From Variety · William Earl · · 1m 20s
The stuntman who became a director
Scott Waugh spent 18 years falling off things, then turned that instinct into a directing career built on set pieces.
In brief
Scott Waugh spent 18 years falling off things, then turned that instinct into a directing career built on set pieces. Waugh directs action from the inside out, because he spent two decades being the person in the middle of it. Originally reported by Variety.
He sees set pieces differently
Scott Waugh does not approach big action the way most directors do. He came up inside the stunt, not behind the monitor watching it.
“Scott Waugh thinks about big set pieces differently than other filmmakers.”
Started at twelve
Waugh began performing stunts at 12, following his father Fred Waugh, a career Hollywood stuntman. The job was the family business before it was a choice.
Ran the elite club
He earned enough standing in the industry to become president of Stunts Unlimited, the profession's most selective organization.
Retired at thirty
Waugh walked away from stunt work at 30, not because the body gave out, but because he wanted to direct.
A run of high-octane films
Since then he has directed "Act of Valor" in 2012, "Need for Speed" in 2014 and "Expend4bles" in 2023.
Wrangling the big names
His sets have held Jason Statham, Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Jackie Chan and John Cena. Now he is making "Runner" with Alan Ritchson.
“larger-than-life personalities”
The short version
Waugh directs action from the inside out, because he spent two decades being the person in the middle of it.
