Marten Baum trained at the Staatliche Ballettschule Berlin before embarking on a successful dance career with the Bayerische Staatsoper and the Friedrichstadt-Palast in Berlin. He has since made the career transition into acting and stunt work, appearing in the television series 1889, Babylon Berlin, and Der Palast, as well as feature films such as Without Remorse and Hunger Games 5.
Marten Baum: I think my interest in it started in my childhood - I was always seeking action, whether it was in theme parks or just climbing trees in the forest, or speeding down hills with a bike. But it never really occurred to me that this could be a job, that one could really work as a stuntman.
My first interaction with a stuntman happened when I was working at the Friedrichstadt-Palast. We were preparing a show and had some acrobatic workshops with stuntmen, including things like bungee work. I really enjoyed working with them and decided to stay in touch, and one day I told them that I would love to do more and see how it’s actually done. At some point they said, “Hey, we’re actually shooting a movie right now, so why don’t you come over for a day and be a part of it?” That’s how I slowly stepped into the stunt world.
After my first movie, I already knew that I loved it, that I wanted more of it. So I decided to go all in, because it’s not something you can do as a side business while you’re working a full time job. So I decided to quit my dance job and just tried to get my foot in the door.
Marten: Yeah, I do it all. Sometimes it feels like I'm tangled up in too many things, so I have to set priorities. I still dance, but not as much. I perform in a small Varieté theatre about once a month, but I mostly dance in films now. I've shifted my focus towards that. I also started choreographing last year, though mostly co-choreographing because I don't see myself as a full-time choreographer.
In terms of my priorities, I'd love to do more acting. I have an agent who's always looking for acting jobs for me. If an acting job and a stunt job both come up at the same time, I'd choose the acting job. If it's between a stunt job and a dancing job, I'd choose the stunt job. So I have these clear priorities.
Dance bookings usually plan further ahead, often casting a few months before production starts. Stunt jobs don't typically do that. I once got a last-minute call asking if I could fly to Malta for a stunt job, and when I asked when they needed me, they said, “Could you get on the plane tonight?” So that one wasn’t really possible.
I always feel a bit under pressure accepting long-term contracts. It's tough when you're freelancing, because you never know how things will work out ahead of time.
Marten: I would say it’s mainly the discipline and the ability to really know your body. It’s not only fighting but knowing how to fall down, how to climb - I need to know my body’s abilities so well. I also know how to compensate when things go wrong because my body is used to this type of pressure.
I think one of the biggest advantages is the ability to learn fast. Alongside performing stunts, I’ve also been doing some rigging and wire work, which was a lot to learn, but my ability to pick those skills up quickly was valued.
Also, another huge advantage that comes from having been a dancer is having the stamina to deal with long hours - as a dancer, you’re used to working through physical exhaustion. On movie sets, the days are long: the hardest set I’ve been on had a 24 hour shoot, and you just have to be there and be ready for that.
Marten: I would agree with her, but I think it’s a two-way street. Either you’re a pro in one area and you really excel in it, or you try to acquire a really wide range of skills. I opted for the second option, and it’s worked out for me!
People book me for a job and might say, in this scene you have to ride a bike, in this one you have to fall down, and we also need you to drive a car. If you need someone to do crazy car stunts, for example, then you would hire a specialist precision driver, but if it’s a series of smaller tasks and they see that I’m easy to work with and reliable, then they might prefer to hire me and my wider skill set.
There’s often a lot of stress on a film set, and the tone can get a bit rough. You need to be self-aware and confident in the quality of your work.
Marten: It’s difficult because as a dancer you can warm up, you know when the performance starts, and it’s quite predictable. But movie sets often involve a lot of waiting - you have no idea when you’ll be needed, but when you’re finally in front of the camera, you have to be ready. So that kind of film work involves keeping your body warm on set over long periods of time.
Besides that, I take care of my body in similar ways as I did when I was dancing, but I try to keep my exercise routine diverse - I don’t rely only on gym workouts as I don’t want to get too bulky and I want to retain flexibility. I also take Kung Fu, Taekwondo, or boxing classes, whatever! If I aim for a wide field of training, then my body also recognises those things if I have to perform them on a set.
Marten: Physically, yes, but what I had to adjust was that dancer's tendency of trying to make everything look easy - they don’t want that in stunts! It took a while to finally work out how to make things look hard or painful.
