Awards presented for top movie, video stunts

First-ever event sponsored by locally based group draws guests from all over Ohio, region

It’s not often when some of the top professional stunt performers who are seen in movies and on TV gather in Madison Village to celebrate and be recognized for outstanding work.

But it happened on Jan. 18 when Stunt Predators USA & SFX held its firstever Stunt Awards Banquet at Holiday Inn Express & Suites.

The event was created to honor stunt performers for their work in a variety of categories, said Richard Fike Sr., director of Stunt Predators USA & SFX.

Based in Madison Village, Stunt Predators USA & SFX is the only professional stunt organization east of Chicago, and is comprised of more than 50 members, said Fike, who’s worked for over 30 years as a stunt performer and coordinator.

The company provides stunt talent, coordination and technical advice for feature films, television, videos and commercials.

Awards presented at the Jan. 18 event, along the winners and titles of work or projects, included:

• Best Fight Scene: John Sundquist — “A Better Way To Die”

• Best Fall: Dean Ross — “The Way I Heard It” and Jonathan Yurco — video from live show at Old Tucson Studios (tie)

• Hardest Hit: Billy Montgomery — “Tactical Rope Fighting II” training video and Sarah Escandon — “Curvature” (tie)

• Hardest Pull: Riley Caya — “I See You”

• Best Vehicle Stunt: Mike Jones — “The Cut Off”

• Best Fire Burn: Schuyler White — “Little Evil”

• Best Rigging: Dean Ross, Paul Turner and Kitt Lashley — “I See You”; Eric Toulouse — “Little Evil” (tie)

• Best Special Effects, Pyrotechnics: Kitt Lashley and Richard Fike Jr. — “Heavydirtysoul” music video by 21 Pilots

• Best Specialty Stunt: Jillian Cole — “True Nature”

• Best Weapon: E. Ray Goodwin — Crazy Hillbilly with ax in the “Outsiders” TV series

In addition to the awards in categories for particular stunts or special effects, a few other honors were given out at the event.

The “Where it all Began” award went to Richard Fike Sr. and his stunt team members for the work they did in 1999 for the movie “A Better Way to Die,” which was released in 2000.

Along with Fike, recipients of this award were John Sundquist, Todd Emmett, Tom Dziak, Ron Parobek, John Kloock,

Chris Carlson, Frank Wagoner and Tommy Quinn.

Stunt Predators was formed after production of “A Better Way to Die,” although its members had been actively working in film and television as far back as 1986, Fike said.

In addition, it was after their roles in “A Better Way to Die” that Fike and his stunt team colleagues became members of the Screen Actors Guild.

Fike also received a special award at the event from his daughter, Sara Lashley, who presented the honor on behalf of the Stunt Predators team.

The first-ever Stunt Awards Banquet was attended by 105 people, Fike said. He estimated that about 60 guests were stunt and special-effects professionals. Rounding out the crowd were spouses, friends and family members, as well as VIP guests that included movie producer Matt Waldeck, a Bainbridge Township native who produced the 2019 motion picture “I See You”; and Evan Miller, president of the Greater Cleveland Film Commission.

Stunt and special-effects professionals from all over Ohio and states such as Michigan, Pennsylvania and Maine attended the banquet, which was catered by the Wagon Wheel Bar and Restaurant in Madison Township.

Award winners in the designated categories were selected by a panel of local film enthusiasts who viewed video of all nominees’ projects and then voted on the top choices, Fike said. They rated each nomination based on four criteria: difficulty or complexity of the stunt or special effect; level of danger involved; intensity; and final product on the screen.

To prepare the judges for their evaluations, Fike offered them some tips on the finer points of what makes an excellent stunt or special effect.

Being that this was the first-ever Stunt Awards Banquet, entries were considered for work performed since the formation of Stunt Predators in 1999. Within the next few years, the format will be changed to consider only work from the 12 months prior to the year of the banquet, Fike explained. Fike, who also owns Madison Combined Martial Arts Association in Madison Village, said that organizing and carrying out the inaugural Stunt Awards Banquet was a team effort and involved a lot of work. But he believes it went very well, and so did many of the event guests, judging by feedback he’s received.

“I’m still getting emails and texts about it,” he said on Jan. 21.

He predicts that the Stunt Awards Banquet will get bigger and better in the future.

“We expect to double or triple the size next year,” he said.

COURTESY OF RICHARD FIKE SR. From left, Tori Popovic of Cleveland, Riley Caya of Madison Village and Allen Roth of Beachwood were all nominated for “Best Pull” at the first-ever Stunt Awards Banquet sponsored by Stunt Predators USA & SFX on Jan. 18 in Madison Village. Caya took home the award for his stunts in the movie”I See You,” which opened at theaters in December.

COURTESY OF RICHARD FIKE SR. Richard Fike Sr., director of Stunt Predators USA & SFX, is joined by his daughters, Sara Lashley, left, and Leah Turner, at the group’s first-ever Stunt Awards Banquet in Madison Village on Jan. 18. Fike is holding a special award he received from Stunt Predators honoring him for his leadership of the professional stunt organization.