The name's Magee, Karl Magee

11:14am Wednesday 27th August 2008

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THEY ARE THE BREATHTAKING on-screen moments that make film and TV history: James Bond's heartstopping balcony leap, Harry Potter's explosive wizarding duels and Doctor Who's nail-biting battles with the Daleks.

But forget stars like Daniel Craig, Daniel Radcliffe and David Tennant.

Many of the death-defying sequences from your favourite movies and TV shows owe their spectacular impact to one Southampton man.

Karl Magee set up North Baddesley stunt agency 2MA to supply stunt artists to the entertainment industry.

If you've been to the cinema or turned the TV on recently, chances are you've seen one of Magee's guys in action.

If you were impressed by the gruesome zombie scenes in 28 Days Later or the swashbuckling battles in the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, you were admiring Karl's protégés.

In fact, 2MA artists appear in just about any high octane movie you care to mention from Bond to Batman via The Da Vinci Code.

One of Karl's students, Bobby Holland Hanton, is currently starring as Daniel Craig's body double in the latest Bond movie Quantum of Solace.

Another, Ian Kay, is a veteran on the Harry Potter set along with former 2MA performer and Doctor Who stuntman Gordon Seed. Gordon's other credits include stunts for Batman Begins, Lara Croft Tomb Raider and The Phantom of the Opera movie.

It is easy to see why 2MA has become such a fertile training ground for wannabe stunt artists.

Since former gymnast Karl set up the agency 20 years ago, he has directed, choreographed and produced hundreds of elaborate live action sequences for television and theatre including five Royal Variety Performances and countless pantomimes.

He has directed panto fight sequences and slapstick routines for the likes of Frank Bruno and Shane Ritchie, shared a dressing room with Take That and partied with A-listers like Gwyneth Paltrow and Mick Jagger.

His shows are in demand at holiday resorts and theme parks across the UK and Europe and he is about to start working on a fight scene with Doctor Who and Torchwood star John Barrowman for his latest pantomime in Birmingham.

2MA is one of the only agencies of its kind where trainee stunt men and women can learn their craft and get noticed by potential employees, says Karl, who runs the business with his colleague Mo Matthews.

It was here that former pro-wrestler Nick Aldis was snapped up by Sky One to star as the mean and moody Oblivion in the new series of Gladiators.

And talented hopefuls - from retired gymnasts and acrobats to trained actors and even circus performers - continue to sign up with dreams of making it onto the hallowed UK Stunt Register.

Run by actors' agency Equity, the register is a list of fully qualified stuntmen and women.

To be accepted, artists must prove themselves proficient in a range of disciplines from diving and martial arts to boxing and trampolining.

It is a rigorous training process that can take five years but, for many, membership of 2MA has proved a crucial stepping stone.

Taking part in one of Karl McGee's touring stunt shows - like this summer's Incredible Hulk spectacular - can provide valuable experience for anyone with their sights set on the register.

"It's like their apprenticeship," explained Karl, 40, who once had his own slapstick show for Children's ITV.

"A lot of our guys dream of getting into the movies, but I think live sequences are harder because you only get one chance."

While the flying leaps, slick stage fights and daring acrobatics look effortless, Karl admits that making a living as a stunt artist can be a risky business.

"Oh, it is dangerous," he says honestly. "But the training is very intense. The skill level of these people is unbelievable. These guys have to be committed. You have to be very fit and dedicated and gutsy - and a bit mad. A lot of the guys get an adrenalin rush from knowing that they could break their necks.

"Sometimes people will twist an ankle or break a leg if they land wrong, but it's the same if you are a gymnast.

"There are stuntmen who have died.

But the industry is so heavily regulated - it has to be. The work that goes into setting up a stunt is immense.

"You have to remember there are only about 300 people in the country who make a living out of being a stuntman. These are highly skilled people."

Former gymnast Kaj Fitzgibbon, 35, has had ambitions to become a stuntman since seeing a friend perform in an acrobatics show at a theme park.

He auditioned for 2MA 12 years ago and now dreams of working as a stuntman in the movies and of owning his own stunt academy.

He has performed in stunt shows across the UK and Europe.

"You have to be an extrovert, a team member and bit crazy," said Kaj, who lists jumping 26 metres into a tank of water and setting himself on fire, among his most daring stunts. His unusual job never fails to raise eyebrows.

"It can look dangerous, but you have to remember that we are all trained and educated in this and know what we're doing. We're not just messing around. It's all carefully co-ordinated."

But that doesn't stop friends and family getting anxious.

"My dad is very proud of what I do, but my mum doesn't really approve," admits Kaj, who is currently starring as The Hulk in Karl's Incredible Hulk show. "She worries about the dangers."

For stage school graduate Julie Jade, 25, the risky world of the stunt industry is yet another string to her performing arts bow.

"It's something a bit different," said Julie, a trained dancer and actress. "The Incredible Hulk is my first job with 2MA, although I've been on the books for about six months. It's quite scary but I'm hoping it will add to the skills I have."

And Karl is hoping his latest venture - a stunt school' for children and teenagers - will help nurture even more new talent.

Starz-Academy - set up with friend and fellow ex-gymnast Gary York - will offer weekend physical and musical theatre courses for six to 17-year-olds at schools across Southampton.

The Saturday workshops will include lessons in stage fighting, circus skills, acrobatics, drama, dance and singing and will feature masterclasses with stuntmen from the Harry Potter and James Bond movies.

"It's about giving children confidence and getting fit at the same time," explains Karl.

"It's also about channelling their energy into something positive. Often children who are less academic can really excel at sports and workshops like this.

"The emphasis will be on fun but it's not a free for all. Stunt work is a discipline just like gymnastics, so there will be structure and discipline to what we are doing.

"When I got into the business in the early 80s, there was nowhere to learn these sorts of things and noone to tell you the good and bad things about the industry.

"I hope the academy will be accessible to children from all walks of life and not just the families who can afford expensive fees for stage schools.

"Hopefully some of the children who take part will find something that interests them and is challenging"

For the teenage Karl, the glitter of show business fitted that brief and there has never, he says, been any question of forsaking his madcap world of crazy stunts for a more conventional career.

"I just can't see myself doing anything like that. When you've got showbusiness in your blood you just know it."