Artificial Intelligence: A Stunt Coordinator's Take on the Future of Film

If you’ve watched a high-octane action sequence lately, you’ve probably wondered: How much of that was real?

I sat down with stunt performer and fight coordinator Erol Mehmet (www.thefightcoordinator.co.uk) to chat about the industry he’s been a part of for years. We’re working together to revamp his website, and as we look toward his future in coordination, the topic of AI kept coming up.

Here’s our casual take on where AI fits in the world of stunts and why, for us, the human touch is still king.

Rachel: Erol, you’ve seen the industry evolve a lot. What’s your gut feeling when you see AI popping up everywhere in film now?

Erol: You know, at first, it was impressive. You see what the technology can do, and there’s that "wow" factor. But pretty quickly, it just became too much. Now, you hop on social media, and it’s saturated with AI-generated content. Half the time, you can’t even believe what you’re seeing. To be honest, a lot of it feels soulless.

Rachel: That’s a sentiment a lot of people are starting to share. Do you think there’s a risk for businesses or productions that lean too hard into it?

Erol: Absolutely. I think if you rely on it too much, it’s going to hurt your credibility. People are starting to get fed up with that "fake" feel. Quality and genuine effort have a certain value, and viewers are smart—they can tell when something is missing that human spark. I’d bet that award boards and audiences are going to be a lot less forgiving to projects that feel like they were churned out by a machine rather than crafted by people. AI needs better human oversight, plain and simple.

Rachel: I couldn’t agree more. It’s funny; we’re actually using some AI-assisted tools to help refresh your website, but we’re using them differently, aren't we?

Erol: Definitely. We’re using it as a tool to help us organise and plan the site, but the "soul" of the business—the experience I bring to the table—that’s all coming from us.

Rachel: That’s a great point. For anyone reading this who might be wary of AI, I think it’s important to clarify that "AI" doesn't have to mean "replacing human work." For example, I’ve been using AI tools to help with the heavy lifting in our research for your site. It’s brilliant for digging up information quickly or structuring ideas that we then refine together.

Erol: Exactly. It’s like a super-powered assistant for the boring stuff. It’s not writing the "stunt coordinator" vision; it’s helping us lay the groundwork so we can get to the good stuff faster.

Why We’re Pro-Research, Not Pro-Replacement

Erol and I have found that while AI shouldn’t be replacing the artistry of a fight sequence or the creativity of a website design, it is a game-changer for the "pre-production" phase of our work.

Here’s why we think AI-assisted research is a massive benefit for any professional:

• Saving Time, Not Talent: AI helps us gather trends, summarise information, and brainstorm structures in seconds. It saves us hours of scrolling and manual note-taking.

• Getting Over the "Blank Page": Sometimes the hardest part of a project is the first draft. AI is fantastic at offering a starting point that we can then edit, tweak, and perfect.

• Data-Driven Decisions: By using AI to look at industry trends or website best practices, we can make decisions that are backed by better insights, rather than just guessing.

The bottom line? AI is a tool, not the talent. Whether it’s coordinating a fight scene or building a brand-new website, the best results will always come from people who know how to use the technology—without letting it take the wheel.

Stay tuned for Erol’s updated site at www.thefightcoordinator.co.uk!