STUNT DRIVING COURSES

Drivetac is the brand new BSR accredited precision stunt driving school. This course has been developed by precision driving experts to ensure it delivers the specific needs for Film, TV, and all media platforms.

Upon completion the course will obtain the Stunt Register Driving Certification, Group C (2) qualification.

Upcoming courses

Stunt

Driving

Driven to succeed

The standard course comprises of three, 3 day blocks and one test day. On this course you will be taught specific precision driving skills and manoeuvres, as well as important on-set and car safety information. This course will be taught by Sam Maher-Loughnan and a pool of hand-picked industry leading professionals, who are all from stunt driving or racing backgrounds. These individuals are equipped with a huge amount of experience and bespoke techniques that they will share with the attendees.

We have our own fleet of vehicles, workshop, classrooms and dedicated skid pan. While we have multiple surfaces to train on, for the acredited BSR stunt course we focus on one area of tarmac and concrete, both wet and dry with the use of water bowsers

This surface is what you will encounter 99% of the time when you start you journey as an ND driver (nondescript) so the ethos of the BSR course is to get you ready to to take your first job on set with the knowledge and confidence to perform at the highest level.

What You’ll Learn

We will teach you the ‘why and the how’ of stunt driving; the physics, safety systems, control systems and even mechanical sympathy – to avoid downtime on set. All of our training and techniques are specifically applicable to the world of film; from forward slalom and hand, feet and eye synchronisation, to hand-braking techniques, manual or hydraulic – all bases and disciplines are covered.

There is a 2-1 ratio for instructors and trainees and on average you will be driving for 6 hours per day. You will leave the course with integral Film and TV specific precision driving skills.

Cars in the fleet

4×4 SUV type

Convertable

Mini

Saloon

Race car

POD vehicle

Safety

Personal vehicle safety checks
Tyre knowledge
Failure points: Chassis, brakes & tyre
Area risk assessment: Understanding vehicle weight & trajectory
Understanding drive train dynamics: Front wheel, rear wheel, 4wheel drive
ESP safety systems: Stability management, traction control, yaw control
Understanding car dynamics on a film set
Understanding and being taught how to foresee problems and how to fix them
Understanding safe driving distance between cars and artist.

Film set etiquette

Onset terminology
How to use a radio correctly
Understanding equipment required for specific stunts

Skills/manoeuvres

Different steering techniques that will apply to different skills
Hand brake technique: Hydro & normal
Understanding handbrakes & handbrake maintenance
Basic car evaluation & test (prior to accepting vehicle)
HB Turn: box park, forward 180, stopping on mark at different angles, i.e. from 45 – 90
J Turn: Timing of the J turn in relation to the camera angle and understanding what the camera will pick up.
Reverse 90
Stop on mark / up to object
Drive through restricted width opening and also with blind direction change beforehand.
Drifting for film sets, delivering what is asked for.
Sliding under an inertia, sliding under throttle, sliding with minimum revs (i.e. keeping the noise down for Sound Department), understanding the surface you are sliding on from a safety point of view (kicking up gravel, understanding where crew are based, where video village is etc.)
Driving in a multiple car convoy, learning timings and distance, maintaining timings and distance. With the size of our facility, you will be in a in a car convoy with up to 10 cars, with the instructors applying real world and film set issues and experiences along the way.
Camera tracking

Advanced Course

Advanced stunt driving courses are available for current BSR members and drivers with a proven CV.

On these specific courses we will advance your skill base and teach you how to perform the high energy driving stunts seen in the movies.

Simultaneous reverse 180s inward and outward.
Reverse 180 into a box 90
Tandem drifting
Stopping on a mark with extreme precision. ie. Another car and actor
High speed driving. Increasing the speed on all skills learned to offer the camera more energy.
Lift off oversteer
Power sliding through an apex
Chase car
Camera car driving (classroom and practical)

Driving in different seated positions
High speed reversing
Flying 360 front and rear wheel drive
Racing technique with close proximity driving
Driving with weapons. Shooting at a vehicle and shooting from a vehicle.
Understanding safety equipment. ie. checking harnesses, roll cage (classroom)
Understanding airbags (classroom)
Understanding tyres and pressures (classroom)
Driving different vehicles. ie. SUV, convertible, pod car, race car.

Designing a drift course and learning the physics of how to create the desired shots. Understanding the rear wheel drive vehicle you are operating and classroom work on the various types of differentials that each vehicle will have and how to maximise the potential of that particular diff.