GIVING CREDIT

Saluting the behind-the-scenes talent making movie magic.

FRED NORTH STUNT HELICOPTER PILOT, FRED-NORTH.COM

Fred North has flown choppers in more than 200 movies over three decades including action franchises Fast & Furious, Mission: Impossible, James Bond, Transformers and Extraction. ‘I live my flying passion,’ he says. ‘I love being part of a team making a movie together and then sharing it with family and friends.’

How would you describe your job in simple terms?

I am either flying in front of the camera performing stunts required for a specific scene in the movie, or the pilot flying with a camera attached to the nose of the helicopter – there’s a director of photography on board operating the system and we are capturing action on the ground and/or in the air. But a stunt pilot has multiple hats: they are an aerial coordinator who is turning a script with aerials from a concept to a reality; part of the creative process for suggesting alternative flying action sequences to the director or producers; and in charge of putting the aerial unit together, like sourcing the aircrafts, pilots and aerial permits.

How did you get into stunt flying?

When I was working for the rally races in Europe and Africa, chasing cars in the desert for French television. I was the camera helicopter.

What do you think is the biggest misconception about your job?

People think we are just pilots doing what the director wants, but in fact the flying part is maybe 10% of my job.

What’s been the most memorable moment on a film set?

There have been a few – working with Michael Bay is always memorable. He knows exactly what a helicopter can do and not do, so he is writing a script designed for us.

The Fast & Furious movies are also designed for crazy fast stunts so I love being part of them. The train sequence in Extraction 2 where I land on a moving train to unload five SWAT-team guys was intense to say the least! The Beverly Hills Cop 4 movie [which has not been released yet] has a crazy, out-of-thisworld helicopter scene that was one of the most difficult pieces I’ve ever done.

‘Working with Michael Bay is always memorable. He knows what a helicopter can do and not do...’

What’s the worst thing about your job?

Managing the flying risk, carrying the liability and the risk on my shoulders, and being responsible for other people’s lives while simultaneously exposing myself to the risk. And jet-lag management and being away from the family. Long travel all around the world.

If someone wants to do your job, what’s the best route?

You need to be an instinctive person who makes decisions on the spot – the right ones! Build an expertise on one helicopter type and learn about flying helicopters for utilities work – firefighting, mountain rescue – where you are performing aerial movements. Stay away from A-to-B, straight and level flying. The big difference between a regular pilot and a film pilot is your knowledge of cameras and lenses, understanding what the director wants, and having the creative vision on what is needed for the shots.

FRED’S MEMOIR FLYING SIDEWAYS IS AVAILABLE NOW (FRED-NORTH.COM)