New Brunswick actors had the opportunity to add to their portfolios this week with a specialized stunt training workshop in Moncton. Hosted by Halifax-based TV production company Connexions Productions in collaboration with New Brunswick Department of Tourism, Heritage, and Culture, actors have been learning all the stunt skills from how to take a TV punch, how to make falling look real, and even stunt parkour. The training is led by professional stunt performers Alex Soldatov and Margaryta Soldatova. “They’re very keen to learn and you can see the ambition behind it,” says Soldatov, who is an Emmy-Award winning stunt performer. “It is [going] better than expected because they are listening and they are actually doing their homework, which is giving them to stretch to review the lessons that we have from before. They come in and they already have this understanding, which helps the other sessions way better.” Soldatov says New Brunswick has very few stunt actors and actresses, which is why he wanted to bring the workshop to the province. He hopes to bring more workshops like this, including more advanced lessons, to other parts of New Brunswick to help produce local talent with more made-in-the-Maritimes productions on the horizon. “As a stunt co-ordinator, I can come and take local talent instead of going out there and trying to get talents from Montreal, Halifax or Toronto,” says Saldatov. “We want to keep it in the province.” Among the actors and actresses taking part was 49-year-old Hayley Bowen, who is returning to her passion for acting after 25 years in marketing with both of her children now out of the house for post-secondary education. She admits the physical strain is a bit more than she anticipated, but she is proud of how she is keeping up with some of the young talent in the course. “My initial goal was just to feel comfortable in my body,” Bowen says. “But I think what I actually got out of it is that I can pretty much do anything I want.” She admits her favourite part of the week has been throwing around some of the younger men taking part in the workshop during stunt fight training. She would like to keep her skills sharp at home, but her family isn’t interested. “I went home yesterday and I asked my husband and my son if I could throw them, but they wouldn’t let me,” Bowen says with a laugh. “But I can, I know I can do it now.” For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
