An Open Letter To The Baftas From Hollywood Bulldogs Director Jon Spira

Jon Spira
London, UK
3rd April 2022
To whom it may concern,
My name is Jon Spira, I’m a filmmaker.
For the past four years, I have been researching and documenting the modern history of the British
stunt performer alongside my producer and my production team. The resulting film, Hollywood
Bulldogs: The Rise and Falls of the Great British Stuntman, narrated by by Ray Winstone, premiered
in 2021 on BritBox to 5/5 star reviews in the broadsheets and will be on general release in the UK
and around the globe in Spring 2022. I do not take credit for this, quite simply it’s a great story with
a compelling cast of characters.
The generation of performers my film documents came of age in the sixties, came into their own in
the seventies and, by the eighties, had not only redefined what was possible in the field but had
become a defining force in Hollywood. These are the performers who gave the thrills to the
audiences of Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Aliens and countless more. On home turf they were even
more significant because they are the people who created and performed the action of James Bond,
arguably our most enduring contribution to global cinema. And let’s be honest, what’s a 007 film
without the stunts?
The one question I have been asked by almost everybody who has worked on the film, promoted
the film and, now, seen the film is a simple one: Why is there no BAFTA award for stunts?
I was hoping you might be able to answer this question, as I am unable to.
There is a BAFTA for hair and make up. A BAFTA for sound. Even a BAFTA for Best Song. All of
these contributors deserve to be celebrated, but I can’t help thinking that very few people have
actually gone to the cinema on the basis of the work singularly of these teams. I’d argue the other
way; for the work of the stunt team. The fine quality of British stuntwork, displayed in a film trailer,
is clearly a strong contributing factor for audience enticement and therefore a huge boost to the
industry. There is a BAFTA for Visual Effects, which is often heavily dependent upon the work of
the stunt team.
So why no BAFTA recognition?
The stunt team are the only members of a film crew who, almost by definition, lay their actual lives
on the line for the sake of the film. Is that not alone an investment in the film’s success greater than
anybody else makes?
So why no BAFTA recognition?
I understand the historical reason for the industry not recognising, or even crediting the stunt
performers. It would diminish the standing of the film stars if people knew it wasn’t them
performing the acts of derring-do. On a technical level, perhaps there are still some action film
directors who would rather not know that the stunt team’s footage is actually directed by someone
else. But the secret got out a long time ago. The studios now use behind-the-scenes documentaries
about the stunt teams to actually promote the films now.
So, why no BAFTA recognition?

The generation of stuntmen I have been documenting are getting on in age now. Peter Diamond,
who co-ordinated all of the Star Wars trilogy’s stunts along with hundreds of other credited gigs,
died a couple of years ago driving between two jobs. Much beloved stunt performer Frank “The
Crash” Henson, famous for doubling John Wayne and jumping a car over Tower Bridge, died whilst
we were making the documentary.
You have a generation of performers – Ray Austin, Vic Armstrong, Greg Powell, Jim Dowdall, Rocky
Taylor, Paul Weston, Richard Hammet, Wendy Leech, Tracy Eddon and many more - who came
into the industry at a time when stunt performing meant little more than paying a background
artist an extra fiver to fall down a flight of stairs. These men and women innovated the craft and the
technology, they created safety standards and revolutionised training.
Their work and art over the last sixty years have elevated British cinema as a commodity and an
experience. My team and I put it to you, to put to your members, isn’t it time to recognise their
huge contribution?
Sincerely,
Jon Spira
Director: Hollywood Bulldogs
Ray Winstone
Narrator: Hollywood Bulldogs
Hank Starrs
Producer: Hollywood Bulldogs
Jack Clothier
UK Distributor: Hollywood Bulldogs

An Open Letter To The Baftas From Hollywood Bulldogs Director Jon Spira

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Jon Spira

To whom it may concern,

My name is Jon Spira, I’m a filmmaker.

So why no BAFTA recognition?

So why no BAFTA recognition?

So, why no BAFTA recognition?

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