Marten: Preparing for these things involves a lot of repetition. One summer, I was performing a live stunt in a show where I had an uncomfortably small landing zone which measured around 2 metres by 2 metres - I’m 186cm tall, so I only had 14 centimetres “extra” room. I would go there every day, even when there were no rehearsals, to familiarise myself with the set. I started with some easy jumps - some days all I did was to climb up to the top of the set and climb back down again.
You don’t ever really feel ready, but at some point you do at least feel more comfortable with what you’re doing. I also took care of the set up; in films someone else usually sets up the stunt but I prefer to do it myself, not because I don’t trust others but because it kind of calms me to know that I’ve set it up myself and done the stunt over and over. It’s for my “inner monk”. I’m always nervous, but this preparation just makes me feel more ready.
I guess my way of preparing for stunts is similar to what I did when dancing - you repeat the choreography over and over again until you can perform it.
Marten: Surprisingly, the adrenaline part isn't as important as you might think. The key qualities for a stunt performer are speed and mental strength.
There’s often a lot of stress on a film set, and the tone can get a bit rough. You need to be self-aware and confident in the quality of your work. Also, you need patience, as there is always a lot of waiting around - I meet a lot of ex dancers on film sets who struggle with that aspect, whereas I enjoy the downtime, having a coffee, and chatting with people.
So I think being a stunt performer involves a combination of skills, but it mainly requires you to be reliable, mentally strong, and trusting. You are put in situations where you have to trust other people a lot, whether that’s trusting that a fire will be extinguished or that a wire pulls you exactly the way it has to. Teamwork is a huge part of what we do.
Marten: The biggest difference is the size or scale of the performance. On stage, we try to make everything as big as possible, to reach even those in the last row. It’s less intimate than being in front of the camera, where I had to learn to settle down and do much less than I think is natural. When I talk, I tend to gesticulate and use my hands and body a lot, which can look weird on camera. I head to learn that less is sometimes more.
Also, I feel more secure and calm in front of the camera, as you usually have more than one chance - if it’s a nice set, you are free to mess it up and have another go.
I think any career change does come with a struggle because it’s a new field and you’re probably not as comfortable there as you used to be. But know that you’re not the only one - that helps a lot.
Marten: Yes, I definitely lean more towards screen work but I also tend to miss the stage.
I aim for a balance, doing some stage work but mainly screen work. I found that when I was onstage every day, it started feeling routine and lost some of its joy. Now, I prefer to perform on stage once or twice a month, and it remains exciting.
I may not be at the level I was during my time with the Bayerisches Staatsballett, as I'm no longer training daily or constantly memorising choreography. However, I still look forward to performing the pieces I can do and that audiences want to see.
Marten: The biggest logistical adjustment is being able to manage your schedule. When I started receiving job offers as a freelancer, I took everything that came my way, which worked out because there weren’t many offers and they all fit into my calendar. This changed once I got busier - there was a time last year when I had no days off for months because I accepted all the work that was offered and tried to fit it all in.
Then there were months when nothing happened at all. I think this is the main difference between freelancing and working in a traditional structure. There are times when you want to work but there are no jobs available. You have to mentally prepare yourself for this and not let it affect your self-esteem. Sometimes, there simply aren't any projects available. But you also have the freedom to choose when you want to work. Being able to make such choices is a part of freelancing.
Also, in terms of finances, you need to manage your earnings well. There may be months when you earn a lot and others when there's little to no income. You need to be ready to pay taxes and have something left over for those unpredictable months.
Marten: Be aware of what you’ve already achieved - dancing isn't only physically demanding, but it also involves a lot of mental stress. You managed to do all of that and make it look easy. Dancers understand themselves and their bodies so well, and this knowledge is very useful: for example, while I personally can't see myself in a desk job as I know I need to work creatively with my body, some dancers might enjoy such a role.
I think trying things out is the best thing you can do. Once you've tried and realised it's manageable, it gives you enough confidence to move forward.
Dancers have a fantastic ability to learn and mimic movements very quickly - this skill was useful when I worked on a stunt team and had to learn new techniques rapidly. To remember them, I would film myself doing them, so I could see it and memorise it from the image. Dancers are often visual learners, capable of memorising things just by seeing them.
Marten: If you can, try things out and see if they really suit you - I was lucky enough to be able to test out what this new career might look like. Make connections with people who are part of the profession or in the freelance world. It's helpful to have someone who says, "Let's go there. We heard they're hiring. Let's send an email." These personal connections gave me so much support and helped me realise that I’m not the only one struggling. I think any career change does come with a struggle because it’s a new field and you’re probably not as comfortable there as you used to be. But know that you’re not the only one - that helps a lot.
Top image by Niklas Kinzel
