TOM DELMAR
Biography
Recommendations
“Unlike all the other art forms, film is able to seize and render the passage of time, to stop it, almost to possess it in infinity. I’d say that film is the sculpting of time.”
– Andrei Tarkovsky
Twenty-five years in the motion picture industry working on Hollywood’s biggest movies as a Director, 2nd Unit Director and Stunt Coordinator.
Credits
• Director - Pre Production 'Killing the Seeds'
• Director - Re-shoots / 7 movie productions
• Writer/Director - 2nd Unit / 35 movie productions
• Action Director - 130+ movie credits, 300+ TV credits
Awards
• Best Director and Coordinator @ World Stunt Awards
• Best Fight Director for Snatch @ World Stunt Awards
• Most Original Sequence @ Taurus Stunt Awards
• BAFTA Awards - Coldplay The Scientist
• CRAFT Awards - Special Constables
Accolades
• The International Stunt Academy presented Tom with the symbol of the Knights Spirit of Academy 'The Sword of Khrisaor & the Silver Breastplate'. He joins an elite list of Hollywood's greatest stunt professionals who have had the honour to be asked to join the Academy. [2006]
• Tom has been interviewed in the programs 'Hollywood's Greatest Stunts' and 'The Worlds Greatest Stunts' for his contributions as a 2nd unit Director and Stunt Coordinator on Snatch, Star Wars Episode (II), The Little Vampire and Extreme Ops, Drona and Velayudham. [2000-2011]
• Tom was invited to judge the World Stunt Championships at the "Moscow International Festival of Stunt Art and Cinematography where he presented the "Golden Prometheus Statue". [2002]
• Tom was the Stunt Coordinator on the powerful BBC BAFTA winning film ‘Warriors’ BBCA (America)/’Peacekeepers’ BBC (UK).
• Tom lectures at both London University & the National Film School. His subjects include Directing Action, Stunt Coordinating and Health & Safety on the film set.
• He has appeared as a precision driver & program presenter on a number of TV series including the well known ‘Top Gear’, ‘Fast Lane’, ‘Motoring Madness’, ‘Good Driver’, ‘Reduce Speed Now’ and the award winning ‘Road Rage’.
• He has contributed both on and off road in commercials for all the major car manufacturers including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, GMC, Land Rover, Audi, Hummer, Porsche, Jeep, Vauxhall, Ford.
• He coordinated multi vehicle crash and driving sequences for award winning Channel 4`Road Rage', BBC 999 `Drink Driver', `M42 Pile Up' & BBC's award winning `Random Forces'.
• He has worked on commercials for the biggest brand names, Coca-Cola (USA), United Postal Service (USA), MTV (USA), Barclaycard (UK), Virgin Atlantic (World), Sainsbury (UK), Sony (Japan), Vodafone (UK), Stella Artois Beer (Europe), Heineken Beer (Russia), Ikea (Europe), Lee Jeans (USA), Police (UK), BP (World).
• He has contributed to many memorable pop promos. A fight between Batman & Jesus Christ for Shaun Ryder of Black Grape. A fight between two blindfolded, naked priests fighting with giant rubber crucifix for Kevin Godley ‘In the Nam of the Father’. He smacked the bitch up for Prodigy ‘Smack My Bitch Up’. Backwards, he crashed a car and propelled a woman out of the window for Coldplay ‘The Scientist ‘ (Nominated for a BAFTA). He committed ‘Murder on the Dance Floor’ for ‘Sofie Elex Bexter’ and drove several ghost cars through London, without drivers, for Morcheeba.
• As a fight director he has choreographed fights for the cream of Hollywood’s fighting stars including Steven Seagal, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Wesley Snipes and even action star Brad Pitt.
* MIni Bio: Born in the land of ‘Bravheart’ Scotland, Tom was brought up in the Cairngorm Mountains. At Glasgow University when not studying for his BSc in pure mathematics and computer science he could be found at the Army OTC (Officer Training Corps) where at weekends and holidays he learnt many of the skills that he would use later as a young stunt man.
