Stuntmen a dying breed in Hong Kong says daredevil expert, as Hollywood comes calling
Stunt master Bruce Law is highly sought after by both Hollywood and mainland filmmakers, writes Yvonne Teh
Bruce Law Lai-yin is a man in demand these days. The Hong Kong-born stunt and special effects expert's latest credits include Hollywood blockbuster Transformers: Age of Extinction, Indonesian actioner The Raid 2, and mainland films No Man's Land and The Great Hypnotist; not to mention John Woo Yu-sam's upcoming The Crossing.
Though no longer performing actual stunts, the 52-year-old former Thai boxer turned stuntman continues to thrive in a profession that has been on the wane, at least locally, for the past decade.
If you can do what Hollywood, they will find you
"Times have changed, and I think there are only about 50 stuntmen left in Hong Kong. So in Transformers: Age of Extinction, you get to see every Hong Kong stuntman," Law says. "It's not like the old days - there are way more stuntmen in mainland China than here. Even for a small movie there, they have at least 50 stuntmen."
So although he still maintains a base in Yuen Long, he has been spending most of his time north of the border.
"The past three or four years, it's been easier for me to find work," Law says. "Maybe it's because of my reputation, maybe it's because a lot of people quit, and also because of the increase in Hong Kong and mainland co-productions, but there is more work for my style of action."
His "style" is what he refers to as contemporary action.