages, namely pre-production, production, and post-production, each designed to present an authentic depiction of the physical risks, mental pressures, and dedication embodied by stunt performers. The documentary demonstrates that although stuntmen play a crucial role in creating dynamic and visually compelling action sequences, their position remains overshadowed by leading actors, a dynamic that reinforces the structural inequality embedded within the industry. The film aspires to serve as an advocacy medium, encouraging the film industry to implement proper safety standards, fair compensation schemes, and more meaningful recognition for the stunt profession.
Baruah, S., Somandepalli, K., & Narayanan, S. (2022). Representation of professions in entertainment media: Insights into frequency and sentiment trends through computational text analysis. Plos One, 17(5), e0267812. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.26418/jppk.v5i3.14382
Cresswell, J. W. (2008). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches , Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Dara, E. N., & Panjaitan, R. G. P. (2016). Pengaruh Film Dokumenter terhadap Hasil Belajar Siswa pada Materi Ruang Lingkup Biologi. Jurnal Pendidikan Dan Pembelajaran Khatulistiwa (JPPK), 5(3). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.26418/jppk.v5i3.14382
Gill, R., & Pratt, A. (2008). In the social factory? Immaterial labour, precariousness and cultural work. Theory, Culture & Society, 25(7–8), 1–30. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/0263276408097794
Hesmondhalgh, D., & Baker, S. (2013). Creative labour: Media work in three cultural industries. Routledge.
Kvale, S., & Brinkmann, S. (2009). Interviews: Learning the craft of qualitative research interviewing. sage.
Marcel, D. (2010). Pengantar Memahami Semiotika Media. Yogyakarta: Jalasutra.
Marshall, C., & Rossman, G. B. (2014). Designing qualitative research. Sage publications.
Neal, A., & Griffin, M. A. (2006). A study of the lagged relationships among safety climate, safety motivation, safety behavior, and accidents at the individual and group levels. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91(4), 946. https://doi.org/https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0021-9010.91.4.946
Nichols, B. (2024). Introduction to documentary. Indiana University Press.
Rabiger, M. (2014). Directing the documentary. Routledge.
Russell, J. A., Beverly, E. A., Stewart, L. J., McMichael, L. P., & Senn, A. B. (2024). Stunt performers’ reluctance to self-report head trauma: a qualitative study. Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology, 19(4), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12995-024-00401-0
Senn, A. B., McMichael, L. P., Stewart, L. J., & Russell, J. A. (2023). Head Trauma and Concussions in Film and Television Stunt Performers. Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, 65(1), e21–e27. https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000002738
Stake, R., & Visse, M. (1995). Case study research. Springer.
Yin, R. K. (2009). Case study research: Design and methods. SAGE Publication.
Zohar, D. (1980). Safety climate in industrial organizations: theoretical and applied implications. Journal of Applied Psychology, 65(1), 96. https://doi.org/https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0021-9010.65.1.96