He moved to London and after spending 46 weeks working at the BBC and ITV in various rolls in front of camera he qualified for the British Stunt Register [1984]. He quickly found himself working as a young stunt man on some of the biggest Hollywood films of the time including James Cameron’s Aliens and the action packed ‘007 James Bond’ films through to Guy Ritchie’s ‘Snatch’ and Georg Lucas’s Star Wars (II). He doubled many stars of the day including Steve Guttenberg, Sylvester Stallone, Ray Winston, Robbie Coltrane, Alfred Molina !
He started working as a stunt coordinator in 1987, over the next 25 years he would stunt coordinate and double in over 700 Film and TV shows working with the cream of Hollywood. Tom quickly applied his scientific background to his advantage when he started the ‘Action Stunt Company’ in which he designed and fabricated stunt equipment, air bags, tracking vehicles and camera rig’s, the company is now one of the leaders in Europe.
“Tom has directed the 2nd Unit on several action films I have produced over the last seven years. The results of his work developing and shooting the action sequences have always been of the most excellent standard looking great on screen. He has also worked as the director of reshoots on many of our productions shooting drama and action scenes producing great product and enableing a final cut.
Donald Kushner (Producer)
‘The Foreigner’, ‘The Detonator’, ‘7 Seconds’, ‘Attack Force’, ‘The Hard Cops’, ‘Second in Command’, ‘Razors Edge’ & many more!
“I always felt safe even when he took the fights out of the box and pushed us through the limits of our imagination, even underwater! He’s truly special”.
Brad Pitt (Actor)
‘Snatch’
“Tom was more interested in the script and the needs of George than in his contract, he is passionate about the film making process and what he can bring to the table”.
Rick McCallum (Producer)
‘ Star Wars Episode II’
“Tom saved my life, literally"
Peter Kosminsky
'Warriors', 'Peacekeepers', 'The Project'
“A fantastic action director, a one of a kind, its time he had his own movie. He is truly an asset to any film production. Its great working with him.”
Steven Seagal (Actor)
‘The Foreigner’, ‘Attack Force’
“Other than his wonderful professional qualities as a director and stunt coordinator, Tom has the ability to make friends with everyone he works with. Of all his other talents and qualities, this ability is perhaps the one that make him the most popular among crew and enables him to achieve maximum output from all. I would not hesitate to recommend him”
Andrew Stevens
(President/CEO Andrew Stevens Entertainment)
“Simply put, I cannot recommend anyone more highly than Tom to put at the head of your 2nd Unit. He will get the best from everyone and produce the most dynamic shots imaginable to put into your movie”.
Chris Wheeldon (Producer)
‘Little Vampire’
“Tom organized the stunts and directed 2nd unit on several of the films I produced. His work was always very efficient and the results on the screen very good. In addition to being very good, the fact that Tom has worked worldwide in every type of terrain, condition and location is, I am sure, an advantage to any production”.
Pierre Spengler (Producer)
‘7 seconds’, ‘Razor's Edge’, ‘Detonator’
“ It's genius, I have never shot action like that before”
Abhishek Bachchan (Actor)
‘Drona’
“He has passion, he understands movement, pace and the dynamics of action movies, I love to work with him"
Jean-Claude Van Damme
"Wake of Death", "Legionnaire", "Second in Command ", "The Hard Corps"
“It is a fact that very few Heads of Department in feature films understand the constraints that producers work with. If they do, most choose to ignore them. Tom on the other hand is one of the rare people who will take up a challenge with all its constraints and come out with a brilliant solution without compromising quality. His ability to use limited time and other resources to the fullest is truly amazing”.
Iqbal Kidwai (Producer)
‘Drona’
“I had the pleasure of working with Tom on a movie in Warsaw, Poland and he was of tremendous value and support to me and the other producers. I would hire Tom again any time. His presence is a valuable asset to any production”.
William B. Steakley (Line Producer)
‘The Foreigner’
“I have a great respect for Tom's work because of his ability to develop the visual imagery completely out of the box and the harmonious way he can combine a pure technical element with emotional symbolism. I believe in innovation and I am impatient to see his future projects.”
Ecaterina McCormick