Tu
esday, Oct. 20th, and the students of York and hopeful Jedis alike collect in Central Hall. The lights dim, and that familiar, trumpet-y score plays out as the words ‘STAR WARS, EPISODE VII’ appear on-screen. Thankfully, it’s just the beginning of several explosive action sequences featuring the work of Andreas Petrides, veteran stuntman and Hollywood legend.
For 20 years, Petrides has worked on over 500 productions worldwide, from James Bond to Gladiator. Most recently he’s worked on The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus and the new series of Merlin. He’s crashed motorcycles, been set on fire and sliced Ray Park’s head off for Star Wars Episode I (the original plan for Darth Maul, apparently). Oh, and he was breakdancing champion, of course, ’83 – ’84.
Before the show, the one existing link between Judge Dredd and Hollyoaks (now that’s a diverse career) took a few minutes to talk shop for York Vision:
“If you can get away with it, wear it,” he tells me – and he’s talking about protective padding, of course. For a man who started work that was both dangerous and physically demanding from a very young age, Petrides has emerged remarkably intact, a triumph he owes to his practical approach to the business.
The highlight for students comes when the stuntman gets out the lightsabers, the best of which, quoted at £150 each, work for combat but light up and look the real-deal as well. I must admit, the looks of Uma Thurman-style fierceness in the students’ eyes as they went saber-to-saber under Petrides’ instruction unnerved me. The kids learning from a fake Mace Windu at Disneyland is one thing, but now unstable, over/underworked students are learning the tricks of a very deadly trade at York. I have a bad feeling about this.
But Andreas clearly loves it. On the huge level of interest his and Ray Park’s Movie Fight Experience generated in America, he says, “it really inspired me… I don’t believe in dreams – I think they’re unachievable – I believe in goals. I wanted to prove that careers teacher wrong. Well, he’s dead now… but I achieved my goal. The motto of the company is ‘Believe and Achieve.'”
For anyone interested in a career in media, check out www.britishactionacademy.com for a range of stunt and action services.
rhianna kinchin is a legend for organising this. i had a great time, and felt that the force was definitely with us all…especially andreas – what a guy! yusu should invite him back, and encourage rhianna kinchin to stay on for many years (like matt burton), as she is really in touch with what students want, and delivering marvellously this far!
is it just me or is LEGEND the most overused word at this university?
I would also like to stay forever and become a LEGEND. The force is with me.
Just realised that two people randomly published messages under my name..
That said, Andreas was pretty cool and Rhianna is doing really well with everything. Also, “The Force was with us; the Force is with me” is really lame. No proper Star Wars fan would use anything so unnecessarily cheesy unless they were one of the crazy nutcases that think they’re real Jedi. I’d be more in the mood for quoting some Odan-Urr :P
I love this article so much. More from Thomas Martin!